There is no doubt now that the April 15th Tea Parties were the brain step child of the Republican Party. To boost the event(s) and pull people into the parks and streets, Fox News talked them up and sent their conservative “news” commentators to them. Sure people are angry, upset and fearful of spending but from all that I’ve heard and read about these Tea Parties, there were many different reasons for people to be there.
Just like the Republican Party, the teabaggers couldn’t even agree on what they were protesting. Some were protesting taxes, some the deficit spending, and others simply Barack Obama and whatever he did. There were those who questioned his birth certificate, those who wanted their country back from the socialist abyss and some who seemed terrified of the threat of fascism, Marxism, communism or terrorism. You name it, that’s what we all need to fear.
Now it seems to me that the Republicans are simply looking for a way back into the political arena. Obviously they jumped the shark at the last election. The lies and dirty campaigning tactics on top of eight years of disaster were too much for Americans. Republican votes consisted of hard line straight ticket voters, right wing religious fanatics, Fox News watchers and racists. A good portion of their votes as usual were based on fear. And now they’ve since lost and because they lost they’re only recourse is more name calling and more fear.
The Republicans have become the party of no, the party of constant criticism and the party of inspiring revolution. President Obama has remarkable support and still an approval rating in the high 60’s. I think the Republicans are the ones drowning in fear themselves. They’re afraid of losing their power, afraid of change and afraid of taking any steps beyond the same old beliefs, rhetoric and platforms they’ve always stood on. They depend on their narrow minded base which is shrinking at an alarming rate.
Democrats have had three short months to try to get us moving in the right direction. I say let them show what they can do. But unfortunately Americans aren’t a patient people. They want improved infrastructure, adequate health care, freedom from foreign oil, the best educated people in the world, yet they complain about taxes? Even worse, they complain about taxes when they’ve been given a tax cut!
President Obama is trying to give us what we asked for, what we voted for. I say let’s give him a chance to do that.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
To The Right
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would oppose same sex marriage. As you said "in the eyes of God marriage is based between a man a woman." I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination... End of debate.
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves,both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself,or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?
7. Lev.21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Yours truly,
From The Left
I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.
1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves,both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanness - Lev.15: 19-24. The problem is how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself,or should I ask the police to do it?
6. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Are there 'degrees' of abomination?
7. Lev.21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?
8. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
9. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
10. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Yours truly,
From The Left
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Random Saturday
I recently read a blog on how to blog. I've read so many that I don't recall which one it was but I do remember some of the advice. You're not supposed to use big words and try to sound smart. Apparently we're already smart or we wouldn't be blogging. I'm not sure that I agree fully with that assessment and if I did would that make me pretentious? (Is that word too big? Will I become self conscious now about how many letters per word I'm writing?)
The second piece of advice had something to do with just make it interesting for people to read. Easier said than done if you ask me. Here I am on a "random Saturday" just writing away with no plan or agenda in mind. How interesting is that?
I did notice in my limited entries that I never did state why I'm doing this in the first place. So maybe I'll explain my intentions. That might be slightly difficult since my intentions change with various types of posts.
As you may have noticed I do like to write so this is a nice little outlet for that penchant. "Through My Eyes" really is my intention; to state what I'm thinking about sundry pieces of the pie world. I'm interested and appalled by politics and, of course, I have my own view. I thought, in that respect I would just give my little singular opinion as I see it or in other words how this political climate is seen through the eyes of an ordinary citizen. Warning, I'm a lefty. Not just because, but because the right hearted conservatives are not the people I agree with on most matters; plus they lie a lot...I tend to fact check almost everything. I don't like liars. I don't like greedy, self serving liars in particular. Religious fanatics is anothe topic.
Back to random Saturday then. I was ecstatic this morning at 4 a.m. when I finally found all my tax papers. I panicked yesterday when I couldn't find them and had been searching almost non-stop for two days. This forced me to practically chain smoke my way through the ordeal. I finally found them in a folder where I never put them but did so because I wanted to ensure that I'd know where they were this year. So much for being organized. Being organized has been a life long dream of mine, one that is always just out of reach. I realized as I was searching that if I put all the loose papers and crap in one big pile it would be taller than I am. I'm only 5'3" but that's still a mightly high pile. I'm a professed packrat and a bit of a perfectionist believe it or not. That's a ridiculous combination of characteristics really. It compounds the angst everytime I fail to find what I'm looking for, everytime I pay a bill late because I either forgot it or can't find it, etc. etc. etc. You get the picture.
The bright side of this all about me saga is that in my quest to find my tax papers I cleaned, sorted, shredded, filed every scrap of paper in my office area. (Purveying my sparkling desk and bookcases with much pride, however misplaced.) Good grief, not missplaced but rather accidental. That would be more appropriate.
So for now this is my entry until I get either a penchant or a passion for the next. :)
The second piece of advice had something to do with just make it interesting for people to read. Easier said than done if you ask me. Here I am on a "random Saturday" just writing away with no plan or agenda in mind. How interesting is that?
I did notice in my limited entries that I never did state why I'm doing this in the first place. So maybe I'll explain my intentions. That might be slightly difficult since my intentions change with various types of posts.
As you may have noticed I do like to write so this is a nice little outlet for that penchant. "Through My Eyes" really is my intention; to state what I'm thinking about sundry pieces of the pie world. I'm interested and appalled by politics and, of course, I have my own view. I thought, in that respect I would just give my little singular opinion as I see it or in other words how this political climate is seen through the eyes of an ordinary citizen. Warning, I'm a lefty. Not just because, but because the right hearted conservatives are not the people I agree with on most matters; plus they lie a lot...I tend to fact check almost everything. I don't like liars. I don't like greedy, self serving liars in particular. Religious fanatics is anothe topic.
Back to random Saturday then. I was ecstatic this morning at 4 a.m. when I finally found all my tax papers. I panicked yesterday when I couldn't find them and had been searching almost non-stop for two days. This forced me to practically chain smoke my way through the ordeal. I finally found them in a folder where I never put them but did so because I wanted to ensure that I'd know where they were this year. So much for being organized. Being organized has been a life long dream of mine, one that is always just out of reach. I realized as I was searching that if I put all the loose papers and crap in one big pile it would be taller than I am. I'm only 5'3" but that's still a mightly high pile. I'm a professed packrat and a bit of a perfectionist believe it or not. That's a ridiculous combination of characteristics really. It compounds the angst everytime I fail to find what I'm looking for, everytime I pay a bill late because I either forgot it or can't find it, etc. etc. etc. You get the picture.
The bright side of this all about me saga is that in my quest to find my tax papers I cleaned, sorted, shredded, filed every scrap of paper in my office area. (Purveying my sparkling desk and bookcases with much pride, however misplaced.) Good grief, not missplaced but rather accidental. That would be more appropriate.
So for now this is my entry until I get either a penchant or a passion for the next. :)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Stones
And all the men form groups of six and curl fingers around sharp angled stones. They throw them with vengeance and anger at the couched figure they call blame, shouting expletives and accusations at the bowed and faltering enemy built by them, for them, just for this very self indulgent sport.
The scent of bloodlines is heavy in the dusty arid air, the men becoming more frenzied as the one they call apparent heir is in despair. They are protecting their own futures after all. The man they are killing is them and they neither know nor want to know the way to save him from themselves.
Fear knows no boundaries and no generosity. It knows no leniency and no love. Fear knows no one but the cowards’ frantic need to wrap the familiar around itself and it permeates the earth much like the lash of the ocean teasing itself with going ashore. The killing becomes raucous, cacophonous, ribald and filled with sweat. The smell of fear is stronger than all the blood spilled in its name.
When the last breath is breathed by the body that is named difference, the men are relieved and sure again. Sure that nothing will change and that the unknown will not threaten their sameness and their firm hold on what is real. And the ground is wet with blood, sweat and the truth of men.
The scent of bloodlines is heavy in the dusty arid air, the men becoming more frenzied as the one they call apparent heir is in despair. They are protecting their own futures after all. The man they are killing is them and they neither know nor want to know the way to save him from themselves.
Fear knows no boundaries and no generosity. It knows no leniency and no love. Fear knows no one but the cowards’ frantic need to wrap the familiar around itself and it permeates the earth much like the lash of the ocean teasing itself with going ashore. The killing becomes raucous, cacophonous, ribald and filled with sweat. The smell of fear is stronger than all the blood spilled in its name.
When the last breath is breathed by the body that is named difference, the men are relieved and sure again. Sure that nothing will change and that the unknown will not threaten their sameness and their firm hold on what is real. And the ground is wet with blood, sweat and the truth of men.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
G20 and Friday Radio
I watched a good portion of the events and speeches of the G20 Summit Conference and I felt so very proud of President Obama, the substance of his remarks, and the way he delivered them. I felt a sincere hope that we would over time renew the respect that we once enjoyed in Europe.
As a counterpoint to that pride and pleasure at watching our new President and his First Lady in an international setting, I was genuinely frustrated and annoyed, though not surprised, at the critique by the right wing conservatives of these more than encouraging events. Media Matters brought attention to just one of their sins of omission: Media Matters
I bring attention to their sins of commission, namely the Limbaugh and Hannity radio shows:
I won’t go into this at length. You can find out the total content elsewhere but on Fridays both Limbaugh and Hannity elect to have “call in” day. Just a brief opinion:
LIMBAUGH this Friday said that Monday through Thursday he talks about the subjects of his choice so that he doesn’t have to put up with stuff that bores him. On Friday I guess he suffers his boredom stoically so that his 20 million listeners (not in this lifetime) can have an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns. Of course that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t dominate the conversation anyway. The highlights of my 10 minutes or so of listening gleaned that Limbaugh’s criticism of President Obama was that he did everything all wrong and was just being tolerated particularly by France’s President, Nicholas Sarkozy, and German Chancellor , Angela Merkle. He went on to say that Merkel is skeptical of Obama’s whole personality. After finding copious fault with President Obama’s words and demeanor at the G20 Summit he went on to say that he didn’t watch it because it was only a dog and pony show. He accused Obama of giving up America’s sovereignty adding , “He [Obama} handed them quite a lot of America.” Thanks Rush, for critiquing someone else’s critique…AP I think it was, since you couldn’t be bothered to watch actual history. Before the commercial he was making these Daffy Duck sounds..I couldn’t quite figure it out for sure.
HANNITY also on Friday took callers. I could only stand listening to one. Anyway I didn’t linger there for very long. FYI, if you’re not familiar with Hannity’s call in hour, he invariably gets angry at any caller who even slightly disagrees with him and hangs up on them. This particular Friday I just couldn’t take the over talking which he does to anyone who finds fault with or questions the right. Why have callers if you don’t let them speak? Oh right, to further your own agenda. Never mind.
Usually I just switch to NPR. I enjoyed listening to the Terry Gross/Leonard Cohen interview. When asked about desire and passion changing in his songwriting over time, Mr. Cohen replied: “Passion fades because one isn’t as welcome in the garden.” What a great almost whimsical, yet somber, quote! Friday’s show: Fresh Air
As a counterpoint to that pride and pleasure at watching our new President and his First Lady in an international setting, I was genuinely frustrated and annoyed, though not surprised, at the critique by the right wing conservatives of these more than encouraging events. Media Matters brought attention to just one of their sins of omission: Media Matters
I bring attention to their sins of commission, namely the Limbaugh and Hannity radio shows:
I won’t go into this at length. You can find out the total content elsewhere but on Fridays both Limbaugh and Hannity elect to have “call in” day. Just a brief opinion:
LIMBAUGH this Friday said that Monday through Thursday he talks about the subjects of his choice so that he doesn’t have to put up with stuff that bores him. On Friday I guess he suffers his boredom stoically so that his 20 million listeners (not in this lifetime) can have an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns. Of course that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t dominate the conversation anyway. The highlights of my 10 minutes or so of listening gleaned that Limbaugh’s criticism of President Obama was that he did everything all wrong and was just being tolerated particularly by France’s President, Nicholas Sarkozy, and German Chancellor , Angela Merkle. He went on to say that Merkel is skeptical of Obama’s whole personality. After finding copious fault with President Obama’s words and demeanor at the G20 Summit he went on to say that he didn’t watch it because it was only a dog and pony show. He accused Obama of giving up America’s sovereignty adding , “He [Obama} handed them quite a lot of America.” Thanks Rush, for critiquing someone else’s critique…AP I think it was, since you couldn’t be bothered to watch actual history. Before the commercial he was making these Daffy Duck sounds..I couldn’t quite figure it out for sure.
HANNITY also on Friday took callers. I could only stand listening to one. Anyway I didn’t linger there for very long. FYI, if you’re not familiar with Hannity’s call in hour, he invariably gets angry at any caller who even slightly disagrees with him and hangs up on them. This particular Friday I just couldn’t take the over talking which he does to anyone who finds fault with or questions the right. Why have callers if you don’t let them speak? Oh right, to further your own agenda. Never mind.
Usually I just switch to NPR. I enjoyed listening to the Terry Gross/Leonard Cohen interview. When asked about desire and passion changing in his songwriting over time, Mr. Cohen replied: “Passion fades because one isn’t as welcome in the garden.” What a great almost whimsical, yet somber, quote! Friday’s show: Fresh Air
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