Ellis Weiner Dogs The Religious Reich!

Ellis Weiner of National Lampoon and Spy infamy sends the snark to "Embattled Christians" at HuffPo. This Weiner dogging is especially good when he writes

But we do hear from Tom DeLay, and for that we can be thankful. Because all men know that when the Hammer opens his mouth, hilarity and moral hi-jinx must ensue. Thus, the article quotes DeLay, "'We are after all a society that abides abortion on demand, that has killed millions of innocent children, that degrades the institution of marriage and often treats Christianity like some second-rate superstition. Seen from this perspective, of course there is a war on Christianity.'"

"Of course"--this is why I love you guys. The sheer epic scope of the intellectual dishonesty, equating having an abortion with waging war on an entire religion. The "culture of life" double standard which denounces the experimental use of blastocysts in a Petri dish as "murder" but stands up and cheers for the bombing of actual, sentient (and innocent) women and children. The smug, presumptive custodianship of "the institution of marriage." It would take the love child of Moliere and Mark Twain to do you justice.

As for our living in a society which "often treats Christianity like some second-rate superstition," well, DeLay may be many things, but stupid he isn't. He knows how to flatter his audience. He knows--in fact everyone except you, dear Defamed Christians, knows--that evangelicals are never so happy as when they feel they are being ill-used. You could institute your hideous brand of All-Christian America on Tuesday and on Wednesday you'd resume bitching about how oppressed you are. What else do you have to do for fun? I mean real fun. Oh, sure, you've got alcoholism, spousal abuse, pederasty, swinging, drug taking, adultery, gambling, gluttony, home entertainment, video games, pop music, pornography, and golf, like the rest of us.

But they're not enough. They don't make you better than everybody else, and isn't that what you really want? To (like your mirror selves, the Islamic jihadists) feel superior to a modern world that, you think, disdains you and scorns your faith?

If the meaning of Einstein's discoveries just bounces off your helpless brains; if the Hubble doesn't send back pictures of the angels in Heaven but, instead, of just more and more space; if evolution threatens to mean that you're not Daddy's special child after all; if rock 'n' roll (to say nothing of hip-hop) and movies and art are just too loud or rude or nihilistic or perplexing; if the contemporary secular world (as seen on TV!) is a no-fault orgy to which you assume you weren't invited and would be intimidated to attend if you were; if everything our culture presents as objectively true is a threat to what you subjectively feel--well, who wouldn't want to take shelter in a self-righteous, morally elitist victimhood?

Your brand of Christianity has nothing to do with JC and the Sermon on the Mount (which, as Leonard Cohen admits, "I don't pretend to understand at all") and everything to do with cultural resentment, sexual repression, and sheer existential terror at the complexities of the real, modern world. Whoever doubts that need only read your Dispensationalist writings that set forth, in loving wacko detail, the bloody revenge fantasy that is the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming.

This bizarre combination of the surreal, the arbitrary, and the sadistic, is literally what you live for; until the happy day that billions of us are destroyed, all you can do is wallow in your (bogus) "persecution" and assure each other that, sooner or later(and maybe tomorrow!) we sinners will feel the sting of His divine wrath and you "Saints of the Church" will be airlifted to paradise.

So let me close with one minor correction. Christianity, at least as practiced by you conferees and the poor ignorant bastards that you fleece in your various religious and political flocks, is not (pace DeLay) a "second-rate superstition." It's an absolutely first-rate superstition. I find it endlessly entertaining in a morally appalling and ultra-fun way, and I won't hear a word against it.

Here's the WaPo coverage of the "War on Christians and the Values Voters in 2006." And one must mention that Salon tackled The Hammer and his like minded tools as well. I guess God wanted Katherine Harris somewhere else than this conference? Peace ... or War!

An Alabama Rapist Rights Bill?

I noticed today that Alabama Legislators Republican Senator Hank Erwin and Representative Nick Williams have each recently introduced a bill to ban abortions except when the life of the mother was in danger. These proposals are similar to legislation banning essentially all abortions that passed in South Dakota last month. They do not include exceptions for rape or incest. Senator Erwin was quoted as saying, “I don’t think you need to penalize the unborn child when something like that happens.” Gudrun Shultz of LifeSite reported

It is unlikely either of the bills will pass this year. Democrat representatives dominate both the Senate and the House. Supporters of the bill are anticipating a growth in Republican control of the Alabama House and Senate in this year’s elections, however, and say they intend to keep working towards a pro-life victory.

“I think you will see in every session from this day forward a South Dakota-type abortion ban bill,” said John Giles, president of the Christian Coalition of Alabama.

A woman's womb will soon be the property of the State of Alabama if these right wing radicals have their way. I want abortion to be legal, safe, and rare but foundationally I am recognizing that a woman has the right to make choices involving her own body. Peace ... or War!

Drug Free Zones Don't Work & Are Not Fair!

The Justice Policy Institute, a "nonprofit research and public policy organization dedicated to ending society’s reliance on incarceration", has released a report entitled "Disparity by Design: How drug-free zone laws impact racial disparity – and fail to protect youth” that shows these laws on creating "drug free zones" aren't effective nor are they fair. These laws are especially unfair to persons of color! While many laws involved a thousand feet radius around schools or housing authorities, Alabama has stretched it to a ridiculous three miles radiating out from schools, including colleges, plus housing authorities where enhancements of five years each, that I believe must be served consecutively rather than concurrently, apply. Of course even for a first offense of sale that is a class B Felony making a two year sentence applicable without any enhancements via priors. So you are looking at a minimum twelve years. See Code of Alabama 13A-12-250 and 270 for the details but often with my clients both seemed to apply.

The Birmingham News Carla Crowder covered the report pointing out that these areas are twenty-seven miles! Tip of the Tam to Wheeler at Alablawg! Ms. Crowder writes

University of Alabama research has found that teen drug use has increased since the law passed. In 1988, about 15 percent of boys and 10 percent of girls reported having used drugs, according to the most recent Alabama Adolescent Survey available. By 2001, 32 percent of boys and 17 percent of girls said they had used illegal drugs.

Given the failed "War on Drugs", tackled rather recently via an impressive work by Hypatia at Glenn Greewald's Unclaimed Territory and even Walter Cronkite, it would seem that Progressive reforms might be somewhat well received, even in Alabama. The Prison-Industrial Complex is certainly an issue for Alabama and to continue to spend so much and face environmental consequences and soceital chaos seems like poor policy. Peace ... or War!

Progressive Kids - Make One for the Team!

Ruth Conniff at The Progressive helped me think about child care, birth rates, work, policy, capitalism, more kids ... with her "Stop Feeding the Work Monster" She writes several things that struck me as especially interesting such as,

In Foreign Policy Magazine--www.foreignpolicy.com--Phillip Longman, a fellow at the New America Foundation, writes that liberals, secular humanists, and feminists are going extinct. The reason is that people with liberal values are having no children, or only one, while conservatives and fundamentalists are breeding like mad--and creating a far more conservative future. "This dynamic helps explain, for example, the gradual drift of American culture away from secular individualism and toward religious fundamentalism. Among states that voted for President Bush in 2004, fertility rates are 12 percent higher than in states that voted for Sen. John Kerry," Longman writes. ...

There's not much we can do about the demographic trends. But at the very least, before it's too late, we dwindling numbers of feminists and progressives need to get our act together and start arguing for a more humane, child-friendly society instead of taking the side of profit-mad business, which is in no danger of losing its hold on power, and certainly doesn't need any help from us.

Quoting former New York Times Economics reporter Anne Crittenden, Mr. Culliff also wrote,

"Caring for children or elderly parents isn't just a lifestyle decision; it's a societal necessity." Yet the American corporate model of work demands that your loyalty to your employer come before any such human concerns. "In many industries the ideal worker continues to be someone who has no family (or is willing to act like it)." Not surprisingly, mothers don't find the tradeoff worth it. Some find that asking for a more flexible work schedule, in exchange for less pay, means not just resentment or condescension but being fired. It doesn't have to be this way "Studies show countries with family-friendly policies, like paid leave and universal preschool, have less of a wage gap because women can combine paid work with family time."

Good writing and good thinking! Indeed the rough edges of our current globalized hyper-capitalism has to be tempered with wise policy. The Bu$hCo Theocracy claims to care about family values yet this sort of kid friendly approach is rejected by many from the right. I'm unable to supply another lefty kid right now but if I can find a sharp and sexy young liberal that has a thing for seasoned Scots I'd be willing to work at balancing the demographics. Make one for the Team! Peace ... or War!

The Conservative Movement Starts Where?

Mercy if this discovery doesn't frighten me. Young America's Foundation was located via Crazy as a Run Over Dog Ann Coulter's site (I was slumming!) and of course I open the page and there's Ann and Newt and ... The site had one especially bizarre piece from Ruth Malhotra entitled "The Feminist Mistake" citing the aged but effective reichwinger Phyllis Schlafly that made me want to cry. Feminism, hardly as this young woman has been warped into thinking, is simply about equality and civil rights. I think the Conservative Movement starts with fear and ignorance and greed and hate. It ends I hope with courage and enlightenment and sharing and love. Peace ... or War!

So I'm a Crazy Extremist Person?

DarkSyde at Kos gives us something to add a post from yesterday regarding SCIENCE and other reality-based views. DarkSyde writes,

Daily Kos and other progressive venues have been attacked by right-wing ideologues who describe us as 'crazy or 'extremist'. Yet, the progressive base believes the rule of law applies to everyone, that science trumps wishful thinking, that our Constitution matters, and that the War in Iraq was based on lies and has been run by incompetent civilian leaders at the highest level.

Indeed Bu$hCo and many conservatives come across as plain whacked when it comes down to why they believe as they do. One view of "liberalism" that I've always liked is that we hold our views tenuously in that we are open to new approaches based on new evidence and conditions. Conservatives often stick to their views as that is essentially what conservatism is about, namely holding tight in the face of change. Peace ... or War!

Scientists Locate New Big Bang Evidence

Scientists! NASA data has been analyzed by a team of researchers suggesting that our universe began about 13.7 billion years ago according to this report provided by The Washington Post by Guy Gugliotta. NASA's top climactic change scientist James Hansen was recently screaming of having been muzzled of course so it is good to see scientist back in the fray. NASA just last week released new images (and some striking ones here) that strongly support that we are in a real mess with climate change. Maybe the creationist whackos can get Our Leader to bomb NASA as practice for Iran? Bu$h has to keep the base happy to perhaps hold above 30% so Rove just might let him. Bu$h - The Last Relativist. Peace ... or War!

What's the Matter with Kansas? Sex ed!

I've written previously on the work of Thomas Frank and especially "What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America" and highly suggest this work. (Buy it through my click through banners on the left of Captain Plaid please!) Kansas has lately given us such stellar Senators as Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback. And who can forget long time Kansas leader Bob Dole working for Viagra and other entities also perhaps interested in screwing America.

Farhod Manjoo via the Broadsheet at Salon (possibly the Premium version yet I think they'll give you a day pass or something in the event you've not yet gotten hooked) writes on "Kansas wise new sex-ed policy". Kansas has barely passed an "opt in" form of sex-education for public school students. Very snarky and dead on, except for the balding, overweight teachers teaching Geography. I'm not overweight! Balding yes but "Shine is fine!" is my story. Whenever sex comes up in my classes I am always amazed at how ignorant many are of the basics of biology and disease and pretty much anything else. We better teach them something! Peace ... or War.

The Left on Real Men and Real Thinking!

Yesterday I posted at Captain Bama a reply to The Atlanta Journal Constitution Republican shill that I titled "Jim Wooten's Wrong Thinking". At the tail end of this post I went after the Parent's Television Council and the FCC for their approach to "indecency". Surely there is much junk on TV, and that is simply looking at "air" channels. The PTC is truly wanting to get into the cable channels and they've got several in Congress that are wanting the same. I do think there is much hypocrisy and probably much political posturing at work with the PTC and the clearly partisan Media Research Center where PTC's L. Brent Bozell does his harshest work in the "culture wars".

Today I'd like to drop another link where you see another way a Progressive leftist resource tackles TV. In These Times, whichh I get in print to boot, gives us Lakshmi Chaudhry's "Men Growing Up to be Boys : Madison Avenue cultivates a Peter Pan version of masculinity". Notice the contrasts with how the right looks at serious and complex issues. No blasting of the liberals but a take on popular culture that recognizes corporate America's role in shaping the culture. Ms. Chaudhry sends us to other such as writing,

Susan Faludi foreshadowed the rise of the metrosexual in her 1999 book, Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man, which describes an “ornamental culture” that tells men “manhood is displayed, not demonstrated. The internal qualities once said to embody manhood—sure-footedness, inner strength, confidence of purpose—are merchandised to men to enhance their manliness.

She also writes,

As Neil Chethik, author of the newly published book VoiceMale: What Husbands Really Think About Their Marriages, Their Wives, Sex, Housework, and Commitment, found, most American men—the flesh-and-blood variety—embrace their roles as fathers and husbands. “I found in my research that the values of duty, honor, and taking responsibility are far from forgotten by men in our culture,” Chethik says. “Certainly, most men struggle to fulfill the ideals they set for themselves in this area. But they recognize that being a ‘real man’ requires that they are honest and respectful and willing to sacrifice. I saw this among men who worked at jobs they didn’t love, who took care of an ill spouse or child, who helped in their communities without recognition or compensation. There are millions of such men.”

American men may be doing their best to figure out what it means to be a man in the 21st century, but it’s no accident that these men—and more importantly, their sons—aren’t getting much help from the larger culture. “Consumerism wants to make us as atomized as possible—because the more individualized we are the better consumers we are,” ... “This is why masculinity is so fragmented today and incoherent—and irresponsible. It used to be the tradition. Literally passed down from father to son. But we live in a society where tradition stands in the way of profit. So bye-bye daddy.”

Great thinking piece that I'll stew on yet isn't this a radical departure from simply railing against liberals in Hollywood to actually dare consider how the right's beloved market and corporate profits might have a role in this mess of a society. This "culture war" might be considered a false war with corporate America happy to see the ReThuglicans in power with the voters stirred up by all these orgnaizations. We know this modern GOP seems all about taking care of the Big Mules and staying in power when it comes down to the nut cutting.

Let us change the culture but it is hardly done via the tactics of the GOP and the Reich Wing. Progressivism and Liberalism and Intellectualism and ... might at least merit a shot at the problem. Truly concerned parties from both left and right could probably find much common ground yet the ReThuglicans of today simply fight dirty. Bu$h struts around an aircraft carrier and in front of vetted venues and acts like a stud. Simple talking points on "terrorism" and "compassionate conservatism" and ... but he can still barely string together a coherent sentence. Faced with the 2004 election the GOP's hidden operatives swift boat and steer the so called liberal media spinning of an actual war hero into a wimpy hippie metrosexual flip-flopper that looks French. Indeed John Kerry gave them some ammo with the windsurfing and Botox and Lambeau Field and ... yet Rove and his minions hardly needed those gaffes. They waxed Max Cleland in GA after he'd worked with them to get Agribusiness lawyer/lobbyist Saxby Chambliss into his Senate seat. They are a cabal. Worst administration ever! They make Nixon look like a choirboy! Yet the "culture war" remains one of their most solid resources for keeping them in power. Peace ... or War!

"Values Voters" Seek Theocracy!

SusanG at Kos gives us "Christian Right to GOP: Enough is NEVER Enough" where she lays the wood to these Evangelical loons. They are truly frightening and they seem to want a theocracy indeed. Peace ... or War!

Good Christians Like Tom DeLay and ...

Vision America is holding a DC conference in March that is titled "The War on Christians and the Values Voter in 2006" and one speaker is Hot Tub Tom DeLay. Maybe Gary Bauer can rally the faithful around former Bu$hCo Domestic Policy Advisor Claude Allen before his trial? I'd like them to discuss "Tax Exemptions for Political Organizations" yet I'm guessing "activist judges" like Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be a major theme. Ironically Texas Senator John Cornyn will be there to issue even more "subtle" instructions on taking out judges perhaps. Another theme will be gays! And Hollywood! And porn! And the sanctity of human life! Peace ... or War!

A Contrarian's Christ? Meet an ornery Scot!

David Gates of Newsweek gives us a take on Garry Wills's new book "What Jesus Meant". Mr. Gates writes that the work,

... should affront most of his fellow Christians—right from the foreword, which argues that Christ was not one of them. The megachurch set won't care to hear that "Jesus did not come to replace the Temple with other buildings, whether huts or rich cathedrals." The Christian left, committed to good works, won't care to hear that Jesus "does not work miracles from humanitarian motives." The Christian right, cozy with secular power, won't care to hear that "if they want the state to be politically Christian, they are not following Jesus." Pope Benedict XVI really won't care to hear that he, "like his predecessors, is returning to the religion that Jesus renounced, with all its paraphernalia of priesthood." What parishioner of any denomination wants to hear that the Gospels are "a deep threat to the institutional church," since Jesus opposed "just about every form of religion we know"?

You can read more about the book at Powell's or Amazon or B&N or ... Please buy it via Captain Plaid (click through buttons to the left on main blog) so I'll get a cut. We can hardly find this type of view in our stale and static doctrines around here. I really would like to see a Unitarian Universalist Church close enough for it to have a community feel. I often ponder going to the local Episcopal church as they are possibly the closest thing we've got. Until I quit hearing so much literalism (and especially rank fundamentalism!) I'll seldom darken the door. Bhuddism is attractive in some ways as well. And then again Vonnegut's Bokononism might work just as well. Eclectics unite? Peace ... NOT War!

No Room for Jimi Cap?

The lack of room is not because you've got so much porn and/or sex toys in your nightstand or bedside table! No Room for Contraception (Always room for love!) has declared combat on condoms ... and all contraceptives. Imagine if their vision comes true ... There will be no room for all the children! Schools and day care centers will be packed. Families once barely surviving on two wage earner incomes will make it so there is no room in the welfare lines. Just run with the "logic" on this one for yourself. Good grief! Captain Jimi issues orders of "No glove? No love!" Peace ... or War!

GA's Bob Barr Lectures on Decency

Bab Barr has dropped yet another of his cultural war bombs in the AJC. His "Grappling for decency in a cultural pit" blasted Hollywood, academia, museums ... and then closes with "Yes, in today's Bizarro world, in which pimping is the stuff of Oscar-winning tunes and lesbianism the subject of university courses, I suppose ogling dissected cadavers is cool." While I strongly applaud Barr's stand against the Patriot Act renewal and the warrantless wiretapping of the Bu$hCo cabal via NSA and Lord knows what other agencies, Bob Barr is perhaps in no possition to lecture anybody on decency.

While I have no idea if he was actually licking whipped cream off strippers at a party celebrating his U.S. Congress election success or if he did not pay his child support or ... yet surely "The Two Faces of Bob Barr" might give us some reality about the Former Congressman and U.S. Attorney. Slate reports that Barr claims he did the licking to raise money for a worthy cause yet still paints Barr as the uber Conservative ... and a bit mean. The bottom line is that massive multi-nationals and the modern ReThuglican Party is a far larger menace to our society than marketed stereotypes, critical thinking, and exposure to science. If even half of the allegations about you are true then you are in no position to throw stones.

Stick to privacy issues, as you can make a difference here, and we'll be fine! Peace ... or War!

Mighty Wurlitzer for Kids?

"Help! Mom! Hollywoods in my Hamper!" by Katharine DeBrecht of "Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed!" infamy has been released. "Leveling the playing field" and "endorsed by Rush Limbaugh" Ms. DeBrecht has truly set the bar rather low for children's "literature".
Ms. DeBrech even gives us "pantsuit wearing Hillary stirring up trouble!" and some slams on the "liberal media" to boot! Can you imagine a more whacked woman than this? The Brits can't. Ed Thibodeau deals rather directly with her rants and fantasy allegations that leftist radicals are storming the walls. The DSM probably might need to be pulled out here. I also like this book review that claims the book belongs in the satire section. What a world! Peace ... or War!

Pat Robertson Throws Yet Another Bomb

The Rabid Right's Pat Robertson just can't be muzzled. Energizer Bigot. Robertson has now said radical Islam is demonic. Not dumb. Not detached. Not disenfranchised. Not desperate. Just demonic. Robertson also is alleged to have said "Islam is not a religion of peace", and "the goal of Islam, ladies and gentlemen whether you like it or not, is world domination". Despite the fact that Pat Robertson lost his re-election bid to the National Religious Broadcasters' Board of Directors last month, he'll continue raking in the cash obtained in part via programs from the Bu$hCo White House. What an idiot yet his base loves him. Peace ... or War!

America's Best Christian?

Betty Bowers may indeed be among the best parody on the web. "Love the sinner; hate their clothes!" Landover Baptist Church is another worthy visit. Peace ... or War.

No Condoms for former Bu$hCo Abstinence Only Advocate Claude Alexander Allen II

I posted over on Captain Plaid about former top Bu$h Domestic Policy Advisor Claude A. Allen being collared by The Man for his alleged small time refund/theft charges around DC. Rather tied to James Dobson and other "Christian" right wing nuts, I expect Mr. Allen might be rethinking his strong advocacy against condoms if in fact he were to wind up in prison. He wanted to deny abortion funding for rape victim when he was working in Virginia's Health and Human Services and he's seemingly a homophobe so the idea of him being somebody bitch in the big house is indeed a touch of irony. Felony charges that should not result in jail time even if he's guilty as the devil, Captain Jimi still salutes this "tool" of the righteous and radical right. 8th commandment Claude! Peace ... or War!

South Dakota's New State Logo?

Package for a potential person?

SusanG at Kos gives us a great grieving personal take on how South Dakota and probably Mississippi view a woman. Peace ... or War!

Sammy Loves James

Max Blumenthal via HuffPo send us to the "Thank You" note James Dobson received from StripSearch Sammy. Colleen Slavin at the WaPo briefly looks at the ethical implications. Barry W. Lynn, Executive Director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State wrote,

Justice Alito should follow the commands of the Constitution, not the orders of Dobson and the Religious Right. This note strongly suggests that Alito is carrying out a right-wing agenda instead of being a justice for all.

Justice Alito is seemingly a radical, and a rather young one at that. Unitary executive. Stripsearches for kids. Husbands control "their" woman's womb. Peace ... or War!

And That's The Way It Is!

Walter Cronkite dives into the "War on Drugs" at the Drug Policy Alliance. This organization's Mission Statement reads,

The Drug Policy Alliance envisions a just society in which the use and regulation of drugs are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights, in which people are no longer punished for what they put into their own bodies but only for crimes committed against others, and in which the fears, prejudices and punitive prohibitions of today are no more. Our mission is to advance those policies and attitudes that best reduce the harms of both drug misuse and drug prohibition, and to promote the sovereignty of individuals over their minds and bodies.

Seems like solid policy, yet even the Bu$hCo "Patriot Act" tries to wage War on Drugs! Peace ... or War!

Red States Protect Rights of Rapists' Spawn!

To Jimi's west I see Mississippi, hardly a hotbed of reproductive rights, poised to pass a bill that will limit a woman's right to chose. She'll have to carry a rapist's child to full term! South Dakota also joins in! I thought the South was about geography not Godliness! If in fact Jesus General has nailed this picture correctly then maybe there's a little bit of Dixie in the Dakotas. Even if it is this image is more accurate then surely Senator Bartling would fit in at the local Baptist church.

Drop by The Center for American Progress for a look at reproductive rights via Jessica Arons and Shira Saperstein titled "The Right Way to Reduce Abortion" which gives us,

Making abortion less necessary is by far the better approach. The first way to do so is to reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy. Half of all pregnancies in this country are unintended, and, of those, half end in abortion. Unintended pregnancy could be reduced significantly if we showed true commitment to: 1) comprehensive sexuality education that includes medically accurate information about abstinence and contraception; 2) insurance coverage of and public funding for family planning services; 3) greater access to emergency contraception (which prevents pregnancy and does not cause abortion); and 4) programs that curb domestic violence and sexual abuse. Clearly, women who are able to avoid unintended pregnancy do not have to make the difficult decision of whether to have an abortion.

Unfortunately, even with the supports listed above, there will always be some unintended pregnancies; birth control methods are fallible, as are human beings. Therefore, once a woman finds herself with an unexpected pregnancy, a second positive way to reduce abortion is to ensure that she has the means to have and raise a child in health and safety should she wish to do so. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, one of the two most common reasons women choose abortion is because they cannot afford a(nother) child. By providing low-income and young women with genuine education and career opportunities, health care, child care, housing, services for disabled children, and other basic supports, many would have the resources they need to fulfill the serious obligations that parenting brings.