The e-mails Monday were on a number of topics but a topic that comes up repeatedly is "Who is this 'lefty' and why is he attacking Jane Fonda?"
I guess it depends on your definition of "left."
The Pooper was getting in jabs at Cindy Sheehan last week. That's the Pooper. Where there is the spark of activism, you'll find the Pooper trying to smother the flames.
It's nothing new and it's really not surprising. This is, after all, the man who "hawks" (did he use that word or was it one of his "ibid heads"?) Christopher Hitchen's book (or "book") on the Clintons entitled something like The Worst Family Values. Does Pooper still have his own comment of "delightful" under Hitchen's book?
Doesn't that about tell you everything you need to know about the Pooper?
But why is he that way? Numerous e-mails asked that.
Maybe because he's the Wolfman Jack of the 21st century without the talent or the charisma?
Maybe because he's risen as high as he'll ever reach and it's not that high?
Maybe (and this could explain his fondness for deriding women) it's because his platform (the weekly free paper) isn't picked up for him, it's picked up for Nikki. All these years and yet . . .
Remember why he ended up there? Is anyone surprised that it had to do with his issue with yet another woman -- or is it just a given that he always will have an issue with a woman?
Which would explain his slam at Fonda -- a slam that no doubt plays well with people who find him "witty" and makes his ibid-headed howler monkeys rattle their own cages in delight. (Usually, they just toss their own waste.)
His problems with Fonda revolve around two main points as I read your reports on his post.
(His problems outside of Fonda are immense and far beyond our scope or, frankly, the bounds of emphathy.)
1) She's going on a tour to speak out against the war.
2) She'll be using alternative fuel.
Why does that bother him? Isn't he left?
Well he hasn't really spent time aiding or assisting the peace movement, but he has been there to play clampdown. (Ask ANSWER.)
We saw, with Camp Casey, a number of pearl clutchers (many who frankly should know better), bemoaning the "types" there. Those "types" are, in fact, Americans. There's something very undemocratic about attempts to dictate who can and cannot participate.
As for Fonda, Pooper and his "ibid heads" are apparently unaware that Fonda has always polled well with women. (It's hard for them to leave the limitations of their own tiny circle.) Pooper also somehow missed the reaction to last year's cover of Jane Fonda on The Nation. (Well, we'd say The Pooper should know of that, but it would require reading and comprehension . . .)
Fonda, at a time when so few are standing up and being counted, is putting herself out there. Her tour will get attention. Will it be mocked? Pooper's certainly attempting to lead that wave of "thought." It doesn't matter. She's "tested" and by that I mean her supporters have heard everything a Pooper or anyone else can toss out. (Heard it over and over.) It has no effect.
What Fonda will do is put the issue out there. That's her intent. She'll reach a number of people (more than Pooper can ever hope to) and it will plant some seeds. That's what activism is about.
If the troops are going to be brought home, the peace movement needs as many hands as possible. Fonda can reach an audience that others cannot. (And others can reach an audience she can't. Pooper can reach his holler monkeys who, like their leader, will soil their cages but not do much more than that.)
When you're well into middle-aged and have little accomplishments, "respectability" can be attractive. Or, put another way, Fonda entitled her book My Life So Far, Pooper might consider My Life Starts Tomorrow If I Can Get Off My Butt But If Not Check Back Next Week.
"Respectability" always has the hope of leading to a Think Tank position, a pundit position. As a career move -- the Medved is quite popular with a number of white males. (Note to Pooper: You'll need to rethink that Beach Boys tour wardrobe.)
Fonda's multi-tasking by bringing up the issue of alternative fuels. Multi-tasking may be a skill that the Pooper lacks (which would explain his current . . .) But Fonda can multi-task and that Pooper wants slam the promotion of alternative fuels at this late date provides you with further evidence of either how sorely out of touch he is or how wildly he'll reach to launch his attacks.
While he's finishing his latest popsicyle and wiping his hands on his shirt, Fonda will be out there trying to make a difference. Pooper will be sitting in his own poop. (And soiling the nests of others -- why they've allowed this continue is a question you need to put to them.)
Still confused? The Pooper's the one crowding out the kids as he lumbers off towards the ice cream truck. In Tough Skin jeans.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
[Note: This entry was part of an earlier one today, "Democracy Now: Hurrican Katrina; Rothschild, Conniff, Sheehan, vanden Heuvel, about the Pooper." Jim and Ty of The Third Estate Sunday Review made a strong case for it being posted as a stand alone entry.]
