Let the Journey Begin

There are so many things to which we have not been paying attention in recent years that it is impossible to articulate them all. In the most basic sense, however, I trace much of our current woe back to 1966 when the question, “Is God Dead?” raised eyebrows but generated little serious discussion. Even though Friedrich Nietzsche had addressed the issue in 1882, it appears to have required something like the assassination of John F. Kennedy to popularize it. Although American Christian Fundamentalism has its roots in the 1925 Scopes Trial, the viral evangelical form emerged as a reaction to Thomas Altizer and William Hamilton’s threatening proposition that God, for all intents and purposes, is dead to the human experience. The validity of their thesis has been supremely and ironically borne out in the presidency of George W. Bush, the governor responsible for more executions than any other in U.S. history, the president whose legacy will be criminal dishonesty and deceit, the born-again Christian who receives his walking orders from God. Instead of an enlightened dialogue entertaining the pros and cons of such a theological hypothesis, a remarkably large number of Americans retreated to conservative literalism which proclaims the viability of God in spite of the systematic dismantling of virtually every aspect of faith in order to fill the void with ideology rather than theology. I consider these things as Rosh Hashanah is observed by my Jewish brothers and sisters, knowing that we are now on the journey to the high holy day of Yom Kippur. Rather than knee-jerk reactions to the “terror-du-jour” that this administration is infamous for, I would encourage all Americans, regardless of how they brand themselves, to make a sacred pilgrimage to the day of atonement when healing will come from the confession, “I have taken your name in vain.”

True or False?

Some facts in this election are irrefutable. John McCain went to Washington, D.C. in 1982 and has been there ever since. Barack Obama went to Washington, D. C. in 2005. Which of the two candidates, then, is an established member of the D.C. culture?; the D.C. culture that under the “leadership” of George W. Bush and his predecessors has brought the United States of American to the brink of ruin? The most patriotic thing I can do right now is to actively participate in the removal of as much of the status quo as I can and to replace it with true and genuine change. We cannot afford even one more year of the ruinous shenanigans perpetrated on us in the name of politics as usual. Obama may not be able to use the analogy anymore, but putting lipstick on McCain does not alter the fact that he has been part of the problem for more than a quarter of a century now. It’s time for change…true change.

One Picture...

Here are some things I've watched and read today after writing:

08.09.26
“Country First” is not consistent with—cannot be found in—the gospel of Jesus the Christ.

Jim Wallis Calls It What It Is . . . Sin

John McCain – Lost in Space


James Moore – A Nation of Village Idiots


Damon Condemns Palin

Perhaps If From Other Lips

08.09.25
Keith Olberman Countdown
w/Chris Hayes, The Nation
O: Whatever this is…is it not mostly show?
H: Absolutely! It’s not even mostly show…it’s entirely show! I mean, at this point McCain-the-gambler, the well-known gambler, is making an all-in bet on the stupidity of the American voter…that is the wager of the campaign at this moment…we will be able to fool people long enough that maybe, just maybe come election day we’ll be within striking distance in the polls. And so they keep trying to pull rabbits out of hats and manufacture these crises and un-tether themselves from the actual conditions of the world which are very dire and very important…they’re trying to un-tether themselves from those as much as possible to have any hope of winning but it is all show, there’s no there there.

Dear President Bush:

While I am sick to death of your “presidency” and your chronic strategy of engendering irrational fear, I really must thank you for lending credence to my contention that far too many Americans are idiotically swayed by ideology as opposed to factual truth.

Oops…you did it again last night by claiming that the sky is falling so that we’ll all fall in step to support your trillion-dollar bailout of your cronies. I would ask you just how stupid you think we are, but many are already answering the question for you. We were stupid enough to let you usurp the 2000 election. We were stupid enough to believe in weapons of mass destruction. We were stupid enough to entertain your notion of privatizing Social Security (too bad we didn’t let you go ahead with that plan just to prove how stupid it is). Stupid, stupid, stupid! It’s the only word that describes you and your supporters. And yet…the stupidity continues.

I want nothing more than to see you and your cronies taken from the White House in handcuffs, sentenced to exile in Guantanamo. As the worst President in American history you have damn near ruined the country in the last eight years, a feat that you may still manage to bring to fruition before next January because we, like stupid little lemmings, are following you (and McCain) over the cliff.

Sheer Genius!

My sincere thanks to dear friend Sally for passing along this brilliant idea! To all the naysayers who say that such a proposal is not realistic I ask, what is any more realistic about what's currently being proposed in Washington, D.C.? After all, whose money is it?

This looks like a great idea.

If only this was the plan and it worked...





I’m against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in
a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000
bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman
and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a
We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free.
So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.
That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.
A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college – it’ll be there
Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car – create jobs
Invest in the market – capital drives growth
Pay for your parent’s medical insurance – health care improves
Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks
who lost their jobs at Lehmann Brothers and every other company
that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it...instead of trickling out
a puny $1000.00 ( “vote buy” ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.

If we’re going to do an $85 billion bailout, let’s bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG – liquidate it.
Sell off its parts.
Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate.
Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here’s my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn’t.

Sure it’s a crazy idea that can “never work.”

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion
We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC.

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned
instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel 0so much better getting that off my chest.
Kindest personal regards,
Birk

T. J. Birkenmeier, A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic & & amp; nbsp;
PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it’s either good for a laugh
or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!

This is exactly what the Internet was designed for. Spread the word! It's time that We the People take the government back! --M.A.H.

Joe Hits Another Home Run!

I'll tip my hat to the new constitution
Take a bow for the new revolution
Smile and grin at the change all around me
Pick up my guitar and play
Just like yesterday
Then I'll get on my knees and pray
We don't get fooled again
Don't get fooled again
No, no!
--The Who

John McCain and the Lying Game by Joe Klein

To the enlightened mind there is but one choice: Obama 08

Let's Work Harder and Smarter!

I’m not especially proud of having reduced this election to smart versus stupid, but no rebuttal to my opinion leaves it standing. I’ll go ahead and complete the scenario of mortal sins by including myself among the smart ones. It follows, then, that stupid people are not reading my posts and that smart people are. Between now and November 4 my comments are intended only for smart people. Those who do not read and agree are stupid. (I’m beginning to understand how the world must look to W).

Stupid people, even those who are witnessing perhaps the greatest financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression, are not apparently being affected. For years I have raised the issues of selfishness, greed, and immoral consumerism, and the ultimate end result of such intent, but was only preaching to the choir. I see little hope for those who are experiencing this phenomenon first-hand and yet persist in supporting the McCain-Palin ticket.

Therefore, those of us who are smart enough to comprehend what’s going on and what caused it are going to have to be more single-minded than we ordinarily are. That the election of Barack Obama to the White House this November is the last best hope for this country we love is now painfully obvious, and from now until that victory we must forego trying to make smart the stupid among us. We can return to compassionate assimilation and education after the election is over, but right now we have to accept the reality that there are people out there so challenged in every way that they are willing to vote for a continuation of the last eight years.

It should not be that hard to encourage smart people to register and vote. We don’t need to tell them how to vote because they are smart. We simply need to make sure that smart people are registered and that they vote. We cannot have a genuine democracy by not allowing the stupid to vote; that is their right and I will defend it. There just have to be more smart people voting to offset the negative impact of stupidity in order to restore sanity and reason to our government. Vote Obama! It’s the smart thing to do.

It's Time! (redux)

Dumbfounded, I am witnessing the collapse of the country of which I am a citizen to the seductive evil of greed and stupidity. I am surrounded by flat-earthers whose ability to reason is nil, but whose ability to pillage and plunder is primal. Fellow citizens are not only listening to the Republican’s talking vagina but actually believing what she says. The quest for an honest man could have been no more futile for Diogenes than it is for today’s common American. We’re being spoon fed excrement and apparently enjoying every tasty bite.

It is time for this to stop! It is time for those of us who love God, our families, and our communities to stand up and take back our government from the greedy bastards that have taken control (I commend Obama for calling the old boy’s network just what it is: a McCain staff meeting). It’s no accident that we’re not hearing about financial peril for Halliburton, Bechtel, and the myriad of other participants in the military industrial complex. Oil companies continue to show record profits (why has no one asked how much fuel is being consumed by the U.S. occupation of Iraq?). These entities are already offshore and will continue in their evil endeavors even after the country that set them up is in ruins.

It’s time for genuine patriotism! Not just flag worship. It’s time for those of us who embrace reason and the common good to tell the idiots (take a look at the etymology) to stand down, shut up, and allow us to restore this country to the greatness it once had. It’s time!

Show Me the Love!

"Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are savage wolves. (Matthew 7:15)

Perhaps the most disillusioning disappointment of my life thus far is to realize that to profess oneself a Christian more than likely does not mean that one is a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth. Oh, institutionalized religion (i.e. the Church) does a masterful job of deceptively making it seem that the two are one and the same, but they are not.

If the constitutional separation of Church and State was not being so blatantly blurred in this country, my concern would appropriately be limited to myself. But when the Christian Right dictates a vice-presidential nominee to compensate for its misgivings about John McCain who has nothing more in common with Hillary Clinton than anatomy, then it’s time to share my concern on a more widespread basis.

As one who “lived” the Church for more than half a century, I can tell you point blank that most Christianity, particularly the popularized contemporary versions, have little or nothing to do with being a disciple of Jesus. Indeed, the Christian profession of faith is to the dogma and doctrine of the institutionalized Church, and has been since Constantine legalized the religion in 313 C.E.

I really don’t give a rat’s behind whether or not our politicians are Christians, but I am outraged at the Rovian strategy of colluding with the Christian Right in the name of Christianity. I resent that my identity has been co-opted by the wolves in sheep’s clothing who are now corrupting my America, as well.

Jesus provided the litmus test of discipleship: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)

Here Comes Jesus Claus!

It’s rather pathetic to be nothing more than a Joe Klein wannabe, but I once again find his explanation helping me to better understand what’s going on in this presidential election:

Sarah Palin’s Myth of America

Nostalgia is an incredibly powerful force because it doesn’t require being grounded in reality. For example: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42)

Yesterday I asked what Sarah Palin means when she claims to be a Bible-believing Christian. For all who make such a claim, I have to believe that this “quote” of Jesus must be troubling. Taken literally, it is antithetical to nearly everything so-called born-again Christians stand for. But to begin to interpret the passage in the context of the times undermines the allegiance to “God’s Word” as word for word, inerrant, infallible.

My experience is that literalists don’t stop with the Bible, but incorporate this black-and-white, right-and-wrong, good-and-evil worldview into their daily lives. It’s no wonder, then, that fundamentalists are far more receptive to the “word” written by institutionalized religion because it is more amenable to what they want to believe is true. Jesus was crucified not because he appeased the status quo, but because he threatened their ideology to the point they had to get rid of him. Who cares what Jesus said when we can get all fired up about what he was supposed to say?

F.W.W.J.V.?

I am unaware that any presidential or vice presidential candidate this year has explicitly denied being a Christian. To the contrary, each candidate has at least inferred that such is the case. Sarah Palin describes herself as a “Bible-believing” Christian and so I feel it is fair to examine precisely what such a claim means. Does Palin’s belief in the Bible include both the Old and New Testaments? Is her belief in a literal or figurative interpretation of the Bible? Is the historical Jesus the central figure of her belief, or is it the Christ? I do not think these unfair questions for anyone claiming to be a Christian to answer. Just as to say that I am an American proves insufficiently ambiguous when explaining who and what I am, so is it equally disingenuous to simply claim to be a Christian. For the vast majority of people who make the claim to be Christian, their ability to elaborate on exactly what they mean is personal and of little consequence on the global scale. But when Palin, who will be a heartbeat away from occupying the most powerful office in the world if John McCain is elected, claims to be a Christian, the world is entitled to know just exactly what she means. Where does Jesus or the Christ stand on abortion? Where does Jesus or the Christ stand on usury? Where does Jesus or the Christ stand on war, violence, and torture? In the twenty-first century, the claim to be a Christian is code for “I believe in the institutional religion” and does not mean (sadly) to be a disciple of Jesus as the Christ. The Constitution of the United States of America is ingenious in many ways, not the least of which is the absolute separation of Church and State. When it is clear that Sarah Palin has rocketed out of nowhere to become the Christian Right’s vice-presidential candidate of choice, it is only fair to ask the evangelical question, “For whom would Jesus vote?”

Where Were You?

An e-mail this morning from an administrator asked the question, “Do you remember where you were?” As a matter of fact, I do. I was watching Today on NBC while getting ready for work when I joined millions of others in horrified disbelief of what I was seeing. I wondered if our family should be preparing to evacuate, but ended up going to work instead where I attempted to glean information from an overwhelmed Internet. Like so many others, I came to regard September 11, 2001 as the day that changed America forever.

In hindsight, however, I have come to realize that the day America truly changed forever was November 7, 2000. That was the day that the candidate favored by the neoconservative movement fronting for the international military industrial complex lost the popular vote only to be appointed President on December 12 by a complicit Supreme Court.

Still having the freedom of expression that has been shamefully eroded in the last eight years, I am convinced that had Al Gore assumed the presidency he legitimately won, there never would have been a 9/11. I am equally convinced that 9/11 was the result of a carefully planned conspiracy that directly involved the Bush Administration, the same people, by the way, that will not hesitate to take equal or more extreme measures to retain control of the White House. We lost our democracy on 11/07/2000, and that was the day America changed forever.

Smart versus Stupid

Yeah, that’s what I said. This presidential election is coming down to who’s smart and who’s stupid. I don’t expect the stupid people to read anything, but I offer Joe Klein’s opinion for the smart ones to read:
How McCain Makes Obama Conservative
While you’re reading, I’m going to add some captions to our pictures from early August before they disappear from view altogether.

Cirque de OJ

You’ll please forgive me while I vent! Just how stupid are we Americans, anyway? We’ve been stupid enough to allow George W. Bush et al to remain in the White House for the last eight years. We’re stupid enough to want to drill deeper for finite fossil fuels that pollute the environment. We’re even stupid enough to think that Sarah Palin can appeal to disenchanted supporters of Hillary Clinton. But today, as I walked past bomb-sniffing dogs while walking from the parking garage to my cubicle, I came to believe that our stupidity may well be beyond redemption. O.J. Simpson, criminal célèbre, is back in town and that means, I guess, it’s time to turn Las Vegas upside down again just for him. There must be bureaucrats and politicians who benefit from grandly exaggerating the need to provide security for this dried-up hoodlum because I can think of no other way to explain a protocol which exceeds that of presidential visits (yes, George has been to Las Vegas). Given everything that’s going on in the world, I’m just plain embarrassed and disgusted by how stupid we’ve become. Thank you.

Honesty is the Best Policy

Having more than a Democrat or Republican to choose from in the upcoming election would be a sign of healthy maturity that the United States still lacks. Over the years, Ralph Nader has earned the respect of many (if not their votes) by intentionally offering himself as a viable alternative to two party politics. Nonetheless, we are once again involved a bipartisan race and I am going to try to make the best of it by expounding my reasons for supporting Barack Obama.

First, he’s honest. I did not say perfect. Under the close scrutiny of those who employ Rovian smear tactics with impunity, any hint of dishonesty would be all over the place by now but the best they’ve been able to do is to challenge Obama’s honesty by virtue of it being contrary to their own “values”. Blatant and criminal dishonesty has been the hallmark of the Bush administration these last eight years and those who managed to put and keep him in the White House are wise not to play that card against Obama.

It is our own fault that we many times do not want to hear the truth, but thus far I have yet to observe Obama shy away from speaking it as he understands it. And he is able to do so with a sense of humility that acknowledges that he may not always have the final word. ‘Honest Abe’ also went from Illinois to D.C., which leads me to think that those Prairie State folks have a sense of who is and who is not.

Obama 08

It Keeps Coming Up

Once again I find myself pondering the meaning of this temporal existence we call life. I deeply value the assistance that has been offered by the likes of Victor Frankl but still suffer that existential angst that comes from vaguely knowing there is not an answer to the question. I realize that I am not alone. For many, relief from the anxiety is found in concrete and absolute answers. How else can popular brands of Christianity that have little or nothing to do with the life and teachings of Jesus be explained? How else can the absurdities of neo-conservatism appealing to nearly half of all Americans be explained? I am my father’s son, and while having grown up reasoning that the quest for Truth is An Endless Search has afforded me some ability to deal with the ambiguity, it is a nagging that I cannot put to rest. Perhaps my role in the cosmic scheme is really nothing more than to produce in order to consume. I flatter myself that my purpose is to serve my Creator, but what does that mean in the context of a theology that shuns anthropomorphosis? It is the end of another week of work, and I will do well to observe the Sabbath during my days off that I may grow—perhaps not by acquiring any answers—in the enlightenment that may come from feeling more comfortable with the question.

TSA THWARTS TERRORIST ATTACK ON MCCARRAN AIRPORT

(08/23/08) Las Vegas, NV—
Alert Transportation Security Administration agents disarmed Mark A. Hanna, 58, as he attempted to smuggle his 1.5” pocketknife onto Concourse C of Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport on the morning of August 23. Accompanied by coconspirator Mary J. Hanna, also 58, Hanna first had his wrist slapped by TSA personnel as he attempted to hand off his boarding pass and driver license to his wife while his left knee replacement was thoroughly examined. Hanna’s failed attempt to sneak the weapon through security in his backpack —a gift from his wife upon his 1977 graduation from the Jefferson County Law Enforcement Training Academy—saved the lives of countless travelers who pass through the nation’s sixth busiest airport. Hanna was given the choice of leaving the secured area to mail the weapon to his home at his own expense and then be screened all over again or to “abandon” the weapon to TSA (Hanna later asked how this does not constitute aggravated robbery; further evidence of his insubordinate attitude toward the Bush administration’s tactic of generating fear whenever and wherever possible in the name of “security”). Cavalierly quipping “Tell King George to use that knife in good health,” Hanna was released on his own recognizance (TSA is still investigating why he has no criminal record) to accompany his wife to her mother and aunt’s memorial services in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Lives Remembered

On the morning of August 22, Dory McCallister (Mary’s aunt) died while in hospice care. That same evening, Jean James (Mary’s mother) died while sitting at her dining room table with family. The process set in motion by these two events has served as a profound testimonial to the true meaning of family. My mother-in-law capably survived her husband, Bill, for a quarter-century as the matriarch over two sons, a daughter, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren, all of whom were present at her memorial service. As I watched Mary and her brothers, Ted and Tom, handle all the arrangements that attend death, I was struck by the great tribute they paid their mother by lovingly respecting and cooperating with one another (lessons no doubt learned from Mom). I’ve been with enough families to know that death of a member does not always generate such commendable behavior, with bickering and squabbling instead detracting from the spirit of honor due the deceased. Mary and I have long known that one of the greatest strengths of our marriage has been the blessed compatibility of our families which both emphasize the importance of loving one another. I shall miss Mom James greatly, but I have the good fortune of experiencing her continuing influence manifest in her daughter, my wife. My belief in life with meaning and death with dignity has been strengthened these past days by those who continue to live in the spirit of those who have passed on.