Saturday, December 22, 2012
N.R.A.
Are you F---ING kidding me? The big announcement from the NRA (National Redneck Association) is that we need more guns?? I shouldn't be surprised...but oh my GOD! Why can these folks not get it? Why can they not see what the rest of us see. Their "logic" goes something like this: "If EVERYONE in this country has a gun at their hip, gun crimes and gun killings will be reduced." Seriously? Please please please write to your Congressman or the Senators from your state...or BOTH. We have to stop this. It is crazy. How do more guns answer any of our problems? Look up statistics of how likely someone was in the West to get shot and killed during the mid- to late-1800s. The numbers are staggering. Even back then, many cowboy towns banned the carrying of guns, you actually had to check them when entering and staying in a town. Does the NRA want us to go back to that? Should we all have belts with holsters...only instead of six-shooter, we'd have 30-magazine glocs? I cannot believe this was their big announcement. As much as I have come to know them over these years...I still cannot believe my eyes and my ears.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
guns, guns, guns...
How about this? Everyone who thinks they need an assault weapon to "protect" himself or herself can move to a beautiful, tropical island (we'll name it "Moron Land"). They can bring with them as many high-powered, semi-automatic weapons they wish to have. You know, for "protection." They can hang the confederate flag as their official banner and can recite the Second Amendment every morning as their official pledge of allegiance.
As they live on this island, you know, "protecting" themselves, they won't even notice that their population numbers are mysteriously dropping at a very quick pace...even as population numbers in every other corner of the world are growing.
(Or, if they do happen to notice, they'll claim it is just "demographics," or they'll say that there are just too many guns to try to eliminate them, or they'll say that their pledge of allegiance, the Second Amendment, should absolutely be protected, honored, and glorified at all costs, even though it was written more than two hundred years ago with the SOLE purpose of allowing pioneer militia men to defend themselves against British soldiers and hostile Native Americans.)
They'll continue on like this until just one proud gun-owner remains, the "King of the Mountain." And, he can live there, surrounded by all of his millions of guns, in absolute ecstasy and enjoyment. He can polish and shine all of his guns every day, just in case there is further need to "defend" himself.
As they live on this island, you know, "protecting" themselves, they won't even notice that their population numbers are mysteriously dropping at a very quick pace...even as population numbers in every other corner of the world are growing.
(Or, if they do happen to notice, they'll claim it is just "demographics," or they'll say that there are just too many guns to try to eliminate them, or they'll say that their pledge of allegiance, the Second Amendment, should absolutely be protected, honored, and glorified at all costs, even though it was written more than two hundred years ago with the SOLE purpose of allowing pioneer militia men to defend themselves against British soldiers and hostile Native Americans.)
They'll continue on like this until just one proud gun-owner remains, the "King of the Mountain." And, he can live there, surrounded by all of his millions of guns, in absolute ecstasy and enjoyment. He can polish and shine all of his guns every day, just in case there is further need to "defend" himself.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Newtown, CT tragedy
My heart is broken. My heart is broken for 20 babies whose last breaths of life were spent in agonizing terror at the other end of a firearm. My heart is broken for the six teachers who spent their careers working to educate these children. My heart is broken for the parents and families of the many killed today. I cannot bring my mind or my heart to imagine what they are going through in these hours, or what they will continue to go through for all the hours they have left on this Earth.
Just as my heart is once again broken...my resolve is more than ever strong. Please join with me. Please join with me in telling our leaders that they may not be bullied by the most powerful lobbying group in America any longer...not for one more day. I'm sick of being told it is not appropriate in the aftermath of a tragedy to bring up gun laws. I'm sick of being made to feel guilty for even thinking of such a thing. But, most of all, I'm sick and tired of sitting and watching while beautiful, innocent human beings are allowed to be massacred so that rednecks who like to shoot animals in the woods for sport can feel "unencumbered."
Stop saying "guns don't kill people, people kill people"... No one has ever killed 27 human beings with a knife.
Just as my heart is once again broken...my resolve is more than ever strong. Please join with me. Please join with me in telling our leaders that they may not be bullied by the most powerful lobbying group in America any longer...not for one more day. I'm sick of being told it is not appropriate in the aftermath of a tragedy to bring up gun laws. I'm sick of being made to feel guilty for even thinking of such a thing. But, most of all, I'm sick and tired of sitting and watching while beautiful, innocent human beings are allowed to be massacred so that rednecks who like to shoot animals in the woods for sport can feel "unencumbered."
Stop saying "guns don't kill people, people kill people"... No one has ever killed 27 human beings with a knife.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Heineken Thrown to the Dogs
Over the past week or so, an image has been circulating social media sites depicting Heineken beer banners hanging over a gruesome, violent, disgusting dog fight. Apparently, the dog fight took place in a nightclub in Mongolia couple of years ago.
Naturally, when this image started circulating "virally," as pictures and videos and stories often do these days, it was met with aggressive calls for boycotts on Heineken beer...with all of the usual venom and vigor of any good call for justice, redemption, or consequence.
After the dust settled, however, we Facebookers, Tweeters, and Bloggers were surprised to learn that the Heineken brand had been badly misrepresented, unfairly condemned, wrongly portrayed. It seems that it was all just an innocent misunderstanding. Heineken was quick to call "foul," writing on every social media site on which they could think to write that the Heineken banners were not there to sponsor a dog fight, that they were there for a "promotional event" held the night before, that they were just as "shocked and disappointed by the images" as was the general public, and that they were the innocent victims of wrongful accusation. Heineken assured its loyal customer base that they can trust in their favorite beverage company's social awareness and sensitivity.
Heineken further promised to end any association with this Mongolian nightclub. End of story. ...Or is it?
No matter how hard I try, I just cannot keep myself from wondering why Heineken, certainly a billion + dollar company, would be so careless as to "unintentionally" leave it's banners all over a seedy looking nightclub in Mongolia which doubles as a dog-fighting "pit." Something's not adding up here. Now, of course Heineken has done their due diligence after the fact, as is all too often the case. But, why didn't they choose to be as thorough before the fact? Why didn't they make sure their banners were not completely blanketing a pit bull fight arena during a pit bull fight?
I guess I do believe Heineken when they say they did not knowingly "sponsor" a pit bull fight with their hanging banners...just as I would believe a convicted drunk driver who said he did not intentionally hit an innocent pedestrian with his automobile. The driver who had been heavily drinking, however, is guilty just the same.
Heineken may not be guilty of intentionally (and I use the word "intentionally" purposefully, so as to show that, although they may not have wanted to sponsor the event, their beer banners were hanging for all those patrons to see and, perhaps, respond to in their beer choice during the night of dog fights) sponsoring illegal and brutal and disgusting dog fights. However, they are guilty of careless, thoughtless, and misguided opportunism. You see, whether or not they wanted to adorn that classy nightclub (which I'm sure hosted something brilliant such as the Mongolian Grammy's or the Mongolian Oscars the night before), with their many brilliant banners during dog fights, their banners did adorn that classy nightclub during dog fights. The message of "drink Heineken" rang out to all who watched with eager anticipation to see which dog would viciously tear apart the other.
Heineken may not be "as" guilty as we thought three or four days ago. They are certainly not, however, "as" innocent as they are now claiming to be...over the same social networks that caused the commotion in the first place.
Heineken Beer Thrown to the Dogs
Over the past week or so, an image has been circulating social media sites depicting Heineken beer banners hanging over a gruesome, violent, disgusting dog fight. Apparently, the dog fight took place in a nightclub in Mongolia couple of years ago.
Naturally, when this image started circulating "virally," as pictures and videos and stories often do these days, it was met with aggressive calls for boycotts on Heineken beer...with all of the usual venom and vigor of any good call for justice, redemption, or consequence.
After the dust settled, however, we Facebookers, Tweeters, and Bloggers were surprised to learn that the Heineken brand had been badly misrepresented, unfairly condemned, wrongly portrayed. It seems that it was all just an innocent misunderstanding. Heineken was quick to call "foul," writing on every social media site on which they could think to write that the Heineken banners were not there to sponsor a dog fight, that they were there for a "promotional event" held the night before, that they were just as "shocked and disappointed by the images" as was the general public, and that they were the innocent victims of wrongful accusation. Heineken assured its loyal customer base that they can trust in their favorite beverage company's social awareness and sensitivity.
Heineken further promised to end any association with this Mongolian nightclub. End of story. ...Or is it?
No matter how hard I try, I just cannot keep myself from wondering why Heineken, certainly a billion + dollar company, would be so careless as to "unintentionally" leave it's banners all over a seedy looking nightclub in Mongolia which doubles as a dog-fighting "pit." Something's not adding up here. Now, of course Heineken has done their due diligence after the fact, as is all too often the case. But, why didn't they choose to be as thorough before the fact? Why didn't they make sure their banners were not completely blanketing a pit bull fight arena during a pit bull fight?
I guess I do believe Heineken when they say they did not knowingly "sponsor" a pit bull fight with their hanging banners...just as I would believe a convicted drunk driver who said he did not intentionally hit an innocent pedestrian with his automobile. The driver who had been heavily drinking, however, is guilty just the same.
Heineken may not be guilty of intentionally (and I use the word "intentionally" purposefully, so as to show that, although they may not have wanted to sponsor the event, their beer banners were hanging for all those patrons to see and, perhaps, respond to in their beer choice during the night of dog fights) sponsoring illegal and brutal and disgusting dog fights. However, they are guilty of careless, thoughtless, and misguided opportunism. You see, whether or not they wanted to adorn that classy nightclub (which I'm sure hosted something brilliant such as the Mongolian Grammy's or the Mongolian Oscars the night before), with their many brilliant banners during dog fights, their banners did adorn that classy nightclub during dog fights. The message of "drink Heineken" rang out to all who watched with eager anticipation to see which dog would viciously tear apart the other.
Heineken may not be "as" guilty as we thought three or four days ago. They are certainly not, however, "as" innocent as they are now claiming to be...over the same social networks that caused the commotion in the first place.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
grand OLD party
In the wake of a second decisive presidential victory in which Barrack Obama garnered well over 300 electoral votes and nearly 63,000,000 popular votes (two things George W. Bush failed to do in either of his "elections"), the Republican Party has decided to dig their heels in even deeper, to abstain from representing the people, to oppose and block rather than negotiate and work with.
This heightened partisanship, increasing, rather than diminishing, each day, and obviously and shamelessly much more vigorously and pronouncedly so on the right than on the left, should come as no surprise to anyone. It is not born out of strategy, it is not a form of posturing for 2016, it is not a conscious narrative technique. What it is, simply stated, is panic.
As demographics make undeniable...old, white, rich, straight, Christian men (or, otherwise described, those who have led, governed, and molded our country since its creation) are a dying breed. They are going the way of the T-Rex...and they are scared. And, just like virtually any of the creatures on our beloved Earth, from the tiniest, simplest microscopic organism to the most complex, Chondrichthyes, Reptilia, and Mammalia, when backed into a corner and threatened, they will lash out in a natural showing of rabid, vicious, and brutal self-defense.
Each new day in this country brings a larger demographic number, a increased percentage in the overall population, and a "greater share of the pie" for Hispanic Americans. With every graduating class comes an increasing acceptance of and tolerance for diversity of race, religion, and sexual orientation. And, with each new Congress, we see a better representation of how our nation's landscape truly appears.
The response to all of this from the right? The offering from the old, white, rich, Christian men?... Sink their claws into the flesh of the "grand old ways" and hang on for dear life, fighting arrogantly, foolishly, and stubbornly to the bitter, inevitable end...just as a mongoose in the forest would surely do in the face of it's looming demise. There is nothing graceful about it; it is difficult, almost painful, to watch. But, as nature dictates, it is unavoidable. It may not even be a conscious decision by those who "decide" it.
The solace to take in all of it, however, for those of us who are not old, white, rich, Christian men (or those of us who might be, but do not think or act in the ways that those before us have for far too long), is that soon enough--whether it be months, or years, or decades away--it will all be over. There will be a new day, a new "collective" social awakening, a new mindset. It has already begun, we are witnessing it every day.
This "death of today's T-Rex's" will not be without incident. It will not be a completely smooth, gentle ride. There will be much ugliness to go through. There will be turmoil, defiance, and down-right hatefulness. However, the ends will almost assuredly justify the means. To live in a place where people are not kept down for the color of their skin, or their extra "X" chromosome, or their religious (or unreligious) views, or their sexual orientation, or their economic status...will be worth the horrifying sights and sounds of the writhing and thrashing of a few remaining old, white, rich, Christian dinosaurs.
This heightened partisanship, increasing, rather than diminishing, each day, and obviously and shamelessly much more vigorously and pronouncedly so on the right than on the left, should come as no surprise to anyone. It is not born out of strategy, it is not a form of posturing for 2016, it is not a conscious narrative technique. What it is, simply stated, is panic.
As demographics make undeniable...old, white, rich, straight, Christian men (or, otherwise described, those who have led, governed, and molded our country since its creation) are a dying breed. They are going the way of the T-Rex...and they are scared. And, just like virtually any of the creatures on our beloved Earth, from the tiniest, simplest microscopic organism to the most complex, Chondrichthyes, Reptilia, and Mammalia, when backed into a corner and threatened, they will lash out in a natural showing of rabid, vicious, and brutal self-defense.
Each new day in this country brings a larger demographic number, a increased percentage in the overall population, and a "greater share of the pie" for Hispanic Americans. With every graduating class comes an increasing acceptance of and tolerance for diversity of race, religion, and sexual orientation. And, with each new Congress, we see a better representation of how our nation's landscape truly appears.
The response to all of this from the right? The offering from the old, white, rich, Christian men?... Sink their claws into the flesh of the "grand old ways" and hang on for dear life, fighting arrogantly, foolishly, and stubbornly to the bitter, inevitable end...just as a mongoose in the forest would surely do in the face of it's looming demise. There is nothing graceful about it; it is difficult, almost painful, to watch. But, as nature dictates, it is unavoidable. It may not even be a conscious decision by those who "decide" it.
The solace to take in all of it, however, for those of us who are not old, white, rich, Christian men (or those of us who might be, but do not think or act in the ways that those before us have for far too long), is that soon enough--whether it be months, or years, or decades away--it will all be over. There will be a new day, a new "collective" social awakening, a new mindset. It has already begun, we are witnessing it every day.
This "death of today's T-Rex's" will not be without incident. It will not be a completely smooth, gentle ride. There will be much ugliness to go through. There will be turmoil, defiance, and down-right hatefulness. However, the ends will almost assuredly justify the means. To live in a place where people are not kept down for the color of their skin, or their extra "X" chromosome, or their religious (or unreligious) views, or their sexual orientation, or their economic status...will be worth the horrifying sights and sounds of the writhing and thrashing of a few remaining old, white, rich, Christian dinosaurs.
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