AlterNet: War on Iraq: Top 10 Reasons to Get Out of Iraq
i'll have to remember this list when i go home and start arguing politics with my family.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
AlterNet: Election 2004: What Women Want
AlterNet: Election 2004: What Women Want
but the question is will we vote?
oprah had a disturbing show yesterday - a building full of women who have not registered to vote and have no intention of doing so. an african-american woman in her forties shrugged and said that if she lost her right to vote, she wouldn't care.
what?!
so disturbing. our educational system in this country stinks if ordinary citizens aren't compelled to vote.
but the question is will we vote?
oprah had a disturbing show yesterday - a building full of women who have not registered to vote and have no intention of doing so. an african-american woman in her forties shrugged and said that if she lost her right to vote, she wouldn't care.
what?!
so disturbing. our educational system in this country stinks if ordinary citizens aren't compelled to vote.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
happy birthday to me.
we're just a month or so out from the elections and things are getting tight. i'll be travelling up to wisconsin next month to rally the troops and talk to a bunch of rifle carrying mid-westerners, but whatever.
anything to swing a state kerry's way.
ralph reed was on the daily show last night and lied in front of millions of people. somehow that doesn't surprise me when he's a guy taking money from all sorts of people he shouldn't.
we're just a month or so out from the elections and things are getting tight. i'll be travelling up to wisconsin next month to rally the troops and talk to a bunch of rifle carrying mid-westerners, but whatever.
anything to swing a state kerry's way.
ralph reed was on the daily show last night and lied in front of millions of people. somehow that doesn't surprise me when he's a guy taking money from all sorts of people he shouldn't.
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
the buck stops...over there
First Draft - More on DeLay-Related Indictments
well, if you've been too depressed by all the polls showing shrub either with a gazillion point lead or just a mere 2, here's something to distract you.
remember when there was a possibility that tom 'the hammer' delay was going to be investigated for ethics breaches concerning his PAC Texans for a Republican Majority? well, while the ethics com'tee stopped the investigation (insuring he won't get nailed) delay's associates have not escaped the hammer of justice.
god they stink.
well, if you've been too depressed by all the polls showing shrub either with a gazillion point lead or just a mere 2, here's something to distract you.
remember when there was a possibility that tom 'the hammer' delay was going to be investigated for ethics breaches concerning his PAC Texans for a Republican Majority? well, while the ethics com'tee stopped the investigation (insuring he won't get nailed) delay's associates have not escaped the hammer of justice.
god they stink.
brainy wednesday, cont'd
Informed Comment : 09/01/2004 - 09/30/2004
let's play a game. what if america had to live under the same conditions iraqis are living in now? what would we look like?
read it if you dare.
let's play a game. what if america had to live under the same conditions iraqis are living in now? what would we look like?
read it if you dare.
brainy wednesday: iraq & the philippines
ZNet Commentary: The Philippine Model
thanks to an good grad school chum, here's an article from last october about our colonial intervention in the philippines and how it foreshadows our actions in iraq today.
thanks to an good grad school chum, here's an article from last october about our colonial intervention in the philippines and how it foreshadows our actions in iraq today.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Yahoo! News - GOP Mailing Warns Liberals Will Ban Bibles
Yahoo! News - GOP Mailing Warns Liberals Will Ban Bibles
a friend read this story and became enraged; it smacked of dirty politics to her. but i understood it.
the time of universal persecution, of christian martyrdom, before the rapture and before the second coming, is central to a certain segment of christian faith. churches will close, bibles will burned, god will be publicly denounced; it will be a second inquisition. all christians will be forced to go underground. this eschatological desire is the center of our religious belief.
we (i include myself because this was my religious culture) tolerate this world and this life only for the reward that is to come. christian history is meant to move inexorably toward this moment of revelation - anything that deviates from this timeline is ignored.
it's strange to build a faith system that pivots on the idea of catastrophe and martyrdom (when Christ shall ultimately be revealed and defeat evil at last), but that's what really lies beneath the evangelical movement.
this is the apocalyptic heart of fundamentalism. with our eyes ever on the End, we eschew everything else. it explains why social problems don't matter; why poverty doesn't matter; why the war in iraq is holy; why crumbling civil rights don't matter; why the hijacking of our culture by terror doesn't matter. it all fits into the timeline.
why should church folk in west virginia care about better environmental laws, jobs, health care and civil rights when all that matters is their final reckoning before God?
unfortunately, democrats have never been able to answer that.
(more on that answer later)
a friend read this story and became enraged; it smacked of dirty politics to her. but i understood it.
the time of universal persecution, of christian martyrdom, before the rapture and before the second coming, is central to a certain segment of christian faith. churches will close, bibles will burned, god will be publicly denounced; it will be a second inquisition. all christians will be forced to go underground. this eschatological desire is the center of our religious belief.
we (i include myself because this was my religious culture) tolerate this world and this life only for the reward that is to come. christian history is meant to move inexorably toward this moment of revelation - anything that deviates from this timeline is ignored.
it's strange to build a faith system that pivots on the idea of catastrophe and martyrdom (when Christ shall ultimately be revealed and defeat evil at last), but that's what really lies beneath the evangelical movement.
this is the apocalyptic heart of fundamentalism. with our eyes ever on the End, we eschew everything else. it explains why social problems don't matter; why poverty doesn't matter; why the war in iraq is holy; why crumbling civil rights don't matter; why the hijacking of our culture by terror doesn't matter. it all fits into the timeline.
why should church folk in west virginia care about better environmental laws, jobs, health care and civil rights when all that matters is their final reckoning before God?
unfortunately, democrats have never been able to answer that.
(more on that answer later)
Doug Grow: Political calling put religion into the mix
Doug Grow: Political calling put religion into the mix
republican=god loving
democrat=god hating
not only is this a perfect example of evangelical binary thinking, it's also a lesson about what happens when a texan moves in.
republican=god loving
democrat=god hating
not only is this a perfect example of evangelical binary thinking, it's also a lesson about what happens when a texan moves in.
Salon.com News | "Voter terrorism"
Salon.com News | "Voter terrorism"
The sad fact is that voter-intimidation efforts aimed at minorities have been carried out in just about every major election over the past 20 years. The campaigns are almost always mounted by Republicans who aim to reduce the turnout of overwhelmingly Democratic minority voters at the polls.
what about this says republicans look out for minority interests?
The sad fact is that voter-intimidation efforts aimed at minorities have been carried out in just about every major election over the past 20 years. The campaigns are almost always mounted by Republicans who aim to reduce the turnout of overwhelmingly Democratic minority voters at the polls.
what about this says republicans look out for minority interests?
Sunday, September 19, 2004
BBC NEWS | Americas | Pill propelled into abortion debate
BBC NEWS | Americas | Pill propelled into abortion debate
this time i'm hard pressed to say 'i told you so.' alas, our side rather underestimates the hardcore fundamentalism of the christian right and social conservatives. why should the pro-lifers stop at just restricting access to abortion? why NOT go all the way to controlling a woman's basic ability to control her own body?
we're only women.
a note on the chemical abortion argument as grounds for refusing the Pill: to be pregnant, the egg must implant first; you can't abort if the egg doesn't implant. therefore, anything that stops the egg from implanting is NOT an abortifacient. it's a prophylactic.
"Which is counter-intuitive because if you're against abortion in the least you'd think you would see the value in enhancing access birth control, the very means women look to preventing pregnancy and the need for abortion."
this time i'm hard pressed to say 'i told you so.' alas, our side rather underestimates the hardcore fundamentalism of the christian right and social conservatives. why should the pro-lifers stop at just restricting access to abortion? why NOT go all the way to controlling a woman's basic ability to control her own body?
we're only women.
a note on the chemical abortion argument as grounds for refusing the Pill: to be pregnant, the egg must implant first; you can't abort if the egg doesn't implant. therefore, anything that stops the egg from implanting is NOT an abortifacient. it's a prophylactic.
what liberals don't get about church folk
MSNBC - Altercation
the end discussion about religious fundamentalism trumping social concerns is a good one. and a true one:
"Exposure to religious passion is not something yankee liberals get much of. It's essential knowledge in Karachi and Kansas City."
unfortunately since it's almost 2 am, i'll write about it later.
the end discussion about religious fundamentalism trumping social concerns is a good one. and a true one:
"Exposure to religious passion is not something yankee liberals get much of. It's essential knowledge in Karachi and Kansas City."
unfortunately since it's almost 2 am, i'll write about it later.
Friday, September 17, 2004
ugh. more.
Doctors object on moral grounds - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - September 17, 2004
it sucks to be a woman, sometimes.
it sucks to be a woman, sometimes.
The Gadflyer: Uncle Sam Wants You to Get Married
The Gadflyer: Uncle Sam Wants You to Get Married
i have a girl friend who works for the dept of health and human services; she flipped out when she was told 4 years ago that she'd have to start counseling her clients to stay married - or get married in order to continue their benefits or receive them.
she said, what does marriage have to do with this girl getting her high school diploma and finding a job?
absolutely nothing, i told her.
the republican mindset is amazing to me. solutions are often so easy, so band-aid like. poor? get married. too many kids? get married. no job? get married. hate the ghetto? get married.
the placebos make us feel better about charity but allow us to ignore real material conditions that have real, adverse affects on a poor family. we'd rather a woman be married to another poor man who can't support his family rather than think of ways to get them help to lead them out of poverty.
let's say it together: poor people need not to be poor anymore.
i have a girl friend who works for the dept of health and human services; she flipped out when she was told 4 years ago that she'd have to start counseling her clients to stay married - or get married in order to continue their benefits or receive them.
she said, what does marriage have to do with this girl getting her high school diploma and finding a job?
absolutely nothing, i told her.
the republican mindset is amazing to me. solutions are often so easy, so band-aid like. poor? get married. too many kids? get married. no job? get married. hate the ghetto? get married.
the placebos make us feel better about charity but allow us to ignore real material conditions that have real, adverse affects on a poor family. we'd rather a woman be married to another poor man who can't support his family rather than think of ways to get them help to lead them out of poverty.
let's say it together: poor people need not to be poor anymore.
Thursday, September 16, 2004
we're dumber than i thought
sigh.
i'd give my right ovary to discover what those people, who seem to be living in a lead-lined tank, are doing with their time that they can walk around blissfully unaware.
on a more serious note, what george barna calls moral relativism i'd like to call privacy. while most conservative christians seem to be comforted by the thought that we could legislate private behavior (in other words, make private actions and thoughts answer to a public authority), most others are uncomfortable with it. for good reason.
theocratic rules make us squeamish. it goes against our history, our grain, our personalities. in a pluralistic society such as ours, to impose one rigid legalistic faith (and the consequences for breaking with that faith) would be disastrous. we'd all move to canada!
however, if the main goal is to examine the reasons for the gap between a christian's faith declaration ('i'm against gay marriage') and practice ('but what you do in your own bedroom is up to you'), then the question is interesting.
is that moral relativism or is it just minding your own business?
i'd give my right ovary to discover what those people, who seem to be living in a lead-lined tank, are doing with their time that they can walk around blissfully unaware.
on a more serious note, what george barna calls moral relativism i'd like to call privacy. while most conservative christians seem to be comforted by the thought that we could legislate private behavior (in other words, make private actions and thoughts answer to a public authority), most others are uncomfortable with it. for good reason.
theocratic rules make us squeamish. it goes against our history, our grain, our personalities. in a pluralistic society such as ours, to impose one rigid legalistic faith (and the consequences for breaking with that faith) would be disastrous. we'd all move to canada!
however, if the main goal is to examine the reasons for the gap between a christian's faith declaration ('i'm against gay marriage') and practice ('but what you do in your own bedroom is up to you'), then the question is interesting.
is that moral relativism or is it just minding your own business?
well, this explains it...
from the barna evangelical christian survey:
66% of evangelicals describe themselves as “mostly conservative” when it comes to political and social issues (compared to 32% of adults nationwide), 25% describe themselves as somewhere in between (compared to 49% of adults nationwide), and none call themselves liberal (compared to 13% of adults nationwide). (2004)
[emphasis mine]
66% of evangelicals describe themselves as “mostly conservative” when it comes to political and social issues (compared to 32% of adults nationwide), 25% describe themselves as somewhere in between (compared to 49% of adults nationwide), and none call themselves liberal (compared to 13% of adults nationwide). (2004)
[emphasis mine]
brilliant
Welcome to The Barna Group!
well, according to the study the barna group conducted, african americans self-identify as 'stressed out.' (scroll all the way down)
word.
well, according to the study the barna group conducted, african americans self-identify as 'stressed out.' (scroll all the way down)
word.
christian stats!
The Third Coming of George Barna - Christianity Today Magazine
utterly fascinating. his findings on the state of the church today are riveting. go here.
utterly fascinating. his findings on the state of the church today are riveting. go here.
Welcome to The Barna Group!
i'm leaving the office right now but this article from george barna's group about ethnicity and faith is really really really good. numbers! research!
it's a smart girl's catnip - i can't wait to read more. (insert dorky music here.)
i'm leaving the office right now but this article from george barna's group about ethnicity and faith is really really really good. numbers! research!
it's a smart girl's catnip - i can't wait to read more. (insert dorky music here.)
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
women's studies, 101
8. Birth Control�A Parents� Problem or Woman�s?. Sanger, Margaret. 1920. Woman and the New Race
tuesday was margaret sanger's 125th birthday. i'd almost forgotten about her - and how her activities changed the material realities of most women.
birth control and reproductive autonomy seems to be my latest bug - an obssession supported by the latest news from the department of labor saying that women spend twice as much time raising the kids as their male counterparts (while men spend twice as much time at work or at leisure.)
a natural way of the world? not by my estimation. (nor the estimation of a few fem blogs who picked this up)
tuesday was margaret sanger's 125th birthday. i'd almost forgotten about her - and how her activities changed the material realities of most women.
birth control and reproductive autonomy seems to be my latest bug - an obssession supported by the latest news from the department of labor saying that women spend twice as much time raising the kids as their male counterparts (while men spend twice as much time at work or at leisure.)
a natural way of the world? not by my estimation. (nor the estimation of a few fem blogs who picked this up)
whoops
ABCNEWS.com
like this says, a little perspective is needed on the whole CBS forgery story.
rather, some perspective on the response to this story is needed. where was the outrage when the white house used forgeries to make their case for the war? where was the outrage when ALL of the media turned on the clintons and gore with stupid rumors and unproven allegations (remember vince foster, anyone?)?
let's not forget the merits of the story: bush ducked out of duty. period.
what's the lesson here? if you actively lie about a democrat, you get a pass. if you're a republican who has only passing familiarity with FACTS you get a pass. if you smear a republican with (cough) less than totally vetted materials (cough) be prepared for a can of whup-ass to be opened all over your backside.
like this says, a little perspective is needed on the whole CBS forgery story.
rather, some perspective on the response to this story is needed. where was the outrage when the white house used forgeries to make their case for the war? where was the outrage when ALL of the media turned on the clintons and gore with stupid rumors and unproven allegations (remember vince foster, anyone?)?
let's not forget the merits of the story: bush ducked out of duty. period.
what's the lesson here? if you actively lie about a democrat, you get a pass. if you're a republican who has only passing familiarity with FACTS you get a pass. if you smear a republican with (cough) less than totally vetted materials (cough) be prepared for a can of whup-ass to be opened all over your backside.
black like me?
The Gadflyer: Blacker Than Thou
a very good piece on identity politics and the illinois senate race. taken with the news of the republican targeting of black congregations, it asks a sharp question about which party (and which candidate) really advocates black interests.
as for alan keyes, i think it's sad that the man can't even acknowledge how he's being used.
(let's say the word together: minstrel.)
a very good piece on identity politics and the illinois senate race. taken with the news of the republican targeting of black congregations, it asks a sharp question about which party (and which candidate) really advocates black interests.
as for alan keyes, i think it's sad that the man can't even acknowledge how he's being used.
(let's say the word together: minstrel.)
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
when i grow up
i want to be like these women.
i could probably take more care of this little blog - be less ranty, more researched, less snarky - but who has the time? these women have the time.
if you like your feminists smarter than you are and aggressive with it, then they're the ones for you:
bitter shack of resentment
xx blog
pinko feminist hellcat
i could probably take more care of this little blog - be less ranty, more researched, less snarky - but who has the time? these women have the time.
if you like your feminists smarter than you are and aggressive with it, then they're the ones for you:
bitter shack of resentment
xx blog
pinko feminist hellcat
i'm not alone.
i've been ranting recently about women's issues - particularly reproductive issues.
here's a new blog i discovered that doesn't make me retch. cogent. smart. reasoned. right.
i've been ranting recently about women's issues - particularly reproductive issues.
here's a new blog i discovered that doesn't make me retch. cogent. smart. reasoned. right.
Monday, September 13, 2004
shake it like a...oh, forget it
The New York Times > Arts > Music > Rappers Are Raising Their Churches' Roofs
i have a confession to make:
i used to listen to christian music. not what people listen to now: lots of guitar-y praise stuff or big huge gospel choirs.
i mean, the old stuff. the archers, ken medema, dallas holme, keith green, amy grant, the imperials, russ taff, evie turnquist, the winans (before the cultural cache of homophobia).
once russ taff won a grammy and crossed over, i stopped. actually, i can blame my own crossover on amy grant. she crossed over, made lame videos they showed on mtv (which just showed how uncoool she was - and by extension, how uncool i was), had an affair with her next door neighbor vince gill, divorced her nice frizzy headed husband phil and in the middle of all that, sung a horrific duet with peter cetera.
how could christian music survive that?
but i must confess once more: i want my father to burn a cd of all those old records and send them to me.
i miss them.
i have a confession to make:
i used to listen to christian music. not what people listen to now: lots of guitar-y praise stuff or big huge gospel choirs.
i mean, the old stuff. the archers, ken medema, dallas holme, keith green, amy grant, the imperials, russ taff, evie turnquist, the winans (before the cultural cache of homophobia).
once russ taff won a grammy and crossed over, i stopped. actually, i can blame my own crossover on amy grant. she crossed over, made lame videos they showed on mtv (which just showed how uncoool she was - and by extension, how uncool i was), had an affair with her next door neighbor vince gill, divorced her nice frizzy headed husband phil and in the middle of all that, sung a horrific duet with peter cetera.
how could christian music survive that?
but i must confess once more: i want my father to burn a cd of all those old records and send them to me.
i miss them.
Friday, September 10, 2004
Thursday, September 09, 2004
a modern beatitude
AT LAST the full *shocking* story of how BUSH LIED to us about DISOBEYING A DIRECT ORDER and GOING AWOL, and generally GIVING THE FINGER to his superiours while SHIRKING HIS RESPONSIBILITY to serve during the Vietnam war.
AT LAST karma came back and bit the administration in the ass.
children, what did we learn this week?
when you lie, someone will find out. you may not think they will, but they will.
it's the rule of the universe: what goes around, comes around.
it's our unspoken judeo-christian ethic.
heh.
AT LAST karma came back and bit the administration in the ass.
children, what did we learn this week?
when you lie, someone will find out. you may not think they will, but they will.
it's the rule of the universe: what goes around, comes around.
it's our unspoken judeo-christian ethic.
heh.
it's all my fault
MSN Money - Why we're not having enough babies
multiple choice: which event doomed the world to economic death?:
the education of women
the entrance of women into the workforce
the industrial revolution
the use of birth controll
the unruly and rampant masculinist practices of capitalism
the cynicism of generation x
multiple choice: which event doomed the world to economic death?:
the education of women
the entrance of women into the workforce
the industrial revolution
the use of birth controll
the unruly and rampant masculinist practices of capitalism
the cynicism of generation x
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
it explains so much...
Political Victory: From Here to Maternity (washingtonpost.com)
money quote:
"Conservative, religiously minded Americans are putting far more of their genes into the future than their liberal, secular counterparts."
if ever a national policy on family planning was needed...
money quote:
"Conservative, religiously minded Americans are putting far more of their genes into the future than their liberal, secular counterparts."
if ever a national policy on family planning was needed...
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
amen
Being There - What does 9/11 tell us about Bush? Nothing. By William Saletan
who's the girly man now?
who's the girly man now?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
