where is sane

If you are not scared or just thinking it is just an election year and this too shall pass...if you think this is much ado about nothing, or just pomp and circumstance...if you want to look the other way and not face the force of the wind ready to blow your house and life away...good luck...crazy does not have to happen if sane intercepts it before it goes haywire....

Proponents of Sen. Roy Blunt’s (R-MO) amendment to the Senate transportation bill , which would override President Obama's contraception coverage rule and allow any employer to refuse to cover any kind of health care service for religious or moral reasons, have framed the issue as one of religious freedom that is unrelated to women's health.

Now instead of worrying that the bureaucrats leading the Health Cartels want to save money not lives denying coverage we have to worry that CEO’s of our places of employments are not religious bigots, haters of minorities and more adept in saving the bottom line rather then lives.

And the savvy marketeers of anything anti women, anti free choice, anti American bundle this Blunt Amendment as being a champion for religious freedoms. But as loud as they speak about saving religion they quietly whisper that if there are moral reasons to deny coverage that is “hunky dory”. Moral reasons can be a numerous as the grains of sand on any beach.

This Blunt Amendment disguises itself as a save the Bible, save God (from whom), but is really a wolf in sheep’s clothing to deny women equality, respect and one more attempt to balance the budget at the expense of the employee.

A Virginia law limiting handgun purchases to one per month was repealed (A Virginia law that's been in place nearly 20 years is no more). Tuesday, over the opposition of gun control supporters and relatives of victims who survived the Virginia Tech massacre.

This week, the Virginia state Legislature passed a bill that would require women to have an ultrasound before they may have an abortion. Because the great majority of abortions occur during the first 12 weeks, that means most women will be forced to have a transvaginal procedure in which a probe is inserted into the vagina, and then moved around until an ultrasound image is produced.(Slate)

And in Virginia we are told by the self appointed Christian Crusaders that all they want is to maintain religious freedom and the holiest of the holy that Christianity proposes. Its not about women or their inability to think for themselves, it is about religion damn you so don’t get political on something so God like. And then the same Crusaders who quote chapter and verse of their Bible about the sanctity of life find the necessity to permit as many hand guns owned by any and all Virginians.

Bring the fetus to term no matter how it was created and then when it grows old enough have that fetus carry as many handguns needed to mow down some other fetus.

I am scared by the brazen attempt of the Right Wing Republican/Tea Party to once again provide enough wedge based issues into the the 2012 campaign. They were successful when George W. ran the first time by playing the homophobic wedge issues and for his second term we were worried about an Muslim terrorist under every blanket. There is little value or moral in this lie infested approach but when you hit the insecurities and and bigotries based on religious dogma and bias value doesn’t matter, just hate.

But I am more terrified of the people who thrive on the fear of anything unlike them. I am horrified by the Bible thumping citizens who never read the real words of that Holy Book but just pick out the thou shall hate parts. I am in fear of the folk who need no more than Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, or phony groups like the 700 Club, Focus on the Family to feed them the fire to light their already smoldering UnAmerican, UnConstitution animosity towards freedom and democracy.

Crazy is upon us. Scary, hurt you crazy! Where is sane when you need it, no when it becomes a matter of survival!

if not now

Free enterprise, say the leadership, the pundits, and the politicians from the Republican/Tea Party, let the chips fall as they may and if jobs are lost, people are sick, people are homeless it is part of the process to eventually find progress with private investment and enterprise. The future will be brighter we are told and if in the process of seeking the future the present is dull and dreary so be it, but the markets know best and free markets know better say the Corporate CEO’s their lobbyists and the elected lackey’s bought and paid for by the top 1%.

In Michigan today, Mitt Romney and his surrogates argue that the bailout for the auto-industry was a very Un-American action managed by the President. They say it was not the government’s responsibility to invest in American economy or jobs adding the government should not come to the rescue of any failing industry. Capitalism thrives with the ebb and flow of money, the ability to create and destroy, improve and remove, artificial involvement by government officials eliminate the will of the people to remain successful, so say those who also identify Corporations as people.

On the campaign trial the Republican/Tea Party candidates for president are insistent that one of the first actions they will take will be to eliminate “Obamacare”, stating that it is the first sign post to the road of Socialism. The candidates and their cohorts on Fox News, or the RNC define health care for all as a plot to remove freedoms for Americans, and an omen threatening to weaken our democracy. The free market, we are preached to, will find a fair price point for health care, and if it takes a decade to do so, so be it because a true America must rely on the markets and their fluctuations.

Educators, first responders, janitorial professionals, nurses to name a few are lazy individuals who demand outrageous salaries and gluttonous benefits so we are lectured to by the Republican/Tea Party majority led state legislatures. These workers are lemmings for a union leadership more concerned about their own political ambitions and less worried about what is good for ALL America and Americans. If a government has to pay its citizens minimum wages and then kick in for benefits or a safe work environment all that happens is a depletion of dollars to balance a budget that eventually will not include the health and welfare for a majority of population say the union buster bully’s.

Had we waited for the free market to assist in the resurrection of the auto industry as we waited, we would have witnessed millions of unemployed workers unable to pay mortgages, purchase food, pay for health care and maintain any kind of sane home life. Had we waited for the market to fluctuate or the CEO’s and their Board of Directors to debate the profit loss of their bottom line how many people would be hungry, homeless and hassled? If we go back to the free market to set a price waiting for the Health care Cartel to debate how much profit they need for the year how many people will go uninsured, die because they can not afford costly procedures, live a shorter life because of health issues. If we deny fair wages, healthy works spaces because right now we feel we should balance a budget without raising income how many people will struggle to just survive, retain some semblance of middle class life, thrive?

I can not understand how the here and now seem to be unimportant for the Republican/Tea Party voters. If people are hungry feed them, if people are homeless find them shelter, if people are ill make them better, if people must work pay them fair wages, if people grow old let them grow old with dignity. If we want a future of promise then why are we laying the ground work for the present to deny, delete and demean? Why should we be told we must be better for tomorrow when none of us are given the correct tools to survive today? If we would have waited for the fair market to handle the auto crisis, how many millions of people would have been unemployed, homeless, desperate? How many people currently can not afford health care now that it is at the whim of free markets? Why are wages for many only providing meager allowing for a priority of how to pay, food, shelter, health, imagine no minimum wages or fair wages?

I continue to worry when I see the throngs of people cheering on Santorum, Romney, Gingrich or Paul propelling them to restrict, deny, divide hoping they will be president to destroy today for some tomorrow which will only find the wealthy survive. I continue to wonder how the many millions of minions without decent health care, living at the poverty level , lacking proper education applaud the self serving and selfish machinations of Santorum, Romney, Gingrich, Paul. I am in sick awe as the crowds wave banners and signs supporting men whose rhetoric is filled with lies fiction and false prophecy encouraging them to lead this nation.

We need to look at today with clear head and clearer eyes.If we don’t this nation will have a very dreary tomorrow.

separation of sense

In the race to the bottom or as we know it the Republican/Tea Party primary to nominate a candidate to run for president, we are told in one ear that what this nation needs is a strong dose of understanding the Constitution. In the other ear we are lectured that only those running for office for president from the Republican/Tea Party really understand the Constitution and what the Founding Fathers were thinking when they wrote the Constitution. We are told that the Constitution is the Law, but the the interpretation of the Constitution should be left up to the men who want to be the next president of this nation. We are told lots of bigoted BS but provided with very little fact.

Most recently in his linty of how America has gone bad, including women’s reproductive rights, Gay anything, higher education, the need for poor people so we can have rich people, the Devil this or that, Rick Santorum now insists that the separation between church and state is Un-American and above all else un God worthy. As he clings on to both his Bible and the Constitution. Mr. Santorum likes to read content from both that does not exist anywhere but his own imagination, loathing and hatred.

Two men, one a president at the time and one a candidate to be president and eventually one elected spoke about the importance and necessity of a division between church and state that makes this country a great democracy. The one man hoping to hype hate, dine on division, and relying on religious bias and bogus, is busy rewriting history and eliminating historical relevance. And the sad thing is the momentum Rick Santorum has garnered in his wake to destroy the personal freedoms of the citizens of our nation.

The first amendment to the US Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"

The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state. In the United States, the term is an offshoot of the phrase, "wall of separation between church and state," as written in Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802. The original text reads: "... I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." (Freedom.com)

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute--where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote--where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference--and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him. (September 12, 1960, address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, by John F. Kennedy)

I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish--where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source--where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials--and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all. (September 12, 1960, address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, by John F. Kennedy)

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum continued to make controversial statements Sunday. The latest is about the separation of church and state, which Santorum says prohibits people of faith from the "public square."

"I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute..."

"Because the first line, first substantive line in the speech says, 'I believe in America where the separation of church and state is absolute," the former Pennsylvania senator said. "You bet that makes you throw up."

Santorum said Kennedy "was trying to tell people of faith that you will do what the government says, we are going to impose our values on you." (Presidential candidate for the Republican/Te Party, Rick Santorum speaking on ABC’s “This Week”.

This IS America 2012? Huh!!!

god and america

A friend of mine was finally able to celebrate his 18 year relationship with his partner, by finally realizing at least in the state of Maryland they legally marry. After 18 years of commitment, love and devotion the two men were now permitted to exercise a freedom taken for granted by the heterosexual community and in the eyes of the law, at least in the state of Maryland say “I do”.

Any true American who understands the value of our Constitution should celebrate this victory against separate but equal, but it seems some who insist that their God has higher authority over the laws of the land refuse to understand. With the vim and vitality of prejudice and hatred based on a God who seems to hate his/her creations, many a person using religion as a scapegoat for their own deep-seeded bigotry instead protest this ruling. They site ownership of the understanding of religion, God’s words and act as a translator of his/her wishes with arrogance and ignorance.

No one owns God, no one.

One of the wonders of America is the opportunity to worship God, any God and be able to express that joy openly.

One of the wonders of America is to be free not to worship God, any God and speak just as freely and proudly about that choice.

One of the wonders of America is that the rights of both a believer of God, any God and a nonbeliever in a God, any God are assured in our Constitution. Our Constitution provides all citizens to express their lives in an equal, free manner. How you believe in God or his word is a personal choice, but a choice that does not permit discrimination for those who see God differently than you.

America was founded as a nation where if God is a primary force for your deeds, actions or plans you can worship as you wish. America was also established as a bastion where the politics of God have no greater or lesser stance or value.

In America there is permission for those who worship a vindictive or bigoted deity to share their beliefs with those who celebrate a God who enjoys harmony and inclusion of all. America is a land of equal opportunity worship. And now Maryland is a land of equal opportunity for marriage in or out of the eyes of God.

No one can ever judge a person’s relationship with God, no one can ever communicate that your devotion and interpretation of God is correct or false. The beauty of America is freedom. The intent of those who wrote the Constitution many men who believed in God was that all citizens be equal.

My God did bless America with his grace permitting the Maryland State Legislature to go beyond the petty, the fear, the inaccurate and finally loudly and proudly say bias, bigotry no longer exist when it comes to marriage. We can all embrace our God as we wish, but the bold and very American effort made by the Maryland Legislature embraced the Constitution of this nation a guiding principal for all.

some stand

When a government-run lab accidentally lets loose a deadly virus, most of the population of the world is wiped-out. Survivors begin having dreams about two figures: a mystical old woman, or a foreboding, scary man. As the story tracks various people, we begin to realize that the two figures exemplify basic forces of good and evil, and the stage is set for a final confrontation between the representatives of each. Those who are immune from the virus subsequently form into two camps. The first is lead by Mother Abigail and the second by Randall Flagg. Within a few months, it becomes apparent that those who support good will need to confront evil if they are to survive. (Rick Munoz) synopsis of “The Stand” by Stephen King.

With each passing day a new strain of a virus seeps through the veins of those who identify as the Core of the Republican/Tea Party releasing rhetoric and venom against Gay civil rights, women’s reproductive rights, the right for fair pay/ fair benefits, and the right to grow old with dignity. With each passing day a virus erupts from the mouths and actions of those elected officials proudly claiming to represent the Republican/Tea Party stressing Big Government intrusion in our bedrooms, doctors offices while restricting who we love, how we love, and how we maintain our health. With each passing day a line in the sand is drawn on the freedoms, equality, and respect toward some by those who either hear the Lord’s calling to hate, God’s whispers to discriminate,The Almighty’s shouts to persecute.

With each passing day, the definition of good and evil are being defined by those who refuse to respect the tenets of the Constitution but indulge in the religious bias of a Bible never left to fact but infused with fiction. With each passing day those who love to speak for God, but never bother to listen to his/her words insist that their morals are correct, and the values of those they deem less than are meaningless. With each passing day more Americans are the victims of less freedom and justice, access and equality.

With each passing day the rift of stated difference grows wider and the chance to bridge that gap less. With each passing day inclusion evaporates, exclusion exhilarates, and common cause is exasperated by denial and indulgence. With each passing day those who swear America is THEIR land of Christianity become abusive in action, confrontative with deed, and insist that they take a STAND against anything they refuse to understand.

For some reason a virus of indulgence, ignorance, and inaccurate fact have taken hold on a portion of the citizenry of this nation, providing them with the false belief they are soldiers of God fighting a war he never really started. For some reason the fear, loathing, hatred of a small body of Americans is running rampant and infecting the souls and backbones of politicians who suddenly want to become leaders of a nation that excludes and removes. Suddenly a self defined good is at war with a self defined bad and along the way the victims from women, to the LGBT community, laborers, poor and elderly are falling prey left to rot on a very vile vine.

What has happened to a nation like ours when the middle ground seems further away then moving left or right? What has happened to a country like ours when all fact is based on fiction, fear or fancy? What has happened to this place we call home when the only choice we seem to be faced with is take a STAND on my side or yours? Why is it so hard to STAND together?

a lorax looming

The covert actions initiated by the Progressives, Liberals and the Democrats have been uncovered and their urge to undermine Democracy, kill Capitalism, and ruin the Economy of the US have been rebuked by the ever vigilant Republican/Tea Party Christian culture war, soldiers of fortune. The ever ready Christian Crusaders have also discovered the heinous agenda of The Hollywood Elite to rob this nation of family values and remove any morals from mere mortals. And according to the self appointed conscience keepers of this Nation, those who side with some God who favors bigotry and bias, they have also found that any side of the argument that may make any sense to the complete nonsense espoused and pontificated on FOX or Conservative radio is wrong, UnPatriotic and rhetoric one might hear from the Devil himself.

In 1999 a self proclaimed prophet of God, Jerry Falwell stated that The Teletubbies children’s show was a propaganda marketing plan by the LGBT community and the one character in particular, Tinky Winky a ploy to recruit children toward the Gay agenda. (That pesky Gay agenda)The Liberal media was sly, was evil, was a divisive mechanism to destroy American families and the lives of ALL American kids. And Jerry Falwell would be the key to stopping this UnAmerican, UnChristian undermined behavior and demonstrate to the lemming, God fearing crowd this despicable behavior.

But alas alack America laughed at this solider of Christian war. America ignored his dire warnings of the overthrow of Democracy as we know it. The nation guffawed at his insistence a children’s animated character could be more powerful then the Constitution and maybe even Jesus. And now Mr. Falwell as he sun bathes on the shores of Hell I am sure is turning over in his rotten grave feeling vindicated that his preaching and fervor against the evil childhood medium has come true.

The most recent sinister attacks against our the red, white, blue and Christian nation started with Sponge Bob Square Pants and his attack defending the premise of global warming. It moved to the Muppets and their hard fought battle against corporations. And finally the devious Liberal agenda traveled to the newly released ‘Lorax’ by Dr Seuss where cartoon characters support the trees growing tall, the water remaining safe and the air we breath healthy. The Liberal, Progressive, Democrat Agendas are in a conspiracy attempting to support the fallacies of global warming, clean air, and a safe environment. The animation is the ammunition of choice in cahoots with Hollywood to brainwash our kids into thinking Pollution is bad, Corporate Greed evil and Destruction of the Earth’s resources for bottom line profits scary.

And the pundents, politicians, talking heads, trained attack dogs, self appointed prophets of God speaking hard and heavy for all things Republican/Tea Party are resurrecting the mean spirited fiction from Mr. Falwell and warning about the End of Days.

From Nickelodeon to Disney to Jim Henson, according to the Bible thumping, Corporation loving , Citizens United groupies, America is in the grips of a subversive group of people, who among other things want to express a little bit of the truth. The boogie man has taken shape and he looks like the Lorax. Beware we are warned the Lorax is looming large and he will destroy the future of America.

zombies

In late 1967, there was a notice in the then Pittsburgh Press for those interested in auditioning as extra’s for a new movie which would be produced in Pittsburgh by a local celebrity George Romero titled “Night of the Living Dead”.

The job of the extra would be that of a zombie!

Now in Pittsburgh, we all knew all about zombies since on any given Saturday night Chiller Theater hosted by Chilly Billy Cardilly played at least one zombie movie a night. But the zombie movies seen on Chiller Theater were more about people turned into zombies because they had voodoo spells placed on them and usually only lived some where in the Caribbean.

The audition article in the Pittsburgh Press added that the zombies for “Night of the Living Dead” would be a new kind of zombie a zombie who looked like your mother or father or next store neighbor.

Interesting, a new kind of zombie who could be someone in your family or your best friend!

All the kids living on our block of Denniston Avenue were really, really excited to head out to the Monroeville Mall, the location for the auditions. We all had at one time or other seen zombie movies on Chiller Theater and were certainly ready to act as a new kind of zombie, a more modern zombie, we supposed.

We begged and pleaded, we knew if we went to the Monroeville Mall the directors of the movie would surely choose the six kids from Denniston. The deal after great deliberation was struck that the big kids (the older siblings) could audition. Part one completed, now we had to approach Aunt Ruthie, the only neighborhood Mom who drove. She was usually amenable toward the task of schlepping the Denniston brood anywhere, but somehow this zombie thing bothered her. After another great debate about how we could become either rich or famous from this zombie extra thing, she agreed. Part two completed!

By the time we got to the Monroeville Mall we were about numbers 1010 and all they really needed were about 400 people. We never ever became zombies. We tried and cried but to no avail. In 1968 the movie “Night of the Living written and directed by George Romano premiered in Pittsburgh without anyone from Denniston Avenue.

“Night of the Living Dead” introduced to American pop culture a bolder, braver more brazen kind of zombie. It was a creature who looked just like you, minus a missing arm or bit of flesh or cheek, and who five minutes ago was eating dinner with you before eating you as dinner. This new kind of zombie became infected with some unknown disease perhaps radiation, scientific experiments, a meteor from space or the drinking water. This new kind of zombie has taken on iteration after iteration but each zombie film applied the concept that you might not be able to trust the most trusted people in your lives. Suddenly there was a soon to be zombie apocalypse.

The more recent zombie movies ask the question how does this happen why does it happen in America and when will the zombie plague strike again?

In 2010 in the United States of America, a plague struck the American voter. She/he wanted to vote the bums out and in their hurry to do so they came down with dumb, stupid fever a precursor to any zombie infection. As in most zombie movies little attention was paid to the abnormal behavior resulting from this action. Soon, some notice was taken as newly Republican elected state legislatures stopped worrying about jobs or employment or fair taxes and instead prioritized sex, sexual behavior, discrimination and hate. The more people noticed that their Federally elected crop of Republican/Tea Party candidates roamed the hallways of the Capital Building shouting he is a muslim, he is not a citizen of the United States his agenda is pro minority, pro poor some worry ensued. Was this a temporary ailment many pondered, and just like any plot to any zombie movie avoidance just provoked the virus to grow and encouraged the zombies to thrive.

Now in 2012, with the onset of the bigot, anti woman, homophobe, Christian Crusader, anti Muslim, anti poor, anti elderly end any safety net of Republican/Tea Party candidates running for president, America has finally (sadly not all of America however) realized something is very rotten, something is strange something IS very zombie like.

One Republican/Tea Party led state legislature after another forgoing the economy, jobs over reproductive rights, equal marriage rights, cutting education eliminating social security or job security are chewing off the body parts of heir contituents and infecting them with propaganda that what they do is done for Jesus. Proponents of small government are now running rampant with big government zombie fever insisting that bedrooms, genitals, and private lives are the at the purview of any government that wants to consider itself Christian. And the US is now on the verge of a possibility of a zombie take over leaving everyone infected with bias, bigotry and hate.

In most zombie movies beginning with “Night of the Living Dead” we see those with the insight of knowing something is not natural always being told shut up, you are imagining it or you are an elitist. We witness as people who we deem as normal become convinced that if any zombie come their way they will certainly be able to stop them in their tracks. (Only to find in the next scene those normal people have been eaten or infected). And in many zombie movies we find that the only survivor in that town is confronted by the military or police and shot, even after he/she has survived the original onslaught. And as the credits close we see the swarm of zombies waiting in the horizon.

We are watching as a portion of America is enthralled with demeaning, discriminating and dividing this nation into we vs they, God vs the Devil, good vs bad. We are watching as a group of people infected with hate and bogus chew away at the rational and reason of other psyches and plant seeds of dissent. We watch as zombies walk among us and seem to have no idea how bad this invasion is and may get. Why is it that some never seem to see a zombie when it lies to them in their face?

Me and the kids living on Denniston Avenue in Pittsburgh Pa, never had a chance to be in the movie “Night of the Living Dead” but somehow now we are playing a key part in a zombie movie called Election 2012, Year of Living Like You Are Dead”.

Help before it is toooooooooooooo late!!!!

my God!

Theocracy: a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God's or deity's laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities.

Zealot - a fervent and even militant proponent of something

Hypocrite- a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

Evangelist Franklin Graham dodged questions about President Obama’s religious faith in a morning show interview on Tuesday, saying he couldn't know for sure whether Obama was a Christian.(msnbc)

Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and CEO of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the heir apparent to become America’s numero uno Evangelical Holy Man. Graham senior a self proclaimed servant of God once said:

(“This stranglehold has got to be broken or the country's going down the drain," the nation's best-known preacher declared as he agreed with a stream of bigoted Nixon comments about Jews and their perceived influence in American life. "You believe that?" says Nixon after the "stranglehold" comment. "Yes, sir," says Graham.) (Chicago Tribune Internet)

On MSNBC today Franklin Graham said"I cannot answer [whether someone is a Christian] for anybody," Graham said. "All I know is I'm a sinner, and God has forgiven me of my sins because I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ.” However when asked if Graham thought Rick Santorum or New Gingrich were true Christians, he added of course they are they have said so. Graham can not answer for anybody except if that anybody is a Democrat president of the United States.

Today another Crusader for Christ has made it clear that his Lord and Savior plays politics, hates the blacks when they are in power and overlooks the comments of bigots, homophobes, liars, and adulterers. Today a man of some chintzy cloth, worthless morals and absolutely no conscience decided to to jump on the God bandwagon and use God’s name in vein. Today a mere mortal who assumes because he is a sinner, he has God’s ear,and has used God’s voice to spew hate, venom and vile. Today, once again the war against religion has been waved by, once again a charlatan who has disdain for difference and the disillusion of grandeur for self. Once again one more false prophet has stepped to the fore insisting that he and only he know what and who is a good and true Christian.

There is a war not on religion as Romney, Gingrich, Santorum and their Republican/Tea Party cronies state but a war on anyone’e version of religion if it is not as they state its definition. Now a high and mighty pompous closer to God then thou has stepped up the battle and in doing so seems to be walking closer to hell and further from God.

santorum and president day

Fire and brimstone, good versus evil, right fighting against wrong, God or the Devil. At first one might think we were witnessing a sermon from the Mount, the Pulpit, but instead all we see is a presidential hopeful stand upon his soapbox filled with religion and religious rhetoric. I know God better than you. My interpretation of God’s will is correct because I say so. I base my views on all the information my parents and their parents presented so there is no need to question what I affirm as a message from God. God is on my side because I am the anointed one to fight his battle on Earth. Words and comments we expect to hear as the Priest, Pastor, Rabbi lead a congregation in Mass, a Service, a Ceremony. But instead they are shouted aloud at fund raisers, political rallies, caucuses, by a man who wants to be president representing the United States and its Constitution that insists on separation of Church and State...This you Mr. Santorum.

You raise your voice against the intrusion of Government in helping the unemployed, creating jobs, setting fair standards for taxation, demanding that BIG Government is the ruse of the Devil, the folly of the atheist, the ploy of the anarchist. You tremble and shake reminding us that BIG Government is the guise of those who want to create their own kind of theology, one without the rules and regulations that your Bible states as necessary for humankind. You point your finger, purse your lips saying that pre natal exams are in place so the government can convince you to abort. You find folly in public education stating that each family knows what is best for their children, so that teaching hate and bigotry is alright if those are that family’s standards. You consider women to be a rung below men, Gays and abomination, Blacks unable to think for themselves. You want to be president of the United States but you don’t want all of the citizens of this great nation to have equal right...This is you Mr. Santorum.

You find rape a gift, you insist that God has a plan and we as his children must accept God’s will and that life is precious. Yet once the gift from God is born, you seem to think that spending money on its health care, its education, its environment, its quality of life is not your responsibility or that of any government. You want to enter the bedrooms of Americans, enter the exam rooms as women seek reproductive care, decide who should be a parent and who should be denied that opportunity. You want BIG government intrusion on the intimate portions of American lives, but when it comes to how we thrive you could care less...This is you Mr. Santorum.

You scare me Mr. Santorum, you scare me because I can’t find an ounce of humanity, soul or conscience in the whole of you. You scare me Mr. Santorum because as you run for the highest office in this nation I find no smattering of patriotism, understanding of our Constitution or honorable intention in the whole of you. You scare me Mr. Santorum because just as the bigoted pastors of the South used Gods name to stop integration, the biased preachers of the 700 Club use Gods words to incite violence against Gays, the priest and bishops of the Catholic Church use Gods writings to reclaim women’s rights, you use God’s name to discriminate, divide and demean....This is you Mr. Santorum.

The greatness of this nation is that anyone can run for president. The weakness is that after 235 years someone like you IS running for president. The beauty of this nation has been the encouragement that ALL of us have potential to be great citizens. The ugly is that someone like you believes only some of us can achieve and not all citizens are equal. The wonder of this nation has been freedom. I wonder if you become president, Mr. Santorum, about the ruin and rot your wrath of hate will bring to all of us.

It is President’s Day 2012 Mr. Santorum and even our worst of presidents must be turning over in their graves when they witness your run for this great office. How sad.

Mr. Chris Christie

Mr. Chris Christie,

It is now Sunday, two days after you decided that your future political career was more important then the civil rights of a minority population living in your state. You waited till the end of the day, when most news organizations retired for the weekend to announce that you would veto a bill passed by both houses of your legislature making the marriage of same sex couple legal. You sadly hid behind the ignorance of the religious bigots, the population who speak and act like God but uses God as proof they should hate. You were playing the trump card of if they think I hate like them they will like me.

In your quest for future political potential, perhaps as Vice President candidate this year or Presidential aspirant four years from now, you, with lack of conscience or value, or morals used the old snake oil trick of stating that the majority should vote and decide the rights of the minority. You tried to sound like a Populist candidate, but instead came across as a pompous hypocrite with no concern for the minority but lavish love for your own career.

You proudly bragged that had the population of the American South in the 1960’s be given the legal right to vote on the civil rights of the Black population we could have avoided the riots and acts of civil disobedience. You went on to add that had the White population be given the opportunity to vote on equal rights on a minority population they would have voted to give the Blacks equal rights As you sat in your ivory tower pontificating to the wealthy donors who love to back hate as long it does not conflict with their bottom lines, you recited fact-less details trying to rewrite history. Imagine Mr. Christie, if we follow your empty logic having an all white population with a deep seated fear of anything black supported by their empty religious leaders, voting to make their enemy an equal they would have done so! Laughable, Mr. Christie, as laughable as your own homophobic rhetoric based on nothing but your own personal gain in asking the majority of heterosexuals voting on the rights of the homosexuals in your own state.

The amazing thing is there are enough people in the land of the Republican/Fox News world that think you could be Vice President or President. I suppose as compared to the long list of self important hypocritical, clueless, racist, homophobic, divide and conquer candidates in the 2012 race for president you do fit the mold of a potential leader. Your hates, your selfishness, your lack of concern for anyone but your wealthy donors, your lack of conscience or soul are all perfect characteristics for the lemmings you love to lean on.

It is Sunday, Mr. Christie, two days since you denied a minority population in your state the same rights and freedoms you have and are guaranteed in the Constitution. It is two days since your veto based on nothing but the potential of your own personal political gain has denied citizens of your state to receive ALL the same legal rights and freedoms as you do. It is Sunday Mr. Christie and for the Gay and Lesbian’s living in your state it is two days since you used your power of the pen to stop loving couples to marry legally. Your had little will to look at the lives of millions but instead the weakness to seek what might aid you and your political future.

One might wonder how you sleep at night, but that would assume you had a heart or a conscience. One might wonder if you had great difficulty in this decision, but that would assume you were looking at the rights of individuals rather then the opportunities in line for you. One might think you would have humanized this entire endeavor but then it one would think you were human.

You have succeeded in making the low life, the bigot, the religious zealot, the self victimized American happy almost gleeful. You have succeeded in making the millionaire donors who hate anything but profit elated. You have succeeded in planting the seeds for a political future which will identify you as never one to be the President of All the people, just SOME of them.

If you understood the meaning of shame, Mr. Christie I would shout shame on you, but cold hearted, self serving men like you are just empty souls.

when is being right so wrong

And in his quest to either run for the office of Vice President this year, or the office of President in four years, two elected positions supposedly representing the entire United States, Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey has vetoed the bipartisan bill intended to make same sex marriage legal hoping that a vote against a minority would win him accolades from a hate filled public for his future endeavors.

Governor Chris Christie supposedly the governor of all the citizens of New Jersey has decided that equal rights for all of the citizens of his state is not a priority as compared to his desire to run for a higher office. He certainly does not want to be a Romney kind of candidate (called out for a compassionate and fair governance and inclusive governor at the time), but would rather be the hard line hate filled candidate who uses the Gays as a scapegoat for everything wrong in this culture. Governor Chris Christie is a self serving coward who has no desire to serve the needs of any one but himself.

The bigotry of the majority is never, ever correct in denying the minority the same rights and freedoms as they enjoy and take for granted. But in the world of the Republican Governor of the state of New Jersey, who the fuck cares!

This asinine for political play only ploy chaired by the multi-millionaire Republican Darrell Issa of California’s 49th District under the purview of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing titled ‘Lines Crossed Separation of Church and State” . In his journey for nothing more then a political three ring circus, and an attempt to try and zing it to the President, Mr. Issa did nothing more than spend tax payer dollars on a side show of ill feted and ill fitted propaganda.

Had the Congressman who has his own linty of questionable ethics questions really wanted a fair and balanced answer he would not have lined the panel of experts with MEN who have already made it clear contraception and abortion are an abomination of the Bible, you know the real Constitution of the United States. If Chairman Issa was really concerned about finding the truth about lines crossed he would have permitted instead of DENYING people without any preconceived notions of truth to testify. Had Chairman Issa really cared about the results of any action by the government toward a segment of the population he would have had at least one member of that segment of the population to respond. But of course this IS a Man’s World and no need for the little lady.

Orthodox Jews don’t permit women to be Rabbi’s. The Catholic Church swears God only wanted a man to be Pope, the Mormons believe their President/Prophet must be male Most Protestant denominations only ordain men as clergy. So you want a fair discussion about anything female?

Legislation that has advanced on the strength of a GOP majority (in the Virginia legislature) would force women to undergo a “transvaginal ultrasound” that produces fetal images (prior to obtaining an early-term abortion (ap)

Government as purported and pontificated by the Republican Party is way too big when it comes to education, unemployment, providing a legal minimum wage, any kind of social safety net. But it is not big enough in the state of Virginia to stand in the office of your gynecologist and tell your doctor how to examine your body and telling you what the hell you can do and not do with your body.

Republican Governor Robert F. McDonnell of Virginia believes in personhood (Unborn children at every stage of development enjoy all the rights, privileges, and immunities available to other persons, citizens, and residents of the Commonwealth) but then believes once that citizen is born government should not be responsible for aiding in any kind of quality of life. Big government is good when it is between the legs of a woman and participating in her genitals, but way too big when it comes to feeding, educating, insuring and employing the fruit of her loins.

Women are the vessels by which men continue their lineage. They are first the vessel by which God permits procreation and should at all times listen closely to the whims of the male master. Some of their sisters with little self esteem who like to be the little lady with pearls and perfume, insist that second class is as good as first. Chattel is ownership, and with the blessing of the Governor of Virginia the vagina, uterus and any other female body part is property of the male Government.

Despite nationwide criticism, a controversial Tennessee bill that would restrict references to homosexuality in schools has cleared its first hurdle in the state's House of Representatives. The “Don’t Say Gay” Bill written by the Republican lead majority of the State of Tennessee Legislature makes it a criminal act if the word Gay is mentioned in school between the grades of K-8. (Huffington Post)

Like a kid who doesn’t like strangers (if they close their eyes and hold their breath the stranger will disappear), if you don’t say Gay it will go away. The same state that fought the insane concept of evolution using the Bible as not only the word of God but the law of the land is once again placing their head in the sand instead of the daylight. Republican State Representative Stacey Campfield, the author of the Bill also states that it was some Gay having sex with a monkey which caused AIDS, and regular people and his definition of regular heterosexual people meaning a person not from Africa, not having sex with prostitutes, not a drug user, church going people will never get HIV/AIDS. he also knows that homosexual men do not live as long as heterosexual men.

Ignorance in the hands of those elected to make laws is as scary as a potential terrorist out to blow up a building. Stupidity based on nothing more then religious driven lies is more terrifying then an invasion of zombies. Men in the position to deny freedom and equality to pontificate that their morals and values are the ONLY values and morals necessary to live a life is UN-AMERICAN.

What has happened to this land of ours when being RIGHT is so so WRONG!!!!!

aspirin between your legs

Foster Freiss, the wealthy investor bankrolling a super PAC for GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, appeared on MSNBC Thursday to argue that social issues are largely irrelevant.

“This contraception thing, my gosh, it's so inexpensive,” Freiss told host Andrea Mitchell. “You know, back in my days, they'd use Bayer aspirin for contraceptives. The gals put it between their knees and it wasn't that costly.”

And Mr. Freiss is the billionaire whose dollars and influence pave the way for Mr. Santorum’s hate, loathing and bigotry to move forward and perhaps move into the White House.

Mr. Freiss recalls those wonderful days of yester’ year, the days when a coat hangar was an able assistant to terminate a pregnancy (Gee, a woman could go into her closet remove that old winter coat and apply generously) very little overhead cost to that. No hangars, try the shed down by the creek drink a shot of whiskey and have some lady in a babushka try her best.

The Evangelical Christians who are the base of the slime that call themselves Republican/Tea Party voters have declared war on the poor, the ill the Gay and now the Women. Based on a sour attempt to interpret the Bible as a book with greater power than the U.S. Constitution, this group of heretics, swear God is on their side and has granted them permission to hate the health and welfare, fair and equal of some Americans.

The sarcasm, the sinister, the insincerity, the lack of respect for personal freedom the salivation at the mention of sex, sexual practices of others, the disregard for dignity, the arrogance toward life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness encouraged by those whose own life is limp, limited and and loser shouts loud and proud.

...Bayer aspirin between the legs, women as chattel, rape as a gift, personhood at inception, internal trans-vaginal ultrasound wonder who and what is next...

In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up." (First They Came... by Martin Neimoller).

whose land

This land is your land This land is my land
From California to the New York island;
From the red wood forest to the Gulf Stream waters
This land was made for you and Me. (“This Land is Your Land” words and music by Woody Guthrie)

I am either, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul or Rick Santorum elect me as president and this will no longer be YOUR land but will become MY land. And in MY land I will decide how you as a woman can handle your reproductive needs, purchase contraceptives, enjoy the gift of rape and become your opposite sex partners subservient slave.

As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway:
I saw below me that golden valley:
This land was made for you and me. (“This Land is Your Land”)

I am the Koch Brothers, the CEO of BP, Mobile/Exxon, Trans Canada and that ribbon of highway is way too expensive to leave as an open space. The endless skyway is for Communists, we have to pollute the space in the name of Capitalism. And all we can say about that golden valley is drill baby drill. This land is OUR land not yours.

I've roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts;
And all around me a voice was sounding:
This land was made for you and me. (“This Land is Your Land”)

I am the environmental scientists hired by FOX News and I am here to tell you pollution by burning carbon based fuels will make those diamond desert sands worth even more. Climate change is a good thing as it will create more desert space causing more diamond sands. Global warming my ass, just too many people in India and China, once we tame those populations we in America will enjoy the drier summers and the wetter winters. This land is OUR land to foul up not YOURS.

When the sun came shining, and I was strolling,
And the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling,
As the fog was lifting a voice was chanting:
This land was made for you and me. (“This Land is Your Land”)

I am ADM, Cargill, Con Agra and you are strolling on MY land. We are the big three in the Agribusiness and we will grow crops where we wish and if you are just a scrawny family farm we will squash you like a pesky mite on the anus of a flea. I am Monsanto this is MY land and if you don’t like how we enhance the food you eat, move to Viet Nam at least until we set up business there. This land is OUR land.

As I went walking I saw a sign there
And on the sign it said "No Trespassing."
But on the other side it didn't say nothing,
That side was made for you and me. (This Land Is Your Land)

I am Citibank, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and WE own this land. Yeah you once thought this land was YOUR land but we were smarter than you or was it trickier than you and we convinced you with our tools of the trade to spend your money. We knew it was all a slight of the hand but it takes one fool to make our charades work. No trespassing on OUR land.

In the shadow of the steeple I saw my people,
By the relief office I seen my people;
As they stood there hungry, I stood there asking
Is this land made for you and me? (“This Land is Your Land”)

This steeple is OUR steeple on OUR land. We are a sect of Christianity whose God is the one true God, you know the one who authored the Constitution. If you can’t follow our rules banning same sex marriage, no abortion under any reason, women as chattel, no immigrants, no child labor laws, no universal health care then you can’t live on this land. There is a war on religion, and we are the Crusaders to tear down anyone who does not pray or hate as we do. And you say you are hungry if you were and not such a lazy unemployed brat working for less then minimum wage maybe you might have enough money to eat.. This is OUR land you pagan, Devil worshipping lazy fool.

Nobody living can ever stop me,
As I go walking that freedom highway;
Nobody living can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me. (“This Land Is Your Land”)

Makes you wonder whose land this is! The sin of the situation is we have a whole lot of people (as in corporations, thanks to Citizens United and the activist Republican Supreme Court Justices) whose intention is to stop us. Freedom, seems the more we listen to the candidates running for president from the Republican/Tea Party, and the elected officials, the less choice we have and freedom is conditional to the whims and wishes of bias and bigoted buffoons. Nobody can make me turn back, really? I worry that if we don’t turn back the sheer madness, the pure hate, the decisive division, the animosity and lies heralded by people like Limbaugh. Colter, Rove, Walker, Republican State Legislatures and the con men who call themselves minister and preachers this land will be no more then a shell where the rich survive and anyone else barely lives.

We were told this land was made for you and me. We grew up with the promise that democracy would provide opportunity, fair and equal opportunity for all its citizens. We were sung to that God blessed America, anyone’s God and for everyone even if you didn’t believe in a God. We were lectured to that what made democracy unique was an equal access to our politicians, that when elected our politicians would legislate on morals, values, issues relevant that resonated with all their constituents.We were told that minorities should not be the victims of bias and bigotry of the majority.

Woody Guthrie had great insight passion and spirit in writing “This Land Was Made For You And Me”, but somehow, now in 2012 the lyrics take on another meaning and have become mean spirited, making me wonder whose land is this?

then now then

If you love a broken record, if you love a step back in time, if you love a division of freedoms, if you love less government to keep the air clean, less money for education, no safety net, but prefer BIG government to set the standard for your moral behavior, you will love to have the Republican/Tea Party politicians lead this country. If you hate the divide between church and state, forgot the struggles to achieve equality, embrace the quote that separate but equal is fair then you will salivate at the chance for the Republican/Tea Party politicians to gain the majority in this nation come November.

NOW "I believe and I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created - in the sense of rape - but nevertheless a gift in a broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given you. As you know, we have to, in lots of different aspects of our life. We have horrible things happen. I can't think of anything more horrible. But, nevertheless, we have to make the best out of a bad situation." Rick Santorum, candidate for the office of President representing the Republican/Tea Party January 25, 2012.

THEN Several centuries ago, many practicing Christians, and those of other religions, had a strong belief that the Devil could give certain people known as witches the power to harm others in return for their loyalty. A "witchcraft craze" rippled through Europe from the 1300s to the end of the 1600s. Tens of thousands of supposed witches—mostly women—were executed.

NOW A Republican supermajority has muscled two of the most restrictive anti-abortion bills in years through the Virginia House, including one that would all but outlaw the procedure in the state by declaring that the rights of persons apply from the moment sperm and egg unite.

The ultrasound legislation would constitute an unprecedented government mandate to insert vaginal ultrasonic probes into women as part of a state-ordered effort to dissuade them from terminating pregnancies, legislative opponents noted.

"We're talking about inside a woman's body," Del. Charnielle Herring, a Democrat, said in an emotional floor speech. "This is the first time, if we pass this bill, that we will be dictating a medical procedure to a physician." (NPR)

THEN In 1973, the Supreme Court heard two cases dealing with the issue of abortion. Roe v. Wade was the big one, and they ruled that a Texas statute forbidding abortion except when necessary to save the life of the woman was unconstitutional. But, they did also rule that states could restrict abortions in the second trimester, and outlaw it in the third.

Many arguments ensued against this decision: 1.For women who demand complete control of their body, control should include preventing the risk of unwanted pregnancy through the responsible use of contraception or, if that is not possible, through abstinence. 2.Those who choose abortions are often minors or young women with insufficient life experience to understand fully what they are doing. 3. Many have lifelong regrets afterwards. Abortion frequently causes intense psychological pain and stress. 4.In the instance of rape and incest, proper medical care can ensure that a woman will not get pregnant. Abortion punishes the unborn child who committed no crime; instead, it is the perpetrator who should be punished.

NOW Conservatives said Sunday the flap surrounding President Barack Obama's birth control mandate was far from over, with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell saying he'll push to overturn the requirement because it was another example of government meddling.

"It's riddled with constitutional problems," McConnell said of Obama's broader health-care plan. "And this is what happens when the government tries to take over health care and tries to interfere with your religious beliefs."

There's no compromise here," said GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum, a Catholic and favorite among religious conservatives. "They are forcing religious organizations, either directly or indirectly, to pay for something that they find is a deeply, morally, you know, wrong thing. And this is not what the government should be doing." (Huff Post Politics)

THEN The argument against suffrage: Suffrage is not a right. It is a privilege that may or may not be granted. Politics is no place for a women consequently the privilege should not be granted to her.

The mother's influence is needed in the home. She can do little good by gadding the streets and neglecting her children. Let her teach her daughters that modesty, patience, and gentleness are the charms of a women. Let her teach her sons that an honest conscience is every man's first political law; that no splendor can rob him nor no force justify the surrender of the simplest right of a free and independent citizen. The mothers of this country can shape the destinies of the nation by keeping in their places and attending to those duties that God Almighty intended for them. The kindly, gentle influence of the mother in the home and the dignified influence of the teacher in the school will far outweigh all the influence of all the mannish female politicians on earth. (learn california)

Now Women seem to be the current demographic who need Big Government to control their lives. Once again from the mouths of the characters who swear government is too big when it comes to health care, taxes, employment, regulations for corporations is ready to enlarge its grip on the lives of women. The crusade against women having any to all control of their own bodies is led of course by men but sadly enforced by other women who love to be a subservient to their male masters. It is the intent of God, of course as to why this legion of woman hating Republican/Tea Party goons pursue this mission. Those who cast the first stone are pure and full of moral superiority, until their own closets are opened and reveal depravity, greed, and gluttony.

We have gone through the restrictions on women’s rights throughout our American history to find that the only purpose was to deny the rights of our Constitution for fair and equal. We are constantly harangued about a war on religious freedom, yet it is religion that restricts the rights of the citizens of this nation.

Then we witnessed terrible prosecutions, scapegoating, victimizing and religious zealots trying to redefine our Constitution as it related to women Now we find some individuals who believe that God, their God, the one who hates more then loves, excludes more than includes is the definer of all things American. And now, as it was then we see the possibility of ignorance, arrogance idiots and fools trying to change the core and foundation of this nation.

When do we learn that history should never, ever repeat itself? When? Why does Now seem more like Then?