Olbermann and Me

Because I’ve never wanted to invite a bevy of neo-conservative (or simply confrontational) trolls to descend upon my generally peaceful little garden hurling characteristic insults, I tend to avoid hot political topics here in my “space.” But the world seems as if a metaphorical screw is tightening down on its throat, and fear seems to have crept into our souls on a level I can’t recall happening during my lifetime. I’ve noticed that there is a renewed interest in the superhero (Heroes, V for Vendetta, the proliferation of the graphic novel), which seems to indicate that the despair is palpable, and we are yearning for some magic bullet. It’s no mystery that we are dividing along absolute lines in the sand. And it’s no mystery to those that know me, where I lie politically—that I proudly characterize myself as a liberal (as much as I hate labels, and as much as I also tender some moderate personality traits).

So, while I’d like to remain personally and intellectually appealing to a broad spectrum of folks, I’m tired of being nervous about the potential fallout from expressing my true beliefs, the ethics that drive me. I want to utilize what I’ve garnered from an education in critical thought, and project my assessments into the gathering storm of what I hope will be change in both this election, and the big one in 2008.

Therefore with this, my first blog post in many weeks, I’m going to lay down a few elements of my opinion as spoken by my new personal hero and object of adoration, Keith Olbermann.

I like Olbermann because he has a history of documented blunders, in addition to a multitude of extraordinarily brilliant commentaries. I like him because he is of my generation and wears extremely cool ties. I like him because he’s tall (has an extra lumbar vertebra), passionate and unafraid of the fallout of his pointed, unapologetic commentary. I admire him because he engages in a public feud with that uber-moron, Bill O’Reilly, and calls out the powerful men and women of the radical-right with extraordinary courage. I find him appealing because he seems relevant, irreverant, multi-faceted, brilliant and flawed. It is my opinion that Olbermann is one of the most eloquent speech-writers and readers of our generation. His recent commentary on the death of habeas is, in my opinion, one of the most elegant pieces of rhetoric since MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and Barack Obama’s address at the 2004 democratic national convention.

If you don’t know about Keith Olbermann, check out this link to his MSNBC show, Countdown: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/
Links to various commentaries of his are available here.

It’s easy to love Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, they couch critique in humor and are skilled mockers. I believe it is more difficult to take on controversy from a front and center standpoint—this is what Olbermann does.

I believe we have made a mess in Iraq, and I never supported this war. It was easy to dismantle the false WMD intelligence if you were reading alternative media. (Don’t stick to the mainstream narratives my friends, it is watered-down journalism, try to unearth the stuff they don’t want you to hear about. Read more radical journals, from the right or left, whichever floats your boat) I thought Mission Accomplished was a performance and a joke. I feel this current administration is chipping away at the fundamental components of not only humanism, but the so-called freedom they profess to protect. I believe they have their own capitalistic and immediate interests at heart. I believe in the many courageous intellectuals from all walks of life (who have systematically been ridiculed and diminished by this administration), who have provided analysis and critiques of our current American way.

I encourage you to listen to what Olbermann has to say, and like him or hate him. But I presume if you are here at my site, you’re someone who harbors curiosity. I hope Olbermann—or the topics he addresses—touches even one person because they learned about him here. I hope that someone listens, processes, and finds his/her own means of critique—it is categorically what we stand upon as thinking beings.


** I will state right here and now that any reply to this post that I find offensive will unapologetically be deleted—this is my blog and while I’m open to criticism, I’m not open to personal insults on my own space. If you grafitti’d my house, I’d paint over it. If this bothers you, I suggest you author your own blog and blast me there if you’d like.

Me




and Keith Olbermann (courtesy free image from Countdown MSNBC website)