Okay, not really, but it's hard to imagine many gigs in Washington more life-destroying than writing copy for Media Matters. (Or Newsbusters, to be bipartisan about it.) Here you are, young and impressionable and looking to make your mark on politics and journalism, and your life's work is to sit in front of the TV, waiting for someone like Christopher Hitchens to say something insulting about a liberal - which, after all, is what Christopher Hitchens comes on television to do, that is when he isn't insulting conservatives - at which point you get to write the following:
Citing the potential for increased press scrutiny of Obama, Hitchens asserted: "[T]his dumb, nasty, ethnic rock 'n' roll racist church that he goes to in Chicago, he won't be able to walk away from that anymore." In fact, while Obama's church -- the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago -- is predominantly African-American, it has been described by non-blacks as "enthusiastically welcom[ing]." According to an April 2 article on the website for The Martin Marty Center -- which is described on its website as "an institute for the advanced study of religion at the University of Chicago" -- professor emeritus Martin E. Marty wrote of Obama's church: "My wife and I on occasion attend, and, like all other non-blacks, are enthusiastically welcomed." In addition, Rev. Jane Fisler Hoffman, a minister in the United Church of Christ who attends Trinity, recently made a statement about the church -- video of which is available online -- in which she stated that "[m]inisters all around the United Church of Christ -- European-American, African-American, and other denominations -- bring people from their churches to Trinity because the worship is so powerful, the preaching is so meaningful and prophetic." Hoffman went on to add that Trinity "is a church that reaches out to everybody, locally, around the world, all colors, and it just wants to share the gospel and good news of Jesus."
Take that, Hitchens! Several people disagree with you! You got pwned!
I should note that the item also goes on to complain about Hitchens' comparison of Clinton to "zombies, vampires, and werewolves," though it's left a bit unclear whether it's protesting the comparison on behalf of Hillary or on behalf of the undead. (Yes, I'm insinuating that Hillary Clinton might be worse than Dracula. Come get me, Media Matters!)
Dear Mr Douthat, I am writing to object, in the strongest possible terms, to your willingness to assume that "undead" is somehow a term with negative connotations, or that Senator Clinton should be condemned for being part of our extensive United States membership. She has done sterling work in our GOTV effort, most noteworthily in Ohio, where millions of of the undead flocked to support her. Please, do not condemn us for being who we are. This is a return to the tired and degrading identity politics of the Republican party, which has done so much to damage American. As an Atlantic columnist, I would hope that you would proudly embrace your own undead identity. You have the beard and fangs, please, come out and make our undead community a little more visible.
cordially yours,
William Jefferson Clinton
(co-chair, Undead Concilium Arkansas)
Posted by undeadconcilium | March 6, 2008 9:23 AM