House Resolution 847

I'll let you read the bill on your own, the title will say it all.

H. Res. 847: Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith

We just had the United States House of Representatives vote to pass a bill citing the importance of the Christian Faith in the founding of our country and in modern era. They also made sure to put in there, the condemnation of persecution and torture of Christians here and abroad. A statement wholly made to get Christians to vote for them true, but a bill that completely ignores any separation of church and state.

Is it just me, or does this country feel like it is striving towards theocracy? We have official government agencies dedicated to faith based initiatives. We have bills written up to support one religion over all the rest. Our presidential election debates include questions about their personal faith. What on earth is going on here? Is this the direction we want to take this country, towards theocracy?

Atheists, do you really want this country centered around the Christian faith? Do you want your laws centered around the bible? Read the old testament, its not pretty.

Christians, do you really want the government interfering in religion? Once the government sides with you, you have given them power. Once you are in bed with the government, you don't leave. You will find out why our fore fathers didn't want church and state merging like you are all pushing for. You will understand because it was to benefit you all as well.

We are fools doing fools work if we allow our government and Christianity to become mutually beneficial. Its a lose/lose situation. If Christians would wake up, they would see that.

Freedom From Religion

Today I had the opportunity of buzzing through Ron Pauls website. I really like Ron Paul and think he stands for less government and more control for the people. This is a good thing. But going through his writings, I realized something very disturbing. He, like so many others, fails to understand what real freedom is. He believes in freedom to a large extent, but falters when he says that true freedom comes from Jesus.

True freedom comes from Jesus? What kind of "1984" world of madness do we live in when a book can say that "freedom is servitude to christ" and people all cheer? What happened to the freedom to not believe in god? The words "separation of church and state" are not in the constitution. But damn it, its not some mystical doctrine as Ron Paul says, its in a letter that Jefferson wrote to clarify his meaning of those words in the constitution! Jefferson absolutely meant for it to be the separation of church and state. In fact, he goes so far as to say that the constitution erects a complete wall of separation between church and state! The constitution, that he himself wrote!

But people still think that means the right to practice your faith any where, and not be challenged on it. But I have a right to NOT have religion either. My child should not have to go to school and be forced to have a school prayer, or say in god we trust. How does that not come through as a violation of freedom? Prayer in schools? If a teacher were to lead a class in prayer, it would be very intimidating for someone not to join in, especially if they were the only one not doing it. Yet someone people think that this should be allowed under the "freedom to practice religion" clause.

Freedom means freedom. It means I personally can practice my faith, or complete lack of it as the case may be, but the government doesn't have a say in the matter one way or the other! It means that the government also may not do anything that will encourage one view or the other, because thats not its job. A school is state run, thus it qualifies to shut its mouth about religion. However, there are private schools in which your student can be taught any wacky unprovable thing you want. But you know what, my child should not have to believe in god, and he should never be intimidated by a group that does. And that, Dr. Ron Paul, is why your view of religious freedom is not freedom at all, it is a spit in the eye of freedom.

Chris Dodd

Christopher Dodd, was born May 27, 1944, in Connecticut and is a five-term U.S. Senator from that state. Dodd was reported to be a likely contender for the Democratic Vice President slot on John Kerry's ticket in 2004. In May 2006, Dodd said he has "decided to do all the things that are necessary to prepare to seek the presidency in 2008", including hiring staff, raising money and traveling around the country in the next few months to enlist support.[61] On Jan. 11, 2007, Dodd announced his Presidential candidacy on the "Imus in the Morning" radio show with Don Imus.[62]

* U.S. Representative from the Connecticut's 2nd congressional district: 1975–1981
* U.S. Senator from Connecticut: 1981–Present

The Good

When most of the democrats were voting that Iran's Republic Guard was a terrorist organization, he staved off and kept true, not giving Bush his okay to label Iran a terrorist nation, and thus put them under the umbrella of the war on terror. He realized by doing this, Bush would not need congressional approval to go to war with Iran.

Chris Dodd is also committed to ending the war in Iraq. He has a good grasp on why this war is wrong and will work to end it. Dodd has been a staunch opponent in the last few years, standing against this war and any and all funding for it.

The Bad

Chris Dodd supports a wide variety of programs that will assist the public. Health care, education, labor, all things he wants to step in and "fix". The problem with this is that its more government control, more government intervention. I'm not looking for more government, I'm looking for less. The solution to every problem is not to have the government step in and handle it. Unfortunately, its a common problem with democrats, they always think its the governments job to fix everything.

Dodd is a very classical democrat with classic democrat solutions to problems. He isn't very innovative, but is very outspoken. I think he does better in his current position in a balanced system. He is very liberal, which isn't all bad, but he needs to moderate his views if he wants my vote.

The Ugly

The united states is in a huge predicament with the deficit. There are several ways to fix that, the most proven way would be to cut government programs. Starve the beast so to speak. But Dodd will do what most classical democrats do, he will raise taxes. And seeing the amount of programs he has on the list to create or expand, it looks like we would be in for a huge tax hike. Now I'm okay with paying taxes for something worth while. Unfortunately, I have great heath insurance, so I don't want to pay more taxes just to be moved to a universal health care system. More spending equals more taxes, equals less money in my pocket for my family. Its basic math. I have worked hard for what I make, and the last thing I want is the government taking more of it for programs I won't use.

http://chrisdodd.com/issues

Mike Huckabee

Mike Huckabee, born August 24, 1955, in Hope, Arkansas, served as Governor of Arkansas for over 10 years. Huckabee has announced he will seek the Presidency in the 2008 presidential election.[33] He has made several trips to important primary states, including a four-day trip to New Hampshire in August 2006. His campaign has been focused largely on Iowa for the Ames Straw Poll on August 11, 2007 He announced that he would be running in 2008 on NBC's Meet the Press television show with Tim Russert.[34] and has since made an appearances on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, The Today Show on NBC and many appearances on CNN, Fox News Channel, and MSNBC regarding the 2008 presidential election.

The Good

Wow, so much to love about this candidate. He wants to shut down the federal payroll tax. He is one of the few candidates who supports the Fair Tax bill. He supports a veterans bill of rights, higher standards and funding for education, and a huge push for preventative health care. In other words, he wants less taxes, better education, and a focus on keeping people healthy instead of just reacting to the bad. This is a brilliant and unique approach to government! He is one of the only candidates pushing for SMALLER government.

As well, he claims he will have us completely energy independent by his second term in office. Thats a huge claim for a Republican to make and something I whole heartedly support. Of all the republican candidates, he is close to the top for getting my support if I had to give it. But his strongest point is none of these issues.

Mike Huckabee's strongest point is intangible. He is hands down the most honest candidate in the field right now. He is willing to say things that he has to know are going to be unpopular with the rich and powerful. But that makes him an asset in this race, and a real competitor.

The Bad

Mike Huckabee stands against personal liberties as I see them to be. He is against gay marriage, he is against abortion. He feels it is the governments job to banned both of these things. I stand heartily against any attempt to limit the personal freedom of the individual.

As well, Huckabee stands with President Bush on Iraq. He wants to stay in Iraq until the job is done, despite the fact that we don't even know what that is any more. With Iraq, he has bought into the hoax of a global war on terror. He perceives most muslims as terrorists from what I can see, and says he will pursue the war on terror with single mindedness. That kind of single mindedness is what has prevented our government from seeing why terrorism happens to begin with. He fails to understand that when they tell us to get off muslim lands, then blow something up, the reason they blew it up was because we were on muslim lands. Its a fundamental failure to understand why terrorism happens, even when the terrorists themselves tell us why.

The Ugly

Mike Huckabee is a Baptist Minister. Do we really want that in the white house? He is against most personal liberties based on a biblically interpreted morality. As well, he stands opposed to any science that is against the bible. He isn't directly against evolution, but says god may have used that as a tool. The fact is that we are behind the world in math and science because we simply cannot accept anything that stands against our religious beliefs. He is no different. You can expect that any decisions he makes will be given in the light of his belief in an invisible all knowing being he calls god. Thats not the person I want leading our country at any time. I want someone who will make sound logical decisions based on what is the reasonable, logical, correct answer for our country and its people. I want someone consulting highly intelligent people and common sense in times of crisis, not someone on their knees asking their invisible best friend for advice.

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/?FuseAction=Issues.Home

Privacy Redefined - The continued power drain

The first part of this article is the scary part.

The government says it's time citizens redefine privacy rights in the United States. This is true, in part. Many Internet users don't fully understand that anything broadcast on the Internet can't really be considered "private" in terms of anonymity anymore. The vast majority of communication done online, such as email, is broadcast over the Internet in cleartext, which is text readable by any human being without any decryption software.

But unlike what Donald Kerr, the principal deputy director of national intelligence, suggests, this is not an open invitation for the government to step in to help protect financial and other personal information. The same idea that we want to keep this information secret from everyone, including the government, is still just the same.

Since when has the government ever shown itself to be worthy of that kind of power? Every single time the government gets more power, it always abuses it. We have seen it time and time again, and even seen it break the law with impudence as recently as last year! When will be the people get it and stand up to this power hungry government? We must starve the beat, stop the machine, before we all get trampled!

The only question that will remain will be if one says is determined to be a vague threat to national security. Just think: One little joke sent in an email could land a person on the no-fly list without trial, notice or warning.

You just have to trust the government to have a sense of humor when reading your email.

At least somebody can see the light. At least one party is diligently working to preserve our liberties, while the government and party line lackies continue to chop away at that precious freedom our fore fathers bled to preserve.

Bush Iraq Lies

The summary of the lies that got us into Iraq.

quote:

"Our intelligence officials estimate that Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent.”

State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

Zero Chemical Weapons Found
Not a drop of any chemical weapons has been found anywhere in Iraq

quote:

“U.S. intelligence indicates that Saddam Hussein
had upwards of 30,000 munitions capable
of delivering chemical agents.”

State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

Zero Munitions Found
Not a single chemical weapon’s munition has been found anywhere in Iraq

quote:

“We have also discovered through intelligence
that Iraq has a growing fleet of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to disperse chemical or biological weapons across broad areas."

State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

Zero Aerial Vehicles Found
Not a single aerial vehicle capable of dispersing chemical or biological weapons, has been found anywhere in Iraq

quote:

"Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications and statements by people
now in custody reveal that
Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of Al Qaida."

State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

Zero Al Qaeda Connection

To date, not a shred of evidence connecting Hussein with Al Qaida or any other known terrorist organizations have been revealed.
(besides certain Palestinian groups who represent no direct threat to the US)

quote:

"Our intelligence sources tell us that he (Saddam) has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production."

State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as well as dozens of leading scientists declared said tubes unsuitable for nuclear weapons production -- months before the war.

quote:

"Satellite photographs reveal that Iraq is rebuilding facilities at [past nuclear] sites."

Bush speech to the nation – 10/7/2002

Two months of inspections at these former Iraqi nuclear sites found zero evidence of prohibited nuclear activities there

IAEA report to UN Security Council – 1/27/2003

quote:

"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

The documents implied were known at the time by Bush to be forged and not credible. This is backed up by Colin Powell.

quote:

"We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons."

VP Dick Cheney – “Meet the Press” 3/16/2003

“The IAEA had found no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons program in Iraq."

IAEA report to UN Security Council – 3/7/2003

quote:

"We gave him a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he wouldn't let them in."

Bush Press Conference 7/14/2003

UN inspectors went into Iraq to search for possible weapons violations from December 2002 into March 2003

Lying is against the US code, against the law.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/18/parts...ns/section_1001.html

Seems like Bush fans are against Bush and Cheney being subject to the law.

President Bush has failed the United States of America

When President George W Bush took office, he took an oath, twice in his case, to preserve the constitution. Here is the Presidents Oath of Office

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

The President has made a mockery of this oath as he continually violates laws and constitutional liberties. When he encounters a court that dares to question his authority, he simply uses an executive order to make it lawful. When its unconstitutional, he just ignores it. When he was elected, he was not elected to "protect us from terrorist", he was elected to protect the constitution by any means at his disposal. He has some other powers and responsibilities.

Section 2. The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.

You will notice the amount of senatorial oversight that is required by Article II Section II. The reason for this is to keep those critical checks and balances in place. Checks and balances that are absolutely necessary to keep our democracy pure and free. Checks and balances that Bush not only wishes, but treats as they aren't there. This is a violation of his oath of office, his pledge to preserve the constitution of the United States of America. He has failed to fulfill his Oath of Office and has continued to do what ever he pleases over and over. He continues to spit in the face of the American people and has been allowed to do what ever he wants. He is an embarrassment to the Republican Party, conservatives as a whole, and the United States of America. As a president, he has been the biggest failures our country has ever seen. In 2008, lets hope we remember this and not make the mistake of electing someone like him again.

Lets don't wait till the water runs dry.....

The IPCC, along with several other agencies, have come to a startling conclusion. They say that we will face a global water shortage. Nearly 2 Billion people world wide will face a fresh water shortage. Among those nations effected include the United States. The cause of this is increased drought due to global warming. Now, this is another case in which stupid conservative CAN say that "we don't have enough information" or "we don't know if its really happening" or "it might not be man made" but they won't. Because this global water shortage will happen in under ten years.

Thats right, not time for wasting, and not time for arguing. The data is sound and they know it. But here is the problem, scientists are also saying that we are to late to do anything about it. In other words, we can't stop the water shortage, we can only prepare for it and hope for the best. Our waffling about global warming has caused an irreversible problem and now its time to pay the piper.

Some fun facts about America's irony. Florida is one of the ones that will be most effected. Florida has spent billions to turn swamps and marshes into pavement and cities. All that fresh water has been funneled into the ocean. Now, with so much pavement covering the ground, not enough of the annual rainfall gets absorbed into the ground, and subsequently into the aquifer, which is a major contributor towards our fresh water.

But now, major rivers like the Colorado and Mississippi are getting smaller. The Colorado is slowly drying up. As well, the Great Lakes of Michigan are getting smaller every year. Global warming is causing less rain fall and more evaporation. Bigger cities are causing less absorption. This time there isn't a doubt about what caused it. There isn't a doubt its our fault. And now, there isn't any thing we can do about it. Unfortunately, this is a picture of the future. We will face this same unfortunate irony in about fifty years. Only then, we will not have been given five years warning, but nearly seventy five years warning. And the out come will be the same.

World War 3

Tonight has been a monumental night for politics. Two thousand soldiers presented a request for redress, speaking out against the war in Iraq. Ellen Degenres gave her adopted dog to another family and caused a stir. Russia Putin allied himself with Irans President. Turkey approved a resolution to allow troops to go into Norther Iraq to take action against the Kurds. And the President of the United States warned Iran of starting world war three. Not only that, he warned that if Russia doesn't stop helping Iran, and Iran doesn't stop trying to get a nuclear weapon, they will be responsible for the starting of World War Three.

1. I wanted to write about this today, but other stuff came up that I need to discuss as well. Two thousand troops signed a petition requesting redress from the Iraq War. This is a simple statement essentially saying that they do not believe this war can be won, and that we should bring our troops home. These are troops that have served in Iraq, many of them are officers. So of course, since these are troops against the war, we should support the troops right? Wrong, psychotic right wing doofus's have already started bashing them, and even pointing out that the leader is a Navy seaman who hasn't spent more than six months over there. Of course, support the troops who are willing to die for a pointless war, and castigate the ones that don't agree with it. Bastards! Hypocrites! Sit your ass down and listen to two thousand soldiers tell you that President Bush is an idiot who doesn't know shit about war!

2. Ellen Degenres recently adopted a dog. She realized soon after that the dog would not work well with her cat. She did the good thing and gave it to another family, who has kids and loves it very much. Unfortunately, that violated the adoption rules and the adoption agency took the dog back and gave it to another family. Way to go adoption agency, you completely miss the entire point of adoption, to get animals into the arms of loving owners. An absolutely idiotic move on their part.

3. Russia's President and Iran's President have become all buddy buddy now. In a disturbing turn of events, Russia has made it brutally clear that they are siding with Iran for any future issues. They shook hands and made nice, and I'm sure, pissed off President Bush in the process. We should be very worried that Russia is pushing to be a world power again. We should worry even more that they are siding with extremists that our President is intent on attacking.

4. Turkey now has approval from their parliament to attack the Kurds in Northern Iraq. This can and will have absolutely disastrous results. Why you might ask? Because we will now have to defend Iraq from Turkey. If you plan on playing the part of occupier in a foreign country, you are obligated to defend it. But there is a wicked twist in this one. Iran has already said that it backs Turkey in this situation. It is likely that if Turkey goes to war against Iraq, and essentially the USA, Iran will help them. It will be us versus Iran and Turkey in another country, due to a situation we caused. Our government is not going to make the right decision here. They will bluster about with more statements that start wars and try to bully Turkey into backing down until another sovereign nation gets pissed at being told what to do and attacks any way. Worst case scenario, I'm sure we will see it.

5. Now on to the main event. President George Bush has once again shown why he is too idiotic to be president a nation this big. He spoke of Iran and Isreal in terms of them starting World War Three. He essentially stated that if Iran got nukes, it would be the beginning of world war three. Now while most would say he should stop name calling and threatening Iran and be diplomatic, he has done the exact opposite by continuing the constant saber rattling. The problem is that its not saber rattling, it never has been. He will rattle, then attack, and then things will fall apart as always. He doesn't understand the dynamics of the culture he is threatening. He doesn't know that threats against the country are perceived as personal threats against the man.

He doesn't know history, or he would understand that during the Iran/Iraq war, Iranians, but the dozens, blew themselves up in sacrifice to kill Iraqi's. They did this to protect their country, and even sent their children to the front lines to blow up and kill Iraqi's. A war with Iran would bring this on us as well and it would be disastrous for the US. Hundreds of thousands of US lives would be lost in a war with Iran, all for nothing. But I doubt our current president can even contemplate the future in that fashion. He has failed to learn from history, he has failed to learn about other cultures before engaging them, and he has used the exact same time of tactic with every other person in the world. His cavalier attitude has cost this country dearly. Its only a shame that he still has time left to screw things up. I have no doubt that he, or possibly a republican successor, will try very hard to get us into further wars.

Defining our Lives

In a persons lifetime, they will do many things. Some good, some bad, some of no mention. Our religion does not matter, our political affiliations don't matter, our legacy is always defined the same. Mother Teresa is not known for being Catholic, though she was. She is known for helping the poor and suffering. While the fact that she questioned her faith tarnish her legacy? Surely not, her deeds remain. People remember Elvis Presley because of his singing. The fact that he did drugs and died on the toilet make no difference. Nixon is defined by Watergate, Lincoln by the Civil War, and Truman by the Atomic Bomb. Our legacy is the sum of our lives, divided by the events that made a difference, for better or worse.

The reason why this is important is that I see so many people on forums and blogs that take their words lightly. They will quickly and easily say things about people that are hurtful and harmful just because the can't see them face to face. As well, they don't take that treatment back lightly. Feelings get hurt and people leave over what? Over ideas. Ideas are powerful, strong and compelling, with the power to change nations over night! But ideas can be used to harm others. Ideas, used properly, can hurt feelings and destroy self worth. Ideas are the things nations are built on, and empires are destroyed. Ideas with unbridled passion are as dangerous as any bomb.

I encourage people to speak their mind, but do so with deference towards other people. I speak to my self as well here. I have often said things in haste and typed them down and wish I hadn't later. That type of temper and action are what can mold ideas into a weapon of great force for wrong doing. Words must be typed and written thoughtfully, lest we destroy our fellow man. Words have the ability to knock people down and prevent them from getting back up. As fellow human beings, words should be used carefully, with purpose, with thoughtfulness, to maximize their impact, but minimize their damage. Remember that next time someone disagrees with you and hurls an insult at you. It is our moral duty to take the moral high ground and defend other and abstain from insulting others. Its difficult, and something I fail at often. But it is something I want to strive for. For ultimately, when we die, words and deeds are what define our lives. We are the sum of all our words, and all our actions. Both should be handled with care.

Finding Perspective

I am a forum junkie, and as such, love to find a good forum discussion. I find that people in forums often like to talk allot but don't always know allot. Whats worse, people tend to simply ridicule what they don't understand. Ridicule is reserved for those who no longer have any arguments worth giving, yet they insist on fighting. Usually this battle has long been over, they just can't see it. Well recently, I was discussing religion with one such person on a local Paper forum. While I was completely incensed by her complete ignorance and worse, lack of knowledge that she was ignorant, a rather benign comment is what really shocked me.

Someone else popped in and made some comment to the like of not arguing with people like me because we don't see through discussion what they can clearly see already. He was essentially upset that I required evidence for what he believed through faith. Whats more, he believed in god because there were things he couldn't understand. So he immediately attached it to something super natural. But the idea that something is clear to them and should be to others show a complete lose of perspective and signs that someone has lost touch with reality.

The fact is that unless you were raised to think other wise, you would never attach other worldly causes to unknown events. And to think that others should do the same instantly is rather silly. What he is essentially saying is "can't you see the invisible super hero saved the day? The evidence is right in front of you, but invisible!" This may seem silly, but its the exact mentality of religionists. Unfortunately, when you see ghosts every where, its easy to ascribe any number of events to them. If you believe god answers your prayers, then you pray for more money, work hard, and get more money, then who is the cause, you or god? Well, oddly enough, its always god. Then theres, god helps those that helps them selves. Well, if I get help by doing something for myself then where does god come in at all? What point would that serve? A god who only helps those who help themselves is the same as no god at all.

Besides, none of that explains why atheists have the exact same luck, but they never pray. Why would god help an atheist, or a Muslim? Oddly enough, rich oil tycoons that are Muslim, give Allah the same glory. So who is right in this case? Well, thats easy enough. Take all gods out of the picture, throw in some blasphemy, some cursing of the holy spirit and see if you still do well for yourself when you work hard. I have done that for years and am doing fabulous. So the answer is obvious, having god around to pray to is the same as having no god at all. Only one of us knows where to go to thank the person who made their lives better. Atheists have only to walk to the mirror, no kneeling required.

Fred Phelps is Gay!

It is standard for Christians to believe things that normally upset non-Christian people. However, there is one group that manages to piss off even the most pious of Christians. Westboro Baptist Church, run by Fred Phelps and his family, has made a name for themselves by claiming that god hates fags. But not only that, god hates America because American has embraced "fags". To take their beliefs to an extreme, the members of the church manage to picket soldiers funerals, picket anything possibly gay related, and picket even other churchs. They blame 9/11 on our "embrace" of homosexuality in the United States and say that every soldier who dies in Iraq deserves to die as punishment for America's homosexuality. They believe that most girls in this country are whores, they are happy that natural disasters happen to the world, and they give thanks when people die in this world. Some call them hate mongers, some call them crazy, and some agree with them.

However, this sect of Christianity is one of the worst. They castigate every single person they disagree with. They associate anything they disagree with as a faggot. But past that, they change perfectly good songs to indicate that god has some kind of hate for people. They of course can't seem to understand the entire idea of "god is love" as they completely ignore the entire idea of it. They say Billy Graham is going to hell, they call Princess Di a whore, and teach their kids to hate nearly all people. This is the worst part of all this, is that he teaches his kids and grand kids to hate like he does. They follow the so call "Reverend" Phelps and believe he is a prophet of god. They prevent dating, they believe it teaches fornication. They raise their kids to be walking talking picket signs.

They get upset that people call their belief weird, but I say its not weird. I say its immoral. But further, Fred Phelps is incredibly hypocritical. The reason for this is because there are so many cases that show those so against homosexual like this are usually this way because they hate themselves. They hate themselves because they themselves are gay. Obviously this doesn't apply to those who are brainwashed, but only to the creator of such. Fred Phelps, being so obviously hateful, would be a good candidate to be gay. I believe in my heart that he cannot have that kind of hate if he loves himself. Of course, the bible says to love others as you love yourself, so he can't love others since he doesn't love himself. He sees homosexuals, and he craves them, loves them, wants them yet his faith won't allow him to indulge who he is inside. That breeds hate for what he wants but can't have. Its a shame, because those of us who find nothing wrong with being gay and believe they are born that way and aren't gay, like myself, live a much happier life.

For this reason, I feel and incredible sadness for those he has touched. To see such inhumanity in one person in the belief of being righteous, it tears me apart. Such children of this hate have nothing left in life but hate. They will be little less than tools of hate mongering and nothing beneficial to themselves or other. Fred Phelps is an ignorant homosexual who hates himself and everyone else around him. Perhaps if he was not so ignorant and ridiculous in his beliefs and the way her portraits himself and his church, then maybe he would not die so miserable. Come out of the closet Fred, free your mind, and your desire, enjoy life, life isn't about hate, its about living and loving.

Hillary Clinton

Probably the most controversial candidate, Hillary is attempting to become the first woman president in the history of the united states.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, born October 26, 1947, in Illinois, U.S. Senator from New York and former First Lady of the United States. Clinton announced the formation of her exploratory committee on 20 January 2007, with a post on her website.^[58] She has delivered several speeches which analysts say are intended to reach out to moderates. She has also been holding fundraising meetings, including meeting with women from Massachusetts, a key constituency of potential rival and 2004 nominee John Kerry; however, these activities are consistent with the lead up to a campaign for re-election to her Senate seat in 2006. Many Republicans appear to be hoping that Senator Clinton will run for President, presumably believing her to be a polarizing figure.^[59][60] If elected, Clinton would be the first female president. Clinton announced on January 20, 2007, that she will run in 2008 (the same day she announced the formation of an exploratory committee). She has filed the official paperwork for an exploratory committee.

The Good

Hillary is has possibly the most fiscally sound universal health care plan of all the candidates. She defies all nay sayers as she continues to show how it could work and surpass even the best universal health care systems in the world. As a champion for women and children, she is acutely aware that the ones most suffering from no or poor health care coverage are the women and the children. As a champion for both, a universal health care plan would ensure that no child would go without the shots, medicine, and checks ups they need.

Hillary Clinton has followed much in Al Gore's shoes with her view on global warming. She fights against Global Warming and enforcing strict regulations on emmissions. She is completely aware of the costs of enforcing emissions limits and pushing new technologies, but understands that the cost of not doing this would be devastating to our world. But she goes much further than that. Hillary would push for complete energy independence from the rest of the world. She believes, and rightly so, that if we did not need to rely on anyone for energy like oil, then we would also make our self safer.

The Bad

Hillary Clinton is still a congressional crony. She still never read the Patriot Act before signing it, or looked further into the Iraq war before voting for it. This is either a horrible lack of judgment or simply voting to look good at the time. There were very few people who knew what they were signing when approving the war and the Patriot Act and I prefer a president that knows to read something before signing it.

Hillary Clinton says she supports the middle class, yet she is a classical democrat when it comes to economics. She would not provide the relief to middle class, such as tax cuts, but would likely raise taxes to help balance the budget. Unfortunately, no one, not even the democrats, will support the Fair Tax initiative, save a view mavericks. Hillary is against the Fair Tax bill in congress with out a great answer for doing so. One can only guess as to the reason.

The Ugly

The biggest and nastiest thing I have against Clinton is that she buys into long term occupation of Iraq. While she spouts the claims to wanting to end the war in Iraq, she has already said that we will have to keep troops there a long time. She supports essentially the same thing as Bush, a large remnant force similar to what remains in Korea so many years later.

She says she wants to renew our image with the rest of the world, yet she lacks to basic understanding of why they hate us around the world. She buys into to the same old crap of "they hate us for our freedom" when its completely obvious to scholars and historians that they hate us because we have 725 bases around the world in over 80 countries. Its the fact that we won't go away and leave well enough alone that they hate us, but she doesn't have that level of understanding of the world. Neither does Bush. But our next president needs to understand that just being there makes them hate us.

Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani has staked his claim to the presidency by reminding everyone that he was mayor during 9/11. Here is his profile:

Rudy Giuliani, born May 28, 1944, in New York, former mayor of New York City. Giuliani said on October 2, 2005, that he would look at the possibility of running for President. On November 13, 2006, he announced that he was forming an exploratory committee. He has led several state and nationwide polls for the Republican nomination and the general election, and has been mentioned by many media sources as a possible candidate since the 9/11 attacks and a speech to the 2004 Republican Convention.^[28] (See polls below) Giuliani is pro-choice, and supports a type of civil union between same sex couples and agrees for legal and medical reasons that same sex relationships should get the same rights under the law. He also believes in strong restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms and agrees with harsh punishment for illegal weapons or non permitted weapons. While opinions differ, some think that these positions could help him, should he secure the nomination, in the general election; others question whether the Republican base would support a nominee with Giuliani's social positions. On February 5, 2007, Giuliani unofficially entered the race for the 2008 US presidential election by filing a "statement of candidacy" with the Federal Election Commission, but legally keeping him at the same level as he was while running an exploratory committee.^[29] On February 15, Giuliani officially announced that he was running on CNN's Larry King Live show.^[30] If elected, Giuliani would be the first Italian-American to hold the office of president, the second Roman Catholic, following John Kennedy.


The Good

Rudy is a fiscal conservative, no doubt. He understands that the line between conservative and democrat is not so clear cut. He has formed his opinions based on what he believes, regardless of party politics or what others think about it. There have been many decisions he has made that have made him unpopular among conservatives many including being pro-choice, supporting equal protection for gays under the laws, and has improved New York City by lowering crime nearly 66% and raising adoption nearly 66%. Clearly, Rudy Giuliani knows how to mix both conservative and liberal policies in a way that few have been able to. He has found ways to do what works while openly defying die hard conservatives and die hard liberals. Few candidates can say that they govern by their own beliefs instead of their parties beliefs.

It needs also to be noted that he has not denied his families issues. He has stood his ground admitting there are issues but refusing to discuss it based on the fact that family issues should be resolved outside public view.

The Bad

Giuliani claims that he is not an advocate of gun control, but thats exactly what he did in New York. While its true that crime was out of control and that gun control worked, using that on a national level will be disastrous to his presidency. No self respecting conservative will vote for that. Gun control may ultimately be the reason that he will not win the presidency. But with a city crime rate lowered to buttress his beliefs, there would be little else to discuss if a democratic congress gave him a bill to take guns out of the hands of citizens. However, he would be likely as well to sign a bill that banned automatic weapons and increase wait times on weapons for back ground checks. These are good things but he is a prime candidate to go to far.

Rudy has also been known to go over board because of his views on terrorism. He is not against CIA secret prisons or the use of torture if the suspect is a terrorist suspect. This is a human rights issue that Giuliani fails on. Either torture is okay or its not. He seems happy with the use of such tactics as long as he doesn't see it.

The Ugly

Giuliani's history with terrorism has made him blind to reality. He backs up all of Bush's "tools" for "keeping america safe". While he has taken the 9/11 commissions suggestions to heart, he still believes that secret prisons, domestic spying, and breaking the laws in the name of "safety" are okay. This is clearly not a democratic value.

Giuliani has also jumped, feet first, into the war on terror circus. He now believes Saddam had something to do with 9/11 and fully believes in the purpose and intent of Bush's war in Iraq. Evidence has been ignored as he simply accepts that we need to be there and uses the same fear mongering techniques as the Bush administration has to continue this war and the domestic programs. Giuliani's disgust towards Muslim countries is noticeable. Should he become president, you can expect more wars, more domestic programs that barter away our liberties to the CIA and FBI, and an increased spending for the "war on terror". While Rudy is a fiscal conservative by nature, his disgust for terrorism has misplaced his better judgment and clouded his sight. He will continue to drive up the spending for more war until the United States is bankrupt. If you don't think the current administration has handle terror or the war in Iraq well, Rudy is more of the same.

Forced Christianity

The title is embedded with a link. Or you may click below to read it.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/091807R.shtml

Take all the time you need. I will be here and you can read my comments. Follow the embedded link to this story of how the military has tried to force someone to convert to christianity and supress his atheism. How he has had to sue the Pentagon to stop this blatant violation of his rights. How he has been openly discriminated against for not believing in god. Go ahead, read it all, and while your doing it, grab a tissue, and shed a tear for our fading democracy of hypocrisy! Shed a tear for the freedom your children will have to be christians and christians only. Shed a tear for our "sweet land of liberty" that is gasping its last breath. Then hike up your boot straps, and make ready to fight. We will not let this go quietly into the night, we will rage against the dying of the light!

Wake up America, the hour of your freedom is at hand! We are watching the changing of the guard the decimation of our freedoms before our very eyes, wake sleeping giant and free yourselves from your bonds! This is the hour when we can make a difference, don't let it slip into oblivion! Christians, your religious freedom will be crushed if you allow this type of thing to happen. Once they can get away with suppressing one, they can suppress a myriad of beliefs. This isn't a long post, but the premise is secure. Protect our religious freedoms, even when that is freedom from religion. Its about our future, our freedom, and our children.

Its time to open our eyes, the water is poison, and we have been drinking it.

A Lesson in Modern Racism: The Jena 6

Imagine a world in which black teenagers had to ask permission to SIT under a tree. Imagine an America in which barber shops were for whites or blacks, segregated shops. Imagine a state that allowed a school to have segregated proms, one for whites and one for blacks. Imagine a town that would charge black teens with attempted murder for a school fight. Imagine that white kids put nooses in a tree in response to the request to sit under the tree, garnishing it with school colors. Now, fifty years ago, this wouldn't have been so uncommon. But this isn't 1950, its the year 2006, and the town is Jena Louisiana.

In September of 2006, six black kids in Jena made a request that would alter their lives forever. They asked if they could sit under a traditionally whites only tree. This was followed by nooses hung in the tree baring the school colors. Then, a school fire that white kids essentially blamed on the black kids. With the 85% white population against them, what happened next was to be expected. Six black kids got in a fight with a white kid. When he was knocked conscience, they gave him some more to remember his words, kicking him in the head a few more times. The kid escaped with some bumps and bruises, a bad school fight to be sure.

Now a quick interlude. When I was in junior high, I saw three white kids beat up another white kid. The one kid got slammed face first into the locker and knock out cold. The three other kids then kicked him for nearly five minutes until teachers got there and broke it up. If my memory servers me well, he came back to school with a broken arm and a slight concussion. What happened was that all four were suspended for four weeks. No one was charge, and all parents were called. This was a harsh penalty at the time, and those kids were watched closely for the rest of the year.

But in Jena, the prosecutor had announced to the black students that he could end their life with a stroke of the pen. This was done to prevent a violent out cry against the injustice done by those white kids hanging the nooses. As promised, he tried the six black kids who got in the fight as adults with aggravated battery and attempted murder. One has already been found guilty and will be sentence at the end of September. Attempted murder? This was presumably because the white kid was unconscious. Of course, one must ask what stopped them from killing him if he was not conscious? It was a school fight, likely started by racist remarks, the kind that ignorant ass wipe trailor park white trash are saying now in response to this. In Jena, blacks are out numbered by whites nearly 7 to 1. Segregation lives on, and racial hatred and bigotry isn't even masked in Jena.

This incident makes the news in most other large countries on a regular basis, yet I didn't hear about it until recently. How is this possible? An obviously racist town puts ridiculous charges on six sixteen year old kids and it barely makes the news. What is wrong with this country?

What normally happens today in America when race issues arise is that white people start talking about how its some how the black peoples fault, how they think theres racism everywhere and there really isn't any racism at all, or at least its very little. Us white folks like to believe that we have overcome racism, that desegregation and any other program designed to level the playing field between whites and other minorities. Its so easy to white people to think the ACLU, NAACP, Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton push things to far. Its easy to say get a job to an unemployed black man who claims its harder for him to get a job. Its easy for white people to turn a deaf ear to black people in the work place that say its harder to move up if your black. After all, racism is all but dead in our country. Right?

I am white. I am not a racist. I hate and show my disdain and disgust for racists openly. So white America should listen to what I am about to say and at least ponder it. I don't know everything and I don't believe myself better. But I have believed much of what I have stated above myself at different times.

White America. There is an ever increasing problem in this country that you are allowing to happen. Racism is again rising to the top to separate those of use who call our selves Americans! The belief that white people are some how better than black people is once again becoming popular. The ignorance that is racism has not been extinguished, it has lived on to burn another day, and it now shows its self to our blind and deaf society. White America, the victims are black, but this is not a black issue, this is a white issue! This is an issue that white Americans need to stand up and address, we cannot allow this ignorance to run our society and dictate our cultures future any longer! White America should stand up, side by side with our fellow black Americans and demand justice in the small town of Jena LA! Black people can yell and scream and white people turn a deaf ear. But if white people will call white people out for their arrogance and ignorance, something can change! Do not let our legacy as a culture continue along this path of racial inequality! Do not let Jena go silently into history, do not let our legacy be shamed by the ignorant trailor park white trash would have us go. The KKK is a legacy of ignorace, we should treat it as the crust of shit it is! Don't let the story of Jena fall on deaf ears!

Joe Biden

Joe Biden, born November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S. Senator from Delaware and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, although he ceased active campaigning in 1987, before the first primaries. Biden first hinted that he might run in 2008 in a December 8, 2004, radio interview with host Don Imus, saying: "I'm going to proceed as if I'm going to run." Biden has repeatedly stated his intention to run, and did so as early as 21 March 2006. Biden's Federal Leadership PAC is "Unite Our States", which tracks Biden's public appearances and policy positions. On 7 January 2007, when asked by Tim Russert on Meet the Press "Are you running for President?" he responded, "I am running for President." He also said he plans to create an exploratory committee by the end of the month.^[54][55][56] On January 31, 2007, he officially signed the papers with the FEC to run for president.

• U.S. Senator from Delaware: 1973–Present

The Good

For $10 billion a year over the next five years we could:

• screen 100 percent of cargo containers coming into our ports,
• better protect our chemical facilities,
• improve air cargo screening,
• make sure that our first responders can talk to one another in emergencies,
• hire 1,000 more FBI agents,
• hire 50,000 more local cops, and
• create local counter-terrorism units in our large cities to stop home-grown plots

Brilliant, simply brilliant. This is one of my major beefs. For a country that is so FOR homeland security, the only thing being secured is the governments right to infringe on our liberties. But what about everything in the 9/11 commission? Few of those have been implemented. Mr. Biden wants to implement many of those changes, give security back to the states. I love his plan for homeland security, it covers all the major bases like water, energy, and travel. Protect that which needs protecting most, that can sum up Joe Bidens plan.

The Bad

Joe Biden has voted no several times when bills where up to reduce the budget. As a Democrat, you have to learn to get past the idea of big government, especially since the Republicans have joined you in the quest for a massively inept government. Instead of rolling back tax cuts, why not cut funding to all these pet projects for lobbyists and just fund whats important to the country as a whole?

As well, Biden is wishy washy on civil rights. He has been okay with discriminating based on sexual orientation and the ACLU gives him only a 60% rating on civil rights. He also voted yes on the issues of Bankruptcy reforms that took away much of the ability of the average person to file bankruptcy.

The Ugly

Joe Biden believes life begins at concept. He follows the Catholic doctrine on this. His personal religious beliefs bring one to question whether he might vote to over turn roe vs wade. But its rather annoying to have him speak of his religious beliefs and use them as a voting plattform. What about intelligence and reason instead? Well, like most politicians, they can't seem to leave that at home and simply make informed decisions. I would be okay with him being president, but the idea of accepting the churches view just because it is the churches view makes me a little weary of him.

Sam Brownback

I will be running a piece on every single candidate running this election. I want to state the pro's and cons of each one as well as their Wiki profile. I'm biased and will not attempt to hide that I dislike things about certain candidates and like them about others. Its a free country and you are free to be wrong about your opinion regarding my opinions! LOL

Sam Brownback, born September 12, 1956, in Kansas, senior Senator from that state. In April 2005, the Associated Press reported that Brownback, who is little known outside his home state, "is using a network of social conservatives and Christian activists to raise his profile" in such battleground states as Iowa and New Hampshire. He is well known for his social and fiscal conservative record, such as opposing abortion and instituting a flat tax alternative to the current IRS Code. He was also instrumental in Congress' bestowing the Congressional Medal upon Mother Teresa. In his own words, "The core of my being is to rebuild the family and renew the culture." On December 4, 2006, Brownback announced that he would form an exploratory committee.^[21] On January 20, 2007 Brownback officially announced his candidacy.^[22] Of his campaign, Brownback has said, "I'm a son of a farmer from Kansas ... I still think anybody can be president. I don't think you have to show up with $100 million to do it. ... I'm the tortoise in the race. And I don't like how the race starts; I like how it ends up."

The Good

Mr. Brownback is against taxes. He has signed the Americans for tax reform pledge to oppose all tax increases. As part of middle America, I like that. Its not feasible, but I like it. You can be rest assured that he will not allow mindless spending of your tax money on new government programs.

As a Republican, its good to see him standing for energy reform in our country. He recognizes our reliance on foreign oil and understands that will only get worse. For that reason, he wants to increase research and production of non-oil products to work towards energy interdependence. It may be all talk, but hey, most politicians excel in blowing out hot air, so you get what you get.

The Bad

Sam Brownback is for a pointless and un-winnable war in Iraq. He will continue the same old schtick for years to come, ensuring the ten year mark gets reached. He is politics as usual and walks the party line on Iraq very well. He will follow it because he and Bush think very much alike.

Brownback is for human rights, so he says, but he is for torture in some cases. Since when did it become a republican, or christian value to torture someone? It doesn't work and we know that. As well, we have signed an agreement not to torture people and we have intervene militarily to stop people from torturing others in their own countries. This is completely hypocritical of someone of Mr. Brownbacks stature and beliefs to accept torture in any form.

Brown back has consistently support laws that give the government power to restrict free speech that he deems inappropriate. He says he is protecting our kids, but what is really happening is the government determining what is good and what is bad for our kids. He talks about parents rights, but then passes laws that assume the parents will make the wrong decision. Republicans used to be for small government, its shameful to call yourself a republican then fight for laws that give the government more power. Hello, this is a free country, you don't have the right to decide what is okay for my children to watch on tv Mr. Brownback.

The Ugly

Sam Brownback is one that I would call a religious extremist in politics. He doesn't believe in evolution despite the evidence. He doesn't believe in global warming, despite the evidence. He would restrict the ACLU's ability to recieve money from religious lawsuits. In other words, he wants to tie the hands of those who protect our freedom to not have religion in our lives. What Mr. Brownback doesn't realize is that there have been many people that the ACLU has won cases for, defending their religious rights. The most recent was a case in which a girl won the right in court to wear her gold cross to school. Its sad that most christians do not do their research to see what the ACLU really does. You can't oppose something on the grounds that it does not allow your religion to do what ever it wants, including impose itself on others.

But that is the ugly part of the Sam Brownback campaign. He blatantly allows his faith to interfere with common sense. Its his belief in the bible that allows him to agree with Bush, since Bush says god told him to go to Iraq. He won't believe in evolution or global warming because of his religious convictions. He won't agree with anything that the ACLU does because of his beliefs. And he is for religious "liberties" as long as it is for people who believe like him. For all the others, he has laws to enforce his biblical view of morality. I am not a christian, but I have morals, and the right to decide whats best for me and my family. Its not the governments, or Mr. Brownbacks job to tell me how to raise my kids, what to watch on TV, or how I should view the world from a moral stand point. Our forefathers would role over in their grave if they knew there were a significant amount of people pushing for the government to step in and enforce religion. What he wants is a state enforced religion, as long as its his religion.

http://www.brownback.com/s/Issues/tabid/60/Default.aspx

Presidential Insanity

Its presidential election time again, and I'm feeling all tingly inside! I find nothing more enjoyable than watching debates between the candidates. But the primary elections are the best for debate because the candidates between each party debate within their own groups. So I get to see Republican and Democratic candidates argue their parties base issues. Now, I seem very liberal to those not in the know, but I am very much an independent and refuse to vote based on party allegiances. Its disgraceful to our voting system to vote based on party.

So its only right that I would decide to start doing pieces on the candidates. But not as of yet. I have a tremendous beef to pick with the republican party. Now, its one thing to be conservative, to have your religion, and be for your parties values. But its something is completely wrong when you think you can run for office and spit in the eye of science and take pride in your foolishness. During one of the Republican debates, they were asked how many did not believe in evolution. Well three people raised their hands. Mike Huckabee, Sam Brownback, and Tom Tecredo. Three candidates for president don't believe in the scientifically proven theory of evolution.

Whats scary about this is I understand their view. I used to be in their shoes, religion wise. The fact is that not a single one of these people, including most christians have read any serious books regarding evolution. Of course, they have read innumerable amounts of books on creation from christian scientists. How can you consider yourself informed when you read only a christian side of the arguement? How can you consider yourself the smart one when you listen to religion and will not even consider reading a science book about it? Yet all three candidates, and my parents unfortunately, use the same arguments that have been disproven time and time again since Darwin first proved them wrong! Yet they haven't read a single science book on the subject and wouldn't know the evidence for evolution if it hit them in the face.

When we elect a president, shouldn't we elect the ones that are the most informed? Yet these three essentially said they didn't believe in evolution due to gods word. This is who we want to elect, someone who only beliefs what their interpretation of the bible tells them? Nonsense, these people shouldn't be given a second look. To believe that evolution is not true based on purely christian rhetoric is completely ignorant. To deliberately not inform yourself is worse than ignorance and should be regarded as destructive behavior towards ones self.

Listen, we don't all have to agree with what evidence tells us. However, it is foolish to not at least look at all the evidence. A president that will not at least keep himself completely informed, is not worthy of running a country. Thus these three men will not get my vote, and I will not write favorably about them. There is an exception to the rule with that last statement. Mike Huckabee approves of the Fair Tax, which I fully support. For that reason, I have at least reserved some good comments for him.

Culture of the Goth

The title of this entry says it all. Once you know what Goth is, then you understand what is truly going on in the world today. There are several meanings to the term goth, or gothic. Unfortunately all of them apply to the current Zeitgeist. What’s odd is that there are plenty of religionists who would agree with me, but for a wholly different purpose. I’ll start with the first definition of Goth, which would be the Germanic peoples in the middle ages who sacked Rome.

But now, the tables have turned, and the church is the gothic nation. The run rampant over everything in their path. President Bush has shown that he can destroy just about anything truly held dear in this country in the name of the war he ways God told him is right. He is willing to throw away life, liberty, and to hell with our pursuit of happiness if it doesn’t fit the biblical moral interpretation of his own delusional mind. We now are in a dangerous situation in which the head of our country will trample our freedoms and wage war on anyone based on his own private revelation that god told him to wage this war. You would think that god would tell lots of people this revelation if we were supposed to sacrifice our children to ridding the world of weapons of mass destruction and terrorists that weren’t actually there in the first place.

But perhaps, only Bush hears gods voice, and if that’s the case, maybe we should question his sanity! But the gothic United States of God continues to march on trampling everything in its path, and dismissing science, evidence, and reason as so much fairy tale. We find now that the other definition of goth, dark and brooding teenagers cults, fits us quit well now too. Our nation now struggles over such things such as evolution and creation. Ignore the fact that evolution has obliterated creationism/intelligent design with irrefutable evidence, critics continue to use the same arguments against evolution that have been proven false many years over. But still the same ridiculous arguments cloud and fool the minds of Christians and other religionists. Darkness covers them and they think they see clearly. Blinded by 2000 year old ancient texts, they brood along considering themselves the norm and the better for it.

Yet, amongst the dark hording ignorance, light can be seen. The likes of Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, and Richard Dawkins continue to put forth patient, intelligent arguments against religion. Few listen, but if one listens and spreads the word, perhaps some day we can cease climbing back into the pit of ignorance and embracing knowledge, science, and evidence for what they are, instead of embracing faith, belief, and ignorance.

Fundamentlist Heroes: Ken Ham

Ken ham is an Australian Born Evangelical who heads up the group "Answers in Genesis". But Ken did not become a fundamentalist hero until recently. "Answers" was just a silly website that had answers that all Christian fundamentalist believed already. Of course, this site helps to build upon the unscientific claims of creationism and help keep children ignorant and stupid in regards to science. "Answers" essentially gets all its information from the Bible and attempts to back it up with bad science which in most cases, adds up to no science at all. Unfortunately, to the unschooled in science, this seems perfectly credible since they already believe the Bible literally any way. This is one of the biggest problems facing the United States today, willful ignorance of the facts.

"Answers in Genesis" takes us back six-thousands years to the creation of mankind and our earth. Yes, thats thousands not millions. It claims that the Bible is backed scientifically by suggestions that the Grand Canyon (made of granite) was not cut by millions of years of water flowing on, in, and over it, but by the flood. Yes, Noah's flood and perhaps a great volcano eruption like Mount Saint Helen's. Of course, while decades of proven science has show beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was done over millions of years, they present no hard evidence to the contrary, but inject plenty of suggestion and conjecture as their evidence.

However, like I already mentioned, Ken Ham was not worthy of being a fundamentalist hero until recent, when he built the Creation Museum. Thats right, its a walk through history via the eyes of a creationist! It includes theories with no evidence regarding dinosaurs and fossils and other such things that have already been explained and proven decades ago. But they get rehashed and butchered over and over again in this monument to creation ridiculousness. This museum is nothing but an embarrassment to real science as it proposes that the dinosaurs were created and lived side by side with mankind! Of course, they either were wiped out in the flood or died out soon after the boat landed.

Ken makes sure, as do all "creation scientists" to avoid the pit falls of creation by not talking about how you could have 2 of every dinosaur on the boat since there are literally millions of known species of dinosaur. As well as ignoring the rest of the animals that we know for a fact existed, but could not have possibly fit on one boat, especially with the size we are told it was.

Non the less, here stands that pillar of ignorance defiantly in the face of knowledge, science, and indeed, intelligence itself. You can walk in and take a stroll through the halls of the bible masqurading as science. You can pay your 19.95 to get in, you can go home and visit the "Answers in Genesis" site that powers the Creation Museum website, or, you can do something else. You can go south a little ways to Big Bone Lick State Park and visit the "Birthplace of American Vertebrate Paleontology" that has less flair and pizazz than the Creation Museum. You can walk through and see lots of dinosaur bones on display in one room, many discovered by Lewis and Clark. It will tell you of the known age of the earth, thousands of skeletons, and tons of knowledge ready and willing to be absorbed by young minds yearning to know more. In other words, real science, real learning, is just south of the monument to ignorance called the Creation Museum.

Fundamentalist Heroes: James Dobson

James Dobson is so far to the right on family and moral issues that he should be a character in the Onion newspaper. He believes in the indoctrination of children, the suppression of gays rights, and the subordination of women to their husbands. Any time anyone wants equality under the law, and they aren't Christian men, then he is against it. Under his rule, Focus on the Family has fought against equal rights for women, children, and homosexuals, simply because he feels it is against "gods word". What worse is he rallies many Christians against GOOD bills and they don't even know why! He is so damn ignorant, he sends out letters stating that this bill or that takes away religious freedom and that is NEVER the case! If he would shut his yap for ten seconds and read a bill, perhaps he would know what he was protesting against instead of looking like a damn fool to the rest of the world! Here are some quotes from the demented "Dr." Dobson.

Children are not casual guests in our home. They have been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving them and instilling a foundation of values on which their future lives will be built.
James Dobson

No, children should be taught how to think, not what to think. If we teach them that way, they are clones of their parents in so many ways.

My observation is that women are merely waiting for their husbands to assume leadership.
James Dobson

Stupid misogynist! No woman lives to be subservient to their husbands!

One of the problems with sex education... is that it also strips kids - especially girls - of their modesty to have every detail of anatomy, physiology and condom usage made explicit.
James Dobson

Oh yes, better they make a mistake and have sex and get a disease than learn about it before hand and not die young! Education harms girls? Right, I notice he didn't speak of how it harms boys. And I have read the whole letter, it doesn't!

State Universities are breeding grounds, quite literally, for sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV), homosexual behavior, unwanted pregnancies, abortions, alcoholism, and drug abuse.
James Dobson

Again, educating yourself is bad bad bad! These schools, you may learn yo self, but all the sin is just bad bad bad!

"What is needed is a central registry through which violations of religious freedom can be reported. Henceforth, Focus on the Family will serve as the repository of that information, which will later be reported."

Theocracy in the making. Focus on the Family essentially promotes theocratic tyranny with itself at the head.

"One issue concerned the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, which has worried me for years. I devoted a portion of my letter in January 1993, and again in July 1994, to the threat posed by this dangerous document. More than 150 countries around the world have already adopted it within their borders."

This should bother everyone. This law is for giving children rights and freedoms in the world, yet a "family" organization is against it.

"We have tried unsuccessfully, but valiantly, to keep President Clinton from permitting homosexuals in the military and from assigning women to combat situations. We have fought for the unborn child...."

They have fought valiantly to ensure that those not in line with the right wing christian conservative world view are equally discriminated against!

"...the obvious question to ask is, `What can we do to derail this gender feminism juggernaut?' I would make four suggestions which I sincerely hope my readers will implement."

Again with the woman thing. Why do all these fundamentalists have problems with women having equal rights? Why is allowing women to make choices about themselves without the need of a man a bad thing?

Dobson is a stain on humanity and would destroy the "family" with his ludicrous religious harmful dogma he calls psychology. Whats worse, he condones child abuse in certain situations, divorcing your wife if she won't submit, and forcing those not Christian to live apart from the rest as not to contaminate us with their "sin". He is one that believes we should be a country run by the church, the "true church" as he says, and that our constitution should force a strict fundamentalist Christian way of life. He is one of the scary ones, and one of the ones with power. Ignore him at our own peril!

Fundamentalist Heroes: Pat Robertson

Everyone knows about Pat Robertson. He is the founder of the 700 Club and The Christian Coalition. He preaches that natural disasters happen as a result of gods wrath. He warns people that god is going to do crazy things for them, like strike them with a meteor. He also tells people, when he personally feels they have stepped out of line, that they should not call on god when something bad happens, because he won't be there. He has called for assassinations, nuclear devices to be set off at the state department, and blamed terrorism on gays, lesbians, and arbitrators of our civil liberties like the ACLU. Pat Robertson has ludicrously claimed that the Christians are a persecuted minority. Never mind that an atheist is the least likely person to ever get elected into office. Never mind that the majority of America claims to be Christian. Never mind that there is an evangelical president who has appointed evangelical judges, and works with a right wing republican congress, he believes they are the persecuted minority. But what is Pat Robertson really? He is a terrorist, plain and simple. When you speak such hatred against the "arms of Satan" (which is everyone not Christian) and condone violence towards other people, and condone the violent take over of America to for it to be a christian nation, you are a religious terrorist. He is one of the worst, in fact, THE WORST as far as I'm concerned since Falewell died. I tried to narrow his quotes down to just the worst, but they were all bad, so I left it in. Its long, but its horrible and requires no real explanation.

"Over 100 years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that’s held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings." –Pat Robertson, on the dangers of judicial activism

"Lord, give us righteous judges who will not try to legislate and dominate this society. Take control, Lord! We ask for additional vacancies on the court." –Pat Robertson

What? Well, I guess he got his wish now, the Supreme Court is full of religious nutz!

"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history." –Pat Robertson

This man lives on another plane of existence that the rest of us.

"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate -- this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." –Pat Robertson, on "gay days" at Disneyworld

Awesome, none of that happened. He is an idiot.

"The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." –Pat Robertson

Yeah, it wasn't about equal rights at all. But then, Christianity itself is misogynistic.

"I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get married, you have accepted the headship of a man, your husband. Christ is the head of the household and the husband is the head of the wife, and that's the way it is, period." –Pat Robertson

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected him from your city. And don't wonder why he hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for his help because he might not be there." --Pat Robertson, after the city of Dover, Pennsylvania voted to boot the current school board, which instituted an intelligent design policy that led to a federal trial

Punishment from god for teaching science? Do tell!

"God considers this land to be his. You read the Bible and he says 'This is my land,' and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says, 'No, this is mine.' ... He was dividing God's land. And I would say, 'Woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the E.U., the United Nations, or the United States of America.' God says, 'This land belongs to me. You better leave it alone.'" --Pat Robertson, on why Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke

Again, he touts his evil sadistic god as the killer of someone who didn't do what they were told!

"Maybe we need a very small nuke thrown off on Foggy Bottom to shake things up" –Pat Robertson, on nuking the State Department

Did he just say we need to Nuke the USA? Terrorist scum, I hope there is a hell so you can burn in it!

"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with." –Pat Robertson, calling for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

Assassination is a good thing.

"Wait a minute, I didn't say 'assassination.' I said our special forces should 'take him out,' and 'take him out' can be a number of things, including kidnapping." –Pat Robertson, clarifying his call to assassinate Hugo Chavez

Actually, I meant "taking him out" is a good thing, like to dinner.

"Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him." –Pat Robertson

No no no, I said I love the guy, hope he is happy and god blesses him!

"That was never in the Constitution, however much the liberals laugh at me for saying it, they know good and well it was never in the Constitution! Such language only appeared in the constitution of the Communist Soviet Union." –Pat Robertson, on the constitutional separation of church and state

Duh, it was in a letter from Jefferson explaining the first amendment, touting how the First Amendment effectively creates a wall of separation. Course, if he read once in a while, he would know that.

"Well, I totally concur." –Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say: "You helped this happen."

Right, they didn't attack us because "we are on muslim lands" like they said, it was god who helped it happen because of gays and pagans!

We have enough votes to run the country. And when the people say, "We've had enough," we are going to take over.
-- Pat Robertson, speech given to the April, 1980 "Washington for Jesus" rally, quoted from Robert Boston, The Most Dangerous Man in America, p. 29

This is the exact type of language used by radical Islam. Nearly word for word.

If Christian people work together, they can succeed during this decade in winning back control of the institutions that have been taken from them over the past 70 years. Expect confrontations that will be not only unpleasant but at times physically bloody.... This decade will not be for the faint of heart, but the resolute. Institutions will be plunged into wrenching change. We will be living through one of the most tumultuous periods of human history. When it is over, I am convinced God's people will emerge victorious.
-- Pat Robertson, Pat Robertson's Perspective Oct-Nov 1992

Is he talking about a bloody revolution to make this a Christian nation?

We at the Christian Coalition are raising an army who cares. We are training people to be effective -- to be elected to school boards, to city councils, to state legislatures, and to key positions in political parties.... By the end of this decade, if we work and give and organize and train, THE CHRISTIAN COALITION WILL BE THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA
-- Pat Robertson, in a fundraising letter, July 4, 1991

Thats funny, because they have religious tax exempt status. Wonder if the IRS has seen this?

Fundamentalist Heroes: Sean Hannity

Sean Hannity is one of the worst kinds of fundamentalist talk show hosts. He claims to be fair and balanced yet he blatantly shows his far right wing colors. He continuously spouts comments that can only be found acceptable by someone as far to the right as he is. He always reports and speaks from a horribly biased view of the world. He has no problems discriminating against others who don't believe as he does. He does not have a problem telling people they are ridiculous or stupid, but then follows with how others shouldn't insult him because its childish. If he could once take his own medicine, I think he would pass out. Maybe one day he will understand that news is supposed to be non-biased and based on fact and provable statements, and he can have a conversation or debate with out belittling his guest or trying to make his co-host look like an idiot.

Can we pray for the re-election of George Bush?
Sean Hannity

Sure you can. But when you ask that question, you can't pretend you have no bias towards the right wing republicans.

Governor, why wouldn't anyone want to say the Pledge of Allegiance, unless they detested their own country or were ignorant of its greatness?
Sean Hannity

Or maybe they don't believe in god. Or maybe they actually believe in the bible which says to take no oaths. Or may be they feel its just a bunch of words and they don't have to prove anything.

Is it that you hate this president or that you hate America?
Sean Hannity

Sometimes people actually disagree with the president, country, and laws. Thats okay, its part of being in democratic america.

It doesn't say anywhere in the Constitution this idea of the separation of church and state.
Sean Hannity

As most fundamentalists, they don't understand our countries history. Jefferson stated this in regards to the first Amendment in a letter stating that this is what the first amendment does. If he read that letter himself, he would have known that.

“There's a lot of massacres going on in the world. As you know, 37,000 Kurds in Turkey, over a million people in Sudan. We have hundreds of thousands in Rwanda and Burundi. I mean, where do we stop?”

This is about the US actually using our troops to stop suffering instead of sending them to die pointlessly in a country like Iraq.

“Soldiers are literally fighting for their lives and you don't have enough respect for them to take your protest somewhere else... You have no respect for those guys that are trying to heal in that hospital... Why don't you take your protest and your free speech rights and stop sticking it in the face of people that are (sic) suffered enough. Why don't you take it elsewhere?”

For some reason, even though our troops fight to preserve our freedom to protest, protesting is disrespectful towards them. Right, nice perspective on freedom Sean!

“This is all the perspective you need!”

Oh yes, the fair and balanced channel is all we need. Full of yourself much?

“So the mayor of New Orleans would have used his own buses had the people had been white?”

Shawn routinely shows his ignorance regarding race relations and the entire Katrina situation.

“I've never seen any medium get more attention than liberal talk radio with absolutely no benefit. There's been more written about liberal talk radio than I've had in my entire career, and I began in 1987.”

Rush Limbaugh, Anne Coulter, Michael Savage, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Dr. Laura, and the entire cast of Fox News. How is it possible that he still believes in this crazy left wing conspiracy, that all media is controlled by the "leftists"? Doesn't he know that the largest media mogul in the world own his radio and tv station?

“Under Clinton, the New York Times called surveillance a necessity. Under the Echelon program, there was eavesdropping surveillance in the Clinton years, under Reagan, even under Carter and under the first President Bush.”

Yes, but they all required warrents, and it always worked. Bush Jr. ensured that the government can spy on us domestically with no reason and with no warrent. Sure, thats exactly the same you pompous prick!

“You're entitled to your opinion. I frankly don't really care what you have to say. It has very little impact on my life.”

Yes we know, only faith in an invisible diety impacts your life. So glad you are willing to open discussion with others, it shows your intelligence level.

“Let me be straight with you - I like George Bush. I think he's a man of principle, a man of faith. I think he's got a backbone of steel and he's a real, genuine, big-time leader ... He's a consequential figure for his time. We don't see it right now.”

Huh? Absolutely nothing in that statement indicates that Bush has done a good job leading the country or that he is a good leader and makes the right decisions. So Seah Hannity really likes Bush for the same reason that the other lemmings do, because he is a man of faith. Of course, not very good faith considering the vast amount of scandals he has been involved in.

“I say these things every day. Liberal critics don't hear me say it.”

No, we hear you, we just wish we didn't.