Minnesota strikes again

My depression about 9/11--not the event itself, but the constant chewing it over five years later--has been lifted by the election in the Minnesota DFL (read Democratic) primary of Keith Ellison, an African American and a Muslim, to represent the party in the November election for the 5th Congressional district in this state. Keith is an anti-war progressive whose campaign slogan was "everybody counts". He reminds people of Paul Wellstone. He will win in November, because a Republican cannot win in the 5th Minnesota. He will be the first Muslim in the US Congress.

Did I ever say that I live in a bubble? When stuff like this happens, I'm proud to be from the North Star state, despite Jesse Ventura (I actually liked him for a while), Tim Pawlenty, and Norm Coleman. These last two give flyover land a really bad name, making us just a poorer, flatter, and less interesting outpost of northern Virginia. You don't need two of those. But the election of Keith Ellison bodes well for keeping us in the forefront of blue state culture. Huzzaa!

Bully Pulpit

Garrison, I take it all back. You can make all the jokes you want about Unitarians. Your weekly column in the Star Tribune, The Old Scout, suggested that the Current Occupant of the White House is a shallow jingoistic fool with a small rigid agenda and little knowledge of the world. People must say things like this, and say them loudly. You have a large fan base across the nation, people view you with (sometimes misplaced) nostalgia, and you have lots of print and broadcast vehicles. Use them to effect change. Use them to tell the truth about the boy from Texas. People listen, and you have nothing to loose.

And, being made fun of is probably not the end of the world. Tell those Unitarian jokes. Some of them are pretty funny.