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Halloween Hate, but a Better McCain

Halloween Hate, but a Better McCain

If Ever the “Trick” Option Should Apply….

This one burns me up. It’s really just a small item, but to me it is symptomatic of a larger trend. I have been watching the transformation of Halloween by certain sectors of pseudo-Christians for a few years now. First, the kids weren’t allowed to wear costumes to school, and the decorations stopped being made. Then, they moved “trick or treat” time earlier and earlier – I saw some kids out at 5:30 pm this year. Then suddenly, it wasn’t ok to do tricks. No TP’d trees, no soaped windows, no rotten eggs. At about the same time as the ten commandments started to appear in front yards (why not the sermon on the mount?), some families just started boycotting Halloween altogether. “Oh, it’s a pagan holiday, celebrating evil and the devil.” Yada yada. So MY KID would go to houses and get NADA – even when the people answered the door!

I grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness, and we didn’t celebrate any of the holidays. Either they had pagan or nationalistic roots, so they were all against my religion. Let me tell you, after Halloween there was always a lot to clean up. If we fled the house and went to Chinese and a movie, it was bad enough. But if we hovered in the back of the house with most of the lights out, we could HEAR people. (Oh, but we were pacifists. We wouldn’t shoot trick or treaters with an AK-47 like this guy in South Carolina. Sheeee-it!)

You don’t want to participate? Fine. There’s a small cost to you. It’s called a trick. It’s nothing really damaging, so suck it up. On one occasion, my thoughts were almost inclined to violence when I heard the sanctimonious explanation offered to my little kid for why he shouldn’t be celebrating Halloween. You can skip the smarmy lecture to my son! You’re fortunate that he was there, because I’m very qualified to argue with you on that topic – and more than willing – but I will not ruin my kid’s Halloween.

All of this is just the background for why what this Palin/McCain supporter did really pushes my buttons.

A woman living in a suburb of Detroit not only refused to give out candy to the children of Obama supporters, but actually posted a SIGN to that effect? Are you freakin’ KIDDING me? Observe:


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkBE0lWeYU[/youtube]

I am so proud of the kids and their parents who handled it so much better than I might have in their position. Me, I’d truck out at least a dozen year-old eggs. There is no excuse for this. It’s petty and small and evil.

I’m not blaming McCain, and I’m only blaming Palin a little, but I am blaming HER big-time!

Bad, bad, mean lady! Shame on you! Shame!

John McCain: Diffusing the Hate on SNL – Thank you!

McCain has been a little scary lately, and his followers on the fringes are even scarier.

One of the truly disturbing moments for me was when McCain addressed a crowd as “my fellow prisoners.” That’s not an incidental slip-up.

Who holds him – and us – prisoner? Terrorism? Neo-cons? The Saudi royal family? Big Oil, Pharma, Banking, and the rest? I wonder if he does really still feel like a prisoner, if he’s having flashbacks. Does he wonder about the consequences of selling out his previous integrity – or about who and what he sold his soul to, and what for? Does he feel like a victim of his own decisions? Has he identified with the jailers? If you know anything about psychology, you have to wonder what that mind-set portends. Seriously, is he ok?

John Cleese was astounded:


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uDdY974FWs[/youtube]

In that regard, the late endorsement of Dick Cheney probably doesn’t help.

I have been wondering why McCain has gone so much more wrong.

So far, we’ve seen two major turning points. One was years ago, when after having been relentlessly attacked by the Rove smear and slander machine, he suddenly did an about-face. I can never look at that photo of McCain clinging to Bush without shuddering. Something is very, very wrong there.

Then, some months ago, an acceleration emerged through that deal with… whoever… when he voted against the anti-torture bill. I had always counted on him on that issue, at least.

It was at that point that the scary smile started appearing all the time, and there was a clearly-visible increased stress upon his body. Every one in a while, you could see a kind of rage in him, and his brown eyes would enlarge into a kind of madness or dementia. I think he was trying to project righteous courage or something, but it wasn’t working. I could only hope that it was a put-on, because if it wasn’t then that suggested to me that he needed serious psychological and even medical help.

So I think McCain made a good choice when he decided to appear on SNL. He showed a better side of himself, and presented himself as more like the guy I remember from years ago. I loved that comment, “I’m a real maverick – a Republican with no money!” The QVC products were funny, especially the Fein-gold Fine Gold displayed by wife Cindy (I still think of her as Cruella – she really gives me the creeps), the John McCain pork knives, the Ayers air freshener, and the off-to-the-side Palin 2012 teeshirts (Don’t wear them until after Tuesday). I laughed when Tina Fey said something about the campaigns being SO expensive (as she stroked her lapel). The “Weekend Update” segment was pretty good too. McCain was very good-natured about all the different campaign strategies.

I like someone who can poke fun at themselves, and I’ve always had a little more respect for people who could do that. I think he did much better than Palin on the show. Given what’s been happening among some of McCain’s followers, I think this was a good way to start to diffuse the bomb they’d been building.

So – thank you, Senator McCain – thank you for that. I don’t agree with your current views and policies, but you’re not a Dick Cheney. I know there’s a good man in there somewhere, trying to do his best.

Don’t worry – you’ll be able to work with President Obama.

SNL Feb 25

SNL Feb 25

Arcade Fire was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live last night. I hadn’t heard any of their music before. I really enjoyed both songs. It’s a Canadian band, but they had a kind of politically-astute blue-collar New England feel to me. Maybe it was just a subterranean Bruce Springsteen echo, or even just a projection of my homesick longings.

Intervention

Keep the Car Running

It was a pretty good SNL all around. The host was Rainn Wilson – I may actually have to watch “The Office.” He is talented, and the segment on the show was pretty funny, even for someone who hasn’t seen the original.

The opening parody of Blitzer’s Situation Room played on news “preferences” with great performative ironies. Nice to see the play with structure and mirroring.

Second-best was the huddle of old friends at a bar, singing a song that I’m sure I’ll now avoid for some time. The sketch was well done, with only a couple of awkward timing spots (contrast with Lorne Michael’s “timing” moment – which was perfect). The buddies, drinking cheap beer “for old times’ sake,” each share a memory that they associate with the very recognizable song. They sing along with varying degrees of skill depending on how well they recovered from each revelation. Despite their disturbing and intentionally repulsive/horrifying/unbelievable anecdotes, I found this bit (strangely) a little hopeful. It was also sad and horrible because it had just that grain too much of truth. The ending wrapped it with a bow.

I also enjoyed the “Peeping Tom” segment – especially the policewomen (I laughed out loud several times).

The Oscar Reviews by Amy’s “aunt” were delivered perfectly, but I thought the writing needed one more go-over. The “new age band” had a couple of moments, but was only so-so overall.

At the bottom of the scale, the “Noonie” sketch has (really!) reached the end.

The racially-charged movie ad was a bit too edgy for me – but hey, I’m the one who can’t watch a whole episode of 24 anymore, despite my fondness for Naked Lunch and Requiem for a Dream.

I’m looking forward to another segment of Really!?! with Amy Poehler and Seth Myers. Let’s see more of that.

There was a little quiz on the SNL site asking people who was their favorite male cast member of all time. I thought the selection was limited so I didn’t vote. Does anyone else miss Phil Hartman?

Comic Relief – SNL News

Comic Relief – SNL News

SNL is reviving again, and I am grateful. These two bits made my whole week.

Really!?! – Seth Myers and Amy Poehler
This new segment is fantastic. I was laughing so hard that I almost fell off the couch. Worth staying up to watch.

Hardball – Amy Poehler (as Hillary Clinton) and Darryl Hammond (as Chris Matthews)

This was brilliant. I like the court jester approach, and there are some grains of truth in the exaggerations here. However, as with Hammond’s portrayal of Bill Clinton years ago, I am actually getting attached to the character. Great script, even better delivery. Some people will be upset, but I believe in the freedom of laughter. And I did laugh.

Now, I want to see McCain, Giuliani and Brownback characters! Can anybody do a credible Obama?