He played Henry, the old Man, in “The Fantasticks” and Peppermint Patty in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” sizable school productions in which boys sometimes had to play girls. (Indianapolis Star)
Tonight, Bill Maher cited Judge Roberts’ playing the role of Peppermint Patty as part of the circumstantial evidence that Roberts will be our first gay Supreme Court justice. (Now, I must say that never dawned on me as a possibility!)
Panelist Joy Behar, the comedian and The View co-host, was crestfallen. “Now you’ve ruined it,” she told Bill. “I thought he was going to be the first f–kable judge on the Supreme Court … since Felix Frankfurter.”
O P E N T H R E A D :
Hmmm, maybe Joy would like the shortened version of my nickname for Mr. Roberts:
Trojan Judge (gotta think of the annoying radio jingle for condoms…)
That’s short for Trojan Judge Roberts. Behind that plastic face is a raving Winger, soaked in Winger juice since the Reagan era.
At least he’ll be polite as he stabs a shiv in our civil liberties.
Supreme Court Justice, he will take over the world.
my eyes…my eyes are burning…
Do you think the microphones detect a heartbeat?
I actually heard this theory discussed in the grocery store the other day (You have to understand that grocery stores are a little different in Arcata, CA): a woman put forth the theory that Roberts is gay, that he married late and adopted children to disguise it, to further his political/judicial career.
She also approved my choice of ice cream.
Damn, I miss Arcata — I was only there for about a week my senior year in high school (28 frickin’ years ago…I’m getting old), but I loved it up there…
I totally agree, but think it’s b/c he dislikes women period. He’s got issues.
…is funny because he totally reminds me and some of my coworkers of a former boss of ours….who was gay.
That being said, a self-hating, closetted gay man (which is presumably what Roberts would be…and was not, FWIW, what my former boss was at all) would not be an asset on the SCOTUS.
I just can’t get past those googly eyes to care whether he’s straight or gay. I think he probably wears women’s clothes though – not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Caught Bill Clinton interviewed by Larry King and my first thought was about how intelligent and knowledgeable he is – especially compared to Bush. Well – there really is no comparison there.
Sidebar: can someone tell me how to reset my pages here so the comments appear in order instead of having the highest-rated show first? I e-mailed the big guy but he never got back to me (ahem).
Hi catnip,
I think you need to go to your own page and look for ‘settings’, then click ‘comment preferences’.
Thank you. I’ll try that too… didn’t know about that.
(What I usually do on a thread where there are apt to be new messages is REFRESH the page, then do a search for these two characters — [n — which takes me to any new post.)
I had gone to the settings page, but totally missed seeing that User Info line. 🙂
I caught that interview also. The contrast between his calm intelligence and the semi-literate mumblings of His Illegitimacy could not have been more striking. It occurred to me that absent the 22nd Amendment, Clinton might have still been our President. That thought made me feel something akin to real grief.
What happened to the World/Open thread up top? The page says “sorry, I can’t find that story”.
(I’m up late. I had a long nap. I don’t think I have any more questions, but I’ll let you know!)
I’m too tired to make another diary entry tonight – just follow this link, please. Another reminder.
Bloomberg opposes Bush high-court pick
Can someone explain to me, why a Republican takes this position and not the Democrats???
Bloomberg is running for mayor of NYC again?
NYCers are overwhelmingly pro-choice.
…….
Another item re Bill Maher. He opens the show with a skit. This week, he was dressed up as a doctor. But he was acting like he was in one of those odious, loud, too-colorful late-night television ads for used cars … and he he was having a big close-out sale on abortions. It was hilarious, in the sickest way possible.
“Trojan judge” – har har. I always think of him as the Stepford justice, and now the Stepford court as the third part of our gov’t. Been trying to mentally change his middle initial ‘G’ to an ‘S’, now maybe the ‘G’ is more suitable.
Catnip, don’t you think people get all googly-eyed and won’t look into your eyes when they’re trying to hide something? Grocery-store lady is probably right.
Reform is NOT about getting rid of special interest groups or even having them to suppress their issues for the “greater good” (ie as defined by Al From)…
It is about creating a common value within all of these interest groups. Reform must be about reframing liberal and progressive values and policies into a coherent whole: what affirmative action has to do with progressive taxation, what abortion has to do with affirmative action, what environmentalism has to do with feminism, what labor has to do with education etc.
Democrats must reweave the safety net so that those who walk the straight and narrow path, who defend this country in battle, who work, who pay taxes… will not be left to drown if they slip and fall.
This is reform.
Asking that we put aside our differences to work for a greater good
Is bullshit and is really called suppression.
in fact when you have a STRONG leader this happens naturally. It is only in the case of weak leadership… that restrictions and limitations are imposed. As in the case of CASEY he is weak therefore the leadership calls for weakening of issues and ideologies from the base instead of just finding a more suitable and appropriate candidate.
On the other hand in the case of Dean there was never any mention of suppression and oppression of issues and ideologies. In fact, there was an intrensic sharing and learning from each other since many where newbies.
For instance the labor guys and gals like SEIU opened all of our eyes to the world of labor. I remember one distinct blog entry from a feminist who was driving home and saw a picket line infront of a groecery store and said to herself “Those are my people” and she pulled over and asked how she could be of help. She admitted that before the Dean campaign picket lines and unions where invisible to her… now as an active Democrat they became “My people”.
This is what the faux notion of “Oppression for the Greater Good” ….keeps everyone invisible…
I too learned alot and cheered whenever I saw a picture of a beefy union guy standing next to gays, women, peirced kids nd grandmother at a rally. It was beautiful and Dean did not have to declare that they MUST get along nor did he ever say that in order to win… he would suppress the issues of certain groups…
That is why the DLC folks aimed both barrels at Dean… now they are in the process of taking over the blogosphere and spewing that same “SYFPH” crap…
you should not have appologized… you were right.
You have too much integrity like Gore… and the jackels will always use it against you.
I should have made my point a little more clearly and with less hostility. I stand by the fact that he is an unmitigated prick.
Any sex can play Peppermint Patty because she’s got that whole genderfuck thing going on. She does identify as a female and she does crush on Charlie Brown, but her girlfriend also calls her “Sir” and you can’t watch them interact without getting the sense that Patty and Marcy have a very interesting arrangement that no one else knows all the details about. My assessment is that Peppermint Patty hits the trifecta of being bisexual, polyamorous and genderqueer — which is only one of the reasons why I love her.
More seriously, I strongly suspect we actually have had at least one gay SC justice before, just deeply closeted.
It’s not necessarily true that he’d be gay, even if he did play the roles of women…
Tonight, Bill Maher cited Judge Roberts’ playing the role of Peppermint Patty as part of the circumstantial evidence that Roberts will be our first gay Supreme Court justice. (Now, I must say that never dawned on me as a possibility!)
People that play the roles of women are either actors, transvestites, gender benders (exploring gender roles) or transexuals. There are many clubs and organizations that cater to heterosexual men who crossdress (transvestites)and they will often get VERY upset if you categorize them as homosexual.
So actually Judge Roberts could be a transvestite, genderbender, or transexual based on the evidence above. We have no evidence for homosexuality yet 😉
PS. Sorry.. but as one with a vested interets in studying gender I HAD to put my two cents in!
oh my.. i should not forget intersexuals, and anyone else that identifies with women in my list!
PS. Sorry.. but as one with a vested interets in studying gender I HAD to put my two cents in!
I’m glad it’s not just me who finds that urge irresistible. 🙂
I find myself making this sentence to other people A LOT: Sex, gender, and sexual orientation are three different things that needn’t line up in any particular configuration.
Great comments, Syniel.
I confess I was a bit worried when i posted that last night after watching Maher’s show.
But i hoped that everyone would know — and it seems that everyone has — that Maher is, first, a comedian and, second, a political/social commentator.
He went with the Judge Roberts is gay thing because it’s wild to think about, it could be true, and it gave him a way to make a lot of funny cracks.
And Judge Roberts could be a “transvestite, genderbender, or transexual,” as you say!
I HOPE SO. If he’s had to deal with such issues, it might make him, perhaps, more human and humane in his rulings.
Then there’s Roy Cohn 🙂
No worries! I know that you have an open mind. That’s really the point anyway, a willingness to explore the unfamiliar.
I am frustrated and I need to rant.
Yesterday afternoon I went to the convention center to pick up the family I have been helping to go get them a bed. I left my house at 2 (takes 15 minutes to get downtown) — at 3:30, I was still standing at the convention center waiting for them to “come out”….I tried very hard not to be irate, or judge or anything — I had a good conversation with an older gentleman who inititated the conversation by saying he liked my shirt (it was Peace House shirt with “Walk the walk and Talk the Talk” on the back. He had brought 12 families down to the convention center from Georgetown, where they have been staying in a drug-rehab facility that was closed down last year (and thus standing empty). Apparently, FEMA, etc. cannot be bothered to make the 25 mile trip to Georgetown to provide for the people staying there, so they have to get to downtown Austin to sign up for their benefits.
So anyway, finally, dad comes out, but by that time, I tell him, traffic is about to get really, really bad (Friday afternoon) and what would normally take us about an hour and a half (go to the store, choose a bed, arrange for delivery and drive to their apartment to meet the folks there) will end up taking us at least twice that long. I ask him when thye are plannning to get out of the convention center and start staying in their aparatment — he says Monday, so that they can make sure to do all of the paperwork and such not in the convention center. I suggest that we do this tomorrow (this) morning — get the bed, sheets, and other household things when the traffic will not be bad and we do not have to feel in a rush. He says he thinks that’s a good idea and that he really just wants to take a shower. So, ok, we agree on first thing in the a.m. He says he will call me. He hasn’t and I have called twice and left messages on his cell phone…
I don’t know what’s going on, and I do still want to help but I feel like they are making this too hard — Jesus, if someone was trying to help me this way, I would damn well do what I say I am going to do, and if plans change, make sure I contacted the peron to tell them. How hard is it to dial a damn cell phone? They were given two of them.
Yesterday afternoon, I went by the bed place and talked with the owner about various things available, he was willing to offer some discounts and even said he knew of a job that was available at the store next door to his if either of them was interested…he was awesome and wanting to help also. I told him we’d be back first thing today (he opens at 10). So, here I am sitting here typing this.
I also gathered all of the information about giving our third car to them (something that garnered a hug from dad yesterday, which was pretty cool) — I need to find the title and then it’ll cost about $100 to get it rgistered, inspected and the title transfered.
I am trying really hard not to fell shit on, or to revert to my old cynical adage of “no good deed goes unpunished”, but it is hard right now — perhaps there are more deserving people?
Aw, Brinn, you’re an absolute angel masquerading as people for all that you do. Sorry there’s so much frustration involved! Fwiw, you are greatly appreciated and respected…even if not so much by the people you’re trying to help right now, lol.
I am doubly frustrated because I turned down and invitation from Othniel to go to an annoucement for, oh, hell, now I forgot his name, the guy running against Lamar Smith and meet some of the folks that he (Othniel) has been helping becuase I had already arranged to do this for this family.
And, please, I’m no angel, masquearding or otherwise!
😉
As someone who used to help people (as an addictions counsellor), I know that all you can do is all you can do. You’ve offered help – you’ve gone out of your way. You can’t force anyone to accept what you’ve offered, so sometimes you just need to walk away knowing that you’ve done everything possible. I went through that so many times…
It’ll be great if he follows through, but if he doesn’t, just move on and do what you can for someone else. Your feelings of frustration are totally understandable. Just don’t let them get you down.
Thanks, catnip, the probelm I am having right now is, what if he DOES call? I want to/need to do things with my own family this afternoon. And I’m kinda pissed, I don’t want to take it out on him, but at the same time, I’m feeling pretty uncomfortable right now about going out of my way again….
Ah, shit, i guess, I’ll just not worry about it, I can always choose not to answer the phone.
When it comes to helping people, they have to know that you also have other obligations and that you can’t just drop everything at the drop of a hat. I dealt with those expectations too. You need to keep your boundaries or things just fall apart. I wouldn’t ignore his call – I’d take it and just let him know that you have other things scheduled as well. He needs to know he’s not been relegated to the bottom of your list because you really don’t know where his head is at now – trauma makes people confused – but he also needs to know that you will do what you can when you can.
Thanks, catnip, I know it is all about boundaries, but after banging me head against the wall trying to DO SOMETHING, I was totally going to focus on this family, help them get settled in their new place, help them get work, etc. If they don’t trust me, after my happy ass drove them all over hell and back on Thursday afternoon, screw ’em. I had to put my own doubts to the back of my mind as well, ya know? No, I don’t know where his head is at, but I got a pretty good idea of where it WASN’T in the 5 hours I spent with them on Thursday. Enough said there, I don’t want to get nasty and say things I will regret later.
My own damn fault, the way I feel today.
No – how you feel today is not your fault. It’s normal. It’s the result of things not going as planned. “Frustration happens when our expectations don’t meet reality”. Give yourself a break and a pat on the back for trying to do what you could. Let go. Things will work out the way they’re supposed to and everything happens for a reason – lessons to be learned. Focus on the fact that you have a big enough heart to care and to try to make a difference. Then use that knowledge to help out someone once again, knowing that things will turn out the way they will.
When I worked at the shelter, we had a detox that many clients had been in dozens of times and each time I hoped that would be the turning point in someone’s life. I had to accept that I can’t control other people’s lives – all I could do was give what was there to offer because they were ultimately in charge of their own futures. When you know that, it’s easier to let go. Don’t be driven by your immediate feelings. Just step back and look at the larger picture.
That’s such great advice, Catnip.
Brinnaine, if i were in your shoes, I’d be just as pissed and frustrated!
Then I did this little trip in my mind and imagined I was that man at the convention center … I’d feel so depressed and confused and lost that I’d be almost paralyzed…. and the mere thought of having to do ONE MORE THING would really paralyze me, and all of a sudden moving into an apartment would be too much reality for me to deal with because it’d also mean that i would need to get movin’ with my life and workin’ and functioning … and I don’t know if I can handle that …
I watched some of Mrs. Dalloway yesterday — Vanessa Redgrave — if you’ve seen it or read the book, you’ll recall the “shell-shocked” soldier. Now it’s PTSD. Whatever it is, it can truly make every tiny step overwhelming.
That is NOT an excuse for the fellow. And you must — as Catnip so wisely said — live YOUR life. You have a beautiful family and you have your OWN issues.
Would it help you, the next time you connect with this fellow, to have someone else with you?
I’ve done that when I had to talk to my insane family … I worry I’ll end up angry right away, so I have someone else with me who can speak on my behalf, and more calmly than I. He might be picking up on your tension too … and that could instinctively make him ball up instead of moving forward.
And he’s probably so self-absorbed right now, he can’t deal with your feelings and your considerations, which is not fair, but is likely the case.
Plus, you don’t even know this person, really … this may be a life pattern.
I also know about this from a personal perspective, having had to start over with absolutely nothing. You reach out everywhere you can for help and sometimes you just don’t reconnect because it’s hard to get it all together. It’s not easy.
That is very discouraging, but I agree with Catnip, there are plenty of people that want to be helped. I cannot even imagine the stresses they are under– “Can we trust this person?” It’s gotta be scary. After all,so many were left to Just F-ing Die–I would be very wary in their place.Just a thought.:)
people who want to be helped, but GETTING TO THEM and TAKING CONCRETE ACTION is near to impossible. I have been banging my head against that wall for two weeks.
I guess Othniel could get into the convention center because he is a lawyer or a minister or both, but I couldn’t, and no one called me back from the school system where I registered to go into the schools as a volunteer, and aid and/or a teacher, no one has called me back from this stupid ass Katrina Support, the breakaway “organization” from KatrinaHelp Austin and I even went over there and gave them 3 hours of my time Thursday (before I was sent off on the mission to take this family to their apratment), I was trying to get a hold of them all day yesterday. Nothing. I went through the counselor at my son’s school to try to help the families who have kids going to school with my son. Nothing.
Fuck it. When I get my compassion rocking again, I’ll go help other ignored people, the vets standing all over our Austin streets, the homeless and sick who have been standing around for years, etc. etc.
Shycat, you need to tell me what to do with your $$, I have only spent about $70 of it.
I would think then- to work with Othniel,who seems to have access.
Bureaucratic breakdown is the order of the day,it seems,you need to get around it.
I hate to use this cliche–but think outside the box.
I don’t want to burden you with any more responsibility than you already have,hold onto the money until you see a worthwhile place to put it.No hurry–this catastrophe will be going on for years.
Do what you CAN without beating yourself up!
From where I sit here in Canada, there’s not a lot I can do directly. I’m too poor to donate money, so I’ve focused on what I can do – help out with the Wiki People Finder Project – help out two people that I’m in contact personally by offering moral support and crocheted blankets that I’m going to make… Like I said, you can only do what you can do and if you feel the need to do more, look for opportunities that fit your circumstances.
A lyric from the Fantasticks seems to fit here:
Plant a carrot,get a carrot,not a brussels sprout
Stealth candidate indeed,no tellin what is gonna come out of this man’s genes. Nothing good,I suspect.
My first thought was that “the people” have been “impacted at the bottom” plenty already.
As for the people who need to be “impacted at the bottom” — the people at the top — no, it’s not happening nearly fast enough.
Thoughtful editorial on John Bolton, the U.N., Annan at Al Hayat. First portion:
OMG … there’s this nutsack on C-SPAN2. His book is called “Disabling America.”
He’s railing against the Americans for Disability Act.
He wants the government to get out of his way and leave him alone.
He vows to have the last house in America with round door knobs, not levered door knobs…. and they can come and arrest him.
Greg Perry.
Jesus.
What an asshole indeed. The ADA only applies to places of public accommodation. You are free to build your Single Family Residence at the top of a cliff reachable only by rope ladder if you want. The Building Code will require you to have an egressible window in each bedroom and the Fire Code may require you to have sprinklers, but nothing in the ADA applies to your personal residence.
There is not a single thing in federal law that compels you to socialize with blacks or gays or disabled people in your home or to make any adjustment whatsover to keep them happy there. But sorry Charley, if they stroll or roll through the front door of your store and are not breaking the law in some way you have to serve them.
Folks like Perry are strong believers in Freedom and Choice. Their Freedom to impose their Choices on everyone else, all the while claiming to be oppressed.
Oh well if you can’t beat them – pick up a bigger stick and try again.
This has been discussed all over the Left Blogosphere, though mostly in code words. It hasn’t been highlighted because one, whether gay or straight most real lefties don’t believe that gayness is some sort of disqualification and two, we are dying to see the day when the awareness of this possibility dawns on Pat Robertson. Personally I am looking to bust a gut laughing.
The key is his help in the Gay Rights case. Now Roberts did a pretty good cover job by claiming he would have helped the other side if asked. But this dodges the question. In the initial reporting on this the lawyer involved in arguing the case came to Washington and when she asked how she should argue this case to the Justices apparently multiple people “immediately” had Roberts jump to mind. This is odd to say the least. There are conservatively a bazillion lawyers in DC, and while not all of them are the sharpest pencil in the box, it is not like everyone but Roberts was a crayon. Why on earth would people immediately recommend a conservative lawyer who worked for Reagan for advice on how to present a gay friendly case to the Supreme Court?
A quick Google turned up this from the Advocate
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid19414.asp in turn derived from the original LA Times article. Consider the wording here:
“Jean Dubofsky, lead lawyer for the gay rights activists and a former Colorado supreme court justice, said that when she came to Washington to prepare for the U.S. Supreme Court presentation, she immediately was referred to Roberts. “Everybody said Roberts was one of the people I should talk to,” Dubofsky told the Times. “He has a better idea on how to make an effective argument to a court that is pretty conservative and hasn’t been very receptive to gay rights.”
‘immediately’ and ‘everybody’ recommended Roberts to give advice on presenting a gay rights case to the Supremes. It is well known that the Republican Party may not have a big tent but it has a huge closet. And someone is tapping on the door here, but really doesn’t want to come out until he secures that lifetime job he has always dreamed of.
Lots of people know that the only real mandate the Republicans have is whoever Ken Mehlman was dating Friday night. And that only because at least one high ranking official in the White House prefers delivery Guckert/Gannon style.
The fundie base may never come to the realization that Reagan knew and both Bush’s know and recognize gay people, socialize with them, and appoint them to high office. And don’t care, because they knew and know that “Whatever happens within the Beltway, stays within the Beltway”.
Roberts may not be gay. He may simply be a good-looking, wealthy, ambitious lawyer that waited until he was forty to marry another good-looking, wealthy, ambitious lawyer who jointly decided that rather than trying procreation they would travel to Central America and adopt – two kids born in Ireland.
(This link gives the adoption details and gives Roberts a pass. To me it still smacks of a couple wanting to get some adorable yet extraordinarily white insta-family.
http://markmaynard.com/index.php/2005/08/09/but_they_re_blonde)
Bruce, absolutely fascinating post.
I’ll check out the link this afternoon.
You haven’t written any diaries. I hope you do, when you can.
When bush first nominated Roberts and there were numerous diaries about this idiot I mentioned on some thread that the first thing I happened to think of was he was gay…don’t know why I just did. Not something I usually even think about.
Because being gay is a non issue for me the only reason I mentioned it was because denying or suppressing being gay of course would be an issue. I think someone also mentioned I needn’t have even mentioned my idea that he might be gay…I didn’t mention it as a supposed bad thing, just what I thought and a coverup of it would be the bad thing. Then again I also mentioned either here(or to my sister) that I thought he was a closeted Dobson type religious freako which he was keeping under wraps till he got confirmed. There’s just something almost too intentionally bland that is hiding some very freakish ideas.
If he isn’t gay I’d be very surprised then again I’m just going as bush would say with my ‘gut feeling’ on this idea. I certainly have no basis for thinking this.
Just an fyi …
Peppermint Patty’s not in the musical YAGMCB … there is a character named Patty, but the tomboy character referred to by Indy Star and spread by Bill (I voted for Bush before I voted against him) Maher was not introduced to Charles Schultz’ comic strip until several years after the book was written …