They keep NOT letting me post in the comment section of Huffington Post. I try putting 'em up, their censor moderator keeps deleting 'em. Just trying to politely point out the fact that their list lacks Raza. I'm starting to get annoyed.
I'm giving my fellow progressives the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it's my typos that's preventing me from participating in the grand discourse. We'll see. If they don't watch it someone's in line for a Wet Burrito Award.
Will keep trying...
Some people just don't get it. Or if they do, they just don't care. Seems another group of ignorant white students -- in this case, law students at Tulane University -- not only planned a party around the theme of "The Border" -- showing up for the fiesta in large, floppy sombreros and pasted-on black mustaches -- but stupidly photographed their gringo selves in the offending costumes.
And then they posted the images on Facebook. Pendejos.
Remind me not to retain any lawyers graduating from Tulane. They sound like idiots. Guanabee, broke the story and has the details here, plus they thoughtfully posted more of the festive party pics at which to gawk at with disbelieving, open mouth. Someone please forward the pics to the Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh types who are now arguing that Obama's election (which they all opposed, by the way) proves America is no longer racist and for all the brown people to now please shut up and stop complaining.
For some odd reason a few of the gringos sported aviator sunglasses as a signifier of "Mexicaness." The sombreros I get, but aviator sunglasses? I'm guessing that's because Benicio del Toro wore them in Traffic? Or is that giving their semiotic skills too much credit? In any case the beer of choice appeared to be Corona. Typical. One of the students, a Peter Skarsgard looking chubby guy, deviated from the sombrero look and was dressed like a cholo. I immeditatley knew homeboy was inauthentic because he was not leaning like one. Plus vato's whiteboy's fake Pendelton shirt was buton-down. Dork. Be sure and read the comments over at the Guanabee post. Some people actually defend the use of racist stereotypes as appropriate Law School party wear. Our future best and brightest indeed.
A couple of progressive political blogs have turned their attention to Texas State Rep Rick Noriega, who's contemplating a 2008 run for the U.S. Senate against John Cornyn. Both blogs have walked away dutifully impressed.
Crooksandliars.com bonds with the Afghan war vet over shared liberal ideology and their mutual love of Eric Clapton. (Oh, well, nobody's perfect.) They conclude, rightly, that Noriega's "an extraordinary guy– one of the most outstanding political figures I’ve ever met in my life."
Meanwhile, Firedoglake.com interviews the Houston native, ex school teacher, Jr. College and Harvard grad, and reports:
Rick wants to end Bush’s wars because, among other things, he’s fought in them on the ground, unlike Bush, and Cornyn. He understands what border security is all about and why its important to all Americans and not just a racist cudgel to drum up xenophobic, nativist political support. He’s run a FEMA-like effort to help offer shelter to New Orleans refugees. And like he told me, “We need more regular folks in the Senate; there are enough millionaires in there already.”
Noriega faces an uphill battle against incumbent John Cornyn, one of the most conservative Senators around. Cornyn's a big booster of Alberto "the Geneva Convention is Quaint" Gonzales, a rubber stamp pal of George Bush, Karl Rove protege, and all-around right wing Chickenhawk. What's great about this early progressive blog support of Noriega is the much needed money it'll bring to the campaign, much like the national support that helped Ned Lamont defeat Joe Lieberman in the Connecticut primary. (Only this time, let's hope the Texas race ends better.) Even some Tejano Republicans are supporting Democrat Noriega. Seems Cornyn's xenophobic anti-immigration stance prompted the crossing over of party lines.
And don't let all the pics of Noriega in uniform fool you. I mean, the guy's trying to win a race in Texas after all. The progressive bona fides on Noriega are impressive, especially from a guy representing a red state: gay rights, pro choice, strong supporter of public education, liveblogger for the Daily Kos from their recent netroots convention, an Afghan war vet decidedly against the war, and apparently the vato's a big Mana fan. Oh, well, like I said, nobody's perfect.
Cafe Tacuba rules don't you know.
Anyway, keep an eye out on this race with national implications on the future of progressive political net support and whether or not another Chicano joins the "world's most exclusive club." It should be getting interesting.