Andrew Sullivan's Blog, page 2656

The Deaths And Maiming Of Children

As we fight an unwinnable war in an ungovernable country, the enemy simply ratchets up the evil by targeting more and more innocent civilians, especially women and children. HuffPo's headline misleadingly suggests that US policy is behind the yearly increase in civilian fatalities but the UN report actually notes that casualties caused by the US and UK fell by 30 percent and by 64 percent in aerial bombing in one year, which strikes me as a real achievement for McChrystal. But then you...

As The GOP Descends Into Rank Demagoguery

Here is what Tim Pawlenty said about a Muslim center being built a few blocks from Ground Zero:

We shouldn't have images or activities that degrade or disrespect that in any way.

What Pawlenty is saying that the expression of religious faith by American citizens "degrades and disrespects" a site where eleven privileged religious fanatics murdered 3,000 human beings, Christian and Muslim, Jewish and atheist, male and female, American and countless other countries. A local Muslim group asked him ...

Hathos Alert

Wonkette finds an "Anti-Manhattan Mosque Rock Anthem" that could have been plucked from the Team America soundtrack.
















Arts - Religious - Islamic - Architecture - Building Types

Name That Bar! We Have A Winner!

What a birthday treat! Goldblog suggests Kandabar. A simpler version would be Ak-Bar, although there's one of those already in Los Angeles apparently (Dish readers, I tell you).

I have to say I'd definitely go into a bar called Jihard. "Who's Your Baghdaddi?" isn't bad either. Infidel-ity is too upscale - that should be a piano bar playing only Gershwin. Halal Sailor: a little retro. Dicka Dicka Dicka should be a sex club. The Sixth Pillar is a little T.E. (but could definitely add a little u...

The View From Your Window Contest: Winner #10

A reader writes:

Hmmm that's a tough one.  Could be a number of American cities.  At first glance, it reminded of my old Atlanta neighborhood of Inman Park, but the houses are a little too close to the road.  I just got back from Rochester and it looks similar to some neighborhoods there.  Or it could be in Midtown Memphis, or Savannah, GA or just about anywhere.  Well, let's just go with Rochester then.  It's kind of a randomly nice place.

Another writes:

I think I've been down this street. ...

The GOP And Muslims: Getting Worse

Ben Smith is trying to get responses from most of the potential presidential candidates in 2012 for the GOP. Here's Mike Huckabee:

Even if the Muslims have the right to build it, don't they do more to serve the public interest by exercising the responsible judgement to not build it, given that it's really offensive to most New Yorkers and Americans? Or is it just that we can offend Americans and Christians, but not foreigners and Muslims?

Don't you love that association? "Americans and...

Ranked #9 At West Point: A Question Of Integrity

A top cadet resigns because lying about her sexual orientation is unworthy of an American soldier. From her resignation letter:

While at the academy, I have made a deliberate effort to develop myself academically, physically, and militarily, but in terms of holistic personal growth I have reached a plateau. I am unwilling to suppress an entire portion of my identity any longer because it has taken a significant personal, mental, and social toll on me and detrimentally affected my professional...

Email Of The Day

This job is by far the most grueling I have ever had in journalism. And then an email like the following comes along and it seems like the joy it so often is:

Two months ago I moved from the southeast of England to the
Scottish Borders - without ever realising that it would take British
Telecom two months to connect my landline and broadband.   To make
matters worse, I have landed in a spot where I cannot get a mobile
signal.

I was reconnected today - and am lightheaded from the sheer joy...

The Odd Lies Of Sarah Palin XCIV: "They claim I – wait for it – 'appear to roll my eyes'"

Well, you make the call. Did she roll her eyes at the mention of the word "teacher" in front of her own daughter?

Meanwhile, the more profound question: what on earth was she wearing on her feet?

Yep: she's an authentic Alaskan wife of a fisherman. And I'm a heterosexual.

Sarah Palin - Politics - Republican - United States - Parties

Amending Their Priorities

A group of GOP senators is planning to push for a balanced budget amendment in the fall. Ezra shakes his head:

Lately, Republicans have been shocked and appalled that Democrats areeven considering arguments that could lead to them considering changesto the Senate's rulebook. At the same time, Republicans are planning tointroduce no fewer than two major amendments to the United States Constitution.One would change the way the country grants citizenship. The otherwould remove Congress's...