Here’s a great PSA that my mother sent my from the Broward County Sheriff’s Department in Florida.
Very good advice when dealing with scum-sucking identity theives.
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Archive for the 'Politics and Law' Category
Religious fundamentalism scares the shit out of me. There, I said it again (or more correctly, wrote it again). And I’m not just talking about Islamic fundamentalists trying to destroy the American way of life in the name of their religion. I’m talking about Christian fundamentalists in our own country.
It is staggering the amount of complete crap that fundamentalists believe. Dinosaurs never existed. Evolution is a load of crap. Jesus is coming down to Earth to destroy sinners and bring the good Christians (or at least the Saved) back to their home in heaven. Or whatever freaky shit is truth in their minds.
And I don’t really give a crap if that is what they choose to believe. Hey, everyone has a right to their opinion, even if it is deluded and misguided and completely fucked. But what scares me is that they are teaching their children this load of hooey, and they are organized into a massive voting block that is directing political decisions at a national level.
George W. Bush would never be president if not for this powerful voting block. With their help, we now have a fundamentalist Christian president who actually bases decisions on his skewed morality from a religious upbringing. And that is downright scary shit.
Religion, in and of itself, is not a horrible thing. It’s not for me, but if some people get comfort from it, what’s the harm? Well, when people start believing that their religion is the “right” one, and that their job is to bring others under their wing or destroy them, that’s when religion becomes a perversion of the purpose of charity and salvation.
I just read a very interesting article on Joe Bageant’s web site about the popular “Left Behind” series of books. Joe, who was raised in a fundamentalist household, discusses how millions of Christian fundamentalists in the US take these Left Behind books as gospel. Yes, they believe these works of fiction are what the Rapture will be like when it happens. And they hope it happens soon.
As I get older, and hopefully wiser, I’ve come to realize just how harmful organized religion can be. Not only because of the violence and the sex scandals, but because these people are getting more and more insular in their beliefs. And they are raising children who are becoming more and more aggressive in their opinions about their beliefs, and how to deal with the “non-believers.”
As a moderate in my political beliefs, it frightens me how much this country has become fractured along lines of religious beliefs, as opposed to worrying about social issues like education, illegal immigration, and foreign policy. People are voting on single issues - abortion rights, gun control, prayer in schools, etc. And unless some of the more moderate among us step up and start airing our opinions (me included), then we’re going to be facing an ever-increasing number of religious nutcakes who are dictating our national policies.
I guess I should do something about this. But, then again, the Simpson’s are on at 7:30… Oh well.
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I just found this great blog post about the “Monkeysphere.” In his “Pointless Waste of Time” blog, David Wong talks about our incapacity to think of other humans beyond our direct sphere of 150 people. Based on Darwinian biology, humans are incapable of thinking of other people as individuals beyond the 150 or so people we know directly. That’s how we can say things like, “Man, I really hate that group of people (insert derogatory term of your choice).”
Basically, the post is a call to stop thinking of people in terms of stereotypes, and try to bring our thinking of people beyond our spheres of influence as individuals. I’m sure there are plenty of people who think I’m a jerk, but I’ve caught myself ranting about some faceless driver on the highway in a way that I would never even consider if I was sitting across a table from them.
Here’s the link:
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I finished all the crap I needed to do to get my taxes done by my accountant last night. So I celebrated by doing a little dance:
You can find out more about the song, “American Things” by Scott Andrew, at Scott’s website at www.scottandrew.com.
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I have very rarely been as touched as when I was at Smokey Bones and heard the news of Pat Tillman’s death in Afghanistan serving in the armed forces. This is a story of true bravery, and I have a tough time typing these words.
Whether you believe in what is going on or not with the US in the Middle East, Pat Tillman took a stand and decided that he needed to support the US by joining the military after the September 11th attacks. His personal sacrifice is one of the many that have happened in the war on terrorism during the last 24 months. Regardless of politics, when young men die in the honor of our country, I feel there is nothing more that I can do than try to support their decision and send my best wishes to their family and friends.
I didn’t know Pat Tillman, but I mourn his loss and wish that there our world was one where this kind of tragedy did not have to happen. There is nothing that should lead to the loss of such a brave soul, and people should realize that there is nothing that separates us that justifies taking another life.
People are people. All of you are my brothers. And just like you argue with your family, there’s no reason for the killing or the hate. It’s just life, and life is all that matters. I truly love all human beings, and no matter what I might say or do, I believe everyone has an equal footing on this planet. I’m not a religious man, but I do believe in love, and as the Beatle’s say, “love is all I need.”
Peace,
Chuck
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Wow, I haven’t posted anything since St. Patty’s Day! I’ve been neglecting you poor slobs, and I should be chastised soundly. But since I never hear from any of you, I’ll just act like nothing happened.
I’ve been busy for a few weeks, watching the War in Iraq (or Operation Free Iraq if you prefer). I was a little skeptical about the war at first, but I definitely have a feeling that we’re going to find that Saddam Hussein turns out to be one of the worst despots in history. I hate to see any loss of loss - American or Iraqi - but in the long-run, the Iraqi people will be much better off with a new government and the opportunity for freedom.
What has amazed me is the turn of events over the last day or two. Iraqis now seem to be coming out of their shells and realizing that Saddam is finally going to be out of their lives forever. The shift in atmosphere is almost palpable, and the spontaneous outbursts of joy, and looting, are a welcome site from a region that has long been very anti-American. I just hope we don’t botch the reconstruction efforts and worsen Arab/American relationships.
I think there is a real opportunity to show the Arab world just what Americans are about - freedom, justice, and equality. With the right moves in building a new Iraqi government, I think we can foster some good will in the region that will hopefully carry over into other countries. I don’t know what it is that the region most hates about America, but I do know that deep-down, people are people and we are not all that different. I know I’m not trying to destroy Islam, and I believe (as in the Declaration of Independence) that all men are created equal.
I’ll keep watching, and hoping, that the war is over soon, and our troops are able to come home to their families and friends ASAP. There is one thing I feel we all need to acknowledge - America’s armed forces continue to be the biggest insurance we have for maintaining the freedoms Americans have come to enjoy over the last 225+ years. No matter what your stance on the war is, our military is what has given us the ability to openly express our opinions, and I respect the sacrifices these brave men and women have to make. And please, remember the sacrifices of their families and friends. Some of them won’t see their loved ones for quite a long time (or ever).
Until next time - Peace!
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It’s not very often that someone puts into writing what many of us good, honest folks are thinking. Here, in an article titled, How to Ruin American Enterprise, Ben Stein (of Ferris Bueller and Win Ben Stein’s Money fame) articulates thoughts on how we’re going down the road to ruining this great, capitalist society our forefather’s worked so hard to build. I for one am sick and tired of the litigious and politically-correct bent our society has taken in the last 20 or so years, and would love a return to common sense. Read the article, and if you get as fired up about it as I did, then send me an email today.
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