Arguing With A Younger Me

I remember quite vividly the passionate apologetics of a younger me arguing against many a viewpoint that I believe so strongly in today.  I remember the talking points, the slogans, the chants, that I felt so sure of to my very core.  I remember being so perturbed at those so like the me of today that seemed so obstinate and obtuse.  I wonder what that younger me would do upon encountering the equally passionate me of today.  Would he try to persuade him of his ignorance and closed-mindedness, or would he simply flip him off and walk away in utter certainty of the superiority of his knowledge and wisdom.  I am certain that that younger me would think it.  Indeed, if those two were to meet today I expect each would find little compelling about the other, and even less to agree upon.

Embracing My Inner-Bigot

Well its 2:26 AM and as I flail about tossing and turning angrily  I have come to the realization that there will be no more sleep tonight until I put these burning thoughts to paper: which probably means I will again watch the sun rise…

I just watched the Movie American History X, (again) with Edward Norton and though I am not generally inclined to midnight movie reviews this movie and its theme are important and common enough to rate some ink, some insomnia, and a few antacids.

Yes I did build that

(Has anyone seen my goat?)

So anyone that knows me knows I am no fan of Barack Obama. Given any political viewpoint and virtually any speech and statement he has made I can be counted on pretty much to disagree upon virtually every word including “and,” and “the.” No, Barack Obama and I just see the world differently: probably always have, and most likely always will. So it will surely come as no surprise that I disagree wholeheartedly with his latest blather on who is responsible for the success of business’s and people in America. So our disagreement is axiomatic on this issue but to say that I vehemently disagree on this latest stupidity would be a profound understatement. The very fact that such absurdity would even require a rebuttal is disheartening enough. The fact that there are people who would bob their empty heads in vacuous sycophantic union is maddening.

The Great Thing Donald Sterling Did for America

So virtually everyone is outraged about the Donald Sterling Situation: everyone but me that is. I am absolutely thrilled… tickled. Let me explain.

Clearly Donald Sterling is a closet racist and majestic hypocrite, enriching himself off of a mostly black team and having a half-black girlfriend while secretly despising the race. And had the girlfriend not set him up we would not have any idea of the depth of his bigotry. So a secret bigot has been outed, and he cannot act in bigoted ways secretly anymore. So that is a good thing. But the great thing that has me delirious with “I-told-you-so-esque” glee is the absolutely united outrage at the bigotry.

In Defense of Stupidity

It is truly frightening, the thought that my freedom to be a bigot is being eroded.

"Your right to what?" you ask.

You heard me right: I am lamenting the slow death of my right to bigotry.

I did not, and do not mean that I wish to be a bigot, but rather that if I want to think and express stupid ideas, I want and believe that our constitution and our great experiment of personal freedom once protected my right to do so.

The Beauty of a Desecrated Flag

For many burning or otherwise desecrating the American flag is hugely offensive, even an abomination worthy of substantial criminal penalties. I believe the opposite: that desecration of the American flag without civil or criminal penalties is the highest homage that can be paid to that majestic flag. While I too find the act in what it represents incredibly offensive to the good and the freedoms it represents and the sacrifices of so many to defend those freedoms on the one hand, the freedom to do so also demonstrates those principles even more acutely.

The Soul of a Nation

What Just Happened? - Examining the 2012 Election Results

Just when you thought we could all let out one collective sigh of relief that it is finally over the realization now is setting in that it really isn’t. Now, for the next few months comes the barrage of gloating, recriminations, and an endless stream of opinions as to what went wrong or right, and what it means for the country. In that spirit I thought I should try to get in my two cents before y’all turn off the TVs and radios, and cancel your newspaper subscriptions altogether…

I noticed a timely announcement in the news this morning, right next to the reports of the plunging stock market. Evidently Anheuser Busch is planning to release a stronger Budweiser beer. Could there be a timelier announcement, as half the country wants to celebrate and the other half to just get really drunk…?