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Posted at 09:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Is that which is holy loved by the gods because it is holy, or is it holy because it is loved by the gods?
- Plato, Euthyphro, 10A
A couple things in my timeline reminded me of an old post on my deleted blog that involved our less-than-monolithic Founders and Islam. Composing that ultimately introduced me to Ben Railton, whose AmericanStudies is in ye olde blogrolle to this day.
Anyhoo, for all the talk of what the White Guys in Wigs meant, here's Richard Henry Lee, author of the resolution that birthed a declaration, wrote to James Madison, author of the very first of amendments:
I fully agree with the presbyterians, that true freedom embraces the Mahomitan and the Gentoo as well as the Christian religion.
Going by that original intent, one might argue that banning abortion is more of a violation of the First Amendment than closing the boyfriend loophole is of the Second.
Posted at 05:21 PM in History | Permalink | Comments (0)
And now a two-part mini blogaround (not including Spocko because his brain just got a coveted blogroll spot, the greedy bastard).
Selah.
Posted at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
That pointy-eared, green-blooded devil cited Scripture, so I gave in to his purpose and added Spockos' Brain to the blogroll.
Posted at 01:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
[U]ntil forty days from conception the fetus is merely water.
It's always been a dicey proposition to explicitly invoke religion when making political decisions. I mean, the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, right?
We certainly see a fair share of Biblical and constitutional proof texting from our Christo-Fascist opponents. That generally makes me glad for my Quaker traditions, as well as the aspirational Wall of Separation Betwixt Church and State (Jefferson demonstrating that even a blind slaver can find a nut).
Christo-Fascists hate to acknowledge our diverse nation doesn't universally default to their worldview. Hell, other Christians don't share their distorted interpretation of scripture, morality, and law.
It is a good thing to see Congregation L’Dor Va-Dor filing suit in Florida, asserting that the state's anti-abortion law violates their religious freedom. Not all Jews hold the same position on abortion, of course, and that's kinda the point.
In contrast to murder, for example, there is nothing even approaching universality regarding abortion morally, legally, religiously, or any other -ly. Which is probably why the majority of Americans support Roe.
But the Infamous Five Justices don't understand (or care about) this, as they are blinded by their Christo-Fascist chauvinism:
[I]n order to be a “good” religious person in America today, you must subscribe to the premise that abortion is a-moral, and therefore should be illegal...Religion is not a one-size-fits-all construct. We too, are people of faith. And, in Jewish tradition - the question of when life begins is answered in one word: nefesh. The soul and breath are intrinsically connected to one another.
My colleague, Rabbi Sara Mason-Barkin shares: “In a discussion of a dangerous pregnancy, the rabbis of the Talmud determined that if the mother is having ‘makshah layleid’, trouble giving birth, and the fetus is still in the womb then the pregnancy should be terminated for the sake of the mother. However, if the head of the infant has emerged, it becomes a case of ‘nefesh mipnei nefesh,’ choosing one soul over another. In other words, one may not harm the child whose head has emerged because it has become a nefesh, a being with the same soul-breath that gave Adam life. From this point on in Jewish tradition, the rabbis are quite clear that the life of the mother is paramount until the baby is born.”
Emphasizing the mother's greater right to life than mere lifeless water:
These are the guiding principles on abortion in Jewish tradition: a woman’s life, her pain, and her concerns take precedence over those of the fetus; existing life is always sacred and takes precedence over a potential life; and a woman has the personal freedom to apply the principles of her tradition unfettered by the legal imposition of moral standards other than her own.
Friends are also not monolithic on this. Some consider abortion to be violence, and antithetical to our peace testimony, but generally I think we respect the autonomy and conscience of the pregnant person.
Even our organizations hold different stances. The Friends Committee on National Legislation doesn't take action on abortion legislation (though they oppose using abortion as a wedge issue), while the American Friends Service Committee does.
Somebody on social media pointed out the awkward juxtaposition of Germany's repeal of their Nazi-era abortion gag law (showing just how long vestiges of fascism can linger), and our slide toward fascism. Of course, Nazi eugenics was based on America's successful eugenic program, so the parallels ought not be surprising.
And here we are again, making ostensibly neutral policy whilst somehow still disproportionately impacting certain demograpthics. Maybe we're not so explicit as Nazi laws designed to maximize Aryan births and diminish "alien" populations, but it's all to the same general effect.
So when I hear Christo-Fascists spout off with scripture and paeans to the sanctity of the Constitution, I only hear evil souls producing holy witness...
Posted at 06:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Over at Hecate's joint, mrswhatsit has a prescription for what ails our body politic:
What can you do?
Well, first of all, go ahead and feel your feelings: rage, fear, sadness, numbness. It’s OK. If you need it, I give you permission.
Second, do something nice for yourself. Take a walk, pet your cat, call your bestie, make yourself a cup of tea or a STIFF drink, smoke up. Take a minute.
Then, when you’re ready, here are some concrete actions you can take.
- Women are going to need to be able to leave states where abortion’s been outlawed and get to abortion sanctuary states. You can help them by donating to an abortion fund RIGHT NOW. Only have $5? That’s fine – every little bit helps.
- Get familiar with the ins-and-outs of medication abortion, particularly Reuters’ very useful and timely reporting that our neighbor to the south stands by ready to assist, and there’s not much the US or state governments can do to stop them.
- Look to ESTABLISHED, KNOWLEDGEABLE groups that have been putting in the work for YEARS about larger strategy, folks like NARAL and Planned Parenthood. DO NOT jump on whatever hot take by some jackass on Twitter goes viral. That person has no idea what’s he’s talking about, I promise. NARAL and PP do.
- Watch The Janes and get inspired, then ask yourself: What are you willing to risk?
- See last week’s post and, if I may quote myself, GET THE FUCK TO WORK.
It is easy, and human, to give in to despair, especially when we keep fighting the same battles over and over. Yet we must indeed GET THE FUCK TO WORK. After processing your despair, how will you show up for this struggle to bend the moral universe back toward justice?
Posted at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
loneliness
lies within the listener—
a cuckoo’s call
From Chiyo-ni: Woman Haiku Master (translation by Patricia Donegan/Yoshie Ishibashi).
Posted at 02:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
My dog and I do not speak the same language.
Yet every day, she tells me:
I trust you to know when I need to go for a walk.
I will let you hold me when you need to
and I will ask you for love when I need it.
On the days you are sick, I will lie beside you.
I will look for you in rooms when you are not here,
and I will greet you with so much joy
when you come home.
I will guard you when you sleep.
I will wag my tail and let you know
that everything will be okay
on your bad days,
and I know that you will do
the same on mine.And from this I learn that my dog
and I actually do speak the same language.After all, the universe is a kindly ancient thing.
It gave love as a mother tongue to every being.
From Where Hope Comes From: Poems of Resilience, Healing, and Light, via the poet, Nikita Gill.
Bailey (and Mex) quite literally saved my life on multiple occasions. The dogs understood the silent language of danger before I ever did.
Now Bailey is best buds with the folks we rent from (who are more than mere landlords, and quite compassionate, authentic humans). They speak her love language, too.
Posted at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
IIRC the original caption: Even Larry Bird's left wing was golden.
Larry Legend was my first hoops idol. I loved his friendly rivalry with Magic. And the dude could play an entire game left-handed.
1986 was something special, even if it wasn't so glitzy as the Bulls' 72-win season and championship, or the Warriors' record-breaking run to 2nd place. The headline, "Seething Celts win 16th title," (again, my memory might not be 100% accurate) was lovely to see as I was delivering the Toledo Blade afterward.
Of course, less than 2 weeks later I was stunned by newly-minted Celtic Len Bias' untimely death, with his face smiling at me as I folded each paper. Certainly made my route long and dreary.
But anyway. The Finals are over, the truly excellent and exciting Warriors grabbed another crown, and at least we got to watch our Boys in Green beat the defending champs and #1 seed. All gravy when I didn't even expect them to make the playoffs not long ago. It's a good crew with a bright future, methinks.
Posted at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Yeah, nah. Well, maybe we (white cishet men, anyway) are of more value than sparrows to the GOP. Yet as RMJ notes:
Only ideas matter.
Only the 2nd Amendment matters.
"Life is short." Spend it with your favorite gun.
Posted at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Posted at 03:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
One of my favorite parental things: chaperoning for the kids' field trips (2018 visit to OMSI).
Bonus: contemporaneous singing about her love for big bro.
Posted at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Posted at 07:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Spread out your wings, you are an angel.
Been listening to Queen on my earbuds whilst working in the yard. The above is one of my Top 10 tracks. It actually is part of an absolutely stellar multi-track run on Queen II that includes another of my faves, Nevermore:
My favourite bit comes before it even starts. The track transition is hidden, with the opening arpeggios of Nevermore appearing in the end of The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke. I said already, I actually think these are two parts of the same composition, they share a something. I can’t tell if it’s in the rhythm or the chords, but they feel really tied into each other by more than a segue.
Anyway, the piano starts in the last track, glistening arpeggios slow down and settle into themselves, and the transition is actually marked by a shift in the stereo, the piano becoming ever so slightly less clear.
Making room for Mercury’s Poe inspired break up song...
Only Freddie can bounce from songs about ogres and fairies to a gorgeous lament. Damn, I miss him.
Posted at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Prompt: Nicolas de Staël paints a Ukrainian flag made of hummingbirds.
Taking a break from yardwork. Battling tenacious brambles in an ancestrally-appropriate manner: with a scythe.
Not super efficient, but manual labor can work out some aggression and other negative emotions. Currently despairing over Russian destruction of the Svyatohirsk Lavra monastery in Donetsk.
Orthodox churches are gorgeous manifestations of the divine in mortal works on Earth. I had the privilege to visit Sergiyev Posad (called Zagorsk in the Soviet epoch) back in '86 and '90, and found its physical form to be awe-inspiring, its liturgical services deeply stirring to even this cynical, godless soul. Perhaps the Orcs' destruction of such structures doesn't quite rise to the level of laying waste to Ukrainian lives and homes, but it's heartbreaking all the same.
Posted at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Posted at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
O God, I could be bounded in a nutshell, and count myself a king of infinite space – were it not that I have bad dreams.
Posted at 07:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
[Gun fetishists are] very good at immediately shifting the subject for debate. And too many of us are far too willing to go along with them. If you’re like me, you get a nice little endorphin hit from tearing apart a faulty argument. But we’ve got to quit seeking those endorphin hits because the gun nuts are using them to manipulate us.
...How?
Let’s look at some of their responses to the massacre in a Texas schoolhouse. “It’s mental health, not guns!” “We need to ‘harden’ schools!” (Note the use of militaristic, not to mention sexually-charged lingo. “Harden” means “lock the doors,” but that doesn’t give the gun-nut base the same little sexual charge.) “We need to arm teachers!” And so on. Each new massacre of schoolchildren gets a slightly different reaction but the common denominator is that they (1) take the emphasis away from gun safety protections and (2) send us off down the rabbit trail because it will make us feel so good to show how they’re wrong.
...I’m going to suggest that you not respond by providing all the logical and factual arguments against the distraction du jour. Because that’s what they want you to do. When you do, when your play their game, the argument can spiral through dozens of even more insane iterations until, once again, we just give up until the next massacre.
Go read the whole thing, and stay frosty...
Posted at 05:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Posted at 04:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)