"Christian" Dogma Vs. Reality

I've been told to start 'picking on someone my own size" and stop 'harassing a child". I'd better do that I guess before the thought police come after me. How dare I contradict a Christian anyway? After all, Christian dogma ALWAYS overrules reality every time. Just ask George W. Bush & Company!

To explain, here's an enlightening string of letters to the editor in the Juneau (Alaska) Empire recently. The oldest is on top, my own short & sweet one (I thought) is third down, and my accuser's letter is at the bottom (Students' last names omitted to protect the young):

1/12/07:
"Who has right to stop happiness?

I'm a seventh grader at Floyd Dryden Middle School. I see that you have been discussing gay health insurance.

Well, for one, I don't think it should even be an issue. A person who is gay is a person like everyone else. For example if a man works for the state and pays for him and his wife's insurance, then why on earth is it any different for a gay man or women that works for the state? Why can't they have the same health insurance plan? I absolutely think it's so wrong that we have to go about saying gay people aren't normal or are different - because gay people are just as much a person as you and me. It's a matter of choice.

I have another issue to bring up: gay marriage. I think that it's totally fine. If you think it's not OK, because God intended man and women to get married, well you also have to think about God intended people to be happy. Who are we to say somebody can't be happy? If two gay people want to adopt kids, I think it's a good idea. If they are two loving and caring adults who can give that child a secure and safe home, then why not? I'm sure that kid will have a better life there than where they did before.

Jessica
Juneau"

1/24/07:
"Bible doesn't sanction same-sex marriage

I go to Floyd Dryden Middle School. I am writing a response to Jessica's letter in the Jan. 12 Juneau Empire.

I am a friend of hers, and being her friend, I feel that I should be honest. I disagree with her in most ways. I believe in God and that the Bible is His word to us. The Bible says that gay marriages are wrong. Jessica, however, said the Bible does not say that.

God does want us to be happy, but if smoking pot or doing drugs makes people happy, does that mean we should do it?

Among the scriptures that are proof of God's will is Leviticus 18:22, which says, "Do not lie with a male as you would a woman; it is an abomination." And the Bible refers to gay marriages as a vile passion, as in Romans 1:26-27.

I'm not trying to offend anyone, but everyone is entitled to his or her opinions.

Kelsey
Juneau"

1/28/07:
"U.S. was not made a Christian nation

I commend Kelsey (Jan. 24 Juneau Empire) for having the courage of convictions to write a letter to the editor at such a tender age. We sorely need a strongly involved citizenry in our nation these days. Nevertheless, at the risk of possibly offending those who believe as Kelsey does, I also want encourage this young person to keep an open mind, and in particular to pay very close attention in civics and social studies classes.

I wish to point out that contrary to the opinions of some Christians, the United States is not a Christian nation. Ours is a country of many religions, as well as no religions, agnostics and even anti-religionists. Religion is covered in the very First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which we all treasure, that states in part: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

This means our country is a "secular" nation - meaning no religion, Christian or otherwise. So, by law it really does not matter what the Christian Bible, or any other religious belief may hold. No religion is sanctioned in our country and our citizens are free to practice whatever religion they desire, or none at all. The Bible does not apply, no matter how much any particular religion may wish that it did.

That is a fact - and is only fair to all our citizens, a great many of whom are not Christians. This was recognized by our founding fathers and boldly enshrined in that very First Amendment to our nation's Constitution.

Erik Lie-Nielsen
Juneau"


2/2/07:
"Nation founded by Christians

Eric Lie-Nielson should pick on someone his own size, and stop harassing a child who stands up for our Christian United States.

I am writing in response to the letter, "U.S. was not made a Christian Nation," by Lie-Nielson. This nation was based on Christian values and I applaud Kelsey, who should write a book instead.

Remember, Benjamin Franklin who stated when he wrote a letter to the Ministry of France, "I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of truth, that God governs in the affairs of men and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it possible that an empire can rise without his aid?"

Also, John Adams, our second president, took for serious that the Bible was the only law book in this country and that every member should regulate his conduct by the sayings of the Bible. By the way, our founding fathers said, "The right to freedom being the gift of the Almighty ... The rights of the colonist as Christians ... may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutions of the Great Law Giver and head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly and promulgated in the New Testament."

So, you see this great American Country was based and founded by Christians. Even the Muslims respect the words of Jesus Christ in the Koran. So, who is Erik Lie-Nielson to judge a child who is writing letters to the editors in such a adult way. I say to Kelsey to keep writing and God Bless Stark and our beautiful Christian United States of America.

Alfredo Velazquez
Juneau"

I wish I could say I appreciate Mr. Valazquez' corrections, but really, I don't. In fact, Mr. Valazquez' corrections could use some corrections of their own. For starters, Ben Franklin was not a Christian. Old Ben was a "Diest" which while 'god-fearing', is most definitely non-Christian. Several of our founding fathers were non-Christians, and don't forget that old First Amendment - the very first one, mind you which specifically says this is NOT the "Christian United States of America.

Unfortunately, Mr. Valazquez falls victim to the very common Christian malady of believing facts are what they say and think they are, hang a bunch of reality.

Bong Hits For Jesus, Part ??

I learned some interesting things from Will Morris, a reporter for the Juneau Empire who did the most recent story on the "Bong Hits for Jesus" case. Morris himself had spent a couple years in Asia himself as an ex-patriot (as the Frederick's are now doing) and said he hated every hour of it.

Morris had done his homework on Joseph Frederick's dad, and mentioned some facts in his article. The dad worked for the insurance company who represented the school, and they put much pressure on him to drop the initial court case. When he refused, they then demoted him to a closet job someplace, and later fired him 'for cause'. He sued them and won a settlement ($100K), but they they saw to it he was blacklisted and he was unable to find another job in over a year of looking. Eventually he was forced to take a job teaching English to rich American businessmen's children in Asia. Sadly, he and his son are now refugees from their own country - simply for sticking up for the son's civil rights.

The "Bong Hits For Jesus" case is widely recognized as laughable by observers who aren't so myopic or regressive as the Juneau District School Board. There have been many stories in the media recognizing this as a school boy stunt which literally became a FEDERAL CASE! I believe most of those board members must be feeling pretty embarrassed and chagrined by now. (Incidently, there were SOME school board members who voted against pursuing the case). But, on the other hand I am always amazed at how far repressive dogmatics will stubbornly insist on being wrong. We see an prime example of this with our president's approach to the Iraq War - another case where idiocy prevails with terrible costs for everyone.

The entire episode with the Fredericks really makes me angry. First, that the regressives on the school board have had their way in stubbornly pressing this issue to its present limits, and secondly, that big US corporations can and will so freely 'punish' someone for simply claiming their rights - and then so easily get away with it. In the meantime, the taxpayer is footing the bills!

I also believe the Juneau District School Board will get a real black eye when all the true costs are finally exposed - and I feel sure eventually much of those will be, at least if I have anything to do with it. By that time though it will be ancient history and the culprits will have slid back under their rocks. I have officially asked for an accounting, but Juneau District Superintendent Peggy Cowan claims (by letter) that they 'haven't specifically tracked the costs of the case' or words to that effect - but did admit to many thousands of dollars before Kenneth Starr got involved. Were this occur in a business setting, heads would quickly roll! Apparently you can be more casual with taxpayer's money.

I don't know what will happen in the Supreme Court (case will be heard in a few days) with its present make-up, but let's hope that the judges will actually defend constitutional rights. That's none too sure with the present make-up of the US Supreme Court, and only time will tell.

There's much truth to the adage that 'he who controls the purse, controls everything' - at least in our capitalist society it does. And, that's both the shame and the Achilles Heel of capitalism.

When capitalism runs amok and gains overweening control as it has in our country in the past few decades (since Reagan), it becomes arrogant and aggressively anti-populist - which you can see examples of everywhere you look today in the US. Individuals and personal rights are routinely subordinated to Big Money in wholesale lots. Big Money demands, gets or takes every possible tax advantage while the burden grows ever heavier on the little guy. At some point 'the people' become fed up and will seek to readjust things. Unfortunately, such readjustment is often accompanied with upheaval, civil war, revolution and much death and destruction follows. I fear we're eventually in for that in the US unless we can recapture things before it is too late. I can not remember a time in my entire life when our society was so venomously polarized. But remember, in any civil upheaval, there's never a guarantee that the 'good guys' will always prevail either. We've witnessed the opposite many, many times.

Hugo Chavez in Venezuela is perceived by many as a ray of populist hope in the western hemisphere - not that he's any choir boy himself - and that is why he is being slammed, demonized and resisted at every turn by the US, and especially by corporate interests. He is seen as a mortal danger to US and global corporate interests, just as Castro was in Cuba since the 60's.

And sadly, once again the political leaders of our country will seek to isolate, embargo and punish Chavez's Venezuela. Chavez himself may or not be affected very much if at all, but you can bet your bippy the common and poor people of Venezuela will pay terrible costs. And essentially, all for corporate hegemony in the name of 'Capitalism'.

Will democratic peoples ever wake up to the madness and the insanity of corporate control of our countries and reclaim our own destinies?

That will only happen when we become disturbed and involved enough to demand it!

White House "I Don't Remember" Stratagem

Not satisfied with turning individual civil rights into travesties, the Bush White House in the person of I Lewis 'Scooter' Libby is now mounting a vigorous "I Don't Remember" defense in Libby's court trial. If successful - and it looks as if it well might be given the present make-up of the US Supreme Court - this defense will provide a powerful, perhaps impregnable defense and cover for all White House officials.

This type of defense WILL NOT however, be available for common citizens outside the Bush administration, who still must take their chances under normal, commonly recognized standard laws on the books for hundreds of years.

In many ways the "I don't Remember" defense takes its cues from and is closely related to some of former US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's more famous quotes:

"I don't know what I said, but I know what I think, and, well, I assume it's what I said."

"I believe what I said yesterday."

"Needless to say, the President is correct. Whatever it was he said."

" . . .there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know."

"I would not say that the future is necessarily less predictable than the past. I think the past was not predictable when it started."

"We do know of certain knowledge that he is either in Afghanistan, or in some other country, or dead." (referring to arch-terrorist Osama Bin Ladin)

"We know where they are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat."
(On weapons of mass destruction, which in fact were NEVER TO BE FOUND)

This innovative approach to absolving all Bush White House from any and all personal responsibility and accountability holds unlimited possibilities. One can imagine for example, this excuse cascading into something like, "I don't remember if I remembered or not, or if I did remember, I don't remember it."

White House insiders refer to this tactic as the 'DICK' stratagem as in 'Deniable, Indeterminate Confused Knack', named so in honor of VP Richard 'Dick' Cheney's mastery of this arcane art form.

It's best not to try this tactic at home.

Buffoonocracy

"BUFFOONOCRACY"

It is nearly done. The transformation of America into a buffoonocracy that is. This little understood transformation has been slowly eroding democracy in our country since Richard Nixon's time. Sure, there have been setbacks and glitches, but overall the transformation has been a great success. Like a slowly rising tide, the campaign has been innundating and inexorable.

First comes the dumbing down. This is usually accomplished by reducing the amount of money available to educate children. Today, America's children arrive in early adulthood dumber than sacks of hammers and in huge numbers. Capable of working, but too stupid for thought.

Cutting educational funding is justified as 'tax cutting' & 'budget cutting' measures. There are also many other hidden ways that education is eroded, such as the pervasive push for the teaching of 'creationism' and other fundamentalist simplifications to turn back the clock to the middle ages and days of serfs serving feudal lords. Simultaneously there is a relentless propaganda campaign against anything progressive or liberal. 'Liberals' are now successfully demonized as a type of person - the 'other' or 'undesirable' sort.

'Fundamentalism' and 'Conservative' becomes the buzz and catchwords of the last two generations. Fundamentalism is defined as 'getting back to the basics' or something hard to change. The myths of religion were enshrined as foundation stones of our Buffoonocracy. In more generic terms 'pigheaded' describes fundamentalism rather well.

A 'Conservative' on the other hand is someone who never wants to try something for the first time. As Franklin Roosevelt famously said, "A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs, who, however, has never learned to walk forward."


Conservatives have found buffoons to be very easily managed. They can be economically enslaved and seem even happy about it, or at least complacent. Since most never gain the capacity for intelligent thought, they are unable to figure out they are enslaved. As long as you promise a buffoon that he too, has the potential to share in the 'great American dream' and can become rich himself - like his masters - he'll work his ass off for you. Meanwhile, the head of his corporation takes home 400 times the buffoon's annual paycheck - laughing all the way!

A buffoon becomes dangerous when he figures things out for himself, so the goal of conservatives is to keep him dumb and complacent. In the vernacular, 'Fat, Dumb & Happy.' This is accomplished by a relentless campaign from the far right to convince the buffoons their masters are really their heroes, and have only their interests at heart. Meanwhile the buffoons are being used up and discarded like a dirty towels.

Their pension funds are attacked and robbed. They no longer have health care insurance, and all the largesse flows to the elite side of the equation who themselves of course enjoy the fruits of their disenfranchisement of others.

Yes, it is nearly done - the Progress to a New American Century - where the elite will rule without serious opposition, and as they are convinced they are royally entitled.

But the good news is an unhappy buffoon can be lethally dangerous when he finally awakes to what is being done to him. History shows the pendulum ALWAYS then takes a lethal swing.

Just ask the ghosts of French royalty, or Russian aristocracy.

President Bush Grabs A Bigger Shovel!

Washington, DC 1/11/07: The irreverent Molly Ivins, President Bush's fellow Texan, says "The first rule of holes is: 'When you find yourself in one, quit digging!' " After our president's speech last night, it's now patently obvious that the Bush either never heard of this rule, or just does not subscribe to the notion. But chances are good that since he says he doesn't read, he's simply never heard of this rule.

In his speech to the nation on Iraq, the president said that instead of 'quit digging', he's actually grabbing for a much bigger shovel! It figures. This president has ALWAYS marched to his own drumbeat no matter what. No matter how many experts, or more qualified people on so many subjects advise him on any matter, this president invariably is going to 'do it his way', regardless of the consequences. Some may admire his independence, but when that stubborn streak meets up with his lack of intellect - as on most matters it seems - disaster is a normal result.

Such is the case in Iraq. President Bush insisted on his war there no matter what. No matter what the experts told him, no matter what the facts were, no matter how many people cautioned him to be certain and to be careful, he pushed for his war in Iraq over all objections from anywhere in the world. Colin Powell even told him on Iraq, "Be careful Mr. President. You break it, you fix it."

But, it did not matter. Because of the 9/11 disaster, Bush and his supporters were able to stampede Congress, the media and the frightened public into supporting his war in Iraq. Under false colors of course, and for many deceitfully manufactured reasons, but a war all the same. As we now all know, it has been pretty much all downhill from there. In fact, it has become a quagmire and unmitigated disaster which will follow this country for generations. Bush's insistence on his war, and the subsequent complete mismanagement of the situation has resulted a nightmare which will plague our children and grandchildren and beyond. In other words, he's dug our country a rather large and dangerous hole.

To his credit the president last evening did issue a Mea Culpa of sorts - his first ever - acknowledging his personal responsibility for being wrong on Iraq. But incredibly, he then presented his new plan which could only rightfully be entitled, 'Even More of the Same!'

Our War President is saying: "Just Hand Me That Bigger Shovel!" Even the soldiers in the field guffawed!

Past Time to Act

AN OPEN LETTER TO MY SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN

Dear Political Leader:

Americans have made arguably the most disastrous political mistake in our country’s history. This is now very obvious to anyone except perhaps the blindest political dogmatists.

We’ve abrogated unprecedented powers into the hands of a very obviously unfit president who is manifestly unqualified to handle them. The mistakes and disasters perpetrated by this man and his aides pile one on top of the other daily. George W. Bush is in total denial and out of touch with all reality. He ignores the advice of any and all knowledgeable experts. He invariably reverts to his own hidebound, faulty and twisted conclusions, which are consistently wrong and very often blatantly illegal. So far he has been allowed to do so.

The incalculable damage George W. Bush is causing will resonate down through succeeding generations of our nation’s children and grandchildren. Our political leaders of all persuasions, must step forth to fulfill the obligations of their offices, to preserve and protect our nation and people. Partisan dogma must not come before your sworn duties to our country.

This loose and dangerous cannon must be removed from any and all positions of authority and as quickly as possible. I call on you now as a patriotic American political leader to have the courage to step forth to discharge your sworn responsibilities to our nation and people.

I urge you to please act now! Delay now threatens the very foundations of our country and democracy.

Very Sincerely,

Your Constituent

(For the sake of our country, I urge all citizens to write or fax something similar to your senators and congressman)

Can My Mother Be A Lying Whore?

What if you awoke one morning to realize that your mother and your grandmother were nothing but lying whores and had been for decades? And, since the day you were born you had kept them on this shining pedestal in your mind. Would you be upset?

What if they even reluctantly admitted to being lying whores ‘well, maybe just a few times, but I only did so because I always had only your best interests foremost in mind." Would you still be upset?

Well yes, I am very upset! I am now finally, fully waking up to the fact that my country is nothing more than a big, fat, lying whore, and has been for decades. My very own country whose honor I have defended by force of arms and made many sacrifices for!

Let me lay out some of the dirty linen that causes me to feel this way. Some common threads run through these garments, and they are:

These things usually happened under Republican administrations (but, not invariably);

These things ALWAYS had CIA involvement - invariably;

The ultimate benefactor of these things is invariably “Corporatism”;

These things featured armed ‘death squads’ to deal ‘extralegally’ with opponents by means of summary executions;

The ultimate victims of these are always the common people and their rights;

The victim country usually sits on some sort of natural resource wealth;

“Defending against Communism” was always cited as the reason for US support of repressive, right wing regimes until the ‘defeat’ of communism. Afterwards, the boogeyman has been the ‘defeat of terrorism’.

The most disturbing aspect is that a popular, usually democratically elected government, is invariably replaced by a repressive, right wing government (often a dictatorship) which favors big money interest exclusively;

EXAMPLE: 1953, IRAN; Eisenhower administration: The CIA planned, sponsored and executed a coup to oust Iran’s Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq's and install the repressive Reza Shah Pahlavi

EXAMPLE: 1954, GUATEMALA; Eisenhower administration: The CIA planned, sponsored and executed a coup to oust the populist & democratically elected government of Jacabo Arbenz Guzman and install the repressive Castillo Armas as dictator. The United Fruit Company was the corporate instigator of the coup as they controlled the railroads, electric utilities and most of the best land in the country. Over 200,000 people died in the aftermath of this coup.

EXAMPLE: 1959, CUBA; Eisenhower administration: Fidel Castro led a popular revolution to overthrow the repressive, right wing Fulgencio Batista regime supported by the mafia and big money interests in the US. Under Eisenhower, the CIA began a 45 year campaign to oust the Castro government which continues to this day. Castro ultimately embraced communism to successfully defend his country against the CIA sponsored attacks on his country.

EXAMPLE: 1973, CHILE; Nixon Administration: The CIA planned, sponsored and helped execute a coup to oust the democratically elected government of Salvadore Allende. Dictator Augusto Pinochet was installed and assumed draconian powers. Allende was murdered during the coup along with many aides. Under Pinochet’s rule thousands of his opponents ‘disappeared’. Henry Kissinger’s involvement resulted in an international warrant being issued for his arrest.

EXAMPLE: 1981, EL SALVADOR; Reagan administration: The CIA trained & sponsored ‘death squads’ to aid rich landowners maintain control over the peasantry. 75,000 killed;

EXAMPLE: 1982, Nicaragua; Reagan administration: The CIA sponsored a ‘revolution’ (which ultimately failed) using 'proxy terrorists' (Contras) against the popularly elected government of Daniel Ortega. Over 50,000 persons were killed.

EXAMPLE: 2002, Venezuela; GW Bush administration: The CIA instigated and sponsored a coup against the populist, democratically elected government of Hugo Chavez. The CIA defines the government as ‘technically legal’ but as a ‘democratically elected dictatorship’. The CIA coup was briefly successful but failed after two days. Chavez has since been a major thorn in the side of the US government, and particularly the GW Bush administration;

EXAMPLE: 2003, Iraq; GW Bush administration: The CIA has long been involved in Iraq, first as a friend to the Saddam Hussein dictatorship, and more recently as a counter to Islam influences. GW Bush’s administration used false excuses to mount a unilateral invasion of Iraq which then became a part of his ‘Global War On Terror’ which is ongoing. Perhaps as many as 700,000 and possibly more have now died;

EXAMPLE: 2004, HAITI; ; GW Bush administration: The involvement of the CIA, the IRI (International Republican Institute [John McCain]), and the NED (National Endowment for Democracy) ultimately resulted in the kidnap and removal from office of Haiti’s popularly and democratically elected president Juan-Bertrand Aristide. A repressive, right wing government with expatriate Gerard Latortue at it’s head now rules in his place.

And, of course there are many other examples too, both great and small, but the most common thread is the international war of US monied interests against the rights, freedoms and lives of the common people throughout the world. ECONOMIC domination is the ultimate and only real goal. "DEMOCRACY" is given plenty of lip service, and propagandized to the hilt. However the truth is in the actions my country actually does in the name of all of us.

And, that’s how my own country, that bulwark of freedom and standard bearer for democracy throughout the world, actually defends and dispenses democracy throughout the world!

Yes, I am very upset!

Other sources:
CATO INSTITUTE
INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE