All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others

Is our resident communist nation taking a step further into an Orwell work, or is this the start of a move away form socialism in Cuba? Raul Castro recently proclaimed:

“Socialism means social justice and equality, but equality of rights, of opportunities, not of income. Equality is not egalitarianism.”

Gordon Chang writes for Commentary:

“Cuban society is progressing, and Raul has just been forced to redefine socialism. His theoretical leap, although important to ideologues, is almost irrelevant because Cuba is now developing beyond his control.”

We can only hope that this assessment is the case.

McCain: Don’t Pick Jindal

We will probably know each candidate's running mate within the next month or so, so now seemed like as good a time as ever to ask McCain not to pick Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal. Here are two chief reasons why this man is not worth having on the ticket.

First of all, he is younger and less experienced than Obama. If McCain's ticket is going to be based on experience, and that’s the message he plans to push throughout the campaign, it sure as hell doesn’t help to get a newbie attached to his hip. McCain's age means voters will be considering the fact that he may die in office, and thus his running mate is going to matter in his electoral campaign. He may very well replace him as the president one day, and having an inexperienced leader on the ticket isn't going to help his case against Obama.

More importantly, McCain’s VP pick is going to tell us something about the direction he hopes to take his campaign and his presidency; picking Jindal would single that he is willing to compromise important social issues to appease the social conservative base that has never liked McCain (regardless of his conservative voting credentials).

Jindal is a member of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a group of right wing Republicans. The groups is in favor of the Marriage Amendment Act which would make gay marriage a constitutionally forbidden act, and believed the government should intervene in the Terri Shivo case. The man is a supporter of “intelligent design theories," and has advocated that they be used as an alternative theory in public science classrooms. I can’t begin to explain how how foolish this really is, and I don’t plan to debate it here. I will say that anyone who believes spiritual beliefs should replace the scientific method in a class that is based on that very procedure is a moron, a shameless politician playing to their base of support, or a deluded individual that has little understanding of what the scientific method really entails. This alone should discredit any individual from taking one of the highest positions in American life, but apparently not.

So just make the right choice John.

Jason Molina - 2007

A fine tune from a great American songwriter, recorded under his Songs: Ohia project for the "Magnolia Electric Co." album back in 2003.

Support Harry’s Place

Harry’s Place is currently being sued for libel in Britain.

“Last Friday, in the wake of a closely argued debate about whether Mohammed Sawalha, the President of the British Muslim Initiative, had used the phrase “Evil Jew” or “Jewish Lobby” in a speech, Harry’s Place received a letter. The letter is from Dean and Dean, a firm of solicitors who are acting for Mr Sawalha. Mr Sawalha has demanded that we take down certain articles from Harry’s Place, and publish an apology “in the attached wording.”

NeoConstant has started a blogburst of those supporting Harry’s Place in their fight against this nonsense.