Back in April of this year, I reported on the passing of draconian marital laws in Afghanistan, by President Hamid Karzai.
I am happy to say the leaders of Afghanistan listened to the national hue and cry over the passing of such laws, and have since reformed the marriage laws.
Is it perfect? By no means. Is it better than it was? Yes. Does Afghanistan, and for that matter nearly all Islamic nations, have a long ways to go before achieving equality and respect between men and women? Good God yes.
But remember, every change must begin with a single first step.
Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts
13 February 2009
Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses... SIKE!
I'm having a problem. No existential crisis or anything like that, but a problem nonetheless.
The economic crisis that is the USA right now, is causing a disruption to upper middle class White folks lives. I take it back: for them, this might be an existential crisis.
As with any economic upheaval, the poor and disenfranchised are the first and often hardest hit. These also happen to be, in most cases, people of color.
Every winter, public libraries see an increase in homeless patrons. This year however, the "problem" is exacerbated by our devastated economy. Homeless men, women, teens, and young adults (20's), and families. The mentally and physically handicapped, not to mention the sick, the smelly, and dirty.
All sharing a public space with Entitled Americans.
Some of my coworkers feel we must "control" the problem, that these individuals should be removed from inside the library. Patrons complain that their tax dollars were not meant to run "another shelter" (never mind we have ONE shelter in SLC).
Never mind the ONE shelter in SLC kicks residents out during the day time. Never mind it is cold and snowy outside. Never mind that the library has chairs, internet access, bathrooms, and a fireplace to relax by. These people, these homeless are a threat to Privileged America, and God forbid we should be reminded of that privilege.
Perhaps it is because I was once in the same shoes as the disenfranchised patrons of public libraries that I feel empathy and understanding for their tough position. Or perhaps it is my complete and total fear of hearing those final words, "When I was hungry you did not feed me; when I was naked you did not cloth me. When I was imprisoned you did not come to see me; when I was ill you did not come to minister to me," and not having a answer.
Unless they are breaking the rules, for God's sake, leave those people, and yes, they are people before they are anything else, alone.
The economic crisis that is the USA right now, is causing a disruption to upper middle class White folks lives. I take it back: for them, this might be an existential crisis.
As with any economic upheaval, the poor and disenfranchised are the first and often hardest hit. These also happen to be, in most cases, people of color.
Every winter, public libraries see an increase in homeless patrons. This year however, the "problem" is exacerbated by our devastated economy. Homeless men, women, teens, and young adults (20's), and families. The mentally and physically handicapped, not to mention the sick, the smelly, and dirty.
All sharing a public space with Entitled Americans.
Some of my coworkers feel we must "control" the problem, that these individuals should be removed from inside the library. Patrons complain that their tax dollars were not meant to run "another shelter" (never mind we have ONE shelter in SLC).
Never mind the ONE shelter in SLC kicks residents out during the day time. Never mind it is cold and snowy outside. Never mind that the library has chairs, internet access, bathrooms, and a fireplace to relax by. These people, these homeless are a threat to Privileged America, and God forbid we should be reminded of that privilege.
Perhaps it is because I was once in the same shoes as the disenfranchised patrons of public libraries that I feel empathy and understanding for their tough position. Or perhaps it is my complete and total fear of hearing those final words, "When I was hungry you did not feed me; when I was naked you did not cloth me. When I was imprisoned you did not come to see me; when I was ill you did not come to minister to me," and not having a answer.
Unless they are breaking the rules, for God's sake, leave those people, and yes, they are people before they are anything else, alone.
31 January 2009
"Fitzgerald: The Ill-Founded Assumptions of Obama's Address To Muslims"
So I'm not the only one, along with a conservative I still can't believe I agree with, who sees and has a problem with President Obama's address to Muslims.
What's that make it? 3 to...millions of "kum-bi-ya why can't we all just get along" left-wing nut jobs.
Fuck.
What's that make it? 3 to...millions of "kum-bi-ya why can't we all just get along" left-wing nut jobs.
Fuck.
Charles Krauthammer: Pres. Obama's kissing Middle East ass
Shit. A conservative I agree with? What is the world coming to.
But seriously. I actually don't think he went far enough. Is America enemies with the "Muslim world?" No. But here is a list of things I think we should be enemies of:
Killing children just because they are Jewish
Beheading bus riders
Religious persecution
Again, killing children
Infringing on Americans rights ON American soil
Throwing family members out of windows
Killing aide workers
Attacking people based on their sexual orientation
Beheading pro-government tribal leaders
Abusing societies disaffected
I could go one but I got tired of copy/pasting links. But you should get my drift. Was the Iraq war a mistake and thoroughly mishandled? Dear God yes. Was Afganistan mishandled? Again, yes.
But at what point are Americans and other "kum-bi-ya why can't we all just get along" left-wing nut jobs understand that not everyone can be friends with everyone? There are times when one side's "philosophy" is just so out of whack, that you have to step in and say, "hey, I'm not perfect, but even I know what you're doing is FUBAR and I'm going to have to impose my will on you."
No, America isn't enemies with Muslims everywhere or even Islam. But we should be enemies of the evil actions committed in the name of the "Muslim world" or Islam.
And damn if we should apologize for doing what we think is right to stop atrocities such as those listed above.
But seriously. I actually don't think he went far enough. Is America enemies with the "Muslim world?" No. But here is a list of things I think we should be enemies of:
Killing children just because they are Jewish
Beheading bus riders
Religious persecution
Again, killing children
Infringing on Americans rights ON American soil
Throwing family members out of windows
Killing aide workers
Attacking people based on their sexual orientation
Beheading pro-government tribal leaders
Abusing societies disaffected
I could go one but I got tired of copy/pasting links. But you should get my drift. Was the Iraq war a mistake and thoroughly mishandled? Dear God yes. Was Afganistan mishandled? Again, yes.
But at what point are Americans and other "kum-bi-ya why can't we all just get along" left-wing nut jobs understand that not everyone can be friends with everyone? There are times when one side's "philosophy" is just so out of whack, that you have to step in and say, "hey, I'm not perfect, but even I know what you're doing is FUBAR and I'm going to have to impose my will on you."
No, America isn't enemies with Muslims everywhere or even Islam. But we should be enemies of the evil actions committed in the name of the "Muslim world" or Islam.
And damn if we should apologize for doing what we think is right to stop atrocities such as those listed above.
01 June 2008
When too much of too little is a bad thing
The other day while at work, I had an interesting conversation with one of my coworkers.
She was writing a story about some LDS (Mormon for you non Utahans) characters. After reading her story and commenting on it, she asked me if I thought any of the terms she used were "Utah/LDS jargon" and wouldn't be understood by an outsider.
A short list of the words she was worried about were: bishop, ward, hymn, and sacrament.
What made this conversation so interesting me however, was that she said that in various creative writing classes throughout her college career, other LDS students wondered whether these words "belonged" if you will, to Utah and Mormons.
I was disturbed. I am by no means the most versed individual in religions and faiths outside of my own. I did attend Catholic grade school, and the majority of my friends growing up were LDS. I have known Buddhists, in college was friends with a Muslim, I took two semesters of world religions, and briefly considered dating a Wiccan. Some of my closest friends today are Jews, and of course, I know plenty of agnostics and atheists, and for a religion class credit, I attended a Jehovah's Witness' Kingdom Hall meeting.
All this experience aside, I have had very little contact with and have very little understanding of other faiths and religions, but I do know that many, many other religions incorporate these aspects into their religious practices.
But what experience I do have seems to, in light of this conversation, be light years more than your average LDS. Why is this I wonder?
I can understand a parent's desire to not introduce their child(ren) to faiths outside of the one practiced at home, because they do not want outside influences eroding the groundwork of belief they are trying to lay.
But this does not explain LDS college student's naiveté.
Extrapolating all this to a broader view:
How are we as a nation ever going to be able to reach out to nations whose ideals, morals, values, and world views may differ from our own, and work with them with honor, trust, and respect in the face of such blatant and willing ignorance?
She was writing a story about some LDS (Mormon for you non Utahans) characters. After reading her story and commenting on it, she asked me if I thought any of the terms she used were "Utah/LDS jargon" and wouldn't be understood by an outsider.
A short list of the words she was worried about were: bishop, ward, hymn, and sacrament.
What made this conversation so interesting me however, was that she said that in various creative writing classes throughout her college career, other LDS students wondered whether these words "belonged" if you will, to Utah and Mormons.
I was disturbed. I am by no means the most versed individual in religions and faiths outside of my own. I did attend Catholic grade school, and the majority of my friends growing up were LDS. I have known Buddhists, in college was friends with a Muslim, I took two semesters of world religions, and briefly considered dating a Wiccan. Some of my closest friends today are Jews, and of course, I know plenty of agnostics and atheists, and for a religion class credit, I attended a Jehovah's Witness' Kingdom Hall meeting.
All this experience aside, I have had very little contact with and have very little understanding of other faiths and religions, but I do know that many, many other religions incorporate these aspects into their religious practices.
But what experience I do have seems to, in light of this conversation, be light years more than your average LDS. Why is this I wonder?
I can understand a parent's desire to not introduce their child(ren) to faiths outside of the one practiced at home, because they do not want outside influences eroding the groundwork of belief they are trying to lay.
But this does not explain LDS college student's naiveté.
Extrapolating all this to a broader view:
How are we as a nation ever going to be able to reach out to nations whose ideals, morals, values, and world views may differ from our own, and work with them with honor, trust, and respect in the face of such blatant and willing ignorance?
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