John Masters, Author at Deep Something

An Open Letter to Anti-Gay “Christians”

May 5, 2015September 29, 2018 B. John 1511 Views 0 Comments Tony Perkins, Matt Barber, Ted Cruz, David Duke, Alan Keyes, pat robertson

This entry is part 21 of 35 in the series Gay Marriage

Unfortunately, as gay people are less afraid to hide in a stifling closet, and are demanding that they be accorded the same rights as every other American, the heads of the leaders of the evangelical branch of the christian right are exploding. They are ratcheting up the rhetoric to a disturbing level, and some of their language is most certainly designed to evoke a violent response by unstable people who follow them. So, I’d like to drop them a note.

Featured Politics Courts Religion Society Gay Issues Right Wingnuts

An Open Letter to Mike Huckabee

April 3, 2015September 29, 2018 B. John 1350 Views 0 Comments Mike Pence, Indiana, Wedding Cakes, Mike Huckabee

This entry is part 18 of 35 in the series Gay Marriage

But at the end of the day, with or without these RFRA laws, you still have the same religious freedoms you have had since the Republic was founded. You can pray to whatever God you choose, or you can choose to not pray. You can go to whatever house of worship you wish on whatever day you’d like, and you can crawl into the pulpit and preach the ugliest and nastiest things your sad little heart can drum up about people you don’t like. So Mike, stop with the lying about the need for these laws. The only thing you’re trying to do is get special rights to take your particular from of hatred and bigotry into the public square, and you’re finding that Americans are finally less and less tolerant of your intolerance. I know it’s hard to take now, but in the end, America, and even you, will be better for it.

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Lewis Black – A Show Review

March 17, 2015September 29, 2018 B. John 761 Views 3 Comments Lewis Black, John Bowman, Straz Center, Comedy

This past weekend was my birthday. I love Lewis Black, and have never seen him in person, so I was excited to find that he was performing his current show, “The Rant is Due, Part Deux,” at the Straz Center here in Tampa Saturday evening, March 14. I love Lewis Black and his comedy, but was really disappointed when this show went nowhere.

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Righteous Bigots Afraid to Own Their Bigotry

March 16, 2015September 29, 2018 B. John 1413 Views 1 Comment bigotry, Oklahoma, Chuck Strohm, Christianists, Emily Virgin, religious liberty

This entry is part 6 of 35 in the series Gay Marriage

We’re starting to see the backlash against LGBTQ people as the likelihood of nationwide marriage equality increases, and LGBTQ people achiever equality under the law. One of the main ways the Christianists are trying to keep us in our place, is to pass these bogus, and clearly unconstitutional, religious liberty bills. We saw how cowardly they are in Oklahoma this week.

Music Culture Movies

Whiplash – A Movie Review

March 15, 2015 B. John 529 Views 0 Comments Damien Chazelle, Miles Teller, Paul Reiser, Melissa Benoist, Drama, Music, J. K. Simmons

My expectations were not too high, and I was surprised that Lay was interested at all. I was in the band in high school, a great band at that, with a tough (but nothing like the J.K. Simmons character, Terence Fletcher) band director. I just didn’t see how it could be that compelling. Boy, was I wrong. Everything about this film was stellar; casting, writing, acting, directing, music and cinematography all came together to just tell an incredible story. You really need to see this movie, which is already out on DVD, Amazon and Redbox.

Culture Entertainment Featured Fun Stuff Humor

Love has no….

March 5, 2015September 29, 2018 B. John 1682 Views 1 Comment love

This is a great Youtube by the Ad Council. You know them from the late night public service announcement on TV. The Video tells a great story about not judging a book by its cover. Take 3 minutes to get a smile for today.

Culture Movies

Fury – A Movie Review

February 21, 2015February 20, 2015 B. John 515 Views 0 Comments Action, Brad Pitt, Drama, War, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Pena, David Ayer

April, 1945. As the Allies make their final push in the European Theatre, a battle-hardened army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank and his five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Out-numbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier thrust into their platoon, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany. It was worth watching, and much of the action was realistic, but in some cases logic has to be stretched a little.

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Craziness Roundup for the Week of Feb. 20, 2015

February 20, 2015February 20, 2015 B. John 1037 Views 0 Comments James Van Huss, Tennessee, Roy More, Micah, Alabama, Welfare, school funding, Gene Alday, Roy Moore, Glenn Murdock, Witherspoon Institute, Michael Paulsen, republican, Mississippi, Robert George, Nom

This week’s crazy has been especially over the top, especially with Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore trying to stand in the courthouse doorway, and more Christians believing that only they can defend God (shhh, apparently he can’t take care of himself).

Featured Politics War

American Sniper – War and Politics

February 16, 2015February 16, 2015 B. John 632 Views 0 Comments Iraq, Michael Moore, Chris Kyle, American Sniper, Heroes, cowards

The recent movie, American Sniper, based on the autobiography of Chris Kyle, has sparked quite a bit of heated discussion. I’ve previously reviewed the movie, but in this post, I’d like to take on some of the politics, praise, and condemnation that’s been the result of the movie.

Culture Movies Politics War

American Sniper-A Movie Review

February 16, 2015 B. John 654 Views 2 Comments Drama, Biography, Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Kyle Gallner, Cole Konis, Action, Ben Reed

Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind. We watched this one in the theater a couple of weekends ago. I’m sorry to just now be getting around to writing my review. Me and Lay both thought this movie was OK. I suspect he liked it a bit more. I had some trouble separating the politics, the biography, and the movie.

Culture Movies

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel-A Movie Review

January 19, 2015 B. John 507 Views 0 Comments James Rawlings, Comedy, Penelope Wilton, Drama, Maggie Smith, India, Liza Tarbuck, Judi Dench, Paul Bhattacharjee, Bill Nighy, Lucy Robinson, Tom Wilkinson, Ronald Pickup, Celia Imrie, Jaipur, Patrick Pearson, Hugh Dickson

Seven elderly Britons, for a variety of reasons, respond to an online ad and travel to Jaipur, India, where they find run-down hotel with a young, exuberant, and optimistic host. Evelyn, newly widowed, wants low-cost experience, Graham seeks a long-ago love, Douglas and Jean have lost their pension in a family investment, Muriel needs cheap hip surgery, Madge seeks a rich husband, and Norman is chasing women. Lay was off Saturday, and I watched this. It was an enjoyable movie.