Tag Archives: death_penalty

Yes, I Give In, It’s Historical

Back in the ‘dam… and barely able to keep my eyes open. Naturally it is good to be back, my boat has NOT sunk, and slightly more importantly, I wanted to share what I find interesting about some recent developments in the land of the United States and my state-of-birth, New Jersey.

First off, the world doesn’t really need another blog to mention the historical swearing in of Nancy P as speaker of the house, but I have to admit it is a positive development.. or at least it sounds positive thus far. For firstclass nonstop, these-people-never-sleep coverage of whenever a senator says boo… read Americablog. Unfortunately in a few hours I was supposed to travel to Paris to meet Chris and John the Americabloggers, but Ive simply spent too much money and energy so I now need to sit here in the Old West and recharge til it is time to run again. No Paris for me right now.

Here’s what is really interesting, and I only FIRST noticed over lunch today when Ellen said.. hey look... and there in the Dutch newspaper, is a thing about how New Jersey’s governor wants to abolish the death penalty..and it looks like he may do it! YOu can read New Jersey’s official Death Penalty Commission report here. Maybe present it at school for show and tell or something, because it is yet more hard evidence of a failed policy and a necessary change.

Hearing this, and the continuing battle to have civil unions, which hopefully becomes law soon, makes me just a bit prouder of my home state. Or is it too soon for any of this?

Bradley Whitford for President

Combination of lots of time on the boat and working on boat related creations involving wood and hammer, visitors from different parts of Northern Europe, and Second Life, have made me fall very behind on all things blog.

Photo Hosted at Buzznet.comI could tell you about my upcoming podcast focusing on crazy or not so crazy charles taylor of Liberia, as Pauline sent me a great email, having just returned from Liberia, that inspired me to ask her back on the show ASAP. But I’ll save the rest for when the show is ready.

What I would like to bring up relates to the show the West Wing, which if you don’t watch it, you may recall me occasionally mentioning it as a program I very much enjoy and secretly wish the American government was really like.

But I’m not here to discuss specifics of who did what and why. Instead I want to discuss the appearance of the actor who plays Josh, Bradley Whitford, on Bill Maar’s show recently.

It was stellar. It was inspiring. It was just – the epitome of articulate and passionate and intellegent. Maybe years of playing a character that works for the whitehouse requires you to do alot of research and you come to understand how the government should work and why it doesn’t. He seems to have a fantastic sense of what is the truth, what is manipulation, and what is wrong with the US. Among my favorite moments of the show, Whitford turns to the former Virginia govorner to his right and asks “you’re a christian, right? — And you’re for the death penalty? But the bible says not to kill? So doesn’t that strike you as a problem?” (something to that effect.)

Of course the guy defended himself with some catch-all about the “right time” to kill someone who “deserves” to die. But Whitford was excellent, no hollywood fakeness, he came right out and spoke his opinion and observation. Especially when he got into how terrible the government has helped make the image of the flag and americans around the world. He spoke about the classic move we all know about, attaching a Canadian flag to your bags when you travel. The former Canadian prime minister lady was sitting next to him, and said it was – unfortunately – a good idea. She was good too. But it was Bradley Whitford who completely won me over. Any show he’s ever involved in from here on in, I’m going to pay extra attention to. And if he gets into politics, as so many actors love to do, I’ll have my eye on him.

Go find this episode, use bittorent, if you don’t know what bittorent is, read about it, then join the millions of people, try mininova.