Much thanks to Skepchick's Rebecca Watson for this one.
Although the committee has made some strange decisions in the past, (such as Obama's prize. Still not sure what the hell he did to deserve one, but anyway...) this one is, to borrow a cliched sports metaphor, a slam dunk.
The plight of women in Africa and the Middle East is one that we can never forget. All the freedoms I enjoy mean jack and squat until freedom is enjoyed by all.
Here's to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakul Karman.
Here's to Heroes!
Friday, October 7, 2011
TV News? What the...... Oh, There is a Point to It....
The first casualty of the fall TV season is NBC's Playboy Club. As an anti-sexist with feminist theories swimming in my mind, I'm immediately tempted to cheer.
But of course, nothing is that simple.
From the Advocate...
And of course, one of the shows that featured LGBT characters was, you guessed it, Playboy Club. And not as the stereotype you may expect. At least, according to Out Magazine.
The atheist movement has found many parallels with the GLBT movement. Unlike racism and sexism, both atheists and GLBT people can chose to hide their true selves in an attempt to avoid persecution. GLBT's came out of that closet en masse and forced society to admit that they not only existed, but that they were their friends, family, co-workers, and teachers; that they were their peers and that they were not going anywhere, so people may as well get used to it.
And it worked. All statistics and graphs from P.a.p.-Blog/Human Rights
Is there still work to be done? Of course. I would never claim that LGBT's are now free of discrimination. Homophobia still runs rampant, and the conservative christian movement is not helping. But when you look at that graph, one point stands out. It's the "By Age Group" portion. 62% acceptance by those in the 18 to 29 category. This is a war that we are winning. The bigots can only win if we stop fighting, if we stop forcing people to admit that they know LGBT people, and that these people are not monsters.
And that is why, despite my immediate feminist preconceptions towards Playboy Club, I am saddened that it was cancelled. More exposure leads to more acceptance. More GLBT characters in prime time equals more exposure.
Here's hoping Bravo gives the show a new home.
Speaking of exposure, how many characters on TV are atheists? Quick, name three other than House.
Having problems?
The GLBT movement has given us a blueprint that works. They still face discrimination, but attitudes are shifting, and the youth has been won. I will continue to back them, to take homophobes to task, and strive to be as gay-positive as a straight man can be.
But this graph scares me.
53% would not vote for an atheist, in a nation with no religious test for office. Disgusting bigotry.
We aren't going away. The "New Atheist" bestsellers were a great start. The Out Campaign is a strong step in the right direction. But for every step forward made, we fragment over how to deal with the religious, over how outspoken to be, over the inherent problems of sexism in a movement that for far too long has been patriocentric, just to name a few stumbling blocks.
None of that matters if the simple fact of our atheism causes our opinions to be disregarded. We can fight each other until the theocracy, or we can come together and force society to acknowledge our existence. There are real world battles outside the movement that we must fight. Yes, we have serious inner issues as well. We need more women, and we need more men who don't treat the women as "geek whores." We need to decide how diplomatic to be to the religious when there is a common goal. We need to understand that atheists do not hold one political philosophy. I don't want all atheists to be liberals. I want a sane opposition party.
Believe me, I am not innocent here. It took until yesterday for me to come out as an Atheist under my real name, to my real friends and family. I've flamed Chris Mooney so many times I've lost count. I've refused to compromise when compromise was needed. Ideological purity is not a possibility. Would I love a world of rationality and logic, where people make decisions based on evidence, and no one follows outdated bronze age concepts of morality? You betcha. But I also live in reality.
Any change we can cause is limited as long as we are the hated "other."
I am an atheist. It is not because I am "mad at God," or any other rationalization you can come up with. It is because I followed the evidence.
I am not alone.
But of course, nothing is that simple.
From the Advocate...
The number of LGBT characters in primetime on broadcast channels is decreasing in the next season, according to a count by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
And of course, one of the shows that featured LGBT characters was, you guessed it, Playboy Club. And not as the stereotype you may expect. At least, according to Out Magazine.
Judging by the pilot, one of Playboy's focal points is the proliferating gay rights movement, told through the story of lesbian bunny Alice (Leah Renee) and her gay husband, Sean (Firefly's Sean Maher). The two have a marriage of convenience and host secret meetings of the Mattachine Society, one of the first real-life gay rights organizations, in their apartment. As domestic and political co-conspirators, Alice and Sean put a new spin on the stock gay TV character, often depicted in this era as tragic and isolated.
The atheist movement has found many parallels with the GLBT movement. Unlike racism and sexism, both atheists and GLBT people can chose to hide their true selves in an attempt to avoid persecution. GLBT's came out of that closet en masse and forced society to admit that they not only existed, but that they were their friends, family, co-workers, and teachers; that they were their peers and that they were not going anywhere, so people may as well get used to it.
And it worked. All statistics and graphs from P.a.p.-Blog/Human Rights
Is there still work to be done? Of course. I would never claim that LGBT's are now free of discrimination. Homophobia still runs rampant, and the conservative christian movement is not helping. But when you look at that graph, one point stands out. It's the "By Age Group" portion. 62% acceptance by those in the 18 to 29 category. This is a war that we are winning. The bigots can only win if we stop fighting, if we stop forcing people to admit that they know LGBT people, and that these people are not monsters.
And that is why, despite my immediate feminist preconceptions towards Playboy Club, I am saddened that it was cancelled. More exposure leads to more acceptance. More GLBT characters in prime time equals more exposure.
Here's hoping Bravo gives the show a new home.
Speaking of exposure, how many characters on TV are atheists? Quick, name three other than House.
Having problems?
The GLBT movement has given us a blueprint that works. They still face discrimination, but attitudes are shifting, and the youth has been won. I will continue to back them, to take homophobes to task, and strive to be as gay-positive as a straight man can be.
But this graph scares me.
53% would not vote for an atheist, in a nation with no religious test for office. Disgusting bigotry.
We aren't going away. The "New Atheist" bestsellers were a great start. The Out Campaign is a strong step in the right direction. But for every step forward made, we fragment over how to deal with the religious, over how outspoken to be, over the inherent problems of sexism in a movement that for far too long has been patriocentric, just to name a few stumbling blocks.
None of that matters if the simple fact of our atheism causes our opinions to be disregarded. We can fight each other until the theocracy, or we can come together and force society to acknowledge our existence. There are real world battles outside the movement that we must fight. Yes, we have serious inner issues as well. We need more women, and we need more men who don't treat the women as "geek whores." We need to decide how diplomatic to be to the religious when there is a common goal. We need to understand that atheists do not hold one political philosophy. I don't want all atheists to be liberals. I want a sane opposition party.
Believe me, I am not innocent here. It took until yesterday for me to come out as an Atheist under my real name, to my real friends and family. I've flamed Chris Mooney so many times I've lost count. I've refused to compromise when compromise was needed. Ideological purity is not a possibility. Would I love a world of rationality and logic, where people make decisions based on evidence, and no one follows outdated bronze age concepts of morality? You betcha. But I also live in reality.
Any change we can cause is limited as long as we are the hated "other."
I am an atheist. It is not because I am "mad at God," or any other rationalization you can come up with. It is because I followed the evidence.
I am not alone.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Totalitarian Turkey: Revenge for Thanksgi....Oh, Sorry. Wrong Turkey
Missed this the other day. Hat tip to Butterflies and Wheels.
From The Hurriyet Daily News,
Shit? A year in jail for insulting religion? What the hell did he do, draw Allah?
Sounds like rather decent commentary so far, trying to make the point of how in a connected civilization, sometimes we should slow down, break the connection, and...
Wait? He what?!
Damn sneaky cartoonists. Next you'll be telling me Peanuts was Christian propaganda.
Here's the cartoon if you want to see it for yourselves. The red circled part is the hidden message.
This cartoonist is facing a year in jail for that little hidden message. For words.
As much as I complain about the United States, sometimes I forget actually how good I have it. I'm free sit here at a desk and yell/type "There is no Allah! Religion is a lie!" without fear of the police showing up to drag me away.
From The Hurriyet Daily News,
The Istanbul chief public prosecutor's office charged cartoonist Bahadır Baruter with "insulting the religious values adopted by a part of the population" and requested his imprisonment for up to one year.
Shit? A year in jail for insulting religion? What the hell did he do, draw Allah?
Baruter's caricature depicted an imam and believers praying in a mosque. One of the characters is talking to God on his cellphone and asking to be pardoned from the last part of the prayer because he has errands to run.
Sounds like rather decent commentary so far, trying to make the point of how in a connected civilization, sometimes we should slow down, break the connection, and...
Wait? He what?!
Within the wall decorations of the mosque, Baruter hid the words, "There is no Allah, religion is a lie." The cartoon was published in the weekly "Penguen" humor magazine.
Damn sneaky cartoonists. Next you'll be telling me Peanuts was Christian propaganda.
Here's the cartoon if you want to see it for yourselves. The red circled part is the hidden message.
This cartoonist is facing a year in jail for that little hidden message. For words.
As much as I complain about the United States, sometimes I forget actually how good I have it. I'm free sit here at a desk and yell/type "There is no Allah! Religion is a lie!" without fear of the police showing up to drag me away.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Dr. Rachie, Myth Buster
Tip of the hat to Richard Saunders.
From MamaMia.com comes Dr. Rachael Dunlop (Dr. Rachie to those in the know) to restore my faith in humanity. Just as a recently released study in Pediatrics breaks the bad news that 1 in 10 children are being put at risk by their parents, (see my previous post...) Dr. Rachie shines the light of science on the very myths that cause parents to make this horrible decision.
I am sure that those in the anti-vax community are already preparing their misinformation filled response. I'll personally be disappointed if they don't offer up at least 9 logical fallacies to promote the 9 myths Dr. Rachie has so effectively busted. My money is on at least two fallacies being of the ad hominem variety.
If you haven't heard, the anti-vaxxers can be just a tad nasty to those who disagree.
How Nasty?
This nasty.
From MamaMia.com comes Dr. Rachael Dunlop (Dr. Rachie to those in the know) to restore my faith in humanity. Just as a recently released study in Pediatrics breaks the bad news that 1 in 10 children are being put at risk by their parents, (see my previous post...) Dr. Rachie shines the light of science on the very myths that cause parents to make this horrible decision.
I am sure that those in the anti-vax community are already preparing their misinformation filled response. I'll personally be disappointed if they don't offer up at least 9 logical fallacies to promote the 9 myths Dr. Rachie has so effectively busted. My money is on at least two fallacies being of the ad hominem variety.
If you haven't heard, the anti-vaxxers can be just a tad nasty to those who disagree.
How Nasty?
This nasty.
I Should Have Stayed Asleep....
From the The News Herald amongst others.
1 in 10 children put at risk of life threatening diseases by their well-meaning but misinformed parents.
The classic anti-vax slogan, "we're not anti-vaccine, we're pro-safe vaccines." The addition of the appeal to American ideals of freedom of choice is typical as well. I hope with all my heart that Kandace's decision never hurts her children or any other child. She seems like she not only cares deeply, but also honestly believes that her decision is correct.
She is wrong.
And she is dangerous.
Excuse me as I offend some "liberal sensibilities" here. Yes, everyone has the right to their opinion, just as everyone has the right to be an idiot. Opinions unsupported by evidence and facts are worthless, possibly harmful, and deserve to be ridiculed at every opportunity. All manners of insane beliefs manage to find people to champion them. The anti-vaccination crusade is just one of many, yet there is a extreme difference between this belief and so many others.
This belief kills children.
Want to practice a little google-fu? Let's start with the basic search, "measles outbreaks in the united states." Hmmm. Measles cases at 15 year high. I know, I hear you. "But it's just the measles! Who cares?" Well, I said to question everything I said.
Here. From the WHO
Yep, it's only measles. What's the harm?
738 vaccine preventable deaths in the US since June 3, 2007. Stat from Jenny McCarthy Body Count An important site, I highly recommend it.
It is not just measles. It's not about any particular disease. It is about the health of our children, the importance of protecting herd immunity, and the propaganda war being waged by the anti-vaccine sycophants. They claim they want safe vaccines, yet study after study after study not only shows no correlation between the MMR vaccine and Autism, but also shows the overall safety of vaccines.
Look. I understand the pain parents with autistic children must feel. I also understand this.
From Science Based Medicine.
I get it. I do. You want someone to blame, and the government and "big pharma" are all too easy of targets. But you are being played. The study that started this all, Andrew Wakefield's fraudulant study that ended his medical career in the UK, was a undisclosed-conflict-of-interest filled attempt at winning lawsuits that included all of 12 children. And yet Wakefield is still a hero to the anti-vaccine advocates, because reality is not the world they inhabit.
For the anti-vaxxers, this is a crusade where evidence does not matter. It's just that in this crusade, the only causalities are children.
More information on the anti-vax "evidence" here, here, here, and here.
1 in 10 children put at risk of life threatening diseases by their well-meaning but misinformed parents.
Kandace O’Neill is a Lakeville, Minn., mom whose views are shared by many parents who don’t follow federal vaccine advice. Her 5-year-old son has had no vaccinations since he turned 1, and her 7-month-old daughter has received none of the recommended shots.
“I have to make sure that my child is healthy, and I do not want to put medications in my child that I think are going to harm them,” said O’Neill, who was not involved in the survey appearing in Pediatrics.
O’Neill said she’s not an extreme anti-vaccine zealot. She just thinks that parents — not doctors or schools — should make medical decisions for their children.
The classic anti-vax slogan, "we're not anti-vaccine, we're pro-safe vaccines." The addition of the appeal to American ideals of freedom of choice is typical as well. I hope with all my heart that Kandace's decision never hurts her children or any other child. She seems like she not only cares deeply, but also honestly believes that her decision is correct.
She is wrong.
And she is dangerous.
Excuse me as I offend some "liberal sensibilities" here. Yes, everyone has the right to their opinion, just as everyone has the right to be an idiot. Opinions unsupported by evidence and facts are worthless, possibly harmful, and deserve to be ridiculed at every opportunity. All manners of insane beliefs manage to find people to champion them. The anti-vaccination crusade is just one of many, yet there is a extreme difference between this belief and so many others.
This belief kills children.
Want to practice a little google-fu? Let's start with the basic search, "measles outbreaks in the united states." Hmmm. Measles cases at 15 year high. I know, I hear you. "But it's just the measles! Who cares?" Well, I said to question everything I said.
Here. From the WHO
Key facts
Measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available.
In 2008, there were 164 000 measles deaths globally – nearly 450 deaths every day or 18 deaths every hour.
More than 95% of measles deaths occur in low-income countries with weak health infrastructures.
Measles vaccination resulted in a 78% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2008 worldwide.
In 2008, about 83% of the world's children received one dose of measles vaccine by their first birthday through routine health services – up from 72% in 2000.
Yep, it's only measles. What's the harm?
738 vaccine preventable deaths in the US since June 3, 2007. Stat from Jenny McCarthy Body Count An important site, I highly recommend it.
It is not just measles. It's not about any particular disease. It is about the health of our children, the importance of protecting herd immunity, and the propaganda war being waged by the anti-vaccine sycophants. They claim they want safe vaccines, yet study after study after study not only shows no correlation between the MMR vaccine and Autism, but also shows the overall safety of vaccines.
Look. I understand the pain parents with autistic children must feel. I also understand this.
I lost a patient this season, an infant, to pertussis. After falling ill he lived for nearly a month in the intensive care unit on a ventilator, three weeks of which was spent on a heart/lung bypass machine (ECMO) due to the extent of the damage to his lungs, but all our efforts were in vain. The most aggressive and advanced care medicine has to offer couldn’t save his life; the only thing that could have saved him would have been to prevent him from contracting pertussis in the first place.
He was unvaccinated, but that was because of his age. He was part of the population that is fully dependent on herd immunity for protection, and that is exquisitely prone to a life-threatening course once infected. This is a topic we’ve covered ad nauseum, and I’m not inclined to go into greater depth in this post. Suffice it to say his death is a failure at every level; we, both as medical professionals and as a society at large need to do a better job of protecting our children from preventable diseases.
~Joseph Albietz
From Science Based Medicine.
I get it. I do. You want someone to blame, and the government and "big pharma" are all too easy of targets. But you are being played. The study that started this all, Andrew Wakefield's fraudulant study that ended his medical career in the UK, was a undisclosed-conflict-of-interest filled attempt at winning lawsuits that included all of 12 children. And yet Wakefield is still a hero to the anti-vaccine advocates, because reality is not the world they inhabit.
For the anti-vaxxers, this is a crusade where evidence does not matter. It's just that in this crusade, the only causalities are children.
More information on the anti-vax "evidence" here, here, here, and here.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Insert Rambling Manifesto Here!
I get into arguments frequently with others who either once were "punk" or who still claim the label. The arguments that don't involve me laughing hysterically at "anarchism" or "communism" as valid options general boil down to one issue. They say the system is broken and needs to be brought down. I say the system isn't going anywhere, and as dysfunctional as it may be, change can happen if the effort is made. There are times that I wonder if I am right, but the alternative is unthinkable to me. There is not going to be a workers revolution. Violent revolt is a one way ticket to the ever growing corrections industry. Rioting may be a way to a free TV, but it is not a legitimate road to political change. I wore the Circle A in my youth. I've read the Communist Manifesto and marveled at Marx's words. I've had my fantasies of a non-violent revolution making this a country for the common man.
And then I both woke and grew the fuck up.
Any change must come from within the system and it won't be over night. As much as I admire many of the protesters camping out in NYC, Wall Street isn't going to decide "Hey, these kids are serious, let's put liberals in power!" What those protesters are doing is important, but change is going to have to come over years if not decades.
We have the opinion of the public on our side. The right has the media, the money, and the sound bytes. Our views take thought. They do not fit in a short attention span society that feeds on TV news. It's easy to say somebody hates God, or is un-American, or blames America, or is a socialist. It is hard to explain the other side, it takes time, the views are more nuanced. Education and information are both vital in our fight, yet so many I know who once cared live for nothing but day to day comfort and entertainment. And how can I blame them? While the wheels of power turn, the under class struggles to eat. The very people who should care the most have more important things to worry about; their survival.
*sigh*
Yeah, I'm ranting. But it's stopping my legs from crawling, so oh well. I make no claims to be anything more than I am. A 36 year old citizen of the United States who has nightmares of what change I could have caused, if I wouldn't have chosen the needle instead.
When I read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, other than not seeing all the references to God conservatives claim are there, what I see is a document that makes me proud of where I live. I see a result of the Enlightenment, written by imperfect men with the idea of a secular society where every citizen is not equal, yet has equal opportunity. Yes, there is racism and sexism as well, but it is a document from the 18th century and yet it holds up remarkably well today. Yet when I look at the current state of the United States, well, that is when I start researching other countries immigration requirements. I see a nation that is unequaled in the west in the separation between the haves and the have-nots. I see a nation that sends the youth of the middle and under classes off to die without any sacrifice asked from those with money and power. I see a nation that cuts services to the poorest while cutting taxes on the richest. And I see a nation of middle and under class citizens who have been duped by the rich. The term liberal, although almost every liberal political goal enjoys majority support, is a one way ticket out of the national conversation. One party, using tactics of division, breaks those with common economic interests apart with religion, with race, with sex, with homophobia, with fear. The other party is center right. Probably pretty close to where Republicans would be if opinions were based on nothing but issues that matter. There is no credible voice of the left in American politics. Liberals themselves fear the label. And although barriers of race, sex and sexuality will fall with time, no matter how hard people fight against it, progress will not solve all our problems.
The time to take action was years ago. I am late. So are many others. What can we do now?
To be honest, I do not know. I have ideas, and I am willing to work, but I do not know if it is too late already. But I will never give up.
Random Ideas:
1. The left must either reclaim the word "liberal," or just toss the damn thing away. The conservative controlled media has demonized the word. Watch as Democrats cower from the label. I love the label, as I love the Enlightenment that created it, but the word may have been lost. Reclaiming it will be difficult, and I am not sure if it is worth it.
2. No matter what your political beliefs, we must all tell our elected officials of either party, to put an end to the political gerrymandering of congressional districts. It is not right when the left does it, it is not right when the right does it. Changing district boundaries for political gain should be criminal.
3. We must stop allowing our government to disenfranchise citizens of their right to vote. From *sigh* Wikipedia....
What is the considerable leeway given? Disenfranchising ex-felons who have paid their debt to society? Yep. Requiring a government issued photo ID card? Even though large numbers of citizens in some states do not have them, yep, perfectly legal. The leeway also includes restrictions on election day Voter Registration, as well as limited early voting periods, amongst other strategies.
Want to know a secret? There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Yet that is what the (normally) republican controlled state governments use as an excuse to limit registration, require id cards, and cut down on early voting. (In case you were wondering, yes, those who do not have id cards primarily vote democrat. Same with early voters, ex-felons, and those who register on election day. What a coincidence!)
LAW.com
ACLU Petition
4. End the failed War on American Citizens. Prohibition did not work in the 20's, why would anyone think it would work now? How many lives are we going to ruin? How much money are we going to lose to the cartels? How much are we going to spend on law enforcement that does nothing to slow the abuse? Could it be it is time for an education and treatment based approach, while taxing the proceeds of the sale of something the consumers want.
I have read articles by those who favor marijuana legalization that are as coocoo-for-cocao-puffs as anything Sarah Palin could come up with. No, it is not going to solve all of our economic problems. It won't erase the deficit. And I will scream the next time I hear a stoner claim he wants it legalized "for the people that need it as medicine, man."
But the war on drugs is an endless money pit. And yet, no matter how much money we throw down that hole, drug gang related violence increases, corruption runs rampant(forfeiture laws, anyone?), an entire generation of African American men rot in jail in spite of less involvement in drugs than whites, crimes related to drugs soar, and the numbers of users stays just about the same over time.
Yeah, I know. Just what you'd expect an ex-junkie to say, right? Then get it from Law Enforcement. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
There. Happy now? That is from a cop, not an ex-junkie.
5. We must understand that some compromises must be made. There is a lesson to be learned from the crawling, blind outer god the Republicans have conjured and named the Tea Party. As the Republicans move farther to the right and commit to the Tea Party's insanity driven politics, they move farther away from electability. The average American, no matter what they want you to believe, agrees with us in a large part. Look at the polling data if you don't believe me. If you are feeling lazy, ask and I'll dig it up. That being said, they don't agree with us on everything. We must be prepared to not win every battle. As surprising as this may sound, with the media filled with the likes of Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity, there are conservatives with well reasoned, rational, logic based stances on the issues. I'm not looking for a leftist utopia. Hell, to start, I'd be happy with the return of the two party democracy. Neither side is going to win the hearts and votes of everyone. I am not suggesting that we sell out our principles, only that we accept reality. That leftist utopia in your dreams is not a possibility in the United States. That leftist utopia probably isn't a possibility anywhere but fantasyland. But equal rights, health care, more equal opportunity for all, and less economic stratification are all possible.
6. We must stop destroying ourselves. I am the last person who has any right to tell someone not to use drugs, but believe me. Be smart. Get educated. In school, they lied to me about the dangers of every single drug until they got to heroin, and then they decided to mix in some truth. I know the allure of the needle, of the escape, of the rush that takes all of your problems away until the demon needs the next fix. I have also watched too many great minds waste away, strung out, and too many kindred souls turn blue and stop breathing. I've seen myself turn a career and a 3.9gpa into 14 wasted years and the mess I now call my life. I know what that felony means on your record, and I've seen hundreds of peers saddled with one just in my small city. I'm not going to tell anyone to draw an "x" on their hand. I have no right. But educate yourself. Know what you are putting in your body, and for fucks sakes, do not let the system have you.
Point six is more than just drugs. Our society makes it too easy to turn on and drop out without intoxicants. Television, pop music, movies, video games, the internet; each can be a force for good, and each can also be an opiate of the masses. We must stay involved and we must stay educated. We must not let race, sex, creed, or sexuality fragment us. We must forget whatever naive ideas look good on a t-shirt, and embrace rationality.
7. Perhaps the most important point in this rambling 7 point list. We must get involved, and we must educate our peers. The Right has money, desire, belief, and simple talking points that can fit on a bumper sticker. We have a discouraged base, a lack of funds, politicians that run to the right away from our beliefs, and intelligent, rational stands on the issues that do not fit into the sound byte culture of modern media. Insert your favorite overwhelming underdog sports analogy here. We have at least two things on our side. We are right, and the majority of the nation, once the issues are removed from the sound byte culture, agree with us. We will never get a fair hearing in the major media until we start changing things. But we have blogs, we have facebook, we have youtube, we have the letters to the editor, and we have brilliant minds who need to get involved. When confronted with the negative stereotypes forced on us, we need to speak up, we need to educate. We're soft on terror? 90% of liberals supported military action against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. We're not soft on terror, we just don't agree with war under false pretenses, and we're not too fond of torture. We hate God? No, we believe in the Wall of Separation as Jefferson and Madison intended. The majority of our citizens may be some denomination of Christian, but we are specifically not a Christian Nation. The Constitution and Bill of Rights protects the minority from oppression by the majority. We blame America? No, we understand that our foreign policy has consequences, and jingoistic belief that whatever we do is right is counterproductive to relations with other nations. When we torture enemy combatants, that gives other nations implicit consent to torture our soldiers. When we engage in Realpolitik overthrows of other nations governments, it does not endear us to that nations citizens. When we start wars under false pretenses, that leads to increased threats to our national security, and increased recruitment of terrorists. There is no longer a Cold War. The threat facing the west is no longer Mutually Assured Destruction with the USSR. We must understand the threats of today, join with our allies to face them, and stop thinking that whatever choice our leaders make is right just because we are the USA.
We can not get away with just shouting out a slogan. We must know the issues, and be prepared to defend and explain our stances at the grass roots level. Those of us who can must vote, not just in presidential years, but every year. Those of us who can must run for local office. Conservatives have taken over school board after school board, we must be represented also. The mainstream media has little use for liberal views. We must get our voices heard. Write letters, call your congressperson, work on a campaign, volunteer, drag the "moderate" position back to the center, as the conservatives have pushed it to the right in the last 30 years.
Education means more than just learning the political issues. We must also learn to confront pseudoscience, conspiracy thinking, dogmatic superstition and the like no matter which side of the political spectrum it comes from. It pains me as much to see those on the left embrace the anti-vaccination movement as it does when the right embraces creationism. 9/11 was not an inside job, the Illuminati is not controlling all governments, the Bilderbergers do not control the world economy, vaccines do not cause autism, and the world is not six thousand fucking years old. We live in the 21st century, with laptop computers, smart phones that keep us constantly connected, and easy travel to any spot on the planet. No matter your views on religion or spirituality, we live in a world best explained through the lens of material naturalism. Science works. It doesn't matter if you like it or not, this magic box I am currently typing this on says it does, as does the MRI machine at the local hospital, the eradication of small pox and almost of polio from the Earth, the Apollo Program, your cell phone and countless other examples. (Yes, the Apollo Program. Don't be the creepy moon landing denier guy. Seriously. Don't be that guy.) If a method comes along that explains the evidence better in the future, then we can talk again on the issue. Until then, get a grip. Base your opinions on evidence, and not evidence from only biased sources. Just because the HuffPo or Faux News says something is true does not make it so. Remember the old line: Keep an open mind, but not so open that it falls out. Question everything I say. Follow the evidence yourself.
And with that last bit, gentle reader, I have hit 70 hours with no sleep. My bed, and hopefully the dreaming are calling. If you have made it to the end, then you get a gold star and my gratitude. This manifesto has no bombs attached. It is a program of education and action, change from with in the system that exists with our consent. Violence and hate are not the tools we choose. Unity, knowledge, evidence, desire and love are much stronger.
Will anything change? Is it already too late? There is no such thing as psychics, so I am sorry, but I do not know. What I do know is that I am no longer willing to do nothing.
Change requires action. Never forget that.
And never forget these words. "We the People...."
Note: My desire for this blog is not to have any more rambling manifestos. Posts like this one will not be common here, although the ideas represented within will be. I have seen too many self-destruct, fall victim to conspiracy-driven or pseudo-scientific thinking, or just tune out and fade away. That is a vital part of why I am writing this blog, so much needed to be said. If you just care about the atheism and skepticism, you'll get your fix in the morning. Over the next week I will also delve deeper into the war on drugs, and its effect on both my life and the lives of others. The beginning stages of a blog, before an audience is secured, gives much room for exploration and experimentation. Methadone has slowed my mind for too long. As it drains, my mind sharpens. It has been years since I have felt the demon driving me to write. I almost forgot what it felt like to be honest. So far, I am happy with nothing I have posted here except for a line or two here and there, yet every word written is vital to my growth. I have no idea if blogging is the format for my message. I only know that I have wasted far too much of my life already to waste another day.
~Foster Disbelief
And then I both woke and grew the fuck up.
Any change must come from within the system and it won't be over night. As much as I admire many of the protesters camping out in NYC, Wall Street isn't going to decide "Hey, these kids are serious, let's put liberals in power!" What those protesters are doing is important, but change is going to have to come over years if not decades.
We have the opinion of the public on our side. The right has the media, the money, and the sound bytes. Our views take thought. They do not fit in a short attention span society that feeds on TV news. It's easy to say somebody hates God, or is un-American, or blames America, or is a socialist. It is hard to explain the other side, it takes time, the views are more nuanced. Education and information are both vital in our fight, yet so many I know who once cared live for nothing but day to day comfort and entertainment. And how can I blame them? While the wheels of power turn, the under class struggles to eat. The very people who should care the most have more important things to worry about; their survival.
*sigh*
Yeah, I'm ranting. But it's stopping my legs from crawling, so oh well. I make no claims to be anything more than I am. A 36 year old citizen of the United States who has nightmares of what change I could have caused, if I wouldn't have chosen the needle instead.
When I read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, other than not seeing all the references to God conservatives claim are there, what I see is a document that makes me proud of where I live. I see a result of the Enlightenment, written by imperfect men with the idea of a secular society where every citizen is not equal, yet has equal opportunity. Yes, there is racism and sexism as well, but it is a document from the 18th century and yet it holds up remarkably well today. Yet when I look at the current state of the United States, well, that is when I start researching other countries immigration requirements. I see a nation that is unequaled in the west in the separation between the haves and the have-nots. I see a nation that sends the youth of the middle and under classes off to die without any sacrifice asked from those with money and power. I see a nation that cuts services to the poorest while cutting taxes on the richest. And I see a nation of middle and under class citizens who have been duped by the rich. The term liberal, although almost every liberal political goal enjoys majority support, is a one way ticket out of the national conversation. One party, using tactics of division, breaks those with common economic interests apart with religion, with race, with sex, with homophobia, with fear. The other party is center right. Probably pretty close to where Republicans would be if opinions were based on nothing but issues that matter. There is no credible voice of the left in American politics. Liberals themselves fear the label. And although barriers of race, sex and sexuality will fall with time, no matter how hard people fight against it, progress will not solve all our problems.
The time to take action was years ago. I am late. So are many others. What can we do now?
To be honest, I do not know. I have ideas, and I am willing to work, but I do not know if it is too late already. But I will never give up.
Random Ideas:
1. The left must either reclaim the word "liberal," or just toss the damn thing away. The conservative controlled media has demonized the word. Watch as Democrats cower from the label. I love the label, as I love the Enlightenment that created it, but the word may have been lost. Reclaiming it will be difficult, and I am not sure if it is worth it.
2. No matter what your political beliefs, we must all tell our elected officials of either party, to put an end to the political gerrymandering of congressional districts. It is not right when the left does it, it is not right when the right does it. Changing district boundaries for political gain should be criminal.
3. We must stop allowing our government to disenfranchise citizens of their right to vote. From *sigh* Wikipedia....
the Voting Rights Act and three constitutional amendments that prevent discrimination in granting the franchise have established in United States Supreme Court jurisprudence that there is a "fundamental right" in the franchise, even though voting remains a state-granted privilege. However, states are given considerable leeway when it comes to this "fundamental right".
What is the considerable leeway given? Disenfranchising ex-felons who have paid their debt to society? Yep. Requiring a government issued photo ID card? Even though large numbers of citizens in some states do not have them, yep, perfectly legal. The leeway also includes restrictions on election day Voter Registration, as well as limited early voting periods, amongst other strategies.
Want to know a secret? There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Yet that is what the (normally) republican controlled state governments use as an excuse to limit registration, require id cards, and cut down on early voting. (In case you were wondering, yes, those who do not have id cards primarily vote democrat. Same with early voters, ex-felons, and those who register on election day. What a coincidence!)
LAW.com
ACLU Petition
4. End the failed War on American Citizens. Prohibition did not work in the 20's, why would anyone think it would work now? How many lives are we going to ruin? How much money are we going to lose to the cartels? How much are we going to spend on law enforcement that does nothing to slow the abuse? Could it be it is time for an education and treatment based approach, while taxing the proceeds of the sale of something the consumers want.
I have read articles by those who favor marijuana legalization that are as coocoo-for-cocao-puffs as anything Sarah Palin could come up with. No, it is not going to solve all of our economic problems. It won't erase the deficit. And I will scream the next time I hear a stoner claim he wants it legalized "for the people that need it as medicine, man."
But the war on drugs is an endless money pit. And yet, no matter how much money we throw down that hole, drug gang related violence increases, corruption runs rampant(forfeiture laws, anyone?), an entire generation of African American men rot in jail in spite of less involvement in drugs than whites, crimes related to drugs soar, and the numbers of users stays just about the same over time.
Yeah, I know. Just what you'd expect an ex-junkie to say, right? Then get it from Law Enforcement. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
We believe that drug prohibition is the true cause of much of the social and personal damage that has historically been attributed to drug use. It is prohibition that makes marijuana worth more than gold, and heroin worth more than uranium – while giving criminals a monopoly over their supply. Driven by the huge profits from this monopoly, criminal gangs bribe and kill each other, law enforcers, and children. Their trade is unregulated and they are, therefore, beyond our control.
History has shown that drug prohibition reduces neither use nor abuse. After a rapist is arrested, there are fewer rapes. After a drug dealer is arrested, however, neither the supply nor the demand for drugs is seriously changed. The arrest merely creates a job opening for an endless stream of drug entrepreneurs who will take huge risks for the sake of the enormous profits created by prohibition. Prohibition costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year, yet 40 years and some 40 million arrests later, drugs are cheaper, more potent and far more widely used than at the beginning of this futile crusade.
We believe that by eliminating prohibition of all drugs for adults and establishing appropriate regulation and standards for distribution and use, law enforcement could focus more on crimes of violence, such as rape, aggravated assault, child abuse and murder, making our communities much safer. We believe that sending parents to prison for non-violent personal drug use destroys families. We believe that in a regulated and controlled environment, drugs will be safer for adult use and less accessible to our children. And we believe that by placing drug abuse in the hands of medical professionals instead of the criminal justice system, we will reduce rates of addiction and overdose deaths.
There. Happy now? That is from a cop, not an ex-junkie.
5. We must understand that some compromises must be made. There is a lesson to be learned from the crawling, blind outer god the Republicans have conjured and named the Tea Party. As the Republicans move farther to the right and commit to the Tea Party's insanity driven politics, they move farther away from electability. The average American, no matter what they want you to believe, agrees with us in a large part. Look at the polling data if you don't believe me. If you are feeling lazy, ask and I'll dig it up. That being said, they don't agree with us on everything. We must be prepared to not win every battle. As surprising as this may sound, with the media filled with the likes of Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity, there are conservatives with well reasoned, rational, logic based stances on the issues. I'm not looking for a leftist utopia. Hell, to start, I'd be happy with the return of the two party democracy. Neither side is going to win the hearts and votes of everyone. I am not suggesting that we sell out our principles, only that we accept reality. That leftist utopia in your dreams is not a possibility in the United States. That leftist utopia probably isn't a possibility anywhere but fantasyland. But equal rights, health care, more equal opportunity for all, and less economic stratification are all possible.
6. We must stop destroying ourselves. I am the last person who has any right to tell someone not to use drugs, but believe me. Be smart. Get educated. In school, they lied to me about the dangers of every single drug until they got to heroin, and then they decided to mix in some truth. I know the allure of the needle, of the escape, of the rush that takes all of your problems away until the demon needs the next fix. I have also watched too many great minds waste away, strung out, and too many kindred souls turn blue and stop breathing. I've seen myself turn a career and a 3.9gpa into 14 wasted years and the mess I now call my life. I know what that felony means on your record, and I've seen hundreds of peers saddled with one just in my small city. I'm not going to tell anyone to draw an "x" on their hand. I have no right. But educate yourself. Know what you are putting in your body, and for fucks sakes, do not let the system have you.
Point six is more than just drugs. Our society makes it too easy to turn on and drop out without intoxicants. Television, pop music, movies, video games, the internet; each can be a force for good, and each can also be an opiate of the masses. We must stay involved and we must stay educated. We must not let race, sex, creed, or sexuality fragment us. We must forget whatever naive ideas look good on a t-shirt, and embrace rationality.
7. Perhaps the most important point in this rambling 7 point list. We must get involved, and we must educate our peers. The Right has money, desire, belief, and simple talking points that can fit on a bumper sticker. We have a discouraged base, a lack of funds, politicians that run to the right away from our beliefs, and intelligent, rational stands on the issues that do not fit into the sound byte culture of modern media. Insert your favorite overwhelming underdog sports analogy here. We have at least two things on our side. We are right, and the majority of the nation, once the issues are removed from the sound byte culture, agree with us. We will never get a fair hearing in the major media until we start changing things. But we have blogs, we have facebook, we have youtube, we have the letters to the editor, and we have brilliant minds who need to get involved. When confronted with the negative stereotypes forced on us, we need to speak up, we need to educate. We're soft on terror? 90% of liberals supported military action against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. We're not soft on terror, we just don't agree with war under false pretenses, and we're not too fond of torture. We hate God? No, we believe in the Wall of Separation as Jefferson and Madison intended. The majority of our citizens may be some denomination of Christian, but we are specifically not a Christian Nation. The Constitution and Bill of Rights protects the minority from oppression by the majority. We blame America? No, we understand that our foreign policy has consequences, and jingoistic belief that whatever we do is right is counterproductive to relations with other nations. When we torture enemy combatants, that gives other nations implicit consent to torture our soldiers. When we engage in Realpolitik overthrows of other nations governments, it does not endear us to that nations citizens. When we start wars under false pretenses, that leads to increased threats to our national security, and increased recruitment of terrorists. There is no longer a Cold War. The threat facing the west is no longer Mutually Assured Destruction with the USSR. We must understand the threats of today, join with our allies to face them, and stop thinking that whatever choice our leaders make is right just because we are the USA.
We can not get away with just shouting out a slogan. We must know the issues, and be prepared to defend and explain our stances at the grass roots level. Those of us who can must vote, not just in presidential years, but every year. Those of us who can must run for local office. Conservatives have taken over school board after school board, we must be represented also. The mainstream media has little use for liberal views. We must get our voices heard. Write letters, call your congressperson, work on a campaign, volunteer, drag the "moderate" position back to the center, as the conservatives have pushed it to the right in the last 30 years.
Education means more than just learning the political issues. We must also learn to confront pseudoscience, conspiracy thinking, dogmatic superstition and the like no matter which side of the political spectrum it comes from. It pains me as much to see those on the left embrace the anti-vaccination movement as it does when the right embraces creationism. 9/11 was not an inside job, the Illuminati is not controlling all governments, the Bilderbergers do not control the world economy, vaccines do not cause autism, and the world is not six thousand fucking years old. We live in the 21st century, with laptop computers, smart phones that keep us constantly connected, and easy travel to any spot on the planet. No matter your views on religion or spirituality, we live in a world best explained through the lens of material naturalism. Science works. It doesn't matter if you like it or not, this magic box I am currently typing this on says it does, as does the MRI machine at the local hospital, the eradication of small pox and almost of polio from the Earth, the Apollo Program, your cell phone and countless other examples. (Yes, the Apollo Program. Don't be the creepy moon landing denier guy. Seriously. Don't be that guy.) If a method comes along that explains the evidence better in the future, then we can talk again on the issue. Until then, get a grip. Base your opinions on evidence, and not evidence from only biased sources. Just because the HuffPo or Faux News says something is true does not make it so. Remember the old line: Keep an open mind, but not so open that it falls out. Question everything I say. Follow the evidence yourself.
And with that last bit, gentle reader, I have hit 70 hours with no sleep. My bed, and hopefully the dreaming are calling. If you have made it to the end, then you get a gold star and my gratitude. This manifesto has no bombs attached. It is a program of education and action, change from with in the system that exists with our consent. Violence and hate are not the tools we choose. Unity, knowledge, evidence, desire and love are much stronger.
Will anything change? Is it already too late? There is no such thing as psychics, so I am sorry, but I do not know. What I do know is that I am no longer willing to do nothing.
Change requires action. Never forget that.
And never forget these words. "We the People...."
Note: My desire for this blog is not to have any more rambling manifestos. Posts like this one will not be common here, although the ideas represented within will be. I have seen too many self-destruct, fall victim to conspiracy-driven or pseudo-scientific thinking, or just tune out and fade away. That is a vital part of why I am writing this blog, so much needed to be said. If you just care about the atheism and skepticism, you'll get your fix in the morning. Over the next week I will also delve deeper into the war on drugs, and its effect on both my life and the lives of others. The beginning stages of a blog, before an audience is secured, gives much room for exploration and experimentation. Methadone has slowed my mind for too long. As it drains, my mind sharpens. It has been years since I have felt the demon driving me to write. I almost forgot what it felt like to be honest. So far, I am happy with nothing I have posted here except for a line or two here and there, yet every word written is vital to my growth. I have no idea if blogging is the format for my message. I only know that I have wasted far too much of my life already to waste another day.
~Foster Disbelief
Apologies for Off Day; Have I Mentioned Withdrawal Sucks?
Let us see. Two, carry the one, divide by the sum of the....
Yep, Just hit 67 hours without sleep.
Methadone maintenance has served me well. I would have much rather taken a longer taper instead of the 10 day "um, you lost medical assistance, sorry" taper program I received, but the time had come to toss the crutch away. It actually makes a decent point in the current debate over health care in the United States. As a single male with only "drug dependance" as a medical issue, I would lose my government cheese medical benefits on the day I became employed. If I could muster up a psych diagnoses, I would be eligible for subsidized health insurance under the Medical Assistance for Disabled Workers program in my state, but alas, I am not a welfare fraud and not about to lie to a doctor about how depressed I am.
Methadone treatment, while I was employed, cost me 500$ a month. Roughly half of my take home, depending on tips of course. That is a lot less than an opiate addiction costs, I know. Believe me, I know, but still. I was referred to the clinic by one Doctor, who was backed up by both my PCP and a third opinion I decided to get. The clinic itself called me "a classic case of exactly who methadone is for. You are the client type we want to have here." I have forms upon forms stating that methadone is a "Life and Health Sustaining Medication" for me, yet once the failing economy touched me and I became unemployed, I went from 80mg a day to 0 in ten days.
Yes, I know. There are ways I could have played the system, but the reason I finally went on methadone was to stop living that life. It did its job, and no matter the discomfort I feel now, I was ready to get off the drug.
I did learn one very important lesson however; Don't get sick. As a single male, I am a persona non grata to government assistance. No matter the income, as soon as I am employed I am ineligible for every program. Don't get me wrong, I have no desire to live on the dole. Government cheese doesn't fuel my appetite. But how are the poor, the underclass, hell, the middle class without health insurance supposed to better their lives, to be productive, when one sustained illness can force bankruptcy? If I want to get an annual physical, which I should start doing as I am not getting any younger, then that money has to come out of either my food budget or my college fund. At least that I can plan for, what happens if I need an antibiotic? There goes at least one month of saving. FSM forbid I have an accident, or a long term illness, or need surgery. I have struggled for years to work on the debt I have without declaring bankruptcy. I have made many mistakes in my life, but I have taken responsibility for them and am trying to turn things around. I will have chronic health problems for the rest of my life, and it scares me that no matter what choices I make from now on, it's up to the roll of the dice whether I succeed or end up on disability. Cancer, heart disease, COPD, diabetes, high blood pressure, and strokes all run in my family, and I haven't even mentioned any of the health problems I do have. What kind of a modern society makes health care a privilege, not a right?
For any one ready to pounce, ready to point out the obvious fact that I made my choices and now I am reaping what I have sown, fine. What about the countless uninsured children who are only guilty of being born poor? What of those struggling to escape poverty who are law abiding citizens? When I was 6 my appendix almost burst. If my parents wouldn't have had insurance, they could have been wiped out. When I was 23 I broke both of me feet in an accident. One of the benefits I had at the time was health insurance. I paid nothing for my treatment, and although I was only supposed to get 40 to 60% usage back, due to the quality of care I received I have over 95% of the usage I had before the accident. Although I have pain management issues, I can still go backpacking and hiking thanks to health insurance. Accidents happen to everyone, the drug addict and the teetotaler, the rich and the poor, the young and the old.
Health care is a right. It isn't socialism. You are being played by those who control the talking points.
Yep, Just hit 67 hours without sleep.
Methadone maintenance has served me well. I would have much rather taken a longer taper instead of the 10 day "um, you lost medical assistance, sorry" taper program I received, but the time had come to toss the crutch away. It actually makes a decent point in the current debate over health care in the United States. As a single male with only "drug dependance" as a medical issue, I would lose my government cheese medical benefits on the day I became employed. If I could muster up a psych diagnoses, I would be eligible for subsidized health insurance under the Medical Assistance for Disabled Workers program in my state, but alas, I am not a welfare fraud and not about to lie to a doctor about how depressed I am.
Methadone treatment, while I was employed, cost me 500$ a month. Roughly half of my take home, depending on tips of course. That is a lot less than an opiate addiction costs, I know. Believe me, I know, but still. I was referred to the clinic by one Doctor, who was backed up by both my PCP and a third opinion I decided to get. The clinic itself called me "a classic case of exactly who methadone is for. You are the client type we want to have here." I have forms upon forms stating that methadone is a "Life and Health Sustaining Medication" for me, yet once the failing economy touched me and I became unemployed, I went from 80mg a day to 0 in ten days.
Yes, I know. There are ways I could have played the system, but the reason I finally went on methadone was to stop living that life. It did its job, and no matter the discomfort I feel now, I was ready to get off the drug.
I did learn one very important lesson however; Don't get sick. As a single male, I am a persona non grata to government assistance. No matter the income, as soon as I am employed I am ineligible for every program. Don't get me wrong, I have no desire to live on the dole. Government cheese doesn't fuel my appetite. But how are the poor, the underclass, hell, the middle class without health insurance supposed to better their lives, to be productive, when one sustained illness can force bankruptcy? If I want to get an annual physical, which I should start doing as I am not getting any younger, then that money has to come out of either my food budget or my college fund. At least that I can plan for, what happens if I need an antibiotic? There goes at least one month of saving. FSM forbid I have an accident, or a long term illness, or need surgery. I have struggled for years to work on the debt I have without declaring bankruptcy. I have made many mistakes in my life, but I have taken responsibility for them and am trying to turn things around. I will have chronic health problems for the rest of my life, and it scares me that no matter what choices I make from now on, it's up to the roll of the dice whether I succeed or end up on disability. Cancer, heart disease, COPD, diabetes, high blood pressure, and strokes all run in my family, and I haven't even mentioned any of the health problems I do have. What kind of a modern society makes health care a privilege, not a right?
For any one ready to pounce, ready to point out the obvious fact that I made my choices and now I am reaping what I have sown, fine. What about the countless uninsured children who are only guilty of being born poor? What of those struggling to escape poverty who are law abiding citizens? When I was 6 my appendix almost burst. If my parents wouldn't have had insurance, they could have been wiped out. When I was 23 I broke both of me feet in an accident. One of the benefits I had at the time was health insurance. I paid nothing for my treatment, and although I was only supposed to get 40 to 60% usage back, due to the quality of care I received I have over 95% of the usage I had before the accident. Although I have pain management issues, I can still go backpacking and hiking thanks to health insurance. Accidents happen to everyone, the drug addict and the teetotaler, the rich and the poor, the young and the old.
Health care is a right. It isn't socialism. You are being played by those who control the talking points.
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