So, let’s say there’s a country, nowhere near the U.S.A., that’s a democratic republic. (A democratic republic is where many people can vote for their leaders, few do, and most think they live in a real democracy.) In 2000, President Fossil Feather and Vice President Smirky Snarls got into office. In 2004, they renewed their contracts with the people and retained their offices for another four years.
Actually, it is likely that Feather & Snarls didn’t win the election in 2000, and possible that they didn’t win in 2004, but they had a lot of friends in the government who lied them into office. And they did get enough votes to look like contenders.
So these two hooligans turned out to have lied about what they would do if they got into office, lied to get their nation into war and keep it there, and basically said "fuck you" to any law or civility that stood in the way of their doing what they wanted to do.
You are giving a lecture to the people of this country, about what they might learn from their experience with Feather & Snarls. What do you tell them? (Note: you may use events in the last few years that occurred in the U.S.A. to flesh out your answer.)
ANS: The good answer includes the following:
(1) You’re responsible. Enough of you voted for them and voted again for them to give them the legitimacy they needed to steal the election. And, if you didn’t vote for them, you know people who did, and you didn’t chain them to radiators and shred instead of mail absentee ballots so their silly votes could not count.
(2) The way candidates treat you and each other during the campaign is the same way they’ll treat you after they’re in office. You voted for people who lied to you about what they would do. They also lied to you about who their opponents were. They also told you ridiculous things about what their opponents would do if elected. You voted for lying, slimy hooligans. That they were people whose morals paled in comparison to Voldemort’s* was obvious to your pet gerbils, so it had to have been blatantly obvious to you. Did you really expect them to treat you differently once they had the keys to the country?
(3) Turning a blind eye to, or making excuses for dishonesty and greed in your "elected" officials doesn’t make it go away. It’s your job to clean up the mess you made. Just as ignoring a slithering, drooling killbeast once it’s entered your home won’t stop it from eating your children. Especially true if you’re the idiot who left the door open.
(4) If you vote from fear and greed, you get what you deserve. You also dishonor those whose blood was shed to buy and keep your freedom. If you vote with courage and concern for others as well as yourself, and use your common sense to wade through all the crap that’s thrown during the campaign, you’re more likely to make better decisions.
(5) Anybody can make a mistake. Don’t do it again.
_______________________________________
* The difference between Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the deeds of a real prez and veep like Feather and Snarls is as follows: Riddle killed nice people who were make-believe folk from the mind of a lovely lady in England. The real Feather and Snarls have sent thousands of real people to fight and die in a real, and unnecessary, war with real weapons that really kill. Really. Wishing it away doesn’t bring them back. Their mamas didn't carry them into the world just to become the moral of a story.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Benedict XVI Acts Like Ape, Confirms Primacy of Papacy
Well, at least confirms that the Pope’s a primate.
I’m glad that people are disappointed about Benedict’s approval this week of a document stating that the Roman Catholic church is the only true church. All other churches are wounded or phonies, according to The Pope (aka Joseph the Zinger of Rats, aka Joe). I think the disappointment indicates the optimism, hopefulness, and good faith effort these people possess in trying to get the very divided Christian communities more united. Joe talks a good line about ecumenism, so when he shows the dark side of the force it bothers folks.
Those folks, of course, are also naïve. Joe wants unity, but on his terms. What else would you expect from the CEO/Chairman of the Board of a huge corporation? It’s his job to protect and strengthen the business.
And, as one of the 32 or however many flavors of Christianity there are, come on, it’s one of the most human-based and –biased there is. In the face of today’s science and culture, what part of Christianity puts women in second place, gays on the road to hell, and the opinions of one chief honcho at or above those of Jesus? There are at least two: Mormons and Roman Catholics. I don’t mean to leave out most or all of the actual values and practices of the rest of Christianity, but the answer to this one question highlights how much more all established Christian denominations have in common with each other than they do with their God. It’s glaringly clear, for example, how Joe and his lieutenants are so much like the Pharisees that the Gospels denounce. But that’s another blog entry.
To stick with Joe’s recent silliness, consider that the only authentic church he accepts is one in which apostolic succession can be shown, that is, a direct line of succession of bishops from the beginning to the present. Without that, the ordination of priests is invalid. Of course, there is no historical proof for Joe’s gang or anyone else’s—the line breaks down after a couple hundred years. And that rule is manmade, not Biblical. And Joe’s also forgotten that his corporation charter speaks of the priesthood of all believers. Joe’s a pretty arrogant little god substitute to think that God can only work through him, and that he can nullify what God has ordained.
Got to say, this is beginning to sound like the blog entry on Mr. Falwell. I’ll stop before repeating myself. Just remember, my brothers and sisters, what we’re told in the Old Testament (yes, that’s right, we can even unite with the Jews in living the way God wants us to live—oh my, what’s next—love Muslims? Mon dieu!): do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God. Joe, let me take you out for a latte.
I’m glad that people are disappointed about Benedict’s approval this week of a document stating that the Roman Catholic church is the only true church. All other churches are wounded or phonies, according to The Pope (aka Joseph the Zinger of Rats, aka Joe). I think the disappointment indicates the optimism, hopefulness, and good faith effort these people possess in trying to get the very divided Christian communities more united. Joe talks a good line about ecumenism, so when he shows the dark side of the force it bothers folks.
Those folks, of course, are also naïve. Joe wants unity, but on his terms. What else would you expect from the CEO/Chairman of the Board of a huge corporation? It’s his job to protect and strengthen the business.
And, as one of the 32 or however many flavors of Christianity there are, come on, it’s one of the most human-based and –biased there is. In the face of today’s science and culture, what part of Christianity puts women in second place, gays on the road to hell, and the opinions of one chief honcho at or above those of Jesus? There are at least two: Mormons and Roman Catholics. I don’t mean to leave out most or all of the actual values and practices of the rest of Christianity, but the answer to this one question highlights how much more all established Christian denominations have in common with each other than they do with their God. It’s glaringly clear, for example, how Joe and his lieutenants are so much like the Pharisees that the Gospels denounce. But that’s another blog entry.
To stick with Joe’s recent silliness, consider that the only authentic church he accepts is one in which apostolic succession can be shown, that is, a direct line of succession of bishops from the beginning to the present. Without that, the ordination of priests is invalid. Of course, there is no historical proof for Joe’s gang or anyone else’s—the line breaks down after a couple hundred years. And that rule is manmade, not Biblical. And Joe’s also forgotten that his corporation charter speaks of the priesthood of all believers. Joe’s a pretty arrogant little god substitute to think that God can only work through him, and that he can nullify what God has ordained.
Got to say, this is beginning to sound like the blog entry on Mr. Falwell. I’ll stop before repeating myself. Just remember, my brothers and sisters, what we’re told in the Old Testament (yes, that’s right, we can even unite with the Jews in living the way God wants us to live—oh my, what’s next—love Muslims? Mon dieu!): do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God. Joe, let me take you out for a latte.
Monday, July 9, 2007
D.C. Craigslist Ad: Stone Mason Needed
Wanted: Experienced stone mason to repair frieze around important Government building with high visibility, especially among nations around the world. Funding from the Scooter Libby Self-Charitable Trust. Replace obsolete phrase, "Equal Justice Under Law," with update, "It's Who You Know". Successful applicant must be handy with explosives, to blast old phrase to bits, beyond hope of repair. Send resume to: G. Bush, New Manager, Supreme Court Building.
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