Repost with Better Audio: Ted Kennedy Just Loved Himself a Good Chappaquiddick Joke [http://ace.mu.nu/archives/291492.php]

A few articles which may enlighten you to the wonderful character of Teddy:

HufPo Writer: Maybe Mary Jo Would Have Been Happy To Have Died For The Kennedy Cause — UPDATE: You Know What Cracked Teddy Up? A Good Chappaquiddick Joke! [http://ace.mu.nu/archives/291479.php]

Mike Kelly on Ted Kennedy [http://ace.mu.nu/archives/291447.php]

The Obit Ted Kennedy Deserves [http://ace.mu.nu/archives/291444.php]

ModDem, read my reply above and you’ll know that what you just said is complete hogwash. Kennedy’s indiscretions are well know and they occurred at such a frequent pace that his office had to keep a memo telling the press that they couldn’t keep trak of all the “gossip.” It was just more BS damage control, ironically from a rich white male that you so blissfully detested in your last post. Way to be consistent.

“Also I’m not saying one should forgive and forget. I’m saying just what I said. The voters put him back in office and kept him there. And he actually did some good. You know he did good but you’re blinded by your conservative mindset.”

No, Massachusetts voters put him in there because the vast majority of them are liberal hacks and stupid to boot. They’re like that with all their politicians, which is why I laugh when people say Romney’s a conservative. You do not become governor of Massachusetts without being at least moderate-liberal. The same was true for William Weld. Get back to me in 30 years and we’ll truly see how much good he actually did.

” Anyway your understanding of the Americans with Disabilties Act is woefully uninformed. To you the law simply means wheelchair access is built around hard to get places. Read the frickin’ act dude. Public accommodations [which are important for people with disabilities - don't you know] are but one part of the act. [And who the heck is opposed to wheelchair access on sidewalks? Do they cause you to trip or something?] A big part of the act is also about discrimination.”

Again, read my reply above on this. There was more to the act than you’re implying.

“Anyway, opposition to lawyers meddling with aspects of the law with regards to the disabilities act is one thing. Opposition to the whole act is, frankly, moronic. Even the ‘corrupt plutocrats’ [who you no doubt vote for] approved and approve of this act.”

Of course they approved of this act. They got a lot of sweet backroom deals in the process. It’s everyone else that got screwed. Hardly moronic.

“Thanks for writing. Love.”

Ah yes, peace and love. Of course, you do realize that you’re going with a standard liberal tactic. They can’t really answer the questions, so they fall back on a stinted ego trip. Because Peace and Love are only for progressive people. And let’s face it, that’s the only reason why you put that in there. You wanted to feel smug, so you added that in. Sorry, but that nonsense doesn’t work with me. Try harder next time.

I agree with everything you said.

“The fact that you write the sentence, ‘We live in a society today…’ shows your hand. Would you prefer a pre-civil rights society? Or one where women don’t have equality? Or where people lose their jobs because they are disabled, or gay or black? You are making an assumption that society was somehow better back in the good old days – which didn’t really exist.”

Not at all. But let me put it this way. I’m well aware of how things were for certain groups pre-1960. However, what society is doing now (and let’s face it, the left is at the forefront of this crap) is flipping the hate. Back in the “good ole’ days,” it was chic to hate on blacks. Now, it appears that whites are the ones hated on (and if you tell me otherwise, I’m going to simply laugh). Nor do I buy into the idea that whites did it for so long that it’s our turn now. I’m 36. I wasn’t born then. So to equate me with something that occurred 50+ years ago is nothing short of idiocy. All of the groups that you mentioned have more than enough rights today and they can say whatever they want without any consequence. That’s the reality of the situation. But I’ll remember what you said the next time a black calls me a “cracker” (which has happened a couple of times). It annoys me, and I’m not afraid to admit it.

“First, I was one of the first on Daily Kos to comment about their poor judgment regarding the passing of Tony Snow. I liked him and found him a decent human being. In fact, ever conservative I know personally is a decent person – as are all the liberals I know personally.”

But the beat goes on. My point is that you’re simply a minority who thinks that way. The vast majority of liberals in my experience did otherwise. But good for you.

“But when we go beyond our own circle of friends and contacts we sometimes become really ridiculously judgmental. You didn’t know Senator Kennedy yet you automatically hate everything about him. But your hatred is based more on politics than it is on reason. Afterall he was liked by plenty of Republican Senators who know and worked with him.”

You mistake dislike with “hate.” It’s ok, it’s a common mistake all the time. Most of us don’t really know what true hatred is. You’re right. I didn’t like the guy. I thought he was scum. He did things in his personal life that I would never even consider. So yes, I’ll be judgmental of him. As for Republican Senators, most of them are a bunch of milquetoast RINOs, so what’s your point? The Republican party is run by a bunch of sissies. That’s why they got creamed in ’08 and the only reason why they’ll pick up any seats in the midterm is because the Democrats behaved even more idiotic than they did previously.

“But let me ask you how do you feel about Laura Bush? I like her and find her a good sensible person even if I question her politics. However, did you know when she was younger she ran a stop sign and killed a man? Do you think she deserves redemption and forgiveness? I say yes she does.”

What Laura Bush was wrong. However, she did not enter politics directly, did she? She made a mistake, but she didn’t cover it up. That fat pickled slob you’re so tossed salad over left a woman to die in a car that slowly filled with water (I heard she was alive for up to two hours before she actually drowned). He then didn’t report it until the next day. How…convenient. And then his family had the audacity to try to cover it up, but the crime was so total that it was impossible to do so. Laura may have made a bad mistake, but at least she lived a decent life after. What did Teddy do? His life was replete with scandals (my favorite was the sandwich rape episode with Chris Dodd on a waitress). So you’re really, truly, honestly going to equate Laura Bush with Edward Kennedy? You really have to be shitting me…

“Second, your assessment of the ‘cost’ of Kennedy’s programs is laughable at best and heartless as worst. You might be the only person I have encountered who is opposed to the Americans with Disabilities Act, The 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act or the bill to protect our troops with better armored vehicles. The cost of human life, dignity and a right to raise or take care of a family without losing a job is priceless. It is far more valuable to our society as a whole than the money it may cost.”

Ok, well you should explain how laughable it was to people who lost their jobs (no this didn’t impact my family or myself at all) because money had to be spent to cover for those people (and yes, people lost jobs, but hey, it’s progress and nothing can stand in the way of “progress”…or is it “change?”. Stuff like that costs tons of money to implement and you’d better believe that to put all that in place many places had to cut money somewhere else. That often meant jobs. So I find it hardly laughable nor heartless.

“However, please note, that the balancing of our budget in the 1990’s – after the first two Acts [listed there] passed – was pretty easy to do.
Also do some research on the armored vehicles. Kennedy spearheaded that movement because [believe it or not] he cared for the troops.”

Like I said before, what armored vehicles are you referring to? I listed examples, you give me this vague description. As for the balancing of the budget…Ah yes, the Peace Dividend. I remember that fondly. What you seem to forget that that balancing came at the cost of gutting our military and in particular our intelligence ability. You know, that same intelligence community that missed the 9/11 bombers? There was a reason why they missed it, and a good part of it was $$$$$. But hey, Kennedy did care for those troops, didn’t he? I often find that Democrats support the troops in the oddest of ways…

Mat [not Matt] said; “We live in a society today where someone does horrible things, and we’re just supposed to forgive and forget.”

Let’s keep it simple. We live in a society today that has three strikes you’re out, and that throws people in jail for having an ounce of pot. However, note that many years ago you could commit major crimes [especially race based crimes or against woman] and get away with them simply because a bunch of rich white idiots controlled the world. Please note that Kennedy’s actions were over 40 years ago. Today he would more than lose his Senate seat. So if anything what Mat says is completely wrong. It is actually the opposite today.

Also I’m not saying one should forgive and forget. I’m saying just what I said. The voters put him back in office and kept him there. And he actually did some good. You know he did good but you’re blinded by your conservative mindset.

Anyway your understanding of the Americans with Disabilties Act is woefully uninformed. To you the law simply means wheelchair access is built around hard to get places. Read the frickin’ act dude. Public accommodations [which are important for people with disabilities - don't you know] are but one part of the act. [And who the heck is opposed to wheelchair access on sidewalks? Do they cause you to trip or something?] A big part of the act is also about discrimination.

Anyway, opposition to lawyers meddling with aspects of the law with regards to the disabilities act is one thing. Opposition to the whole act is, frankly, moronic. Even the ‘corrupt plutocrats’ [who you no doubt vote for] approved and approve of this act.

Thanks for writing. Love.

“We live in a society today…” Nice straw-man argument. Matt laments one aspect of modern society, and in your eyes he wants to turn the clock back on EVERYTHING. I don’t think that every change in our culture has been positive, does that mean I want to go back to burning witches?

“Afterall he was liked by plenty of Republican Senators” BFD. I’d say the majority of Senators are corrupt plutocrats. They are only there to enjoy the benefits of ‘the world’s most exclusive men’s club’.

I am the second person you have encountered who is opposed to the Americans with Disabilties Act. That law is just another Lawyer Employment Act. There are wheelchair bathrooms at the top of narrow staircases in the middle of factories, where wheelchairs will never be because of that stupid law.

Then you mention forgiveness and redemption. Forgiveness requires an act of contrition from the guilty party. If I had done something as terrible as drown another person while drunk, probably the first step would be to sober up for God’s sake. Kennedy never sobered up, never gave up his privilege (privilege means ‘private law’ btw), never did anything to atone for his actions.

p.s. Anyone who ends a post with ‘peace’ is a douchebag. That’s rule #8