We Do Not Own Their Courage

There's this guy, Charles Pierce (this guy?). And every once in a while I see his writing, and he is so spot on. Like today, commenting in Altercation.

You do not own their courage.

The people who stood in line Sunday did not stand in line to make Americans feel good about themselves.

You do not own their courage.

They did not stand in line to justify lies about Saddam and al-Qaeda, so you don't own their courage, Stephen Hayes. They did not stand in line to justify lies about weapons of mass destruction, or to justify the artful dodginess of Ahmad Chalabi, so you don't own their courage, Judith Miller. They did not stand in line to provide pretty pictures for vapid suits to fawn over, so you don't own their courage, Howard Fineman, and neither do you, Chris Matthews.

He continues on, but you should read it in full there.

Grab a Tequila Sunrise to take with you, and take an extra one for Mr. Pierce from me, with my compliments and thanks.

Iraqi Election Day!

Today was Iraqi Election Day! From the early reports, it sounds like both turnout and spirits were high -- exactly how we like things here at Cocktails with Molly!

I have a tremendous respect and admiration for the courage of the Iraqi people as they went to the polls today, knowing that they could be targets of violence.

As today's special salute, we have prepared a table of Saddam Slammers -- reportedly popular during Desert Storm, the Saddam Slammer contains vodka, gin and tonic, and "like the Iraqi dictator, has to be shot down at once."

But because elections are about choice, feel free to order what you like as a follow-up.

Trackback

Whew! Tonight, I'm having a simple vodka tonic, since I expended the energy needed for a complicated cocktail on putting in Trackback. (Thank you to the folks at Haloscan.com for providing a version of Trackback to work with Blogger.

Next -- to figure out how to use Trackback.

But that's for another day (and another vodka tonic). For tonight, installation is enough!

A Toast to Truth

Sometimes people say something, and you just go, "Wow -- truth!"

Tonight we at Cocktails with Molly are hoisting a Martini, the truest of all cocktails, to Jesse Taylor at Pandagon for his to-the-point thoughts on "The Blogosphere":

There are days where I come to hate the blogosphere. Not blogging per se, but the sort of pretentious community that has arisen which speaks in terms of the immense power we wield and our ability to change everything forever until we decide (on our own goddamn terms) to change everything forever again. ... I'm a guy with a webpage on the internet. I think I say some pretty trenchant things. I don't, however, think that I'm pioneering anything newer than novel ways to bitch and maybe every so often linking a couple of facts together in a way that provides some new insight.

Speak on, brother -- and have a Martini!

And because one Martini is never enough ... a toast also to Atrios, who points out that this aggrandization of The Blogosphere is mainly from the right-wing bloggers.

Who are still welcome to join us for cocktails, as long as the only MSM they talk about is Molly's Smooth Martini.

Beautiful Ethiopia

Last night's episode of The Amazing Race was primarily in Ethiopia, and oh, how lovely it was! Green and lush and gently flowing. Just stunning. I want to run away there and work on a donkey farm (There were donkeys there too.) Every season, there are episodes that make me say, "Oh, I want to go there," but I'm not sure that I've ever felt such longing to see a place as I do to see Ethiopia.

Tonight, I raise a glass of Tej, Ethiopian honey wine, to beautiful, beautiful Ethiopia.

Good-bye to an Old Friend

Last night I said good-bye to Lloyd Sudduth, an old friend whom I've never met.

I first encountered Lloyd about 15 years ago, when a very dear friend of mine gave me a PWA Bracelet -- a "Person With AIDS" bracelet, similar to the POW-MIA bracelets, with the name of someone who died of AIDS, his age when he died, and the date of his death. Lloyd's information was on there.

I've worn that bracelet every day since then, but finally felt that, well, it was time to take it off. I didn't want to just randomly take it off, so I decided that the appropriate time would be when I was the same age that Lloyd was when he died, around the same date.

Lloyd, I don't know if you read blogs in heaven, but in case you're reading this, please know that you're off my wrist, but not off of my thoughts. And this entry is to keep your name alive.

And since we haven't met yet, I don't know your choice in beverages. I'll set out a tray of champagne -- for bon voyage, for anniversary, for celebration of life. We'll use the Red Ribbon flutes.

Blue Ladies

Did you notice that the Japanese lanterns are blue, not red?

If so, you can probably understand how happy I am with today's Congressional activities. I am so proud of those who brought up the concerns about voting irregularities in Ohio.

Rep. John Conyers has been in the forefront of the investigations, but today I'm celebrating Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, two fabulous Blue Ladies who distinguished themselves today with their courage, intelligence and passion for justice.

Ordinarily, I wouldn't go for a cocktail that contains egg whites, but tonight, it's blue ladies all around! Sen. Boxer, Rep. Tubbs Jones, these are for you.

Welcome!

I'm still getting the Japanese lanterns strung, so just feel free to make yourself at home in the meantime. Flip through the CDs, see if there's some music you like.

Oh, and be love and whip me up a Singapore Sling, wouldya? Gin and soda in the fridge, brandy on the side-shelf -- ooops, no, to the right, the tall one -- lemon's in the bowl and sugar's in the cupboard.

Thanks -- you're the best!