tremble before my cat iggy. 18 years of attitude and carnage.
Friday, February 16, 2007
There's regular stupid, and then there's right-wing stupid.
First, there's the opening salvo of stupidity. Then there's the awkward realization that you've just embarrassed yourself.
But, really, the obvious question here is -- how much of an idiot do you have to be to have taken that memo seriously in the first place? I mean, does the purely wingnut phrase "evolution science" not set off at least a couple of warning bells?
The NDP: Canada's Joe Lieberman.
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that Canada's New Democratic Party is looking more and more like the U.S. Democratic Party's Joe Lieberman -- an alleged democrat who never seems to pass up a chance to knife the Leftosphere in the back at every opportunity?
Over at The Star, we read that the Liberal's Ralph Goodale has been cleared in the income trust scandal -- too late to make any difference, but better late than never, I guess.
One would think that this would be a delicious opportunity for Canada's progressives/leftists to stick it to Harper's CPoC, but not the NDP's Judy Wasylycia-Leis, who hands Stephen Harper yet another stick with which to beat the Liberals:
“The Liberals insisted nothing was amiss with Income Trusts, we now know that the RCMP have a different view. Mr. Goodale owes me and everyday Canadians an apology. He repeatedly claimed there was no reason for an investigation. He was wrong. He claimed that I and the NDP were motivated merely by politics. He was wrong. We were motivated by public interest, as the minister should have been. I am proud of the role I and my party played in this investigation.
Mr. Goodale failed the test of ministerial responsibility upon which our system of government is based. He refused to initiate the RCMP investigation. This was irresponsible. He must apologize to all Canadians for his failure to protect the capital markets and the integrity of the Department of Finance.”
Thanks, Judy. No, really -- when everyone on this side of the aisle should be putting pressure on Harper to back off on his now-baseless accusations about the income trust scandal, you can't help but give him moral support.
Good girl. Keep it up. Every time I start even thinking of feeling sympathetic towards the NDP, there's always an irresponsible, opportunistic hack like Judy to set me straight.
JUST SO YOU KNOW ... I figured I was going to take some abuse for this post, but what Judy W-L has done just pisses me off. Understand something -- at this point, I'm getting less and less interested in which "leftie" party wins the next election, so much as I just want these right-wing maniacs out before they do any further damage to this country.
What that means is that, as much as the Liberals and the NDP might dislike each other, there are times when the proper thing to do is swallow hard and hold your tongue, lest you offer comfort to the enemy. Which is just what Judy has done, since it now allows the CPoC to crow, "Hey, even the NDP don't buy Goodale's innocence!"
I don't give a rat's ass if Judy was involved in that dust-up originally, and if her feelings are hurt. Too fucking bad. I'm not interested in whether she feels the need for a moral victory or a little "I told you so" dance. I'm interested in whether she's putting all her efforts into getting those CPoC hacks out of Ottawa. And if that's not her focus, then she's just a waste of my time, plain and simple.
Father De Souza, SSM and religious persecution: Poor baby.
I realize this is beating a a dead horse -- well, actually, it's more like getting a shovel out of the garage and going out to the backyard and digging up the putrifying corpse, then taking a few good whacks at it -- but the National Post's resident shrieking wingnut Father Raymond De Souza irritates me so much, I just want to feed his idiotic, Catholic whining through the woodchipper one more time.
As you might have read here recently, De Souza seems to think that the existence of same-sex marriage in Canada represents a significant curtailing of religious "liberty." To which one can justifiably respond, OK, let's enumerate precisely the ways that Canadian SSM puts a crimp in the good father's homophobic, bigoted lifestyle, shall we?
- Is De Souza or anyone else from the Catholic Church required to perform SSMs within the religious context of the Church? No.
- Is De Souza required to publicly condone SSMs? No.
- Is De Souza or anyone else from his annoying religion required to ever attend a same-sex marriage? No.
- Is De Souza required, in any way, shape or form, forced to ever associate with gays within the context of his Church? No.
- Does SSM in Canada force De Souza (or any other Catholic) to, in any way, restructure their religious freedom or, in any way, curtail their "liberty" to worship their vengeful, misogynistic, baby-killing God? No.
So what exactly has De Souza's robe in a knot? Oh, right -- the fact that, if you accept a position as a civil marriage commissioner, you're simply expected to do your freakin' job. You know, according to the actual job description.
Yes, one can certainly sympathize with De Souza's heart-rending persecution here. It's hard to imagine how he even handles the emotional trauma. By George, one suspects that, given the level of grief, he might need an altar boy or two just to put a smile back on his face.
Poor baby.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Damned if you do, and TOTALLY screwed if you don't.
First, there was the furious backpedaling:
WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush backed away yesterday from U.S. military claims that senior Iranian political leaders authorized the smuggling of deadly weapons into Iraq for use in attacks against Americans, fuelling new controversy over the quality of U.S. intelligence about Tehran's activities.
Just days after U.S. commanders alleged Iran's leadership ordered the secret transfer of mortars, roadside bombs and rocket-propelled grenades to Shiite militias in Iraq, Mr. Bush said the United States did not know if President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or other top leaders were responsible.
No problem, though, since either way works just fine for Commander Codpiece:
"What's worse -- that the [Iranian] government knew or that the government didn't know?" Mr. Bush asked.
Well ... given that those are the only possible choices, I'm guessing that, in Bushworld, those Iranians are pretty well fucked either way, aren't they?
In other news, the fact that no WMDs were ever found in Iraq only proves how cleverly they were hidden.
That gosh-darned "liberal media" ...
... because if you actually understand the facts, the terrorists will have won.
Team Spartacus
In a wicked turn of political turdsmanship, John Edwards has issued himself a stunning defeat. The affable and attractive candidate wasted no time, jumping into the lava pit of the far right hate caldera. History records few instances of a presumptive front runner shooting themself in not just one, but both feet. And this is before the race begins, before the first primary. It may just be a record, we'll have to consult with officials.
So the pols have begun to realize that all of us citizens are talking amongst ourselves, using our toobz. Some of us adorable specks have blogs. That's short for world wide web logs. These are web pages or web sites where "users" can post their opinions, ideas and other trivia. Some of these blogs have audiences in the millions, most in the dozens. Well, we know what the politician thinks. This isn't access to one's constituency. No, no. This isn't a force to further enfranchisement. No, no. This is something far more important. This is an opportunity to exploit the funds and energies of others. For next to nothing. Ah yes.
How to harness this upswell of public, political engagement? Buy some of it for yourself. So the politicians do some online shopping. They aren't sure what they're buying or how it works but everyone else is getting one. So Edwards hired Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte to blog for his campaign. Which is great, except blogging isn't stenography. The whole point of blogging is to work outside of the constraints of massaged and controlled message. Marcotte is a hell of a writer with a distinct voice. Which sort of disqualifies her from a campaign that will be micromanaged, consulted and focus grouped with the goal of saying as little as possible in the most words possible, offending the fewest folks possible.
Melissa McEwan of Shakespeare's Sister has been caught up in the faux-Catholic feeding frenzy. The Catholic League, a far-right, Catholic fringe group of ultra-vicitms has shed the thin disguise of civility and gone witch hunting. Besieged by hundreds of vulgar, personal attacks and threats, McEwan has also stepped down from her position as technical consultant with the Edwards campaign. Under the leadership of Bill Donohue, the Catholic League has put a new face on Catholic discourse in the public realm. A face of dangerous, ugly spite masquerading as defense of faith. Donohue has preached his gospel of bigotry, anti-semitism, racism, sexism and intolerance far and wide.
Donohue's hate list is a long and tawdry stream of targets, starring jews, women, gooks, queers and more. His brigade of pig ignorant, rump monkeys have called down their petulant jihad on these two women. The collected rape fantasies, threats and slanders are a living caricature of false piety and naked hatred. These goons and bullies are celebrating a "moral" victory in the wake of the resignations. Lick it up while you can kiddies. Old lady karma is a bitch with a long memory.
Now Edwards might be forgiven for being naive. It isn't so easy to forgive ineptitude, bumbling, disorganization and chicken shittedness. He had the opportunity to take a stand and he squatted. His last hope for digging out from under the dung stained knuckles of Donohue is to develop a pair of bollocks and play spin the table. If Edwards wants to salvage a vestige of hope before the primary season begins, he needs to take Donohue down. Amanda and Melissa don't have ready access to the big bad liberal media. Their supposed indiscretions are being presented almost solely from Donohue's point of view. Edwards certainly has access to the media. He will have to live with his bungling of the matter, he can't undo what is done. But Edwards can salvage some of his honour and dignity. John Edwards needs to do the right thing and stand behind two courageous women who were willing to stand behind him.
It is a travesty that political discourse and disagreement should devolve into such an ugly spectacle. The women have left their positions. It is now incumbent upon Edwards to come to the aid and assistance of good people whose lives have come under such bitter attack. Donohue's entire mission was to interfere in the Edwards campaign and take down individuals who advocated positions counter to his own. He used their words as weapons against them. Fine. There are no shortages of Donohue's public displays of racism, sexism, bigotry and bile. Someone in Edwards office should put a reel of choice cuts together and force Bill Donohue to own his ugly words and ideas before the public.
Donohue needs to be hauled before the IRS and have his organization stripped of tax exempt status. The larger Catholic hierarchy needs to come forward and either disavow Donohue and his extreme positions and tactics or accept them. As of this moment, Donohue is the voice and public perception of Catholicism in North America. His brand of bigotry will not be disavowed by silence. What do the real priests and bishops have to say? Will the church muzzle a rabid dog or will they endure his villainy as they have so famously enabled past scandals and crimes?
Edwards, it is time to step up. Good Catholics, it is time to step up. Until then, I too am Spartacus.
So the pols have begun to realize that all of us citizens are talking amongst ourselves, using our toobz. Some of us adorable specks have blogs. That's short for world wide web logs. These are web pages or web sites where "users" can post their opinions, ideas and other trivia. Some of these blogs have audiences in the millions, most in the dozens. Well, we know what the politician thinks. This isn't access to one's constituency. No, no. This isn't a force to further enfranchisement. No, no. This is something far more important. This is an opportunity to exploit the funds and energies of others. For next to nothing. Ah yes.
How to harness this upswell of public, political engagement? Buy some of it for yourself. So the politicians do some online shopping. They aren't sure what they're buying or how it works but everyone else is getting one. So Edwards hired Pandagon's Amanda Marcotte to blog for his campaign. Which is great, except blogging isn't stenography. The whole point of blogging is to work outside of the constraints of massaged and controlled message. Marcotte is a hell of a writer with a distinct voice. Which sort of disqualifies her from a campaign that will be micromanaged, consulted and focus grouped with the goal of saying as little as possible in the most words possible, offending the fewest folks possible.
Melissa McEwan of Shakespeare's Sister has been caught up in the faux-Catholic feeding frenzy. The Catholic League, a far-right, Catholic fringe group of ultra-vicitms has shed the thin disguise of civility and gone witch hunting. Besieged by hundreds of vulgar, personal attacks and threats, McEwan has also stepped down from her position as technical consultant with the Edwards campaign. Under the leadership of Bill Donohue, the Catholic League has put a new face on Catholic discourse in the public realm. A face of dangerous, ugly spite masquerading as defense of faith. Donohue has preached his gospel of bigotry, anti-semitism, racism, sexism and intolerance far and wide.
Donohue's hate list is a long and tawdry stream of targets, starring jews, women, gooks, queers and more. His brigade of pig ignorant, rump monkeys have called down their petulant jihad on these two women. The collected rape fantasies, threats and slanders are a living caricature of false piety and naked hatred. These goons and bullies are celebrating a "moral" victory in the wake of the resignations. Lick it up while you can kiddies. Old lady karma is a bitch with a long memory.
Now Edwards might be forgiven for being naive. It isn't so easy to forgive ineptitude, bumbling, disorganization and chicken shittedness. He had the opportunity to take a stand and he squatted. His last hope for digging out from under the dung stained knuckles of Donohue is to develop a pair of bollocks and play spin the table. If Edwards wants to salvage a vestige of hope before the primary season begins, he needs to take Donohue down. Amanda and Melissa don't have ready access to the big bad liberal media. Their supposed indiscretions are being presented almost solely from Donohue's point of view. Edwards certainly has access to the media. He will have to live with his bungling of the matter, he can't undo what is done. But Edwards can salvage some of his honour and dignity. John Edwards needs to do the right thing and stand behind two courageous women who were willing to stand behind him.
It is a travesty that political discourse and disagreement should devolve into such an ugly spectacle. The women have left their positions. It is now incumbent upon Edwards to come to the aid and assistance of good people whose lives have come under such bitter attack. Donohue's entire mission was to interfere in the Edwards campaign and take down individuals who advocated positions counter to his own. He used their words as weapons against them. Fine. There are no shortages of Donohue's public displays of racism, sexism, bigotry and bile. Someone in Edwards office should put a reel of choice cuts together and force Bill Donohue to own his ugly words and ideas before the public.
Donohue needs to be hauled before the IRS and have his organization stripped of tax exempt status. The larger Catholic hierarchy needs to come forward and either disavow Donohue and his extreme positions and tactics or accept them. As of this moment, Donohue is the voice and public perception of Catholicism in North America. His brand of bigotry will not be disavowed by silence. What do the real priests and bishops have to say? Will the church muzzle a rabid dog or will they endure his villainy as they have so famously enabled past scandals and crimes?
Edwards, it is time to step up. Good Catholics, it is time to step up. Until then, I too am Spartacus.
Document the atrocities, Catholic-style.
One more busy day this week so why don't you pop over here and luxuriate in the lunatic rantings of the National Post's resident religious dumbass, Father Raymond J. De Souza?
Really, he's always good for a chuckle, as long as you don't take him too seriously. Ummmm ... you weren't taking him seriously, were you?
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
a musical interlude
working on some real posts but in the meantime....juvenalia.
Sung to the tune of "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls
On Pennsylvania Avenue
Never thought I'd meet an office wife like you
Meet a girl like you
With plastic hair and tawny eyes
The kind of eyes that look right past the truth
To body bags and new shoes
But Iran, Iran's so far away
I want Iran, Iran will have to pay
If I don't get my way
Mushroom clouds dance in your head
A gout of shite comes pouring out of you
Pouring out of you
The cloud is moving nearer still
Decider boy will guide us through
Decider boy makes the greed come true
But Iran, Iran's so far away
To get Iran, I plot all night and day
I have to have my way
Reached out my hand to rub your head
Arranged the flight that's disappearing you
I can disappear you
I raised my hands to take my aim
I'm aiming with a beam of light at you
I got my laser beam on you
But Iran, Iran's so far away
I hate Iran, Iran is my next prey
They'll never get a...aw Condi baby, how could you? With a Canadian?
Sung to the tune of "I Ran" by Flock of Seagulls
On Pennsylvania Avenue
Never thought I'd meet an office wife like you
Meet a girl like you
With plastic hair and tawny eyes
The kind of eyes that look right past the truth
To body bags and new shoes
But Iran, Iran's so far away
I want Iran, Iran will have to pay
If I don't get my way
Mushroom clouds dance in your head
A gout of shite comes pouring out of you
Pouring out of you
The cloud is moving nearer still
Decider boy will guide us through
Decider boy makes the greed come true
But Iran, Iran's so far away
To get Iran, I plot all night and day
I have to have my way
Reached out my hand to rub your head
Arranged the flight that's disappearing you
I can disappear you
I raised my hands to take my aim
I'm aiming with a beam of light at you
I got my laser beam on you
But Iran, Iran's so far away
I hate Iran, Iran is my next prey
They'll never get a...aw Condi baby, how could you? With a Canadian?
Happy hearts and boners day.
Let the other morons feed each other candy out of heart-shaped boxes while wearing silk undies and quoting Elizabeth Barrett Browning -- you and I remember all the shitty, lonely and/or humiliating Feb 14ths that have come and gone in these, our decidedly non-Hallmarkian real lives.
Whether you're truly an anti-romantic or just having a bad day, the good news is that you don't have to sulk and scowl in your filthy apartment this year. Leave your heroin-addict significant other at home (but hide your ATM card) and come out to Cafe Du Nord, where, "pumped on sex-hormones and black coffee, drunk with the horny mating rituals of the urban damned," Lydia Lunch, Cara Bruce, Thomas Roche and Blag Dahlia will tell it like it is.
As the devil-dressed-as-Cupid on your other shoulder says: "Sex ain't pretty, and neither are you."
-- Jan Richman (undated)
For the devout loved ones on your Christmas list ...
Sure, it's way early but you don't want to miss out on this -- the 12-volume history of Christianity, brought to you by series' general editor Ted Byfield. Yes, nothing says "thoughtful, historical religious analysis" like the story of Christianity through the ages, presented by the driving force behind
I'm guessing Jesus Christ is going to come off pretty well, and you won't read the real story:
Snow day open thread.
It's snowing outside; therefore, global warming is a myth. In other news, allowing gays to get married drives devout Christians to sodomy and drug abuse.
It's really pretty sad when that second part has more plausibility.
Your so-called "liberal" media.
Yes, Virginia, there is a "fucking stupidest guy on the face of the earth." And when he needs a forum, the Washington Post is always happy to oblige.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Jordan Alcock: A day late, and a dollar short. OK, just a day late.
Back here, in our animated discussion on SSM and religious bigots, Blogging Tory Jordan Alcock seems to be patting himself on the back for being on the side of the angels:
... I must say that I agree that a civil marriage commissioner has two options: perform the ceremony against his religious values, or quit and get a new job.
Religious disagreement is reserved for church ceremonies - churches have, and should have every right to deny any person marriage sanctioned by the church.
But when we're talking about state-run marriage, they are obliged to keep religion out of it.
Well, bully for you, Jordan. It's nice of you to see things that way. One only wonders where the fuck you were when this controversy was actually in full scream some time back.
It's seriously annoying to notice how some of Canada's moderate conservatives are only too happy to now publicly support SSM, and even admit that marriage commissioners should do their job or get the hell out, when those same folks were curiously quiet until it finally became clear who the winning side was.
For someone who is now taking this position, one Googles in vain for Mr. Alcock taking a stand when it would have meant something. No fear, though -- once the battle is over, and the dust has settled, one can count on Jordan -- like so many of his principled Blogging Tory colleagues -- emerging from his foxhole, quickly checking the wind, and shuffling over to stand with the winners. Yes, profiles in convenience, the lot of them.
Sorry, Jordan, but if you want the credit, you might want to take that principled stand and report for duty when it counts for something.
Monday, February 12, 2007
whack-a-troll day
next...
"goombah said...
Comparing a monument sitting in a public space (since removed) to forcing an individual to act against his religious convictions is nonsense. Surely someone of your self-proclaimed wit and intelligence can find better examples to get your panties in a twist over. Give it a try."
look goombah (and thank you for not being annonymous), the marriage commissioner's religious convictions are irrelevent. such convictions are their own business. that commissioner simply does not have the right to inflict those beliefs on other people's lives. full stop. period. you're offering a legal service. you do not get to choose your customers. you are not representing yourself, you are representing the dominion of canada.
the job title is civil marriage commissioner. by definition, one who performs marriage ceremonies with no religious context. the marriage, a contractual agreement between two consenting persons, that are legally free to marry, is notarized by this minor state functionary. since when does some soft assed bureaucrat's supernatural stance trump the legal rights of two citizens?
one of the popular gambits of the trollosphere(tm) is the civility jive. please, someone explain to me just how this commissioner or his supporters canmake any claim to civility. imagine. on your wedding day, you gather those closest to you, family, friends and loved ones. you plan a quiet, private civil ceremony followed by a fabulous meal, drinks and dancing. you anticipate sharing old memories and forging new ones. people have travelled to join your celebrations. it is a big day, even if it doesn't have a religious component.
so there you are, nervous, excited, it all seems to be happening so fast. you take a breath and someone decides to throw a wrench in your works. you're held up at the counter, functionaries huddle and buzz. someone tells you there's been a delay, you ask why. they tell you, the commissioner refuses to perform your ceremony because he disapproves of your lifestyle. he disapprovse of you.
he also disapproves of your intended, the one you love. by extension and through cavalier disregard, he disapproves of and offends your family and friends. the kick off to the biggest day of your life ruined by some sanctimonious twerp. this has less than nothing to do with religious convictions and everything to do with bigotry. will the commissioner join two multiple divorcees? you bet your praying beads he will, despite that being adultery, if you want to get all fundamental on it. he'll do his job in the face of one of god's laws that actually made it into the commandments, with a shalt not and everything. just which biblical admonitions do you get to enforce? how do you know which ones don't apply to you? like, judge not...
speaking of commandments, that "public place" wasn't just a public place. it was the house of justice, the seat of civil arbitration under the laws of the people and the laws of the land. certainly, ancient laws influenced modern jurisprudence but one could argue that any number of documents were more vital to the shape of the law than ten common sense rules for a nascent cult to survive. look up british common law sometime, magna carta and all that.
a massive monument of one religious law tells the public that justice isn't blind. that justice isn't impartial. that your hope for a fair trial might be lessened by dint of faith. it all comes down to the desire to impose one's individual personal law upon others. this is not about following one's religious convictions, this is about establishing primacy of faith. this is inverse to civility. these small incursions and self proclaimed magical rights are no less that small usurpations of state by church.
would it still be a forced act against religious conviction, if a pagan dentist refused to fix your toothache late on a friday afternoon, because of the prominent cross around your neck? you, who's church hunted, killed and tried to eradicate her spiritual forebears. would her right to religious conviction trump your right to impartial care? because after all, there's more than one dentist. her deep faith in her gods and goddesses is no less significant than your belief in your god. and son. and etherial partner. right? after all, if you get a bye for your belief, shouldn't everybody get to play? moslems believe with great conviction. what laws and rules can they ignore out of respect for their faith? too inflammatory? what with the campaign to brand every moslem a heartless killer. let's try a more benign faith. what rules of sexual modesty is a tantric devotee allowed to skip? how many brides will the offshoot mormon elder be allowed before someone tut-tuts.
or is it only your deeply held belief that counts?
"goombah said...
Comparing a monument sitting in a public space (since removed) to forcing an individual to act against his religious convictions is nonsense. Surely someone of your self-proclaimed wit and intelligence can find better examples to get your panties in a twist over. Give it a try."
look goombah (and thank you for not being annonymous), the marriage commissioner's religious convictions are irrelevent. such convictions are their own business. that commissioner simply does not have the right to inflict those beliefs on other people's lives. full stop. period. you're offering a legal service. you do not get to choose your customers. you are not representing yourself, you are representing the dominion of canada.
the job title is civil marriage commissioner. by definition, one who performs marriage ceremonies with no religious context. the marriage, a contractual agreement between two consenting persons, that are legally free to marry, is notarized by this minor state functionary. since when does some soft assed bureaucrat's supernatural stance trump the legal rights of two citizens?
one of the popular gambits of the trollosphere(tm) is the civility jive. please, someone explain to me just how this commissioner or his supporters canmake any claim to civility. imagine. on your wedding day, you gather those closest to you, family, friends and loved ones. you plan a quiet, private civil ceremony followed by a fabulous meal, drinks and dancing. you anticipate sharing old memories and forging new ones. people have travelled to join your celebrations. it is a big day, even if it doesn't have a religious component.
so there you are, nervous, excited, it all seems to be happening so fast. you take a breath and someone decides to throw a wrench in your works. you're held up at the counter, functionaries huddle and buzz. someone tells you there's been a delay, you ask why. they tell you, the commissioner refuses to perform your ceremony because he disapproves of your lifestyle. he disapprovse of you.
he also disapproves of your intended, the one you love. by extension and through cavalier disregard, he disapproves of and offends your family and friends. the kick off to the biggest day of your life ruined by some sanctimonious twerp. this has less than nothing to do with religious convictions and everything to do with bigotry. will the commissioner join two multiple divorcees? you bet your praying beads he will, despite that being adultery, if you want to get all fundamental on it. he'll do his job in the face of one of god's laws that actually made it into the commandments, with a shalt not and everything. just which biblical admonitions do you get to enforce? how do you know which ones don't apply to you? like, judge not...
speaking of commandments, that "public place" wasn't just a public place. it was the house of justice, the seat of civil arbitration under the laws of the people and the laws of the land. certainly, ancient laws influenced modern jurisprudence but one could argue that any number of documents were more vital to the shape of the law than ten common sense rules for a nascent cult to survive. look up british common law sometime, magna carta and all that.
a massive monument of one religious law tells the public that justice isn't blind. that justice isn't impartial. that your hope for a fair trial might be lessened by dint of faith. it all comes down to the desire to impose one's individual personal law upon others. this is not about following one's religious convictions, this is about establishing primacy of faith. this is inverse to civility. these small incursions and self proclaimed magical rights are no less that small usurpations of state by church.
would it still be a forced act against religious conviction, if a pagan dentist refused to fix your toothache late on a friday afternoon, because of the prominent cross around your neck? you, who's church hunted, killed and tried to eradicate her spiritual forebears. would her right to religious conviction trump your right to impartial care? because after all, there's more than one dentist. her deep faith in her gods and goddesses is no less significant than your belief in your god. and son. and etherial partner. right? after all, if you get a bye for your belief, shouldn't everybody get to play? moslems believe with great conviction. what laws and rules can they ignore out of respect for their faith? too inflammatory? what with the campaign to brand every moslem a heartless killer. let's try a more benign faith. what rules of sexual modesty is a tantric devotee allowed to skip? how many brides will the offshoot mormon elder be allowed before someone tut-tuts.
or is it only your deeply held belief that counts?
Instant gratification for me, but not for thee.
It seems so long ago (although it was just over a week) when, in the course of yet another discussion of same-sex marriage, commenter "Anonymous" opined thusly:
What this means, I believe, is that the government is required to perform same-sex marriages, individual government workers may not be, if they can show that these beliefs have a religious basis...
So long as the citizen reqesting service from the government is able to obtain the service, there is no discrimination I can see.
Note carefully what is being suggested here: the idea is that a government employee is allowed to discriminate as long as the person requesting the service can have their request satisfied elsewhere. That's the critical issue here -- the "elsewhere" part. And you'll note that that idea doesn't stop with SSM.
As I've written before, Canada is starting to suffer from its own infestation of religiously-inspired "pro-life" pharmacists, who use their religious beliefs as justification to refuse service based on the customer or the prescription to be filled. And, once again, their justification is that they have the right to refuse as long as the customer can have that prescription filled (you guessed it) elsewhere. Are you starting to see a pattern here? And that's not the end of it.
The religious wingnuts will suggest that they have the right to refer the client elsewhere, even if it means serious inconvenience. According to them, if a same-sex couple shows up for a civil ceremony, they can be told to find another marriage commissioner, apparently even if that entails a sudden and aggravating rescheduling, and possibly extra travel. More annoyingly, someone who shows up late at night at a pharmacy with a prescription for an emergency contraceptive can be told smugly and condescendingly that, oh, sorry, I don't do that sort of thing, but there's another pharmacy across town and if you hurry, they might still be open when you get there and, gosh, I'm sorry you have to pay another $20 for a cab ride but, hey, I have my religious convictions, know what I mean?
So the logic is that as long as you can be served elsewhere, there's no problem here. But it doesn't take long to notice that it doesn't quite work that way when the shoe's on the other foot.
Anyone who's followed the batshit craziness of the Religious Right knows that, among other things, they dearly love to inflict their Ten Commandments on the rest of us. Who can forget Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who (under cover of darkness and in blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution) installed a massive granite carving of the Ten Commandments in the state Supreme Court building.
Apparently, Judge Moore just couldn't imagine how anyone could get their fix of Scriptural dogma without his precious monument, but why shouldn't the same logic apply here?
Was that monument really necessary? Was it not at all possible that, if someone desperately needed to review the Ten Commandments, they couldn't get them "elsewhere?" Let's think about it -- if someone has a sudden and overwhelming urge to read the Commandments, where else could they get them from? Think hard now. What about -- oh, I don't know -- from a Bible they have on them? I mean, if you genuinely think you're going to have an occasional and insatiable Commandments craving, why not just tuck a Bible in your purse or pocket? In short, using wingnut logic, there's no defensible reason to drop five tons of rock in the state courthouse since anyone who needs them can certainly find their Commandments elsewhere, no? And it doesn't end there.
The same religious wingnuts are adamant that the teaching of biological evolution in the public school system be "balanced" by the inclusion of the scientific idiocy known as "intelligent design." But why? Certainly, if those folks want their children to be exposed to the stupidity that is ID, they can surely find it "elsewhere."
Those folks are welcome to buy ID books for their kids, or point them at the Discovery Institute online, or introduce ID in their Sunday school classes, or even invite the leading lights of the ID movement to town to give seminars. Trust me, there's no shortage of ID references anywhere you look, so it's easy to see that the religious whackjobs will never be at a loss to find what they want elsewhere, and leave the public school system alone. But it never works that way, does it?
While we have to be content with being sent "elsewhere," the God-fearing loons are never satisfied with anything less than instant gratification. They want their Ten Commandments and they want them right fucking now! Here! On this public property! And they similarly want their "Intelligent Design" now! In the public school system.
We have to be content with being prepared to be sent "elsewhere" by public, taxpayer-funded employees (regardless of the inconvenience), while they reserve the right to demand whatever they want, where they want and when they want it.
But that shouldn't surprise you. After all, they're special. And you're not. And that's just the way it works.
And if those Christofascists have their way, you better get used to it.
HERE'S HOW COMMENTS ARE GOING TO WORK: Quite simply, I don't have the inclination to refute the same argument over and over again, so I'm going to delete any new comments that have been refuted before. There's just so many times that I'm prepared to read yet another wingnut whining, "You can't force people to do something that's against their religious beliefs," or something equally moronic.
If that's truly the best you can do, then just take it to the Blogging Tories. They love that kind of stupidity.
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