Second Nature

A memo to a higher office
Open letter to the powers-that-be
To a God, a king, a head of state
A captain of industry
To the movers and the shakers-
Can't everybody see?

It ought to be second nature-
I mean, the places where we live!
Let's talk about this sensibly-
We're not insensitive
I know progress has no patience-
But something's got to give

Second Nature by Rush – Lyrics by Neil Peart

• I am a liberal.
• I am a progressive.
• I am a Democrat (of the Democratic Party).
• I am Agnostic.
• I have no issued with people who worship (just don’t push your beliefs on me).
• I fight for what I believe is right.
• I believe in equal justice under the law.
• I don’t hate Republicans or Conservatives (as people) because of what they believe.
• I believe the rich and big business should pay their fair share of taxes.

I make no apologies for any of those statements.

Which brings me to why I’m writing tonight. I was once called a “bigot” on Facebook by someone for the beliefs I hold.  I may disagree on many issues with the other side of the political spectrum, but I do not hate.  I know there isn’t much for common ground in today’s political climate with the vitriol on the right and the caving by some on the left, but I still don’t hate.

What keeps me grounded are facts.  If I don’t believe something, I look it up.  If I make a statement or post something (on, say, Facebook, Twitter or my blog) and someone may disagree with it, I am ready to back up any comments with facts.  Facts are funny things – they usually put people in their place.  As the quote (attributed to) by Daniel Patrick Moynihan goes: “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.”

I am an avid listener of Progressive Radio – something that Las Vegas has nothing of, so I pay for XM Radio to hear voices that lean towards what I think and feel.  I watch MSNBC mostly, and at times, CNN.  I’ll admit I used to watch FOX “News” when it first came online, and every now and then I’ll watch Shepard Smith, but it’s a rare event.  I listen to Randi Rhodes and she always says (paraphrasing) “Don’t believe me or anyone else on the radio – look it up” – and I’m not afraid to do just that.

I’ve written about my religious beliefs before (here and here) so I won’t go into details again.  As I said above in my bullet points, I am Agnostic. As Merriam-Webster online defines it: “a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god”, which would define me perfectly.  I have an open mind and there are things I just can’t wrap my head around, which is why I believe the way I do, but I still wouldn’t call my self an Atheist. Just don’t try to push your beliefs on me unless you have archeological or scientific proof to back up your points.

As a kid, I read some Ayn Rand.  Most notably, Anthem and The Fountainhead.  I tried to read Atlas Shrugged, but gave up because it was the most boring fucking book I ever picked up. (I have We The Living, but never cracked the spine).  Most of my early reading was influenced by Neil Peart (Drummer and Lyricist for Rush) and some his early lyrics were based on books by Rand.  What I got most out of her writings (that I read) was for the concept of individualism.  I never took to the political arguments she espoused.  I do believe, however, we all have rights, but I also believe government is there for a reason – to regulate, tax, promote the general welfare of the people and protect the populace.  There are no free market societies – it’s been tried in South America by that nutjob Milton Friedman and it all failed miserably (see Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein).

Again, I don’t hate.  I may disagree with you or your ideas, but I don’t hate you for it.  I may have different beliefs than you, but I won’t hate you for it.  You may be a different color or have a different ethnic background than me, but I won’t hate you for it. You might have different political views than me, but I don’t hate you for it.

Today is different,
And tomorrow the same
It's hard to take the world
The way that it came
Too many rapids
Keep us sweeping along
Too many captains
Keep on steering us wrong
It's hard to take the heat-
It's hard to lay blame
To fight the fire-
While we're feeding the flames

Second Nature by Rush – Lyrics by Neil Peart

Deeper thoughts…

With all these different States banning “Sharia Law”, it got me thinking… and the only thought that comes to mind is “What the fuck!!!”  With the way things are going in this country, and the right wing people who are filling the various benches across the land, I’m sure they would use Old Testament types of verdicts. But I digress…

When I went to high school many moons ago, I learned of a thing call “Separation of Church and State”, so any type of court ruling or new law passed would have to pass Constitutional muster – not Torah, Biblical or Koran muster.  We, here in these United States, do not follow rules set up in Leviticus or we’d all be banned from eating pork – and that would be sad since Denny’s is having a glorious bacon promotion (even a bacon sundae – gross as it may sound).

I’m not a religious person and really never got into it, even though I was raised Roman Catholic.  I see a world in a broader view where people have rights beyond what  any religious text might say.  The law of our land comes from Washington D.C.. not Rome or any other religious seat in the world.

To change our laws to reflect that of some religious book, we would have to drastically change out Constitution or there would have to be an overthrow of the government – which I don’t see either of those things happening anytime soon.  People come to this country for the freedoms we hold, such as the freedom to worship (or not worship), freedom of speech, freedom to move about freely.

This has nothing to do with “Sharia Law” as I see it – it is more of an attack on those of the Muslim faith.  People in the “heartland” are afraid of that of which they do not understand.  What happens in the streets of Iran or Saudi Arabia is different from what happens in the streets of Kansas or Oklahoma.  The people of Kansas or Oklahoma have the freedom to be who they are, think what they want, and pray the way they want to pray.  No one is going to take that away from them.  The best word I can think of is “paranoia”.  They are all paranoid and need to get a grip.  Franklin D. Roosevelt said it best – “The only thing we have to fear is…  Fear itself.”

So, in closing, we as a nation can laugh at these states who have taken paranoia to a whole new level.  I know that the Constitution is on my side, and not some boogieman lurking in the shadows waiting to stone me for something written in a 2,000 year old book.  So, it’s time to get over the fear and start living and acting like human beings and give up the mob mentality.  We can all learn to coexist in peace and harmony.

 

Um?? WTF!!! This is insanity at it’s worst!!!

I have no problem with religion or people who worship, but I draw the line at praying for disasters to show another class of people of their “wicked ways.”  The crazy nut job in the video below is jubilant that an earthquake practically devastates a country because they are “Atheists”. What the fuck is this person talking about???  Just because they don’t practice Christianity, doesn’t make them “atheists” or wicked.

From Japan-guide.com:

Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. They have been co-existing for several centuries and have even complemented each other to a certain degree. Most Japanese consider themselves Buddhist, Shintoist or both.

Religion does not play a big role in the everyday life of most Japanese people today. The average person typically follows the religious rituals at ceremonies like birth, weddings and funerals, may visit a shrine or temple on New Year and participates at local festivals (matsuri), most of which have a religious background.

People like this are dangerous.  Not only dangerous to others, but may be dangerous to themselves.  Who the fuck prays for mass destruction??  Who the fuck prays for people to die??? And, finally, who the fuck would post a video of themselves boasting about prayers being answered???  Apparently this nut case is an “End Timer”, rather than a “Temple on the Mounter”  If there is a Hell, I hope there’s a special place reserved for her.  She is what I would call EVIL!!!  Hey Girly-Girl – Fuck you!!!

My Views on Proposition 8 in CA

I've been listening to many views on this subject and I've never supported such a measure, even in my own state of Nevada. My feelings are that if two people are in love, they should have the right to marry like anyone else. It's sad when religion has to play a role in affecting peoples lives the way it does.

I agree with John Aravosis that the Mormons crossed the lines when they descended upon California from Utah to fund and canvass a state that is not their own (Via Washington Post):

Gay rights activist John Aravosis, whose well-trafficked AmericaBlog.com is urging the boycott, is unapologetic about targeting Utah rather than California, where voters defined marriage in the state Constitution as a heterosexual act.

Utah, Aravosis said, "is a hate state," and on this issue, "at a fundamental level, the Utah Mormons crossed the line. . . . They just took marriage away from 20,000 couples and made their children bastards. You don't do that and get away with it."

The Mormon Church, based in Salt Lake City, encouraged members to work for passage of the ballot measure. Thousands of Mormons worked as grass-roots volunteers and gave tens of millions of dollars to the campaign.

Also, listening to Randi Rhodes about this issue and how easy it is now to change a state constitution with a ballot initiative. To change the US Constitution you need the following to happen under Article V:

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

It should be just as hard to do with a state constitution. In essence, all of the gay couples who were married were just divorced by the State of California.

But Keith Olbermann said it best on tonight's edition of Countdown:

Religon and Government Office

In keeping with the theme of my last post... Over ar HuffPo St. John McCain would prefer a Christian president (he can clarify his remarks until he's blue in the face), so I would like to remind him of Article VI of the US Constitution:

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.