Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
From Russell Wiseman, the mayor of Arlington, Tennessee, who was quite upset that Obama's Afghanistan speech disrupted a Charlie Brown Christmas special. He posted this to his Facebook page:
"Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose. Ask the man if he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he will give you a 10 minute disertation (sic) about it....w...hen the answer should simply be 'yes'...."
Yes, Russell. The Muslim president deliberately interrupted a Charlie Brown special to announce an escalation of troops occupying a Muslim country. Because that makes perfect sense. And he wasn't done yet:
In Wiseman's extensive thread that attacked the president, his supporters and Muslims, he stated "...you obama people need to move to a muslim country...oh wait, that's America....pitiful."At another point he said, "you know, our forefathers had it written in the original Constitution that ONLY property owners could vote, if that has stayed in there, things would be different........"
I would say that somewhere there's a village missing an idiot, but this village elected their idiot mayor.
Politics
Comments
Two words to Russel: YOU TUBE!
Posted by: Gregory Weagle | December 8, 2009 9:07 AM
At another point he said, "you know, our forefathers had it written in the original Constitution that ONLY property owners could vote, if that has stayed in there, things would be different........"
Was that the same original Constitution that contained the infamous 3/5 clause?
Posted by: Matty | December 8, 2009 9:08 AM
Ditto that, Gregory. Why would anyone watch a classic special like that with commercial breaks? There's video, internet, all sorts of better ways to have a fun family experience.
Well, I suppose it's clear we shouldn't be expecting too much from the guy intellectually.
Posted by: Salmo | December 8, 2009 9:10 AM
As a resident of the Memphis area, I can assure you this guy's mentality is better than most folks i meet every day.
Posted by: Eljay | December 8, 2009 9:18 AM
Can we at least have an IQ requirement for people to hold office?
Posted by: Katharine | December 8, 2009 9:20 AM
Eljay, that is just sad. But now I see where the surveys come up with such an alarmingly high number for those who still think Obama is a Muslim.
At first, I thought this guy shouldn't be plopping his his kids in front of the TV, he should be interacting with them - way better for the kids - but then I realized that enough of this fool's stupidity will be implanted in those kids without any extra face time. More idiot box, less idiot dad.
Posted by: MikeMa | December 8, 2009 9:25 AM
Ask the man if he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he will give you a 10 minute disertation (sic) about it....w...hen the answer should simply be 'yes'
I love how Christianity to him is simply a yes-no question, unworthy of debate or thought.
Posted by: Odie | December 8, 2009 9:29 AM
"Was that the same original Constitution that contained the infamous 3/5 clause?"
Couldn't have been. The US Constitution left suffrage qualifications up to the separate states. He must be referring to some other constitution.
Posted by: Amiable Dorsai | December 8, 2009 9:30 AM
"Was that the same original Constitution that contained the infamous 3/5 clause?"
He's cool with that, they couldn't vote either.
Posted by: kehrsam | December 8, 2009 9:39 AM
Another blog that I like, "Southern Beale" (http://sobeale.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html) in the Nashville area, has a post up on this.
This is an excerpt, about an e-mail sent by a Mr. Rick Kelley to the idiot--and the reply.
_________________________________________________
Mr. Mayor.
Please refrain from making remarks of such a profoundly ignorant and racist nature on a forum that will allow you to reflect on the state of Tennessee in such a way. You are an embarrassment to thinking people everywhere, and the fact that your idiocy has been picked up by the Tennesseean and will inevitably end up on the national media might cause the rest of the country, and the world, to think that all Tennesseans are as reprehensible, backwards, and moronic as you.
I hope you at least weren't wearing your Klan robe in your facebook profile picture.
You pinhead.
Sincerely,
Rick Kelly
Kelly received the following response:
Mr. Kelly,
America is still a free country and every American has the right to free speech. You should know this coming from a family of liberal fuckheads. Anytime that you're ready, you should relocate northward as you're an embarassment to the South. Your sensibilities would be more appreciated there, you sad little single man.
Just take care the next time that you or your brother James pass through Arlington. We'll skin you both alive and use your combined blubber to fuel the oil lamps on our thoroughfares on into the 22nd century.
All the best,
City of Arlington
________________________________________________
I think we've locate AsshatPat's daddy!
Posted by: democommie | December 8, 2009 9:40 AM
Oh I'm sure he didn't want his kids getting a dose of Obama's "liberal agenda". I bet he kept his kids home from school the day Obama addressed schoolchildren. What I'm impressed with is that he pulled his head from his ass long enough to see Obama was on TV.
Posted by: MartyM | December 8, 2009 9:42 AM
There's an update to this story. Apparently someone expressed their displeasure at Mayor Wiseman and he responded with an e-mail in which he threatened to skin the e-mailer alive.
Think he's got some issues?
Posted by: Southern Beale | December 8, 2009 9:43 AM
demo,
From the idiot's reply to Mr Kelly, it is clear that he isn't worried about re-election. I suspect he'll win by a land
mudslide. What a tool.Posted by: MikeMa | December 8, 2009 9:44 AM
The states could (and often did) restrict to property owners if they wanted to until the 14th Amendment, which also officially removed the 3/5 clause. I wonder what he thinks of the 19th amendment.
I do agree that the question about Jesus Christ being the Son of God does not require a 10 minute answer. "No." Done in less than one second.
Posted by: Ted H. | December 8, 2009 9:51 AM
Talking Tennessee, yesterday the C-Span morning guest on Washington Journal was James Hansen, who was talking about global warming. They took a caller from Petros, Tennessee with a question (on the "Republican" phone line).
You know this isn't going to work out well.
Here's what the guy said: "I keep hearing this stuff about the CO2. I understand that's a dangerous chemical to our atmosphere and so on. So, I am wondering if you would like to have us put on a muzzle so that every time we breathe we're not breathing this CO2 back out into the air, that you say is polluting our atmosphere. So I'd just to have you explain that to me."
You can hear it on the C-Span website here, at just past the nine-minute mark.
In addition to "the stupid, it burns," I also love the smarmy way the question was asked.
Posted by: Ahcuah | December 8, 2009 9:59 AM
I have only one comment for this guy:
DVD
Posted by: Chilidog | December 8, 2009 10:08 AM
Chillidog,
The only DVDs the mayor has are porn. Probably he doesn't realize other stuff is available in that format.
Posted by: MikeMa | December 8, 2009 10:12 AM
You fools, don't you realize?!?!!1?
Charlie Brown is the Son of God! And Snoopy is his archangel!
Posted by: Pierce R. Butler | December 8, 2009 10:15 AM
Posted by: Adrian W. | December 8, 2009 10:17 AM
The mayor is a complete fuckwit...I despair of my fellow Americans if they can elect fools like this.
Posted by: Graham Shevlin | December 8, 2009 10:25 AM
I actually can sympathize with the guy. I felt similarly when one of Bush's speeches interrupted It's Ramadan, Charlie Brown.
Posted by: cm | December 8, 2009 10:27 AM
It also made Olbermann's "Worst Persons" segment last night:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#34319996
Posted by: Umlud | December 8, 2009 10:34 AM
Maybe so, but it could take hours to explain to a dim bulb like that why that is the case. I'll just leave it at "no" so he think me a heathen and threaten to skin me alive as in the posted e-mail.
Posted by: Ted H. | December 8, 2009 10:35 AM
Arlington Mayor Wiseman states:
I doubt it. Mr. Obama's personal testimony, which one would expect to be a far longer statement, only took me about 35 seconds to verball repeat using Obama's typically slow cadence. Relevant part of Obama's speech:
Posted by: Michael Heath | December 8, 2009 10:38 AM
Charlie Brown is the Son of God! And Snoopy is his archangel!
An archangel who still thinks he's getting shot down by triplanes in WWI? That'll make for an interesting Last Battle...
Posted by: Raging Bee | December 8, 2009 10:47 AM
For the umpteenth time, some moron conflates "free speech" with "you can't criticize my asshattery". This is not even restricted to conservatives/Republicans either, it's a common theme among idiots of all stripes. Oh, and whiny junior high kids. But they have an excuse...
Posted by: James Sweet | December 8, 2009 10:48 AM
cm@21:
Now *that's* funny!
Posted by: Mandrake | December 8, 2009 10:58 AM
Which major collective group in America spews the most volume of hate speech towards other people?
I think the answer is both self-evident and can't think of a close second.
Posted by: Michael Heath | December 8, 2009 10:58 AM
Mr. Kelley, in a comment on the "Southern Beale" blog says that Wiseman is insisting he didn't write the threatening e-mail (and that it apparently did not originate from the mayor's official e-mail address. Not knowing how Mr. Kelley's e-mail was addressed it is difficult to say who actually receive it, but the mayor's protestations of innocence ring hollow.
Posted by: democommie | December 8, 2009 11:07 AM
No, I want you to put on a muzzle every time you have the urge to speak.
Posted by: Mandrake | December 8, 2009 11:11 AM
Classic absolutist thinking. "If too much CO2 is bad, then any CO2 must be bad. It is absurd to assert that any amount of CO2 is bad, so therefore by the contrapositive, it cannot be true that too much CO2 is bad." The logic is impeccable, but the premise is stoopid.
If too much water is bad, then any water must be bad. It is absurd to assert that any amount of water is bad, so therfore by the contrapositive, it cannot be true that too much water is bad. Therefore, AGW denialists should go drown in a lake. QED.
Posted by: James Sweet | December 8, 2009 11:18 AM
FauxNews pairs him with not-Joe the not-Plumber in "Wiseman & Joe", and they get 3 million a night, easy.
C'mon, Roger Ailes -- let it all hang out. Beck can stay functional only so long.
Posted by: Foggg | December 8, 2009 11:19 AM
Mayor Wiseman thinks a cartoon is more important than a policy decision effecting the lives of US soldiers. I thought conservatives believed the opposite.
Posted by: Bill in NC | December 8, 2009 11:41 AM
Dear Mr. Wiseman,
Wa wa wawa WA wa wa!
Thank you...
Posted by: Epicanis | December 8, 2009 11:50 AM
This guy is a politician (a very low-level one, but a politician nonetheless). He is more concerned about watching a special that's been around for the better part of 50 years (and that airs multiple times every year) than the president's planned policy in one of our nation's two wars. And he has the temerity to publically express, as a politician, how Charlie Brown is a higher priority for him than Afghanistan. On Facebook.
Epic fail, Wiseman [sic]. Epic fail.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 8, 2009 11:53 AM
UH hasn't this Christmas special been on every single Christmass since 1966? Like when I was 8 years old!! So hasn't this idiot of a Politician like seen it dozens of times! So why the fuck does he want to see it again. Like most people he could probably watch it on a memory tape in his head!
That show is the proverbievable dead horse being beaten to death right until the bones have been gnawed to nothing by rats.
I would think Obama's speech would be a relief from watching that overplayed piece of Christmas cheer, or perhaps drek is the right word.
Posted by: Pacal | December 8, 2009 12:15 PM
OK, his comments on Obama are moronic. But personnally, it's the death threats to Rick Kelly and his brother (whoever they are) that I find most disturbing.
Posted by: Christophe Thill | December 8, 2009 12:16 PM
I don't normally advocate violence, but somebody ought to drag this whiny little twat outside and bitch slap him until he wets his pants.
Posted by: Dogbert | December 8, 2009 12:32 PM
@Christophe: Agreed, although I don't find his issuance of death threats surprising. In fact, that's probably expected behavior for a guy like him: paranoid delusions of grandeur (i.e. he truly believes that Obama would intentionally interrupt a small town broadcast of a Christmas schedule just to personally piss him off) and problems with anger management (using Facebook as a venue for expressing ugly, hateful sentiments).
People of Arlington, TN: feel ashamed for electing this unstable idiot to serve your town.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 8, 2009 12:32 PM
*sigh* Here we go again...
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 8, 2009 12:34 PM
Hat's off, Sadie. Bravo.
Posted by: Abby Normal | December 8, 2009 12:55 PM
Nicely played, sir!
Posted by: pough | December 8, 2009 1:20 PM
We're a Muslim country? Ask any Muslim whether they think the US is a Muslim country. I'm sure they'll tell you they get the red carpet treatment everywhere they go. This guy's so far into fantasyland that he probably waits up for the Great Pumpkin to rise out of the pumpkin patch.
Posted by: Eric R | December 8, 2009 2:16 PM
Sorry Sadie, I meant twit.
Posted by: Dogbert | December 8, 2009 2:21 PM
Paging Dr. Freud. Dr. Freud to the white courtesy penis.
Posted by: Abby Normal | December 8, 2009 2:35 PM
Lulz, Abby.
No worries, Dog. Crisis averted. :)
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 8, 2009 2:39 PM
Well, those pesky secularists keep telling us that we're not a Christian nation. There's already a Jewish nation (Israel), so by process of elimination, we must be a Muslim nation.
I mean, what other alternatives are there?
Posted by: James Sweet | December 8, 2009 2:43 PM
Abby, you owe me one monitor screen, cleaned of coffee.
Posted by: Josh | December 8, 2009 2:45 PM
Posted by: Taz | December 8, 2009 3:13 PM
And sexist.
Posted by: MikeMa | December 8, 2009 3:36 PM
The City of Arlington has now put up a "disclaimer" on its web site, stating the following: "The views of Russell Wiseman, Mayor of the Town of Arlington, expressed on his Facebook account do not reflect an official position of the Town of Arlington. His comments were not made on a Town computer, or using Town computer services. The Town recognizes Barack Obama as the President of the United States, and in accordance with the Constitution, recognizes both the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. We welcome all law abiding people to our town. We do not discriminate and we provide essential services to all Town of Arlington people without regard to their religion, race, color, age, gender, sex or national origin."
http://www.townofarlington.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=98
Posted by: peter | December 8, 2009 4:13 PM
Via: MyEyewitnessNews.com
Didn't he know that if he wrote something on a social networking site that is highly inflammatory and bigoted that he might actually be called to task about it? Didn't he know that if he were to do this while as an elected official (or otherwise public individual) that it would be seen less as "satire" and more like an actual policy statement?
Being able to ascertain some consequences to your actions is characteristic of people who are wise. Sorry to make the obvious pun at this point, but he seems less of a wise man, and more of a wiseguy.
Posted by: Umlud | December 8, 2009 4:32 PM
That would suggest that he's clever, which he ain't. In any event, I think it's clear that he's a contender for the most egregiously misnamed character in history.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 8, 2009 4:53 PM
Kudos to the town council.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 8, 2009 4:57 PM
James Sweet,
I know--a Cherokee Nation--
Cherokee people.
Cherokee pride.
So proud to live.
So proud to die.
Just thought I'd put that little mind worm in for the rest of you people, since it's in my head now.
Posted by: Shawn Smith | December 8, 2009 5:02 PM
Shawn Smith:
Oh yeah? Well I got your "Cherokee Nation" and I raise you an "Afternoon Delight"!
Posted by: democommie | December 8, 2009 5:07 PM
cm @ 21:
Bang! Zoom!
Sadie @ 54:
I wonder if anyone in Arlington is thinking recall vote regarding Mayor Wiseman?
No matter his political stripe, the man is a true idiot. But ten bucks says Wiseman's already been stopped by various folk around his community to express support for his "position" despite it being nothing short of bizarre.
In Glenn Beck's America, nobody needs facts - just a forum from which to voice one's moronic beliefs, and then cry victimhood when he/she is smacked down by those favoring adult-level thought.
Posted by: CHV | December 8, 2009 5:21 PM
democommie,
Low blow. Low blow, sir. (But well played, at any rate.)
Posted by: Shawn Smith | December 8, 2009 5:24 PM
Coming late to this one, but....*clap clap clap* for Sadie.
And hey, guys, no more BITCH slapping of twits, 'k? Stick to MANhandling.
Posted by: Adrienne | December 8, 2009 5:34 PM
If it had been Dubya sending more troops there, he wouldn't have minded. It's only wrong when a Democrat does it. If Dubya had done it, the most he would've said was some jingoistic "USA! USA!" nonsense (like now, but the opposite).
...
& Do you think he'd be surprised at the answer some of the Founding Fathers would've given him about that "Son of God" thing? And they weren't even secret Muslims!democommie [quote from letter] "Anytime that you're ready, you should relocate northward as you're an embarassment to the South. Your sensibilities would be more appreciated there, you sad little single man."
So you see, democommie, using facts makes you an embarrassment to the South. Tsk, tsk.
Eric R "We're a Muslim country? Ask any Muslim whether they think the US is a Muslim country. I'm sure they'll tell you they get the red carpet treatment everywhere they go."
For that matter, ask an American Jew how much "Judeo" is in America's "Judeo-Christian".
MikeMa "And sexist."
Hardly. You can't use a vagina as a telephone. It's only got a mouthpiece. I've said too much.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | December 8, 2009 6:20 PM
For a second there, upon reading "Dog" I thought I was in trouble again... ;o)
Posted by: dogmeatib | December 8, 2009 6:23 PM
Oh, that's just so funny. I can't wait to tell my Iranian neighbor that the USA is a muslim nation. I suspect he'll tell me I'm a moron. I don't think my other neighbor (US Navy) would have anything nicer to say either.
Posted by: MadScientist | December 8, 2009 6:39 PM
#56: Eric Cartman singing "I'm Sailing Away."
Posted by: wrpd | December 8, 2009 6:50 PM
Charles M. Shultz was a well-known atheist. Why does he want his kids to watch atheist art?
Posted by: Ick of the East | December 8, 2009 7:35 PM
Yeah, but in 1966, Schultz was still a Lutheran. He didn't drop his faith until the 80s
Posted by: Etcetera | December 8, 2009 7:51 PM
I wonder how that correlates to when he stopped being funny or insightful.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | December 8, 2009 8:46 PM
Charles Schultz was ever funny?
*runs*
Sorry- I never got the Peanuts thing. Even when I was a kid. (I was born in the early 70's, by all rights I should have caught on.)
Posted by: Leni | December 8, 2009 9:08 PM
I always thought that Peanuts was more about nostalgia for childhood than actual humor. I was never a big fan of the strip, in any event (Snoopy was adorable, though).
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | December 8, 2009 9:40 PM
Yeah, well, the one where he got rabies and had to be put down was heartbreaking.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | December 9, 2009 12:36 AM
It eventually got made in to the TV special, You're a man now, Charlie Brown
Good grief, indeed.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | December 9, 2009 12:47 AM
Demo (#56) - how about:
Depressing AND lyrically really, really awful.
CHV (#57) - "Bang Zoom"? What are you channeling Jackie Gleason now?
Adrienne - I thought Dr. Freud's courtesy phone WAS a manhandle. :) - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | December 9, 2009 2:43 AM
This thread has me holding my sides.
I do have to agree with Mayor McDumbass on one small point: watching a Charlie Brown special is infinitely preferable to watching a press conference or presidential speech.
Posted by: WMDKitty | December 9, 2009 6:03 AM
What are we supposed to do with a guy who acts like a straw man?
Posted by: Rutee | December 9, 2009 7:54 AM
Three internets to modusoperandi!
Posted by: James Hanley | December 9, 2009 8:46 AM
Dingojack (#71):
No thanks for reminding me of one of my least favorite songs. The lyrics are an atrocious translation from the original French, by the way, not that they were particularly good there, either.
Posted by: sbh | December 9, 2009 10:00 AM
Democommie wrote: "I think we've locate AsshatPat's daddy!"
Either his or Andrew Breitbart's.
Clearly, Mayor Wiseman should change his name. (Oh drat; Sadie beat me to that one.)
Arlington, TN: The town that disclaimed its own mayor.
I never thought I'd have occasion to put this online, but it fits here. Long years ago, there was a commercial for L.A. Law (a TV show) which showed a homeless man and a man in a three-piece suit sitting on the curb. The suit was complaining about his life (dialog approximated.) "I had it all: The six-figure salary, the car, the condo. But I had to give it up. They wanted me to work Thursday nights. I couldn't watch L.A. Law!!!"
At which point the homeless man piped up in his reedy voice: "Ya know, ya cudda taped it!"
Posted by: Chris Winter | December 9, 2009 6:26 PM
DingoJack:
"Seasons in the sun", is a singularly nasty piece of work.
I'm going to have to retalitate with this:
"Trapped in a mine that had caved in
And everyone knows the only ones left
Were Joe and me and Tim
When they broke through to pull us free
The only ones left to tell the tale
Were Joe and me"
from "Timothy" as sung by The Buoys in 1973, penned by none other than Rupert Holmes, the prolific songwriter who also graced the world with "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)". I am a merciful man, I will not link to either youtube video.
Posted by: democommie | December 10, 2009 5:30 AM
Demo - you wimp! Try here
The music played in hell (on continuous loop, in between christmas carols). - DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | December 10, 2009 7:12 AM
DingoJack:
Interesting site, I won't sully it by doing something so hideous as asking it to find that song!
Posted by: democommie | December 10, 2009 8:03 AM
"I love how Christianity to him is simply a yes-no question, unworthy of debate or thought."
----
Can we help if we know how to answer a simple question. I have never seen a politician (except Fred Thompson) who would actually answer a question wth a simple one word answer that the question implied.
If someone asks you if you believe in God, do you say "NO" or do you go into a 45 minute multi-social tirade . Simple- say "yes" or "no". No one wants to hear bull. Just answer the question.
By the way, Obama missed his calling. He should have been a soap opera star. he loves to be on television and smooth talk people. The troubleis, most people change the channel when he comes on. I know I do. He's on about 50,000 times a week. Damn, he takes up too much airtime. No wonder he can't get anything passed. He's never at his desk, he's always on tv mouthing off about some insignficant shit like global warming (caused by the Sun, not man) and how right wing extremists in wheelchairs are taking over the world and going to impose martial law and make everyone actually work for living (instead of getting a handout).
Boy, what an idea! ...
Posted by: Captain patriot | December 10, 2009 8:22 PM
Captain patriot: I love you. I'm not gay, you understand, just gay for you. Take me in your strong arms and protect me from my own empathy and compassion. Be gentle, I've never been a sociopath before. Will the journey to Paranoia be long? I'll pack a lunch. We can stop on the way to eat it in a field. After, you can throw dirt at children and stomp on all the flowers.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | December 10, 2009 8:42 PM
Motusoperandi,
I have never thrown dirt at children (unlike Obama's sex czar) . I have stomped flowers and kicked mushrooms though.
I love you too. Not in a gleeful and happy way. In sort of a I'd like to see the look on your face when we kick out the socialist bums in Washington in 2010 kind of way.
Thanks for sharing your feeling anyway. Thanks for feminizing men. That's what the world needs.
Posted by: Captain Patriot | December 10, 2009 9:01 PM
I'd try to help you get in contact with your emotional center, but somehow I think giving you access to the ignorant ball of hate deep down inside of you would be helpful.
Posted by: Modusoperandi | December 11, 2009 12:46 AM