The site for ranting and reporting by John Masters
This is for those posts that we wish to feature here at Deep Sand. It implies that these are a bit extra special.
So there’s tons of furor over Rep. Todd Akin’s (R-DB)(Doucebag) comments about how, in the case of a “legitimate” rape, a woman can’t get pregnant. There’s plenty there to be furious over, but he’s vowed to stay in. And he’s still leading his opponent. That’s because lots people (even some of the ones who have been distancing themselves from Akin) actually believe some of the bullshit he’s let slip out.
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In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs.
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Everyone needs to just take a breath, and let’s bring some sanity to the discussion. We all want to know why. We want to understand how this person came to this place. We want to assign some motivation, some identifiable cause. We want to blame someone or something so it will look like we can control these situations. We want these answers because we want to be safe. Blame doesn’t mend the families or even the nation. The answers given so far are little more than bandages that easily fail after just a few dips in reality. Because there isn’t a good answer, we need to just stop and say a prayer for the families and friends of the victims in Aurora and a scared nation.
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Some years back I came across a rather long essay that speaks to what I see so much of evidence of today in regards to gay rights, and right here was a prime example. I wish I could find that essay again. The author looked at all the times throughout history society experienced a great sea-change. The main point was that progress always, ultimately, wins, but as these changes begin, and less-enlightened people begin to the see the change coming, they become scared. People generally don’t like change, and some people just can’t imagine a world different from the one they’ve created (or been told to create). So out of this fear emerges resistance, and this resistance escalates over time as the change becomes more pronounced. It’s the old “wild animal backed into a corner” example.
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Michael Lind has a great story at Salon.com today about how conservatives say one thing, but do another. I know that will come as a shock. Despite their claims of being the people bent on protecting Americans’ freedoms, they are actually the people who have, over the past 60 years, most sought to curtail those freedoms. Lind is careful to make the distinction between true Libertarians and conservatives, and points out that, since World War II, conservatives have opposed every expansion of personal liberty in the U.S. This really is an article you need to read, especially if you are a conservative.
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Since the Mayor gave Newt (serial adulterer, family values, thrice married, marriage is between one man and three women) Gingrich a key to the City today, consider me a native of El Bethel. Bad enough my Old Home State is trying to write discrimination into the State’s Constitution, now they are turning over the key to one of the sleeziest people to ever come out of Washington, D.C. And all this on the day he was ending his campaign anyways.
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I admit I have not been good at posting lately. I’ve had a lot on my mind, we went through a very busy time at work. I was writing a lot, so just couldn’t get up to write. So now we have a political campaign nationally. The homophobes are ramping up their attacks, especially in North Carolina, and I’ve some interesting things happen at work which I may decide to discuss. Here in Florida we’ve had the Trayvon Martin shooting, and lots is changing at church, and the General Conference for the Methodist Church is being held here in Tampa. I’ve got plenty to write, so I’m going to work to get back to it.
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Apparently NPR Religion Correspondent, Barbara Bradley-Haggerty, has decided that religious groups which claim to be Christian can’t possibly be hate groups. It also seems she makes decisions about who to interview for stories based on who returns her call the fastest.
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I’m back. I know I haven’t posted much this entire year. I was writing a lot for work, and frankly there hasn’t been much of interest going on in my life. I admit a lot of the aspects of life I’m not happy with are under my control, and I plan to work to make some changes this year.
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Sunday afternoon we attended the annual holiday concert for Una Voce The Florida Men’s Chorale. This was their 10th annual holiday concert, and Lay and me have been to each of them. This might have been the best concert yet, and I had a great time. The theater was very near, if not, sold out, and I believe straight couples might have outweighed gay couples.
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I went to get a haircut Wednesday morning at the Gandy Barbershop. It’s owned by Steve, but Tony, a British guy, is the barber I use. When I was paying and getting ready to leave he showed me a framed article by a local Tampa Tribune columnist, Steve Otto, which talked about Tony and the barbershop. I got me thinking about my earliest memories of going to the barbershop. Of course I know I went before we moved to Kings Mountain, but the first memory I have of going was to Central Barbershop right downtown on Mountain Street, beside Griffin’s Drug Store.
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