I am unsure of how posting links to other peoples sites, somehow constitutes my own opinion. How does that have anything to do with my point of view? If your argument is that other liberals think certain things, so I must as well… then I guess you are admitting you dont think for yourself but follow what all conservatives think. If that is the case and you simply follow conservative talking points, so be it. I would ask that you not over simplify my intelligence by stating how simple yours is. I have led a rich and full life, full of life changing experiences. To assume because I am more liberal than conservative that you can ascribe another mans views as my own is poor logic and the oddest discussion tactic I have ever seen.

You can attack my character as much as you please, but you did not address anything I said or answer any of the questions I asked. If your response to my comment is to call me names and stick your tongue out, I would ask that you not waste my time. As a man who has worked with the Trevor Project and various other groups to stop and prevent suicide by gays and lesbians, I am unsure as to what your comment meant. If you are unable to see that religion is often the cause of so much pain for these kids, I can only assume you have never met a suicidal teenager. To state that my comment was an attack on religion in any way is reactionary and shows you either did not read or did not understand my post. Either way, you do not know my personal religious views, so I would ask we stay on topic. You will forgive me if that sounds like i am calling you ineffectual and unable to get your point across.

It appears my complicated views on the world can not be summed up in Twitter sized responses or one sentence snarky comments. I was unaware that the readers of this blog where unable to engage in lengthy discussion on topics in which they claimed to have so much passion. If your attention span or desire to read my comments is lacking, I would suggest not bothering to comment on how long you felt it was. If you are not going to read it, you dont have a logical stance on which to criticize it. This is a commonly understood concept when adults discuss adult topics. Short of writing this response in crayon, I am unsure of what to do for you.

I dont know why you assumed I was like all liberals because I stated that Sarah Palin was a poor and ineffectual leader. I stated several times that I felt Obama and many Democrats where also incompetent and useless. I am sorry that I do not agree with everything you cherish, but to label everyone who disagrees with you as a liberal is silly. Its a poor way to shut down a conversation when you have nothing to say. Yet again, if all we can do is generalize all people by these silly terms, you are wasting my time. You are more than within your right to idolize this simple woman, but do so with a logical response.

As for your remarks V, you didnt state anything to refute my point, you simply insulted me. Please answer some of the questions I asked, as I am curious as to how your mind works. Feel free to call me all the names you wish, but do so while not wasting my time and getting to the point. I was never aware that being well educated was so horrible an offense and often find that when someone attacks the higher education of another, its an attempt to cover up for the fact they have very little intellectual curiosity and even less education of their own. Although it was cool to make fun of the smart kids in highschool, in the real world its the smart kids that employ you and your children. Acting like a child and pretending its hilarious that I am smarter than you is really counter productive.

I would think that my world travels and high level of education has afforded me the right to discuss world views at length, because I have experienced them. I would also say that paltry education and minimal world travel afford you less credibility in your arguments. But if we are going to end this with “You are stupid, because you are so smart”…. well thats your right.

I think its also safe to that my slavery/conservative joke was very accurate, considering you are all falling at the feet of a woman who wishes to remove your rights and thinks you to be perverts. To be so misguided that you would think a logical man capable of supporting their own oppression is insulting to those fighting against the idols you are placing on the alter. The truth is that most conservatives dont want you around their families and even less want you in their party. Aligning yourself with people opposed to your god given rights is the most self destructive thing I can imagine.

After reading the comments on this page I am finding nothing but silly insults and people dodging very serious and pertinent questions. When all you can see is left vs right, you sound just as loony as the leftist nut jobs on the other side. If your answer to every argument is “liberal this and left wing that” you are wasting everyones time. This is no more apparent than by your dismissal of my comment under the inane statement that all liberals are alike. Life is in the nuances and shades of grey, to be blindly partisan on any issue is the sign of a wasted mind. As someone who stated several times his dislike of both the left and right, your attempt to box me in is baffling.

Its not about liberals vs conservatives, its about common sense. There is nothing more senseless than supporting a woman who denies everything you deserve as a human being. This is also coming from a man who finds Obama to often be equally ineffectual and overly pragmaticl. I know an irrational fear of educated men has compelled you to hate the man, but why support a woman who is disgusted by you?

No more games, answer my question or admit you have no logical stance.

Feel free to respond in length, I am a big boy and can handle large paragraphs.

“If you have to use obscenity to be funny, you’re not funny” – attributed to Groucho Marx by his daughter.

I’m kind of old school in that I expect “jokes” to be “teh funny.” But I guess Andy Kaufman changed that outdated concept of “humor.”

Which were used to counter the small collection of right-wing cliches that make up the entire worldview of the majority who comment here.

One speculation I read was that he made the ‘joke’ to blunt Conan taking over the tonight show.

So… are you saying that the top ten list, something Lettermans been doing since, oh, 1986 or so, aren’t jokes?

Obama raped his daughter Malia at 4 AM this morning — but wait, I forgot, you can’t rape the willing. Just joking. Obviously if you’re offended, you have no sense of humor.

Absolutely. But it’s not those individuals who are on trial here, it’s those who are making the stupid crude jokes and commentaries.

Something the writers of the joke probably didn’t and wouldn’t have know when they wrote the joke since it was not common knowledge until ATFER the joke backfired. Usually, the simplest, least complicated answers are the corect ones (modified Occams razor).

And Letterman’s excuse that he was calling the other daughter a whore only makes it less bad, it doesn’t excuse it entirely.

We agree here. It was in poor taste. But most jokes are. Google Jeff Foxworthy’s opinion on this to put this episode into perspective.

I have to go work now.

And people said it was about Willow because, duh, Willow was the daughter she took to the game. And Letterman’s excuse that he was calling the other daughter a whore only makes it less bad, it doesn’t excuse it entirely.

I never saw the SNL sketch. So, I’m not commenting on it.

Finally, saying she shouldn’t have resigned in and of itself is not hateful. It’s saying it’s all right for others to attack her family that’s hateful.

Hate Palin????? So, since Michale Barone and I share the same criticism of the Alaskan governor, that quitting does not help her chances for a 2012 run, I guess he must hate her too. I don’t think she has enough experience to be President of the United States. Uh oh, there I go hating again. Come on V. Come on NDT. That’s not hate. That’s called an assessment. It was the same opinion I had of Obama too.

Most of my previous post was about the reactions by some conservatives to the liberal swipes taken at Palin and the family, and criticism of conservatives who are hyperventilating and wallowing in the use of the victim card. The post was mostly an attack on the attempt to make Palin into a Joan of Arc character.

Last word I’ll give on the joke. If it was so offensive to insinuate that Bristol is a whore, then why twist the joke into one about the younger daughter Willow. It’s a bait and switch pulled by Rush and Co. because the former just wasn’t offensive enough. And I’ll ask again, why did the same conservatives who got sooooooo upset about Lettermans throw-away joke not throw a hissy when SNL did the way way over the line skit about Todd porking the Girls? Are you going to tell me that seven minute long skit about the husband having incest with the children is some how less offensive than Letterman’s ten second blurb? Anyone? Does anyone here really think the Palins didn’t get word that this occurred? It’s not like it wasn’t all over the internet the next day. Why did the Palins not say boo? Why did the Palins appear on SNL a few weeks later????? Because maybe, just maybe, they recognized that comedy can’t be taken too seriously. The Palins only complained ATFER Rush made an issue of the Letterman swipe.

I will defend to the death (OK, maybe not to the death) the right of any talk show host or supposed comedian, from David Letterman to Rush Limbaugh, from Whoopie Golberg to Glenn Beck to SNL, the right to tell stupid, mean and offensive jokes, and fight against the pressure of censorship and political correctness on both sides of the isle.

When a long-winded response starts out with a musty cliche like that, you know there will be nothing worth reading in the remaining paragraphs.

Try a .357 to your ear canal to clear that out, you’d be doing us all a favor.

In short, if you are so upset about gay people committing suicide, you shouldn’t be encouraging it yourself. But you’re not. You’re simply using suicide as a reason to attack religious people and don’t really care if a gay person whose politics you don’t like offs themselves.

Sort of like how you wish death on the children of conservative gays.

Liberals like gays as long as gays serve as their obedient puppets. When gays don’t, liberals tell gays to commit suicide and wish death and destruction on their families — not unlike liberals have done to Sarah Palin, who is also a nonconforming minority in the eyes of liberals.

I believe she still has a passion for conservative politics and that for what part of her decision was political it wasn’t to run for POTUS. I don’t think she has ruled that out but I believe her focus is on 2010 and helping conservative (not necessarily GOP) candidates elected. I think she wants to travel, speak, meet with Americans and spread the conservative message. If conservatives retake the house and senate in 2010 then I think she might entertain a POTUS run but maybe not. She might really find that she can make a very big difference sitting at kitchen tables and meeting communities. It seems to be Washington that is claiming she wants a POTUS run in 2012. She might have at one point but maybe she sees her influence in a different direction.

I for one would love to see Michael Steele make her a co-chair of the RNC and that the two team up to retake America for conservative ideals. The two of them would pretty much represent moderate and conservative/libertarian republicans so that all are included.

Sure she is taking her family into account. But she has plenty of elbow room for the ime being. Until she declares her political intentions, she is not a justifiable target by the Palin Derangement Syndrome media. (Not that they will lay off.) Their continued attacks will only serve to elevate the Palin Admiration Syndrome.

I am particularly amused by those who criticize her for not having a full blown press conference on a slow news day with a jackal feeding frenzy question and answer marathon. Why should she? She moved Michael Jackson off the front page the way she handled her “going private” announcement.

Ed Rollins said we saw a rising star crash to earth. That is the same Ed Rollins who joined the Perot team and found himself discredited and sitting on his thumbs. If I were Sarah Palin, I would stay away from Rollins, Luntz and all of the other super nova know nothings.

According to science, the bumble bee is not built to fly. Sometimes, gut instinct is your best guide.

While I personally believe that “gay conservative” is akin to a black man in favor of slavery, this entire thread troubles me. Something tells me that if a democrat decided to quit and abandon their voters and state, no one here would support the idea that the big bad media made them do it. I know that if any politician or leader I supported, cut and ran… they would lose all my respect and future support. The problem here is that uneducated voters worship people and not ideas. The same goes with people who worship Obama, even when he makes some seriously misguided steps. Falling in love with a person and forgiving their lack of intelligence and integrity is the past time of fools. That goes for both the left and the right.

The woman openly condones your status as a second class citizen and considers you a threat to the American family. Where the hell is your self respect? While my gay friends are dying in wars over seas, to fight for EVERYONES “freedoms”, this woman actively tries to remove them. The saddest part of all of this is that an irrational fear of “leftist” politics has allowed you to support her. There are no true liberals in congress or the senate, outside of Nadar. Obama and all those scary democrats are center right or middle ground politicians. The American definition of left is lacking and the rest of the modern world sees our terrifying liberals as centrist republicans. It is our “right wing” that is dangerously situated on one extreme end… not our left.

The woman was a massive failure on every level and was an active opponent of education and science. Her personal religious views washed over her political positions and she decided to hold them above the people she was sworn to serve. Her irrational hatred of higher education and this “liberal media” nonsense made her look like all Americans were simple minded and short sided. Our media is childish, petty and they love a train wreck. Sarah Palin made it a daily goal to say something ignorant, uneducated or hillbilly backwards. How long did we attack Clinton for his blow job? Left or Right, the media plays silly games and focuses on stupid people and stupid acts. Palin had both bases covered. The only way anyone logical could have felt pity for the treatment her family received in the media, would have been if she hadnt paraded them around like a shiny button proclaiming herself the queen of family values. If you are going to place your loved ones in the cross hairs, dont attempt to play the victim when people take shots. If you are going to complain about “gotcha” questions, make sure they are deeply complex issues, not a simple request of reading materials, supreme court cases or your personal view on the Bush Doctrine. (Something she knew nothing of)

If politicians can sleep with people of the same sex and ruin their marriages and STILL stay in office, Palin should have been fine. It was a cowardly move in the simple fact that she abandoned her post and her duty to the voters. There is no possible way she will ever be taken serious again, let alone become the president of anything outside the PTA. Yet again, we must cherish ideals, not people or the specter of “family values”.

As gay men, in a country that has historically oppressed you, I am ashamed that you have come to the defense of a woman with dangerously uneducated and bigoted views. I suppose some of you need to bury more friends who have killed themselves over the overwhelming feeling that god, not only doesnt love them, but wishes them eternal pain and suffering. There is nothing wrong with being fiscally conservative as a gay man, but socially conservative and a supporter of intolerance is unacceptable and embarrassing.

From Palin to Obama we have people falling over themselves to praise their political party, while demonizing the other. If we are to move on as a nation we must learn to uphold integrity and ideals and put aside this idol worship. This applies to the Obamanuts out there as well. There is nothing “shrewd or calculating” about supporting an incredibly offensive and bigoted legal briefing. When the President of the United States, a self confessed “fierce advocate” of gay rights, offends gays and lesbians with his ignorance and religious nonsense, we must all stand together and educate him. This same wisdom can be applied to the conservatives in this country which are historically much more anti gay than the so called American left.

Its odd to watch so many of you attack each others parties for being unintelligent, corrupt and anti gay, when neither party is advancing the rights of gays and lesbians in this country at the moment. ENDA, DADT, DOMA? No one has done squat. Both your parties failed.

As for the David Letterman comment… all I can say is develop a sense of humor, the rest of us have. Rush Limbaugh says more evil and poisonous things in one day than David Letterman does in a lifetime. You also have the market cornered on homophobic, intolerant, hate filled and uneducated radio hosts. I would suggest you drop the Letterman bit, you have nothing to stand on. As for the Palin’s becoming poor, that is arguably laughable. The woman is writing a book and would make more money a year doing speaking engagements than she could ever imagine as governor. Not only will they be fine, they will be richer than any of you here and all those children will be able to choose who they marry and they wont ever worry about being beaten up, because “jesus hates them.”

To whoever said that attacking the children of a politician is a core threat to our Democracy, well… they need to pack up and leave the country tonight. To say such an idiotic, emotionally backwards and historically offensive comment is indicative of a reactionary individual. Someone who fights logic with passion and reason with hollow statements. For clarification sake, the actual dangerous threats to the core of our democracy is the removal of freedoms and the destruction of the constitution. Something that Bush openly did for 8 years on a daily basis, but I am sure you said nothing then. Her children will be fine, but the constitution of this country will need years to repair its promises and reputation. Your statement is absolutely the bottom of the barrel, in terms of human thought.

I am one of those scary liberal, elitist, college educated, well traveled socialists you have all become terrified of. I say this with all honesty… there are people in this world far more deserving of your praise than Bible Spice and I can promise you that, not only would they welcome you in their home, they would see you as equals. Something very few GOP’ers or the Palins would do.

Dont let them trick you They dont give a crap about you and they never will.

I was going to say, there are legitimate criticisms of Sarah Palin, just as there were legitimate criticisms of Bush. But when you’re defending attacks on her kids, when you’re defending Trig Trutherism, and when you’re saying she’s “lawsuit happy” when she wants to defend herself… you’ve kind of crossed over into the same camp with the same people who referred to “the Bush Crime Family” and claim the Iraq War was done just to enrich Halliburton.