A Philadelphia high schooler says she was humiliated after her teacher told her to remove a Mitt Romney T-shirt she was wearing, comparing it to “wearing a KKK shirt.”
Seriously? Freedom of speech works both ways. And articles like this really don't help the cause.
And regardless of the many, many things things which Romney/Ryan are wrong about, they are not the equivalent to the KKK. I mean, are you bloody kidding me?
Article reported by Dan Stamm and Claudia Rivero, published by NBC Philadelphia.
08 October 2012
07 October 2012
"Republicans to Cities: Drop Dead"
How the G.O.P Became the Anti-Urban Party
This isn't a new idea by any stretch, but it is informative and essential towards understanding the mentality of many national Republicans.
For many Republicans, cities have been cesspools of decay and moral corruption since the 1920s - and so long as they see cities, and the people who live in them, in this fashion, naturally they are going to be hard-pressed to get any votes from urban dwellers. Further, as the article points out, they are going against the grain; urban living has been rising since the 90s, and especially with the 'Great Recession' in 2008, city life is becoming even more attractive, as people realize that they cannot live so far away from cities and still expect to work. The country is centralizing, finally, and we are all returning to cities. When you speak to anyone in my generation, ask them where they want to live, and they'll give you a list - and I'll bet you anything that list will be composed of nothing but cities, large or small.
Given how odious I find many (national) Republican policies, whether on an economic or social level, I am not displeased to see this. Let them keep their rural districts, their suburbia - in short, where life is simply boring, with nothing to do. Growing up in places like that, no wonder many Republicans are filled with so much hate and vitriol; they simply had wayyy too much time on their hands.
Article written by Kevin Baker, and published by the New York Times.
This isn't a new idea by any stretch, but it is informative and essential towards understanding the mentality of many national Republicans.
For many Republicans, cities have been cesspools of decay and moral corruption since the 1920s - and so long as they see cities, and the people who live in them, in this fashion, naturally they are going to be hard-pressed to get any votes from urban dwellers. Further, as the article points out, they are going against the grain; urban living has been rising since the 90s, and especially with the 'Great Recession' in 2008, city life is becoming even more attractive, as people realize that they cannot live so far away from cities and still expect to work. The country is centralizing, finally, and we are all returning to cities. When you speak to anyone in my generation, ask them where they want to live, and they'll give you a list - and I'll bet you anything that list will be composed of nothing but cities, large or small.
Given how odious I find many (national) Republican policies, whether on an economic or social level, I am not displeased to see this. Let them keep their rural districts, their suburbia - in short, where life is simply boring, with nothing to do. Growing up in places like that, no wonder many Republicans are filled with so much hate and vitriol; they simply had wayyy too much time on their hands.
Article written by Kevin Baker, and published by the New York Times.
Is America Ready for a President Who Has Never Been Drunk?
Is America Ready for a President Who Has Never Been Drunk?
Dubaya was one thing - the man used to drink, way too much, and so decided to quit drinking. That I understand, even respect. But Romney has never been drunk, and so much of American history and culture can be traced back to alcohol ... can we survive a president who will steadfastly refuse to have a drink?
At the end of his first year in office, he may very well look like one of the (sadly many) Trinity undergrads whose heads I had to hold above toilet bowls:
"Second, the presidency is a stressful job. If the president has never smoked, drank, or used curse words, his first hundred days may end up being like freshman year of college. The White House RA may find Romney passed out on the floor in a pool of his own throw up because he wasn't able to handle the stress."
A reasonable concern, indeed! I also like this observation: "America also makes a lot more sense if you are drunk. For example, why are birth rates the highest in states where the obesity rates are the highest? Until you have been drunk, and lonely, and get unlimited mass texting on your phone, you will never know the answer."
Though I can understand why Mitt Romney (and his fellow Mormons) may never want to know the answer to that particular conundrum ...
Article by Will Newman, and published by the Huffington Post
Dubaya was one thing - the man used to drink, way too much, and so decided to quit drinking. That I understand, even respect. But Romney has never been drunk, and so much of American history and culture can be traced back to alcohol ... can we survive a president who will steadfastly refuse to have a drink?
At the end of his first year in office, he may very well look like one of the (sadly many) Trinity undergrads whose heads I had to hold above toilet bowls:
"Second, the presidency is a stressful job. If the president has never smoked, drank, or used curse words, his first hundred days may end up being like freshman year of college. The White House RA may find Romney passed out on the floor in a pool of his own throw up because he wasn't able to handle the stress."
A reasonable concern, indeed! I also like this observation: "America also makes a lot more sense if you are drunk. For example, why are birth rates the highest in states where the obesity rates are the highest? Until you have been drunk, and lonely, and get unlimited mass texting on your phone, you will never know the answer."
Though I can understand why Mitt Romney (and his fellow Mormons) may never want to know the answer to that particular conundrum ...
Article by Will Newman, and published by the Huffington Post
03 October 2012
The Importance of Monsters
"5 Reasons Humanity Desperately Wants Monsters To Be Real"
Definitely not an uplifting article, but an important one, especially given how true it is. We need other people to be monsters, to de-humanize them - so we have a reason to be the worst kind of human we all crave.
Read the article, David Wong (editor of Cracked) makes a very good argument.
Article written by David Wong, and published by Cracked.com
Definitely not an uplifting article, but an important one, especially given how true it is. We need other people to be monsters, to de-humanize them - so we have a reason to be the worst kind of human we all crave.
Read the article, David Wong (editor of Cracked) makes a very good argument.
Article written by David Wong, and published by Cracked.com
01 October 2012
California Recognizes There is No Cure for Being Gay
California Bans Therapies to 'Cure' Gay Minors
It's about damn time. It's also fitting that the state which is the home of the National Association for Research and Therapy on Homosexuality would be the first to ban such practices. Young homosexuals have enough trouble as it is, they don't need "therapy" designed to brainwash them on top of it.
Article written by Erik Eckholm, and published by the New York Times.
It's about damn time. It's also fitting that the state which is the home of the National Association for Research and Therapy on Homosexuality would be the first to ban such practices. Young homosexuals have enough trouble as it is, they don't need "therapy" designed to brainwash them on top of it.
Article written by Erik Eckholm, and published by the New York Times.
The Purpose of Memory is to Remember, Not Relive
With Tattoos, Young Israelis Bear Holocaust Scars of Relatives
I strongly support the right of people to get whatever tattoo they desire, even if said tattoo would shock or offend others.
That said, I feel this practice is taking the "cult of remembrance" regarding the Holocaust yet another step too far. As Jonathan Ornstein said to me before I left Krakow, "Judaism as a religion has always encouraged people to move on, to not wallow in our grief. By constantly memorializing the Holocaust in this way, we risk constantly reliving it, not just remembering it." He was referring to the March of the Living, but I feel that this practice follows in the same category. It's one thing to want to signify or remember your family member's sacrifice and memory, it's quite another to say this:
“All my generation knows nothing about the Holocaust,” said Ms. Sagir, 21, who has had the tattoo for four years. “You talk with people and they think it’s like the Exodus from Egypt, ancient history. I decided to do it to remind my generation: I want to tell them my grandfather’s story and the Holocaust story.”
Our generation, whether in the States or Israel, knowing nothing about the Holocaust? Where did this kid go to school? While in Israel, I saw nothing but reminders about the Holocaust - after all, it is the primary reason why Israel was founded, and why many Jews say we need a Jewish state, in order to ensure that the Holocaust doesn't happen again. I'd say that the odds of us forgetting about the Holocaust anytime soon is quite simply an over-reaction.
Should we forget about the Holocaust? Fuck no. But do we, as a people, need to move on? I'd say so.
Article written by Jodi Rudoren, and published by the New York Times.
I strongly support the right of people to get whatever tattoo they desire, even if said tattoo would shock or offend others.
That said, I feel this practice is taking the "cult of remembrance" regarding the Holocaust yet another step too far. As Jonathan Ornstein said to me before I left Krakow, "Judaism as a religion has always encouraged people to move on, to not wallow in our grief. By constantly memorializing the Holocaust in this way, we risk constantly reliving it, not just remembering it." He was referring to the March of the Living, but I feel that this practice follows in the same category. It's one thing to want to signify or remember your family member's sacrifice and memory, it's quite another to say this:
“All my generation knows nothing about the Holocaust,” said Ms. Sagir, 21, who has had the tattoo for four years. “You talk with people and they think it’s like the Exodus from Egypt, ancient history. I decided to do it to remind my generation: I want to tell them my grandfather’s story and the Holocaust story.”
Our generation, whether in the States or Israel, knowing nothing about the Holocaust? Where did this kid go to school? While in Israel, I saw nothing but reminders about the Holocaust - after all, it is the primary reason why Israel was founded, and why many Jews say we need a Jewish state, in order to ensure that the Holocaust doesn't happen again. I'd say that the odds of us forgetting about the Holocaust anytime soon is quite simply an over-reaction.
Should we forget about the Holocaust? Fuck no. But do we, as a people, need to move on? I'd say so.
Article written by Jodi Rudoren, and published by the New York Times.
The Pot Calling the Kettle Black?
Seeking Return of Art, Turkey Jolts Museums
This isn't a new issue by any stretch, but Turkey is calling for the return of archeological treasures which it claims are rightfully theirs, with statements like these to both back up their claims, and intimidate museums:
“Artifacts, just like people, animals or plants, have souls and historical memories,” said Turkey’s culture minister, Ertugrul Gunay. “When they are repatriated to their countries, the balance of nature will be restored.”
It strikes me that Turkey has a lot of gall to wage a campaign like this; they are leaning on an Ottoman-era law to get these pieces back, when it was Ottoman authorities who would often sell artifacts to foreign collectors in the first place. Further, they are claiming that any piece which was taken from Ottoman territory belongs to them - which conveniently protects items in their own museums which were taken from other countries, then under Ottoman control. Not only is it galling that they use such a double standard, but it is against the standards they agreed to under the banner of UNESCO. If Turkey succeeds in these cases, then any nation can claim any archeological treasure, anywhere - so long as it belonged to their state at some point, in this past. So does this mean that Italy can demand the return of all Roman antiquities?
This is bullshit, and I agree with the author wholeheartedly when he ties it together with Turkey's rising status as a powerful state in the Middle East. It is easiest to flex your muscles in the cultural realm, especially when you play on Western guilt regarding past colonial and imperial ventures - while conveniently forgetting your own.
Oh, and Mr. Gunay? Artifacts, plants, and animals don't have souls or historical memories; we created them for these objects, in every case.
Article written by Dan Bilefsky, and published by the New York Times.
This isn't a new issue by any stretch, but Turkey is calling for the return of archeological treasures which it claims are rightfully theirs, with statements like these to both back up their claims, and intimidate museums:
“Artifacts, just like people, animals or plants, have souls and historical memories,” said Turkey’s culture minister, Ertugrul Gunay. “When they are repatriated to their countries, the balance of nature will be restored.”
It strikes me that Turkey has a lot of gall to wage a campaign like this; they are leaning on an Ottoman-era law to get these pieces back, when it was Ottoman authorities who would often sell artifacts to foreign collectors in the first place. Further, they are claiming that any piece which was taken from Ottoman territory belongs to them - which conveniently protects items in their own museums which were taken from other countries, then under Ottoman control. Not only is it galling that they use such a double standard, but it is against the standards they agreed to under the banner of UNESCO. If Turkey succeeds in these cases, then any nation can claim any archeological treasure, anywhere - so long as it belonged to their state at some point, in this past. So does this mean that Italy can demand the return of all Roman antiquities?
This is bullshit, and I agree with the author wholeheartedly when he ties it together with Turkey's rising status as a powerful state in the Middle East. It is easiest to flex your muscles in the cultural realm, especially when you play on Western guilt regarding past colonial and imperial ventures - while conveniently forgetting your own.
Oh, and Mr. Gunay? Artifacts, plants, and animals don't have souls or historical memories; we created them for these objects, in every case.
Article written by Dan Bilefsky, and published by the New York Times.
NOW Obama Proves His Antichrist Mettle!
Obama: "Help Us Destroy Jesus and Start A New Age of Liberal Darkness"
FINALLY! Obama is proving his mettle to be the Antichrist for our times. Some selected snippits to motivate the Satanic liberal hordes:
“[Help me] Destroy Jesus and usher in a new age of liberal darkness that shall reign o’er the earth for a thousand years.”
Truly, this was meant to encourage our wanton destruction of the America we fought so hard to create. I wanted to hear more!
“My fellow Americans and godless infidels, I command you to join me as we cast an endless pall of far-left evil across the hills and valleys of our nation!” Obama bellowed from the stage, as thousands in attendance moaned in compliance and gyrated their hips and groins in a lascivious dance. “Together, as a barbarian people forged by the wicked flames of irreligiosity and united by visions of a liberal dystopia, we will rise up as one to scorch the earth with boundless amorality.”
Oh, the Rapture is coming! Oh joyous day! Oh Satan! Come and take me!!!
"The president was then handed an unbaptized, orphaned newborn baby drenched in the blood of 666 slaughtered Christians, which he handed over to its new, gleefully squealing homosexual parents."
AAAAND .... I just came in my pants.
FINALLY! Obama is proving his mettle to be the Antichrist for our times. Some selected snippits to motivate the Satanic liberal hordes:
“[Help me] Destroy Jesus and usher in a new age of liberal darkness that shall reign o’er the earth for a thousand years.”
Truly, this was meant to encourage our wanton destruction of the America we fought so hard to create. I wanted to hear more!
“My fellow Americans and godless infidels, I command you to join me as we cast an endless pall of far-left evil across the hills and valleys of our nation!” Obama bellowed from the stage, as thousands in attendance moaned in compliance and gyrated their hips and groins in a lascivious dance. “Together, as a barbarian people forged by the wicked flames of irreligiosity and united by visions of a liberal dystopia, we will rise up as one to scorch the earth with boundless amorality.”
Oh, the Rapture is coming! Oh joyous day! Oh Satan! Come and take me!!!
"The president was then handed an unbaptized, orphaned newborn baby drenched in the blood of 666 slaughtered Christians, which he handed over to its new, gleefully squealing homosexual parents."
AAAAND .... I just came in my pants.
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