What A Great Time To Back To The...20th Century? 19th? 16th?

Removing kids from a house of authoritarianism and hate to a world they weren't allowed comprehend

Hell, we can go back all the way to Biblical Times!

"But King Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites... And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart." (KJV, Kings 1, verses 1 & 3)

Yeah, this is another post about the FDLS. Yesterday came the ruling from the appeals court that the State of Texas did not have the right to extract the children of the FLDS from the compound:

By LISA SANDBERG and TERRI LANGFORD
San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle

According to the court, "The existence of the FLDS belief system as described by the Department’s witnesses, by itself, does not put children of FLDS parents in physical danger."

It stated, "Removing children from their homes on an emergency basis before fully litigating the issue of whether the parents should continue to have custody of the children is an extreme measure."

"The danger must be to the physical health or safety to the child," the appeals court wrote. "The Department (CPS) did not present any evidence of danger to the physical health or safety of any male children or any female children who had not reached puberty."

One mother responded: "A great day for the families of Texas"

Huh? I'm sorry, but this is where I differ with a lot of people: The State of Texas was right to withdraw the children. Yes, you heard that right: I'm actually saying that Texas did something right for a change!

I guess I have a different slant: notice that the judge said there was no evidence of physical abuse. But what about emotional abuse? What about false imprisonment? The isolation imposed on these children is nothing else. They have no choice in the matter of estrangement to the rest of the world. Remember: what these kids are taught (and not taught) is a matter of extreme importance in this issue. These kids have been taught that the ENTIRE outside world is evil. Most of them (if not all) have never been outside the compound. They are not allowed to mingle with people, lot allowed to read newspapers, not allowed the internet (and in but rare circumstances) not allowed television. Their perception of the world is so damaged that they can ONLY feel secure within the compound.

Then there is the case of the mothers being imprisoned as well. Polygamy as practiced by the FLDS demands that to get to heaven, every man must have at least three wives. Warren Jeffs (former leader of the FLDS now serving time in prison) had 12 wives! That makes Henry VIII look rather anemic in comparison! Let's face it, to have multiple wives, Henry VIII did it the hard way: successively and individually. That's way too hard on a man's psyche. And was very hard on the wives - even the ones who kept their heads!

Escape, by Carolyn Jessop could be the most accurate account of how prison-like the FLDS is. While I haven't read the book yet, I've read the reviews and all of them give the book the highest rating (5 stars). I've yet to see that for any book. According to Jessop: absolute obedience to husbands is stressed from childhood. Formal education for girls is curtailed in the early teens. Wives have no access to bank accounts. Newspapers are never seen. Access to television is often banned and always monitored.

A relative, Flora Jessop said this about the FLDS's compound in Hildale, UT: "What goes on in that place is nothing less than sexual slavery. At 16, after I rebelled, I was given an alternative: a forced marriage or the mental asylum," she claims. "The local police and judges were in cahoots with the church."

BTW: The name of Jessop is extremely common in the FLDS community. Why? This item from Wikipedia says a lot:

The Colorado City/Hildale, Utah area has the world's highest incidence of fumarase deficiency, an extremely rare genetic condition which causes severe mental retardation. Geneticists attribute this to the prevalence of cousin marriage between descendants of two of the town's founders, Joseph Smith Jessop and John Yates Barlow. At least half of the double community's roughly eight-thousand inhabitants are descended from one or both men.

So, I must comment again: even though there was no evidence of physical abuse, wouldn't rape, false imprisonment and incest as tenets of a "religion" force you to extract these kids as quickly as possible?

Solomon wasn't all that wise.

Solomon Receiving the Queen of Sheba

The Great Society vs Today's ChristoFascism

The remnant of "Camelot" will surely warrant prayers ...
for his swift death - from ChristoFascists.

May 22

It's a rather dull day as religion and politics go. The big news, of course, was the fact that Senator Ted Kennedy has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. However, neither Pat Robertson nor any of the Christian Right have commented by saying it was God's wrath upon Kennedy's liberal ways. To be fair, we must give them time since comments of that nature take an effort to construct properly. Maybe Robertson is waiting for a natural disaster to strike Kennedy's hospital, who knows. Robertson is, after all, is almost as big on natural disasters as Jerry Falwell was.

I looked at the On This Day in History list and the only thing that struck me was the Lyndon Johnson "Great Society" speech. So, I dug a bit further. Here's the pertinent segment of his speech to the University of Michigan commencement on May 22, 1964:

We are going to assemble the best thought and broadest knowledge from all over the world to find these answers. I intend to establish working groups to prepare a series of conferences and meetings—on the cities, on natural beauty, on the quality of education, and on other emerging challenges. From these studies, we will begin to set our course toward the Great Society.”

Johnson pushed through legislation for his Great Society which was vaguely modeled on FDR's New Deal. Of his efforts, Medicare, Medicaid still survive, but there were a host of social programs that do not exist anymore. Why not? They were technically killed by Reagonomics, but theoretically they were destroyed by conservatives and, dare we say it - today's ChristoFascists.

The Wikipedia definition of ChristoFascists:

Christofascism allows Christians, or disposes them, to impose themselves upon other religions, upon other cultures, and upon political parties which do not march under the banner of the final, normative, victorious Christ.

Is ChristoFascism a perjorative term? It probably is, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is an apt description we have for theocratic authoritarians. Interestingly, Conservapedia has no definition of ChristoFasicsm.

Here's a very insightful Bob Nichols (Democratic Underground) way back in 2002 commenting on ChristoFasicsm:

Why are fetuses and embryos more important than non-born again humans outside the womb? Or, what is it that makes the "pre-born" sacred and the "post-born" unworthy of unconditional Christ-like love and caring?

A part of the answer is that the Christian Radical Right believes in the anti-gospel doctrine of Original Sin. This was not part of Jesus' teachings, but invented a few centuries later by a helpful "Saint" Augustine.

So "pre-born" embryos and fetuses are sinless, just like Jesus, and then are sinful at the moment of birth and are believed to be going straight to hell. ...The Christofascists stand in trembling ecstasy ready to be raptured up when Armageddon erupts in the MidEast - and soon, they hope. Dialing up global thermonuclear war is their fondest desire.

Christofascists are consumed by their constant conservative desire for absolute, authoritarian certainty rather than truth. Their grasping belief in the pre-Christian view of God as a vengeful, arbitrarily violent Yahweh sets them up perfectly to follow the commands of any authoritarian leader. These triumphant and confidant sounding leaders are always God-ordained and are granted strict unconditional obedience from the sheep in the pews. The ChristoFascist leaders are all too willing to be judges, juries, and executioners of the unsaved non-believers.

Author Christopher Hedges calls Fundamentalists "American Fascists," but the latest crop of preachers - Word of Faith movement - are even more adamant on promoting their own authority; they make hay out of the needy and the greedy. In a sense, they are more dangerous than what we would consider the common, everyday fascist: they say God is leading them, so you have to bow down to them in turn.

So where does all this do to Lyndon Johnson's dream of a "Great Society"? It gets us as far away from it as possible.

They all had dreams of a greater America. Hard to believe that two of them came from Texas.

This photo was taken just moments before the end of "Camelot"

Pray for Ted Kennedy, if you dare.

ANOTHER Name for Obama?

How About

"He Who Is Jack of All Issues But Master of None" or... "He Who Is Still Timid On Gay Issues?" or... "He Who Will Not Be A Diplomatic Dimwit?" or... "He Who Will be More Like A Kennedy Than A Clinton?"

I just read this:

Obama Gets New Name
by The Associated Press

Posted: May 20, 2008 - 1:00 pm ET

(Crow Agency, Montana) Democrat Barack Obama got a brand-new name as he courted native Americans in the West.

The presidential candidate was adopted as an honorary member of the Crow nation, and given a name that translates as "One who helps people throughout the land."

"What an enormous honor this is," said Obama, occasionally stumbling to pronounce the complex native American names.

Yes, it IS a great honor to be adopted by a Native American tribe. There are so few of them, however, that adoption is the only way to go these days. The article talks about Barack Obama "courting" Native Americans. Politicians "court" while good leaders listen to what the people have to say. Has Obama been listening?

He definitely has listened to what critics have to say, because he has had to fend them off as deftly as possible. The bruhaha raised concerning his statement about meeting with enemies really did get his attention and, I will have to admit, he answered it wisely:

"Here's the truth: the Soviet Union had thousands of nuclear weapons, and Iran doesn't have a single one. But when the world was on the brink of nuclear holocaust, Kennedy talked to Khrushchev and he got those missiles out of Cuba. Why shouldn't we have the same courage and the confidence to talk to our enemies? That's what strong countries do, that's what strong presidents do, that's what I'll do when I'm president of the United States of America." -

But has he listened to the gay community? Here's what he said in February in a letter:

365gay.com
Feb. 28, 2008

"And as president, I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The letter goes on to say that if elected president he would use the bully pulpit "to urge states to
treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws."

But he also said "I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment."

I think he's faultering there. He gets marks for listening on ENDA and adoption, but not on the issue of civil unions. "The bully pulpit" will definitely not include talking to the other pulpits throughout the country about same-sex marriage. He might be a very good diplomat, but it will take more than diplomacy to right the "right" when it comes to equality for the LGBT community in that respect.

Today, I've just learned that the latest numbers reveal a 24% increase in gay bashings in the year 2007.

24%

Will he remember that if he gets the nomination? Of course, he still has the race issue to contend with in his campaign and I can almost forgive a politician's ADD when it comes to something as heated as race: polls in Kentucky and West Virginia indicate that many voters refuse to vote for a black man and will vote for anyone else if forced to choose - or they won't vote at all.

Another Name? How about "He Who Still Has A Ways To Go"?

***

A personal word on gay rights.

May 21st mark the 29th anniversary of San Francisco's White Night Riots - the result of former City supervisor Dan White receiving only a six year sentence for killing gay supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone.

I was at the riots, both at the Civic Center and at the Castro. You've never lived until you've had 50 riot-helmeted policemen approaching you in a phalanx. While cop cars were burning at the Civic Center, police were indiscriminately bashing heads along Castro Street. I happened to be in a bar called The Midnight Sun. It was safe: no windows and a steel door. Someone trying to get from their motorcycle to the safety of the Sun was pounding on the door. We cracked open the door and yanked his bloody figure inside. We heard glass being smashed. Later, we found out it was a group of police crashing through the glass doors of the corner bar, Elephant Walk. One policeman went behind the bar and beat the bartender senseless. He was in a coma for months.

This is obviously not something to celebrate. But it is a time for reflection: there are many people who possess such homophobia, that they would do anything to hurt gays. Some of the pictures below are evidence. This world hasn't changed as much as many people would think.

And some people think that's a good thing.

Gay men being executed in Iran

A picture of broken ribs after a gay bashing

Get A Load of San Francisco Values!

This insulting ad for politician Graves' congressional bid posits "San Francisco Values." Why is it insulting? True, San Franciscans like to party, but the money being doled out is usually to charities and non-profits.

And the three paid actors don't look or move like San Franciscans: they're lame and plain. Is the guy in the middle supposed to be gay? Guess he doesn't go to the same bars I do. The men I meet have more rhythm. The young (?) lady in pink looks like she fashioned her character on someone out of the 80s who 's definitely been "supersized" too much. The other woman is supposed to represent a conglomeration of our Asian/Hispanic population. She doesn't. And besides, there would have to be fifty people in the picture to represent all of the ethnic groups we house.

This ad will go out to people who have never even seen a postcard of San Francisco. Is his target group from Appalachia?

White is the New Black! Or Is Black the New Black?

Senator Byrd Is Not Just Liberal (and Therefore Godless),
He's Downright Unpatriotic!
(Actual Photograph of Our Lord and Savior)

Hell, maybe our country is FINALLY color blind!

My, how our country has changed: a former member of the Ku Klux Klan has just endorsed African American Barack Obama for his party's nomination. But look into the biography of Senator Byrd (D - WV) and you'll find nothing resembling White Power. Byrd, who now holds the record for the longest senate seat in history, apologized for his past affiliation and says (with apparent sincerity) "I will always apologize. I was wrong." After he had an epiphany, he went from Dixiecrat to liberal in a total makeover that would make all the guys in "Queer Eye" dizzy. He opposed the war in Iraq so vehemently that Republicans began loathing him en masse. At one time, he compared George Bush to Hitler:

Octogenarian Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia made the equation in the context of Bush’s attack on Senate procedures which might slow or halt his on-going attempt to pack the courts with extreme right-wing fanatics. Byrd said Bush’s moves to destroy time-honored Senate rules parallel Hitler’s ramming fascist legislation through his gutted Reichstag. “Hitler never abandoned the cloak of legality,” said Byrd. “He recognized the enormous psychological value of having the law on his side. Instead, he turned the law inside out and made illegality legal.” (Harvey Wasserman, The Free Press, March 7, 2005)

A Wise Old Byrd.

Or a courageous one. Just think of all the death threats he will probably get: Christian Identity is certain to send him one, plus Aryan Nations, Church of Jesus Christ Christian, Kingdom Identity Ministries and every neo Nazi group in the country. He's not only made every Republican politician despise him, but he's incurred the wrath of Christo-fascists everywhere: his patriotism has been in question for a long time. Hell, he doesn't seem to want to kill Islamists! I tried to find out just what part of Christianity he espouses, but biographies have insufficient data as to his denomination. Being from West Virginia, you might think he's Southern Baptist 100%, but I don't think so. I think his focus on religion changed along with his views on civil rights (they would have had to!).

So now the 2008 campaign again has a race issue - just not the kind anyone anticipated.

Oddly enough, today commenorates the day Auschwitz opened and so graciously accepted Jews. Its hospitality became world famous later on, but Christian groups knew what was really going on. (wink wink)

Below: the early center for Christo-
Fascism: Father Charles Coughlin's Basilica
of The Little Flower. Irony: the first of Coughlin's
churches was burned down by an affiliate
group of the Ku Klux Klan. Go figure.

Auschwitz:

snl-best-of-gilda-radner-20051019112134306-000

snl-best-of-gilda-radner-20051019112134306-000
Originally uploaded by toshes@sbcglobal.net

Her best Roseanne Rosannadana:

"Mr. Richard Feder from Portsmouth New Jersey writes about the Tut exhibit: "I keep hearin about this Tut. What is Tut? Did you see Tut? Should I see Tut? Will Tut ever come to my town in New Jersey?"

"Mr. Feder - This young king's dead. Don't make matters worse for him by makin' him go to New Jersey!"

We miss you, Gilda!

Lindbergh-Earhart

Lindbergh-Earhart
Originally uploaded by Mary Bogdan

Today, Lindbergh started on his historic flight from Long Island to Paris. It was a technical tour de force that tens of thousands met him when he landed at Orly. He was actually more than just a flier, he was an engineer who wound up advising government projects. The kidnapping and murder of his infant son became the "crime of the century." His fall from grace happened when he took it upon himself to visit Hitler.