How can you run a public policy based upon fiction?

In this case, a bogus quote from George Washington:

I guess not basing arguments on actual facts is part of Conservativism 101.

The words are part of a well-worn favorite conservative passage known as the "Liberty Teeth" quote. It reads in its entirety:

Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. The church, the plow, the prairie wagon, and citizen's firearms are indelibly related. From the moment the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99 99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference; they deserve a place of honor with all that's good. When firearms go, all goes; we need them every hour.

The quote is a hoax, and a well-known one. As Extra! pointed out ("The Right's Library of Fake Quotes," 4/10). It has been widely debunked, including in Playboy magazine, where it had been quoted (12/95) and subsequently become the subject of a lengthy correction  (12/95), after the editor of the Papers of George Washington project at the University of Virginia called it "either a complete fabrication or a case of misattribution.

The "liberty teeth" quote is so well known as a fraud that the pro-gun Second Amendment Foundation, in inveighing against the use of bogus quotes as "counterproductive," to the cause, cites it as the prime example, and "perhaps the most infamous bogus saying attributed to a Founding Father."

Knowing how to source check is a research basic!

Quote of the Day

Debating guns with conservatives often presents obstacles not encountered in normal, fact-based discussions.

Source

The reality challenged right--a bibliography.

One doesn't need to go too long to find that the US right has embraced ignorance as a virtue, but here is a bibliography of sources if you think I'm making this up:

• Inside the GOP's Fact-Free Nation | Mother Jones 
• GOP’s moronic inferno: The real reason cranks and shills rule the party - Salon.com
• Here Are 5 Infuriating Examples of Facts Making People Dumber | Mother Jones
• The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science | Mother Jones
• Beyond the war on science: Why the right embraces ignorance as a virtue - Salon.com
• Conservatives Don't Deny Climate Science Because They're Ignorant. They Deny It Because of Who They Are. | Mother Jones
• Scientists Are Beginning to Figure Out Why Conservatives Are…Conservative | Mother Jones 
• New Study Pinpoints The Root Of Right Wing Ideology 
• The Right’s Library of Fake Quotes — FAIR

Of course, we can use The Heller Decision for the apotheosis of ignorance.  In fact, the "gun rights" movement is so obviously a case of ignorance trumping reality that it is mind numbing.

I'll keep updating this as more material comes to light.

No such thing as an assault rifle...

despite loads of evidence to the contrary:

This is just the tip of the iceberg since there are loads of old ads that call them exactly that.

And you wonder why I call you lot the Reality Challenged Right?  Or is that yet another characteristic of the condition?

Deleted Comments Of The Day

Wonkette did a blog about the comments they deleted which they describe as "especially full of pure uncut dumb lately."  I really don't find too much intelligent or useful in most comments since they are usually rehashed material which has been shown to be bullshit.

I know you don't like it when I call you lot the, but if the shoe fits, which there is more than enough evidence that it does.

Hell, ignorance is a noble characteristic in the  "reality challenged right", but it's hard dealing with people who refuse to deal with facts.

Although, I did catch couple of comments in passing which I have to address as they bear on the "reality challenged right" title.

Something along the line of "Laci is going to get into a credentials checking mode", which I think was coupled with something along the line of "ad hominem".   This shows the "reality challenged right" characteristic in full force for not understanding the term "ad hominem"--which is attacking the person in a debate rather than the substance of their argument.  In other words, it is dodging that the person making the argument has some grasp of the topic and is making good points.

So, instead of saying that something is a misquotation, misinterpretation, or some other substantive point, one says "you're anti-gun" or "you're a liberal" to dismiss the argument (which is different from saying you're gun loons because of your lack of logic or critical thinking skills when it comes to this topic: insults are different from ad hominems).

That said, some expertise is a good thing.  You wouldn't want a barber being a surgeon (at least not these days) or me telling you how to fix your car.  In short, you wouldn't want someone who has no idea of what they are talking about, no matter how impressive they may sound, giving you advice on a topic. Although, this gets to the logic, critical thinking skills, and  "reality challenged right" since you will make a comment that I have no idea of what I am talking about despite the fact that I pretty much supply my sources, which you could check: if you weren't adverse.

So, if I am not engaging with you it's not out of a sense of superiority or snobbishness as much as it is that I have a hard time dealing with stupid. 

I am also not your teacher: especially since you have shown you are not willing to learn.

And some of you are obviously stupid. 

Definitely ignorant.  Remember ignorance isn't based upon your level of intelligence as much as it is based upon knowledge and how you are able to use that knowledge.

And you definitely have shown you aren't able to think coherently in this issue.

See also:

• Inside the GOP's Fact-Free Nation | Mother Jones
• Here Are 5 Infuriating Examples of Facts Making People Dumber | Mother Jones
• The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science | Mother Jones
• Beyond the war on science: Why the right embraces ignorance as a virtue - Salon.com
• Conservatives Don't Deny Climate Science Because They're Ignorant. They Deny It Because of Who They Are. | Mother Jones
• Scientists Are Beginning to Figure Out Why Conservatives Are…Conservative | Mother Jones

I finally figured out where we can seriously pin some serious blame on Barack Obama

 Kweisi Mfume

The radical right in the US.

They would have had to make him up if he didn't really exist.

And even then they still make him up.

Anyway....

Yeah, I doubt they would care if it had been somebody such as Kweisi Mfume or Chaka Fattah since they were Frizzell Gerald Gray and Arthur Davenport before they took up the furren sounding names.  There would probably have been some inner comfort in that.

Barack Obama has always been Barack Obama.

And what's worse, his father was from Kenya. he even has relatives back in Kenya.

And they are of the Kitchen Toto variety, not the Happy Valley crew, which means Barack is definitely NOKD.

Even if Barack was born on US territory (and a US citizen because of that fact), not only does he sound furren--he kinda looks furren.  Kweisi and Chaka might sound furren, but deep down they aren't REALLY Africans.  If they wear African clothing  (e.g. a dashiki or kente cloth), it could be taken as dressing up.

But, if Barack Obama wears Kenyan garb--expect a shit storm.

My African Heritage

And, even if there are more Christians in Kenya (demographic religious breakdown of Kenya is Protestant 47.7%, Roman Catholic 23.5%, other Christian 11.9%, Muslim 11.2%, no religion 2.4%, African Traditional Religion 1.7%, Bahá'í Faith about 1%, Buddhism 0.3%, other 2%)--he is accused of being a Mooselim.  That says more about the ignorance of the accuser than Barack Obama.

The reality is that the hatred of Barack Obama goes beyond racism and goes into xenophobia and ignorance, since there are far more Christians in Kenya than Muslims.

So, just think of the relief if the person who had become president had been Kweisi Mfume or Chaka Fattah since they may sound furren, but deep down they are as American as well, Barack Obama.

Then again, it could be the right wing loonies' alzheimers is kicking in and they keep hearing "Obama Papa Mau Mau" in their heads.

Ignorant right wingers

I've deleted the pic of this person to save him serious public embarrassment.

First comment, I find it hard to believe he is as smart as he claims if he became a lawyer while avowing to be an outlaw.  He's sort of admitted that he can't function under the ethics rules here and might get a reprimand from the ethics board.

Other things that are amusing is that he lives in Philadelphia, which should be hell for him given his political viewpoint. I wonder how he reacts to Odunde?  I bet that makes him go apoplectic!   How does he cope with gays, as well as the blacks, in Philly?  Not sure what he does for a living since he doesn't (or can't) practise law as well.

Also, there is a serious disconnect in thinking that EMP would allow him to watch reruns of Little House and Lawrence Welk.  He probably doesn't want it to wipe out the internet so he can connect with other whackjobs.

Electro Magnetic Pulse: Something which can occur either naturally with a solar flare or through a nuclear burst.  It would shut all the electronics down completely. Dude, you are so not prepared for when the shit hits the fan.

I also hate to break it to him that Lawrence Welk has already been infiltrated by librul dope smokers--check out this "modern spiritual":

.
Think of Dale and Gail taking some serious bong hits, dude.

He also seems to have misspelled his biography, which should be "American Tit" as in the British slang meaning of "an imbecile, an objectionable person. "

Anyway, he would be another reality challenged right poster child if I posted his pic (not that libruls haven't been having a good laugh at him already).

Actually, dude, you may not think you are crazy or incapable of reason, but your words convey another image altogether.

Let him live in shame hoping for a world that doesn't exist.

Busta Troll Busted?

I'll make no bones about it--I love a good goating.

That is where someone infiltrates a "conservative" facebook page, becomes an admin, and then the page "owner" is locked out while goats take over the page.

There is something very satisfying in seeing the insane right looking sillier than they normally do.

But, there is one person who is a god amongst those who are in this movement--BUSTA TROLL!

For those of you who do not know this hero of the Internet--this is a message from the person herself.


Busta Troll a woman?  Now, wouldn't that be a real surprise for the reality challenged right who sees the feminine species as being of two varieties: Madonnas or Whores.  Women are too dumb to do something like a goating, let alone many goatings.

But, it seems that the goatings will keep on wherever the reality challenged right wing exists.

In simple terms,

I would love to claim to be Busta Troll, but I am not her.

Anyone who knows me well would know that is far too much work for me to want to be bothered with.  Not to mention I find dealing with the reality challenged right can lead to one going crazy as well.

So, I will stay one of her biggest fans.

See also:

• Wait for it: Conservatives got trolled so hard on Facebook, it’s going to hurt

Operation American Spring--still good for a laugh

It seems that the videos put out by the group were fakes, there actually were millions of people at the rally...