First honors tonight go to our senator, Scott Brown, shown here in his National Guard attire. As if to answer my fear he would forever close ranks with his shameless politicker-colleagues up in Maine, he today declared his opposition to repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell. This is, needless to say, a courageous stand here in Massachusetts. Who would have though a year ago that the only man to talk sense on this politically dangerous issue would be a Bay Stater?

The hype spread by the tolerance-mongers regarding Don't Ask, Don't Tell lately has been quite unbearable; even Fox News has left it largely unchecked. In my audacious opinion, Don't Ask, Don't Tell does not even go far enough. President Clinton promulgated the 1993 directive in response to a stronger, absolute ban on homosexuals in the military President Reagan has issued in 1982; as far as conservatives go, I'm usually not much of a Reagan-venerator--on this subject he opposed the Briggs Initiative, which I mention below--but in this case he's dead right. As a Northamptoner and a graduate of Northampton High, I know from experience that wherever homosexuals are in positions of power, the legitimization of their unnatural lifestyle enters the agenda. This is understandable; they believe their "sexual orientation" is a fundamental part of their being rather than a perversion thereof (in the case of educators, it's quite easy for them to, even inadvertently, shape students' opinions by creating sympathy for their situations--and this is why I eternally rue the day the Briggs Initiative, which forbade not just homosexuals but any teacher "advocating, imposing, encouraging or promoting" homosexual activity, failed in California in 1978). Back at NHS, I recall, we even had to listen to a military gay whine about her removal under Don't Ask, Don't Tell during a Pride Week assembly. If the military scraps the policy, I expect the typical infiltration of Gay Pride nonsense into our armed forces (and the media to completely ignore it).

The counter-argument is summed up by Goldwater's shallow dictum that "You don't have to be straight... to shoot straight." Libertarian conservatives remind us that these men and women merely want to serve our country and protect our freedoms. I answer that, if our Nation is to be worth defending, our armed forces must form an elite in virtue and exemplify our national and religious ideals. Even the Masonic French Third Republic understood this~ practicing Catholic officers were systematically removed from the military because, they correctly surmised, they didn't exemplify the Republic's laic ideals. What kind of freedom, I ask, do armed forces filled with servicemen embracing an entirely perverse lifestyle defend? We have forgotten true freedom of Christians, the freedom to choose virtue and holiness without undue temptation; America has long embraced the libertine freedom to choose sin over virtue. Practical considerations aside, Don't Ask, Don't Tell was always a happy aberration in our law, so it is no surprise that the Left and much of the Right are uniting to overturn it, and Senator Brown's brave opposition is a great credit to him. The Nation's Christians, and most especially its Roman Catholics, should know better than to support this offensive initiative, and recognize it as yet another effort to eliminate every trace of Christian morality from our law.

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If the first movement didn't make you happy, the second movement, I promise, will not fail to make you gay. A few hours ago, I finished an absolutely magnificent anime, a masterpiece in the tradition of Don Quixote and A Confederacy of Dunces. I speak, of course, of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. To bring in some Hindu terminology popularized by an irritating movie, Haruhi Suzumiya is no less than the latest avatar of the Ingenious Hidalgo, Ignatius Reilly, and even me, Crusader88. A flamboyant and gorgeous high school freshman who restyles her hair every day, Haruhi couldn't care less about guys, making friends, or normal activities--unless you're an alien, time-traveler, slider, or esper, she doesn't care about you! Enter Kyon. Attempting to engage the nonchalant femme, he suggests that, since she didn't like any of the established clubs, she start her own. And so, she founds the SOS Brigade, which stands for Save the World by Overloading it with Fun Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade (see, I told you you'd have a gay old time). Determined to solve mysteries and gain publicity for the SOS Brigade, Haruhi endeavors to make the world more interesting, and despite herself she inadvertently succeeds every time. If you feel like joining too (were I not so involved at Assumption, I could devote my time to founding an SOS Brigade-imaged anime and manga club, only with me as Ultra Director instead of Haruhi), the club pin's available from this fine (Arizona) anime accessories dealer for the low, low price of $1.25!

The two season anime is based on a light novel series I hope to begin soon. Cervantes and Toole in literary minimalism: I can't wait! And this being summer, you my dear reader have an excellent opportunity to start off with Episode 1. The show wasn't broadcast in chronological order, and is best watched in the same fashion. Yes indeedy, gotta watch that Episode 1. Perhaps because the series, which followed the light novels and manga, was a guaranteed success, this pilot episode is the best I've even seen--it simply must be seen to be believed (if you need more enticement still, it stars a buxom girl in a bunny suit). C'mon, it's summer! What else are you gonna do? Lie around in the kiddie pool? Watch Friends reruns? I insist that you have at least 25 free minutes. ***What are you waiting for?*** Accept Haruhi's cordial invitation and join in the SOS Brigade fun today!

Well, I am happy. Rand Paul won a decisive victory in the Kentucky senatorial primary. 58.8 to 35.4%. As Ron Paul's like-minded son, Rand is the ideal candidate (minus his support of term limits and pledge to serve just one or two terms; I'd rather he serve until the day he dies). His father won't be around forever; if he's pledge termed out, then who shall be the scourge of the neocons? Good luck to the man in the November race against the Democratic nominee, Jack Conway. The inquisitive and the charitable may locate his campaign site here.

I propose a second round of cheers for Joseph Sestak. Though Mr. Sestak was the leftmost gentleman in the Pennsylvania Democratic senatorial primary, I garner the greatest joy from his upset of Sen. Specter. Arlen Specter finally got what he deserved after all these years. As a conservative, his 2009 party switch (without which Obamacare could not have passed, remember) naturally earned my ire. Actually, I recently learned, that was NOT his first party switch. His first time was all the way back in 1965 after he won a local office as a Democrat. Given his politics, Specter, later instrumental in blocking the Bork nomination, should never have left the party. Impressed as I am by any politician whose service spans six decades, the irony of Specter, an author of the Single Bullet Theory, shooting one and then the other party in the back, and finally getting the belated boot from both is not to be missed. But enough about him. Patrick Toomey, long the presumptive Republican candidate, and a staunchly pro-family and anti-abortion Catholic conservative, tonight begins his campaign in earnest. His campaign site, characteristically steely and rough around the edges, is linked here.

While the result of the Pennsylvania district 12 race to replace John Murtha (†) is a disappointment, at least Mark Critz, the victorious Democrat, is avowedly pro-life and pro-gun. Perhaps he will end up being a palatable moderate in the mold of his predecessor.

This calls for a toast and a song. If anyone asks, mine's ginger ale. Since I know this is but the preface to a victory, I'll propose this jazzy, tempered number I found on YouTube (can't quite read the name; apparently Remilia Scarlet is the final boss in a video game and not the name).

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Due to unpopular demand (nagging) from disbelievers in Atobe's reality, and the fact that we won't have much in common until we return to Assumption, I have received his permission to do most of the summer's posting. Our favorite aristocrat of both the soul and the hedge fund welcomed the request. While his aforementioned costume party feat. Smile.dk was a smashing success, when word got out that the musicians performing the anime music video favorite "Butterfly" were in town, Atobe rues, "the unwashed workers and white collars of Tokyo arrived at our door en masse--wherefore might I turn them away? For I, Atobe, had promised them a party! As the soirée gradually descended into madness," he continued, "I, Atobe, could only watch as our estate was systematically trashed. As American middle class ruffians and irresponsibles will readily understand, when the folks returned from a weekend business meeting, the explaining to be done overwhelmed even my Ciceronian tongue. So yes, I am quite preoccupied for the moment." He did, however, offer a worthy insight into Richard Blumenthal's "misspoken" repeated claims of serving in Vietnam. "Though the only place I've served is on the court, Blumenthal's lies are just part of his longtime, concerted effort to ingrain himself into the VFW community, as his arrogant press conference demonstrates (my service, on the other hand, is worth the boast in its own right. Just check out my famed Tannhäuser Serve)."

A During the travails of finals, I'd forgotten such relaxation was possible. Though I had to finish my last two papers here, I've since settled into a happiness nourished by reading, writing, anime, and today a few new mangas. Stopped by a small downtown comic shop and picked up Shugo Chara! 4 and Godchild 7 for only $20; the proprietor didn't even charge sales tax as is the normal practice. As you can see from the Bleach 14 (an earlier gift), got the cure just in time.

I've been gradually reading Kaori Yuki's Godchild a while now, and its hard to believe in just one more volume, the series comes to an end. I cannot recommend the manga, which has no anime, highly enough, and all my praises here will surely be insufficient. My, it was well over a year ago I got hooked. As I browsed the then new-to-me manga section, I discovered Godchild, and taken in by its promise of an aristocratic protagonist, Cain, in a perpetual struggle against his thought-to-be-dead father's evil organization Delilah, the late Victorian setting, and the gothic style I bought it. Though I suffered a minor embarrassment when I discovered it was a shōjo (girl's) manga, the manga really proved exceptional. Ms. Yuki (left) actually visited England before she wrote Godchild, and verily, she didn't research in vain. Whereas many manga-ka use their marginal space to answer reader questions, or even to inform their (American) readers about their (Japanese) video gaming exploits--this always gives me a headache, thank you very much Natsuki Takaya--Yuki frequently illustrates relevant plants, insects, weapons, and other obscure artifacts. Other times, she provides extra background on the minor characters, for whom she's touchingly affectionate. The actual illustrating, as you can see from the frontpiece, is second to none; I hesitate to put even my favorite artists, Peach-Pit, on a par with Yuki. Like Peach-Pit (the duo that authors Rozen Maiden), her characters frequently sport that best of women's fashions, gothic lolita. Not only is it beautifully done, but it's done believably and sans the flashiness and excess which tempers many who actually sport the fashion. See for instance Cain's younger sister, Mary Weather. Isn't she darling?

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Wish the fair sex would really dress like that. Speaking of the real world, I cannot withhold my glee at the present state of politics. When I heard Senator Bob Bennett lost his primary in Utah, I knew we'd entered National Overtime~ a sudden death round where we can make quick amends for all the failures of the past. My, the two remaining Republican candidates for Senate are almost more right wing than I can believe. Tim Bridgewater, with the higher delegate count of the two, supports the repeal of the 16th Amendment (income tax--remember when that used to be a Ron Paul fringe position?), and the 17th Amendment (direct election of senators, on the grounds that indirectly senators would better represent the states rather than interest groups), and for pulling out of the UN. True, improving the Republican Senator from Utah is somewhat superfluous, but the good news doesn't end there. In West Virginia, 28-year Democratic incumbent Alan Mollohan just lost his primary to State Senator Michael Oliverio, who campaigned on his opposition to and desire to repeal Obamacare, which Mollohan supported. Usually, we've got to wait until November to kick the bums out.

Unfortunately, all is not so well in Massachusetts. Not only is Charles D. Baker, Jr., our useless liberal Republican nominee for governor, wasting his money on an unfair (and ungentlemanly) smear campaign against independent Tim Cahill (who's almost certainly more conservative than Baker, so I may end up voting for him), but our long (and rightly) unpopular governor, Deval Patrick, is unfathomably recovering in the polls. At least we still have many fine candidates for Congress. In Northampton's own district 2, I'm inclining toward Tom Wesley. He's a strong supporter of the Arizona illegal immigration law, and believe me, to run in Northampton's district on securing the borders takes guts! Cahill--his bold appearance befits a politician, though it's a bit disappointing after Ms. Yuki's illustrations, eh?--, I should note, favors the law, while Baker "has declined to offer detailed comments on the Arizona law." What has become of the Massachusetts Republican Party? Pity us, and pray for us.

The poolside arcade of the Atobe estate. Finals are over, and I just got back about a few hours ago, so now I can pursue some leisure reading, invite my old rivals over for a few sets and, as you Americans say, chill until the As roll in. (Leslie? No, he's still stuck at Assumption with a burdensome overload of finals for the moment, but he'll be fine. Upon the recommendation of a student government friend, seconded by yours truly, he's started reading David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest for some summer pages. To be sure, I haven't read the book--in fact, it doesn't even look very good!--but the author was a pro tennis player. Though he was before my time, word in the prefecture's that Ryoma's dad Nanjiro played him back in the day, and there's some tennis talk in the book. Plus, a friend gave him a free copy of the 1,000-pager, and even I understand that's a good incentive.)

Haven't been this happy since I was a chibi. But my life seems boring, did you say? You think I need to get away from Versailles once in a while and live it up? What should I say... I've never been much of a partyer. I did, I admit, wander over to SixMen a few times as a freshmen, and that was enough to disenchant me with bourgeois college culture. And besides, sake isn't too popular in America. But you're right: we aristocrats can get bored pent up here with none but servants, business associates, and washed-up The Prince of Tennis stars to chat with. Not much has happened around here since Kabaji's birthday party (as portrayed in A Gift from Atobe). Maybe this summer we'll hold a costume party!

My co-blogger, ever the inventive one, got in on the planning immediately. Generous of him, given I'm too stingy to pay his airfare so he ain't coming. But oh, how there was a falling out between us! Understand, Leslie is not born of nobles and men of quality as I am, so as I was mulling over the scores I might play, he immediately suggested Smile.dk's "Summer Party" for the music mix. That one got rejected pretty quickly. That number isn't even popular amongst, ahem, men of his own class. But then I relented. Why? He showed me this cute picture of the girls, Veronica Almqvist and Cecilia Reiskog. Aren't they dears, those Swedes? Heck, I even decided to invite them to the bash--though still not Leslie.

But for now, yes, it's time to unwind... but even as I relax by the pool with a Shirley Temple,

Be awed at the sight of my prowess!