Speaking of Rhymes . . . . 0
The Kansas City Star has a long article about efforts by parents, aided by the ACLU, to fight back against Oklahoma’s mandating the (Trump) Bible in Oklahoma public schools. One bit of it leapt out at me; it quotes a Southern Baptist pastor of Native American descent whose children attend Oklahoma public schools and who is one of the plaintiffs in the suit:
Randall said his personal family history is another reason why he opposes the mandate.
He said his great-grandmother and her sister were removed from their home in Broken Arrow and sent to a boarding school where they weren’t allowed to speak their native language and they were forced to attend church.
“All of this was done at the funding of the government,” Randall said. “It’s a haunting history that Oklahoma has when it comes to mandating religion for public education when children are a captive audience.”
Follow the link for the rest.
In related news, Leonard Hitchcock, writing at the Idaho State Journal, shares his thoughts on Establishmentarians’ school voucher money grab. A snippet:
“History Does Not Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes”* 0
The EFF hears a rhyme:
Follow the link for a parsing of the poesy.
____________________
*Mark Twain.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Yet another “responsible gun owner” feels it proper to proffer his portable phallus to a passer-by on the pavement.
So many guns. So much stupid.
Gutting Out the Vote 0
Nebraska executive branch meets the Simpsons.
Afterthought:
I do not think it a stretch to suggest that the reason Republicans are so intent on gutting out the vote is simple.
They sense that their chances of remaining in office when faced with free and fair elections may be–er–somewhat less than optimal.
This New Gilded Age, It’s Bubblelicious 0
Sam and Emma talk with Rob Larson, professor of economics at Tacoma Community College, about how today’s generation of Robber Barons are perverting the polity.
Still Rising Again after All These Years 0
Jackie Calmes makes a compelling case that Donald Trump has shown us who he really is many times.
The question is, “Are enough people paying attention?”
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Another case of neighborly politeness . . . . .
They went to the other apartment and talked with the shooter who told them it was accidental and no one in that apartment was injured.
Guns and stupid, guns and stupid.
They go together like love and Cupid.
Let me tell you brother,
You can’t have one without the other.
What’s in a Word? 0
Above the Law’s Joe Patrice reminds us, well, actually, a definition.
Speaking of Declinism . . . . 0
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gene Collier reminds us that the amount of time on the clock is declining.
“The Good Old Days” 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Eva M. Krockow takes a look at what she calls “declinism,” which I would loosely describe as the notion that the world is going to hell in a handbasket coupled with a yearning for the mythical good old days. She suggests that this feeling is can be fed by news reporting, which quite naturally focuses on stuff that goes wrong, and by politicians seeking to appeal to persons’ fears and unease. She closes her piece with some suggestions as to how to avoid declining into declinism.
A couple of snippets (emphasis added):
(sni0
One example of political declinism includes the Brexit campaign slogan “Take Back Control,” which implied the need to regain sovereignty to prevent further decline. Another example is Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign slogan “Make America Great Again,” which suggested that things were better in the past.
Methinks this a timely read.
Afterthought:
You might ask some Brits how Brexit is working out is working out for them. (Hint: It isn’t.)
The Privatization Scam 0
And it is a scam.
The Arizona Republic’s Laurie Roberts runs the numbers and shows that you can voucher on that.
A Pet Theory 0
Thom wonders whether we are witnessing a case of psychological projection.