As some of you may know I am a pot smoking, small government, agnostic. I have my lifestyle and my socio-political beliefs that I frequently debate with others. Although I defend and honour my beliefs and lifestyle I do not push my beliefs on others. Nor do I demean people who have different beliefs on others. Unfortunately, very few people think that. They have their beliefs and lifestyles and they criticize people who do not support the same things they do, therefore they look down upon the people with contrasting viewpoints. And to me, that is complete, utter bullshit.
I left the church in high school. I used to hate all religious beliefs and I used to think that believers in religion were fools. Then I met people with religious beliefs who did not push their beliefs on others and were incredibly non judgemental. I posted a status on facebook condemning homophobes who don't believe in gay rights. One of the people who commented was the mother of a very close friend who is a strong Catholic. The Catholic church is strongly against homosexuality even though their priests like to touch little boys. But this woman is not like that. She made the argument that we are all god's children and that he loves us all. That made me gleam with hope that religios people could eventually get on the side of all human rights. This woman did not condemn homosexuals as sinners, she is a very loving person who accepts that we are all different in our own ways and that individuality is not a curse, but a virtue.
You can think homsexuality is gross. Hell, I do. I don't like seeing two dudes make out and I have never had the need or want to watch two guys fucking. But I respect the right for them to engage in any sexual act they chose to partake in as long as their partner is of age and consents to the act(s). Homosexuality does not attack my liberty, nor does it cause me any harm.
People against homosexuality are primarily those who use the bible as an excuse to hate. They use homophobic scripture as the basis of their acceptable discrimination. The fact that people can't think for themselves is a tragedy. And the fact that the bible contains instructions on how to sell your daughter into slavery, yet slavery is illegal is a rarely mentioned hypocrisy. Those who use their religion as an instrument of hate are fools and they should be condemned for not believing in individual rights and for not using any sane reasoning as an excuse for their hate.
Instead of using those beliefs as a defense of bigotry, homophobes should simply let homosexuals be. I don't believe that homsexuality should neccessarily be accepted en masse by everyone. You could disagree with the lifestyle, but the fact that people want to ban gays from marrying or adopting is a tyrannical practice. You should not be forced to befriend homosexuals, but you should believe they have a right to live the life they want to live granted they don't harm a soul, just like you do.
I believe religion is stupid. I beleive that the existence of god is unproovable and that the stories in the bible are stories that are right out of a fantasy novel. I think the Noah's Ark story is pure b.s. But if you disagree with me, more power to you. I simply do not care. I do not care if you go to church every sunday, decorate your house with religious artifacts, say grace before supper, and your prayers before bed. Just don't push your beliefs or look down on me. I have religious friends who are great people inside and out. Sure I would like it if they weren't religious, but I do not view their religious beliefs as an example of poor character. If I can accept their beliefs and look at them as whole people with warm souls and big hearts. Why can't homophobes and fundamentals accept that people are different form them and respect that?
The founding fathers of America may have hated religion, but America is a Christian nation as those influential Christians are predominatelty ones who want to push America into a theocracy. They view Atheists who simply want fundamental rights as a plague placed on America that has to be cured.
I recently came upon a story on Alternet.org which detaied the ten worst states in the U.S to be an Atheist. This is a country with a dark and shameful history of discrimination. American's don't like to talk about the treatment of Black people during the Jim Crow era, or the internment of Japanese Americans during WW2. Yet there still is acceptable discrimination in America. The Bible is used as a valid excuse for the discrimination of gays and Atheists. And in the article on Alternet you can see clearly that Atheists are condemned, dismissed and discrminated against. Yet no one discusess that and if you mention the discrimination you are mocked.
Just look at the case of Jessica Alqhuist who simply asked for her public school to take down a religious banner that obviously is a violation of the seperation between church and state. Her fellow students said she should be "smacked around" Comments on articles in her local Rhode Island newspapers questioned her mental stability. Christians want to push their beliefs in public schools that welcome people of all faiths and religions. They want to push Christianity onto other religious people. They do not care that kids in public school aren't exclusively Christian.
I remember watching a story on CNN that showed an Atheist couple who claimed that they were victims of discrimintion. They claimed neighbours criticized their religious beliefs and shunned them. Then they introduced a panel of two Black people and a Jew. None of them were atheists. You can watch the link below in which the panel disputes the claims that Atheists are whiners that have no business complaining about anything. I remember being incredibly pissed off and now I have no respect for the opinions of fools like Debbie Schlussel and Karen Hunter. You would think a Jew and an African American woman would take calls of discrimination seriously, and not mock it. But I was wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPHnXrU5JzU&feature=related
Americans claim to be the epicenter of freedom. America was attacked on 9/11 because the terrorists hated " America because of our freedoms", but when you are an Atheist or gay you have minimal rights. Atheists are the most distrusted minority in the U.S. If you are an Atheist in Arkansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee or both Carolina's you are banned from running for public office. What if Mississippi banned Black people from running for public office? There would be a huge controversy.
By disrespecting the fact that others do not have your beliefs or lifestyles you are stifling freedom. If you fight for your rights, but dispute the rights of others you do not believe in freedom.
If you have a neighbour who is a gay atheist why should you care? If your son's girlfriend is pro choice, deal with it. The true fighters of freedom don't fight for the rights that fit their own lives, they fight for the rights of others who are of different lifestyles or beliefs.
I don't like hunting, religion and I think P.E.T.A is run by a bunch of loons. However I do not think hunting should be banned, I don't think churches should be destroyed and I don't think P.E.T.A should be disbanded. What makes freedom beautiful is the fact that we can say what we want, do what we want and live the lives we want. However, if you live your life the way you want yet you condemn and fight the rights of a gay person to marry or for an atheist to object to the violation of the seperation of church and state you are condoning tyranny.
You don't have to accept the gay lifestyle or the actions of an Atheist. But if you believe in freedom of speech, you should respect their rights to live with the rights we all should share.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Pictures of a Weiner is Not a Cause for Resignation
American politics is rife with sex scandals. It seems that once a month some congressman or governor screws around with someone other than his wife and is when the story is revelaed that politician holds the press conference and apologizes to everyone under the sun.
A few weeks back we heard the revelation that a decade ago Arnold Schwartzeneggar fathered a child with another woman even thought he was married to a Kennedy. Now that has forgotton because Democratic congressman and unapologetic Liberal Anthony Weiner sent a bunch of random chicks pictures of his junk in his underwear. Of all the things that a politician can do Weiner's escapades on Twitter are far from the worse things a politician could do.
If you want an example take Ted Kennedy. When he died of brain cancer President Obama called Kennedy a "great leader" and was the " greatest United States Senator of our time". Liberals love Ted Kennedy and speak of him in glowing terms neglecting to even mention that he killed a woman. 0n July 18, 1969 after leaving a party in Martha's Vineyard with Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy drove off a bridge and after a few efforts to retrieve Kopechne he got out of the lake and left the scene of the crime. Their was an investigation and an inquiry, but Kennedy never spent a day in jail even though it was revelaed that more happened than he told the cops. And this guy never resigned, never lost a re election and is a legend amongst Liberals. Kennedy served until his death 40 years after this incident and the same people who dismiss the Chappaquiddick incident are the same people who are calling for the resignation of a dude who simply sent a bunch of stupid pictures to soem ladies.
Ted Kennedy should have resigned his seat after that woman drowned and he should have went to jail. The event in Chappaquiddick is a the type of thing that should cause a resignation. Using your family name to avoid prosecution after you committed a crime that caused the death of a woman should end your career, but in Kennedy's case it did not.
Of course in a case of pure hypocrisy Republicans are calling for the head of Anthony Weiner. The head of the RNC Reince Priebus has said Weiner should resign. House Reoublican Leaders and official House contradictor Eric Cantor was asked about the Weiner controversy and said on camera, "We've got a lot of serious challenges going on in this country and a lot of work for Congress to do. The last thing we need is to be immersed in discussion about Congressman Weiner and his Twitter activities," After saying that he called for Weiner's resignation. That is not surprising, but Cantor should watch what he says about sex scandals when in years past he has said the constituents of Mark Sanford and John Ensign should decide their fates.
Sanford of course "hiked the Appalachian trail" and Ensign cheated on his wife with his campaign aide's better half. Sanford and Ensign both lied. Ensign's discretion was a bit worse when you add that Ensign not only cheated on his wife he did so with the wife of a campaign aid and tried to throw money around to cover up the affair. Therefore any Republican outrage over the activities of Weiner's weiner should be dismissed.
Americans should not care about the personal lives or trangressions of their representitives. what should matter is the job they do. Saying that, I shall present to you a hypothetical. Let's say in 2012 California's economy is in the shitter, people are moving out in droves because government has grown, unemployment has skyrocketted and the entire state is a ghost of what it was. Brown loses re election to a business man. In two years the new governor decreases the size of government, unemployment is cut in half and the state budget is balanced. After all of that happens it is revealed that this governor has cheated on his wife several times with college students. They aren't given jobs in government, nor are they given money from campaign contributors. he is just a man whore who digs college girls. Would you demand his resignation? Would you use his trangressions as the reason to not re elect him? If you answered yes to any of those questions you are an idiot.
The personal lives of politicians should for the most part be kept seperate. Only in the case of a fundamental Christian talking about the state of the American family while he fucks the babysitter should a politicians personla acts be discussed. Weiner's acts were miniscule and far less severe than what politicians have done in the past. Americans should care whether their representitives serve over gains in the economy, employment amongst other things. They should not care if the guy treates his family like shit or fucks around on his wife. If your main issues are the economy and education and your governor or senator is tackling those issues in a way that pleases you that should be enough.
Many professional athletes have had shaddy lifestyles. They party, they speak to journalists with strong arrogance and thier attitudes suck. But if that athelete hits homeruns, catches footballs or scores goals all is forgotten. General managers ignore those transgressions if the player involved in the shaddy activities performs at a high level. Ben Roethlisberger was investigated on two rape charges, but he has also won two super bowls. because of that he is still a Pittsburgh Steelers.
This politicians have jobs to do that has very little to do with their personal lives. If a governor is working hard to get unionized workers back on the job, but picks up a chick at a bar after the negotiations he may be an asshole, but if those unionized workers get back to work he is good at his job.
You elect a mayor, congressman, senator or president based on certain issues and whether the candidate is best suited to tackle those issues. You shouldn't deny a politician a vote because he is a jerk, or he does not belong to a certain religion, or he cheated on his wife. The issues are far too important to worry about something as trivial as the personal transgressions of a stranger
A few weeks back we heard the revelation that a decade ago Arnold Schwartzeneggar fathered a child with another woman even thought he was married to a Kennedy. Now that has forgotton because Democratic congressman and unapologetic Liberal Anthony Weiner sent a bunch of random chicks pictures of his junk in his underwear. Of all the things that a politician can do Weiner's escapades on Twitter are far from the worse things a politician could do.
If you want an example take Ted Kennedy. When he died of brain cancer President Obama called Kennedy a "great leader" and was the " greatest United States Senator of our time". Liberals love Ted Kennedy and speak of him in glowing terms neglecting to even mention that he killed a woman. 0n July 18, 1969 after leaving a party in Martha's Vineyard with Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy drove off a bridge and after a few efforts to retrieve Kopechne he got out of the lake and left the scene of the crime. Their was an investigation and an inquiry, but Kennedy never spent a day in jail even though it was revelaed that more happened than he told the cops. And this guy never resigned, never lost a re election and is a legend amongst Liberals. Kennedy served until his death 40 years after this incident and the same people who dismiss the Chappaquiddick incident are the same people who are calling for the resignation of a dude who simply sent a bunch of stupid pictures to soem ladies.
Ted Kennedy should have resigned his seat after that woman drowned and he should have went to jail. The event in Chappaquiddick is a the type of thing that should cause a resignation. Using your family name to avoid prosecution after you committed a crime that caused the death of a woman should end your career, but in Kennedy's case it did not.
Of course in a case of pure hypocrisy Republicans are calling for the head of Anthony Weiner. The head of the RNC Reince Priebus has said Weiner should resign. House Reoublican Leaders and official House contradictor Eric Cantor was asked about the Weiner controversy and said on camera, "We've got a lot of serious challenges going on in this country and a lot of work for Congress to do. The last thing we need is to be immersed in discussion about Congressman Weiner and his Twitter activities," After saying that he called for Weiner's resignation. That is not surprising, but Cantor should watch what he says about sex scandals when in years past he has said the constituents of Mark Sanford and John Ensign should decide their fates.
Sanford of course "hiked the Appalachian trail" and Ensign cheated on his wife with his campaign aide's better half. Sanford and Ensign both lied. Ensign's discretion was a bit worse when you add that Ensign not only cheated on his wife he did so with the wife of a campaign aid and tried to throw money around to cover up the affair. Therefore any Republican outrage over the activities of Weiner's weiner should be dismissed.
Americans should not care about the personal lives or trangressions of their representitives. what should matter is the job they do. Saying that, I shall present to you a hypothetical. Let's say in 2012 California's economy is in the shitter, people are moving out in droves because government has grown, unemployment has skyrocketted and the entire state is a ghost of what it was. Brown loses re election to a business man. In two years the new governor decreases the size of government, unemployment is cut in half and the state budget is balanced. After all of that happens it is revealed that this governor has cheated on his wife several times with college students. They aren't given jobs in government, nor are they given money from campaign contributors. he is just a man whore who digs college girls. Would you demand his resignation? Would you use his trangressions as the reason to not re elect him? If you answered yes to any of those questions you are an idiot.
The personal lives of politicians should for the most part be kept seperate. Only in the case of a fundamental Christian talking about the state of the American family while he fucks the babysitter should a politicians personla acts be discussed. Weiner's acts were miniscule and far less severe than what politicians have done in the past. Americans should care whether their representitives serve over gains in the economy, employment amongst other things. They should not care if the guy treates his family like shit or fucks around on his wife. If your main issues are the economy and education and your governor or senator is tackling those issues in a way that pleases you that should be enough.
Many professional athletes have had shaddy lifestyles. They party, they speak to journalists with strong arrogance and thier attitudes suck. But if that athelete hits homeruns, catches footballs or scores goals all is forgotten. General managers ignore those transgressions if the player involved in the shaddy activities performs at a high level. Ben Roethlisberger was investigated on two rape charges, but he has also won two super bowls. because of that he is still a Pittsburgh Steelers.
This politicians have jobs to do that has very little to do with their personal lives. If a governor is working hard to get unionized workers back on the job, but picks up a chick at a bar after the negotiations he may be an asshole, but if those unionized workers get back to work he is good at his job.
You elect a mayor, congressman, senator or president based on certain issues and whether the candidate is best suited to tackle those issues. You shouldn't deny a politician a vote because he is a jerk, or he does not belong to a certain religion, or he cheated on his wife. The issues are far too important to worry about something as trivial as the personal transgressions of a stranger
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