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When tyrants tremble…

Robert Lowry, a professor of literature and later chancellor at Bucknell University, was also a Baptist minister who wrote about 500 gospel songs. A revised version of one of those, “How Can I Keep from Singing?,” was popularized on the folk music circuit by singer Pete Seeger in the 60s. His version is done soothingly and beautifully by Irish singer Enya, one of the world’s most popular female artists. The first time I heard her sing it, I stopped in my tracks to listen. The original lyrics are as beautiful as her voice.

It springs to mind today after reading news accounts of the execution of Saddam Hussein. Here are the relevant lyrics, as sung by Seeger and Enya:

“When tyrants tremble, sick with fear,

And hear their death-knell ringing,

When friends rejoice both far and near,

How can I keep from singing?”

I much prefer the Lowry version, written in 1860:

My life flows on in endless song;

Above earth’s lamentation

I hear the sweet though far off hymn

That hails a new creation:

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear the music ringing;

It finds an echo in my soul—

How can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?

The Lord my Savior liveth;

What though the darkness gather round!

Songs in the night He giveth:

No storm can shake my inmost calm

While to that refuge clinging;

Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,

How can I keep from singing?

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;

I see the blue above it;

And day by day this pathway smoothes

Since first I learned to love it:

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,

A fountain ever springing:

All things are mine since I am His—

How can I keep from singing?

This is the secular version sung by Seeger and Enya:

My life goes on in endless song

Above earth’s lamentations,

I hear the real, though far-off hymn

That hails a new creation.

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear it’s music ringing,

It sounds an echo in my soul.

How can I keep from singing?

While though the tempest loudly roars,

I hear the truth, it liveth.

And though the darkness ‘round me close,

Songs in the night it giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm,

While to that rock I’m clinging.

Since love is lord of heaven and earth

How can I keep from singing?

When tyrants tremble in their fear

And hear their death knell ringing,

When friends rejoice both far and near

How can I keep from singing?

In prison cell and dungeon vile

Our thoughts to them are winging,

When friends by shame are undefiled

How can I keep from singing?

The execution of Saddam was essential, for his victims, for Iraq and as a message to other tyrants. While an execution is not an occasion for glee, the world can rejoice that an evil is past — and for that, how can I keep from singing?

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Comments

By KA

December 30, 2006 09:50 AM | Link to this

Saddam praised god while he was being led to the gallows, that would be his god Satan. May Saddam writhe in agony in the fires of hell. I pray that his victims find closure, and a hope for peace in their country.

By Pope rednecks - Amerikkka's Al Qaeda I

December 30, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this

Verily, Lord we prayeth unto Thee

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword; His truth is marching on. Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! Glory! Glory! Hallelujah! His truth is marching on

*Lord, bring your terrible swift sword of justice not just to Baghdad but to tryrants and vipers everywhere - especially in Washington DC.

In Your Son’s. the Prince of Peace, Name we pray. *

By @@

December 30, 2006 10:07 AM | Link to this

Jim: I was thinking about this very topic just last night upon hearing of Saddam’s execution. A twinge of sadness and regret. Odd…right?

Not sadness for his death or regret for the punishment due, but for the choices he made and the opportunities he wasted in self-interest.

The reality is that a collective world peace will forever elude us. Peace is individual and not of this world. We are to pursue it, but will never achieve it. We will always fall short of the glory.

Ecclesiastes says it all.

Now put on your armor Jim cause this column is gonna draw considerable fire from the peace loving leftists.

By Political Foreskin

December 30, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this

All we can do is hope that Hussein’s gamble using prayers at his execution will weaken those prayer’s reputation, and moderate muslims will snap out of this.

The only wisdom now is, “gee, I hope the moderates clamp down at the last moment, even though they’ve done ZIP till now.”

Wisdom.. Bush has to announce something, and it will be some unenunciable and unfathomable plan with phrases carved out to satisfy his base of support who yelling “all-or-nothing-in-Sadr-City”, out their windows in Cleveland..

By GodHatesTrash

December 30, 2006 10:11 AM | Link to this

I listened to WSB last night while I ran some errands in town - Chris Krok was in what can only be described as a masturbatory frenzy over Saddam’s iminent demise.

You know that there about a million or so rednecks in Georgia who were so excited about a man hanging they couldn’t sleep last night.

What a bunch of bloodthirsty cretins.

By Political Foreskin

December 30, 2006 10:27 AM | Link to this

I know that hymn, it got the Earnest Angley award for most sanctified gerunds in a miracle hymn.

Brian Wilson came to a similar screech when he first heard, “Be My Baby”, which have far more appropriate lyrics for the death of James Brown.

The death of Saddam, (and the accompanying theo-cultural ripples), is just another link in the Rube Goldberg slide to ruin in Iraq. Saddam’s execution, carried out during Islamic holy days of obligation, gave the Shia/Sunni Iraqis a socio-theological black eye. (we are dropping a lot of pebbles in the pond)

By Political Foreskin

December 30, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this

Hangin’s every man’s business whats around.

By Judy Newman

December 30, 2006 10:39 AM | Link to this

My immediate thought regarding one of your Dec 28 topics was: “This sounds just like something gwb, the Texecutioner, would say.

“A butcher, a mass murderer who killed frivolously, declares a final absurdity: “I call on you not to hate because hate does not leave space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking,” writes Saddam Hussein while awaiting the executioner. The lesson of Saddam’s life: Butcher ‘em, but don’t hate ‘em”.

By steve

December 30, 2006 10:41 AM | Link to this

It’s easy to hang Hussein in the “name” of justice. Why doesn’t the bush league cowboy go after the real threats-the guys in Iran and N. Korea? It’s a rhetorical question, they would figh back, and we’d lose. The baptist nuts are very happy today.

By Steve

December 30, 2006 10:43 AM | Link to this

ummmmm……..

By Patriot

December 30, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this

This act of justice was provided by the Men and Women of the US Armed Forces. The World owes you a great debt of gratitude for bringing this murderous tyrant to justice. Job well done.

By Dumbya Rules!

December 30, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this

Finally, after 5 long years, the criminal mastermind behind the attack on 9/11 is dead.

Oops!

Never mind.

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 11:04 AM | Link to this

Jim,

@@’s thoughts are more along the lines of mine. How sad that a man who had leadership qualities had no character or nobility to carry out justice.

He could have led Iraq to prominence in the Middle East but reduced it to wretched poverty with butchery and greed. What a terrible tragedy for the Iraqi people and the world. I shed no tears for Saddam but for what he could have been.

Thank you for the lovely hymn you brought to us. Now THAT is something to sing with joy on this damp, gray Saturday morning.

By Rev Haggard

December 30, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this

What would Jesus do?

By Bemused Humanist

December 30, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this

The deliberate murder of another human being, however despicable that human being was in life, shames us all.

By Redneck Convert

December 30, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this

I woke up this morning feeling real good because of the hanging of Saddam. There’s nothing us rednecks love more than a good execution. It makes us feel all man-like and real important. If I had my way, we would go into every prison in GA and hang everyone, starting with Those People. That would make even Sister Dusty feel real man-like.

I’m glad to see other people feel real good about the hanging on this here blog.

I was able to get a little Closure because of the hanging. That’s the same thing as revenge, only we ain’t allowed to say that no more. Just like we ain’t allowed to say the N word no more, except in private to each other. I say we get Closure on as many crooks as we can.

So I can’t wait to see what the other rednecks—TFTT, Realist, Markus, Van, Dusty and others—have to say about the hanging. I bet they feel real good today too. They know they are rednecks. Only they won’t admit it like I do.

Anyway, I’m going to the Church of Holiness in the morning and giving thanks for this hanging. It’s the least I can do as a good Christian.

By Steve

December 30, 2006 11:59 AM | Link to this

Dumbya Rules:

That’s great! LOL…………..

By LuckoDull

December 30, 2006 12:11 PM | Link to this

His hundreds of thousands of innocent victims were Iraqis, his judge was Iraqi, his jury was Iraqi and the executioner that rightfully stretched his neck out were Iraqis, Iraqis are the ones celebrating today.

So what do the dullards in America have to say about it?:

His death was willed by Bush, who is morally culpable as Saddam‘s executioner.

Dubya got his revenge for Pappy

Bush did it, go figure.

As though their is some blame to be placed for this righteous serving of justice.

As though millions of Iranians, Kuwaitis and Iraqis died so that some stupid, dull political party in America could get a new slogan to ignorantly toss around.

As though these liberals have revealed the depth of their intelligence, the only thought that they can muster to defend their blatantly stupid ideas and beliefs, their answer to everything; that Bush and America suck.

How dull.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

By Markus

December 30, 2006 12:14 PM | Link to this

Well, what else is new? We have the usual liberal bedwetting suspects all upset that Saddam has been executed. Some are even saying they’ll be going to church now like a good Christian. I see, so all it takes for these agnostic wallet thief liberals to talk about Christianity is to a), talk about lowering the tax burden on those that actually work and build companies in this nation and b), kill a tyrant (Iraqis killed Saddam, not us, but who’s paying attention to the details here…). Aren’t these the same jackals that complain about fundamentalist Christianity all over creation in this nation? Mm-huh. I’m sorry, but God doesn’t listen to halfassed pseudo-Christian moonbats.

But should we have expected anything less from these liberals? These are the same people that are sitting by RIGHT NOW not crying about what’s going on in Africa. These are the same people SO DAMNED CONCERNED about human rights and whatnot. These are the people that want countless funds going to AIDS research and that man-made global warming bullsnot. Yet, when millions of human beings are slaughtered under a tyrant, especially under the guise of a religion, or under some other faction that they know they have no REAL control over, they keep their traps shut.

Then they get on blogs like this one and b!tch up a storm about Bush murdering Saddam. Saddam was tried under a peer of Iraqis and executed among a peer of Iraqis, just like those he killed. I expected no less of a reaction here and elsewhere to the pathetic libobats out there. It’s no different than them all wetting their pretty pinko panties when Saddam got caught. I have no respect for the disease of liberalism, I have no use for liberals, and I sure have nothing in common with the sick, twisted, mental handicap known as liberalism. The sickness of liberalism and appeasement are not why this nation is where it is today. And that’s the painful truth.

By getalife

December 30, 2006 12:17 PM | Link to this

Yes Jim,

Celebrate with the same Iraqis who are blowing up Americans.

Just freaking pathetic.

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 12:19 PM | Link to this

Rednecks,

I gather you are trying to brighten the day. Yeah, ha!

Well, I just wanted to tell you to scratch my name off your list. Not having a police record or a trailer automatically disqualifies me. Also I think that beer smells like dishwater.

Take your redneck crowd, all of whom are from the mid-West, and quit doing that phony Southern act. Real Southerners rather have hound dogs on their front porch than a bunch of your crowd. So take your Stetson and go “Yehaw”. Makes us real ones laugh gently in pure politeness to watch the jerkwater imposters do their act.

By Jim Wooten

December 30, 2006 12:25 PM | Link to this

Afternoon all. I had no idea our friends on the left would take this so hard.

@@, welcome back from your trip.

By Mallory

December 30, 2006 12:27 PM | Link to this

J.Wooten, are you liberals the same ones who support a woman’s right to murder her unborn baby for convenience sake?

What a bunch of sanctimonious hypocrites.

What say you BM @ 11:20?

Forget it.

Your initials say it all.

By Steve

December 30, 2006 12:35 PM | Link to this

What the heck are conservatives conserving anyway?

Cool down Markus, you’re going to overheaat and ruin your new christmas shirt.

“Yet, when millions of human beings are slaughtered under a tyrant, especially under the guise of a religion, or under some other faction that they know they have no REAL control over, they keep their traps shut”.

bUSH has slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens under the guise of religion-christianity.

By On-looker

December 30, 2006 12:37 PM | Link to this

am compelled to offer support for Saddam. Although his crimes were heinous, he fell from power because Bush made him a villain and deliberately orchestrated his overthrow. He was captured by American troops and tried in US created courts by a US sponsored government. His death was willed by Bush, who is morally culpable as Saddam‘s executioner. The victors once again write the history which suits them.

By darrell

December 30, 2006 12:40 PM | Link to this

Im just hanging around

By RW-(the original)

December 30, 2006 12:44 PM | Link to this

Jim Wooten,

Since the Iraqis were allowed to bring Saddam to justice, and it never would have happened without our intervention, it can be seen as an American success. That’s why the left is taking it so hard.

Look at the ridiculous caption to this AP photo of Saddam after the hanging. According to the AP it was just “vengeful countrymen,” but at least they mentioned that these vengeful countrymen may have had a reason.

By getalife

December 30, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

Sadr City is celebrating with Jim and his friends. These Shiites are the same Iraqis blowing up Americans.

How many Americans will be killed by the same people you are celebrating with Jim?

Just freaking pathetic.

By Markus

December 30, 2006 12:52 PM | Link to this

Steve-

“bUSH has slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens under the guise of religion-christianity.”

Wrong. That’s the fellow oh-so-peaceful and tolerant Muslims that are doing all that slaughtering, not Bush. But, you are probably one of those tinhat liberals that believes that Bush blew up the WTC and the Pentagon too. Yet, there’s still no word on what liberals think of the still-missing Conservative author Barbara Olson who wrote the book “Hell To Pay” about Shrillary. She was the one allegedly aboard that alleged airliner that was mistaken for a definite missile that definitely hit the Pentagon. Jackasses.

By G

December 30, 2006 12:55 PM | Link to this

An evil has been destroyed. Others as bad or worse have taken his place. And so it goes.

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 01:02 PM | Link to this

Steve,

Would you explain your statement at 12:35 about Bush killing Iraqis and bringing in religion with it?

I cannot believe that an American would post such absolutely false and pejorative statements about our president. Are you an American? I mean a real one that cares about the country?

I hope it is only complete ignorance that twists your mind. That is the only excuse that I would accept for your blatant disregard for the truth.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 01:04 PM | Link to this

Now that one evil dictator has hung, when do we get to watch w swing?

By getalife

December 30, 2006 01:09 PM | Link to this

“Deadliest month for U.S. in Iraq in two years

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - December became the deadliest month for U.S. troops in Iraq in two years after the U.S. military reported six more combat deaths, leaving the tally just two short of the emotive 3,000 mark […]

The latest deaths take the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq since the invasion of March 2003 to 2,998, according to icasualties.org, a Web site that tracks U.S. deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The number who died in December is now 109, three more than the previous high this year in October, and the highest since November 2004 when 137 U.S. servicemen and women died.”

And the wingnuts call themselves Christians while they celebrate with the enemy.

Just freaking pathetic.

By whynot

December 30, 2006 01:11 PM | Link to this

Jim Wooten: The man who celebrates an execution by invoking the Lord.

How you set the bar lower every time you write is still a mystery to me Jim. You should head over Sadr City and celebrate with your breathren butchers. It’s amazing you don’t see how you are so much like the ‘Islamofacists’ you think threaten us. It is you Jim, it is YOU we need saving from. Peace is for peacemakers, not butchers like you.

By Mallory

December 30, 2006 01:12 PM | Link to this

CommonSense, When a reporter told Saddam that the U.S. President could be criticized by the public, he was shocked.

You would be swinging under Saddam’s rule with your 1:04 dumbass.

By getalife

December 30, 2006 01:19 PM | Link to this

Seriously Jim, this drivel you spewed is an embarressment to all real Americans.

You should seriously consider retiring.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 01:26 PM | Link to this

Mallory,

The fact that I don’t swing for criticism has nothing to do with w; it has to do with the Constitution, which he has trampled. It also has nothing whatsoever to do with whether w deserves to swing, which he does if Saddam did. You’re mixing and matching unrelated issues. I suggest you use some common sense to isolate components of an issue before confusing peripheral topics in the equation.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 01:30 PM | Link to this

Christian Fundamentalist = Islamic Fundamentalist

Conservative Republican Neocon = Islamofascist

Jim Wooten = Islamic Mullah

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 01:34 PM | Link to this

Mallory,

A little rebellion now and then…is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.- Thomas Jefferson

By Jim Wooten

December 30, 2006 01:38 PM | Link to this

RW @ 12:44, thanks for the explanation.

And to getalife @ 1:09, thanks for the advice. Since the stock market closed yesterday up 1745.65 points for the year, the best performance since 2003, the prudent fiscal conservative who followed his own advice and lived within his means, while investing in America’s future, could seriously consider retiring, as you advise. But the fount of “drivel” to be “spewed” is not nearly dry.

I must admit my real shock today is that there are those who give the impression of being more tolerant of and sympathetic to Saddam Hussein than to George W. Bush. I don’t say that to goad, but merely to express my surprise.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 01:38 PM | Link to this

We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt.- Thomas Jefferson

By RW-(the original)

December 30, 2006 01:41 PM | Link to this

CS,

I’d be willing to bet that Thomas Jefferson didn’t mean lynching the sitting President when he used the flowery language of the day. It’s far more likely that by “a little rebellion” he meant speaking out and you may have noticed that you have every ability to do that at will.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 01:43 PM | Link to this

w: former cokehead & alcoholic, deserted from military service, bankrupted businesses bought with other people’s money

“Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the governing of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?”- Thomas Jefferson

By RW-(the original)

December 30, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this

SMACKDOWN BY JW @ 1:38

getalife,

That looked painful, I hope you still have your good drugs and some Crown handy.

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 01:49 PM | Link to this

Common Sense,

I wouldn’t call your thinking “common sense” if you think the actions of our elected president are similar to a murdering dictator. I would think of your opinions more along the lines of a common traitor.

How exactly has our president “trampled” our Constitution? He hasn’t but your liberal persuasions and political vilification have carried you far beyond the common sense of America. You are just one more unthankful, unappreciative, warped citizen taking advatage of free speech to kill the spirit of freedom. I have no use for you.

Don’t start quoting Thomas Jefferson or James Madison. They were patriots. You are not.

By RW-(the original)

December 30, 2006 01:50 PM | Link to this

Deserted from military service?

I bet you even have the documents to prove that one

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 01:52 PM | Link to this

Mallory,

“All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”- Thomas Jefferson

Just continue to keep silent in regard to w’s actions. I won’t.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:00 PM | Link to this

Jim Wooten = A disgusting, despicable subhuman

He takes a quote from getalife @ 1:09 about the deaths of American troops and @ 1:38 he essentially says that those deaths don’t matter because wealthy people are making money. Truly sickening. I would love to see Wooten swinging right next to w.

By Jeff

December 30, 2006 02:03 PM | Link to this

Sadam hasn’t been a threat since he was captured in hiding like the coward he has always been.

That said, I agree that a) he needed to die and b) his life was a true tragedy. As has been said, if only he had been a GOOD ruler, he could have been a stabilizing force in the middle east. Unfortunately, he let his (typically Muslim) hatred of all things Israel and evidently chronic paranoia destroy him and make him in line with Hitler, Stalin, Pot, Qaddafi, Kim Jong Il, and Khomeini….

Agreed with Mr. Wooten… the left’s blasting of the President and apparent sympathy for Saddam is quite sickening.

By getalife

December 30, 2006 02:04 PM | Link to this

Well Jim, the internet boom of the Clinton years was very good but the investment in oil has really paid off with w’s help. You may want to look into ethanol or other alternative energy. The wells are not producing like the past.

My point is you are celebrating with the Shiites and the Shiites are killing Americans. I have no sympathy for Saddam or w. They both will be held accountable for their actions and that is the way it should be.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:05 PM | Link to this

Tyranny has gained a foothold in this country because people like RW, Dusty, Mallory, and Wooten lack good conscience.

By Jeff

December 30, 2006 02:06 PM | Link to this

Common Sense:

Funny that you won’t “keep silent about w’s actions”. You seem to be attaching him to OTHER’S actions.

Also, where were you when Clinton was undermining the security of this great land with his massive military cuts?

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 02:09 PM | Link to this

RW,

You are a bit more tolerant of these intolerables than I can ever be. They sit in this country as free as air. When our president fights terrorism and sees that our near future has a threat, these short term patriots scream about every move. They bedevil the president and undermine our troops at war.

I am weary of their subterfuge. They do not support the “cause” which is our country. Therefore the correct term for them is traitor. They will call it something else. I will not.

By Jeff

December 30, 2006 02:09 PM | Link to this

The left’s blasting of a GOOD ruler like Bush is quite sickening. My favorite picture of Saddam Hussein is the one in the 80’s with Donald Rumsfeld shaking his hand when he traveled to Iraq to kiss his a$$. It’s amazing how the GOOD despots who our GOOD U.S. presidents put in power never seem to cooperate with our GOOD intentions.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:11 PM | Link to this

Can we add RW and Dusty to the list of those swinging?

By Jeff

December 30, 2006 02:11 PM | Link to this

and the imposter starts wanking off again…. 2:09 is not me

By On-looker

December 30, 2006 02:15 PM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten:

What a bloodthirsty bunch you’ve gathered around you, sir. Reading this blog is rather like hearing the crowds around the guillotine during the Reign of Terror. Would it be considered rash to presume that you attract an inhumane pack because you are yourself disposed towards showing indifference to your fellow man’s plight?

As you said at 1:38, “I must admit my real shock today is that there are those who give the impression of being more tolerant of and sympathetic to Saddam Hussein than to George W. Bush.” Mr. Wooten, sir, one of the first things a Christian learns is tolerance for his fellow man, no matter that man’s condition. What you are hearing from the few of us is Christian patience, a willingness to believe that all men ultimately may be redeemed.

More sympathetic to Saddam than Bush? No. But sympathetic because he is human. His crimes are heinous, as we noted above, but he, too, is worthy of being called “human.” I suggest, sir, that you might make a practice of going to the Church of your choice. I also suggest, sir, that it is always the prerogative of the victor to write the history book. You and Mr. Bush are writing the history books of your choice.

By getalife

December 30, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this

RW,

I rule Wooten and that is why he responds to me.

Yes, just got a fresh batch and can buy Crown anytime at the local grocery store. Take that Georgia.

Ran out of good Cuban cigars though. Enough with the trade embargo. We must have free trade with Cuba and turn it into a resort like my paisans wanted to do in the 60’s.

By Jeff

December 30, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this

Clinton undermined the security of this country by cutting the military (something Rumsfeld did even more and Bush would have done if he hadn’t spread it so thin). You see, if Clinton hadn’t cut the military, we would have had more tanks and armored personnel carriers which would have prevented 9-11 (if Bush hadn’t been on vacation). My vast experience as a failed, pimpled-faced public school teacher tells me so.

By Jeff

December 30, 2006 02:18 PM | Link to this

2:11 is not me. Neither is 2:06.

By On-looker

December 30, 2006 02:24 PM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten,

One more observation, sir. At 138, you commented: “Since the stock market closed yesterday up 1745.65 points for the year, the best performance since 2003, the prudent fiscal conservative who followed his own advice and lived within his means, while investing in America’s future, could seriously consider retiring, as you advise.”

Please explain to us why it is that a Republican conservative always views things in terms of their economic impact? The human element seems irrelevant; all that seems to matter is how much money one made off the transaction. Please tell why that is, sir.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:25 PM | Link to this

In a year-end poll of Americans w was voted at the top of the list for both the best leader AND the worst villain. Except that 13% of respondents voted him best leader and 25% of respondents voted him worst villain, beating both Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein in that category. Hmmm… twice as many people think he’s a villain. That is almost exactly in line with the 66% disapproval vs. 33% approval rating he now has. So 2/3 of the country views him in a lesser light than OBL & Saddam. When does he swing?

By getalife

December 30, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

Dusty,

Therefore the correct term for them is traitor. They will call it something else. I will not.

I was thinking the same thing (OMG, scary) about Americans cheering with the Shiites who kill Americans.

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 02:29 PM | Link to this

Oh….

now our lovely “patriot” Common Sense wants to hang the president AND Jim Wooten.

I guess there is no limit on lunacy these days.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:33 PM | Link to this

Ah, the smell of good Christians celebrating an individual’s death…

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this

getalife,

Nothng you “think” surprises me. I was just disappointed to find another unstable one posting here. Do you have a sister?

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this

And you too, Dusty.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 02:35 PM | Link to this

Arrogant and Ignorant On-looker,

In order to receive the grace of redemption it is necessary to have a conscience and ask forgiveness for one’s sins.

I missed the part where Saddam Hussein did that.

Moreover, the “Reign of Terror” during was the work of people with pitchforks who confused liberte’, fraternite’, egalite’ with anarchy.

The people who fit that description on this blog are the niggardly leftists who like to use the word “tolerance” and but have not the slightest conception of what the word actually means, as evidenced by how they express nothing but intolerance in their own lives.

I would include you in that category.

By Jim Wooten

December 30, 2006 02:38 PM | Link to this

On-looker @2:24: The gentleman advised me to retire. Since conservatives tend to prefer a degree of financial security in retirement that Social Security does not provide, the stock market’s performance of the past year became relevant. Or, I suppose, I could have noted instead that Democrats had taken control of both the House and the Senate and I could, therefore, anticipate some wealth transfer scheme that would serve my retirement fortunes equally as well.

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this

Common Sense,

The polls that were taken are based on the year 2006. OBL and Hussein did nothing that year because they are suffering from having the foot of the USA up their a$$. In the year 2006, Bush is the most active amongst the three. The same people that voted would have voted differently in 2001 or 1991, depending on that person’s year of activity.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:46 PM | Link to this

Ah, buy danish, so one must ask forgiveness from god for redemption? So everyone must worship your god in order to be “right”? That sounds like tolerance to me.

Christian Fundamentalist = Islamic Fundamentalist

Conservative Republican Neocon = Islamofascist

Jim Wooten = Islamic Mullah

buy danish = suicide bomber

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 02:47 PM | Link to this

Mr. Jim Wooten,

Why do you waste time trying to explain anything to the socialists on this blog. The only thing they understand is how dream up ways in which a person is not accountable for their own actions and to rely on the government for everything.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 02:48 PM | Link to this

icewoman,

Good point if your point was to make no point at all.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this

Correction to my 2:35 - delete “during” after Reign of Terror.

Arrogant and Ignorant On-looker,

One more observation - for someone whose stock in trade as a true-blue Leftist is no-doubt to follow the John Edwards theme of “Two Americas”, where no amount of prosperity will ever satisfy a hunger for demeaning this country, damning those who dare to prosper here, and ignoring the fact that we are the most fortunate nation on Earth, it is rather revealing that you chose to complain about Jim Wooten’s analogy.

Apparently wealth is only virtuous when it is people with names like Kennedy, Edwards, Gore, and Kerry who possess it.

By On-looker

December 30, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten;

Do you or do you not see parallels between the Nuremberg Trials and the trial of Saddam?

Do you see parallels between Hermann Goring and Saddam? They were both sentenced to be hanged. Goring, of course, committed suicide, and, although not the Fuhrer, was instrumental in the “final solution.”

We would be most interested in your comments.

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 02:54 PM | Link to this

I am a black conservative Republican. I might as well have just lynched my ancestors myself.

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this

Common Senseless,

You gave no rebuttal to my point so,therefore, I must have made one.

P.S. Please get a life loser.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 03:01 PM | Link to this

buy danish does nothing but heap constant scorn on the working man from the comfort of her mansion on the hill. Off with her head!

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 03:02 PM | Link to this

Ha! Ha! Ha! I love it when someone steals my ID. It means I’ve proven a point to them.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 03:03 PM | Link to this

buy danish does nothing but heap constant scorn on the working man from the comfort of her mansion on the hill. Off with her head!

By Common Sense.

December 30, 2006 03:05 PM | Link to this

I am a gay white male. I’m responsible for the spread of AIDS.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 03:06 PM | Link to this

Leftists demean the corruption in government. buy danish demeans the working people of this country.

By LuckoDull

December 30, 2006 03:08 PM | Link to this

Therefore the correct term for them is traitor.

Dusty: It’s kind of a fine point to haggle over but I feel as though you are wrong to characterize these liberals as “traitors.” To fit the definition of traitor would require them to first, at some point in time, have a loyalty to this country and I feel that the only devotion these scumbags have is to themselves.

No, their acts are more akin to utter stupidity, something you would expect from a dullard.

Or perhaps someone totally taken by the most ignorant and childish emotions.

For instance, the morons ushered into the new congress have promised to hold hearings concerning Halliburton’s procurement of no bid contracts, a favorite ranting of those in the fever swamps. Only one question is; which war are we talking about?-

Halliburton Received No-Bid Contracts During Clinton Administration For Work In Bosnia And Kosovo. It is certainly true that during a two year period Halliburton’s revenue from Defense Department contracts doubled. However, that increase in revenue occurred from 1998 to 2000 - during the Clinton administration.

It’ll be good to get to the bottom of that, finally.

And check out this jewel, many of our new rulers have exclaimed their brilliant idea of taxing the oil companies, presumably to punish them for their obscene profits, except for the fact that government is the one making the obscene profit-

Federal, state and local taxes total an average of 46 cents per gallon — significantly more than the 28 cents Exxon earned on a $3 gallon of gas.

All of this lunacy coming when our country is at war and great risk, let’s distract the leaders with insane, masturbatory witch hunts and pointless spectacles.

As I was saying, it’s a sure sign of stupidity.

And dullness.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 03:09 PM | Link to this

Good thinking there, icewoman: I should have made a rebuttal to a point that was nonexistent. Once again you are in opposition to common sense.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this

btw ICEWOMAN,

I have no problem with getalife; he is about the only one in concord with common sense here this afternoon.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 03:12 PM | Link to this

Common-Slime,

If you don’t like religious analogies, I suggest you complain to the very preachy On-looker who is imposing his god-awful view of Christianity on the rest of us. My comment(s) were in response to his words.

As for Saddam Hussein, surely even the most ardent secularist can understand the universal concept of “remorse”? Or are you a sociopath who is missing that normal human trait?

By On-looker

December 30, 2006 03:13 PM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten,

Thank you for your comments at 2:38.

Might I suggest, sir, that Social Security reformation might be in order; however, perhaps the Democratic party’s wealth transfer plan you mention might benefit you more than Social Security reform?

Perhaps it is mere naiveté on my part, sir, but I attributed your continued involvement in journalism to a personal love. Rarely have I encountered individuals with such a passion for their professions.

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 03:14 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

I heard that if you didn’t rub your eye, the pain would go away. Maybe Common senselessness will go away if we leave it alone.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 03:15 PM | Link to this

Let them eat cake!

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 03:16 PM | Link to this

Uncommon senselessness,

Why did you feel compelled to share that info with us @3:05. This is not the place to come out of the closet!

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 03:23 PM | Link to this

buy despicable,

What is it exactly that I should be remorseful for, and why would my remorse or lack thereof be relevant to the corruption of government? I would submit that to be remorseful one must first admit his or her mistakes, something your leader, w, was never come close to doing. Are you saying that your Christian leader is incapable of remorse and hence not a true Christian?

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 03:25 PM | Link to this

I’m leaving to go buy a 40, but first I’m gonna put my grill in to impress the b!tches and shine my rims to impress my fellow pimps.

By Common Sense

December 30, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this

ICEWOMAN,

Since you suggested at 3:02 that you have won an argument if someone jacks your name, does that mean that I have won the argument since you jacked mine at 3:05? Do you know the meaning of hypocrisy? Once again, you are in opposition to common sense.

By Iamwoman

December 30, 2006 03:32 PM | Link to this

All of you are so upset, is it the weather or are your wives(or parter for Common Sense) getting on your nerves?

Saddam = Bad Man aka Satan’s Brother = execution

simple equation really…

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 03:35 PM | Link to this

Watch where you walk!!!

WANKERS AT WORK !!

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 03:36 PM | Link to this

Uncommon Senselessness,

The Iceman didn’t jack your name. If I wanted to jack you, I’d take you car. Apparently, someone is jacking both of our ID’s. You see what kind of senselessness you’ve started on this blog. You attract vile people.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this

Iceman,

Sadly the wankers inevitable resort to jacking when they are shown to be the fools that they are.

Common-slime,

You are a freaking idiot, and Iceman is right -it is not worth debating you since among other obvious flaws, you lack basic reading comprehension skills.

I’ll give you one last hint to help you out:

Saddam Hussein did not express remorse, and one shouldn’t need to be “religious” to understand the implications of that.

By getalife

December 30, 2006 03:37 PM | Link to this

Common Sense,

I wouldn’t mess with the Iceman if I were you. He’s raw.

By On-looker

December 30, 2006 03:41 PM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten,

Thank you for your comment at 2:38.

Perhaps Social Security is ripe for some reform, or do you anticipate that the Democratic Party’s wealth sharing plan will replace needed reform?

Perhaps it is merely naiveté on my part, but I attributed your continued participation in journalist to be a love for the game, not financial necessity.

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 03:45 PM | Link to this

If anyone says anything nasty to Buy Danish, they will feel the wrath of the Iceman!!

P.S. Not that she can’t handle herself of course.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 03:49 PM | Link to this

Is it just me, or does On-looker sound an awful lot like Diogenes?

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 03:56 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

I think you’re right Buy Danish. I’ve never paid any attention to Diogenes blogs. Is Diogenes friend or foe?

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 04:09 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

Onlooker sounds just like Diogenes. We are talking about tyrants and tempests and he jumps to a social security question far afield.

That’s got to be our wandering whacko, Diogenes.

By Barbara

December 30, 2006 04:10 PM | Link to this

Pope rednecks - Amerikkka’s Al Qaeda I, did you really write that at 10:05 this morning, and is that your true opinion? I believe if you look hard enough you can find something good about anyone. I’ve been looking real hard at you, and I think I just found it. That was beautiful.

To the liberals who think execution is so bad, how do you think Saddam’s victims felt? This was simply justice for his victims, and also it removes a threat from society. We don’t have to cheer and rejoice over it, but we certainly must admit this world is a better place without him. Unfortunately he won’t get a chance to enjoy the afterlife as his seat is in the “smoking” section……

By On-looker

December 30, 2006 04:17 PM | Link to this

I take it that some of you would disparage your own parents when blessed with the anonymity of the blog. Please allow me to be who I am — the On-looker, not this Diogenes. Although your comparisons to me would make want to make his acquaintance. Bright fellow, that Diogenes if he has some of you conservatives frothing at the mouth so.

Mr. Dusty, please note Mr. Wooten’s comment to me about Social Security at 2:38.

.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this

Iceman,

Diogenes, or “Dio” as we call her, is a committed Leftist, a horses’ a*, and a fruitcake (sorry Dusty, I don’t mean to malign your favorite food).

Dusty,

Another giveaway is that despite being a committed secularist Darwiniac, she preaches Christianity whenever it fits her Left-wing causes. Her arrogant suggestion that Wooten go to church is typical of her nauseating BS.

By ICEMAN

December 30, 2006 04:22 PM | Link to this

Barbara,

Pope redneck copied that from a hymnal. Becareful of those who say they love God but hate people. I John 4 says that he is a liar.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 04:27 PM | Link to this

Barbara,

I’m afraid that America’s Al Qaeda was quoting from Julia Ward Howe’s The Battle Hymn of the Republic which was written during the Civl War.

Sadly he chose to degrade those lyrics by adding this opinion which was his own and has nothing to do with the hymn -

Lord, bring your terrible swift sword of justice not just to Baghdad but to tryrants and vipers everywhere - especially in Washington DC

Here are the full lyrics:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword: His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps, They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps; I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps: His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel: “As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal; Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel, Since God is marching on.”

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat: Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet! Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me: As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, While God is marching on.

My favorite stanza is the last one, which I like to use when ever Liberals claim that it is against Christianity to go to war. I quoted it on this blog on Christmas Eve and Getalife became enraged when I “imposed” religion on him.

Ho hum.

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 04:35 PM | Link to this

On-Looker

Jim Wooten mentioned Social Security one time trying to explain something about retirement to you. It was not the subject de jour.

By the way, I am Mrs. Dusty.

By Dusty

December 30, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

Please, please, you are diminishing the sanctity of fruitcake. If only I had some. Saltines just don’t hit the spot.

Didn’t Diogenes say one time that he had a wife? Maybe he has forgotten or maybe he/she changed the “subject”???

By Mallory

December 30, 2006 04:45 PM | Link to this

CommonSense, “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.”

Absolutely!

That’s why we fought Hitler. That’s why we’re fighting radical fanatics in Iraq.

Now you’re calling for the execution of bloggers here?

You’re a freaking radical lunatic yourself. A prisoner of your own stupidity.

A mouth that spews from a mind that stews.

Idiot!

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this

Dusty,

Dio did say that once, but my image of him is still as a she. I hate to malign both fruitcake and women, but I just can’t imagine Dio as a man.

Dio seems to be picking up finches tactic of denying his past persona and praising this other incarnation at the same time.

By Barbara

December 30, 2006 04:53 PM | Link to this

Hi Buy Danish. When I read his comments about the “vipers in Washington DC, I assumed he was referring to the recently appointed Dems. (Hee-hee-hee!)

The lyrics of the song are beautiful though, and fitting prayer for the death of the monster Saddam.

I’ve had fun visiting you guys these last few days, but I see the name-calling gets worse every day, so I probably won’t post often. I do miss those of you who keep the conversations above board and interesting.

By Bemused Humanist

December 30, 2006 04:54 PM | Link to this

(As it seems to be a day to settle scores):

My compliments to Buy Danish and RW- (Original) for showing yourselves to be people of honor and class when you called out Andy for his racist rampage against Debby a few days ago.

A pity Mr. Wooten and Mr. jmblaw saw fit either to remain silent to support what was an egregious violation of basic human decency – even if we make allowances for the fact that Andy, an inconsequential troll, is so sociopathic and psychologically unhinged that he only thrives when he can elicit hatred from complete strangers with his bathroom wall insults.

Then again, when Mr. jmblaw describes racial deprecations like “black whore” as brilliant and witty, we can understand why George Will dismissed Libertarians as “children” in a column some years ago.

Aside to BD – I mangled her last name, but Evelyn Underhill’s book Mysticism is indeed a classic. I encountered it in an undergrad course in Christian mysticism taught by a brilliant Jesuit priest many years ago. Fantastic reading list – Juan de la Cruz, Thomas Merton, Meister Eckhart, William Law, Teilhard de Chardin, The Cloud of Unknowing, et. al. Interesting that the mystical process seems to be the similar in all religions. Perhaps the key to tolerance in both religion and politics is to rise above the merely contemporaneous and parochial.

B.H.

By getalife

December 30, 2006 05:00 PM | Link to this

So, Saddam’s second trial on gassing the Kurds is over without the truth being exposed.

Would it make cut and run Daddy look bad or did Rummy sale Saddam the chemicals?

Here is a qoute from a Kurd:

IRAQI KURDISH POLITICIAN MAHMOUD OSMAN

“Of course, Saddam has committed too many crimes. He deserves for those crimes capital punishment. But so quickly done, so quickly executed… and only in one case - it would leave the other cases and leave a lot of secrets without being known.”

By BobbyThompson

December 30, 2006 05:08 PM | Link to this

I don’t know. The whole thing just feels wrong. Go dawgs tonite.

By jbmlaw

December 30, 2006 05:09 PM | Link to this

Good afternoon all. I prefer to not speak ill of the dead; Saddam’s life spoke for itself, clearly. I serious doubts about the intellectual capacity of those who would seriously attempt to compare President Bush to Saddam Hussein. I assume that is merely some of the bizarre trash talk showing up today.

Onlooker, welcome, you are evidently new to the blog; suggest you flip through a couple of days in the archives. You will see that we have some excellent exchanges, as well as some highly amusing trash talk on the blog. Some prefer one, some the other.

My friend Diogenes and I have some thoughtful exchanges; I think well of Diogenes, although I think we have some deep disagreements in perspective.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 05:10 PM | Link to this

B.H.

Neither RW or I called out “Andy” for being a racist. I don’t even know which “Andy” you refer to - the nickjacking jacka$$ PoFo or the Andy from ML’s blog whom I have the utmost respect for.

By jbmlaw

December 30, 2006 05:12 PM | Link to this

Bemused, you are not brilliant and witty, but you certainly do amuse, on a low level.

By Buy Danish

December 30, 2006 05:12 PM | Link to this

getalife,

The other trials are going to proceed, albeit with S.H. in absentia.

There is an Iraqi law that says anyone over the age of 70 cannot receive the Death Penalty, so they had to give the murderous tyrant his due before that deadline.