Here’s an update on the “Ashcroft Hospitalized” story from last week (lest any readers think we have lost interest). Bloomberg.com reports that the Attorney General is undergoing surgery for removal of his gall bladder today.
Ed. Note: in an effort to avoid rankling our loyal readers, we’ve posted this story under “News.”
Ashcroft != General News
Either the site should be interested in Ashcroft because of his relation to the Patriot Act and other “chilling effect” laws/orders (and thus place stories about him in the Patriot Act category), or it should ignore him entirely.
Ashcroft does not qualify as “general” library news.
That said… IMHO, if we’re lucky, he’ll die during surgery. *chuckle*
public service announcement
While schadenfreude “can be one of the great joys of life”, according to Peter Gay, everyone should remember that the Secret Service has no sense of humor when it comes to threats against senior government officials.
Re:public service announcement
Oooookay, so wishing someone dies during surgery is a DEATH THREAT??? Unless that previous poster is Ashcroft’s doctor or on the surgical team…how is hoping he dies during surgery anything but slightly tasteless??
Hmm, I supose if the hospitl he’s in actually has a library and that person worked at said library…. Ok, all this supposin’ is making my head start to hurt…
s/
Re:public service announcement
Tasteless, perhaps, but as you say – merely wishing someone dead (when you’re not in any clear and obvious position to effect it, e.g. your doctor example) is free speech; saying “I’m going to kill Official XYZ” is a death threat.
I wish particular people dead all the time (whether I mention it or not); I don’t go around making actual death threats. Hell, if my wishes had any power, Bush would’ve been long gone by now! *L* (And the CIA would probably be hiring me as a “perfect assassin”….)
Go Ahead and Laugh
I had this same surgery two years ago. The most intense pain I have ever experienced. Nothing has come close. I remember writhing on the floor in my home alone, unable to call 911 and thinking this was a heart attack.
Before my “gall bladder attack” I was running 30+ miles a week. After my surgery I was 20 pounds lighter and could only manage a slow shuffle, with the help of my wife, around my block. It took months to recover.
So, chuckle and poke your macabre flavor of fun at our AG. That’s your call. But also realize your hatred speaks more than your humour.
That said, I do sincerely hope that you and yours never have a diseased gall bladder. Regardless of your politics.
Sure!
What’s your point? You’re not Ashcroft.
Sure thing!
I’d certainly hope so – it takes an awfully screwed-up fascist like Ashcroft to earn my hatred. 😉
Hey, I hope I never have one, too. :p
Not library news
A government official who has surgery is not library news. The Patriot Act is not going to change if he dies or has a long recuperation. Therefore, there is no news here. Put it in your journal; that’s why it’s there.
Re:public service announcement
While you’re 100% correct, remember the nature of this administration. This is the same admin that has threatened protesters with arrest and set up “free speech zones” far away from official functions and hidden from sight. Do you really think that such an administration is prepared to deal with the differences between wishing and threatening? Especially since it’s against the law to even joke about a bomb in an airport?
RIP, LISNews
And the disintegration of LISNews from useful news site to immature, partisan bickering continues unabated.
Seriously, this site gets less readable every day. Can’t you people confine this kind of stupid squabbling to Slashdot, where it belongs?
Re:RIP, LISNews
The story is about Ashcroft’s surgery. Why are you even reading the comments. If you don’t like the comments don’t read them.
Let’s get his records
However we may feel about Ashcroft, I think we ought to look at his medical records to make sure his procedure was necessary.
Re:RIP, LISNews
Why are you even reading the comments. If you don’t like the comments don’t read them.
Because the anonymous patron you are responding to cares about LISNews and feels that it’s headed in a bad direction. You and I may think this person is wrong, but he/she has a perfectly good reason for posting what he/she did.
Re:public service announcement
This is the same admin that has threatened protesters with arrest and set up “free speech zones” far away from official functions and hidden from sight.
Of course, the Democrats would never do a thing like that.
Especially since it’s against the law to even joke about a bomb in an airport
So if some eejit visits your library and jokes about the bomb they’ve planted under the reference desk, you will extol their use of free speech with equanimity?
Re:public service announcement
“eejit”? You’re not from around here, are you, Chuck?
Re:public service announcement
I picked it up from Eamonn Fitzgerald in his blog Rainy Day. I believe it’s Irish slang, and I found it evocative, so I borrowed it. It’s got great mouth-feel and is almost onomatopoeic.
I’m from Texas myself, with jr. & sr. high & undergrad spent in central Illinois.