I suppose that I am one of those people who likes his silence.  Given that I spend upwards of two-thirds of each day in public places, either in classes, in the noisy section of my University library, or in one of dozens of other public spaces, this would seem an odd -- perhaps even contradictory position to take, but I like my silence.  Everyone is always so damned noisy, and I wish they'd just shut up, I know it's not a polite stance to take -- but it is one which I suspect I will maintain for quite a while.

It is, of course, a stance that led me to my present situation; sitting alone, at home, on New Years Eve.

For those of you who have seen my comments on this website, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve gone through almost the entire Democratic field (and slightly outside of it if you count my support for Vice President Gore) in search of a candidate.  Recently, I have come to the conclusion that Senator Biden was my best choice for a Presidential candidate.

My issues in this election are simple: Foreign Policy and Executive Power.  In my mind, we need a President who not only knows that there are messes, but one who has put forth plans to clean them up.  Senator Biden is the candidate who – in my mind – is best capable of doing so.

One of the benefits of going to a Conservative University is that there is never a shortage of interesting conversation.  Today, I was fortunate enough to speak with a supporter of Rudy Giuliani.  It gave me some insight into the Republican mindset for the upcoming Presidential election.  The conversation and its implications are below:

Bad news tonight folks, Bobby Jindal won the LA-Gov race outright.  From the AP:

Jindal, the 36-year-old son of Indian immigrants, carried more than half the vote against 11 opponents. With about 87 percent of the vote in, Jindal had 53 percent with 588,002 — more than enough to win outright and avoid a Nov. 17 runoff.

His nearest competitors: Democrat Walter Boasso with 196,104 votes or 18 percent; Independent John Georges had 156,962 votes or 14 percent; Democrat Foster Campbell with 141,346 or 13 percent. Eight candidates divided the rest.

I am posting this diary because I was wrong about something a while back and I think it necessary to make a public apology.  During the Imus/"Mann Coulter" debates, I took the freedom of expression side and I was wrong to do so.  I was wrong, quite simply, because I assumed that the battles most of the anti-speech crowd were talking about were already over and won by our side, and that with time victory over the ideologies was inevitable.

Needless to say, I was wrong.  Without active engagement, dialogue, and a focus on active improvement instead of passively hoping that the problem will solve itself, we will see a resurgence of the Right-Wing ideology of hatred.

To quote one of the most famous scenes in movie history:

I believe in America.  America has made my fortune.

And while my monetary fortune doesn't amount to squat, my fortune in other areas is amazing.  I have a passport that can get me into most of the countries I want to visit (Cuba, unfortunately is still a no-go).  I have the opportunity to learn without fear of violence.  I have the opportunity to live in an (at least theoretically) secular society where Atheists, like myself, while immensely distrusted by the population at large, are still free to live our lives the way we want without the threat of imprisonment suspended like a proverbial piano over our heads.  

There has been some quality Grade A snark and satire posted so far today, and I can only imagine how much more there is to come.  In the interests of putting all of these wonderful diaries in one place, I have decided to make my own diary compiling them which will be updated throughout the day as more are posted.  

If you see one that I don't have, please reply to the first comment I make in the thread with a link to it, and if you're feeling generous, a brief synopsis.

No, I'm not going to talk about protecting our children the way those crazy conservative crack-pots on FOX"News" talk about it.  That particular brand of idiocy has no place on this website, and it shouldn't have a place on the airwaves either.  Especially since the legislation is merely a front for attacking the blogosphere.  The type of protection I speak of is a different one.  A more basic one.  A protection so basic that 193 of the 195 countries in the world have recognized and ratified it as law.  A sweeping series of protections so necessary that even Sudan has signed onto them (though they obviously haven't lived by them).  What is this series of protections that I speak of?  Simple, The Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Not that anyone here has a vested interest in my academic performance, however given the tenor of the discussion raging on the front page today, I figure we could use a bit of a change.  I am currently taking Intro to American Government, and my exam was last Thursday.  I shouldn't be taking it -- quite frankly, I have no excuse for the 3 I got on the AP exam last year except that I had 6 of the things to study for and one of them had to come up short.  However, with that said it was been quite a difficult course, and my grade thus far is due to the blogosphere, and especially some of the insightful comments that I've read here (and in other places) over the years (and it feels weird using that in plural form).  So for that, I offer a most sincerely felt thank you.

It's exam season and that means academic honesty is king.  While we are waiting to take our exams, we first have to sign an academic integrity statement.  If a similar statement was given to many of today's politicians, they would likely be in the Deans office and then out the door upon signing it.

I just want the truth, I don't care about political posturing -- or, as a friend of mine calls it, masturbation of the ego.  I could care less about that.  All I want is some integrity in our institutions.  The 'Last Honest Man' is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with the current, politicized definitions of Integrity and Accountability.

A popular conservative concept is that we live in an 'ownership society', and it certainly has a nice ring to it.  But what I doubt these Conservatives have done, is look at the root of the concept.  After all, who would embrace nihilism and subjective morality while simultaneously screaming about absolute morals?

Oops, I guess we aren't supposed to mention the gaping philosophical flaw in this, the most base and most bastardized of all repugnant Republican propaganda.  The concept of an ownership society where the elites make morality through practical application of power isn't a new one, in fact, it's been around forever, and while President Bush certainly has no problems taking parts of Nietzsche's philosophy publicly, perhaps it is time for him to consider the other parts: the ones which he has apparently ignored.

And no it's not in God.  I'm not sure if it's a belief in America either.  I've seen too much bad go along with the greater good.  Sort of reminds me of an article Leading Through Law that I had to read for an International Law class.  That's what our job is, and it's why I still believe.  

In short, I still believe, because there are still leaders.  I don't know how much longer that will last, but I intend to find out.  I'm not sure how much longer that second part will remain true though.

Those words are why I am a member of the Democratic Party today.  Even at my age then, I knew that I could not abide by a party or organization that put forth such an unsophisticated brand of pseudo-intellectual sophistry as their policy.  Winning a war, or a fight takes nuanced positions, and the only time for ultimatums is when there is simply no other option.  

With that said, I am sad to say that I have now seen the same sort of sophistry here at DailyKos.  I've seen it in Union Diaries and in Israel Diaries.  I remember how not to long ago it was called purity trolling, now it seems to be common practice.

Do not mistake this for a GBCW Diary.  My UID has too much to live for -- it even has a family or sorts, and a bit of a personality too.

In yesterday's diary I pointed out that our country has made great strides from it's era of literary censorship, although one comment did bring up a very good point:  we are just 20 years removed from Edwin Meese's obsession with rooting out 'filth'.  In fact, one of the contributing members to the Meese Report was James Dobson.  While I believe that my commentor from yesterday had a good point, I would also like to point out that today's diary is about 'fight[ing] to preserve that [freedom of literary expression] freedom' (the concluding section of that sentence).

The title of that book struck me while I was looking through one of my family's many bookcases while I was looking for our copy of All the Kings Men.  It was completely out of place, and not even remotely close to the other language books, so naturally I did what any sensible person would do, I opened it.  And let me tell you that I am glad I did, because imagine my surprise when I found that the book was actually a copy of Tropic of Capricorn.  Albeit a hidden one.

"Why would a false book cover be on this book?" I asked myself, and it was at that moment that I began to do a tiny bit of research, both on the internet, and within my family.

No, this will not be another 'don't support the dynasty' diary.  I refuse to use such a weak excuse as a rationale to prop up my own preference schedule which I feel is powerful enough without the weak wooden prop of 'dynasty' added in.  This diary is instead about the abhorrant and contemptible Op-Ed column I read in todays Wall Street Journal.  

As a dedicated member of the modern American left -- or as I like to call us, the last guards of Democracy -- I can safely say that nothing enrages me more then seeing some Wall Street idiot opine that "the trend to royalism may not be all bad.".

This is the Presidential Version of the  Standard Idiot Response Form.  Rather than write out a long and complex Diary with words our poor idiot-in-chief won't understand, I have decided instead to write out a shorter -- simpler -- Diary that if he ever comes across (which has about a 1 in a billion chance of happening) he will understand.

Harriet Miers' resignation is hardly surprising, Bush will need a better lawyer than her if he wants any chance at defending himself in court, but a better question however is:  CNN WTF?  I'm sitting here reading their piece about her resignation, and they seem to be trying to push the White House line, and they are pushing it hard.