As a person who lives on the poverty line in Maine, I welcome the people of "hollywood" because many many of them care and are more aware of the plight of poor people than anyone in the corporate news media. I'm thinking of Spike Lee and his New Orleans documentary, for example. And of Sean Penn. I am pissed that people like Mr. Penn and Mr. Lee who actually go out and learn and document what they see have all of their documentation summarily dismissed by people who have never got off their padded chair because Mr. Penn and Mr. Spike Lee had the audacity to open up their eyes and look and share what they saw. Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus and James Brown and Muhammad Ali and Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix and Billy Bang did the same thing.

The hatred of "hollywood" is just another manifestation of America's discomfort with any type of native, homegrown artistic endeavor and impulse.

Sean Penn and Spike Lee are two notorious Hollywood bashers. They have nothing but contempt for it.
As to Ellington, Mingus, Brown, etc, all I can say is: you're a man of exquisite taste!

why o why did you have to put this phrase in?

you can be honest if you pull that radical leftist stick out of your ass. (remember now, you all believe that being hostile just rocks!)

All you are accomplishing with that kind of language is baiting for trollish responses. You don't know her and she's never said she's a radical leftist. Actually, in the past, I've seen others, equally ridiculously, accuse her of being a Zionist lackey because she often reports impressions from Israel.

Really, a large group of us are here trying to make this place a place where a variety of people with different positions can civilly discuss things. Suggestion not to start off each post spitting in someone's face with your dukes up, all you're doing is attracting trollish responses. That's not saying it won't take a while for people to start reacting differently to you, you've been doing the same shtick far too long. But mho, your post would have been a fine read without that phrase.

No artappraiser I don't know that, just as those of you who sat in silent approbation, allowing the smearing of progressive christians, the rationales for the bigotry and hate speech of Amanda Marcotte and those like her, here on the TPMCafe blog. I didn't notice you weighing in against the hateful invective. Marcotte stating that it's not bigotry to hate and demean the religious. That this has been consistently going on, even Barack Obama was slandered and attacked here last year for just attending a progressive christian conference run by the Sojourners.

Over on the Daily Kos, and Eschaton, Jim Wallis of Sojourners is being pilloried merely for writing a post asking that perhaps some on the secular left not make such generalizations and perhaps be more thoughtful rather than turning a blind eye to the anti-christian rhetoric that is counter-productive.

I've just had it up to hear with the extreme left being able to behave in ways we would all condemn the right for behaving, without it being stood up to by what I used to presume were decent, ethical liberals and progressives here on this forum.

Look, I just went to try and edit that offensive bit out of my post, but I can't because it was replied to. Do you have the ability on the blog to edit it out for me, please? Thanks in advance.

I have been watching the Hillary/Geffen dust up for a couple of days and have to applaud Hillary Clinton for the way she has handled Geffen's comments. I couldn't think of a better response to secure the impression that Hillary is a vicious shrew. Her campaign managers are to be commended.

Apparently some focus group has told Hillary that she has to tarnish Obama's shining outsider image. Who knows her focus group might be right. Somebody has written that Hillary deliberately reacted to Geffen's remarks to prove Obama is just another politician. Unfortunately the tact the Clinton campaign has taken in this matter has done little more than reinforce the bad stereotypes about Clinton. For every blow she has inflicted on Obama, she has taken three. For a front runner with all the money in the world you would think she would get better advice. For a savvy politician you would think she would realize she is getting bad advice.

Hillary is in danger of turning into the Catherine Harris of the 2008 campaign. Maybe she will be handing out her business cards after Obama's first State of the Union Address.

Ron Byers

Artappraiser doesn't deserve criticism for allegedly not saying anything about any topic. You are incorrect, however, about Artappraiser and whether his posts have challenged the rigidly defensive posture taken by many on here in defense of Amanda and her separation from the Edwards' campaign (as distinguished from defending Amanda's first amendment right to throw poo poo as argument, which in turn, is what many on here seem to believe is somehow one of the liberating and groovy aspects of the the interent (oy)).

But, heck, Mary your posts, you have to admit, are often insulting. I originally gave you a "3" (to the extent you care :)), because I like the fact that you attempted to edit the silly stuff. But honestly it ticked me off that you also lashed out at Artappraiser for no good reason, and you seem not the least bit contrite about your rude treatment of him.

I think you make many good points. Keep making them, but take Artapppraiser's advice and chill!

The reason that the Clinton-Geffen-Obama slugfest is out in the public is most likely due to one thing: who's on the "A" list at a fundraising party, who's on whose "A" list, and who can disqualify someone from someone else's "A" list to gain advantage.

Precisley!! This is a 'catfight' for money on the part of the Clintons. No one in the democratic party  is supposed to be able to raise the type of money Obama did at ONE event other than the Clintons.

All Hilliary's whinning about Geffen and her hissyfit toddlertempertantrumstompingfoot demand 'give the money back' Just makes Hillary look UNFIT to be the CinC.

Is she going to demand some country give back Russian munitions because they receive American aide and believe that is grounds for a pre-emptive strike?

Her attack is absolutely ludicrous. Unbeleiveable.

The truth is she is running scared that after 8 years of planning and strategizing and attempting to have such a huge warchest with funds such that she could clobber any primary opponent, she now is finding out she is indeed in a race for the party nomination and not the shoo-in she expected based on the formidable money raising prowess her and Bill have that kept lots of others at bay.

H'wood is helping to make Obama a contender. Three cheers is right!

OBAMA ISN'T FIT TO RUN FOR DOG CATCHER. Hollywood is full of moonbat leftists, completely oblivious to the threats we face from islamic fascism.

That's a joke, right? Well, I mean it's an intentional joke, right? 'Cause it's definitely a joke.

Brilliant analysis. 

Dissent Protects Democracy.

i just want to thanks the folks who came to my defense. For the record, I've never been called a radical leftist-if anything, those on the left, where I have made my political home, sometimes accuse me of being too moderate...and, for the record-I have no idea where the poster gets off saying that I'm anti-religious. I have great respect for religion (including my own)-and including Jim Wallis, whom I've interviewed-
my point in posting was to show some of the hypocrisy in our political system--which cannot run without money from Hollywood, especially with the early California primary this year.