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Today's Top News
04.29.11 - 11:58 AM
Who Covereth the Heaven With Clouds, Who Prepareth Rain For the Earth, Who Hasn'teth A Clue
Fear not the extreme weather threatening us all, the tornados in the South, the drought and fire ravaging Texas. GOP Gov. Rick Perry - he who has called climate change “one contrived phony mess" and whose state is the biggest carbon polluter in the country - will save us with prayer. Also some help from the feds, though he wants to secede. Also a prayerful Facebook page and song. It only has eight words; I guess they ran out. But hear ye: Fear not climate change. Hallelulah.
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88 Comments so far
Show Alllook at that top photo: wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross,indeed.
Yep! Sinclair Lewis, if he were still alive, would love that picture. It would make a great jacket cover.
Look closely and you see that the photo was taken on the rostrum at CPAC.
Ms Zimet notes Gov Perry's threats to take Texas and secede. We should wish that he would, and insist that the country let them go. The world would arguably be a much better place had the Confederacy been allowed to go their own way 150 years ago. The slave economy was doomed in any case (by mechanization if not by moral suasion), and history might well have been spared the American Empire.
"and history might well have been spared the American Empire."
So in that case which one would you have preferred: The Nazi 3rd Reich or the Soviet Empire?
You are assuming that the War Between the States, the aftermath of Reconstruction and Jim Crow hadn't been a millstone around our nation's neck to such an extreme that if all our peoples had been able to flourish without these hindrances, we might have been able to foresee and forestall the rise of Nazism and the Soviet system.It is possible that due to a sort of "Butterfly Effect" that neither system would have had appeal as an alternative to our form of government, as full as it is/was of rank hypocricy.
That all we get? A choice between empires? A punch in the teeth, a kick in the pants or a poke in the eye?
Sounds like the West's take on "democracy"...
There might have been a USSR even if the South had successfully seceded from the USA. But there almost certainly would not have been a Third Reich, as England and France could've hardly pulled off a successful stalemate against the Second Reich without massive American intervention . . . which, in the absence of a powerful American state, would not have been forthcoming.
That's not quite true. Recall that the Emancipation Proclamation did not, in itself, free a single slave, as it freed only those slaves living in the still-unconquered parts of the Confederacy. So the slaveowners in the already-conquered parts of the Confederacy got to keep their human property until the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment.
There were slaves in Maryland and Delaware, both never part of the Confederacy, until the passage of the 13th (not the 14th) Amendment.
You're right; I got my numbers mixed up. But if you want to be really precise, there were slaves in Missouri, Kentucky, and the District of Columbia right up until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment as well.
In what northern states were slaves kept at the end of the Civil War, likeitornot? Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware, as well as the District of Columbia, were southern-leaning border states and Lincoln had a hell of a time keeping them in the Union. So name what true northern states had slaves at the end of the Civil War.
Well, depends on how you define "northern." If "northern" = "states whose legislatures and/or governors remained in the Union," then yes, KY, MD, MO, DE, DC -- and WV -- were all northern states, even if they didn't speak like Boston Brahmins and owned slaves.
Somewhat more to your point would be to point out that much of these states was never firmly under Union control until fairly late in the war -- for that matter, places like Cincinnati leaned pretty heavily toward the South, too, and Lincoln knew well that his government was, as far as the people living there were concerned, in the middle of enemy territory.
Well, that's my point, Corvo. The states you listed were all border states with many southern sympathizers and WV was created from Virginia, a decidedly southern state. But there was no slavery in the rest of the Union states that I've read about, although segregation existed.. Likeitornot apparently has trouble with the nuances you mentioned.
As soon as one slave was allowed in the colonies the Civil War was inevitable. As soon as one slave was sold in the United States, the American Empire was bound to develop. We reap what we sow. That's one Bible concept that people should listen to.
It's interesting to note that the bible doesn't have one bad word in it when it comes to the ownership of other humans. It's condoned by god, so who are you to say that what god allows is a bad thing. (grin) Paul said in the new testament that slaves should obey their masters as the Christians obeyed Christ.
Worse, when the runaway slave Onesimus was placed in Paul's care, Paul sent him back to his owner, a certain Philemon. Thus Paul's letter to Philemon, which is canonical New Testament scripture.
The Epistle to Philamon says that he (Paul) is sending Onesimus back to Philamon "not as a slave but as a brother". It is at the root of the Christian opposition to slavery which contributed considerably to ending slavery.
Brother in Christ, but slave by law. Nice job of misreading! And it's Philemon, not Philamon.
Don't you think that Jesus Christ, the one some call god or the son of god, would have been a better voice to use if this god thing really opposed slavery? Jesus in one part of the bible does cure a slave boy of a Roman soldier; you do know what slave boys were used for right? Perhaps that's the 'biblical justification' for the priest's fascination with alter boys...
The 'word of god' isn't in the bible, because there is no god.
And, let us not forget that every single word in the bible is the true word of god.
What amazes me is that some people can look at that picture and NOT see the Beast.
"Onward Corporate Soldiers, marching as to war (on the poor),
With the cross of Plastic Dashboard JEE-ZUS going on before,
Cash, our one true Master, leads against the foe,
Forward into credit debt, watch our children go (to die)."
Absolutely brilliant, Galenwainwright. Thank you so much. But should it be "marching onto" or "marching us to"?
Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
with the cross of Jesus going on before.
Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
forward into battle see his banners go!
Nope, it's marching as to... The meaning of the original lyrics is not the meaning that it now has. It's not really supposed to be a song that glorifies real war, it's about a spiritual war. Kinda like how Jihad is defined as a struggle that you undertake for god, it's a message that's perverted by those who favour violence as the only solution to their problems.
Capitol punisment is fine with GOD, but as told in Saddom & Gamorah Gay's are not! and women not obedient to their men are not.. yep Texas is being punished, I just wanted to stress what their being punished for!
Maybe if they burn som quarans?!?
>^^<
What's wrong with secession? Washington is totally out of touch with Mainstreet and it's time states started getting serious about distancing themselves from the crumbling Empire. I am ready to support the Republic of California, and would support any other state's right to secede from an evil and rapacious central government.
California couldn't survive long on its own chronic dysfunctionality.
Dennab, as much as I detest the cracker racists in 'Alabam' and 'Ole Mississip' I wouldn't wish this tragedy even on them. But you have a point: Where are the Pat Robertson's fulminating that this is De Lawd's Judgment on the Old South for rampant racism, hating gays, eating pork, and electing yahoo Republicans like Jeff Sessions and Haley Barbour?
It would be nice to see them secede and keep their ignorance to themselves, but then we'd only be providing them with foreign aid to keep the yokels from starving, so it would be about the same as now.
That thar 'Murican flag ain't big enuff, and God can't see it (He told me so!). No wonder God has forsaken Texas.
And if God can't see your devotional national flags, well then, no wonders.
Another problem - 'C-PAC' ain't prominent enuff on the flag. Why, God won't see it and might mistakenly give His beneficence to liburals. Why, we here in southernest California have a 10% chance of the ol' precip today, and we ain't even trying.
How blessed we are in the midwest where the Good Lord has seen fit to loose the torrents on our poor land! Maybe god just is a bad marksman, missing the pious in Texas and hitting the less pious in St. Louis by mistake.
I suppose we all want the righteous, angry God arround because even if he dishes out punishment there is the sense that a greater power is still in charge and that he might well be satisfied by our repentance after he has unleashed the first display of his fury.
I have an even scarier idea. There is no avenging God around, there are only the laws of nature and the consequences of human tinkering when human activity raises the ppm of CO2 to the level where the oceans start to warm. All the prayers to the angry God who still loves us will do no good. The humans who raise these prayers will find no mercy from the God of Geophysics. Our fate will be sealed as a consequence of our folly. Period. The human animal--a brilliant but doomed species. No matter, nature has billions of planets and billions of years left to evolve some species conscious and intelligent but not so stupid, prideful and careless that it will cause its own extinction.
A female CNN journalist heard about a very old Jewish man who had been going to the Western Wall to pray, twice a day, every day, for a long, long time.
So she went to check it out. She went to the Western Wall and there he was, walking slowly up to the holy site.
She watched him pray and after about 45 minutes, when he turned to leave, using a cane and moving very slowly, she approached him for an interview.
"Pardon me, sir, I'm Rebecca Smith from CNN. What's your name?
"Morris Feinberg," he replied.
"Sir, how long have you been coming to the Western Wall and praying?"
"For about 60 years."
"60 years! That's amazing! What do you pray for?"
"I pray for peace between the Christians, Jews and the Muslims."
"I pray for all the wars and all the hatred to stop."
"I pray for all our children to grow up safely as responsible adults, and to love their fellow man."
"How do you feel after doing this for 60 years?"
"Like I'm talking to a fucking wall."
*chuckle*
(and oh so true)
Thank you. My first laugh of the day.
Bah-dum-bum...schzzz :-)
The Sinclair Lewis Society traced the quote.
"In early February of 1948, Sinclair Lewis was quoted in the Gazette and Daily, a York, Pennsylvania, periodical, as saying, "When fascism comes to the United States it will be wrapped in the American flag and will claim the name of 100 percent Americanism ... "
Nothing about a cross.
see: http://gcaw.blogspot.com/2007/12/sinclair-lewis-quote.html
Bill Moyers told the story 30 years ago. But, most peeps have never listened to reason. Try reading "A Handmaiden's Tale" They are called "Christian Re-Constructionists". BEWARE ! They are living in our midst even now, and they have power.
VVV,
They are also called Dominionists
http://godsownparty.com/blog/2010/03/christian-dominionism-101/
"The goal of Christian Dominionism is to abolish Separation of Church and State and to establish the United States as a distinctively Christian Nation based upon Old Testament Mosaic Law."
>>a distinctively Christian Nation based upon Old Testament<<
A Christian Nation based on the Torah? That ought to be a good trick. Wouldn't that make us a colony of Israel? Oh... wait...
What is so disturbing is someone who is as stupid as Rick Perry is elected to public office.
I wonder if it has occurred to the " Christers" that God is punishing all the Religious southern states with floods, hurricanes,tornadoes, etc all in biblical proportions. In the meatime the godless states of California & New York have remained unscathed!!
You forgot Nevada and New Jersey.
Rick Perry - False Christian.
To insert a little religious perspective: Christ said that many people will claim to be his followers, but few actually are; and he gave a very simple way to separate the false Christians from the non-false--by their love you shall know them. So I'm not saying there are a lot of non-false Christians out there, but when you meet one, you will know because you are overwhelmed by their love.
All too true. Christian, that is.
They should be labeled "Christianists," have their assets frozen, and be put on No Fly Lists.
But even flies gotta eat...
"They should be labeled "Christianists," have their assets frozen, and be put on No Fly Lists."
No Fly Lists......I'd hope that'd also apply to their mythical angels. ;-)
Open the floodgates? Hasn't he read about all the recent (and anticipated) flooding?
That doesn't matter theologically for these nuts. The bible is the only thing they say that want to read, of course they've not read their bibles. The story of Noah's flood - myth tho it is - ends with the promise of a rainbow; that promise is that gawd will not wipe out the world's population again by using water. He's going to use fire next time according to some, other books claim it'll be war, famine and disease. Whatever, what they really want is to have gawd return and wipe out all the sinners and cast all the evil people into a lake of fire to be tortured forever. (what loving folks.) Too bad that they don't realize that if their wish is granted, they're the ones who'll burn right next to people who don't buy into the gawd crap; people like me.