Hypocrisy Watch category archive

In a follow-up story, the local rag quotes the emails exchanged amongst members of the Huntington Valley Swim Club.

All those code words really aren’t very pretty.

Aside: Persons don’t get up in the morning and say to themselves, “Oh, gee, I think I’m going to do something hypocritical today.”

They are often not even aware of the contrast between their stated beliefs and their actions.

That’s one thing that differentiates them from frauds.

Think about it.

The “but” is almost always followed by a list of why whatever is being discussed is actually completely impossible and just can’t be done.

And “I am not racist, but . . .” means–well, if race were not at least part of the equation, it wouldn’t get mentioned, now, would it?

“The racial animus . . . and the racially coded comments” by club members at the Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley (Pennsylvania–ed.) were the reasons the club revoked Creative Steps Inc.’s contract, according to a 33-page report by the Human Relations Commission that was released last night by an attorney for four of the campers.

The members and the management of the swim club have denied from the beginning any racial basis. And I suspect they deny with sincerity. This racism stuff can go so deep that we may not even recognize it in ourselves when it’s in play.

Heck, when I was growing up in Jim Crow Virginia, I didn’t realize I was part of a social system founded on racism. It was just Our Way of Life(TM). And I will never be so arrogant as to claim that I have expunged all the vestiges of that upbringing–and I’m pretty good at arrogant. (Perhaps that’s why this issue is one of my hot buttons.)

We can lie about our motives, even to ourselves. But our behavior calls us out.

Read more »

I gather that O’Reilly (not Tim; the dumb one, Bill) has been trying, but no one’s noticed this year.

Anyhoo, here’s a fascinating history of what we think of as our Christmas traditions.

As a trained historian–and as someone who has ploughed through the Bible about five times–I can say that both the Biblical and historical information appears to be pretty much accurate, though I’m not qualified to comment on the finer points of, say, the history of St. Boniface, and I’m too lazy to do any research today.

Warning: In addition to the history, there’s also polemic. It’s really good polemic and I agree with much of it. That should give you a hint as to who might find it distasteful.

From your friendly local Bush Administration. You know, the folks who gave you poisonous FEMA trailers.

Cassaday said he later observed his colleagues returning to KBR’s camp with equipment they had stolen from the U.S. military, including refrigerators, artillery round detonators, two rocket launchers, and about 800 rounds of small arms ammunition. After he informed the KBR camp manager of the thefts, Marines searched the camp with dogs to recover the stolen property. For his trouble, Cassaday said, KBR security officers jailed him in his tent for two days. He then spent another four days in “protective custody” before being transferred, against his will, to work in a laundry.

The practice of stealing equipment and supplies destined for the U.S. military was so pervasive that KBR employees invented a slang term to describe it: “drug deals.” But thefts were not limited to military supplies, said Linda Warren, another former KBR employee who testified at the hearing. Upon her arrival in Baghdad in 2004, she was shocked by the number of contractors involved in criminal activity. “KBR employees who were contracted to perform construction duties inside palaces and municipal buildings were looting,” she said. “Not only were they looting, but they had a system in place to get contraband out of the country so it could be sold on eBay. They stole artwork, rugs, crystal, and even melted down gold to make spurs for cowboy boots.” Like Cassaday, when she complained to her superiors about the thefts, she was punished. She said her vehicle was taken away, her movements were closely monitored, and her access to phones and the Internet were cut off. Eventually, she was transferred out of Baghdad.

Those troops they were stealing from included my son.

Crooks and liars. Them and them what hired them.

Via Harry Shearer.

Gets away with murder.

Again.

Blackwater Worldwide, the security contractor blamed by an angry Iraqi government for the shooting deaths of 17 civilians, is not expected to face criminal charges — all but ensuring the company will keep its multimillion-dollar contract to protect U.S. diplomats.

Natch. They’re Bushie Groupies.

What other outcome could be expected?

Rule of law my ass.

Addendum, 5/10/2008:

Tbogg takes the case.

There’s really nothing to add to this:

When Edward Frawley went to welcome home his 22-year-old son, who was returning from a tour of duty with the 82nd Airborne Division in the mountains of Afghanistan, he was in for a shock.

So, Frawley did what any concerned citizen does — he posted a video on YouTube two weeks ago, containing still photos of moldy ceiling panels, broken toilet seats, backed up sewage water flooding a bathroom, exposed pipes — and demanded that viewers contact their congressmen.

Fortunately, First Son lives off-base.

H/T Linda.

Things have been pretty busy in the world of cooling towers lately, and I’ve left some loose ends dangling.

My hypocrisy watch is over. Now Senator Thompson has returned to being a retired faux district attorney. There is no longer any need to keep waiting for Waste of Newsprint to show the same concern for Senator Thompson’s family as he showed for Senator Edwards’s family.

(In a related matter, Steve over at ASZ points out the Waste of Newsprint doesn’t seem to realize that he’s part of the media.)

I missed Blogroll Amnesty Day. Something about working all weekend, I think. Always late to the party, that’s me.

I hereby retroactively refuse amnesty to anyone on my blogroll. Sorry, folks. You’re all still on my blogroll.