Denialville?

I read this in today’s Press

LUDINGTON — A library employee in this Lake Michigan resort community has been fired for writing a book that describes a range of unpleasant patrons, from the merely unpleasant to online sex fiends, in a town she calls “Denialville.”

At first it sounds like the grumpy, mean old library people can’t take a sharp wit in their midst.  But some things about the description of it gives me pause:

Publish America issued the book, and its online catalog offers this description:

“The Library Diaries reads like Seinfeld meets Lou Dobbs meets Glenn Beck. Issues that most of us are afraid to talk about, issues we have had to veil through humor, are talked about candidly by the author, who has seen the terrible consequences of us not talking about these issues — children’s lives.

“Open this book and you’ll meet the naked patron, the greedy, unenlightened patrons, destination hell, the masturbator, horny old men, Mr. Three Hats, and a menagerie of other characters you never dreamt were housed at your public library.”

Sexually creepy patrons are creepy indeed, and libraries are a place where people often hang out who have nowhere else decent to go, so you see a lot of folk you won’t see at upscale family restaurants, say.  But Seinfeld meets Lou Dobbs meets Glenn Beck? Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck are best known for hating people.  Especially people who aren’t upper-middle-class white conservative male Americans.  Especially Mexican people.  (They would say, not Mexican people, but “illegal aliens.”  As if it’s purely a concern for legal niceties, not xenophobia, racism, or eliminationism, that moves them.)

What would inspire a comparison to those people?  Is this some kind of code talk on the part of Publish America to indicate that this is a hyperconservative hate rant, and people who enjoy that should pick up the book?

Weird.

Republichameleons

My wife pointed out tonight that all the yard signs for Republican candidates for office seem to be bright blue, with the word “Republican” in very small letters.

It’s a rough time to be a member of George’s Own Party…

GOP blames Democrats for break-in; police find no political motive

GRAND RAPIDS — Kent County Republicans continue to claim a recent break-in at their Grand Rapids headquarters was politically motivated

And one party leader publicly blamed unnamed Democrats in a mass e-mail sent to supporters.

“We knew the Democrats would do anything to win, but we didn’t expect this!” wrote Kent GOP Chair Dave Dishaw in a note asking for money to help cover “costs” and support candidates. […]

Moore also said he received threatening phone calls two weeks ago when Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama held a rally in Grand Rapids, though he did not report them to police.

[From GOP blames Democrats for break-in; police find no political motive – Latest News – The Grand Rapids Press – MLive.com]

I guess Mr. Dishaw thinks that G. Gordon Liddy has defected to the Democrats…

I imagine that there are a lot of people on his mailing lists which will eat that fundraising letter right up.

“Two under arrest for Kentwood comic book store shooting”

WZZM has the story, and mugshots.

Kentwood – Two teens were arraigned today on charges that they robbed and shot a Kentwood comic book store clerk.

Marvin Michael Jones, 19, and James Muriel Neal-Thompson, 18, were arrested last week, but information was not released until today because a third suspect is still being sought. An arrest warrant has been issued for Jevon Marquis Sawyer, 18, for the same crime.

Jones and Neal-Thompson have been both charged with robbery and assault with intent to commit murder. They are both in custody at the Kent County Jail.

So the question remains…. what the hell? :(