If It's Good Enough for Those Bastards...
I see that National Review Online is having its Summer Webathon. Deeply touching. Now I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, of the swamp-dwellers at NRO lead lives of considerable comfort. And I know that these same denizens of the deep have lots of friends and acquaintances with financial resources on an impressive scale, certainly impressive to those of more limited means, and definitely to those of us who survive on almost nothing. But I suppose I could be mistaken.
I'm also confident in saying that they undoubtedly have health coverage, or at least the means of access to decent health care, surely so in any instance of medical crisis that is regarded as an emergency (such as, just to pick a random example, atrial fibrillation). But hey, I might be wrong!
It's all very moving. One donor just wrote to Ms. Lopez: "NRO is the oxygen mask that I have put on as our country enters stormy weather and violent turbulence. Thanks for the lifeline." And a $100-donor writes to her: "In this age of free-riding I am a free-rider no more!" Aren't you moved? See, you are. To the bathroom, you say? That's not nice. A few words of appreciation do come to mind. I'm always respectful of others and their convictions, no matter how ignorant and destructive those beliefs may be. Faced with this profoundly meaningful spectacle of human compassion and support, I therefore can only say: Jesus Fucking Christ.
So, anywho. Oh, wait. I almost forgot. I have the highest reverence for the founder of National Review, that illustrious and learned gentleman who continues to inspire these superlative writers today. In fact, I wrote a tribute to that goddamned saint; you'll find it right here: "Our Saint of Buckley: Derided, Defiled and Condemned." See what a swell guy I am?
Many thanks to the 18 or so people who responded to my end of last month request for help with rent and a few basic bills. NRO undoubtedly received 18 donations within the first minute or two of their donation drive. But then, we're working from rather different baselines. I managed to pay June rent and a couple of long overdue bills (including a phone bill I had deferred as long as I could; I finally had to pay it since, among other things, I continue to make do with a dialup connection -- if the phone service goes, I also go bye-bye). Now, though, I'm perilously close to broke.
I have to refill my heart medications next week. At the moment, I can't afford to do so. Since I've completely altered my diet and also changed (or eliminated) a few unhelpful living habits, going without the meds might not matter. But it's probably an experiment best avoided. That might be even more true since I've doubled the daily dose of one medication three times in the last week or so. I can do that, in fact I should do that, when the fibrillation symptoms (dizziness to the point of almost falling to the floor, nausea, etc.) return, as they have recently. So I should probably refill them. And then, you know, food.
On the other hand, I could write ceaselessly about the Glory of God, about the moral imperative of bombing the crap out of poor, defenseless people around the world, about how Women Are Evil and therefore can't be allowed to have sex unless granted permission and/or until they're married, at which point they must carry every Sanctified and Fertilized Egg to term, or about the God-Anointed Sacrament of White Supremacy (once Saint Buckley's theme).
Consider it done! If necessary. Over to you.
As always, my sincere thanks for your consideration. I can be an ignorant, war-mongering conservative! I can, yes, I can! It works for Obama. Why not for me?
I'm also confident in saying that they undoubtedly have health coverage, or at least the means of access to decent health care, surely so in any instance of medical crisis that is regarded as an emergency (such as, just to pick a random example, atrial fibrillation). But hey, I might be wrong!
It's all very moving. One donor just wrote to Ms. Lopez: "NRO is the oxygen mask that I have put on as our country enters stormy weather and violent turbulence. Thanks for the lifeline." And a $100-donor writes to her: "In this age of free-riding I am a free-rider no more!" Aren't you moved? See, you are. To the bathroom, you say? That's not nice. A few words of appreciation do come to mind. I'm always respectful of others and their convictions, no matter how ignorant and destructive those beliefs may be. Faced with this profoundly meaningful spectacle of human compassion and support, I therefore can only say: Jesus Fucking Christ.
So, anywho. Oh, wait. I almost forgot. I have the highest reverence for the founder of National Review, that illustrious and learned gentleman who continues to inspire these superlative writers today. In fact, I wrote a tribute to that goddamned saint; you'll find it right here: "Our Saint of Buckley: Derided, Defiled and Condemned." See what a swell guy I am?
Many thanks to the 18 or so people who responded to my end of last month request for help with rent and a few basic bills. NRO undoubtedly received 18 donations within the first minute or two of their donation drive. But then, we're working from rather different baselines. I managed to pay June rent and a couple of long overdue bills (including a phone bill I had deferred as long as I could; I finally had to pay it since, among other things, I continue to make do with a dialup connection -- if the phone service goes, I also go bye-bye). Now, though, I'm perilously close to broke.
I have to refill my heart medications next week. At the moment, I can't afford to do so. Since I've completely altered my diet and also changed (or eliminated) a few unhelpful living habits, going without the meds might not matter. But it's probably an experiment best avoided. That might be even more true since I've doubled the daily dose of one medication three times in the last week or so. I can do that, in fact I should do that, when the fibrillation symptoms (dizziness to the point of almost falling to the floor, nausea, etc.) return, as they have recently. So I should probably refill them. And then, you know, food.
On the other hand, I could write ceaselessly about the Glory of God, about the moral imperative of bombing the crap out of poor, defenseless people around the world, about how Women Are Evil and therefore can't be allowed to have sex unless granted permission and/or until they're married, at which point they must carry every Sanctified and Fertilized Egg to term, or about the God-Anointed Sacrament of White Supremacy (once Saint Buckley's theme).
Consider it done! If necessary. Over to you.
As always, my sincere thanks for your consideration. I can be an ignorant, war-mongering conservative! I can, yes, I can! It works for Obama. Why not for me?
posted by Arthur Silber at 8:59 AM
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