Random comments from catching up on the papers:
Tammy Faye Messner. A few years ago, I watched the documentary, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and gained a whole new sense of what her life was like. I am sorry to hear of her death.
Khmer Rouge - they have finally identified some suspects who are going to go on trial for breaking the Geneva Convention and engaging in genocidal activities from the 1970's. Is it me or is this just mind boggling that it has taken so long?
There was a photo in the Times of John Edwards on his poverty tour. He was surrounded by people and he was reaching out to shake someone's hand. It reminded me so much of photos of RFK on his poverty tour. I know that is probably the image that the Edwards campaign wanted to present and it worked.
Lately, there has been coverage about Tintin in the Congo being rereleased. As a huge Tintin fan, I am a little sensitive about any criticism of Herge. While I don't agree with how people are represented in the book, I also think it is important to look at the book in its historical context. It was written when colonialism was alive and well. Herge was well known for never traveling to the countries he portrayed in his books. I guess I am making excuses but I don't think we should be so quick to judge. Sure, move the book out of the kid's section but give kids some credit. It is a great opportunity to educate kids on how images change over time or how colonialism was a pretty sucky thing. Just sound more intelligent than my last sentence.
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One of the things I admire about John Edwards is that he's the only candidate who's talking about race and class. Health care, Iraq, mortgage defaults -- these issues affect low-income people and racial minorities more than others, and it's just wrong. I wish more Democrats would remember that they once were the party campaigned and won on these issues.
Also, I totally agree with you about Tin Tin. Context matters, and we underestimate kids to think that they can't understand that the world is different now. Of course they can! Colonialism is wrong, and we don't use dubloons anymore either. Kids get it; it's just some crazy adults who think revisionist history is a good idea!
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