|
|
The Weblog at The View from the Core - Thursday, December 16, 2004
|
|
The Sixtieth Anniversary of the Beginning of the Battle of the Bulge Also today. Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 12/16/04 10:19:35 PM |
|
Today is Beethoven's Birthday Who knew? Inspired, I gather, by an earlier announcement, John writes to remind us that today is, most likely, the birthday of the great composer, Ludwig von Beethoven. (It seems there is no record of his date of birth, only of his baptism, Dec. 17, 1770.) Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 12/16/04 09:12:03 PM |
|
Fantasia. Psychosis. Whatever. Hateful left-wing bigotry on display. One finds it difficult to believe that she isn't embarrassed to have other human beings know that she thinks this way. Margaret Cho is, I think, allegedly a comedienne. I can't tell if this is supposed to be funny. + + + + + We wonder why the Republicans hate gays, but the problem isn't as simple as homophobic religious beliefs or just plain social conservatism. Republicans as a whole do not have a particular opinion about homosexuality, other than the odd grumbling about not wanting government funded programs for AIDS education or research. Gays and lesbians don't matter much to the Republican party, unless they can be used to bait hardcore "Christians" into working for them. Republicans know that there is a massive population of people who are too stupid to vote, and that no one in their right mind would necessarily want them for their constituency anyway, except perhaps David Duke. However, these are hard times for the GOP, and they cannot afford to be choosy when it comes to registered voters. Republicans know that they may not be able to sway anyone with their ideas on domestic and foreign policy, or their views on the economy, but they do know that hatred and bigotry are great motivators. They get the ear of the leaders of these so called 'family groups' and Christian media watchdogs and warn them of the impending storm of gay 'legitimization' and they get them all riled up by telling them that gays are going to get married and move into their neighborhoods. As if a newly married gay couple would ever choose to live in a trailer park. They pump up these Bible thumping, cousin humping genetic mistakes with hot air and propaganda which sends them into a mullet fantasia of pink triangles and rainbow flags, and convinces them that their tax dollars will be used to foot the bill for Elton John and George Michael's wedding. Hatred is a powerful motivator, and these Christian soldiers will march onward, fighting tooth and nail for the theoretical hand in marriage, to protect marriage. "You'll get this bouquet when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers." Although the Republican party doesn't openly endorse prejudice, if it results in more votes, then no one is complaining. It really is genius, harnessing hatred in order to further your own political party. We wish that democrats would have thought of it first, but even if they had, the plan to introduce prejudice as an enlistment strategy doesn't work with the ethical ideals of the party. Compassion really does block the way to power. What is deeply distressing is the incredible numbers of people who are vehemently opposed to equality, and the need for them to deny equal rights to others simply because they cannot bear the thought of equality. It isn't like anyone who is against marriage equality would be directly affected by the existence of it. Not unless they were part of the wedding industry, and then they could reserve the right to refuse service anyway. More likely, they would welcome the extra revenue. Gay marriage would create a huge boon, and it is doubtful anyone would turn away cold hard cash. Greed remarkably has no bias. This is evidenced in the way that Republicans will pander to this creepy Christ crowd and allow the asinine, the atrociously unfit and the morally repugnant to swell their ranks because it means more for them, and more is where it is at if you are a Republican. There is an optimistic side to the whole mess that hasn't been explored yet. We know how many people hate gays and want to create laws and legislate against them. We don't know how many people hate the haters. It is an exciting prospect, because there has as yet been no census taken. There are huge numbers of potential voters who haven't exercised their right because until now there has been no pressing need. There has been no cataclysmic threat looming large enough overhead, at least not until now. What if we are a sleeping giant, alarm set to the nick of time? I hope so. We need ourselves now more than ever. I have yet to see an anti-gay marriage rally. There are the few crackpot naysayers that adorn themselves with countless placards and march against those protesting for the right to marriage equality, but usually they are unwashed and incoherent, and everyone dismisses them anyway. Right wing demonstrations are virtually unheard of. Conservatives, unless they are full blown maniacs, are fairly ashamed of their beliefs, and could never muster up the courage to meet publicly and broadcast their idiot ideas to the world. If they are photographed by press eager to introduce conflict into their coverage, if only to inspire interest in their story, their presence is greatly exaggerated. I have been to countless marches where a 'clash' was reported between opposing factions, but those in the opposition were always too greatly outnumbered to capture my attention. The media fluffs up the conflict in order to mask the embarrassing fact that most conservatives are loathe to stand up for what they believe in, but will vote to keep their hatred alive, even if hatred is the only thing that keeps them together. Yet for all their invisibility on the street, these ersatz Christians have incredible pull at the polls. There are many state constitutions who have anti-gay marriage laws on the ballots, at the ready, in case there is some grievous mishap on the federal level. They are seeking to double block the possibility of gay marriage, like applying for heterosexual insurance. It is both depressing and dumb, but impossible to ignore. Overlooking the problem of prejudice in our society has brought us to this point. How do we win the culture war started by the insidious greed and determination to domination of the Republican party? I think it might be better to look at it another way. How can we possibly lose? Just because legislation passes doesn't mean it cannot be reversed. Just because people are dumb doesn't mean that there are more that are dumber. + + + + + The Blog from the Core asserts Fair Use for non-commercial, non-profit educational purposes. If this kind of ignorant, mindless bigotry came spewing from a right-winger, people like Cho would call it hate speech. And rightly so. Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 12/16/04 06:01:24 PM |
|
Democratic Party vs. America George Neumayr writes an insightful article at The American Prowler, Dec. 10: .... In American political history, modern Democrats are an anomalous creature, a party that seeks to win elections by running on foreign endorsements while regarding many of their countrymen as anthropological curiosities foreign to them. Running against "conservatism" at some point turned into running against America for the Democrats, and as they grew more alienated from mainstream America the more they came to depend on foreign fashions and views to justify their agenda, whether it was Democratic activists citing Danish jurisprudence to dismantle marriage or Bill Clinton hiding behind the opinion of "the world" during his impeachment. Listen closely enough to what the Democrats say and it becomes clear that their first problem is not with modern conservatism but with America itself. They simply don't agree with America's founding philosophy, which is why they find basic American customs like reciting the Pledge of Allegiance distasteful and why their judges are constantly trying to rewrite the founding documents of the country. The movement to smuggle foreign jurisprudence into Supreme Court opinions, which picks up speed each year, is a de facto left-wing Constitutional Convention. That is, the Democrats wouldn't dare call openly for a Constitutional Convention to write a new Constitution resting on liberal European foundations but they are in effect holding one anyways through the courts. Judicial activism is an ongoing Constitutional Convention, which has the additional advantage for Democrats of allowing them to subject the Constitution to foreign editing and revision without risking the wrath of the American people. (Justice Stephen Breyer let the cat out of the bag about what they are up to when he said, "Our Constitution and how it fits into the governing documents of other nations, I think, will be a challenge for the next generations." .... Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 12/16/04 05:35:29 PM |
|
Hype or History? Mark D. Roberts responds to the Time and Newsweek cover stories on the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. So far, it's a seven-part series:
P.S. Another part has been added: The “Birth” of the Virgin Birth Story. P.P.S. See also Newsweek vs. The New Testament. Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 12/16/04 07:53:02 AM |
|
Blue Spots in Red States That would be the One anonymous fellow recounts his first days in the tenure track: .... My political leanings posed a special challenge during faculty job interviews. With ample practice over the years — and after several naïve attempts to present myself as an enlightened conservative ended in rejection letters — I finally mastered the art of the unnoticed evasion. At the mere mention of politics, I would smile knowingly, roll my eyes, maybe grimace for good measure, and then return to an earlier thread in the conversation. If you can use "speaking of which" to make the segue, all the better.... I've come to see that, as passionate about traditions as it is, my new college leans with equal rigor to the left. That was never more apparent than in the days after the election when people like myself came under heavy attack from my colleagues for our "stupidity" in failing to vote for the enlightened candidate. "That just tells you how stupid they are; now they have no one to blame but themselves," said one. Another insisted that the result of the election was "criminal." .... Why are our universities nests of Marxoids? Well, the very idea of "tenure track" — once you're in, you're in for life unless you, like, kill somebody — goes along way towards explaining the situation, no? (Thanks, John.) Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 12/16/04 07:28:56 AM |
|
Yesterday Was Bill of Rights Day Who knew? And here is the Bill of Rights. (Thanks, Mary Katharine.) Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Thu. 12/16/04 06:59:49 AM |
| The Blog from the Core © 2002-2008 E. L. Core. All rights reserved. |
| Previous | Week | Next |