As election season kicks into high gear, Americans are about to be inundated with negative ads and name calling which reflect – falsely – how powerless we are. That is why the recent tale of Charles Sonder, 24, is so heartening. As reported by the New York Times , Sonder, a former 189-pound Rhode Island wrestling champion, got aboard a subway snacking on Pringles and Gummi-Bears. Also on the subway was a 20-something woman who went ballistic when another man dashed on as the doors closed. “Don’t follow me! Don’t follow me!” she screamed, punching him, the man hitting back. Sonder made like he was about to get off. After the combatants momentarily parted to let him through, Sonder stood between them, snacking. Then, another woman in a poncho ordered the woman to sit, and her pursuer to disembark. Both complied. This was captured by a phone camera, then uploaded on YouTube where it has scored nearly two million hits under the sobriquet “Snack Man.” Which brings us back to election season. Sonder did not escalate tensions. Instead, he tamped down the conflict, helping to end it. And the rest of us – from Rush Limbaugh to Fox News and MSNBC commentators to the proverbial man and woman in the street often have the same choice. We can de-escalate a conflict, empowering ourselves or we can join the screamers. My own such choice became clear during the High Holidays shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Attending a popular conservative memorial service near where I lived in Los Angeles, I hoped to hear a sermon offering guidance. But the sermon never touched on the attacks. So I walked up to the rabbi and asked him why. His associates, he replied, had advised him not to deliver his prepared remarks. So, one-on-one, what did he think? What did Judaism have to say about this? He was glad, he said, that the attacks had taken place, because now the United States could experience what Israelis did.

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Empowering Ourselves; Disempowering the Haters

Only once in the long history of “Doonesbury” has Garry Trudeau’s syndicate ever intensely objected to one of his story arcs. It was 1985, and the subject was abortion. Starting Monday, amid heated debate about pre-termination ultrasound and sonogram bills in Virginia and Texas, Trudeau will tackle the politically sensitive issue of abortion head-on. Read full article > >

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‘Doonesbury’ creator Garry Trudeau discusses divisive strips about abortion

ABC’s “The View” scored a coup Monday when it snagged Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke’s first TV interview since Rush Limbaugh gave an “apology” for calling her a “slut,” which Fluke sloughed off. The talk-radio host had commented on Fluke after she testified to congressional Democrats in support of their national health-care policy, which would compel her Jesuit college’s health plan to cover birth control. Read full article > >

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Limbaugh’s target takes her own shots at his ‘apology’ on ‘The View’

How’s this for political cowardice? Right-wing bloviator Rush Limbaugh launches a vile attack, full of sexual insults and smarmy innuendo, against a young woman whose only offense was to speak her mind. Asked to comment, the leading Republican presidential candidates — who bray constantly about “courage” and “leadership” — run from the bully and hide . Read full article > >

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Rush Limbaugh instills fear in GOP candidates

Did Rush Limbaugh just have his Don Imus Moment? With more sponsors bailing and Republican lawmakers adding to the condemnation of the talk-show host on Sunday, the flap over Limbaugh’s comments about a Georgetown law student are beginning to look like radio history repeating itself. Read full article > >

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Rush Limbaugh should take lessons from Imus, liberal talk-show host Shultz

US radio host Rush Limbaugh apologises for calling a law student who testified to a congressional committee in support of contraception a “slut”.

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Limbaugh apologises for slut slur

Rep. Michele Bachmann’s cover shot on Newsweek magazine and the ”Queen of Rage” story therein have resulted in a rarity: Liberal women’s groups are rushing to defend a conservative women. The Daily Caller reports: What to make of all this? For starters, after NOW’s silence during far worse and continual sexism directed at Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign, the newfound display of fairness by NOW and other groups is refreshing. But, it’s not necessarily sexism, or rather only sexism, at work. As the Daily Caller reporter observes, in addition to a controversial shot of Sarah Palin in her bicycling attire, Newsweek has also put “unflattering” cover shots of Rush Limbaugh and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on the newsstands. Hmm. Now what do all these folks have in common. Oh, my — all Republicans! Read full article > >

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Jennifer Rubin:
With Bachmann, Newsweek’s bias uncovered

Rep. Michele Bachmann’s cover shot on Newsweek magazine and the ”Queen of Rage” story therein have resulted in a rarity: Liberal women’s groups are rushing to defend a conservative women. The Daily Caller reports: What to make of all this? For starters, after NOW’s silence during far worse and continual sexism directed at Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign, the newfound display of fairness by NOW and other groups is refreshing. But, it’s not necessarily sexism, or rather only sexism, at work. As the Daily Caller reporter observes, in addition to a controversial shot of Sarah Palin in her bicycling attire, Newsweek has also put “unflattering” cover shots of Rush Limbaugh and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on the newsstands. Hmm. Now what do all these folks have in common. Oh, my — all Republicans! Read full article > >

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Jennifer Rubin:
With Bachmann, Newsweek’s bias uncovered

Has Rush Limbaugh not been paying attention to what happened to Gilbert Gottfried?