I’m writing for tomorrow, and although I’m still both tired and busy with volunteer related chores, I did get enough sleep to return to functional mode. When I hold up two fingers, now I see only four. ;-) That means I much better off than yesterday!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:49 (average 4:49). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: Here’s a guy who climbed out of the depths of hate and continues to risk his own safety to make positive changes in this world. We often forget that people actually are capable of change — even this kind of person.
This man’s story explains a lot of the rationale behind my volunteer work in prison, and why I wish no harm to befall Republicans. It is my sincere hope that they might see the light and change.
From The New Yorker: In what was described as a major ramping up of sanctions, Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Tuesday that the United States had frozen Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Netflix account, effective immediately.
“Unless and until Mr. Putin calls off the annexation of Crimea, no more ‘House of Cards’ or ‘Orange Is the New Black’ for him,” Mr. Kerry said. “The United States will not stand by and reward the annexation of another sovereign nation with a policy of streaming as usual.”
Poor GOP Pootie!! Next, Vladimir Putin (R-RU) could even lose his access to watch Duck Dynasty!!
From Daily Kos: Nobody can deny the fact that Christianity has played a huge role in our history. From the first Thanksgiving to the ideas of Jesus Christ that are embroidered in our culture today, Christianity and the Bible is responsible a big part of our heritage.
However, many conservatives will take this fact way out of context. They’ll think that you have to be a Christian to be patriotic, which is simply not true. Following the more secular teachings of Jesus Christ (being charitable, loving one another, treating strangers with kindness) is what the men who founded this country were for.
I don’t want to waste my time listing all these obscurant far-right arguments, so instead I’ll list the facts straight from our forefathers.
“If I could conceive that the general government might ever be so administered as to render the liberty of conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded, that no one would be more zealous than myself to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution.”
– George Washington, letter to the United Baptist Chamber of Virginia (1789)
I’ve included just one of the statements from our founding fathers that debunk the lies of Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians. Click through for a bunch more.
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread–3/21/2014”
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3:25 I thought I was sailing along pretty well and then the wind went out of my sails.
3:30 My sails must have been reefed.
3:33 Sailin', sailin' over the ocean blue . . .
Upworthy ~ I only hope that he is able to change others' minds as effectively as he was able to recruit teenagers to join "hate groups".
New Yorker ~ Like I said before, if the Crimeans want to be a part of russia, let them. It's not our concern. I just hope Pootie doesn't want his Russian Machine to roll over into the rest of Western Europe. Then, I think there might be big problems. We don't need nor want another war!
Daily Kos ~ This was a great article. i especially like the statement that you don't have to be a Christian to be patriotic. When will the conservative "moralists" realize their pseudo religion doesn't make them any better than anyone else, it actually makes them worse? Many of faiths other than Christianity have fought and died for our country. Doesn't that make them patriots?
Cartoon ~ He would be saddened to know that we are going backwards again.
On another note, David Vitter declared the Koch brothers "two of the most patriotic Americans" in the history of the earth because they "are fighting for our freedoms" by donating all that money to "a good cause" by donating to PACs.
Are they paying for his prostitutes and diapers now?
Wonderful articles TC – thanks. Sorry about your emails – we've all pressed the wrong button now and again on our machines – always when exhausted – and with a cry of "NOOOOooooooo!!!" – I feel for you!
(I too hope the Upworthy chap manages to convert back all his converts from violence and hatred to sanity, understanding and compassion. God bless all who work for peace and compassion between people).
Time: 3:59 – We can go sailing
Yes, THAT is moral courage. I watched a documentary recently about a man that joined the Aryan Movement in prison. After leaving prison he found that he was out of prison but not out of the movement. So he began a careful investigation and when had some solid information began working with the FBI. The movement for the majority is a bond of brotherhood and feeds on some innate hate, mostly created by deep rooted feelings of inadequacy. The two men in charge( of the Aryan Brotherhood – busted in 2012) were simply running a criminal enterprise and using these men to steal and some times kill for them. Very little of the huge Mafia style profits were passed on down the line. The Machiavellian techniques of propaganda for recruitment are nothing new, appeal to the inner most feelings of those, particularly in prison, of being "less than" and give them a band of brothers and someone to hate, and you have the ground work for a massive criminal enterprise. Few will have the courage of TJ or the man from the other documentary (need to look that up, sorry) and thinking about their lives, the family support they didn't have, a lack of love and care and it's no wonder that so many latch on to a group support system.
Yep! Andy did it again.
Remember the reason so many risked their lives to come to shores of this country? After the Reformation and the organization of Protestant religions, they were persecuted for what they believed. Of course, as one might expect many of the early colonies did to others exactly what they had escaped.
By the time we get to the years of the Revolutionary War, religion had settled down, so many were farmers or planters that church was a gathering place to meet and talk to friends and far less about religion. To a man our founding fathers were against any form of national religion. Most were not religious men, some called themselves a deist, in respect for the wonders of the natural world. Jefferson took apart the bible and reconstructed it without miracles or mention of a deity, "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth". Not because he was a practicing Christian but he could and did respect the teachings of Jesus, without attaching himself to any organized religion. These men did not want to see their efforts trashed by those who would impose a forced religion on all citizens. The son of John Adams, John Quincy Adams refused (as all should) to take the oath of office on a bible. He believed this to be the antithesis of what this country and the government were supposed to be about. People should learn that first requirement of good people is empathy, which leads to kindness and compassion. Believe what you need to walk through life but please do not attempt to force your beliefs on me.
Recently, I was told on a thread that I must be happy that more people in the US are attached to no religion. That does not make me happy or sad. Allow for freedom, freedom of thought, freedom to chose your path in life, freedom to be different than the crowd, that is what the United States is/was about.
What did we learn from the Inquisition? That no one no matter how cruel or brutal no institution can force individual thinking. Jesus may save, Moses invests and humans are by nature thinkers.
End of rant TC.
I fail to see how freezing a few peoples US accounts is much in the way of sanctions.
4:48 Are they giving a concert on there? Or just partying, ya think?
Upworthy – one of my LinkedIn contacts describes himself as a "reformed racist" – that's how we met – he was never as deep in as TJ, but posting in a Linked In group that you are a reformed racist and can we help you find ways to atone is still moral courage too. People DO change, thank God, or thank the universe if you prefer. Rumor has it Fred Phelps was changing, or sort of changing, or trying to change, and got thrown out of the church he founded. Not provable of course. But we can hope. Of course there are plenty left.
New Yorker – Isn't "Game of Thrones" where he gets all his ideas? That could hurt.
Daily Kos – Yes indeed, I did see this, and it is about as good a collection as you will find of quotes showing the truth. Pity they include so many words too big for most Republicans to inderstand. Oh well.
Cartoon – Yes, you could call that a long march. It still isn't finished.
Puzzle — 3:33 Sailin', sailin' over the ocean blue . . .
Upworthy — Moral Courage, indeed! The world could use a lot more moral courage. The start is standing up for what's right in any way you can. Not everything is life threatening.
The New Yorker — Andy does it again! On a serious note, today's news contained words from Putin saying in effect that although the US had lead with sanctions, Russia would not follow suit. Also, apparently the Russian stock exchange dropped 3% today in respose to sanctions.
Daily Kos — My favourite from the post:
– Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man (1791)
Obviously, the right wing evangelical pseudo Christians flunk American history! They are contortionists and fabricators of history.
Cartoon — MLK Jr had the long march from Selma to Montgomery; Nelson Mandela had a Long Walk to Freedom. Despite their deaths, the march or walk is still not over.
Upworthy: TJ shows that anyone can change, if they choose to, I hope he is safe.
The New Yorker: Surely they won't take Duck Dynasty away from Putin! Love Andy.
Daily Kos: I clicked through all the quotes. Our founding fathers would be appalled at the Republicans and the TEa Party doings.
Cartoon: A long march indeed. It appears the march may be necessary again to restore voting rights.
Thanks to all. Kudos to mant. Major pooped here!
5:21 – Puzzle 🙄