With all due respect to Keith Olbermann and his staff, Pat Buchanan, Glenn Beck and Rep. Allen West are making things awfully easy for tonight’s “Countdown” producers.
Regarding West in particular, it’s hard to take someone seriously if they’re older than 23, gainfully employed and still wearing a box. Even my uncle who retired from the military gave that up about five years ago.
But would *you* be the one to tell him that he needs to let it go?
On to more serious matters:
1. Self-confessed Oslo terror suspect Anders Behring Breivik wrote about the “Islamization of Western Europe” and multiculturalism, echoing the extremist chatter of many European populist parties across the continent. Breivik’s manifesto — which refers to Muslims as “wild animals” — “shows that he was also influenced by a vocal group of American bloggers and writers who have warned of a growing Muslim threat to Western culture.” (Blackink)
2. NPR is doing a weeklong series on the long-term consequences of the nation’s dropout crisis. “Almost half a million black teenagers drop out of school each year. Most will end up unemployed by their mid-30s. Six out of 10 black male dropouts will spend time in prison.” (G.D.)
4. Conflicting details from the day Mother Jones reporter Mac McClelland spent with a young rape victim in Port-au-Prince – and the resulting fallout – has “divided much of Haiti’s once tight-knit community of Western journalists and aid workers.” (Blackink)
5. Just after midnight Sunday, Niagara Falls hosted what’s believed to be the first same-sex marriage in New York. The falls went rainbow to mark the occasion. (Blackink)
6. Speaking of marriage (sorta), the trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs started Monday in San Angelo, Texas. He is charged with sexual assault of a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child stemming from his “celestial marriages” to two underage girls. If convicted, Jeffs could face life in prison. (Blackink)
8. The National Geographic Society has released some images of Machu Picchu from the expeditions of former academic, explorer and U.S. Senator Hiram Bingham in 1911-1915. They are definitely worth the click. (Blackink)
9. Maryland is home to the House Minority Whip (Rep. Steny Hoyer) and ranking members on the House Budget, Intelligence and Oversight committees. As the state prepares to redistrict, African Americans in the state government are split on whether to protect the powerful incumbents or remake the map so that it better reflects Maryland’s actual population- only a quarter of state reps are black, as opposed to half of Maryland’s population. By all accounts, Rep. Hoyer and Gov. Martin O’Malley will have a big part in the redistricting process, further complicating matters. (Nicole)
10. Once a small independent bookstore in Ann Arbor, nearly 400 Borders outlets are set to close forever. Fourteen writers pay their respects at Salon; Dave Weigel reminisces; and Andrew Sullivan rounds up more reaction. (Blackink)
11. Mark Bittman throws his support behind a soda tax. (Nicole)
12. Nicki Minaj? Maya Rudolph? Erykah Badu? Solange? Eddie and Ralph sort through the contenders for title of the black Zooey Deschanel. (Blackink)
13. Dave Chappelle tells one joke and then proceeds to stare down an audience member for an hour. (G.D.)
14. Sasha Frere-Jones eulogizes Amy Winehouse. And Big Boi and MIA have each released their own tributes. (Blackink)
15. In honor of football’s glorious return, another reason to hate the Eagles. (Nicole)
16. And finally, nine ways women make the cover of Sports Illustrated. (Blackink)
Read. Comment. Enjoy.