Via the Weasel Zippers and Say Anything, behold the latest in blogospheric outrage: Democrats refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance! In this case, though, the context actually improves the story. This takes place in Albany, where the New York state Senate remains locked in a power struggle in an evenly divided chamber. Rather than an insult to American patriotism, the Democrats here engaged in an insult to the intelligence of New Yorkers:

Is petulance the highest form of patriotism? After all, according to the Democratic leader of the California assembly, dissent is apparently now terrorism.  Maybe the Democrats on the other coast want to make tantrums and sandbox tactics into democracy.

In this case, the refusal to stand comes as the culmination of a series of childish gestures.  One member plays exies no erasies with the podium, while her colleagues try to make the chamber into the Democratic Club playhouse (no Republican cooties allowed!).  When Republicans try to start the session on their own terms, the Democrats refuse to acknowledge their authority to do so — which is why they remained seated, except for one Democrat, who got pulled back down by his desk partner.

Maybe it’s time for New Yorkers to send blankies to their state Senate and insist that their elected representatives take nap time, followed by lessons on sharing.  Everything these people know, they learned in kindergarten — or maybe pre-school.