On War: Madonna, Bill O'Reilly, Michael J. Fox and other hot search terms

You no more win a war than you can win an earthquake.
-- Jeannette Rankin (1880-1973), U.S. legislator

And with that brilliant quote in mind I will launch into my diatribe on a week's worth of issues. Newsflash: America is at war. And not just with Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Bolivia and, catch breath, Argentina. Our country is also at war within. Americans hate each other. And thanks to DVR, you can go to work and come home to roll up your sleeves and crawl into the mud that is daytime TV.

Thank God. I was afraid I'd miss out on the fear mongering that is at the core of our national identity but I'm fortunate enough to be able to bloody my knuckles on the issues of the day with just a click of my remote.

With elections just a few days away I thought I'd write about some of the races going on around me. Hands down, I think the New Jersey governor's race is way sexier than the NY race. Or at least I'm seeing more commercials for that race.

Whatever the case may be, I am totally on Team Menendez. He's the son of Cuban immigrants, self-made, a Democrat, and I am smitten with him after reading this address before the Senate regarding the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court:

"We live in extraordinary times today. President Bush has sought the accumulation of unprecedented powers. He has asserted the authority to not only torture detainees and indefinitely detain American citizens as enemy combatants, but to also conduct warrantless wiretapping of American citizens.

[...]

The bias Judge Alito has shown in favor of the executive branch threatens to undermine the freedoms that our judiciary has historically protected. From his work as a government lawyer to a speech before the Federalist Society in 2000, he consistently favors the concentration of unprecedented power in the hands of the President, even endorsing the so-called “unitary executive” theory that even many conservatives view as being at the fringe of judicial philosophy. It virtually gives the presidency exclusive powers that historically have belonged to either Congress or the courts. This theory is an activist theory, not a theory that reflects mainstream American thinking or values. In fact, the Supreme Court has largely rejected it. "

As our country begins to charter the course toward internal reconciliation, we need this kind of candor from our states' leaders. Menendez opened his discourse on Alito by stating his similarities with the now Supreme Court justice:

"Samuel Alito’s story is one that rings familiar to so many New Jerseyans, including myself. His parents came to this country in search of opportunity, and worked hard to build a better life for their children. The son of immigrants, Judge Alito’s life is a story that demonstrates the power of seizing opportunity and working hard. Frankly, it is a story close to my own heart. I too, am the son of immigrants who came to New Jersey to seek a better life and greater opportunity. Thanks to their hard work, and my own, I was the first in my family to graduate from college and law school. "

Very cool. A gentlemanly, diplomatic take on a very weighty issue. I respect and admire Bob Menendez and hope his home state elects him to the post he deserves.

Here in New York, I'm also supporting Jeanine Pirro , a Republican, for Attorney General. She's had a hell of a year, but the one message that has resonated in my mind, in spite of her blubbering attacks on Hillary Clinton and the rumors surrouning the Pirro marriage, is JP's stand on domestic violence and hate crimes. She proudly states that she has incarcerated wife beaters and people who commit hate crimes against gays and lesbians. I haven't heard Elliot Spitzer talk about these issues. And they do matter if we're going to stay the course of reconciliation and progressive politics.

And speaking of reconciliation, will someone please kick Rush Limbaugh in the nuts? And while they're at it, take a swing at Patricia Heaton and that nobody pitcher from the Cardinals who are taking the airwaves to pontificate on an issue that they are fortunate enough to NOT be impacted by.

With stem cell research being a swing issue for many voters, both sides of the debate are endorsing their point of view on commercials running right now. Michael J. Fox is imploring voters to pass a resolution that will allow for stem cell research, while Patricia Heaton and other blowhards, including James Cazaviel (what have you seen him in since "The Passion of the Christ?") and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jeff Suppan are urging Americans to stop the ammendment that would allow for continued exploration of this potentially life-saving field.

Let's hope that none of these right-wingers have to eat their words and come pandering to the American public for support like one Nancy Reagan, whose husband's despicable treatment of the AIDS epidemic came back at him in the form of Alzheimer's.

Rush Limbaugh had enough (expected) poor taste to suggest that Michael J. Fox was faking the tremors caused by his disease during his commercial endorsing Democrat Claire McCaskill. What kills me about this issue, and others like gay marriage and abortion is that people who are not the least bit affected by them are the ones making the most noise. People are dying and yet healthy, rich, self-important jerks are trying to dictate how science can go about saving people's lives. And these people have the nerve to say they're pro-life??

I guess anything goes in times of war.

And that's exactly the point that Bill O'Reilly drove home during his appearance on Oprah
to peddle his new book "Culture Warrior." Says the big purple monster (I have seen him countless times in person and without make-up he is quite horrific):

There are inequalities, we work to do a level playing field. But fundamentally, the founding fathers, based on Judeo Christian philosophy—not religion, philosophy—fundamentally, we've risen to be the strongest country that civilization has ever seen. We give opportunity to more people than anyone else in the world. We freed billions of people and spent our blood and treasure doing it. We're noble. Traditionalists.Secular-progressives say, "No. We're a flawed society. Deeply flawed. We need changes in every area. Social. Economic. Foreign policy."

I hate to break it to Bill, but I think America is a wonderful country that is in need of a drastic overhaul. We are quite flawed. So flawed that we elected W into office and are trapped in an endless war that is only fueling more rancor across the world against us.

Were it up to the likes of Bill, every last American would be strapped with an AK47 and would be doing rounds between the US/Mexico border and Iraq. Americans may disagree on issues, but to pit us against each other and toss the term war around with such blatant disrespect for the word which has cost us 3,000 American lives, is reckless.

Of course, pop culture is at the heart of the culture war, and Madonna could very well be our Joan of Arc. Madge is at the center of a firestorm for wanting to adopt a Malawian baby whose father is still alive but too poor to care for the child. As part of her project called "Raising Malawi," the pop diva is drawing the world's attention to the poorest country on earth, where there are millions of AIDS orphans.

I have mixed feelings about Madonna, but I have to say, if she's going to draw attention anywhere, I'm glad it's on issues that matter and not on her proclivity for girl-on-girl action. Shame on the press for attacking her and turning a wonderful gesture into something despicable. What if Jenna or Barbara Bush did something as selfless?

Madonna v. The World....isn't this old news anyway? Can't wait for the album/documentary/bumper sticker.

War...who needs it?