The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Scathingly brilliant

    Have you ever encountered someone who was so talented in some way that your initial response is to be literally dumbstruck with awe?  That is the way I felt after reading some posts by a young blogger named Julian Sanchez.  He has the most brilliant mind combined with a superb education of anyone I have read since Aldous Huxley. 

    The combination of his brilliance and youth make it hard for me to always understand what he is writing about.   He is more libertarian than me and his color scheme is trying on my eyes but I check his blog regularly.  I hope you will begin to as well.

    His post today on Karl Rove's resignation articulates perfectly what we lost as a result of the political calculation to turn 9/11 into a political cudgel.

    All Quiet on the Western Front by Julian Sanchez

    ...it is astonishing sometimes to think what an extraordinary opportunity the 9/11 attacks presented—an opportunity to rally not just the country but the whole of a sympathetic liberal West (and anyone else who was game) in affirmation of the shared values that distinguish us from fanatical theocrats: pluralism, freedom of speech, secular government, democracy, reason, the rule of law.

    I forgot to add, he is a really good writer, too.

    PS - This is the first blogger I've ever tried to promote.  Hope you all don't mind too much.  I promise I won't do it anymore unless I am again dumbstruck with awe by someone. :-)

    Comments

    Rove is a bully so naturally he capitalizes on any perceived vulnerability by inspiring deeper distrust and fear for his own manipulation.


    But did you read Sanchez?


    "Have you ever encountered someone who was so talented in some way that your initial response is to be literally dumbstruck with awe?"When I first joined the Cafe I was hoping this was the way people would react to my comments. Oh well, I guess I can't have everything.Tom


    Yes. His remarks were incisive.


    Gave you that for honesty.  Now, if you weren't being honest, I expect you'll admit it, so I can change your score!  Even if it was "honest humor," you still get the 5!


    If you can point me to your first post, I am prepared to be dumbstruck. :-)


    I don't at all mind people linking to other bloggers, especially ones that aren't well-known, and especially ones that write well.

    Looking through Sanchez's blog also led me to a good piece on Reason, about the disadvantages women face re: clothing, authority, and power.

    That is a good article. It's by his roommate.   Julian is a contributing editor at Reason -- which reminds me I meant to mention another of his posts on your TPMCafe will rise again? thread.

    Exactly Good Enough to Suck 

    "All of us, whenever we try anything at which we're not naturally gifted, are condemned to pass through this unfortunate phase."

    Maybe TPMCafe is going through this phase.