Comments on: UU Church Murders, Monkey Rockers, Italian Pleasures, Hookers & Hope

By: William Patrick Haines

William Patrick Haines — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:06:30 +0000

Another great blog. It is far too easy to find examples of insanity and apathy in today’s world. Why wasn’t this gunman institutionalized before gunning down those people in the Knoxville Tragedy? The whole Republican ideology of ignoring the welfare of the citizenry, but acting on behalf of corporations, staggers the imagination.

By: Xaviera Hollander

Xaviera Hollander — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:05:48 +0000

so many cute young ladies around you…thanks for this fun blog… yes now we still have to sell the movie and make some big bucks. all great… nice to have seen you and your lovely entourage, what pretty young ladies.. yummie. Love Xaviera,——————————-Xaviera Hollander1077 RV Amsterdamwww.xavierahollander.com

By: Susan Elizabeth Siens

Susan Elizabeth Siens — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:05:30 +0000

“So I’m not calling for their hanging, but I am calling for these overexposed corporate hacks (hooker is too good a word for them) to be vilified in the village square …” Hooker IS too good a word for them, yes! But what I’m interested in are the suits who hire them, give them airtime, and write their paychecks. Our local sleazy newspapers have no problem printing hate-filled columns by the local (and obviously homosexual) Christian creep, Michael Heath, but refused my column discussing the roots of homophobia, which was sourced, because it was “too racy for our readers.” I interpreted that to mean too intellectually challenging for the editors and publisher, as they seem never to print sourced columns, only mountains of personal opinion and terrible writing. Susan Elizabeth SiensUnity, Maine

By: Jerry

Jerry — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:05:12 +0000

Dr, Susan,Thank you for this blog.I am a U.U., and our church is in the same district as the Knoxville Church.We all know some of those people…It is horrible, and senseless.Check the blog out here:www.innerchamber.us

By: Lonzie cox

Lonzie cox — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:04:25 +0000

Dr. Block; The right wing is populated by Morons. Hannity and all others. The UU church is church as it should be according to what I have learned in Christianity. I mourn for them. As an Afro American male I have tp admit I thought all the Evangelicals were/are nuts. These UU people seem to be on the right track. Do yu happen to have the address for the church that was shot up. I would donate to a fund for them.

By: Stewart Dickson

Stewart Dickson — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:03:58 +0000

The Tao of two Cities: When I moved to Knoxville, TN in 2002 a friend of mine said, “Everything in Knoxville is Orange.” (U. of TN colors are Orange & White — same as Hooters waitresses.) Knoxville is a predominantly Republican stronghold in the midst of an otherwise traditionally Democratic state. In 2005, I began commuting between Oak Ridge, TN and Asheville, NC. Asheville is diametrically opposed to Knoxville — Asheville is a hotbed of radical liberalism in the midst of an otherwise Republican state. Proof that Yin and Yang balance each other.

By: Rev. Bookburn

Rev. Bookburn — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:03:39 +0000

Thank you for a sharp perspective about the UU Church murders. I understand how you feel about not blaming the hate-mongerers who saturate the media, although I am tempted to leave pictures of the victims at their headquarters. But I noticed that there is no sensitivity from them about the shootings. They only seem interested in damage control. Considering their utter lack of conscience regarding bigotry, lies, and hatred, it seems possible that these media figures have positive feelings about the tragedy.So it seems necessary to say repeatedly .. rather than being a hate-merchant, Puritan-posturer/ ‘moral’ crusading, inner-conflicted, highly vision figure of questionable mental status, perhaps they would be better off using toys and meeting your crew for open, healthy hot times.Rev. BookburnRadio VoltaPhiladelphiaReverendBookburn.comMyspace.com/reverendbookburnYoutube.com/revbookburn

By: Geoffrey Transom

Geoffrey Transom — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:03:21 +0000

Dear Dr Block,I enjoyed your article on CounterPunch today, but feel obliged to point out one small but – to me – key error.The right to Free Speech is not ‘given’ by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. It is an unalienable INNATE right that exists independent of the form (or existence) of the State. This innate right is PROTECTED by the First Amendment.I know that the distinction might be seen as nitpicking, but I have tried all my adult life to ensure that people keep at the front of their minds that their rights are not brought into being by their government. (In fact for the most part, governments – constitutional and otherwise, democratic or not – are the primary source of violations of innate rights).CheerioGTFrance

By: Dale

Dale — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:03:04 +0000

I appreciate your editorial and find it a powerful point of view. As someone who was raised in a right wing family I know how deep the indoctrination is. After having served in Vietnam I went on to become a student of history and a world traveler. Through travel and study I came to learn that in every society the right wing trends towards societies worst impulses. As I told my brother recently, the mob who drove aids victim Ryan White from his school in Kokomo, IN were defiantly not Fritz Mondale supporters.

By: Larry haibon

Larry haibon — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:02:47 +0000

Dear Dr. Block, Pugnacious thug O’reilly and the putrescent Limbaugh will absolve themselves by screaming for the death penalty for the shooter. Thank you Larry haibon

By: catwoman

catwoman — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:55:41 +0000

Your blog always brings a mixed bag of stuff. Life is kind of like that, isnt it.Glad you are doing some new things and are using this “down time” (while you deal with the hackers) wisely.

By: Jan Furlan

Jan Furlan — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:48:25 +0000

Hi Doc Suzy!!!How are u?I read your book!I find it in a fancy Female Lingerie Boutique in Milano few weeks a go.A really interesting book. U are DA MAN! :)Catch ya real soon in LaLaLAND!Bisous JanPSI never forget your nice ass!!! ahhh….I wanna cum again on that wonderful booty! ^_^I love u!

By: Mae Victoria

Mae Victoria — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:48:04 +0000

Hang in there, Suzy. Stay cool and sexy as you were when we went out the other day. I had so much fun with you. I felt like a teen again hanging out with a good friend.

By: Jason Nichols

Jason Nichols — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:46:56 +0000

Excellent article on the UU murders. Thank you, Dr. Block, for your always cogent analysis and for doing the great job you’re doing spreading peace through pleasure and liberal values around the world.

By: Catherine Marquis-Homeyer

Catherine Marquis-Homeyer — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:46:34 +0000

Contrary to your comments, I have seen little coverage and almost no analysis of the shootings in Tennessee, in which a gunman targeted a church because of its liberal beliefs and because he hated liberals and gays. If this had been an attack on a right-wing church based on their beliefs (as this was), there would have been weeks of coverage and analysis. You should note the role that talk radio played in promoting the violence in Rwanda during that genocide.

By: nathans

nathans — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:46:14 +0000

Great column. Keep at the fools and bastards!

By: Joel Shimberg

Joel Shimberg — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:45:52 +0000

Young Upstarts!”The UU’s are nothing if not liberal, especially as churches go. Their website states that it has worked for “desegregation, racial harmony, fair wages, women’s rights and gay rights” since the 1950s.” Speaking as a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), I am sure that we welcome the UUs to the ranks — we, of course, have been doing that since the 1750’s.

By: Clinton H. Wallace

Clinton H. Wallace — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:45:11 +0000

Great to meet you at Xaviera’s event, I am looking forward to working with you, you are pretty cool. Tell Mar hello. I was sooo happy to meet ya.

By: Allegra C.

Allegra C. — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:44:39 +0000

Dear Dr. Block:Excellent essay. Thank you.I remember something Ken Kesey once said at an anti-war rally. It was when he had passed through a really active phase of fighting against the war-mongers. He stood with the microphone, with his head down a little, and said (paraphrasing, it was a long, long time ago) “when you see these bastards, just walk away. Say â€˜fuck you’ turn your back on them and walk away.” Then there was plenty of inharmonious harmonica (I hate harmonicas). But basically I think he was saying that you simply disengage from them. Don’t give them your attention. That’s what they want, you know. People like Rush and Ann Coulter and the rest of them don’t want to preach to the choir. They want liberals to listen to them and get upset. Your attention is the most precious gift you have to give. Your time, your eyes, your ears, your mind. Save it for the good.That stupid old fart that killed two people is scum of the earth. It’s quite possible hate talk shows influenced him. You’re known by the company you keep, and by their works shall ye know them. And no, I’m not a Christian, but using the bible to trip them up is like shooting fish in a barrel and I just can’t resist sometimes. But decent, warm, hardworking people who want to bring this poor planet safely through the 21st century need only turn their backs on the hate and get on with it. Perhaps we need a rear guard to watch our backs, and we need to choose our strongest warriors for that task. We must watch out for people who will walk into a UU Church and open fire. But the rest of us must work on ecology, and bringing humanity forward, which is certainly your calling and you’re a marvel at it. We cannot let ourselves get trapped by the negativity. One can spin one’s wheels indefinitely snarling at the haters. It wastes time and energy, and hurts the spirit to no avail.Again, thank you for your essay.Sincerely,Allegra ChesnutSunnyvale, CA

By: Steve Parse

Steve Parse — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:43:57 +0000

You have people in church wrestling a former, highly trained 101st Airborne serviceman to the ground while he wields a loaded shotgun, but nary a volunteer amongst 4 hijacked aircraft passengers willing to tangle with alleged Muslims armed only with boxcutters. Strange that.

By: BCWare49

BCWare49 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:43:35 +0000

great column.read it in cp: http://www.counterpunch.org/block08062008.html

By: Aaron P Marks

Aaron P Marks — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 03:42:30 +0000

The UUs have the best church going, as close to secular humanism as a church can be. Thank you for your moving tribute to the fallen heroes of the Knoxville UU Church. You seem to have an interesting thing going yourself. Ever consider hosting a UU event at your Speakeasy?