Lies and the Resistance to Change

One of the commenters who shows up, repeatedly, on any post involving extending human rights to all human beings — including gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals — is a rather frightening homophobe who goes by the name of Reginald Genovese.  He has a bug (of maybe something much, much larger) up his ass concerning the idea that allowing gay marriage is directly related to the downfall of civilizations, cultures, or economies.  In his latest bit of word salad, he wrote (I guess as a form of proof):

What European nation currently has the highest unemployement rate, the lowest standard of living and the shortest life expectancy is Holland the same nation whose embrace of the perversion of those who broke the social compact lead directly to the slaughter of 70,000 innocents in Srebrenicza, Yugoslavia accoriding to the testimony of one of America’s most decorated officers.

For Larry Wallberg:

This post is explicitly directed at one Larry Wallberg  (all ya’ll can read it, it just really applies to him).  He has, with malice a-forethought, surrendered his Yankee heritage and absconded, carpetbaggeresque, to the South.  In his honour, here are some rules he will need to live down south:

Denver Missed the Memo

Since the beginning of the month, there have been three truly remarkable (remarkably disgusting, that is) cases involving the GLBT community.  Two responses:  punish everyone and blame the gays (Catholic Charities in Washington and the Iwatamba school district);  the third (Denver) didn’t get the memo.

American Jihadists? Yee-Fucking-Ha!!

I have been asked, through email and through comments, why I, as an atheist, give a flying fuck about theists — about what believers do, or think, or believe.  Why do I blog about religion and belief in god(s) if I am an unbeliever? 

There are many reasons I blog.  I blog to help me understand who I am.  I blog to poke fun at political and religious absurdity.  And I blog because I am scared abso-fucking-lutely shitless about the radical right.

Wholesale Child Abuse

When I was young I lived for a time at Grand Canyon.  Right on the rim.  I went to Grand Canyon Elementary School from early in my first grade year to early in my sixth year.  And I saw my first example of child abuse.

I’ve Been Tripping

There was a tour group leader show up in Albany.  The good news — I got to go on a road trip.  The bad news — I got to go on a road trip.  I left on Thursday morning at 5:00am.  It was already snowing when I hit the road.  The driving wasn’t that bad.  Snow and slush.  I just cruised at between 45 and 55 miles per hour and, other than the  trucks, things were pretty easy (the trucks (which (of course) can go much faster (their weight lets them cut through the slush rather efficiently) kept passing me and spraying me with lots of blinding slush).

I am Shocked. Shocked, I Tell You!

I am amazed.  Shocked.  Aghast.  Mentally obliviated.  Blown away.   Surprised. Why am I amazed, shocked, aghast, mentally obliviated and blown away?

Marry a Committed Lover? No. Marry a Stranger? Yes.

As I have said (written?) before, one of my best friends is gay.  He envies the relationship I have with (((Wife))).  He envies the fact that I can be married.  Here in Pennsylvania, he cannot.  Hell, we don’t even have a domestic partnership law — Pennsylvania has gone so far as to ban, by statute, gay marriage. 

Two total strangers (as long as they are of opposite sex) can get married.  An 80-year-old geezer can marry (in most states) a sixteen-year-old girl.  A death row inmate can marry a girl he only met through the mail.  Yet, in most states, gay and lesbian lovers, who may have long term, committed relationships, cannot marry.  Why not?  Religion.

Oh, Joy and Happiness Unforseen: An Alphabet Meme

Chappie has a fun bit of nonsense up on her blog:  The Alphabet Meme.  She got it via email but has transubstantiationated  it (must come from being a chaplain, donchaknow) to a blog post and made it voluntary.  If anyone else wants to play along, go for it.  If not, you should be expecting an email of dead chipmunks within 30 days.  Not that I would threaten anyone, of course.  Just sayin’. 

RULES:
Using the first letter of your last name, answer the questions listed below. You may do this in the comments on this thread, and/or on your blog. If you do it on your blog, leave a comment here. If you do it on your blog and want to tag ten people, go right ahead.  If you want to play along, consider yourself tagged.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Celebrating, of course, the 3rd Century Christian martyr (or martyrs) who, according to:

The Legenda Aurea of Jacobus de Voragine, compiled about 1260 and one of the most-read books of the High Middle Ages, gives sufficient details of the saints for each day of the liturgical year to inspire a homily on each occasion. The very brief vita of St Valentine has him refusing to deny Christ before the “Emperor Claudius” in the year 280. Before his head was cut off, this Valentine restored sight and hearing to the daughter of his jailer. Jacobus makes a play with the etymology of “Valentine”, “as containing valour”.  (From Wikipedia)

or maybe not.