The first two stories I came across once I logged on to AOL this morning set me off; two nitwits whoring out their differeing agendas all over the media. The first, and less offensive, was Tom Cruise blabbing about Scientology (again). This time, it was referencing the (by all accounts) horifically tragic death of Jett Travolta. Cruise addressed the questionable accounts of his "religion"'s role in the boy's illness and treatment thereof. Cruise has already gotten his share of bad press for blowing off the funeral, but his role as talking head for the whole Scientology thing is growing increasingly irritating as more and more unsavory aspects of the organization come to light. Anyone who saw that nutty video that had him ranting about that organization -- see below clip--

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFBZ_uAbxS0)

--will never look at him the same way again... As awful as it sounds, if it surfaces that Jett's health would not have been put in jeopardy because of Scientologists refusal in believing that autism, mental illness, etc, can be treated pharmacologically then I look forward to the fallout. Oddly, I am more offended by Cruise than I am by the Travoltas, whom I feel genuinely horrible for. Cruise is pompous, while the Travoltas have at least exhibited class in regards to whatever they choose to believe in.

The other thing that truly disgusted me was Sarah Palin, once again whining about how she was used and abused by the media. How dare she blame Katie Couric and Tina Fey for "exploiting" her, when her own actions were at the root of all the backlash to begin with. And her whole idea of "who better" than she, as a mom of an unwed, pregnant teenager, to best be empathetic to the inherant challenges that come with such a challenge (and how dare the media jump on that?? Umm, maybe the parent of a teen who manges to NOT get pregnant)? At least that would reflect the values in which she espouses so much, all the while casting aspersions on those who disagree with her particular value system?

I DO understand the wrinkles that manifest themselves when someone like Caroline Kennedy enters the fray. While I don't think it's the "liberal media" canonizing her, I do think that her image, a direct result of her family's, works in her favor. While she may not have the experience (yet) to govern a state, she NEVER gave off the vibe of being uneducated, backward, judgmental, or hypocritical. I don't anticipate the vitriol that dogged Palin's 15 minutes of fame, but Sarah (and the machinery behind her) asked for it. And if she didn't, she was clearly a Republican tool that backfired. She was thrown under the very bus that she did not really earn the license to drive in the first place, and never really had a chance.

Finally, reading some of the reader posts in response to these news stories, it is very clear that Palin's defenders use the same old ignorance and bigotry that their party is notorious for. Obama isn't even in office yet, and they are still slagging him. The "Hussein" nicknames still fly, and the awful etnic slurs are still flying. We share one country, but clearly behave like two...