Deep Thoughts with Babs...

I was really looking for some thoughtful, hard-hitting political insights today and if you're like me, when you need a fix like that, there's no one else to turn to but Barbra Streisand, am I right? Here's an excerpt from Babs on W's convention speech. Granted this is a bit dated in that it's about a week old but, c'mon, she enlightens us with her pearls of wisdom only occasionally and we must make do with what little we can get.

Here's Babs:

"And one more thing, Bush mentioned in his State of the Union speech his faith-based initiative that would give tax breaks to religious charities ... Isn't this America, where we have a separation of church and state, which guarantees freedom of religion? The needy in this country should be able to receive human services irregardless of religious affiliation."

Oh, let's have some fun and break it down, shall we?

"Bush mentioned in his State of the Union speech his faith-based initiative that would give tax breaks to religious charities..."

Okay, now I might be willing to cut Babs some slack here in calling Bush's speech a "State of the Union" speech in that perhaps she's using this term derisively; as if to say, "this wasn't really a nomination acceptance speech it was more like a 'State of the Union' speech because he laid out an economic agenda." And if that's the way she intended it well then...that's...still pretty lame. Derision should not require explanation. However, I'll cut her the slack since someone as knowledgeable as she couldn't possibly think that his speech was a "State of the Union" speech...right? I mean this is the woman who, at a 2002 Fundraising Concert for the Democratic Party, quoted Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to introduce her singing of God Bless America. I mean she's really smart and cultured and can quote Shakespeare and stuff.

Babs quote was to make some sort of statement opposing Bush's war in Iraq and his erosion of civil liberties. Here's the quote:

"Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervour, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar."

If you think that quote is a bit less eloquent than you've heard from the Bard in the past, well that's because he didn't write it. You see, that banal prose (could anyone really think that was Shakespeare?) was an internet hoax being bandied about to disparage Bush and let's just say some of the, well, uninitiated lapped it up and believed it. Now mind you, I'm not calling Babs stupid or anything; no, that word is reserved for people like George W. Bush.

"Isn't this America, where we have a separation of church and state, which guarantees freedom of religion?"

First of all, we don't "have separation of church and state". We have the Establishment Clause of the Constitution which states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..". This language basically means that U.S. soldiers cannot come to my door and coerce me into worshiping Barbara Streisand or Yentl for that matter (thank you, founding fathers). However, many stupid people presume that the Establishment Clause says something about "separation of church and state". But I'm not calling Babs stupid or anything; that word is reserved for people like George W. Bush.

What's also funny here is that Babs seems to reference the Establishment Clause with "separation of church and state" and then goes on to say that it "guarantees freedom of religion". Again, stupid people might think that "freedom of religion" is guaranteed by the Establishment Clause (never to be presumed to mean "separation of church and state") but it's actually guaranteed by the Free Exercise Clause which states that Congress cannot prohibit the free exercise of religion. Also, a smart person would never state the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise clause together as though each reinforces the other. In fact, the two clauses are at odds in that one prevents the establishment of religion while the other expands the freedom to worship. The Supreme Court has constantly had to confront these conflicting clauses. But again, I'm not saying Babs is stupid or anything; that word is reserved for people like George W. Bush.

"...the needy in this country should be able to receive human services irregardless of religious affiliation."

First of all, let's get the obvious one out of the way. Everyone join along with me here in saying "irregardless" is not a word. The proper word, Babs, is "regardless". But I'm not gonna fault you for that one. That's just typical inarticulateness and stumbling over words in a fashion reminiscent of Jenjis Bush...er...George Bush (sorry, I was beginning to sound rather effete and snobbish there for a minute and forgot what I was saying).

Okay let's see...uh...all that other gobbledeegook is just silly. I think all would agree that people are entitled to charity "irregardless" of their religious affiliation. Yes, even George Jenjis Bush. What was the point of that statement again, Babs? Were you trying to say that giving tax-cuts to religious charities somehow is a bad thing?...trying very hard to crawl into your mind and understand this but all I can hear is an annoying, high-pitched, nasally voice singing "Evergreen"...