I have been thinking about the riots in the Islamic world, this time over a video that portrays their religion and their prophet in a less than favourable light. My problem is that I can't think of any reason to agree with them.
What I mean is, the riots are just one of many violent tantrums thrown when someone says something they do not like, and enough of the Islamic world sees it to cause a reaction. The reaction is not one of mature adults sincerely desiring respect, but one of immature people who wish to force their view on others, regardless of the consequences.
While I am aware that those who are rioting do not represent Islam as a whole, the fact that the issue keeps resurfacing seems to mean that the larger community is, through a demonstrated unwillingness to end the behaviour, also complicit in the rioting.
The issue of violence erupting in the Islamic world every time someone says or prints something they find objectionable is part of a larger problem. The problem is that those in what I sincerely hope is the majority of the faith are standing by and allowing a violent, vocal, regressive minority to continue to not only give their religion a terrible reputation, but are standing by when those people commit atrocious acts of violence.
The recent actions of Turkey's prime minister to make Islamophobia a 'crime against humanity" is at best a tasteless joke, especially considering the Armenian genocide. making it a crime is based upon the fallacious idea that allowing someone to say things that are less than respectful of Islam is the same as restricting the practice of Islam.
Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about the Christian fundamentalists and their bleating about how forcing them to comply with the rules is the same as restricting their right to practice their religion. I feel that the Turkish prime minister's claim is just as absurd. it becomes more so when he acknowledges the fundamental principle of rights being reciprocal, but intentionally twists such a principle to restrict the rights of all but himself and those who believe like him.
My right to speak out, in a manner consistent with my conscience is more important than your right to be protected from being offended by my speech, if only because you have no such right.
This is a bit of ranting, some discussion, and a lot of idea sharing in thehope that some of life's most venomous stupidity might be slain.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Keep your religion out of my politics, and i will keep my politics out of your religion, M'kay?
This is a sore point for me, as the vast amount of evidence points towards a specific intent on the part of the framers; keep religion and government separate. period.
Despite this, There seems to be an organized effort to force one religion's view upon the government, and not in some far off islamic country, but here in the U.S.
People like Mrs. Bachmann and Mr. Perry want their followers to believe many falsehoods, including the lie that this is/was a Christian nation. i say lie because there is not only evidence this isn't true, but direct statements from those who wrote the constitution stating that this is specifically not a Christian nation, or aligned with any other religion.
They cited the wars fought in Europe over religious differences, and that they did not want that. They decided that, since the various factions proved unable to get along in systems where there was no separation between church and state, and therefore in the new nation they were creating, the two would never meet.
it is this simple: Church+state=bloodshed, Since Church+state=bloodshed>>> do not add Church+state(ever).
Despite this, There seems to be an organized effort to force one religion's view upon the government, and not in some far off islamic country, but here in the U.S.
People like Mrs. Bachmann and Mr. Perry want their followers to believe many falsehoods, including the lie that this is/was a Christian nation. i say lie because there is not only evidence this isn't true, but direct statements from those who wrote the constitution stating that this is specifically not a Christian nation, or aligned with any other religion.
They cited the wars fought in Europe over religious differences, and that they did not want that. They decided that, since the various factions proved unable to get along in systems where there was no separation between church and state, and therefore in the new nation they were creating, the two would never meet.
it is this simple: Church+state=bloodshed, Since Church+state=bloodshed>>> do not add Church+state(ever).
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Why my republican values have led me to vote democrat.
While it might seem contradictory in our very partisan politics to say that my
republican values have led me to vote democrat, it is because the republican party
has abandoned those values in the constant search for votes.
This is to say that by adopting fundamentalist ideology, embracing corporatism,
and engaging in obstructionism, the republican party has transformed itself into
something toxic to the United States. This is not to say that the democrats are free of
flaws, but those flaws are not ones that are inherently at odds with my values.
To start, lets look at the fundamentalist values. By this, I mean a form of
"Christianity" that: Advocates bigotry, up to and including the death of those they
dislike. For proof, check out the whole issue with chick fil'a and the group they
funded, a group that went to Uganda and pressured them to pass a law making
homosexuality a capital offence, you know, the kind you get killed for. They also are
misogynist, having the temerity to spit hairs on the issue of rape. And of course
theirs is a form of Christianity that simultaneously rails against the spread of islamic
law, while trying to install their "Christian" laws.
This alone is enough to damn them in my eyes, since these positions go against
simple decency. Advocating death for those different than yourself is not only
reprehensible by most people's sense of right and wrong, but goes against the
constitution, namely the 14th amendment. ( you know, the one specifically
prohibiting treating others differently because they are different.) The issue of rape
is one that is sensitive, and destructive, and to imply that some cases of rape are "not
really rape," or that others are "legitimate rape," indicates a deep seated hatred of
women, a complete lack of reason, ignorance about what rape is, cynical disregard
for facts when they become politically inconvienient, or some horrible combination
of all of the above. At the minimum, such views make a person incompetent to hold
any office other than town turd wrangler, but when faced with the fact that the
republicans are as shameless about expressing their views on rape, it makes them
the sort of people that are unfit to hold any office where they might make any
decision that affects others. Then we get to the hypocrisy of condemning the spread
of Sharia law, while trying to install the "Christian-" flavoured version of sharia law
in our country. This wouldn't be so bad if, like in islamic countries where sharia law
is practiced, that was the only religion practiced, or if Christianity did not have so
many conflicting sub religions. But we are a pluralistic society, and Christianity can't
even get along with itself. And we also have this pesky little part of the constitution
called the establishment clause that makes such laws illegal.
Now, for those sympathetic to their religion, there is their embracing corporatism.
To be clear, this is not the same as capitalism, but is nothing more than a welfare
state for corporations. This might not be so bad if it was the democratic party, who
already has a reputation for " enlarging welfare," but it is the party that is constantly
pushing to erode workers rights, insists upon portraying unions as parasites, defends
extortionate wages for executives that cripple corporations, and fails to see value in
efficiency wages, a concept that any college freshman can see value in despite their
beer soaked vision.
If your grasp of economics is such that their economic policies do not scare you, then
maybe the fact that they are childish and as useless as tits on a boar might convince
you. The only times that the federal government has had to "shut down" was due to
republicans in congress keeping a budget from being voted on for so long that time
ran out to approve and enact a new budget. Also, the Clinton administration was
marred by the fact that the republicans spent the majority of it ( and a large sum of
money) trying to remove Clinton from office. President Obama wasn't even in office
before the republicans started after him, with vaguely racist claims regarding his
birth certificate, and calls to have him impeached starting shortly after he was
elected. the fact that the republican party has spent 12of the last 20 years keeping
things from moving forward in order to make the opposition "look bad," including
holding the nation " hostage" with their budget shenanigans means that they have
abandoned a republican value that, by abandoning it, makes them too far gone for
redemption in my eyes. That value is love of country, they abandoned it when they
put their partisan bullshit ahead of the common good.
republican values have led me to vote democrat, it is because the republican party
has abandoned those values in the constant search for votes.
This is to say that by adopting fundamentalist ideology, embracing corporatism,
and engaging in obstructionism, the republican party has transformed itself into
something toxic to the United States. This is not to say that the democrats are free of
flaws, but those flaws are not ones that are inherently at odds with my values.
To start, lets look at the fundamentalist values. By this, I mean a form of
"Christianity" that: Advocates bigotry, up to and including the death of those they
dislike. For proof, check out the whole issue with chick fil'a and the group they
funded, a group that went to Uganda and pressured them to pass a law making
homosexuality a capital offence, you know, the kind you get killed for. They also are
misogynist, having the temerity to spit hairs on the issue of rape. And of course
theirs is a form of Christianity that simultaneously rails against the spread of islamic
law, while trying to install their "Christian" laws.
This alone is enough to damn them in my eyes, since these positions go against
simple decency. Advocating death for those different than yourself is not only
reprehensible by most people's sense of right and wrong, but goes against the
constitution, namely the 14th amendment. ( you know, the one specifically
prohibiting treating others differently because they are different.) The issue of rape
is one that is sensitive, and destructive, and to imply that some cases of rape are "not
really rape," or that others are "legitimate rape," indicates a deep seated hatred of
women, a complete lack of reason, ignorance about what rape is, cynical disregard
for facts when they become politically inconvienient, or some horrible combination
of all of the above. At the minimum, such views make a person incompetent to hold
any office other than town turd wrangler, but when faced with the fact that the
republicans are as shameless about expressing their views on rape, it makes them
the sort of people that are unfit to hold any office where they might make any
decision that affects others. Then we get to the hypocrisy of condemning the spread
of Sharia law, while trying to install the "Christian-" flavoured version of sharia law
in our country. This wouldn't be so bad if, like in islamic countries where sharia law
is practiced, that was the only religion practiced, or if Christianity did not have so
many conflicting sub religions. But we are a pluralistic society, and Christianity can't
even get along with itself. And we also have this pesky little part of the constitution
called the establishment clause that makes such laws illegal.
Now, for those sympathetic to their religion, there is their embracing corporatism.
To be clear, this is not the same as capitalism, but is nothing more than a welfare
state for corporations. This might not be so bad if it was the democratic party, who
already has a reputation for " enlarging welfare," but it is the party that is constantly
pushing to erode workers rights, insists upon portraying unions as parasites, defends
extortionate wages for executives that cripple corporations, and fails to see value in
efficiency wages, a concept that any college freshman can see value in despite their
beer soaked vision.
If your grasp of economics is such that their economic policies do not scare you, then
maybe the fact that they are childish and as useless as tits on a boar might convince
you. The only times that the federal government has had to "shut down" was due to
republicans in congress keeping a budget from being voted on for so long that time
ran out to approve and enact a new budget. Also, the Clinton administration was
marred by the fact that the republicans spent the majority of it ( and a large sum of
money) trying to remove Clinton from office. President Obama wasn't even in office
before the republicans started after him, with vaguely racist claims regarding his
birth certificate, and calls to have him impeached starting shortly after he was
elected. the fact that the republican party has spent 12of the last 20 years keeping
things from moving forward in order to make the opposition "look bad," including
holding the nation " hostage" with their budget shenanigans means that they have
abandoned a republican value that, by abandoning it, makes them too far gone for
redemption in my eyes. That value is love of country, they abandoned it when they
put their partisan bullshit ahead of the common good.
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