Personal Musings category archive
All That Was Old Is New Again 0
A reference in a Philo Vance mystery led me to pull out my old copy of The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology* the other day.
As I was idly thumbing through it, it occurred to me that there are many similarities in the events it recounts and the current Republican-fed hysteria over “grooming,” trans kids, and LGBTQ+ in general. Both are based on fiction, feed on ignorance and fear, and persecute the innocent and faultless, while empowering the despotic and tyrannical, who cynically exploit them.
I’m sure more parallels will come to me over time.
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*I’ve had the book for years. I got it in connection with a research paper I was doing back in the olden days, when I was a young ‘un.
Speaking of Questions . . . . 0
May it be that persons who loudly pat themselves on the back while proclaiming their patriotism, wear American flag do-rags while waving the Stars and Bars, and call for the imprisonment of those who do not look or think like them, may it be that those persons do mot fully embrace the concept expressed by the Founders that, in the phrasing of their day, “all men are created equal”?
Stray Question 0
As I observe my household, I have to wonder, did humans domesticate cats or did cats domesticate humans?
The Golden Rule, per Evangelical
They-Call-Themselves Christians
0
Do unto others.
Aside:
They worship no Jesus that I know.
Intimidations of Immorality 0
I am not a lawyer (though I once thought I wanted to be one, until I met some law students and decided I never wanted to be that uptight), but, to the best of my understanding, attempting to intimidate potential witnesses and members of a jury pool is viewed less than favorably.
One Thing Is Like the Other Thing 0
When I was a young ‘un, back in the olden days, it was perfectly okay to use race to keep persons out of college (and many other places).
Now, per the Supreme Supremacist Court, it’s not okay to use race to help them get into college.
Yup. They are still rising again after all these years.
Prioritization 0
If I had an extra four grand lying around, I don’t think I’d spend it on a pair of sunglasses.
Lost in the Machine 0
Boy, am I glad that my kids were out of the house before this stuff came along.
Discussion Question 0
In today’s politics, can the United States be said to truly have a “loyal opposition,” as defined by Merriam-Webster?
Merriam-Webster’s definition:
Support your answer with concrete examples.
Thought on the Day 0
“Jingoism” and “patriotism” are not the same thing.
Stray Thought, Mongers of Hate Dept. 0
Mark Twain observed that history does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes.
Methinks that there is a rhyme between the current kerfuffle over gay and trans kids and rumors of groomers and Joe McCarthy’s “Red Scare” of the 1950s.
Just off the top of my head: Both were created and promoted by politicians craving power and influence, both tap visceral emotions and fears, both glorify victimizing innocents, both allow persons to feel virtuous about irrational and unjust acts.
Stray Question 0
Instead of bulldozing homeless encampments, why not do something to house the homeless?
On second thought, that might promote the general welfare.
Why, that must most certainly be unconstitutional.
Recommended Viewing 0
Havaiian Eye, if you can find it.
It was easily one of the best-written detective television shows of its era.
Stray Question 0
How is this headline not about politics?
Believe It When They Tell You Who They Are 0
I was stopped at a light yesterday next to car with a bumper sticker that read
DEPLORABLE.
I shall take him at his word.
Recommended Viewing 0
It’s been on our DVR for some time and we finally got around to watching it. It is quite well done.
And its depiction of the segregated Virginia that I grew up in–well, there are those amongst us who are working most energetically to bring those times back, while at the same time pretending that they never existed in the first place.
All the News that Gives Us Fits 0
Atrios suggests that it might be a good idea to avoid cable news.
I would go further. I avoid broadcast news altogether, except for certain local news websites, When broadcast news changed from being a loss leader to a profit center–when it begin to value “eyeballs” over accuracy, “engagement” over integrity–it went into–er–descent.