Sunday, September 06, 2009

The Van Jones thing (now with a CDS update): This may surprise you...

...but I'm angry.

Angry not at Obama aide Anthony "Van" Jones, but at the Republicans who forced his resignation based on a 2004 petition he signed concerning 9/11.

True, I'm not a big fan of Barack Obama. True, I became -- and remain -- pluperfectly pissed off at the "truthers" who commandeered the entire national discussion of 9/11 by promulgating the inane "controlled demolition" theory.

(No, we will not not NOT discuss the CD theory here. I still recall the unpleasant events of 2006 and 2007, when the "trannies" -- as I derisively call the CDers -- nearly took over this blog. Their fanatical behavior, both here and everywhere else, consigned them forevermore to the fringe, to an internet ghetto which they have built for themselves and from which they will never escape. They have, for the most part, been banned from all sites outside that ghetto. After the way I've been treated by those zealots, I now delete on sight any comment that even hints at a pro-tranny stance. If you don't like that rule, fuck off and die and may spider monkeys rape your corpse.)

(One last word. The collapse of the towers began at the points of impact, dummies!)

Where was I...? Oh yeah. Van Jones.

Why am I pissed off at the Republicans who called for his ouster? Behold the hypocrisy:
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) called on Jones to resign Friday, saying in a statement, "His extremist views and coarse rhetoric have no place in this administration or the public debate."

Senator Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.) urged Congress to investigate Jones's "fitness" for the position, writing in an open letter, "Can the American people trust a senior White House official that is so cavalier in his association with such radical and repugnant sentiments?"
These GOPers never denounced Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck, both of whom have said that Obama hates white people. Both of those men are as coarse and repugnant as ungranulated salt on an open wound on a saint's body. (Pence is in tight with Limbaugh, incidentally.)

You want to talk about extremism? Let's talk about extremism.

What about the many Republicans -- including congressmen John Campbell and Bill Posey -- who promoted that "birther" nonsense? What about the un-chamingly zany Michelle Bachmann, who recently intimated that swine flu was a Democratic conspiracy, who says that no amount of carbon dioxide can do harm to the atmosphere, who insists that evolution has never been proven, who thinks that Obama is setting up "re-education camps," and who wants to hold a McCarthy-like investigation into fellow congress members to determine whether or not they are "pro-America"? What about Congressman Paul Broun of Georgia, who -- after bidding farewell to observable reality -- told a crowd that Obama had established a private army, along with complete press control and a total gun ban, all with the intent of establishing a Marxist one-party state?

And what about Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond, the guy who called Jones "radical and repugnant"? Bond is the fellow who, when asked whether waterboarding constituted torture, replied: "It's like swimming, freestyle, backstroke."

Again: I'm no Obama fan. My record on that score is clear. But if the above-mentioned Republicans are not radical and repugnant extremists, then who is?

As for the petition that Van Jones signed: Keep the chronology in mind. As of 2004, the CD crazies had not yet taken over the length and the breadth of the debate over 9/11. Before the bombs-in-the-buildings bozos took over, a lot of good people were asking a lot of good questions about those events -- questions about the role of Saudi Arabia, the role of Pakistan's ISI, the relationship between the ISI and the CIA, the strange doings of Mohammed Atta in Florida, the easy entry of Nawaf Alhazmi and Khalid Almihdhar into this country even after the CIA had pegged them as terrorists (they found San Diego lodgings with an FBI informant!), the escape of so many Al Qaeda personnel from Afghanistan, the strong evidence that Mossad assets in New Jersey had advance knowledge of the attacks, and much more.

You can read about those issues on the History Commons site, on Daniel Hopsicker's site, and elsewhere. Alas, the CD-addled "truthers" have de-legitimized those asking the right questions.

The actual petition that Van Jones signed makes no reference to any of that "bombs in the building" nonsense. In fact, it asks a lot of questions which I consider fair (especially when we consider the petition's date):
Why were the extensive missile batteries and air defenses reportedly deployed around the Pentagon not activated during the attack?

Why did the Secret Service allow Bush to complete his elementary school visit, apparently unconcerned about his safety or that of the schoolchildren?

Why hasn't a single person been fired, penalized, or reprimanded for the gross incompetence we witnessed that day?

Why haven't authorities in the U.S. and abroad published the results of multiple investigations into trading that strongly suggested foreknowledge of specific details of the 9/11 attacks, resulting in tens of millions of dollars of traceable gains?

What happened to the over 20 documented warnings given our government by 14 foreign intelligence agencies or heads of state?

Why did the Bush administration cover up the fact that the head of the Pakistani intelligence agency was in Washington the week of 9/11 and reportedly had $100,000 wired to Mohamed Atta, considered the ringleader of the hijackers?
I applaud Van Jones for asking those questions.

By the way -- he has a remarkable history as a civil rights activist and as the founder of Green For All. In 2008, his resume was (in my view) far more impressive than was the c.v. of Barack Obama, who had accomplished little outside the realm of relentless self-promotion. Frankly, I would be a happier man right now if Obama were working in a Jones administration.

It's odd that conservative politicians are denouncing the "truthers" as extremists, since most of today's CD nutbags espouse conservative views. In 2006 and 2007, the trannies had made inroads into progressive circles, but the infection was blocked. The turning point occurred when a group of crazies, in a frenzy of self-defeatism, disrupted Bill Maher's show. That's the moment when many liberals woke up to the truth about the "truthers." Since that time, the tranny movement has attracted mostly the type of people who joined militias during the Clinton years.

One of the leading CDers is our old friend Alex Jones, a repugnant and radical extremist if ever I saw one. He has not exactly rallied his troops to support Van Jones. To the contrary: The Infowars site defames the former Obama aide as a "Marxist."

(As for Michelle Bachmann: I wish her a long and happy life. But like all other mortals, she will one day join the choir invisible. When that day comes, I hope that some lusty spider monkey will do his duty.)

Update: We've seen how the CD nuts have reacted to Van Jones. Now let's see what the CDS nuts -- that is, the Kossacks -- have to say. Guess who they're blaming? Hint: Not the Republicans. And certainly not Obama.
As many times as Obama disappoints me, I remain unwavering on one point: Clinton would have been worse. The Democratic Party is in its current pro-corporate spineless state thanks to the first Clinton we elected President.
Whatever happens: Blame Bill! Lost your dog? Blame Bill! Can't find your uncle's old chili recipe? Blame Bill! Big meteor a-comin'? Blame Bill!

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

He was'nt "defamed" as a marxist. Van Jones IS a self-avowed marxist.
And he can't seem to give a speech on anything without blaming whitey for all the world's ills. From the environment to Columbine.

Joseph Cannon said...

Citations?

Also: Signature...?

Anonymous said...

None of the allegations against Jones are relevant to his qualifications for or performance in the job he had.

He was an advisor on "green" jobs.

Anonymous said...

The attempt at justifying the politics of Van Jones by highlighting the shortcomings of select conservatives shows that you also find Jones unable to stand on his own 'merits'. Understandably, space constraints disallowed your listing the liberal Congressional members that would have fit this theme.

Anonymous said...

Belief in conspiracy theories is integral to the black community and mainstream among black voters. But Obama cannot be seen as giving credence to theories that accuse whites of deliberately poisoning black neighborhoods with toxic waste. Obama cannot stand behind Jones because being green cannot be made racial without giving substance to Beck's accusation that Obama is racist. That is why Jones had to resign. It has nothing to do with the Truthers.

Joseph Cannon said...

RIC: By all means, list the liberal congressfolk you consider analogous to the Republicans I mentioned.

Zee said...

Bravo, Joseph! Well put, and well remembered. There were valid questions being asked before the takeover by the "Screw Loose" crowd (the Loose Change video started out as a mockumentary and was re-edited several times when the celebrity-seeking brats who wrote it discovered a slew of nutcases believed it).

Questions not limited to, but including why was Bush even down in Florida, reading to schoolkids, fresh off a month-long vacation? Nothing else to do? And why his brother had already called out the National Guard down there.

Before the no-planers, many thought that Bush deserved to be impeached for gross negligence.

I always thought the conspiracies were being used to derail and discredit the real questions.

I'm no fan of anything Obama, but as for the charge of obscene language, Van Jones should've come back with a Dick "go fuck yourself" Cheney attitude.

Zee said...

"Belief in conspiracy theories is integral to the black community ...But Obama cannot be seen as giving credence to theories that accuse whites of deliberately poisoning black neighborhoods with toxic waste... because being green cannot be made racial.."

Interesting point, Anonymous (and people, make up a name/nym, sheesh! In the Name and URL field, you don't have to put in an URL, you can just put in a nym).

Obama, if he cared, could do so in a way that brought both Van Jones and the black community, to the realization that it's an economic divide. It's poor communities which are used as dumps. The coal ash in Tennessee (largest toxic spill in our history) wasn't confined to black neighborhoods. But since Brand Zero has always caved on this issue (throwing the people and his own legislation over when the nuclear energy interests didn't want to be held accountable for their waste), he'd rather chuck the manufactured nuisance instead of stand by his man.

So....under the bus with Van Jones! Maybe he got the catered underbelly, alongside Granny and Rev. Wright.

Anonymous said...

"Clinton would have been worse" is what they have to say to themselves to avoid confronting the fact of their own dumbfuckery and complicity in the travesty they (refuse to) own.

Anonymous said...

@Joseph

Here are some citations as per your request.

http://www.truthout.org/article/eliza-strickland-the-new-face-environmentalism

http://machete408.wordpress.com/2009/03/23/revolutionaries-in-high-places-van-jones/

http://web.archive.org/web/20070719020533/http://leftspot.com/blog/files/docs/STORMSummation.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh4Z0V0zNQg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAQDIQmSqF8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6gOmIalJVw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueyCF_a0eDs&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVNtoAiOh1k&feature=player_embedded

Joseph Cannon said...

Oh, for chrissakes. A young man in the Bay area flirts with "revolutionary" politics, realizes that the whole thing will never go anywhere, then cleans up his act and works within the system and gets respeckable. That's an old and familiar story. Dog bites man; sun rises in east; Obama sells out left. Yawn.

I see no indication that the man is a Marxist. Not even sure he has read Marx. The Marxists I've met, the real ones, never miss a chance to talk your head off with abstruse crap about the labor theory of value.

Kriss said...

The historical facts clearly is indicate that Jones should never have been hired. This guy was arrested twice. How did he get security clearance supposedly by the best vetting process ever? This whole czar program needs the covers pulled back so we know who these people are and what they're doing. Is that too much to ask when, as a taxpayer, you're footing the bill?

MrMike said...

Are there any Democrats willing to go to the mattress and call out these loons for the nutjobs they are? Other than Charlie Rangel that is.
Where are the O-bots over running the town halls and tea party demonstrations like they did the Democratic caucuses?
I guess it's one thing to push granny down and steal her caucus pack but something requiring balls to face down republican loons.

Eric said...

Glenn Beck has had Van Jones in his sights for a while. Earlier this year Beck was warning his viewers about FEMA camps -- a typical Jones/militia scare story. Last week he was exposing John D. Rockefeller as a secret communist. Common sense might tell you that the richest person in history should be the last person to be accused of being red. My guess is that his next target is the Rothschild family.

emmag said...

"The Marxists I've met, the real ones, never miss a chance to talk your head off with abstruse crap about the labor theory of value."

oh yes! in college I used to think, will it ever end?
I finally decided the only sane approach was to take the best and leave the rest.

Eric said...

I was wrong: Glenn Beck’s Next Target: Cass Sunstein. And this is before he claimed the head of Van Jones.

Anne said...


....I guess it's one thing to push granny down and steal her caucus pack but something requiring balls to face down republican loons....



Well said Mr. Mike.

Of COURSE Repugs are hypocritical. They are what they are. My question is, why do Dems so rarely fight them?? Why don't they stand up for themselves and blast back?

People respect that. And imo, feel that if you cannot stand up for yourself, how can you stand up for them? You can't.

People are attracted to the GOP's expression of anger , even if they do not believe in the GOP policies

Besides the Clinton's , the only time I have seen the Dems get angry is at their own base for expecting something for their votes...or if another Dem gets pissed off at the GOP...then they yell at the offending Dem. But when it comes to the GOP, the Dems seem to immediately fold , in hopes the GOP will stop being so mean. Good Luck with that

Anne said...

I was wrong: Glenn Beck’s Next Target: Cass Sunstein. And this is before he claimed the head of Van Jones.
posted by Eric : 5:22 PM


Indeed Eric ....and why should Beck stop when it's soooo easy? Who will stop him? WHEN will Dems stick up for themselves? It doesn't look good. They rarely did before and now they are headed by POTUS Political Jello who makes even them seem steadfast.

I well remember when Bill Clinton fought the GOP on various issues, he also had to fight his own party in order to keep fighting.

Dems will fight any Dem that wants to fight the GOP...they just won't fight the GOP. Their response to an opponent putting up dukes is to give up, give in, and endlessly apologize. It wasn't always like this.

Zach said...

Yeah -- Joseph, point of information: "CD"s or cross dressers are straight men and not transsexuals, so your 'trannies' joke doesnt take.

You are thinking of TVs, or transvestites, as any Eddie Izzard fan could have pointed out, in fact Im a bit surprised they havent til now.

Point of contention: Can see no difference from your using 'tranny' as a ridicule for these pinheads and just calling them 'faggots'. Its creepy and demeaning and doesnt belong on this otherwise outstanding blog. Dont.

Thanks.

Zach said...

Reference point of clarification, for your Tuesday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6npfjWoBCRM

Eddie Izzard: "Executive Transvestite"