THANK YOU, DEVEN!

A HUGE thank you to Deven Green, (aka America's BEST Christian, Mrs. Betty Bowers) for appearing on my show.  It was almost (it pretty much was) complete nightmare as I had a total equipment meltdown the second I hit "record" but I had so much fun talking with her, and am so grateful for her taking the time to talk to me!  She really is awesome. Thank you SO MUCH, Deven!

Deven's show is now up on the RADIO PAGE.  Betty's latest work of genius is here, for your enjoyment:




"Just look at the Donald!"

TONIGHT, 10:PM EST: Christian Beranek & Kelci Crawford!

They work together on Validation.

Many of Christian's other works can be found at the The Webcomic Factory.

Most of Kelci's other work can be found on Her Website.

America's best Christian talks abortion...

William, you're, um... "talents" are truly wasted here. Clearly I am no match for you with my heathen beliefs and practices and utter inability to cherry-pick the same passages that you seem to think are the important ones.  So I'll leave it to Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian, to talk about abortion, and you can take up you're, um.... "sincerely held religious beliefs" with her.

Yeah, America sure is a Christian Nation all right...

As explained by Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian!

Biblical Marriage Explained!

Dear RW Christians,

I present to you, the Law of Unintended Consequences:



...OR, we could just allow the Separation of Church and State to become the residing principle by which we protect everyone's Religious Freedom.  You know, that way NO ONE will end up saying, "Why are you exposing MY KIDS to this nonsense?" no matter which religion they follow, or don't.

This insanity can end any time you want it to, Christians. What's it gonna be?

Couple things...

*sniiiiiif*

Yeah, feel like shit today.

So the regularly scheduled video celebrating the FCC's decision to maintain Net Neutrality will instead be replaced by this:

"Yay!"

There was more than that, including the skull-fuckingly dishonest manner that this has been "debated" by the Right in recent days, but... ugh... just not feeling it today.

Instead, here are some pics I came across recently to make up for it:

...perish the thought!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the following video, I'll address William's comments below with the precise level of respect, condor and invective they deserve. Not more, no less. 

(I don't have Brabantio's patience to suffer this fool, so I'm just going to demolish him.)

An Interview with Christian Beranek

 Right up front, I've got to get something out of the way, what is your gender identity? I ask because when I googled you I found, shall we say, two very distinct types of pictures come up – with you presenting as both male and female. And, of course, there’s the whole transgender web comic thing.  (And for my own reference, just to be 100% clear, your preferred pronouns?)

I identify as female so “she” and “her” are my preferred pronouns. There are loads of pics from the past online as I was very visible in the comic book and film worlds. I am not ashamed of any of those images. I lived that life and it's a part of who I am today.

Do you present that way full time, then?

I live 24/7 female.

How long since you started to transition?

I started taking it seriously in 2010 but really, I've always felt this way.

How did family and friends react?

I am fortunate to have great friends and a supportive family. It did take my parents a little while to accept me for who I am. Thankfully they realized I was still going to be me just way happier.

Has it affected you professionally?

I am sure some people have decided to communicate with me less. I still get some work for hire assignments and consulting gigs. I could be more active in seeking out jobs, I think. For the most part the comic book and film industries have been very accepting of me and I feel extremely fortunate.

Hardest part of it all?

Being considered a curiosity... Sometimes almost subhuman. That and the fact some people feel they have a right to know about your physical status, such as your genitals, just because I’m trans. Imagine if someone asked you “So are you keeping your penis?" or "Are you getting a boob job?" as if it was a legitimate matter of fact conversational question.

So, perhaps a dumb question, but what inspired you to do Validation?  Can I assume that the work is at least semi-autobiographical?

I had the title kicking around for a few years before I took a crack at the story. My inspiration does draw from real life but none of the characters represent anyone in particular. I've dated and been around trans people and knew their was a tale to tell, something way beyond my own. The key was to identify the tone and make sure it wasn't something that capitalized on sensationalism. It had to feel genuine.

What other projects have you worked on?

I co-wrote the graphic novels Dracula vs. King Arthur and Post Apocalyptic Nick and wrote some prequel and background material for the films Se7en, Max Payne and Babylon A.D. A few years back I signed a deal to produce comics for Disney with the intention of translating them into their own film universe. We were rolling along and then one day I woke up and saw the announcement they had just bought Marvel. They didn't need us anymore. I packed my bags soon after and decided to live the freelancer life in New Mexico. I must say I am much happier and productive now.

I do have a couple of long overdue Kickstarter projects I have to deliver on. Once I can get those out there I'll feel even happier.

Beyond that, I am always creating and have various projects at different stages of progress. I never stop.

Who or what are some of your artistic influences, either specifically for Validation, or in general?

I grew up on a steady diet of Kurt Vonnegut, Alan Moore, fantasy and science fiction and loads of philosophy books. I tend to be very selective with the content I consume. I have a wide variety of interests but I want to check stuff out that takes great care in terms of execution. And it doesn't have to be high-brow. I like different things from films such as The Lives of Others to shows such as Trailer Park Boys. You just have to prove to me you have something genuine to say. I know when people are faking it. Dollar grabs are very transparent.

Now… You write it, Kelci Crawford draws it (I love her art, BTW!) and [your brother] Nick handles the web-side of things. And I see from your site that you all are in different parts of the country, how did this whole team come together?

Kelci is amazing! I met her on Deviant Art after I placed a post looking for an artist for the project. She drew up an initial design of Ally and I immediately said "Yes, that's her." From there we hit the ground running. We actually didn't meet in person until Phoenix Comicon this past May.

Wow.

My brother Nick has done loads of website and production work for me over the years. I always try to include him when I can.

Early on, (#6, IIRC) you make it a point for the character to say that character plans to “keep [her male components],” meaning that she is, and plans to remain, non-op.  I know that the issue of having SRS, and whether that is needed to be a “real woman” (or a “reel womyn” as parodied by Evelyn Poor in Trans Girl Diaries) can be kind of a touchy subject in internal trans-politics.  Were you making a personal statement about this, or was this just for benefit of the character?

I know internal trans-politics exist and am aware of various stances.

To me there is no such thing as a "true trans" person. There is no one correct course because everyone has their own true path for themselves. Ally is pretty confident in her decision to be non-op and we’ll explore the reasons behind that more in the future.

You don't need a vagina to be a woman. If you do choose to get SRS it should be for personal reasons and not because of outside pressure. Be true to yourself.

One of the things that stood out to me about Validation was the fact that it DOESN’T feature the big “Cast full of gay.” (Unlike, say, Venus Envy, The Princess or Rain that seem to suggest that in coming out, one will immediately find themselves surrounded by LBGT’s that they never knew were there!) Do you plan to add (or reveal? NO SPOILERS!) any more LGBT characters in the future?

Beyond Roxie?

Oh, shit! How could I have forgotten about Roxie?!

How indeed!

Yes, beyond Roxie.

Yes. There will be several more LGBT characters debuting in the future. There also might be some past love interests who pop up.

Was keeping Ally more alone in all this more reflective of your own experience?

Well, Ally is reaching out beyond online interactions. She wants to live in the real world. She wants experience. And I wouldn't say she is alone but she is definitely independent.

As for my own experience... I am incredibly independent myself but value a good support structure. We'll explore the idea of this support structures down the road.

I may be forgetting something, but it appears that (like many TG comics) the parents are basically out of the picture.  Is there a reason for that? Will there be a flashback / coming out arc in the future?

We will be meeting Ally’s parents very soon during the Holidays storyline.

It appears that Ally is far more “out” than “stealth,” to all of her friends and potentially love interests anyway. Again, the whole “out vs. stealth” thing is another touchy point within the trans community, was there any statement being made there, or is it just easier to write the story that way, free from the complications that would otherwise come up?

Well, Ally doesn't advertise the fact she is trans...

Well, there was this one time…

...but she is well aware of the implications if someone finds out. I don't know if that character trait could be considered a statement or not. People have reasons for living stealth and I respect that. Ally is a bit younger than the pioneers who blazed the trail in the 80's and 90's so she might not know the entire history of the trans movement. Perhaps we'll explore that more in the future. I do think many trans people today tend to forget how much those before them sacrificed to make things better today. And there is still a long way to go.

I love that Ally’s a bit of a comic and rpg geek, a girl after my own heart, so I have to ask:  DC, Marvel, Image or Indy? (You, I mean.)

Whatever is good! I don’t have any loyalty towards any one company. One of my goals is to get hugely successful and buy loads of comics I can't afford right now to catch up on things.

And your favorite RPG?

Growing up it was Dungeons & Dragons. 

Me too!

I'd still play it if I had time and found a good group. I do play games on my iPad, my current favorites beings Clash of Clans and The Simpsons: Tapped Out. I’ve always wanted to get into Traveller and if I had even more time I’m sure I’d be massively into EVE Online. It just looks so insane.

And let's not forget Tiny Unicorn! 

Where do your fall politically?  I’m particularly interested to know how LGBT issues fit in with and rank amongst your feelings on other issues – do you end up being a one-issue voter, a log-cabin Republican, or are you down with the whole Liberal / Progressive agenda as a whole?

I am an independent human being and I hold no allegiance to any one party. I back the people I feel are right for the job. Last election I voted for Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate. He seemed to the one who was most on the level. Ally mentions in a recent comic that she voted for him as well!

I have grown tired and bored of the two party system. I wish people would vote with their minds rather than by party line. I sadly don't see that changing anytime soon due to the control the media has on popular opinion. But I'll vote for whoever the hell I want and sleep well at night :-)

How have the repeal of DOMA and the apparent juggernaut of marriage equality cases current sweeping the country affected you?

Not personally. I do think it’s inevitable that on a Federal level gay marriage will eventually be made legal. I get why some states are fighting tooth and nail against it to appease evangelical bases but I just want to remind them of one thing: Jesus was all about love. So vote love. You’ll be less stressed and live longer.

Does Religion play much of a role in your life?

No. And I am not going to say I'm a spiritual person. I live in the moment but am aware of the past and the future. It feels good to do good things and be kind and decent to other people. There has to be something to that but you shouldn't expect a reward for doing so.

Do you ever have difficulty reconciling some of the homo-phobis and/or trans-phobic aspects of it with your own beliefs?

I think some of the various churches of the world are evolving in their views. Pope Francis, for example, is an exciting figure and I think is living life in an awesome way and inspiring good in others. 

As for the hate some sects spew out: That poison comes from within and will eventually eat you from the inside. It's just not healthy.

Now, along with the “LBG” stuff, there have been a rather a few landmark cases for the “T’s” lately as well: schools in several states now officially recognizing students by the chosen gender (for facilities and activities purposes, etc…) for example. There’s a long way to go, to be sure, but what are your thoughts on that?

I think it’s fantastic. You’re also seeing more trans role models such as Laura Jane Grace and Lavern Cox get more attention. If we can couple great ideas with leadership and show patience then nothing will stop us from moving forward.

Any concerns that comics such as Validation might start to seem dated, socially and politically speaking, before too long?

Hopefully things continue to change for the better and Validation can be considered an artifact from a more volatile time in terms of the issues discussed. I do hope the story itself resonates beyond its time because it really is about treating each other with respect and love. Those themes, I feel, are eternal.

Let’s hope.

I’ve heard some very harsh criticisms of the Human Rights Campaign from other transgendered people and their friends and families… How do you feel about them? Do you think the “they throw trans people under the bus every time!” critique is fair?

It all goes back to Stonewall, doesn’t it? I firmly believe trans people, many of whom had stood side by side with LBG brothers and sisters during those tumultuous times, were thrown under the bus to make the movement seem more “mainstream” to the masses. I think it’s slowly getting better, but the hurt of being tossed aside to further the causes of others is still pretty acute.

What about Dan Savage, who seems to have a lot of LGB-positive stuff to say, but no so much on the –T side?

I don’t think Savage, RuPaul, Roseanne Barr and others take the time out to truly understand the plight of trans people and why certain things they say are harmful to the cause. And when called out they take a very defensive stance rather than trying to comprehend why trans people are angry with them. On the flip side, being over-reactionary and ultra-offended about what they say doesn’t help either. What needs to happen is a dialogue. Hopefully people will get to talking soon.

If there was one thing you’d like cisgendered people to know or understand about being trans or about transfolk, what would that be?

It isn’t about your genitalia. It would be grand if people stopped fixating on trans peoples’ boobs, penises and vaginas. You don’t need any of them to feel that you are a man or woman inside. We classify and identify people in ways we were taught socially to accept from the get go. But when you don’t fit into clearly marked boxes people immediately begin the questioning of physical status. It’s something we should all learn to move beyond.

How can I explain to a particularly thick-headed, Right-Wing reader of mine that being LBG and/or T is not a CHOICE? (PLEASE tell me the magic words! I’ve argued this one 1000 different ways and they just don’t get it!)

Sadly you can’t. It’s not worth the effort to try and change their minds. Focus on battles you can win, instead.

Yeah, but where would be the fun in THAT?

If you love drama go for it! Lol I prefer to lead a drama free life.

Thanks a ton for taking the time to speak with me!  Before we wrap up, are there any upcoming projects that you’d like to plug?

I am always working on projects and looking to work on interesting projects. Check my website for updates http://www.christianberanek.com

Thanks a bunch!  I really appreciate you taking your time to talk with me!

Thank you for having me! :-)

Christian Beranek is the author of Validation, which can be found at www.validationcomic.com and is drawn by Kelci Crawford.  You should also check out her previous webcomic, Post Apocalptic Nick.

I got yer "family values" RIGHT HERE...

It is is very rare that I do this, but *trigger warning*.

Normally I roll my eyes when I see that, of course I have that privilege being one of the fortunate people to not have to cope with such things.  But I have to admit that this video made me SICK.  Already having read what it was all about, I was actually considering not even watching it.  But... If I'm going to blog about it, I of course owe it to my readers to have at least SEEN the damned thing. OMFG.  My stomach hurts now.  I'm physically sick over the disgusting, despicable display by these revolting, bigoted scumbags masquerading as "parents."



Here is what I have to say:



But every now and then, my faith in humanity is restored a little.

Here is a link to LOST AND FOUND, if you want to  help out, call or donate.

And here's the video of Uncle Pat, showing another set of "Christian Values."


Personally, I don't I could say it any better than Steveningendid on Kos:

You read/heard that right. Anyone with a head with which to think would have immediately told this woman that tithing at this point in this aged couple's life has come to a necessary end. In fact, a reasonable person holding a responsible position at a church might even ask if there is anything the church might be able to do to help. Perhaps dipping into the tithing basket to provide comfort to a fellow congregant in dire straits would please the Lord.

But no, this money grubbing scammer has been on the take for so long, it obviously didn't even cross his mind that a religious institution might look into its heart instead of someone else's wallet. Wouldn't the very philosophy of Christianity dictate that the least fortunate among the flock should not be put in a position to sacrifice medical attention or to keep the lights on for the sake of a tithe basket? 

I'm sure Pat didn't give it another thought as his driver drove him home to the manse.

There are your "Christian Values" for you.

*p'tu*

Jesus Christ, What the hell is wrong with your followers?

OK, I'll admit that I'm incredibly late in coming to this one.  Over a year in fact.  But I came accross this article while looking for something unrelated.  And actually the article I found originally was not the HuffPo piece,  but I can't find the one I read originally and the HuffPo piece has all of the same quotations, so it will suffice.

Plus the headline was a bit more succinct: Religious Right Goes Nuts Over Transgender Appointee Amanda Simpson


(Though, to "go" nuts suggests that you were SANE at some point. Hmmmm...)

You gotta love the Right's all-American reasoning here:

"Is there going to be a transgender quota now in the Obama administration?" asked Peter LaBarbera, president of the anti-gay group Americans for Truth. "How far does this politics of gay and transgender activism go? Clearly this is an administration that is pandering to the gay lobby."

 
Right.  Because... it's not like we living in a representative democracy, where all people are equal in the eyes of the law, and everyone should have a voice, right?  Also... I love anti-(some group) groups who act like their all for protecting our rights.  (Our right to live in a world full of Jesus-freaks like them, I guess.)
 
But they go on...
 

Matt Barber, associate dean at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, said the appointment "boggles the mind" and said that while African-Americans might deserve special treatment, transgender people don't.


"This isn't like appointing an African-American in order to try to provide diversity and right some kind of discriminatory wrong," he said. "This is about political correctness."

OK, first of all, Liberty University teaches young-earth creationism as if it were a legitimate, evidence-based, scientific theory.  So care more about what my dog leaves in the back yard than I do about the opinion of their associate dean.

All the same, it's nice to see that he's at least (finally) willing to admit that discrimination against blacks is and was WRONG.  Even though the Republican's model of "diversity" is more akin to "tokenism," it's nice to at least hear him make the concession.  All the same, you've got to love how, in the same breath, he can then go one to completely justify (or at least attempt to) discrimination against homosexuals and transpeople.  (I mean, it's not like they were BORN GAY, right?)

*sigh*

One step forward, two steps back.  That's what passes for "progress" on the Right. 

And there was this from another one of my favorite hate-groups:

"Simpson's nomination was forwarded through to President Obama by a gay activist group, making it appear that this appointment of a male-to-female 'transgender' activist to a high level Commerce Department position to be payback to his far-left base for their political support," a spokeswoman for Focus on the Family said in statement.

(Those are James Dobson's fuck-wads.)

You gotta love how allowing discrimination, and actively discriminating against homosexuals and the transgendered by the politicians that these bigots support is somehow just par for the course, but allowing them to have a voice, to participate in our democracy and to treat them equal under the law is somehow "pandering."

Hey fuck-wads: You did this to yourself.  If you didn't PANDER to the anti-gay agenda, maybe you'd have gotten some of the gay vote!  Did you ever think of that?  Why is it PANDERING to the gays, but not to the Christians who want to continue their policy of discrimination?  (A policy admitted to, by the very fact that Ms. Simpson is, in fact,  the first TG's federal appointee!)

Because, hey: It's not like it's a FREE COUNTRY or anything, right?

And fine.  I suppose you could find a bible verse or two to support that.  You might find something anti-gay there.  But do know what my favorites are?

Does, "Judge not, lest ye be judge yourself," ring a bell?

Or, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?"

And then there was something about a rich-man passing through the eye of a needle, or something like that. Not really relevant to THIS issue, but it does make me wonder how the Religious Rights gets so wrapped up in MONEY.

In any case, do you know where you will NOT find these bible versus or any others?

In the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution of the United States.

Those radical, liberal and (obviously) extremely gay documents that this country was founded on.

The Genesis Code?!

I was playing a game on Sporcle just now, when an ad popped up for the "#1 Christian Movie of the Year!," The Genesis Code. 

Ugh.  Reading the wikipedia entry for it almost made me throw up in my mouth a little.

First of all, I'm sure most of us are in agreement that "Christian Movies" inevitably suck.  And it really has nothing to do with the message.  Lots of good movies have positive and, yes, even Christian messages. And do know what they're called? MOVIES.  Calling something a "Christian Movie?"  That's the advertisers trying to scare everyone away who won't automatically love the movies, solely on the basis of it's "Christian message."  You know... 99% of the population including EVERYONE with any taste in movies at all.

They want only that audience which will sit through two hours of glurgy crap, only to praise it as "uplifting" in the end, because it had something to do with God, Jesus, Miracles, or Faith.  And the more heavy handed the better with these people.  It's like for every poorly delivered line, or question directorial decision all the have to do is say "Jesus" five times, or "Miracles" ten, and somehow they've performed their artistic penance and all is well again.

The people THEY want to watch are the one's who would write a critique of a Miyazaki film, saying how they basically loved every single aspect of it, but in the end couldn't recommend it because it didn't have a "strong enough Christian message to it" or that's "it's spirituality was decidedly non-Christian." (You'd be shocked how often I've seen a review like that on Netflix.)

And did you notice the title? "The Genesis Code?"  I guess that's supposed to be in response to that horribly anti-Christian "DaVinci Code."  This is the M.O. with these people, and with conservatives in general.  Creativity apparently has a liberal bias, because everything they do that is so blatantly "Christian" or "Conservative" is always in response to something SUCCESSFUL that was done by a liberal. "Fahrenhype 9/11," anyone?

And they always love to paint successful movies that have a religious theme, as non-Christian or anti-Christian, don't they?  Think about it: The DaVinci Code, Dogma, The Last Temptation of Christ.... it's absurd.  There is nothing anti-Christian or anti-religious about ANY of those movies! Dogma unequivocally recognizes the existence of God and Angels, as well as the divinity of Jesus Christ!  All of these are central to the story, in fact! The DaVinci Code does the same thing!  And The Last Temptation of Christ?! That's one of the most Christ-affirming movies ever written!  But since it wasn't a word-for-word transcription of the bible? It's somehow satanic.  And do you know WHY? Because to these brain-dead fools, it's a sin to even POSE THE QUESTION, regardless of the fact that you ended up with "right" answer! It doesn't matter that, in the end, these works completely affirm all of these people's core beliefs, differing only on irrelevant details.  To them, the fact that the issue was even explored is a problem.  Why would they let THIS movie off the hook, you ask?  Well: It's a CHRISTIAN movie, isn't it?  They tell you right up front, that they're not REALLY exploring any significant issues related to Christianity.  They're just showing you how wrong the non-believers are.  And that's always OK.

Now, as one of my three heroes once pointed out, "All great works of art have a theme that holds them together." I guess Christian works of "art" need to have three.  This movie's?

1) Evolution vs. creation: A completely invented controversy, invented by funny-mentalists who don't know what the word "metaphor" means. (Or how meaningless the word "literal" is for that matter.)

2) End-of-life decisions: Better pray! Better believe! Better get baptised!  Wouldn't want to burn in hell, would you?  (Can we pull the plug? NO!) (Are they in pain? JESUS WILL COMFORT THEM, DAMMIT!)

3) Discrimination of Christians on the college campus: This is the one that makes me want to vomit.  This is so completely absurd. I would LOVE, absolutely LOOOVE for one of the whack-a-loons to give me one, single, solitary example of "discrimination" that a single Christian has EVER experienced on a college campus in this country. EVER.

This, right here, is the problem with these people's entire philosophy.  They LOVE to play the victim, when they are not only the oppressor, but in fact, in this country, the ONLY oppressor!  Their idea of "discrimination?" NOT BEING ALLOWED TO OPPRESS!  No, actually, even the SUGGESTION that what they do might be oppressive is enough for them to cry "discrimination," even as they write their congressman, or state representative urging them to oppose health care benefits for same-sex couples.

Based on the first "theme," and the movie's title,I'm guessing that what constitutes "discrimination" here consists of some poor Christian who's being "forced" to "give up his beliefs" and accept evolution as a fact, and Genesis as a LIE.  What fucking bullshit.  This is the problem with these people.  This is exemplary of their entire fucking mental illness.  They think that because GENESIS isn't being taught IN THE SCIENCE ROOM as undisputed FACT, that they are being "discriminated against."  (How much you want to bet that one of the characters turns in a paper trying to refute evolution with a summary of the Book of Genesis and gets an "F" on it?)  Never mind that evolution is a THEORY, based on observation.  And teaching evolution is teaching THEORY;  Teaching what other people believe happens, based on observation. Does the STUDENT have to BELIEVE it?  Does the student have to reject Genesis to pass a science class? NO and FUCKING NO!  All the student has to do is demonstrate that s/he UNDERSTANDS the theory!  DUH!  Acceptance and belief in it are not required!  I'm so sick and tired of these fuck-wads that don;'t understand this.  It is not a sin to understand a theory.  Nor does understanding that theory somehow mean that you must accept it any other.  And yes, a refutation of that theory must address the EVIDENCE IT IS BASED ON, rather than be made up of a repetition of your Christian dogma!

For fuck's sake, that does not constitute discrimination!

If you're asked to provide a summary of Darwin's theory and you can't do that, YOU FAIL.  End of story, boo-fucking-hoo!  "Disproving" it by evangelizing about Genesis is no more legitimate an answer than giving a review of a film you just saw, or listing the recipe for your Grandmother's Southern-style potato salad: IT DOESN'T ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTION.  And if asked to provide an alternative explanation? Requiring that it be evidence-based, as opposed to passionate defense of your FAITH, based solely on DOGMA? Can not possibly be discrimination, unless you believe the entire scientific method to be. And let's face it, if the scientific method, so completely destroys your ability to believe in your dogma?  It's time to reject the dogma, not the scientific method. 

Asking someone to THINK, and teaching them HOW TO is not a discriminatory act.  In fact?  That's exactly what you paid tuition for them to do!  To do otherwise? To teach dogma, that runs contrary to evidence? To tell students to ACCEPT, rather than question?  That IS a discriminatory act.  And any student who experiences THAT? Should demand his tuition be refunded.

The Bible Kicks ASS!

Ok, I know I've bashed Religion plenty in this blog, and there's no shortage of verbiage on my part showing my contempt towards the completely nonsensical things one is asked to believe in the name of society's most recent trend in organized superstition.

But as well as religion, in general, and Christianity, in particular,  has done for itself, believe it or not it really has missed the bus on a HUGE marketing opportunity.  See... I just had no idea, truly no idea, just how much ASS the bible kicks.  Check that out. Seriously.  I laughed my ass off and gained a whole new respect for the Chistianity, sure, but it Judaic origins in particular, all at the same time. 

If that nun who's bullshit I called at the age of five had whipped some of THIS SHIT out?  Dude, I'd STILL probably be a believer!

Kudos to Cracked.com for another masterpiece.

Taking Filibustering to a Whole New Level

I can’t believe I ever liked, or respected, John McCain. (What can I say? It’s been a long decade!) The latest atrocity committed by this senile, old bigot is his filibustering of the “repeal” of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Now a politician can filibuster whatever he wants. For better of worse, that’s part of the job. I’d still disagree with his position, but there are some key facts here that motivate to seriously (and venomously) call “bullshit,” “liar,” and “hypocrite” on the Senator’s position now:

1) The policy does not, in fact, repeal DADT. All it does is authorize the Pentagon to do so, upon completion of a study on how this can be implemented without affecting readiness or morale.

2) McCain is filibustering because he wants the Pentagon to finish it’s study to determine if it’s even a good idea. Problem is? That was never the point of the study. The study is a question of HOW, not IF. So it’s McCain that’s out of step with the military here, not the President as he’s claimed.

3) What John McCain is doing is not even a true filibuster. A filibuster is used to prevent the ENDING of debate on the matter. And that’s fine. Although I need not point out how this practice has been absurdly abused by Republicans, we can all agree that a healthy and robust debate on any matter is necessary for a healthy robust democracy. The problem is, what Senator McCain is blocking here is the BEGINNING of the debate! He filibustering bringing the bill up FOR DEBATE. Blocking to end debate is one thing, but blocking to START the debate is profoundly un-American.

So right off the bat, Senator McCain is a liar, a hypocrite (for having criticize Democrats in the past over their proper use of the filibuster, and an traitorous obstructionist for putting his own political interests above (1) the American values of equality and non-descimination, (2) the American value of the separation of church and state (because the radical Christian funny-mentalist agenda is what’s at the heart of all anti-gay issues) and (3) – this is the big one: MILITARY READINESS IN A TIME OF WAR!!!

There. I’ve just “swift-boated” John McCain. The only difference being, unlike the swift-boat veterans, I’M TELLING THE TRUTH.

Now before we take a look at the policy that the Republican crypt-keeper is selling out his country’s values and military interests to protect, I suppose I should disclose some of my own personal positions on the matter. DADT? Its repeal is a no-brainer. Gay-Marriage? Allowing that is a no-brainer. Workplace discrimination against Gays? Again, prohibition of this is a no-brainer. And hate-crime legislation, classifying gays as a potential target group? Um…. DUH! In short, I have yet to hear any part of the so-called “radical gay agenda” that I don’t support. Of course, most of the actual, ‘radical’ stuff exists only in the wet-dream nightmares of the Religious Right. Everything that they gay community has actually asked for is very much in line with everything that America stands for… at least for those who have any idea what that really is! (Namely tolerance, equality, liberty, freedom… basically everything the radical Christian funny-mentalist and there Republican meat-puppets are against.) So obviously I have little patience for these un-American Christian whack-jobs and their anti-gay Jack-Chick propaganda. In any case, beyond what should be painfully obvious to any REAL American, here are some key facts that go beyond the opinions who’s validity I hold to be self-evident:

It’s expensive and has impaired readiness.

It has resulted in blackmail, harassment and rape of female service members.

So there you go. The dishonorable Senator from Arizona is doing everything he can to PREVENT DEBATE (the opposite of ‘prevent its closure’) on a bill that would allow the Pentagon to do exactly what he says they need to do in the first place, in order to protect unnecessary, wasteful spending; key positions in the military from being staffed; sexual harassment and blackmail coerced rape.

Senator McCain? You are a bigot, a liar, a hypocrite, a disgrace to your country and to the uniform you wore, and you a traitor to American values and Military interests.


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Note: I do realize that Mitch McConnell has also been really outspoken about this, and also mis-represented to the public exactly what the Pentagon is studying here - also claiming that it's about IF as opposed to HOW.  But I left him out because I've never liked Mitch McConnell.  At one point in my misguided youth, I'd have expected better of John McCain.