As you may know. Halloween has found it tied to many traditions over the years since the first coming of a harvest. The traditions come and go, and vary from place to place. And from the time you were a kid to now, it's changed some more.
The idea is simple: During this Halloween season, share a scary book with someone.
It's a simple enough prospect. It's wonderful to share literature and stories. And at this time of year, along with costumes, candy, and spooky movies, throw in a beloved book (a comic book, children's book, Stephen King -- Whatever is appropriate for who you plan on sharing with.).
So, please, join in.
And here's Neil Gaiman to explain as only he can.
And here are some posters ideas, if you would like to promote or enjoy celebrating the All Hallow's Read.
Is the language of the Internet killing society, language, literacy, and...stuff?
Probably not.
This may well just be part of language and social communication flexing, growing, and experimenting. Language needs to get taken out once in awhile and exercised. It's not the family silver.
So, yes, if you fret that language isn't used the way you like, you are a Margaret Dumont character.
"I can't hear you over the weight of scientific consensus!"
Climate Change is one of the issues that, despite conservative media claims, is pretty well established. Much of it is human made. And the human made portion is having a clear negative impact on humanity. The world is less hospitable to us.
It's an undeniable consensus now.
And if we find a trail of evidence that leads another way, I'll be surprised, and scientists are ready to hear about it. But like in dealings with religious apologist and Creationist, there is NO new data against human made Climate Change to consider.
Galling in this issue, are people opposed to accepting the impact Climate Change. They call themselves skeptics often. They are skeptics in much the same way as guys who call themselves demonologists and skeptics, or antivaxxers and skeptics. (And, yes, we have seen some famous people who call themselves skeptics who mocked the idea of Climate Change. And they deserve to be criticized for the bad analysis.)
Today is called by some Giving Tuesday, a counter to the consumerism, and just a reminder to invest in bettering the world around you. There are many places you can give money. Or time. Or moral support.
One such choice is the Salvation Army, a Christian organization. They spread out earlier and earlier each year. Ringing bells. Giving you expectant looks. And they do some good work. They can and do help people. And, people out there ringing away, are people that get hired for the season for a small wage.
But they are also not friendly to gay people. It's part of their religious tenets. Workers have been turned away for being gay. And there are stories of gay people being refused shelter. It isn't a representation of the whole group. But there are question marks in their policy. They say they are trying to do better, but how much is yet to be seen.
They have also run into other issues. Past treatment of union families. A large number of child abuse cases in Australia. And questions of mismanagement in some areas.
And, as it is, I would prefer to give to organizations that will not be funding religious efforts or antigay efforts. I like to find groups that are apart from that messiness.
So, as an alternative, let me suggest some of the numerous organizations out there that are more secularly focused, and not limiting where or how they aid.
Groups to support:
Amnesty International - They campaign for the human rights of people around the world.
Direct Relief - This organization works to improve health and lives of people affected by poverty, or emergency situations.
Doctors Without Borders - Made up primarily of health care facilitators, they operate in 60 countries, helping people dealing with disasters and violence.
Engineers Without Borders - Support local efforts to work on development projects.They work on projects including, drinking water access, sanitation, and roads.
Feed America - The organization works to help feed those in need of food. They do this with food banks. (And with the cuts to SNAP, they are in desperate need.)
Goodwill - This organization works to give job training, employment, and other services for the disabled.
Humanist Charities - Tied to the American Humanist Association, it offers aid in matters of health and welfare via a humanist approach.
Madre - An international women's human rights group that addresses the wide range of issues affecting women in local communities.
Planned Parenthood - Health care providers, educators, and advocates for health care access and knowledge. They work to guarantee a right to make one's own informed reproductive decisions. Also, to ensure those in poverty to have access to support. They also are at work on a global level.
Red Cross - A well known organization, it does good work on disaster relief, producing almost half of the United States' blood supply, and offering training on health.
UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund - They focus on children's interest around the globe. They work in many areas, including immunization, education, and emergency relief.
Not as direct, but important, the fighters for free speech and privacy.
Electronic Frontiers Foundation - An organization that works to preserve digital rights. Among it's focuses are privacy, free speech, and consumer rights.
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund - An organization focused on preserving First Amendment rights in the comic field, for artists to produce and readers to access.
As you may know. Halloween has found it tied to many traditions over the years since the first coming of a harvest. The traditions come and go, and vary from place to place. And from the time you were a kid to now, it's changed some more.
The idea is simple: During this Halloween season, share a scary book with someone.
It's a simple enough prospect. It's wonderful to share literature and stories. And at this time of year, along with costumes, candy, and spooky movies, throw in a beloved book (a comic book, children's book, Stephen King -- Whatever is appropriate for who you plan on sharing with.).
So, please, join in.
And here's Neil Gaiman to explain as only he can.
And here are some posters ideas, if you would like to promote or enjoy celebrating the All Hallow's Read.
Today is the end of Banned Book Week, supported by the American Library Association. The idea of this week is to make yourself and others aware of all the literature which is kept out of people's hands. In schools and libraries books are pulled from the shelves and denied to students and patrons.
Sometimes their can be a valid concern about where the book is placed, like more adult themed material being placed in with children's books. But much of the time it is a matter of someone not caring for ideas being presented, or social and sexual imagery and concepts being presented. The books are dangerous! What an idea. Books are generally dangerous in the most wonderful of ways. As are ideas.
Margaret Atwood
For so long powerful and evocative books, sometimes with complicated views of society and history have been deemed better forgotten. Fahrenheit 451. The Grapes of Wrath. Howl. Leaves of Grass. Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison). The Great Gatsby. The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Our Bodies, Our Selves. The Jungle. The Scarlet Letter. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. To Kill A Mockingbird. Gone With The Wind. The Call Of The Wild. The Red Badge of Courage. Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. Where The Wild Things Are.
George Orwell
Honestly I look at this list, and the rest at the link and think, "I have a lot of books to reread. And plenty to pick up for the first time.
And now we live in an age where kids books are written about someone having two moms. Or kids dealing with serious real world issues. And for some people this is terrifying. As terrifying as once a book about an island full of boys unsupervised running a muck was to people. Or a book about fighting back against a society that burns books. Or a book about a totalitarian regime against who there can be no victory. Or a book about a boy wizard with a destiny.
Here's a listing for many books that have faced bans over the last 100 years. You can see it continues to this day with books like the Hunger Games and The Perks of Being A Wallflower facing ban challenges. This is a fight to preserve access that will continue for years to come.
Neil Gaiman -
MPR Photo/Steve Mullis
Here's a piece talking to Ellen Hopkins, author of Crank, about the bans and conflicts she faced.
Here's an article from CNN looking at the week and the struggle many books and libraries continue to face. It also lists books heavily attacked last year, like And Tango Makes Three (about two male penguins who hatched an egg), Kite Runner, Beloved, and Captain Underpants.
Ray Bradbury
That CNN list also shows 50 Shades of Grey, a book many of us I know aren't fond of seeing. But that's the point of opposing banning. It's not whether we care for or respect a book. It's the fact people have a right to access all sorts of literature.
Below are some additional notes on more titles that have faced hostility when made available.
And here's some comics that have faced being banned. And as you may note are some amazing award winning works. This includes Spider-Man books, Maus, Persepolis, Sandman, and Tank Girl. And also Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Strikes Again. A really lousy and loathsome piece, in my mind. But I don't care for people to be denied the right to access and read it themselves and come to hate it just as I did.
J. K. Rowling
Perhaps that's the hidden benefit of this fear of some for some books.
It reminds up how amazing and powerful literature is. And that we should never take it for granted, or loose our love for it.
Literature and literacy. Help it spread.
And for "fun", here's a quiz on some banned books.
__________ UPDATED:
NPR found a nice library display looking at famous banned books, and why they were banned.
We can loose sight of the people who are putting up the hard fights. People who stand up to authority and peer pressure in places where there is just not much cover, and standing out can mean your life will be made hell.
But once in a while we see someone stand up, and refuse to sit back down and be silent. One such person is Katelyn Campbell of West Virginia. She is standing up to abstinence education with blatant religious content.
A religious spurred speaker came in and began to spout to students. Condoms are bad, and don't work. If you have sex, you will get a disease. If you take birth control, your mom hates you. And that the speaker could tell if you would be promiscuous.
Campbell opted out of the event, but was given a recording of it. Hearing it she was outraged and spoke out, and sought those who would listen.
For speaking out, and talking to the media and the ACLU, the principal threatened her. He told her that he may contact the university that she was going to in the fall, and tell them she was of bad character.
So there she was, taking a stand, having her future threatened, and she did not back down. Good for her. Thank you. Thank you for standing up and trying to make a difference. For science. For education. For the separation of church and state.
I am glad someone reminded that we have now shifted into Autism Awareness Month.
Autism is one of those evolving topics of medical science. We continue to learn about it, how it manifest, and how we treat it. Still, it does get a certain level of coverage, and hype. So it is good to have times when we can pause and cut through hyperbole, conspiracy, and outright lies, and talk seriously and scientifically about an issue like this. (Granted of course their is an ever important human element to always remember.)
So, their is a lot of garbage out there about autism. One area of particular concern to me is in the quest to understand what causes it to occur. This is because in an attempt to answer that question some decide to attack science and the medical establishment. Specifically, some like to attack the administering of vaccines. There have been continuing attempts to try and tie vaccination to autism. From vaccines in general to mercury to thimerosal. But all research says the claims do not hold up. But the claims continue, like that vaccines contain antifreeze. And the result is parents scared to treat their kids, and illnesses getting spread. This causes a lot of harm, and isn't helping to end autism, or help autistic children.
This obsession diverts focus from the areas where their has been real success in helping autistic people, and keeps money from going to the real issues that need addressing. One group tied to these claims is Autism Speaks. The group doesn't have a good record. And it's been aggressive in pushing anti-vaccination messages. They have not been a good resource for autistic advocates.
So, please, learn about autism. And avoid sources, like Autism Speaks. There are many bad resources around, and people eager to profit off the desire to help children. You can find all manner of claims. Harmful claims. Claims desperate people can cling to, not knowing better:
Kansas. I hate to pick on it. It has it's good qualities.
But it also sometimes makes itself home to some ridiculous politicians, like Governor Brownback. And conservatives like to view it as a testbed for many of their balmy ideas.
One gambit conservatives have been playing across the country has been the childhood classic/irritant "I'm Not Touching You". And the conservative's favorite playmate/victim of this is women and their access to abortion.
So many days of waiting before getting seen. But we aren't touching you!
Denying access after 30 weeks. But we aren't touching!
Denying access after 20 weeks. But we aren't touching!
Denying access after 12 weeks. But we aren't touching!
Mandatory transvaginal ultrasound probing But they aren't touching!
...Wait...They're changing the rules. Cheaters!
While conservatives are kept by Roe vs Wade from banning abortion outright. They can throw up hurdles. They can also harass and work to demonize.
Now, they have a new bill working it's way through.
...
A Kansas House committee passed HB 2253 on Wednesday along party lines, with Republicans pushing the bill through while Democrats opposed it. The bill is a broad spectrum of anti-abortion laws sponsored by GOP state Rep. Lance Kinzer, who is the poster boy for many of the outrageous abortion bills introduced and passed in Kansas these days. Included in the bill are measures declaring that life begins at conception, measures that keep women from deducting the cost of abortion procedures on their tax forms, and measures that affect “information the Kansas Department of Health and Environment distributes on abortion and fetal development,” according to the Topeka Capital-Journal.
...
So they want to keep abortion support from getting the tax breaks all other health care gets, and women as well.
Much of the debate centered on a portion of the bill that bars anyone associated with an abortion provider from working in a public school. It is meant to prevent districts from contracting with groups like Planned Parenthood to provide sexual education materials, but Rep. Emily Perry, D-Mission, said the bill as written was overly broad.
"I read this section to prohibit parents from going in and volunteering at their child’s school if they work at a place that provides abortion services,” Perry said.
Committee Chairman Arlen Siegfreid, R-Olathe, confirmed with a staff attorney that the bill would, for example, prohibit an abortion clinic secretary from "bringing cupcakes" to school for his or her child's birthday party.
...
This is the after effect when you rush through law to get extreme results. The Republicans are so eager to bar Planned Parenthood and other honest sources of information and support. They want to isolate.
Though to be fair, Democrats complained, offered an amendment to prevent at least this result, and this led to some republicans agreement. Though it was tweaked by Republicans. It looks like it will allow abortion providers to volunteer at schools. But it also seems to say school workers cannot volunteer at abortion providers. We can't have that, can we, GOP?
And while some Republicans don't want to go the whole hog (leaving some hoof), others are eager to be extreme, laying out the basic trajectory that the party is following.
...
There was still opposition to the amendment from Rep. Allan Rothlisberg, R-Grandview Plaza, who said he didn't want anyone involved in "killing children or babies" volunteering in public schools in any capacity.
“If they want to (volunteer) they can find another job that will allow them to do so," Rothlisberg said. "We should have people of integrity and morality teaching our children.”
...
Alienation. Ostracism. The favorite toys of the conservatism.
And the GOP of Kansas are now looking at the 12 week bans, and getting very excited. Oh, Kansas.
But that's not all Kansas Republicans are eyeing. They have some great ideas of education and taxes. You see, Republicans have eagerly been cutting the income tax down to nothing. But that means the budget is too big, and something needs to be cut! (How exciting for Republicans!) So, they are going after funds meant to help poorer families send their kids to state schools. Some are saying that they wonder if getting poorer kids and education is a job for government. Shifting from income taxes to sales taxes is important, but education, not so much. But it's not like the Republicans ever show contempt for education, academia, or educated voters.
When they needed a program to go after, it wasn't one that inconvenienced richer Kansas citizens or out-of-staters. They went to the poorest in the state, trying to better themselves. And, sadly, that is what the GOP does. Where do you cut to balance your budget? For Republicans, you slash into education, you slash into hospital funding, you slash into mental health support. And hasn't that benefited us all?
Let me remind Kansas of something. 2014. Over a year until you get your say about these politicians. And you better be sure you're heard at the polls.
And, to remind us all, not that long about the governor of the state was a Democrat. So it shouldn't be an insurmountable effort. Kansas can change it's politics.
FOX News manages to not surprise us with it's ways of being offensive and dismissive of those they think can be safely picked on. It's mostly a matter of being asses to generate a feel good atmosphere for the close-minded viewers at home.
On this occasion it was a chance to attack and mock Wiccans and Pagans. And the problem isn't with something these people were doing. No, it is a matter of them have holidays in the religion being acknowledge at one university.
It seems banal enough. But FOX's best and brightest saw an easy and quick way to throw out some red meat to it's paranoid Christian, ignorant Witches Are Real, and the Schools Are Indoctrinating Our Kids audiences. Trouble is, this isn't the 1980's. So literal witch hunts are just not in vogue today. (Don't get me wrong, various Wiccans and Pagans are facing discrimination and intolerance in some small towns and small-minded communities.)
Oh, and yes, Tucker "Look, Ma, no bow tie!" Carlson is along to amplify the jackassery.
The University of Missouri, in it's guide to religions, acknowledges Wicca and Paganism, among many other religions. FOX gets a bit petulant and snarky at the idea of them getting seen as in anyway equivalent to Christianity. If you acknowledge pagans, you must hate Christ! You are out to destroy America!
How dare anyone recognize their holidays! Witches! With their...witch things... Lucky that we have Tucker to explain what Wiccans are (About witchcraft and D&D playing and divorced old women and Halloween.), such a smart man. How dare these pagans get any respect! Right? In particular, they get pissy at the number of religious days and celebrations they have. They seem upset that they get any consideration, like having their holiday dates written down and shared. So let's look at that what is shared.
Pagan/Wiccan holidays noted by the U of Missouri:
Mabon / Autumnal Equinox
Samhain
Yule / Midwinter / Winter Solstice
Imbolc / Candlemas
Ostara / Spring Equinox
Beltane
Litha / Midsomer / Summer Solstice
Lammas / Lughnasadh
That's 8 holidays. I would like to note that in the listings they mention the general practices for the holiday, and also any recommended accommodations for students that are of a given faith at the time of the holiday. These holidays ask for no special accommodations they are just special days. So they don't get you out of class or tests or anything else. They only matter if you give them significance. But that is too much for FOX
FOX acts like it's weird or a big deal. You could note, Judaism has 11 holidays, and some accommodations asked for. Christianity has 7 holidays (with the Easter Orthodox having 4 holidays in variance) and accommodations requested. And there are other religions acknowledged from the Baha'i to Shinto Buddhism. But as dense and bigoted as FOX can be, it isn't going to point a mock the Jewish faith, it messes with their agenda of using Israel to push war.
For FOX and Tucker Carlson, Wiccans seem like an easy target of mockery, humiliation, and bullying. A group you can just call witches, then say anything you want with no one harm to you. And, of course, with the core demographic for FOX News, calling pagans and Wiccans witches is a plus. (They also like it when you demonize all Muslims to. shhhh!)
AND if all this wasn't enough. Tucker Carlson takes a swing at Halloween. Tucker? You can say a lot of crap. But. Never. Touch. Halloween. I have no religion interests, but I love Halloween. And a weenie like you has no place mocking it. You gibbering hyena of psuedo journalism. Candy, kids, costumes, spooky movies and sights. It a day for fun, character playing, and laughing at the macabre.
And, Tucker, being the good Christian you play at being, you have heard of All's Hallow Eve, right? Sorry the actual celebration isn't banal enough for you. I'm guessing you also have a bug up your butt about Fat Tuesday to then?
Tucker actually says in the video, "Call me a bigot." And I am happy to. Tucker is a stuffed suit with a tiny dull prep school bully squirming around in it. You just up and call these people and their religion fake and sad, not based on any facts or insight, just based on your ignorant contempt. It's the same insight he brings to politics. And it's why he's an easy fit with the rest of FOX News. At least in the video, the woman in the middle by the end looks a little uncomfortable when they get to the point where Carlson is just out and out venting and mocking women. But that's what Tucker is about. Eager and excited contempt of people not like him. He's always giddy to get a shot at that, he thinks it makes him look big. (Really, it's a lot like Joe Scarborough.)
He's since apologized. But in it he shares that he thinks their holidays are weird. Nice guy. So classy.
Too bad Wicca doesn't have a holiday where they celebrate a figure resurrecting from the dead by eating ham and looking for hidden eggs placed by a magic rabbit. You know, non-weird religious festivities.
I am not religious at all. I have qualms with all the different faiths. But I don't see a need to criticize or fight unless their is a problem or danger worth talking about (or I think of something damn funny). But I definitely have no taste for bullies at anytime. We all know what bullies really are, and if you don't, just look at Fox & Friends and Tucker Carlson. See how pathetic they really are. These are the type of people we have to stand up to.
Sadly, we live in a world with FOX News. A station always up for a witch hunt, literally. (Yes. I had to go there.)
We are closing out the week of the State of the Union, so before I get into any critical issues with current government policy (Oh, let's hope I get writing.), let's look at the good work being, at least considered. As such, what is the president considering for the next year and on?
There were many good ideas, good moments, hit in the speech. Obviously continuing talk of doing something on gun violence is great, and his rhetorical flourishes in reaching out to the national audience were touching. I hope for the best. Then I remember the hundreds of hostile eyes on him in that room, eager to not piss off the NRA. ...Let's see what happens. This is unlike immigration, where I am guessing their is enough push right now, and fear in the GOP of Hispanics, to make something real happen.
But I was more interested in the "new" ideas.
Universal Pre-K. Or, preschool for all. This would be great. A heads up for all kids, to socialize, learn some early skills, and help parents entering or trying to hold jobs in the workforce. The struggle to find ways to get their kids into preschool is a struggle for many working moms. But the problem is making it real.
This involves some troubling areas for the GOP. Kids, they don't like kids. Education, they really don't like education. And the government making an investment in communities across the nation, ...I think you see where I'm going here. This will be a fight. We already know Newt Gingrich already leads the concept of getting kids into overalls and giving them comically small brooms. You can feel free to imagine what the wingery parts of the party are thinking. As I heard someone say, this will likely not happen in Obama's time in office. Maybe the foundations for it can be set in the next 4 years. Or, maybe, we will be surprised by movement on it.
Minimum Wage Hike. This is needed. The minimum wage continues to lag behind indicator, and leaves anyone working for this wage rate below the poverty line. That is just not acceptable. And the idea of tying it to a measure so we don't need to wait for Congress to move, that seems sound. Also seems pie in the sky. I just don't see the GOP not blocking this, as always. The president needs to move things with voters so the GOP has no where to go. As it is, the GOP has it's tested pablum about how horrible it is to pay people living wages, and the media eats it up (despite it all being crap). But we may yet see a Minimum Wage bump at least. I just can't predict what madness the House will pull.
Getting to Actually Vote. I was glad to see continuing as an issue. And the president humanizing the experience with the older woman, stuck in an interminable line is smart. I hope we will see real action on it. The president has formed a committee, that is good. He's put a Republicans who's worked for Romney and McCain, and helped in the swiftboating of John Kerry, that's...confusing and troubling. But as long as we see some real plans to improve voting, I'd be happy. Though it seems the simplest way to go is to enforce uniform rules on FEDERAL elections, which would push states and counties to try and streamline their own elections, and put pressure to be sure regions of the country don't leave poorer communities with inadequate facilities to vote. If a finding of the committee is that we need to deal with voter fraud I will be peeved. But, it is early days...Voting occurs next year. Get to work!
The Progressive Narrative. This, to me, is the real power of the speech. Policy can have a chance of passing the next Congress or not. But what is the narrative of who we are as Americans? Reagan helped usher in a contempt for government action, a sense we were all on our own. It was the era of the yuppies, in bad suits, getting rich on the backs of the middle class, leading to growing disparity and struggle.
Obama talks of something else, connecting with Americans. He offers up a return to building a middle class that is the heart of this country. To us all standing together. The Progressive Narrative:
...
"And now they are at the heart of the story President Obama has been telling the American people in his SOTU, in his second inaugural address, on the campaign trail last year. From last night: "It is our generation's task, then, to reignite the true engine of America's economic growth -- a rising, thriving middle class." And "A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs -- that must be the North Star that guides our efforts." And "no one who works full time should have to live in poverty..." And "Stronger families. Stronger communities. A stronger America.
It is this kind of prosperity -- broad, shared, and built on a thriving middle class -- that has always been the source of our progress at home." You are speaking our language, Mr. President.It wasn't because the president's speech writers saw the website and thought it sounded good. It was because they are reading the same polling we are, because they are seeing the same focus groups. It is because this is where the American people have come around to after flirting with the Tea Party "no government is ever good" rhetoric. America's middle class knows it is getting crushed, and it knows that wealthy and powerful special interests have been making out like bandits on the backs of the rest of us. People are rallying around the story we are telling because it is common sense. The progressive center of gravity we built with this narrative pulled the president and the public in our direction because the story is true, and because it has powerful resonance in people's lives."
...
President Obama made a potent use of this annual event. But it is only the beginning. The new term of Congress has started, as has the presidents term. The work lies ahead. Everyone has to be sure that the Progressive Narrative isn't lost under conventional wisdom, beltway realities, and our own sad short term memories. We have to push back on what conservatives will try to do and try to not let happen. And we will need to likely need to push the president on some actions.
Oh, but now, what did the GOP have to say in response, cutting the president's ideas to shreds?!
*GULP*
_____________ ADDENDUM:
Forgot to mention another important area that the president mentioned.
Infrastructure investment. This is something we've needed for years now. Bridges, levies, dams, national piping, electrical grids, roads, all have needed a serious investment. And more should have come in the stimulus we got four years ago. We need to do this. It means, work, jobs, and needed boost to the economy. And it means we won't go more years and have a severe crisis arise when grids die, pipeline rupture, areas getting isolated by dilapidated travel conditions, or another tragic flood.
I hope this investment can happen. We do need this work done.
It would be nice to say now, that the Right in this country have sagely taken some lessons away from this election. That they see where some ideological extremes they embraced were too far. That some of their attacks on rights were morally wrong. That the Tea Party, the Religious Right, and the billionaire backers asked for things no one should agree to do.
Let's pretend for a moment that happen. Steve Schimdt, a one time adviser to John McCain says the GOP needs to break from reactionary angry voices like Rush Limbaugh. Good. Frum is also unhappy with conservative media (which booted him). But they seem to be a minority.
Among the conservative voice online, we heard a very loud message. "That!@$#ing #!@&*+has done it to us again." At the University of Mississippi students went out into the street screaming and throwing rocks in anger.
In a more established grouping, as seen in the piece on Steve Schimdt's concerns, it was also noted that the Tea Party Patriots had a message. WAR. They will not stand for "moderates" like Mitt Romney leading anymore. They are naming themselves the rightful heirs of the conservative movement. This group is eager to fight, Republicans, and they have many billionaire backers to help. Not a good start for change, except a shift further Right.
An odd addendum to the Tea Party right comes from Boehner who acted like their was no Tea Party caucus in the House. Seems like a disconnect, but will the Tea Party make life easy if Boehner were to actually break? He's already been made to walk with back a bit.
For the Family Research Council their is an eagerness to increase it's aggression against what it deems as an attack on morality. With the passage in multiple states of marriage equality, they want more aggressive civil disobedience against these rights. What then? Will they be ruining people's weddings. Will they be trying to humiliate and terrorize newlyweds? Yeah. That's a winning strategy, isn't it?
On the business front, we are hearing now that a number of CEO's are cutting jobs and trying to blame it on Obama. Pathetic. From coal magnates to the owner of Red Lobster, they took this electoral loss, and punished their employees. They took the risk of a loss of ANY profits, and decided to take it out of the hides of the workers. This is how they do business. I wouldn't care to do business with them.
Among advisers, Grover Norquist wants everyone to believe that the election was good and positive for the GOP, on many levels. Others have tried to go as far as saying that Republicans have a mandate coming out of the election. I know, it is crazy. A lot of sad opinions.
Some want to reach out to Latinos by doing a little immigration reform. Put Rubio up to talk it up, and then have him run for president. So, it's not about helping Latinos or understand their issues or concerns, just buy them off.
Some also are saying that the GOP needs to reach out to women. Karen Hughes wants to cut the tongues out of GOP representatives if they talk like Akins. That is great. Except, they aren't upset at the ideas. They are still pushing the denial of reproductive rights. They still oppose equal pay. They still think of women who use the Pill as sluts. As I heard today they think open talk on this costs votes. It's a strategic pain. They aren't growing and learning about their mistaken policy positions, as we see in Ohio.
Melina Mara/ The Washington Post via Getty Images
In Ohio the Republican party has now decided, post-election to renew an attack on the reproductive health care access of women. Wednesday, the 14th, they will be voting on restricting access to abortion. That is the reaction, "Onward, damn those women."
And in Florida, the governor still is avoiding the media and now is refusing to acknowledge the utter failure his election day was.
And in the Congress? In talking about the coming budget fight, Speaker Boehner offers as a way forward, effectively, the plan that Romney ran and lost on. They are complaining that the president must meet their expectations. How is that moving things forwards? How is that finding answers to our problems?
How is any of this showing that ANY lessons were learned?
The Conservatives are active in these days following the election. They are prepping for in four years. Hell, they are looking for the soonest local election where you are. They want to put the usual suspects from their clique on your school board. They want to put a pal in the mayor's office, or on the city council. They are grooming a like minded fellow ready to be voted onto the PUC or onto a court.
This is what Nordquist was hinting at. They can loose a presidency. They cannot take the Senate. But they are establishing bases of power lower, they are writing law to keep liberals out, or to get to the US Supreme Court to get desired rulings.
The key reason that their was little change in the House of Representatives is all the states that the GOP gained control of State Legislatures. With that power they redid the shapes of districts, limiting the places that Democrats could win House races, and bolstering the ability of Republicans to hold and keep seats across the country. Those state races that they fought for were pivotal. We can't let them keep them.
We have to be active on the ground. We need to find people to run against Republicans for all offices. We need to be seeing the decisions they are making in office NOW. We need to not decide that the elections over and now we get to disengage.
Don't disengage now. Don't let others. We all have to care what happens on the school board. We have to care what the city council is doing. We have to care what out legislature is up to. AND we need to bother to be heard with what will be happening in Congress.
Stay active and engaged.
_____________ ADDENDUM:
In Texas, the treasurer of the Hardin County Republican Party is calling for Texas to secede from the the nation.
...“We must contest every single inch of ground and delay the baby-murdering, tax-raising socialists at every opportunity,” Morrison wrote. “But in due time, the maggots will have eaten every morsel of flesh off of the rotting corpse of the Republic, and therein lies our opportunity.”
“Texas was once its own country, and many Texans already think in nationalist terms about their state. We need to do everything possible to encourage a long-term shift in thinking on this issue. Why should Vermont and Texas live under the same government? Let each go her own way in peace, sign a free trade agreement among the states and we can avoid this gut-wrenching spectacle every four years,” he wrote.
The contents of the letter were first reported by the Texas Observer and TFN Insider.
Morrison also wrote that “many members of minority groups are simply racist against the party most white people happen to vote for.” He singled out Asian Americans, who he said should be Republican “as they earn more money and pay more in taxes than white Americans.”...
WOW! That is some hardcore racist BS. The party head in the county said he didn't know what the treasurer was thinking or writing. But that isn't to say he disagrees. Like with the rape talk they are upset at, how does their rhetoric or legislating differ? Maybe in coarseness. But I have seen a lot of resentment towards business Hispanics already, for not getting in place with Republicans.
But this is how the GOP is acting and reacting now. They are pissed the country didn't go the way they want. And they are pissed the demographics they deem to be theirs won't just do and vote as the party wants.
To consolidate the series of posts I've done the last month, Why Your Voting Matters in November, I am placing links to all of the posts here in this post.
If you haven't voted yet in the elections here in the United States yet, I hope you will be today. Every vote matters. And the numbers that get out will shape the results by tonight, and will shape where our country goes from here.
Let's talk education. Conservatives have been long eager to dismantle the Department of Education. They have also long worked to dismantle the teacher's union. They also seem none to friendly to public education in general, from where I sit. In fact they have come off as dismissive of the whole system.
So what do Romney and his folk want?
End the teacher's unions. It has been a refrain from Conservatives for years now. The idea has been to turn them into straw man villains, out for money and power. Unions aren't perfect, but they are the mechanism to ensure that bureaucracies and administrators don't roll over the teaching community or individuals, and to ensure that a general good can be maintained. So, teachers can work together, when they have their contracts violated and their hours expanded, pay cut, and new books for students denied. But workers having power and a voice in anathema to Conservatives. And, sadly, Conservatives have done a good job turning much of the country against unions, even some union members. When the workers have no voice, and the managers and executives have a booming voice (Hi, Citizens United!), whose interests are going to be met?
Vouchers. Ryan has been enthused about vouchers. And Romney has embraced them to . The trouble with this is much like with a Medicare voucher. It will only get you so far, in a country where everyone has a check to support their education kids, you'll have to cover the rest. Their are going to be a few Have's, and the rest of us will be Have Not's. There are still only so many "good" private schools and prestigious schools, and only so many seats in them. (Part of what makes them good, or seem good, is their exclusivity, control on who they accept, and student/teacher ratios) And these places will cost a lot more than a voucher covers (including travel, uniforms, special equipment, etc.).
And understand, the end game here is killing public education, leaving it all private and corporate schools. That will not be a good end for us peons. If you want a "good" education, you better have money, lots of it. When all there is is privately run schools, your costs will go up (That's how it always goes.). And even then, their aren't going to be a lot of slots, most of the rest will be left to the bargain basement education.
And of course, in these places, teachers will have no voice or ways to change things. And then there's the conservative/ALEC idea of privatizing teaching. It's a scary world that the GOP and Romney envision.
And at the university level, Romney has talked about rolling back loan improvements we've seen over the last 4 years. Loan reform has meant savings to students and families, and also a path to expanding Pell Grants that can be given. Romney seems uninterested in this improvement, instead repeating the unsupported idea that loans should go private, and all those costs for students and families that came with it should return as well. That will be great, for getting a few people richer, and either keep people out of schools or put them into deep deep debt upon finishing their studies. And that will be the result of Romney's thinking, more loans, unsubsidized at far higher rates. How does crushing graduates with debt help the work force? Romney and Ryan also seem uninterested in bolstering Pell Grants, they seem to dismiss them. The results of Romney's thinking would be a diminished public university system.
Privately owned and controlled education seems exactly what Romney and Ryan want.
How is this going to improve things for the students, or the country?
Well, we can do something about this. Vote.
For more information:
Here's some of the work President Obama has done on loans for students.
He could be Vice President of the United States. He could also, if tragic events occur, President of the United States...So, do you know him?
We have, oddly, not seen a lot of talk of just who Paul Ryan is in the last few months. It has been glossed. over. Perhaps the beltway media thinks it's...glossy view of him from the fawning talk of past years is all their is, no more work needed. But that seems pretty dumb.
We, the voters, should be allowed to better know someone who could be president in a crisis.
Ryan has a long record to know. For the question of the rights of Americans, he's been a constant foe of the gay community, repeatedly supporting federal marriage amendments and laws, which would end all existing marriage equality in the country. Along with this he still supports Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He's also voted against the right of gays to adopt children. He's hostility is clear.
When it comes to the rights of women, he's not friendly. He has worked long to strip away reproductive rights. He wants to see Roe vs Wade struck down. More than that he has repeated gone after any support of Planned Parenthood. He is a constant enemy of reproductive rights.
More than that he has championed the idea of a personhood laws. This would declare the fetus in a woman a human, and abortion a clear murder. It would seal the fate of all women under his religious vision. Whatever women may want to do with their own bodies, Ryan knows that he knows better.
On to wider health care questions, the approach the Paul Ryan has for access to medicare is to cut it down and turn it into a voucher system. This would mean far less support for any of us in our old age. You get some money, and then you are on your own to find a private medical service that can get you by, if you can find the medical care you need. It would mean meager support to those growing old and in need of a social safety net.
In fact from medicare to medicaid to social security, Paul Ryan only sees services in need of cutting down. It would be a very harsh life for anyone who found themselves in financial trouble. This is following on a youth and education for Paul Ryan largely supported by social security pay outs after the unfortunate death of his father.
Ryan would continue this theme in his approach to education. Vouchers for your family. Then you can go try and find out what level of education you can afford, as you compete, with a nation of families many with more money, pushing by you into the good schools. And when you want to go to a university, Ryan is not fond of expanding federal loans to help students get in. Again, you are on your own.
That seems to be a constant with Ryan. It no doubt, in part, comes from his adherence to Ayn Rand's philosophy. He seems to be fond to see people make it on their own. He seems himself in this light, despite the fact his life story is largely the opposite.
You've likely thought on Mitt Romney as president. But also imagine this man as your president.
As I noted, in a previous post, the GOP has for ages been hostile to public services and government support to services beneficial to us all.
Social security, opposed from the start. Medicare, opposed from the start.
And public broadcasting? President Johnson started a grant to PBS. And under Nixon then moved to cut it. And they've continued the dream of cuts.
And in 1969, Mr. Rogers came to it's defense.
Never mistake it. When Republicans move against Medicare, Social Security, or PBS, it has NOTHING to do with a current fiscal problem, or a new determination. It is something they've felt from the start.
A guarantee of aid to the elderly in need, to the sick in trouble, or a nonprofit source of knowledge of education, these are anathema to conservatism for 100 years.
Yeah, Mitt Romney likes Big Bird. He could make himself a lot of money off hawking and selling him.
It is never easy for me to talk about visceral scarring
events. I seldom feel equipped to suitably address the topic. But the shootings
last Friday in Aurora, Colorado, unsurprisingly, still haunt most of our thoughts.
Those in Colorado are mourning and recuperating. And people there, and around
the country, are trying to wrap our minds around acts like this.
I can only, on my part, hope for and give my condolence to
all those both physically, emotionally, and psychologically harmed. You are in
my thoughts, I will try to remember those lost, and I hope we all will act to
help now and in the future. Give blood. Be there for those around us that need
someone to listen to them, or reaffirm the value of humanity.
Now, I am going to be
a little less thoughtful. So, if you aren’t interested in that now, feel free
to click off to other interests.
One thing I didn’t want to see then, or maybe in many cases just
yet, are attempts to turn this tragic crime turned into a bully pulpit for ideologies.
There are some serious questions that should come out of any event like this,
lessons to learn. But now is not the time. People need to mourn. The police
need to investigate. And everyone else needs to take a breath.
Now, I will concede that some worried about gun control
raced to jump in the hours after the shootings. But, the Religious
Right, bless them, just doubled down with hyperbole and insulting talk, some
of that insulting talk for those now dead.
Let’s take a look at the highlights in the most galling
statements imaginable, and, maybe, learn how not to respond to tragedy:
The American Family Association made sure to let us all know that we should blame liberal churches and the liberal
media for these shooting, along with the ACLU. Apparently, there’s not enough God (They mean Jesus, you non-Christians heathens.). And without having their
bible beat in your head, guys like this will go on killing spree.
I guess, we should all be ashamed and read out bibles then. …In Colorado!
Evangelical central. Like the sleazy con men they are, any tragedy is good for
business. Right, sanctimonious asshats?
Then Rick Warren jumped in. Well, he tweeted in, saying, “When students are taught they are no
different from animals, they act like it.” Slow clap for Mr. Warren. You
managed to look like a real ass here. Then, he deleted the tweet. But we’ve all
seen it. Now, what Rick was explaining is, first, no God in school. Second, we
teach evolution, which, apparently, leads people to kill. No further comment
needed. But, remember this the next time he gets brought on a news show.
Next, we have Louie “Goober” Gohmert,
an actual, no joke here, member of Congress. He looks like an idiot, talks like
an idiot, and has a vote in the House of Representatives. He explained what
happen, as people were murdered. It’s all about the sinister “attacks on
Judeo-Christian beliefs.” He wanted to make this about his imagined persecution
of Christianity, by which he really means his social agenda, instead of those
that were hurt and killed. It’s unbelievable. It’s inconceivable.
Also, Gohmert complained that no one in the theater had a gun to
open fire in the dark smoke filled room. He wondered why no one was packing, or
acted. This implies that those that survived lacked the courage to stand
against the shooter, which plenty of armchair heroes seem to have started
doing. If you weren’t there, shut up!
It’s all just more “common sense” from the Resident Chamber Fool. I’d bother
calling him an idiot, but I do that most days anyways.
From some conservatives, I have been hearing more and more comments and rumors that this killer was unemployed and on “food
stamps.” Now, he, apparently recently left a doctorate program, so I have no
idea if this is likely, or not. But it is being latched on to. In the wake of
more than 10 dead and scores more hospitalized, some want to be sure to tell us
guns don’t kill people, the social safety net does. Excuse me…FUCK
YOU, YOU ASSHOLES!!! …Sorry, had to be said. This is wretched. Not
happy to regularly mock the mythical “Welfare Queen driving a Cadillac,” we
know see a new myth. Get ready to likely hear it more in Right Wing media. It’s
sickening.
And, as we are thinking of people who will take tragedy, and
make it worse, Westboro Baptist Church (Of God Hates fame.) showed up this
weekend to protest. But they were countered nicely. Right Wing of America, you actually
may have outclassed the Phelps Family in classlessness. How do you do that? Get
a clue! This is how low you went, this is how low you’ve fallen.
But I don’t want to leave it there. Let’s talk about the
media, because it has lessons to learn about actually being of service and use at times like this.
If you have been around as long as I have, you’ve seen how
the media reacts to these tragedies. Like a dog that’s seen you’ve spilled food
on the floor. They know it’s wrong, but they want their bacon. So we’ve got
heavy coverage of this event, and aspects surrounding it. There are good ways
and bad ways to do this. Charlie Brooker on his series Newswipe covered just how to do this horribly wrong, possibly
inspiring copycats or just justifying similar sickening plans for another
disturbed person:
And in what I’ve seen of coverage Friday, and this weekend,
we’ve gotten pretty much all the mistakes playing out in the media yet again.
And the media replied, “I can’t help it,
it’s my nature.” On CNN, I see half the screen taken up for minutes on end
by the face of this murderer. On ABC I see repeated video of this bastard at an
old debate, or some event. We see ongoing coverage. We see the selling of
murder and mayhem on a large scale as big news, and exciting.
News people? You aren’t doing us any favors! This is what he
wants! He dyed his hair so you’d show it to us, to try and burn himself into
our memories. He picked to attack a theater, he chose a major movie release, and
he booby trapped him home, all to create a bigger story. He wanted you to cover
him big time, and he wanted us to be terrified and think of him when we go to
the movies for the rest of our lives. News people? You’re doing everything he
wants, and patting yourself on the back for it. You are likely inspiring future
copycats, and don’t seem to care.
Okay, I will credit the media that I have seen some coverage of those that survived, making the story somewhat about them. But they love their killers too much, and we don't have to follow suit.
So let’s be sure to move passed and forget this loser and
bastard. When I see that the news wants, not just give us some facts, but roll
in the slurry of this story, I turn it off. I won’t look at your sponsors, I
want help your ratings. To hell with you, news media.
Instead, let’s remember those that did not survive that night.
And let’s remember those that acted to save lives. Like Jarell Brooks,
who was shot in the leg (and survived) helping get a mother with 2 kids out of
the theater. These are the people who we need to keep in our thoughts. Just let
the law have the bastard.
Sorry. I'm not going to quote him. In essence he questioned whether the men killed or shot in Aurora protecting girlfriends actually had girlfriends that were worth the effort...I...how does this occur to someone?
But, as well, I forgot to mention before another part of the media's screwing up on this tragedy. They are calling it the "Batman Murders"...Great. Again, giving this bastard just a bit more immortality.
Some people ask me, "Jack? What's this whole thing about?" And I tell them the truth. The hell if I know.
But sometimes you are on a sugar high. And you take some nerdiness. And you take some geekiness. And you grab some politics. And then you stuff some skepticism into it...and you crash.
When you make up you don't know what it is, but it's attached itself to your jugular, and you decide it's best not to fuss.
A curmudgeon and soft-heart. A pessimist and optimist. A loner and joiner. Even I get sick of me.
I'm...
A Neophyte Negotiator of all the Nonsense. An Ornate Opponent of…Oh, you know. A Lover of Levity and the Lectern. An Irreconcilably Irate Idyllist. The Eternal Enemy of Erratum. Just a Solitary Serrated Soul. I'm sorry, what was the question?
Posts
