Special Report: Bad Medicine - Doctors of Intolerance

Posted on June 2, 2008

It’s surprising how many high-profile physicians have latched onto the Right-wing political agenda. Honestly, they’re like leeches - sucking the lifeblood from civilized discourse on the fair treatment for LGBT Americans or women’s health issues. Below are some nauseating examples:

Longtime LGBT foe Dr. Steven Hotze of Houston, who helped Mike Huckabee raise money for his presidential bid, signed off on the Coalition on Revival’s Manifesto for the Christian Church that included the following proclamations:

• A wife may work outside the home only with her husband’s consent.
• “Biblical spanking” that results in “temporary or superficial bruises or welts” should not be considered a crime.
• No doctor shall provide medical service on the Sabbath.
• All disease and disability is caused by the sin of Adam and Eve.
• People receiving medical treatment are not immune from divine intervention or demonic forces.
• Physicians should preach to their patients because salvation is the key to their health.
• Treatment of the “physical body” is not a doctor’s highest priority.

NC state Senator Dr James Forrester certainly has his priorities straight. (If you’ll pardon the pun.) From News&Observer: In Raleigh, just one day into the 2008 legislative session, state Sen. Jim Forrester, R-Gaston, filed an anti-gay marriage state constitutional amendment, and a similar bill is expected to be introduced into the state House. This is the fourth consecutive session such an amendment has been filed in Raleigh.’ (Forrester’s bill would outlaw any recognition of civil unions - so don’t deceived by conservative Christians who tell you they’re only interested in ‘protecting’ marriage.)

Focus on the Family’s Dr. James Dobson lathers his hate like ultrasound gel on an expectant mother’s stomach. “Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.” (Take 100 aspirin and call us in the morning.) PFAW has more: ‘While Dobson made a name for himself as an avuncular purveyor of parenting advice, he now uses that power to promote a range of troubling views and candidates who share those views. He says the gay rights movement is seeking the “utter destruction of the family” and likens proponents of marriage equality to the Nazis. He has backed candidates who call for the execution of abortion providers…’

Dr. Bill Frist, the former Senate Majority Leader and Tennessee surgeon who famously diagnosed Terri Schiavo without having met her, supports torture (in the form of waterboarding) and in 2006 considered gay marriage and flag burning to be the nation’s most pressing issues. The New York Observer observes: ‘Cultivating his image as a kindly and caring physician, he never failed to mention his pious concern for patients while casting his vote against their interests. He is the most reliable Senate ally of the pharmaceutical and insurance lobbyists.’

It’s probably a good idea to know if (or how fervently) your personal physician embraces Right-wing politics.  Woe betide the gay man who undergoes prostate surgery from a conservative hack that puts his religious principles before the sexual health of his patients. (Good luck with those nerves being spared.) And lesbian couples seeking fertility treatments? Fuggedaboutit. 

 

E! Update: Tatum O’Neal, Kung Fu Panda, Dancing Dog

Posted on June 2, 2008

Actress Tatum O’Neal, who wrote about her struggle with drug addiction in the 2005 autobiography, A Paper Life, has been arrested after buying crack cocaine near her Manhattan home. Publisher’s Weekly said this about the memoir: ‘Much of the book’s second half covers her fraught marriage to volatile tennis champ John McEnroe; these passages alternate between recollections of the pleasure of being in love and having children and the pain of living with McEnroe, whom she depicts as controlling and demeaning… She also zips through her recovery, abruptly claiming “rebirth” in the final chapter.’ Used copies of A Paper Life are available at Amazon.com. Going cheap.

Early reviews for the upcoming animated film, Kung Fu Panda, have been good. The Hollywood Reporter writes: ‘Though aimed primarily at youngsters, KF Panda embraces humor that plays well across age groups and nationalities. Certainly the sustained applause at its Palais debut here in Cannes bodes well for international box office success.’ Groucho Reviews notes: ‘DreamWorks Animation’s latest has the right stuff to make audiences laugh but also care about the film’s characters.’

This is amazing.  If you’ve ever wanted to see a dog dancing on its hind legs - backwards - check out this clip from Britain’s Got Talent 2008.  Judge Simon Cowell is stunned, and the audience gives this pooch a standing ovation!

Top Opinions of the Week

Posted on May 31, 2008

Mark Medford at The San Francisco Chronicle reflects on the success of Barack Obama’s campaign: ‘This is a cultural marker, a harbinger of something worthy to take deep into your awareness. You should take note, because Obama has accomplished his rise without the normal weaponry of American politics… He has not employed any of the disgusting tactics Karl Rove’s Republican Party used on Al Gore and John Kerry to secure a deceptive and brutal and failed chokehold on power…’

Eugene Robinson at The Washington Post writes: ‘For nearly five decades, the United States has pursued a policy toward Cuba that could be described as incredibly stupid. It could also be called childish and counterproductive — and, since the demise of the Soviet Union, even insane. Absent the threat of communist expansionism, the refusal by successive American presidents to engage with Cuba has not even a fig leaf’s worth of rationale to cover its naked illogic.’ (McCain, predictably, embraces Bush’s current Cuban policy.)

Carol Hoenig at The Huffington Post examines the White House disconnect: ‘It’s true, too, that 9/11 bode well for President Bush, since the horrid events from that day helped him take advantage of an anesthetized people. It suddenly became more important to don a flag pin than press the president about those nonexistent weapons of mass destruction. It’s also true that anyone who questions this administration is dismissed one way or another. No one in the administration is saying that (former press secretary) McClellan is lying, but instead they are puzzled that he is, well, telling the truth.’ (Bush is frequently puzzled by truth. And compassion. And cleaning product labels.)

As noted in the New York Times, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, has written an open letter to U.S. military personnel exhorting them to ‘remain apolitical at all times and in all ways… It is and must always be a neutral instrument of the state, no matter which party holds sway. As the nation prepares to elect a new president, we would all do well to remember the promises we made. What I am suggesting — indeed, what the nation expects — is that military personnel will, in the execution of the mission assigned to them, put aside their partisan leanings.’ (Well said, Admiral Mullen!  Mullen has also indicated that the military is now prepared to accept gay service members if Congress appeals DADT.) 

P! Update: Scotty, Ricky, Hillary, Tory

Posted on May 30, 2008

 

Mother Jones is bitter about Scott McClellan’s new-found fame: ‘Excuse me if I’m resentful of the attention Scott McClellan, George W. Bush’s onetime presidential press secretary, is receiving for finally telling the obvious truth that the Bush White House deceived the public about the Iraq war. Though McClellan’s account has punch coming from an insider, he’s late to the party. Some of us made the case when it counted–back in 2002 and 2003, before the war was launched… ‘ (We always agree with Mother.)

Over at The Cynics’ Party it’s being noted that ‘Former George W. Bush supporter Ricky Martin, who memorably danced with the President at his inauguration in 2001, is throwing his support behind Hillary Clinton’s struggling campaign. Despite his past flirtations with the red-staters, Martin’s preference for Hillary makes sense since they are both 90’s relics and probably in the closet.’ (Meow.)

U.S. Republicans aren’t the only conservative politicians struggling to keep their heads above water. From The Canadian Press via CTV: ‘Public perceptions of integrity, accountability and economic stewardship are all taking a hit as the Harper Conservatives enter their third year in power, a new poll suggests. Overall satisfaction with the minority Tory government dropped 13 percentage points between December and May…’ (Ya think this is a trend?)

Fall Film Preview: The City of Ember

Posted on May 30, 2008

After the disappointment of last year’s The Golden Compass (and we really wanted to like that film) we’re hoping our expectations won’t be dashed with the October release of another fantasy novel adaptation, The City of Ember.

This HD trailer looks promising:

Here’s a plot summary from Amazon: ‘It is always night in the city of Ember. But there is no moon, no stars. The only light during the regular twelve hours of  ”day” comes from floodlamps that cast a yellowish glow over the streets of the city. Beyond are the pitch-black Unknown Regions, which no one has ever explored because an understanding of fire and electricity has been lost… Among the many other things the people of Ember have forgotten is their past and a direction for their future. For 250 years they have lived pleasantly, because there has been plenty of everything in the vast storerooms. But now there are more and more empty shelves–and more and more times when the lights flicker and go out, leaving them in terrifying blackness for long minutes. What will happen when the generator finally fails?’

The film’s stars include Bill Murray, Tim Robbins and the irrepressible Toby Jones.  We’re keeping fingers crossed for this one!  IMBD has more.  (While watching the trailer, see if you can spot a cast member from a popular CBS crime drama. You have to look quickly. The answer is here.)

UnZipped: Another Republican Steps Down

Posted on May 29, 2008

 

Congressman Vito Fossella, another GOP moral crusader, has become the 27th Republican to retire from Congress rather than run for re-election. Reuters notes that: ‘Fossella, who had campaigned on a family values platform, escalated his party’s election-year woes this month when he was arrested on charges of drunken driving and then acknowledged he fathered a child, now 3, in an extramarital affair.’

Right-wing conservatives are always quick to rail against same-sex marriage and the ’sinful’ gay lifestyle, but until they learn to keep thier pious peckers in their pants they should STFU and give the rest of us break.

From The Huffington Post: Fosella Cries On House Floor After Drunk Driving, Adultry Revelations.  And the New York Times reports that Republicans are having a heckuva time finding someone to run for Fosella’s seat.

That’s not particularly surprising.

G! Update: California Gay Marriage, Brazil Pride

Posted on May 28, 2008

- Gay marriage is coming to California soon: “Barring a stay of a historic California Supreme Court ruling, same-sex couples will be able to wed in the state beginning June 17, according to a state directive issued Wednesday.”

- A poll says majority of Californians support gay marriage: “The results mark the first time in over three decades of polling that more California voters have approved of extending marriage to gay couples than have disapproved, said Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo. The survey of 1,052 registered voters was conducted over the phone.”

- Brazil had a huge turn out for gay pride: “Organizers said about 5 million people attended the 12th annual Sao Paulo Gay Pride Parade, traditionally one of the world’s biggest.”

P! Update: Transparency, Diplomacy, The New Cold War

Posted on May 28, 2008

Politico has the exclusive on former White House press secretary Scott McClellan’s tell-all book, What Happened: McClellan Whacks Bush, White House. (Ah, the ingratitude!)

At the Washington Independent, Arthur Allen examines the Bush Definition of Transparency: ‘To most of us, “transparent” means something you can see into… When brought up to describe toxics regulation, “transparent” might mean that the public could see the paper trail providing the scientific justification behind it. But the White House seems to have found another definition of “transparent.” It means a process that the White House can see into.’

The Women’s International Perspective notes that these days, Diplomacy is a Dirty Word. ‘In the heads of men like John McCain and George Bush international relations are bi-polar. It’s “us” and “them,” whether they are terrorists, aging communist societies, or Islamo-fascists. We’ll never talk to “them” until they surrender to “us.” Until then, we’ll keep on invading, killing, confining, blockading, and torturing.

Democracy Arsenal delves into McCain’s Disjointed Russian Policy: ‘Just two months ago in Los Angeles when he laid out his view of the world, he suggested tossing Russia out of the G8 – a needlessly provocative act that would essentially mark the start of a new Cold War in Europe…  Does he really think that he can alienate the Russians and at the same time get their cooperation on critical nuclear issues? Is he that divorced from reality?’ (Let’s just say he’s estranged from reality.)

The GOP Needs a Bath

Posted on May 27, 2008

Dear Senator McCain,

We have nothing against you personally, but you have been soiled by the company you keep: the warmongers and social conservatives who use fear to promote a backward agenda. The Republican Party has become entertainment that no one wants to watch, a song that voters can’t get out of their heads, an unreal reality program with all the nuance and depth of a 60s TV sitcom. But people aren’t laughing. They’re getting ready to change the channel. This will happen on November 4.

Yours Truly, The Majority of American Citizens

From inquiring minds at Buzzflash: “So once again, we ask: Which McCain are we getting?

McCain #1: I support right-wing pastors. I strongly believe in what they have to say. I could listen to them all day long. Oh, what I said in 2000 - political opportunism. Show I can rebel against the party.

McCain #2: I don’t agree with Falwell, Robertson, Hagee, Parsley, and the others. They make me sick. I’m sucking up to them for political opportunism, and because I really need to suck up to the base. Why don’t they think I’m not conservative enough?” 

Below is an example of GOP scare tactics (as noted on Pam’s House Blend). Be prepared to barf.

Top Opinions of the Week

Posted on May 24, 2008

Chuck Todd of MSNBC considers the fallout from a McCain-loss scenario: “McCain’s folks will argue that the presence of Huckabee prevented McCain from being given an opportunity to prove that he could woo social conservatives… This is what makes McCain’s running mate choice fascinating, because a running mate on a losing ticket might end up sharing the blame. He or she then might not be trusted to help lead the party in the future. Think about that, Mr. Romney and Mr. Huckabee as you both vie to be on that national ticket.”

 The New York Times editorial board weighs in on McCain’s sudden denouncement of unhinged pastors John Hagee and Rod Parsley: “Mr. McCain has tried to argue that his recent embrace of these two extremists was different from Barack Obama’s 20-year pastoral relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright… but that does not lessen the hatefulness of the views espoused by the Rev. Hagee or the Rev. Parsley, nor does political expediency excuse Mr. McCain’s willingness to overlook those views until they became a political liability.”

Andrew Sullivan targets Hillary Clinton’s latest gaffe: “You only have to spend a few minutes talking with African-Americans about this campaign to discover that the fear that Obama could be assassinated is very much on their minds… To refer to the June assassination of Bobby Kennedy in the context of reasons to stay in this interminable race against Barack Obama is therefore catastrophically inappropriate. Coming after her pitch for white votes, it is reckless.”

Politico deconstructs the viscous e-mail attacks against Obama, saying that the anonymous smear campaign “represents the dark side of the Internet’s emerging dominance in American politics — a phenomenon that has driven Obama’s unparalleled grass-roots and financial campaigns. After harnessing the Web to great advantage, Obama is now struggling to beat back the viral threat from the same uncontrollable medium.”

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