Could Someone Hold My Hair Back?
Because I’m probably going to barf. Word on the street is…
Bush will be making a speech on the “war on terrorism” at the Cobb Galleria to the Georgia Public Policy Foundation.
The speech is sponsored by the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. Admission is free, but you have to register by 4:00 PM today (Tuesday) at www.gppf.org/register. After registering online, they will contact you to confirm if you have a reservation. Or you can call (404) 256-4050.
If you’re into protesting, here’s the 411:
When: Thursday, September 7th
Time: Protest 9am
Where: Cobb Galleria
Converge on the sidewalk across from Cumberland Mall
On Cobb Parkway @ Galleria Drive
If you live in the area, you’ve been warned. Expect traffic snarls. I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to effe it up in town while they’re at it. Wheee!
Authors note: The opinions expressed in this post are not necessarily those of metblogs, other atlanta.metblogs authors or anyone who lives in a 100 mile radius of me. Or farm animals, maybe. Not 100% sure about that one though. Pretty sure W is for Weasel and Lemmings Love Bush.
All you people who voted for this dink. Take some responsibility!
How about the folks that want to protest the political “brilliance” of this posting. Who shall I call?
Yeesh, I thought I’d just wandered onto DailyKos for a second there.
I don’t especially like Bush, either, but grow up. He is still the president. The whole hippy-chick protesting thing is so 1960’s.
Well, FTP, that depends. Pretty sure you got your say first by voting for him.
And oooh Right…”grow up”. Outstanding! Well played!
Sorry , Rightonpeachtree.. forgot its still silly to question FEARLESS LEADER. I may not like it, but I should shut the fuck up about it! Its not like I should speak my mind! Grow up! Buy a condo!
righton… not questioning your leadership is so mindless of you.
To FTP — Unlike the President Bush, Metblogs doesn’t shield writers from critics. Lodge your protest in the Comments section and she’ll she it. Try to protest where Bush will see you and you might be arrested.
To RightOnPeachtree — What does “Grow Up. He is still the President” even mean? What, in your estimation, constitutes “grown up” political expression? Calling someone who disagrees with you a “hippy chick” perhaps?
Here’s how to remedy a bad president: Vote him out of office. Standing around with asinine and profane posters is a joke. You may as well tie a scarf around your face and throw molotov cocktails through the windows of the capitalistic pig businesses.
If you want to question your leaders, fine. Contact their offices, write letters, join civic or political organizations, VOTE. But standing outside with signs is an anachronistic and empty gesture. And I have news for you: IT DOESN’T WORK. Bush is the king of ignoring protesters. Heck, he ignores most conservatives these days.
It’s your blog, but you’ll lose half your readership overnight if you start going into militant political mode. There are thousands of other blogs where we can read that stuff. Metroblogging Atlanta has been an enjoyable oasis devoid of political nonsense. I wish you would keep it that way.
Andisheh, the presidency itself still deserves respect. Protesting is a meaningless and outdated mode of dissension. It doesn’t work. It’s the last bastion of a cancerous sixties radicalism that, inexplicably, continues to be marched out (pun intended). I could have said, “Wise up”, but “Grow up” is just as applicable.
Darling butter bean, you simply *must* calm down and r-e-a-d what I wrote.
Pretty sure I supplied information for both sides of the event. Pretty sure I didn’t really endorse one or the other (remember where I said “if you’re into that sort of thing”) howevaaaaaaaaaaa if you wanna go all extreme about it (as you have), you’ll do a fine job compounding my beliefs (and you have).
Thanks for the open dialog, for showing rationale and for not lowering yourself to name calling, and for not judging others based on my actions.
I don’t know where all your anger is coming from, but if you need a hug, all you have to do is ask.
Cheers, precious, I’m off to go put on some patchouli and play with some endangered animals in the forest.
-Maigh
P.S. Militant? Seriously. Ew.
RoP: You are correct to suggest that “the way to remedy” a President that you don’t like is by voting that person out of office. But you are wrong to suggest that protesting is in someway a “joke.” In your formulation, are the American people only to say something every 4 years? Or every 2 if you count midterms as referenda on the President? That seems pretty silly to me.
As you say, standing outside with signs may not work in convincing other people, but it does draw media attention and rallies those people together. There is, I dare say it, political value in that.
I’m not going to buy into the idea that some people (no one on this comment thread) have that dissent is more patriotic than assent (I think their both neutral on the patriotism scale), but dissenting in a way that gains media attention and/or encourages people who agree to act (perhaps at a later date) has value, is not “outdated” or disrespectful of the Presidency in and of itself.
By the way, “cancerous sixties radicalism?” C’mon… surely some good came out of sixties protesting (civil rights being one thing).
Oh, and just a quick note on something – if you have to write “pun intended” it’s probably a very horrid pun that probably shouldn’t have seen the light of day.
Yay, politics!!!
An now for my more civilized, post-coffee response:
The beauty of The Internets and of this site in particular, is its diverse contributor population. I find the variety of view points, information and events refreshing. I find the conversations they can spark fascinating and liberating.
I personally welcome open, constructive dialog and applaud it; but caution that when name calling comes into play your voice is muted. Your point can assuredly be missed and the impression that you give of yourself (and potentially others who share your viewpoint) is muddied.
That said, I remain steadfast in my belief that one way or another, W’s visit will mangle traffic. :)
Right.. I’ll just sit at home and wait for my one chance to vote (and have it electronically lost) every four years. Its not like protests help grow political pressure! I mean, the Pentagon Papers were probably a fluke. How exactly are we supposed to redress grievences? The voting booth?
Right on- let’s remove the amendment that gives us the right to assemble, since we don’t need that!
You have the right to vote, and the right to shut the fuck up otherwise eh?
>>Standing around with asinine and profane posters is a joke. You may as well tie a scarf around your face and throw molotov cocktails through the windows of the capitalistic pig businesses.
Holding up a sign that expresses displeasure is the same thing as setting buildings on fire? Do you really equate holding up signs with violence and vandalism?
If holding up signs is the same thing as tossing Molotov cocktails, then disagreeing with Maigh in the comments section of this blog is assault and battery.
Internet Police! Arrest Right On Peachtree now! He done punched Maigh in the face!
Just out of curiousity, how did you feel about the pro-war rally in Centennial Park in early 2003? Were they hippy vandals as well?
GenericConservative writes:
The absolute most that conservatives can hope for is indifference. The 30% who support the direction the country is headed, will show up at the polls regardless, but if people like GenericConservative can via ridicule foment indifference, then they have a chance to stay in power.
Well run protests are an excellent way to motivate a base of supporters and to motivate others.
jeesus christ!!!!
All of you are wrong!!!!!
Yes protesting is stupid, it is a waste of time, and it rarely gets something accomplished.
If one desires to be effective in expressing political outrage, reaching out to your representatives and senators will get far more achieved. (and this can be done at any time, not just every four years)
The reason is; your reps can see if you voted or not. If you vote, reps listen to you. With protesting, no one knows who you are or if you voted so no one is going to listen to you. Unless you have 150 000+ people protesting.
Moreover, protesting now generally turns most people against “the cause” because the media always portrays the least civil (or most TV worthy) of all protetsers. Also, no one likes to be inconvenienced.
However, people can protest all they want. Protesting does serve to rally the base and unify people.
And RoP you are wrong to make the hyperbolic comparisons of protesting and arson and to tell people to “grow up”.
Frankly, all the rhetoric in this thread is
A) Stupid
B) misguided
C) wrong
Note to self: next time you need an opinion, ask Ed for it, because he’s right.
(Lather, rinse, repeat.)
*************************
I don’t know where I ever got the notion that opinions are personal and vary by individual. Stupid, misguided, wrong me.
Of course they’re black and white/right and wrong. What have I been thinking all these years?
Thanks for showing me the way, Ed.
So sorry Maigh, you seemed to have not read what I wrote.
I said, all the rhetoric that has been expressed in the comments here have been stupid etc.
Could be some profound thoughts that everyone has (I could even have one!), but they have been missing here.
as to concerns about votes being “lost” by the electronic voting machines:
http://www.johnsugg.com/2006/06/one_word_why_th.html#comment-18625820
Damn I hate it when I do that. See, I read “you’re all wrong!!!!” with the four exclamation points, and kinda stalled out there. My bad.
I ‘preciate you encouraging me to revisit your comment and I appriciate your VALID points (reps/vote/tv, etc.) and your contributions to the convo AND not calling me names…like oh say “illiterate dumbass”. ;)
Your Tree Huggin’, Shit Disturbin’ Pal,
Maigh
yea, everyone was wrong for different reasons! :D
All of the malevolence in these comments hurt. The way I see it, it doesn’t matter who’s in office. As far as I can tell I can still do all of things I want to do. Sure the NSA may be joining me in my daily life but my intentions are not evil. So do I have to worry? I don’t know. Why does politics bring out the worst in people?
amen, jam.
Does that mean it’s time for the group hug?
sorry, I heard from the religious right that you can get pregnant masterbating, so I refrain from all sexual, or sexual-like activities. Hugs are part of the sexual like activities.
I’ll pass on the group hug.
I have plenty of huggin’ friends and acquaintances with whom I disagree politically, but I’m completely sick of hypocrites who pretend that they’re defending principles (“Respect the president”), when in fact they just want to silence people for daring to interrupt precious Dubya’s campaign fundraiser.
“Shut up while the President delivers his talking points, you hippy commie terrorist” are not the words of somebody I want to hug, metaphorically or otherwise.
I’m hugging a la carte.
Maigh, you said:
“Pretty sure I supplied information for both sides of the event. Pretty sure I didn’t really endorse one or the other”
Rightttt…your post wasn’t acerbic or biased or immature in the least. Your words:
* “Could Someone Hold My Hair Back? Because I’m probably going to barf.”
* You put “war on terrorism” in quotes, like there isn’t one and to suggest there is reflects negatively on the suggester.
* “If you’re into protesting”
* “Or farm animals, maybe. Not 100% sure about that one though. Pretty sure W is for Weasel and Lemmings Love Bush.”
The fact that you pushed your snarky biases into what has been a pleasant website that ALL Atlantans could enjoy is what set me off more than anything. If I want to read mindless liberal chattering, I can go to Creative Loafing or Huffington Post. If this is going to become just another whiny liberal blog, then I’ll just exit stage right. I speak for myself only, but I imagine there are plenty more who wouldn’t enjoy a blog about Atlanta becomimg a libfest for all the poor, oppressed Dems in the ATL to spout their grievances of the day. Oh, the HORRORS of living in a red state!! Oh, my!!
BTW, if you take a look at my blog, you’ll see that I am relentlessly harsh on Bush and Republicans. I think they’ve abandoned conservative principles. I don’t spout party line talking points. Frankly, both parties give me the willies. I voted for Bush, but was wishing the whole time that I had a better choice (and don’t even suggest that Kerry was a better choice). You, however, clearly took the liberal position and were paraded it for all to see. So exactly who is the lemming again?
And to Daniel: If the last effective protest was the Civil Rights march, which was 40 YEARS AGO, then that just supports my argument that protesting is dead. Let’s do the honorable thing — have a wake, play a dirge, and bury it. Then again, as Ed suggested, protesting does galvanize the opposition to the protesters’ cause. Maybe it’s not so bad after all. ;o)
Andishae, did I tell you to shut up? Did I try to get you fired from your lib-rag, CL? Did I tell you to sit down, stop voting, and take it like a man? No. That’s just you (mis)projecting. I just made a statement about respecting the PRESIDENCY (it’s sad that you don’t understand that point) and about the ineffectiveness of protesting. That makes me a hypocrite? Perhaps in lefty-ville, it does. Of course, I don’t live in lefty-ville. That’s a state of mind that I have successfully avoided.
Diversity is your friend, darling. Don’t be so afraid of it.
The quotes were because that’s the name of his speech/event. The quotes were appropriately used.
Politics in general make me want to barf, and so do traffic snarls. Consequently, so do people who jump off the deep end at the dissemination of information.
“If you’re into protesting” was a line describing the information that was to follow. Note that I didn’t say “Go protest! Quick! The sky is falling!”. Again, the information to attend and support is also there and precedes the protest info, if that happens to be your bag. Hell, support information got the first mention.
I totally take credit for the farm animal quote/bullet point. Might be the only valid one you had.
FWIW, Champ, I’m not going to sing the praises of someone I think is a complete effing baffoon just because the masses elected him.
Restaurant Manager: First thing, who is the queen of disco?
Irate customer: Uh, Donna Summer?
Restaurant Manager: Right, and how is Miss Summer listed in the phone book?
Irate customer: Uh, Summer, Donna?
Restaurant Manager: Now, slow that down.
Dude. If you’re going to pick a fight you could at least spell his name right. Psha.
Respecting the PRESIDENT and respecting the PRESIDENCY are wayyyy different. I respect the office, I just happen to think the guy who sits in it is a dipshit.
Do I need to add another caveat that says my opinion is not necessarily that of metblogs, other atlanta.metblogs authors or anyone who lives in a 100 mile radius of me? Oh wait, I just did. Check.
You seem to be kind of a narrow minded fellow. It’s a shame you weren’t able to have a civil conversation up in this hizzy. Maybe we’ll all chip in and get you some anger management classes for your birthday next year.
Lefty-ville and Lib-rag. How cute.
Since you don’t understand, I’ll explain it all simple like.
Somebody, please hold my hair.
Here’s a short list of the hypocrisy you’ve vomited at us so far:
1. Saying that’s it’s okay for the President to promote his agenda with a campaign appearance, but somehow distasteful or “disrespectful” to promote an opposing agenda with a protest or blog post.
2. Attempting to discredit dissenters by labelling their dissent “ineffective”, then bragging about your blog.
3. Comparing Maigh’s anti-Bush political sentiments with Molotov-cocktail tossers, but describing your own “relentless harsh” political speech as a defense “principles.”
4. Moaning about the lost, politics-free oasis that was once Metblogs, while littering your sentences with stock Republican insults like “hippy-chick” “cancerous sixties radicalism” “molotov cocktail” blah blah etc.
The hypocrisy, R.O.P., is that you keep trying to hide your real opinion, “I wish you fucking liberals would shut the fuck up” behind nonsense statements like “Respect the Presidency!” or “Protesting is ineffective!”
If Maigh had simply announced where Bush was speaking, on what subject and when, would you have responded as you did? Of course not. A link to a Bush political campaign event would not pricked your bubble even though its a politial event.
Hence, you are a ginormous hypocrite.
Back to my unanswered question:
Would you categorize the people who rallied in Centennial Olympic Park in early 2003 in favor of the Iraq war to be remnants of “cancerous sixties radicalism”? Or is that kind of political demonstration okay by you?
You are all nazis there is no god, thread over.
I eat red candles.
(but I’m still interested in the answer to Andy’s question)
I beg your pardon Ed, but according to an e-mail I received this weekend, I’m no mere Nazi fascist, but in fact, an Islamofascist.
I’m torn — the Nazis have smarter outfits, but not having to shave any more would be terrific.
I LOVE ED.
There, I said it.
I say what I mean, AN. You LIE about what I said and then (apparently with ESP) read my mind. Perhaps next time I have an opinion, I should come to you first to see what I really think.
You said:
“1. Saying that’s it’s okay for the President to promote his agenda with a campaign appearance, but somehow distasteful or “disrespectful” to promote an opposing agenda with a protest or blog post.”
First, I said no such thing. That’s a lie. I didn’t say anything about the President’s right to speak. And YOU are calling it a campaign appearance. Bush calls it a speech on terrorism. Again, you use your ESP gifts to discern what people’s intentions are. Wow, you’re really gifted. And I didn’t say that it wasn’t okay to have a blog post on this. I just expressed my discontent with it being expressed HERE. That’s my opinion. I can still have that, can’t I? Or maybe you’re (falsely) claiming that I am the one trying to squelch dissenters, when you are the only one here trying to do that. And you call me a hypocrite? Please.
“2. Attempting to discredit dissenters by labelling their dissent “ineffective”, then bragging about your blog.”
Again, AN, you’re using your mystical powers to read into my intent. I never said that dissent is bad. I said that protesting was ineffective. I repeat, I say what I mean. And I’m not bragging about my blog. I’m a casual blogger, if anything. I’m making the point that I’m not some partisan hack and I’m backing it up with PROOF. Go figure. That would buttress my argument with reasonable people.
“3. Comparing Maigh’s anti-Bush political sentiments with Molotov-cocktail tossers, but describing your own “relentless harsh” political speech as a defense “principles.””
This is where you have a point. Being anti-Bush doesn’t equate to Molotov-tossing. That was hyperbole, but it’s the perception of the protest movement by many people. And regarding principles, again (hopefully you’ll get this through repetition), I don’t object to Maigh’s opinion or yours. I just wish she hadn’t done a drive-by on this blog. She has a blog and I took a look at it. She seems quite nice (you do, Maigh). I’m quite sure we don’t agree on many things, but that’s cool. I just wish that this blog could remain somewhat neutral. If MetBlog is going to become political, please let me know and I’ll disappear. Not a problem.
“4. Moaning about the lost, politics-free oasis that was once Metblogs, while littering your sentences with stock Republican insults like “hippy-chick” “cancerous sixties radicalism” “molotov cocktail” blah blah etc.”
First, I’m NOT a Republican. I AM conservative. Big difference (these days, at least). And my political response was to a political post. I wouldn’t have said any of that on a post about The Flying Biscuit or the Georgia Aquarium or the Braves.
“The hypocrisy, R.O.P., is that you keep trying to hide your real opinion, “I wish you fucking liberals would shut the fuck up” behind nonsense statements like “Respect the Presidency!” or “Protesting is ineffective!””
Amazing. You don’t know me and are embarrassing yourself with your attempts to put words in my mouth (or fingers). Put words in your own mouth, not mine. At the risk of being redundant, “Grow up.”
“If Maigh had simply announced where Bush was speaking, on what subject and when, would you have responded as you did? Of course not. A link to a Bush political campaign event would not pricked your bubble even though its a politial event.”
Shocker. You actually got something right. I wouldn’t have commented as I did if the post itself had just listed the facts without injecting anti-Bush venom. It would’ve been nice info to have — especially from a traffic viewpoint.
“Hence, you are a ginormous hypocrite.”
Yeah, master debating skills there, AN. My response is on my website. You can find it at:
http://www.likeyouropinionmatterstome.com
“Would you categorize the people who rallied in Centennial Olympic Park in early 2003 in favor of the Iraq war to be remnants of “cancerous sixties radicalism”? Or is that kind of political demonstration okay by you?”
Since you’re feeling deprived of attention and are doing your best “hijack this” on these comments, I’ll answer your question. As I’ve said, protesting in I.N.E.F.F.E.C.T.I.V.E. It doesn’t matter what “side” is doing it. It’s a WASTE OF TIME. That being said, the 60’s protests were anti-war protests. That is the parallel to the anti-war protests of today. Besides the ratio of pro-war to anti-war protesters is infinitessimally small. WE get it when it comes to protesting.
So there you go. Feel free to, again, try to put words in my mouth, mischaracterize my statements, make accusatory statements about me personally, and call me names. That seems to be your MO.
GenericConservative writes:
It’s admirable that you chose to express your dismay at the politicization of Metblogs. Strangly, you were silent during Annie’s Sonny Perdue campaign commercial. Or the (deserved in my opinion) bashing of Cynthia McKinney (here, here and here.)
You’re a passive-agressive coward. You use your second rate talk radio catch phrases to bash people. When they respond, you play the victim.
Jim V.
I didn’t see those posts. I catch MetBlogs when I can. I agree that they shouldn’t have been there. If I had seen them, I would have commented.
Thanks for resorting to the typical “progressive” response tactics by getting personal and calling me names. I suppose there is something to be said for predictability and consistency.
And an uber-liberal (I’m guessing, but I seriously doubt I’m wrong) claiming that I, a conservative, am playing the victim? Pot meet kettle, Jim.
Hmmm. Nope. Still bored.
To be fair, personal judgments and name-calling are something everybody does, regardless of political leanings. To claim that these are typically progressive tactics implies that they are atypical of the contrasting folk, which isn’t accurate. Everybody does those things.
Wow. Metblogs has derailed. Can we go back to good cheap restaurants, local music, cool bars, and festivals? Politics is too much for me.
i’ll second that, GB. no more outrage for me, the first 35 or so helpings were plenty.
Abby and GB – I suppose that’s what we get for feeding the beast. It’s the old saying – you shouldn’t get involved in an argument with a fool because eventually it becomes difficult to tell the difference. Or something more eloquent than that.
you would know
you know.. i never looked at things that way.
Thanks for pointing that out.
peace
GenericConservative,
I did get personal. I did call you names. Perhaps if you owned up to your words as well, then I wouldn’t have called you a passive agressive coward.
I am proud to be a liberal, although I suspect that in your freerepublic.com world, John McCain is a liberal too.
Damn, Maigh. Start a riot, why dont’cha?
It’s taken me, like, DAYS, to read all these comments, and I thought I was going to come through unscathed, but GEEZ, Jim V! “Annie’s Sonny Perdue campaign commercial?” Who’s using “second rate talk radio catch phrases to bash people” now? You couldn’t have been any cutesier if you were a yellow lab puppy wearing a red satin bow.
And to everyone who is bored with Atlanta politics: Metblogs is a vehicle for blogging about what we like and dislike about Atlanta. You have a right to complain about Atlanta bloggers being too political. I have a right to blog about Atlanta politicians that I think suck. Maigh has a right to blog about a presidential visit to our fair city in any terms she wants. If you want the news, read the AJC. If you want people who write about Atlanta without guidelines, live life on the edge and read us.
Do you really want to check a blog every day and know what exactly you are going to see? The great thing about Metblogs is that it is not just about restaurants, or music, or traffic, or schools, or politics. It is about all those things and so much more. And you never know what you are going to get. Check out http://www.metroblogging.com/ for an article entitled “What is Metroblogging?” if you are really interested in what the creators think is the answer.
p.s. There is also a nifty little function that allows you to suggest stories to us. Go for it. Wow us with your brilliant ideas, people.
My goal in life is to be cutesy.
Riots are great except for all the hate. Plus I’m agoraphobic.
So hey…I have an idea.
Since a few folk seem to know how we should do things here, can we all go to their houses and tell them how to do stuff too?
It could be neat, admit it. Like a job swap only not.
We could critique decorating, cooking, housekeeping, methods of bill pay, bootie wiping technique, lovemaking….oooh what a hoot!
Seriously though. Still bored.