Random Doodle Friday

The Nobility of Working People To Death

It is rather odd to me.  Under a Republican President, I will hear how terrible it is when companies ship jobs overseas.  Something has to be done about it.  When Barack Obama proposes doing something, like rewarding companies who keep the jobs here in the U.S.?  Suddenly it is “punishing Steve Jobs.”  Listen, there are a lot of positive things to say about Jobs…his humanitarianism is not really one of them.

Seriously… Apple’s charitable giving is pretty low compared to other companies.  And Jobs moved manufacturing to China.  The appeal, of course is that you can pay workers pennies for long hours.  Americans won’t work for thirty five cents an hour.  And that is put forth as if it is a bad thing.  There is also not concept of workers rights, so when I say long hours, I mean employees can work 35 hour days (how does that even work?!).  You can be imprisoned for seeking to join a union.

The Foxxcom buildings have nets to catch jumpers.  Imagine walking up to your place of work and seeing it surrounded by nets to catch suicides.  If you found out that people saw death as a better alternative than continuing to work for your company, would you not question it?  And as much as people try and make it sound like the people are willing to work for $.35 an hour, when death is seen as a better way to provide for your family?  Something is wrong with the picture.

But yet, the Republicans saw fit to frame Obama’s talk of rewarding companies that bring jobs to America as punishing Steve Jobs.  I take a wait and see attitude on State of the Union promises…but I have no problem with the President implementing this one.  I hope he gets the opportunity.

The Mean Media Is Holding Me Accountable

So, a woman said the following at a Santorum town hall:

“I never refer to Obama as ‘President Obama’ because legally he is not,” the unidentified woman told Santorum. “He constantly says that our Constitution is passe and he totally ignores it, as you know. He does what he darn well pleases. He is an avowed Muslim. And my question is, why isn’t something being done to get him out of our government? He has no legal right to be calling himself President.”

Aside from showing glowing ignorance (“avowed Muslim” comment aside) at no point has President Obama said anything resembling “The constitution is Passe”…and as far as doing whatever he pleases, this is a change from George Bush… how?  I would dispute that he has simply done whatever he pleases… but I think this woman shows she is beyond logical discussion.  And it is pretty obvious she is a birther with her opening statement that he is not legally president.

Being the decent and honorable Christian he is, Rick Santorum responded:

“No, ma’am.   I have to tell you.   President Obama is a decent person and a person you don’t have to be scared of as president of the United States.  He’s a decent family man [and] citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that’s what this campaign’s all about.  And while it should not be a problem if he was,  he’s not a Muslim.”

Oh wait…sorry… Rick just got one of his patented smug smirks, smiled uneasily, chuckled and said he was trying to get Obama removed from office.  When called out for not correcting the woman’s wealth of misinformation, Santorum apologized profusely, stating he felt a strong conviction for allowing a falsehood to go unchallenged and just making a joke.  He then offered a public apology to Presid-oh who am I kidding?  Rick started whining.

Rick Santorum states it is not his job to correct the facts.

“It’s not my responsibility as a candidate to correct everybody who makes a statement that I disagree with,” Santorum said. “There are lots of people who get up and say stuff in a town hall meeting and say things that I don’t agree with, but I don’t think it’s my obligation, nor should it be your feeling that it’s my obligation to correct somebody who says something that I don’t agree with.”

He explained this Monday night and again on Morning Joe on Tuesday morning .   I bet if someone misquoted him and was critical he would see it as important to correct their misinformation.  When your supporters are saying things that you know are factually wrong…do you not want to make sure they are properly informed, Rick?  Do you not care if your supporters look uneducated?  Do you not care if it looks like you are okay with having a pool of uninformed fools as your base?

Santorum has claimed he is the Jesus candidate.  I have a hard time seeing Jesus as whining for being held accountable.  I have a hard time seeing Jesus saying “Hey, it is not my job to inform the misinformed!”

Those Who Teach History Are Doomed To Repeat It

Conservative bristle at the suggestion that Newt Gingrich is “dog whistling” to racists.  Yet, when Juan Williams asked a fair question, Newt casually and quickly responded with no thought… he just said no.  As if there was nothing to think about.  Nothing to consider.   A woman stood up and congratulated Newt for “putting Juan Williams in his place.”  Get to the back of the bus, Juan.  The conservatives at Fox let you be on their network, don’t get uppity and think you have opinions of value to be reflected on.

Newt has, as I noted the other day, made comments regarding blacks and food stamps.  Specifically, he does not want them to be satisfied with food stamps instead of check.  Of course, plenty of people who get food stamps actually get checks…it is just that those checks are small and they are supplementing the income.  But Newt’s statement plays off the notion that blacks are lazy.

Juan simply asked:

Speaker Gingrich, the suggestion that you made was about a lack of work ethic and I’ve gotta tell you my email account and my Twitter account has been inundated by people of all races who are asking if your comment was not intended to belittle the poor and racial minorities … you saw some of this reaction during your visit to a black church in South Carolina by a woman who asked why you refer to Barack Obama as a “food stamp president.” it sounds like you’re trying to belittle people.

The audience booed Williams.  Newt’s answer was not as strong as some folks like to think:

“more Americans have been placed on food stamps under President Obama than any previous president,

It is the economy, stupid.  As our country bled jobs throughout the Bush administration, it is not surprising that many people had to resort to assistance to get by.  But the truth is, you could have made the same statement about George Bush.  And Clinton.  And the senior Bush.  And Reagan.  Applications for food stamps have been on the rise for decades.   In all likelihood?  If Newt were elected President he would be the all new Food Stamp President.

 ”continue to find ways to help poor people learn how to get a job, learn how to get a better job, and learn someday to own the job.”

Newt might want to start by not falling back on welfare queen style stereotypes of the lazy minority and poor.

Newt claimed to not see how his words might offend or hurt.  Either he is lying (and therefore a deceptive creep) or he is is sincere and truly nowhere near as smart and amazing as he thinks himself to be.  Yet, the audience cheered Newt and booed Williams.  A woman actually congratulated Newt for putting Williams in his place.  You could almost hear “that colored man Juan Williams” in her tone.  The phrase “putting them in their place” has long ties to the treatment of minorities in this country.  You can say you are blissfully unaware of the history (and you may be sincerely unaware),  but if that is the case?  Do be so quick and haughty to dismiss the words of those who know history.  Do not be so quick to presume the noble intentions of Newt, a man who is a professor of history.  Newt either knows exactly what he is tapping into or he has no sense of history… which makes me feel sorry for people who have sat through his lectures, because he cheated them.

Monday Sketch

A reworking of the Witchblade concept.  Of course, by losing the super revealing and useless non-protective armor I have a doomed design.

Friday Doodle

Honestly?  I consider Queen to be one of the greatest rock bands to ever exist.

Delusions Of Grandeur

So, the Head of Stop the Islamization of America has joined with the head of Stop the Islamization of Europe to form the “Human Rights Organization” Stop the Islamization of Nations.

First off…calling it a human rights organization seems highly suspect, considering STIoA regularly attempts to trample on the freedom of American Muslims who are not actually trying to “Islamacise” America.  They are simply living their lives and trying to worship freely…you know, the Constitutional right of religious Americans all over this nation?

But the best part is Pamela Gellar describing herself as an “internationally renowned human rights activist.”  Seriously, Gellar is some sort of over the top performance artists, right?

Who Needs to Be Satisfied With a Check?

So, recently, Newt Gingrich made the comment:

And so I’m prepared if the NAACP invites me, I’ll go to their convention and talk about why the African American community should demand paychecks and not be satisfied with food stamps.

Oh, zing.  Now, it is interesting and says a lot about the mentality of certain white conservatives that the first group of people they think need to be told to want a paycheck, rather than be satisfied with food stamps is the black community.  This was met with nods by members of the right, near as I could tell.

The problem is?  It does not appear to be the black community in need of Gingrich’s help and advice.  No, it appears us white people are.

According to 2010 census numbers, about 26 percent of food stamp recipients are African-American, while 49 percent are white and 20 percent are Hispanic.

So, which group does Newt plan to go to and say “White folks need to want a paycheck-not be satisfied with food stamps.”  Newt has not backed down from his “Food Stamps President” characterization of the Obama…

But wait!  I have this figured out!  If the majority of people who are getting food stamps are white…and we have a black president…President Obama is getting revenge on Whitey and enslaving the white race via food stamps!  GASP!  It is diabolical!

Civil Disservice…

But it is totally different when WE do it.

Sketch Monday

The idea behind this sketch is I was doodling my own idea for Rob Liefeld’s Avengelyne…a comic about an angel.  In Rob’s version she wears what amounts to a leather bra and shorts.

What I did was opt for more of an armor look.  I figured an angel could arguably have armor that was as thin as fabric and still strong protection.  And a flaming sword.  I apologize for covering her entirely from the neck down, boys.