MM
Bush says he has ruled out a war with Iran. At least for now. Though he says something to the effect that he wants them to give up their "nuclear ambitions."
Uhuh.
Well anyways click the link for an article on this http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5874792
It sounds like he trying to build a case to invade; in spite of the lets try diplomacy gambit.
On other news the Kurds and the Shiits were the big winners in the "elections" in Iraq. If there is a silver lining in that it might mean that we will we leaving Iraq soon. Somehow I doubt it. We still have to get the oil we went fought for.
Yea I know you right wing conservatives will use the same tired old arguements for going into Iraq. Well here is my question to you.. Who appointed us the cops of the world?
Anyone care to answer?
And so long as we are the subject of being cops for the world, here is my very own opinion on why we shot ourselves in the foot when we marginlized the UN.
So the UN isn't effective. How long do you think that will last? One fine morningwe are going to wake up with the world telling us how it is and making it stick.
How you might wonder? Lets walk back in to the past. Ever hear of Sparta? For those who slept through this little lesson in history let me refresh your memories.
This was a little country who could do one thing. Make war. They were able to intimdate others to fall in to line as well. Grew to be quite the superpower. Well of course there are differences between the Spartans and us. Theirs was a warlike culture that made strength of arms as being honorable.
Our culture tries for diversity. However where we and the Spartans are similiar is that war has become the national pastime. And lets face it our dear President Bush can sure Piss off our allies to no end. Something that lead the Spartans to thier downfall.
Oh don't get me wrong the rest of the world maybe unhappy with the US today. I doubt if there will be an invading army at the borders in the morning.
However unless we in the United States of America get our heads out of our collective butts. We may find that what we call freedom today wont be defined as such tommrow.
So lets get back in the UN kick those countries who has the worse human rights records off the commitee of investigating such. We can make the UN meaningful again. We can have our version of freedom be the defintion.
well enough of this rant. Maybe more tommrow or whenever.
Blessed Be
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Answers for Patrick
Merry Meet
Note all questions that Patrick raised are inclosed in( ) .
Patrick you raised an interesting question. And so I will answer. Though remember these are my opinions based on my observations.
(I'm curious, if the religious right has such a position of influence, why then can't they keep their influence over the next twenty years or more? )
This is actually a question I once asked my grandmother when Ronald Reagan came to office. Her answer went something like this."When it comes to politics nothing is permanent. What holds today may change tomorrow. But you must work for those changes. They wont just happen. ".
So to answer your question. American politics are always in flux. Today the religious right and big business are in the driver seat. Tomorrow with a little luck a more liberal thought could come to the fore. Never think because your team has the upper hand it will remain there.
Eventually perhaps the third parties will come to the fore. My personal theory is that the American people are giving both parties a chance to show what they have. Sadly, Patrick, I couldn't really tell you what the real difference between the Democrat party and the Republican party are.
Both will say anything just to stay in power. Do nothing while in office. All the while claiming it's the other parties fault.
(If change is to come through the educational system, how will that be accomplished when religion is not a friendly topic in schools across America? )
Well Patrick I know you would argue on the otherside of this. However let me explain why I wont trust christianity or any other religion in the public schools.
The extremist of your religion, Patrick, have made this idea untenable. Anytime there has been an inclusion of religious thought in the class room. Immediately your more extreme members want exclude any other philosophy or religion.
Sorry, Patrick when you can teach your more fundalmentlist members of your religion to play nice in the sandbox maybe then.
(A more inclusive mind does not seem to be what the schools are after these days would you say? )
Your right, Patrick, they are not in the business of turning out people who would be able to think. Schools are under to much pressure to "teach" the students what the school board, district, and city or town. Add in the Federal law of "No Child Left Behind" law. All of which can be contradictory and most often vague in what those expectations are.
It's a sad state that hasn't changed in over a hundred years.
Patrick, I respect that you have your ideas just as I have mine. I hope that we can always agree to disagree. But I should also warn you I can be sarcastic and am a brawler when it comes to philosophy or religion.
Blessed Be
Note all questions that Patrick raised are inclosed in( ) .
Patrick you raised an interesting question. And so I will answer. Though remember these are my opinions based on my observations.
(I'm curious, if the religious right has such a position of influence, why then can't they keep their influence over the next twenty years or more? )
This is actually a question I once asked my grandmother when Ronald Reagan came to office. Her answer went something like this."When it comes to politics nothing is permanent. What holds today may change tomorrow. But you must work for those changes. They wont just happen. ".
So to answer your question. American politics are always in flux. Today the religious right and big business are in the driver seat. Tomorrow with a little luck a more liberal thought could come to the fore. Never think because your team has the upper hand it will remain there.
Eventually perhaps the third parties will come to the fore. My personal theory is that the American people are giving both parties a chance to show what they have. Sadly, Patrick, I couldn't really tell you what the real difference between the Democrat party and the Republican party are.
Both will say anything just to stay in power. Do nothing while in office. All the while claiming it's the other parties fault.
(If change is to come through the educational system, how will that be accomplished when religion is not a friendly topic in schools across America? )
Well Patrick I know you would argue on the otherside of this. However let me explain why I wont trust christianity or any other religion in the public schools.
The extremist of your religion, Patrick, have made this idea untenable. Anytime there has been an inclusion of religious thought in the class room. Immediately your more extreme members want exclude any other philosophy or religion.
Sorry, Patrick when you can teach your more fundalmentlist members of your religion to play nice in the sandbox maybe then.
(A more inclusive mind does not seem to be what the schools are after these days would you say? )
Your right, Patrick, they are not in the business of turning out people who would be able to think. Schools are under to much pressure to "teach" the students what the school board, district, and city or town. Add in the Federal law of "No Child Left Behind" law. All of which can be contradictory and most often vague in what those expectations are.
It's a sad state that hasn't changed in over a hundred years.
Patrick, I respect that you have your ideas just as I have mine. I hope that we can always agree to disagree. But I should also warn you I can be sarcastic and am a brawler when it comes to philosophy or religion.
Blessed Be
Sunday, February 06, 2005
A warning to the religious right
Merry Meet All
This more of an observation than anything else. But it seems to me that the more Pagans/Heathens gain in courts and in the law the more that the religious right wants to take them away.
Yes, I understand that the religious right would like to see there version of law and reality be made fact. However, it should be noted that what these christain groups are really doing is setting themselves up for a fall. How might one ask? After all most of the religious right can afford high priced lawyers to do their bidding.
But here is the problem. Today christain groups have the money, but what about tomorrow? hmmm? Tomorrow could see a reverse of fortunes. Another group say the hindus or the islamic religion could be the five hundred pound gorilla that everyone must contend with.
What? You say it can't happen?
Walk with me and let me show you how easily it can happen in our life time.
In my lifetime I have watched such minority groups such as the Latino and Asian flood into America. Each bringing its own culture and way of life. One group is nominally christain the other nominally buddhist in outlook. With a live and let live attitude. Fine so far. Both groups are quietly being absorbed and becoming a part of the landscape.
But in the last ten or fifteen years two other groups with a vastly different outlook and ways of life have come in to America. The Indians with their predominately religion of hindu beliefs and of course immigrants from the middle east who are, for the most part, islamic.
Now how could these two very different groups possibly come to influence let alone come to dominate American politics? Even as we fight the more extreme groups of islam in the middle east. The good citizens of middle east extractions are starting to discover just what it takes to influence American politics. The Indians seemingly are a little behind the learning curve at this moment.
However lets see how both of these groups could come to dominate and make life hard on christians as the christains have made life hard on pagans.
Imagine, if you will, a President of America that is islamic. One that holds the koran as the main influence through his life. Further imagine a Congress where most were either hindu or islamic with christian senators and congressmen being in a minority.
Suddenly those faith based programs don't look so good. Especially if this said Congress and President applied the same standards that the present President and Congress seem so willing to apply to keep out most non judeo-christian church's from the federal money earmarked for these programs.
But how can this happen? It's already happening. Realistically it will take another twenty years before the Indians and the those from the Middle easter countries will make themselves really felt in American politics. As the first generation is growing up and learning about America in ways that their parents wont understand. It will be from this first generation of people that will determine just how inclusive that they will choose to be.
But think about this people. Today we have a very obvious christain groups and churches bent on total domination of American politics that within twenty years it could all go away and find themselves on the receiving end of the very precedents that they have set today.
A piece of advice to which will no doubt be ignored. Lets all play nice in the sandbox. Shall we?
Blessed Be
This more of an observation than anything else. But it seems to me that the more Pagans/Heathens gain in courts and in the law the more that the religious right wants to take them away.
Yes, I understand that the religious right would like to see there version of law and reality be made fact. However, it should be noted that what these christain groups are really doing is setting themselves up for a fall. How might one ask? After all most of the religious right can afford high priced lawyers to do their bidding.
But here is the problem. Today christain groups have the money, but what about tomorrow? hmmm? Tomorrow could see a reverse of fortunes. Another group say the hindus or the islamic religion could be the five hundred pound gorilla that everyone must contend with.
What? You say it can't happen?
Walk with me and let me show you how easily it can happen in our life time.
In my lifetime I have watched such minority groups such as the Latino and Asian flood into America. Each bringing its own culture and way of life. One group is nominally christain the other nominally buddhist in outlook. With a live and let live attitude. Fine so far. Both groups are quietly being absorbed and becoming a part of the landscape.
But in the last ten or fifteen years two other groups with a vastly different outlook and ways of life have come in to America. The Indians with their predominately religion of hindu beliefs and of course immigrants from the middle east who are, for the most part, islamic.
Now how could these two very different groups possibly come to influence let alone come to dominate American politics? Even as we fight the more extreme groups of islam in the middle east. The good citizens of middle east extractions are starting to discover just what it takes to influence American politics. The Indians seemingly are a little behind the learning curve at this moment.
However lets see how both of these groups could come to dominate and make life hard on christians as the christains have made life hard on pagans.
Imagine, if you will, a President of America that is islamic. One that holds the koran as the main influence through his life. Further imagine a Congress where most were either hindu or islamic with christian senators and congressmen being in a minority.
Suddenly those faith based programs don't look so good. Especially if this said Congress and President applied the same standards that the present President and Congress seem so willing to apply to keep out most non judeo-christian church's from the federal money earmarked for these programs.
But how can this happen? It's already happening. Realistically it will take another twenty years before the Indians and the those from the Middle easter countries will make themselves really felt in American politics. As the first generation is growing up and learning about America in ways that their parents wont understand. It will be from this first generation of people that will determine just how inclusive that they will choose to be.
But think about this people. Today we have a very obvious christain groups and churches bent on total domination of American politics that within twenty years it could all go away and find themselves on the receiving end of the very precedents that they have set today.
A piece of advice to which will no doubt be ignored. Lets all play nice in the sandbox. Shall we?
Blessed Be
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