Salt

The State and Homeschooling

Because, in my view, much education in public schools encourages cheating and discourages independent thinking, I'm sympathetic to homeschooling. In my state, however, one needs to have a Masters in Education even to teach one's own children.

However, I'm ambivalent about parents who might, for example, teach their children to hate. Although I firmly believe we have to be ensconced in a tradition, if I have to choose between fundamentalism and liberalism, I choose liberalism.

Massachusetts gets involved in monitoring homeschooling. The kids thrive. Yet, is there a problem?

I err on the side of the parent. Just keep them away from guns.

Remembering Vietnam

The April-May 1972 White House transcripts of Richard Nixon talking to Henry Kissinger about "this shit-ass little country":

NIXON: We've got to be thinking in terms of an all-out bombing attack.... I'm thinking of the dikes.

KISSINGER: I agree with you.

NIXON: ...Will that drown people?

KISSINGER: About two hundred thousand people. [via alternet]

The Toledo Blade did a prizewinning story about American Atrocities

What is at stake is not merely the morality of war, or if soldiers must be held accountable for their actions. Obviously American soldiers or our military are not intrinsically "worse" than other soldiers. It merely undermines our moral superiority. Instead, lets recognize that ethics is lived mimetically - we imitate and take cues from people around us.

How dies this undermine Kerry? Well, let's call him what he was: a whistleblower. Other words for whistleblower: a "rat," or a "traitor" or a "goody-two shoes." As demonstrated by the hate that is directed at him, being a whistleblower is dangerous business. Kerry is now the scapegoat for all who resent the loss of moral authority Vietnam brought upon us.

And in the end, its all political propoganda, designed to hide the important political differences between the two.

Coming up soon: little blogs on Iran and Venezela, two states that will continue to be little irritations to American foreign policy.

Income inequality

The Cheating Culture illuminates how trust deteriorates when wealth allows individuals to break the rules. And now, the divide between those who have wealth and those without is enormous.

One of the untold stories in our country. Via Cpn Normal.

the Cheating Culture

David Callahan is, I think, the thinker Democrats need to consider. Oh hell, and the Republicans might want to read him also.

We all talk about values, but not enough about ethics.

Protests, Republicans, etc

Protesters usually get what they deserve, right? Especially if you're from France, or just going on a blind date, or are just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Yes, it can happen here. Warning, [not safe for Republicans]

Niall Ferguson, my favorite imperialist, argues that perhaps an incompetent Democrat is better for the Republicans than an incompetent Republican. If Kerry wins, the Republicans have a chance in 2008. Otherwise, they'll be slaughtered in 2008 as Bush will continue with his insane policies. Via Crooked Timber.

I, like the writer, think Ferguson underestimates Kerry. Although an FDR who compromises is a pleasant idea, or a Blairite with some political talent, Kerry is the sort of leader who can counterattack the viciousness that reigns in the capital. His investigations have given him an insight into the mechanics of the executive office and the capital; he is attentive to detail, and I suspect that he has a better understanding of the foundations of a stable and just society. He may lack charisma, and he may not speak excellent soundbites [like Edwards] - but the consequences depend more on the architecture of authority his handlers can maintain than on his innate talent.

Still, I'm not as frightened of a Bush victory, anymore. Fortunately, I'm middle class, and I'm not greedy, and I have a job. If anything, I'll just be a bit busier, begging and groveling from rich people to cultivate their noblesse oblige.

And last night - boy, the viciousness was startling. Before me, Baalam the god of the National Security State, and Asherah, the Goddess of tax-cuts, and their willing servants. It was like a revival. I almost succumbed and began to bow down before Cheney and Miller, until I shook my heade to dispell the illusion and saw that they had watched the Democratic convention very closely.

A Prayer

A prayer for today

Lord, you are the one who makes my tasks clear, but changes my understanding of them.
Make me understand what I must do today.
Teach me to not get upset at the lies of politicians, their exaggerations, or their spinelessness.
Remind me to buy groceries, and turn my head from the barbecue chips
And let me not get frustrated gathering the list of ecumenical partners
to which I must send an invitation
for a meeting next week, to discuss the "sabbath"
and will take a lot of time
to set up the templates.
Let me not procrastinate on writing my sermon,
but read the gospel faithfully,
perhaps doing a little word study,
but also attending to popular culture.

Also, let me not get frustrated by our overflowing gutters.
Let me communicate and delegate to your flock your undying love.
May I also not forget to have lunch for sometimes I get distracted by blogging
And perhaps when I go dancing tonight,
let that cute Japanese salsera be especially happy to dance with me.

For I do not worship the national security state,
nor do I worship the God of tax cuts,
the God that encourages fear and selfishness,

but only you, who sends us for the creat joyful, brave and courageous persons
with big hearts and tender souls,
All this in the name of the God who is a God who has faith in me the the peoples,
Jesus Christ,
who was a guy, a guy in whom people saw God,
because he defeated death, somehow,
bodily, whatever that means, for which I’m happy, which is, finally, the point.

AMEN

Venting

Been venting a bit too much. Will return to my former style of writing stories and giving short news updates.

Bush apparently said we can't win the war on terror. Then he said he could.

A translation:

"We can't win the war on terror" means, you should be afraid, and I'll protect you, so vote for me and I'll spend buttloads.

"We can win the war on terror" means, you should be confident in your leader, so vote for me, and we'll spend buttloads.

Prayers for peace in Chechnya, and for the children and families in Inguishetia. May the Russians make the best choice among all the horrible options.

Wall Street Journal reports that Bush is getting the vote out among the Christian coalition. He can't depend on Hispanics, Jews, single women, senior citizens, independents, or Muslims. He'll get out the vote, and do what he must to win the right states.

Children's Books, Economics, etc

My favorite book growing up was "The Phantom Tollbooth" with "Bridge to Terebithia" a close second. After that, science fiction and fantasy. I'm now finishing up four books [hard to explain]. Here is a book about the sad state of children's literature. Via Metafilter.

China is developing solar technology and selling it abroad.

One conservative mantra is that regulations and government investment upset the market. It's silly and untrue. Businesses are often created by regulations [say buisinesses that make environmental technologies] and private businesses often reap the rewards of public research. I mean, where would we be without the military investing billions in our great technical universities?

But these "conservatives" whine about the cost of investment. They hobble the US by refusing to encourage new , greener, technologies. It makes sense - oil companies don't want people to have too much solar - unless they control it. But this simply means that other countries, like China, will fill in the niche. But businesses are getting it. Just not American conservatives.