Tag Archives: Culture

The art of Politics is the Art of Dodge-ball

I’m sure most of the people who might stumble upon my blog will have played in their youth, at least once, the game dodge-ball. You duck, weave, dodge, and twist to avoid getting it by the ball as it is sadistically hurled by your opponents. I think an argument can be said that the same is sort of true for politics in America. Continue reading

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Boycotts, Free Speech, and the Costs of Organizing.

Given the recent storm of words, charges, counter-charges, and insults over mandated contraceptive coverage under the provisions of the ACA it’s not surprising that this has moved into the realm of action and boycotting. Naturally the boycotts against talk show personality Rush Limbaugh has been called righteous and also villainous based purely upon which political party you self identify with. Boycotts, like rebellions, are only treasonous and wrong in the third person, in the first person it’s noble, heroic and patriotic. There were precious few voices on the right speaking out against boycotts when country music radio stations were throwing the Dixie Chicks off the air because of their political stand. Some, like Andrew Sullivan, have called the boycotts wrong even if they don’t share the opinions of Mr. Limbaugh. I can understand his point of view, that it is regrettable when voices are hounded out of public discourse, but I do not agree. Certainly Mr. Limbaugh has the right to speak his mind and say what he thinks is the truth, within the bounds of slander and libel of course. That right does not extend so far that I must respect his, or anyone else’s, opinion. Whom I listen to, associates with, and support with my coin is a function of my own free speech. I rarely refuse to purchase goods or services based upon advertising choices, Id be much more inclined to walk away from a company’s direct action. In fact if I make a political statement with my consumer habits it tends to b buying a product or service from someone I feel is doing the right thing. Now, Mr. Limbaugh has been making incendiary statements for a long time, but this is the first time it has really hit him hard with strong effective blow-back. This I think is because of social media and the internet. Each passing year it becomes easier and easier for people to band together, pass information, and organize responses. There was a time that this sort of campaign would have taken weeks and months to put together, with people physically copying letter and stuffing thousands of envelopes, all at considerable cost. Now with the nearly free internet, activist can perform tremendous feats of organization while holding down job, going to school, and in general having a real lift. This brings grows the pool of activists, further lowering the bar and initiating, in my opinion an exponential growth in activism and effect. The Tea Party is an early example of this, one that is sending serious shocks through the Republican party. The ‘Occupay’ movement is an example from the left, but one that has failed to have the same sort of influence, that doesn’t however preclude another movement rising on the left. I expect to see more of this as time goes on. Our political, cultural, and business systems are about to be remade.

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What really matters

This image was part of a story about how the Obama Administration’s Department of Justice was declining to defend the section of DOMA that preventing the recognition of gay spouses and denying those spouses benefits. A move I fully support, I think a generation from now this whole period will be looked upon with the same sort of distaste as we have for the Jim Crow era, and I will be proud of my support for equality.

What struck me interesting though was my reaction to the photograph, and instantaneous and un-contemplated reaction. No, it wasn’t that strange erotic thrill that so many men get from watching or conjuring up the thought of two women having sex. The first and foremost emotion I felt was one of sincere and profound happiness.

I have been a sailor in the United States Navy, having toured once the Western Pacific (WestPac) in a several month cruise. It is a hard and at times very lonely task. To come home to such warmth and such love is truly a blessing and it moved me to see this image, which captures the ideal so perfectly. I have no idea who the sailor is in the image, but I am terribly pleased that a person sacrificing for my safety and my rights has such love waiting here at home.

All this flashed through my mind and on a deeper than conscious level before it even registered with me that this were two women kissing. That element was trivial, not worthy of notice or consideration. What mattered here was the love.

In the end that is all that matters.

(Updated to include the link)

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The Occupy Movment

So now I will babble about problem in the left and in particular the ‘Occupy Movement.’ I am, at heart, a person who likes to find solutions. One of the joys I get from crafting a story is finding the solutions to the unique puzzles that each story presents. I dislike complaining just for sake complaining. If there is a problem, sure bithcing about can help identify it, and help motivate others to help solve it, but bitching in itself never solves a damn thing, and in my unhumble opinion the Occupy movement is little more than a giant bitch session. Continue reading

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An Interesting Question

We are rapidly approaching an interesting time in human history, the moment when our phonotypical nature becomes utterly under our control. Right now we have limited ability to alter our appearance. We can dye our hair, insert inert implants to alter our shape, to an extent, suction away fat cells, and it a limited degree we can even dye our skin, altering the appearance of our pigmentation. This is as crude as the amputations and drugs used by the ship board doctors of the 18th century compared to what I think is coming in our near future. A future so near that I expect to survive to see it. The moment when we have enough genetic knowledge and control that switching on and off with ease and control will become available to the local physician and practiced upon the general population. Continue reading

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Mitt Romney, Bain Capital, and the politics of hatred

Mitt Romney’s career as a venture capitalist has become a point of attack by his political enemies, both Republican and Democratic. His supporters have fallen back on the defense that these attacks are about class warfare, envy and a hatred of success. It is an understandable, if misguided defense.
I have sympathy for the people trying to defect this line of attack. This is an emotionally very charged and very effective line to use against Mitt Romney, but why is that? Are these charges generated by class envy, by people who are jealous of Romney’s success and vast fortune? Continue reading

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