The Ineffectiveness of Fences in Modern America, Pt 1

 I grew up in an isolated, semi-rural smaller town on the outskirts

of Tampa. Access to the Big City, but not a lot of influence in my 

daily life. We lived in a lower middle-class subdivision filled with

fairly average Floridians of varying degrees of 'Country.' My mother's

family were literally farmers and cowboys. Both parents had been poor. 

So when I moved to a small, rural, Southwest Georgia town...I really 

thought I was prepared for what to expect.

I had never been more wrong in my life.

And that ever-alarming wake-up call was being received before the 

events of a black man being elected President for the first time...

Before he was re-elected.

Before it looked like a woman might win the highest office in the land.

Before a hurricane decimated the town.

Before the housing market imploded.

Before social media became the dark corrupting force it is today.

Before meth addiction crippled the area.

Before our economy and job market died..

Before right-wing fascism exploded onto the scene unapologetically.

Before "Black Lives Matter" and "Defund the Police" were a thing.

Before people started questioning the legitimacy of elections, even as

they attempted to steal them for themselves.

Before a global pandemic hit even the sleepiest corners of America.

Before violent insurrection was attempted at our country's seat of power.

Before we had a fully-imbedded media circus that could convince half

the country no such event had occurred.

Each and every one of those developments increased the challenge

of living in an area that is hospitable only in the brochures and when they

desire your dollars. But now a once-tolerable challenging area has become

another beast all together. Open hostility, targeting folks for abuse, allowing

injustices: These are standard descriptors for a small town where the ruling

majority have political ideations that don't bode well for the rest of its residents.

As a gay man, I have faced plenty of obstacles and outright hatred 

living in the South all my life. The Bible Belt's emphasis is on "Use the 

Good Book to justify your prejudices and small-mindedness," not on

"Follow the word and life of Jesus as a guide for how to live YOUR life."

I never thought that my sexual orientation would still be an issue 5 decades

later, nor did I imagine that my political or religious affiliations would be 

used as justification for severe mistreatment, targeted abuse, or willful

withholding of services.

But you live...and you learn.

 

Not Forgotten: The Misery Persists

More of the same, more of the same

Dan Ponder--Fox News fan, Republican, mayor, and newest owner of The Donalsonville News--and spouse

I didn't even expect that Seminole County's "Donalsonville News' would have any comment
on the massacre at the gay Orlando club early Sunday morning.

Like the GOP representatives and 'leaders' in the aftermath of this shooting, pretending that gay people don't exist --or aren't worth acknowledging-- is par for the course for the sleepy town's rag. Promoting a false sense of invisibility is also the tactic that conservatives and right wing evangelicals around the nation use to try and keep us in the LGBTQ community marginalized, demonized, and great targets for speculation and dismissal. And violence.

The only place the shooting was even addressed was several pages into the publication, under the banner of editorial, which the local man didn't even write. The piece, which of course didn't condemn guns, nor investigate the actual facts of the shooter's motivations, also did not bother to mention that hate crimes against gay people are prolific and on the rise.

No mention of how a multitude of so-called Christian pastors, preachers, and talking heads have been vehemently calling for the murder of gay men and women these past few years. One, Swanson, even headlined an event featuring his "Kill the Gays" stance where Ted Cruz and other GOP Presidential wannabees attended.

No, the editorial depicted the real concerns of 'real Americans,' god-fearing (and inventing,) flag-waving, Fox-News watching, war loving folks; We need to bomb the life out of anyone we suspect is against us, anyone who might one day be against us, and anyone who has looked at us funny.

The hawkish call-to-arms was strident, and not at all concerned that the shooter's connection to ISL (ISIS) or any other terrorist group had not been made. Did the shooter express that he was doing what he did on behalf of ISIS? Yes, he did...among a multitude of other claims. I don't know for a fact, but I imagine if you're out of your mind enough to plan, prepare, and carry out a mass shooting of strangers, likely because 'you don't like what they do in their own lives,' you might be prone to talking out of your backside in the midst of an hours-long rampage.

So what we're really talking about here is an agenda (surprise!) that the paper has to promote attacking Muslim-based areas or countries...because that's what they want to do. NOT because the situation warrants it. NOT because we respond to all terrorist attacks equally (as the response here is VERY different than if white shooters are involved. We're talking about a driving desire for war that circumvents reason and fact. Gosh...that even sounds...extremist.

No, I am not worried about offending anyone. There are Muslim terrorists, and they need to be stopped. But caution and preventative measures and appropriate military response have to be handled with care--this isn't a cowboy movie. (By the way, the actual largest mass shooting in American history--albeit not by a single shooter--was Wounded Knee in 1890, where 300 Lakota Indians were massacred by U.S. forces.) No, I have no problem saying when ANY group of people is guilty of committing horrors, as the Right often accuses.

Ironically, Republicans are themselves loathe to call out terrorism when it comes from a group they choose to turn a blind eye to. How convenient.

No, the way to show respect for the men and women killed for no good reason four days hence is not to jump on a bandwagon of war-starters who are just looking for any excuse to get in a battle, never mind the repercussions. Never mind that our President is already involved in such actions (He's another one they like to either pretend doesn't exist, or make up stories about so as to suit their own pre-existing view.) We couldn't just have some empathy and respect? Some calls for reason and tolerance? Nope. Not even for one day.

You can be in absence of the facts if you so choose. You can falsely accuse people of doing things they aren't guilty of. You can even be in denial over why you do what you do. But at some point, please, just for the sake of human decency, lose the self-importance of it all. You aren't automatically correct just because you refuse to consider that you might be wrong. Others aren't stupid or soft because their reaction is not as extreme as yours. 

If you want to make war, just admit it. But be willing to admit that your 'reasoning' is not supported by the excuses you throw out there. You claim you're truth-tellers, but your actions don't reflect that. 

Jumping Off More Than a Fiscal Cliff

It's gotten to the point that people are ready to push conservative

fanatics off a real cliff. Now, as 2012 comes to a close,

is 'Stupid' finally on the wane?

I'm certainly not one for false hope, but, after a few weeks

of disastrously moronic, insensitive, ridiculous, and insane

commentary and actions from major conservative

Republican Party members...

is it possible that the tide has finally turned, and

Americans are sick of stupid people running their country?

Let's start with possibly the most egregious and most ignorant,

talking-out-of-his-ass moment by far, the press conference held

yesterday by Wayne La Pierre of the National Rifle Association,

and his delusional crackpot theory that a further abundance of

guns will help kill less people.

Not only did he blame everyone possible other than the NRA for

the tragedy and the mindset of shooters, but he took NO

responsibility as a gun owner/promoter/collector/nut for

the tragedy in Connecticut. He's so far gone he didn't realize

he was putting on a PR faux pas the size of King Kong in what

was designed to be a heroic position!

Also quite fresh is Little Johnny Boehner and his failure to deliver the

compromise to bring Republicans to the table on a resolution for

the fiscal cliff. But it's all still Obama's fault, even though the majority

of American's polled (CNN/ORC) this week feel the Republican

Party is too extreme, and earlier this month, another poll

(NBC/Wall Street Journal, 12-13-2012) showed that only 19%

of Americans thought that Boehner and the GOP were capable

of solving the fiscal cliff issue!

This morning on CNN, a Republican rep was saying that

the failure to deliver a solution

 was not John Boehner's responsibility!?!

WTF! Uh, yeah...it actually is his fricking JOB! It's what

he was hired to do, but it looks like it's another four years

of stone-walling and bullshit for politics' sake while the

little guy suffers.

No, Republicans are saying that they won't raise taxes even

on millionaires (Plan B) because they don't want to be seen as

having raised taxes at all. Translation: They are obliged to their

rich donors and it doesn't matter how small a percentage of the

population it is as long as they have that money.

Because really, what could be more absurd than letting taxes

raise for everyone in order to avoid raising taxes for a small

percentage, and using the excuse that you don't want to raise

taxes at all?!?

Just more ridiculous smoke and mirrors, bait and switch

nonsense from Republicans. Do wrong, then blame Democrats

for doing what the GOP is actually guilty of. As long as it gets

in people's heads and confuses them, they win!

Then we've got all these hardcore 'religious' assholes who are

hell-bent on imposing their agenda on everyone else, while

playing the victim! (There's some more of  that deliciously

devilish, rank irony and duplicity for ya!)

Rick Warren and his lot are determined to convince the

world that gays and lesbians are the bane of all existence,

even going so far as to blame homosexuality and 'godlessness'

for the school shooting in Newtown (full article.)

 These people invoke the name of God while there is nothing of

light or truth or kindness anywhere in their souls.

And people are getting to the point of having had enough!

(By the way, loved having Shamu there sit on the interview chair

across from Chelsea Clinton and harp on the need for

congregants to be more fit and healthy, this week, while

he continues to balloon and rot! I guess that's more of

his "Do what I say, not what I do" philosophy that is so

popular with narcissistic, pretentious, power-hungry control freaks.)

People are getting fed up with the high level of 'unstable and crazy'

that has permeated and festered in the Republican party

for these last two decades. They're finally sick enough of
the hubris and the disregard that they are finally getting

organized and vocal in response.

So, maybe as we enter a new year, we can (of course) count

on the extremist Republicans to continue shooting themselves in

the foot--but not before they stick it in their mouth. And then,

maybe, the tide will just turn and we'll see some moral and social

responsibility become their focus, as opposed to merely

fiscal responsibility.

Which--just a reminder--they're not doing so hot with right

now, anyway!

***

Love Us From Afar

Friendship United Methodist Church Lack-of-Outreach Program

Announcement: For Immediate Release

Friendship...

for the designated, privileged few!

Where the crusty, white elite meet to

feign superiority and talk shit

about the 'unwashed masses.'

Come get your Fake Jesus on, today!

(Pending the meeting of basic requirements!)

Non-white, poor, gay,

liberal and other outsiders please

don't apply.

But you can come receive our

rude, smug, condescending

'charity' every third Saturday.

Only.

Exclusively.

Don't get it twisted;

the pretense of compassion

and love has a very strict schedule

around here.

The open door policy is good for

one day only, and we have

plenty of high quality, self-righteous

mouthpieces and gate-keepers on the

premises to make sure unwanted elements

know their place.

We're wonderful, we know it,

and we're very discriminating in our

efforts to preserve our high-faluting standards.

Jesus saved us, and we're

saving him for ourselves.

At least, that's what those weird voices in our

heads tell us!

Admire us as you drive by!

*****



Storm Warnings

The President

may not be a Saint....

...but we SURE as hell

can't afford  another

White Devil

running things.

If you think things are bad now,

wait til a greasy, lying, money-hungry,

fanatical cultist with no connection to

the little people starts

shoving his religion and repressive

regime 

down everyone's throats.

You ain't seen nothin', yet.

Let's hope we don't.

***

"The 'God' Thang" Introduction

So, for almost 4 decades now I've been struggling with the concept of God.

It seems obvious, now, but the reality is that I have been struggling with the super-imposed notion of God that other people and institutions have burdened upon me.
It is with great humility that I admit my own foolishness in accepting as fact the insanity of man's interpretation of a might essence of love.

My skin still crawls at the mention of God. I feel ill when I pass churches or hear people say God's name. (Not--as the misinformed would offer--because I am without God and am a 'bad' person....but rather because the idea and name of God has been misrepresented and abused by so many wounded, confused, arrogant, vicious, judgmental, scared human beings.)

There's no small amount of frustration at having allowed myself to be bereft of ultimate love and kindness due to the bastardization of the universe's love at the hands of man.

But, being in a better place now, emotionally--mentally--physically--spiritually, I wish to sidestep blame and resentments and simply bask in what I now see as blessings.

The journey took what it took.
It is what it is.
It's all good.

I have been reevaluating a lot recently. Rather than make a sequential timeline or an involved philosophical argument for my changing heart and mind, I figured I would throw out some random understandings by which I have made peace.

It should become obvious right off that My God is a complete rejection of the archaic patriarchal hateful god of vengeance and small minds. Proceed at your own risk.

I think it's high time the rest of the world got a shot at reclaiming the name God for a loving soulful creative force of blessings; this right was stolen from us long ago.

As always, "Take what you like and leave the rest!"

I pray we can all learn to truly open our minds and our hearts to what the rest of the world has to offer.

The worst thing ever to happen to the love of the universe was for religion and man to get hold of it. If you struggle with reconciling the idea of love and beauty with the God preached by so many in the world today.....

if you feel like God is only a name most people use to promote their own ego and sense of self, having lost all connection to reality....

if you are alone and wounded and cast aside by organized religion and the horribly abusive judgment that can only come from man.....

then follow with me and take a trip. Let's see what else is out there waiting for us.

Let's not remain shackled to the limitations of our fellow misguided humans, attempting to assign the disparity of spirit man exhibits onto the divine.

I am a student of love.
I am a student of truth.
I am a student of life.

Let's explore what greatness comes from connecting and searching for what is outside of our minds.....and question the lies that have pervaded our world for so long.

.....more to follow......