First Door on the Left

Superman eschews longtime patriot act

Nevermind Superman’s sexual orientation. Here’s another identity-related question that is likely to spark controversy as the Man of Steel soars into theaters nationwide this Fourth of July weekend in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Superman Returns”: Is Superman still American?

Ever since artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel created the granddaddy of all comic book icons in 1932, Superman has fought valiantly to preserve “truth, justice and the American way.” Whether kicking Nazi ass on the radio in the ’40s or wrapping himself in the Stars and Stripes on TV during the Cold War or even rescuing the White House’s flag as his final feat in “Superman II,” the Krypton-born, Smallville-raised Ubermensch always has been steeped in unmistakable U.S. symbolism.

But in the latest film incarnation, scribes Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris sought to downplay Superman’s long-standing patriot act. With one brief line uttered by actor Frank Langella, the caped superhero’s mission transformed from “truth, justice and the American way” to “truth, justice and all that stuff.”

Something else for the righties to whine about.

Let’s face the facts… Superman came from the planet Krypton. He never became a United States citizen. For all we know, he never even got a green card. If the right-wing Republicans had their way, he would have been deported back to Krypton and Perry White would have been heavily fined (if not jailed) for hiring him at the Daily Planet.

What possible incentive would Superman have to fight for “the American way?”

Update: Erik Lundegaard penned an op-ed for today’s New York Times entitled “Truth, Justice and (Fill in the Blank).” He puts the lie to the statement that “Ever since artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel created the granddaddy of all comic book icons in 1932, Superman has fought valiantly to preserve ‘truth, justice and the American way.’” He concludes:

Some people are now objecting to the fact that “Superman Returns” omits the phrase. Perry White asks his reporters to find out more about the Man of Steel after his five-year absence. “Does he still stand for truth, justice, all that stuff?” he says. Right-wing blogs are already red-faced at the slight.

There’s no reason to be upset. Superman is right back where he began: fighting a never-ending battle for truth and justice. That should be enough to occupy any man. Even a Superman.

Even an illegal alien.

November 7, 2001:

President Announces Crackdown on Terrorist Financial Network

THE PRESIDENT: The United States is pressing the war against terror on every front. From the mountains of Afghanistan to the bank accounts of terrorist organizations. The first strike in the war against terror targeted the terrorists’ financial support. We put the world’s financial institutions on notice: if you do business with terrorists, if you support them or sponsor them, you will not do business with the United States of America.

Today, we are taking another step in our fight against evil. We are setting down two major elements of the terrorists international financial network, both at home and abroad. Ours is not a war just of soldiers and aircraft. It’s a war fought with diplomacy, by the investigations of law enforcement, by gathering intelligence and by cutting off the terrorists’ money.

I want to thank Secretary Paul O’Neill for being here today and for being the leader of this fine organization. I want to thank the Director, Jim Sloan, as well. You’re doing some imaginative work here at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and I want to thank all the fine Americans who are on the front line of our war, the people who work here.

June 23, 2006:

Bank Data Is Sifted by U.S. in Secret to Block Terror

Under a secret Bush administration program initiated weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, counterterrorism officials have gained access to financial records from a vast international database and examined banking transactions involving thousands of Americans and others in the United States, according to government and industry officials.

The program is limited, government officials say, to tracing transactions of people suspected of having ties to Al Qaeda by reviewing records from the nerve center of the global banking industry, a Belgian cooperative that routes about $6 trillion daily between banks, brokerages, stock exchanges and other institutions. The records mostly involve wire transfers and other methods of moving money overseas and into and out of the United States. Most routine financial transactions confined to this country are not in the database.

Viewed by the Bush administration as a vital tool, the program has played a hidden role in domestic and foreign terrorism investigations since 2001 and helped in the capture of the most wanted Qaeda figure in Southeast Asia, the officials said.

So… George leaked first.

(You won’t find any mention of the first quote in any right-wing media or weblogs.)

The Freepers will be protesting the First Amendment in New York City, across the street from the Times building, on Monday, July 10…

We have a sound permit, and we will be across the street from the New York Times. They are at 229 West 43rd Street.

The groups on board so far are Free Republic, Caucus for America, the Congress for Racial Equality, and Protest Warrior, NYC Chapter. We have reached out to several other groups as well, and are waiting to hear back from them.

Some high-visibility media people are interested in speaking at the protest. More information will be coming on this as we gather groups and speakers. (source)

Be there if you can. It should be fun to watch.

This is rich…

Ironically, Justice Thomas refers to Justice Stevens’ “unfamiliarity with the realities of warfare”; but Stevens served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945, during World War II. Thomas’s official bio, by contrast, contains no experience of military service.

The wingnuts always seem to know the most about that which they know nothing.

Ladies and gentleman, wingnut Clarence Thomas…