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Secular Humanity - January 2009

Bye bye Bushie...!

January 20th 2009 03:29
Anyone with any sense of reality that approaches, well, reality - had to be scratching their head after George W. Bush gave his final press conference. Then came his farewell speech. Talking in circles and ignoring the absolute mess he has made of things, Bush was petulant, defensive, and still seemingly blissfully ignorant. Among the worst presidencies in American history is coming to an end, and the best the outgoing imbecile can muster is to forcefully try to reshape his miserable legacy.

What can be said, except "ding dong, the witch is dead?" or maybe "see ya later, alligator?" Or "Don't let the door hit ya where Mother Nature split ya?"


Truth is, the entire world is on the edge of a great sigh of relief, a moment filled with hope but also full of the realization that we dodged a very big bullet. In the span of a few weeks America has gone from international pariah to once again looked up as a part of the community of civilized nations. We have alot of work to do, but at least we are on the way.

At least I have to give Mr. Bush some credit. He didn't try to start WWIII on his way out. For awhile I thought he just might. Anything to protect the legacy and the power structure. I don't know if others around him talked him to sanity or he came to that bit of it himself, but I'm happy we're not at war now.

And before someone says "but we're in two wars," it's hard to describe Iraq or Afghanistan as real wars, as that tends to make a person think of an event between countries, not just an assault by a much stronger power on the others.

Tomorrow will begin a new era in American politics. Things have changed in ways that are irreversible. We can't go back to the way things were. And America is the better for it. A few months ago some liked to make fun of the sheer "Audacity of Hope."Now we see hope everywhere. The economy is in the tank and there is a positive vibe.


Still, we need to take care of past business. If we are to be a nation of laws, we need to make sure the laws are given their due. There is the real and deep desire of many Americans to see those who have so wounded the country be held accountable. That buck stops at the top with Mr. Bush, and trickles down through his entire presidency and those around him.

So it is with great hope to the future and a yearning to move ahead we welcome tomorrow, and with an eye to not repeating mistakes we look to the past. Congratulations to President Obama, his family, America, and indeed - the world.
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The Israeli made film Waltz With Bashir won a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film last night. An ironic counterpoint to what is going on in the "Holy" Land right now. The fact that there is a strong anti-war movement in Israel does offer hope. But alas, the right-wing hardliners are in control. And they seem determined to make the idiocies of the Bush Administration look positively progressive in comparison.

In response to rockets being launched into Israel (although there is ample evidence that in fact Israel provoked a good deal of what is happening) the government ordered widespread bombing runs followed by massive ground incursions.

Perhaps if it was just that a strong reaction could be seen as credible. But there's the messy little side note of widespread civilian casualties. Why is Israel using so much force and intentionally targeting civilians? Why is it that fully one-third of the Palestinian deaths have been children?

Apart from the sheer horror of the fact that we still live in a world where children are killed in the name of war, there is the impractical reality which comes from the waging of a war that cannot be won.

Every dead child has relatives, neighbors, friends, classmates. And every one of them has a personal reason to hate the military and the country responsible. The only possible way to even hope to overcome something that strong is to maintain a large and very expensive occupation, and that doesn't work forever.

The Israeli government seems determined to wipe out Hamas as a viable organization. Many moderate Arab countries aren't opposed to that. Dealing with Islamic fundamentalism themselves, they wouldn't miss Hamas for a minute. What Israel is doing, however, will not only allow Hamas to stay in power, but in all likelihood make the group stronger.

One would think it might be far more productive to have been seeking real peace and accommodation for years, and it might have paid off by now. The logic seems to sharp to ignore. Of course it's easier said than done, and of course there will be failures. But the stakes are too high to not try. Or even worse, to launch a massive invasion that results in high civilian casualties.

A two state strategy is probably the only solution for the short term. Jerusalem as an international city would be a good idea too. Palestinian right of return, drawing out of borders, and what sort of military forces are allowed are issues to be addressed. Hope being audacious indeed, here's hoping the changes in America can help to force changes in the "Holy" Land.
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Granted, it is as good an explanation as any. There are alot more people with alot more talent who will never be on a red carpet anywhere. Who will never get more from the successes of their performing than the satisfaction coming from doing something they enjoy. So, why not say God did it?

On the red carpet before the Golden Globe Awards, Miley Cyrus, when talking about her inexplicable rise to super stardom said "It just goes to show God always has a plan." So happy you feel so special.

Of course she's not the first famous person with a hyper-inflated sense of self-worth to claim God has chosen to smile especially on them. Tony Dungy claiming to have won the Superbowl by doing it "the Lord's way" comes to mind. And it is, to be frank, God-damned annoying.

Like royalty of old claiming to be granted power to rule by the grace of God (or gods) was used to justify lordship over the common folk, some celebs today cling to an idea of divine providence blessing them. Of course it's not true - but worse, what if it is?

What would it say about any god that he is interested in human sporting events and the wealth and fame of Hollywood stars, but seems to not be bothered by children dying? God is deeply involved with the rise of Miley but can't be bothered to stop the killing in Gaza. Hell of a god, eh?

Either there is no god, and those who claim his grace are delusional, or there is a god who is not involved in human affairs at all, so again the smiled-upon are delusional, or there is a god who does shine favor quite unevenly on the world.

You can't get off easy on this one. I don't see how it can be any different. Tell me if there is another possible explanation, if you please. God is either non-involved or is involved in such a twisted way as to make him less than respectable, to say the least. Or, the most obvious answer, doesn't exist at all.

Sure, it might just be something people say. Maybe Miley Cyrus doesn't really believe a magic deity made her a billionaire. Or maybe she does believe it, I can't say. I just wish her, and the rest of 'em, would shut up about it.
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