Arkansas Blog

Just us chickens. :-)

Two must see advertisements on Choice by Women against Palin. You may also contribute and direct which states these ads air.. Everyone needs to know McCain, Palin (and Mark Pryor for that matter) are anti choice.

At my blue name or below

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/391

This is way off topic and out-dated but:
I watched the reply of the last LRSD school bd mtg this afternoon. The mtg was scheduled for a Thurs (with no notice to folks like me), but was held the prev Tues so I couldn't watch it the first time.
I barely survived the bd officer voting. Obvious to anyone w/ a brain, Dianne and Baker were going to vie for the Pres position. Equally obvious was the outcome. Could comment on who is unpopular and who is dumb as a rock, but won't go there.
Then I listened to the charter school discussions, which went on forever. Kudos to Mr. Kurrus for saying that the charters are a reality, so the district needs to change accordingly. Lemons to those who wished to keep speaking about how charters, by definition, take the best and brightest of the district because of their informed, caring, educated parents. Of course they do. However, the bd members kept saying that informed, caring and educated parents are going elsewhere but that the distict wasn't going to change anything because they were making a stand against charters. So if I'm informed, caring and education, why am I going to trust my children's future to a group of individuals I don't trust or respect? I'm really, really tired of hearing about how my children help others, but I'm white and not poor so my kids don't deserve any extra consideration or funding -- in fact, they are welcome in the district only because they cost less to educate than the general population. And believe me, the teaching and after-school offerings have reflected this sentiment.
We are staying in the LRSD until our last one leaves the nest. However, were I to be starting with a K student tomorrow, I would choose differently. I have NO respect for most of the board members because they profess to care for all children, but they don't care about kids like mine. If I can go elsewhere and enjoy attention (for a change), I would make that choice today instead of the one I made 14 years ago.

All women who want to own their own bodies read and take heed and remember next

prez will likely name 2 members to SCOTUS.

clicky

"informed, caring and educatED" not "educatION". Hit Post instead of Preview.

Reading my own post, I realize that others might view it in a less than favorable way. However, my family has been a major supporter of the LRSD for a very long time, and from talking with others I realize that the future is bleak. I agree w/ Dr. Mitchell that negative talk can be harmful, but the board of directors has to realize that the negative talk is there and they must, at the very least, acknowledge that it exists. Saying that the charters don't have to follow the same regulations is very true, but perhaps the board needs to fight to change those regulations. Saying the charters don't have to follow the "teacher fair dismissal act" (or whatever it's called) perhaps means that they should fight the CTA on this one too. Many of those in charter schools had problems in the LRSD because of teachers who could not be discplined or fired (and, as a parent, hearing that the problem could be resolved in 2-3 years isn't very comforting) and because of absentee-ism with no penalities. For example, Dunbar's principal apoligized to a group of PTA parents and said that she "couldn't do anything about the teachers who had friends who signed a medical leave even when it wasn't really true." If that's a wasted year in my child's pre-Algebra or English class, can anyone blame me for choosing an environment where that isn't as likely to happen?

One of the best ads I've seen about McCain's negative attacks. Clicky.

Yeppers, Jazzy and other A-T women. This election is all about ownership of our vajayjays and our Freedom.

This shizz is seriouso. The next POTUS will either stack or balance the Supreme Court, depending on your vote.

And the next POTUS is (God help us) at clicky.

And I'm not kidding. The Supreme Court is ALREADY a FIVE-MALE CATHOLIC majority.

Whose ring, exactly, are we all (even non-Catholics) supposed to start kissing?

lrmom,

You've got me curious about this:

For example, Dunbar's principal apoligized to a group of PTA parents and said that she "couldn't do anything about the teachers who had friends who signed a medical leave even when it wasn't really true."

Are you saying that Dunbar's principal said, about a particular named teacher, that the teacher had 'friends' who signed a falsified medical leave statement? That's very serious stuff. What sort of 'friends' were these? Were these people pretending to be qualfied medical professionals? Or were these qualified medical professionals signing false statements? Either way, I believe there's action to be taken.

Norma,

You've got me curious, too. Is the anti-Catholic thing part of the act, or is it for real? I mean, is Catholicism really any more backwards than Southern Baptistry? (Or is it Southern Baptism?)

Put me down as being one of those who don't want five of anything on the Supreme Court. I don't want 5 Catholics, 5 Jews, 5 Baptists or 5 Presbyterians or 5 Mormons or 5 Pentacostals. Period. The Catholic Church has stated emphatically any member who votes in opposition to the Churche's positions on issues are in great danger of being removed from the body of the Church. Now tell me how that won't affect those 5 Catholics on the Supreme Court when they have to meditate over the abortion issue, etc.

cato,

I figure there'll be either five men or five women on the court, so we're stuck, in one sense.

In another sense, as we've seen from the Sarah Palin episode, the right wing has trouble finding qualified women who believe their bullshit. Pushing for rough gender equity on the court might be most productive.

John A. Arkansawyer --

Not sure what you mean by:

"Is the anti-Catholic thing part of the act, or is it for real? I mean, is Catholicism really any more backwards than Southern Baptistry? (Or is it Southern Baptism?)"

What "act." John?

You mean the part about the Vatican "Health" spokesman, Cardinal Trujillo (who died recently, thank God) LYING to the world that latex condoms were permeable to the HIV virusl (latex condoms are NOT. They are, in fact, the first line of defense against the spread of HIV)?

Is THAT what you mean?

You mean the Vatican's anti-condom distribution program in Africa that, according to Royal Society of Britain (oldest continuous scientific body on earth) President Ford's statement two years ago that the Catholic Church's anti-condom distribution policy in Africa would result in between 20-60 million DEATHS from HIV?

Is THAT what you mean, John A. Arkansawyer?

Or are you talking about the Catholic Church's punitive onslaught against same-sex equality in civil law around the world in their attempt to gain a global theocracy like they used to have?

Is THAT what you mean, John A. Arkansawyer?

Because, seriously honey: when you say, "I mean, is Catholicism really any more backwards than Southern Baptistry? (Or is it Southern Baptism?)," you must be kidding.

The answer is, "Yes."

Catholicism, Scientology, Mormonism, Protestanism? Same difference.

Mental and spiritual sludge, sweetness.

Yeah, John A. Arkansawyer. Catholicism is the "biggest" church in the western hemisphere and it's dying in Europe. It's trying desperately to impose its hideous "values" on the rest of civilization when the only people filling the pews abroad are little old ladies who loved Liberace.

Scientologists and Mormons and Protestants COMBINED can't compare to the ertwhile influence of the Catholic Church, John A. Arkansawyer.

The question?

Does American want a Theocracy or a Democracy?

You're welcome.

Yes, "erstwhile." A word I use ten times daily in a sentence to improve my vocabulary.

Like Sarah Palin.

Y'betcha.

Yes, yes, Norma, but is it for real or part of the act?

Also, for hard-core Palintoligists, a well-known American general replies to her misuse of his good name. Click my good blue name to see.

Maybe I'm being overly dismissive (though sincere in asking the question about part of the act--railing against the Catholics plays pretty well in this part of the country).

So: I don't think singling out Catholicism is a productive way of talking about woman-hating and sex negativity.

Norma is pretty well right about some of the backwards and inhumane positions of the Catholic Church, though I'm damned if I can see where (for instance) the Southern Baptists are any better. However, unlike the various American right-wing Protestant churches, the Catholic Church has a consistent opposition to the death penalty and a position in favor of Darwinian evolution.

I'd rather talk about bad beliefs than those who promote them. Creeds and institutions--even the Catholic Church--those things change over time, but inhumanity keeps on hurting people as long as it's practiced.

Cato, Norma, JohnA,

I want one crusty young Supreme Court Justice that says, "My personal beliefs are none of your business and not germane to my performance as a Supreme Court Justice.

Check my record as a judge and a lawyer, if you don't like mine, don't give your "advice and consent" to my nomination. If you do like my record, give your advice and consent. For the rest of it , go back and play politics in the Senate and leave the Supreme Court to uphold the Constitution and law."

Of course, we never will, thanks to the CCRRR's who want to politicize the entire known and unknown universe. However, it's still nice to dream from time to time. Just think one more term for the Republicans in the Executive, House and Senate and they might actually write and pass a bill making Pi = to 3 so the math is simpler for good Republicans like McCain, Inhofe and Lieberman.

Click for McCain, if he would ever look in the mirror.

Sorry, but I needed to vent. I am in South Arkansas surrounded by old Dixiecrats who don't have the the white robes in their closets, but instead McCain/Palin signs on their yards and veiled bigotry and fear in their thoughts and speech. They also are ready to march anyone with a contrarion view to the gibbet, forthwith.

Watching an big eye opener on PBS's weekly show, POV, "Critical Care"

Some facts to dismay you:

Health Care Spending

* In 1970, the U.S. spent approximately $75 million on health care. In 2006, that number stood at $2.1 trillion dollars.
* The U.S. spends 50% more than any other country on health care
* The U.S. ranks 1st in money spent on health care, 15th in preventable death, 24th in life expectancy, and 28th in infant mortality

By one physician's reckoning we spent more than enough to treat all Americans but do not.
.

I dunno, Norma. I'm inclined to say that the church hierarchy is out of touch with many, maybe most, modern American Catholics, particularly the women. Mind you, these women send their 2.5 children to parochial school and sell tickets to the Spaghetti Supper with amazing devotion -- I know, having just spent Sunday afternoon with several of them. But I've also been privy to conversations about abortion which lead me to believe that every one of those ladies would insist on the morning after contraceptive for her daughter had she been raped. At least two have had their tubes tied, and another had an abortion when it became apparent that she was carrying a child afflicted with a serious genetic malady.
On the other hand, I've seen nice Baptist ladies who never before in their lives voted register and hit the voting booth in 2004 with the sole intention of voting against gay marriage because their pastor told them to.
Obviously, this is apples and oranges, not a statistical sampling, yada, yada, yada . . .
And just as obviously, comparing my friends to five Catholic Supreme Court justices, well, that's far beyond apples and oranges. Or maybe I just don't know any Catholic women who would blindly accept what their priests advocated, unlike those women from the big box church down the road.
Like I said, I dunno . . .

Oops! Link for the above (an excellent resource) is on my name.

I would echo the sentiment that we are best served by not having 5 of any particular persuasion on the Supreme Court - including atheists.

Well well.. about damn time team Obama brought McKeating to the forefront .

http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/keatingvideo

Watch the preview of the documentary "Keating Economics: John McCain and the Making of a Financial Crisis," which will be released at noon Eastern on Monday, October 6th.

The documentary shows why John McCain's failed philosophy and poor judgment are a recipe for deepening the economic crisis.

Dear God! Where to start?

"We are best served by not having 5 of any particular persuasion on the Supreme Court - including atheists."

Huh, Perplexed? You'd rather have a majority of "talking snake" irrational superstitious fascio-religionists than a majority of clear-headed RATIONALISTS on the Supreme Court? Do you think this stuff is ha-ha funny? It's not.

And doigotta: "I dunno." What are you, dumb? (I don't think so.) Uninformed? (I don't think so.)

What do you mean, "I dunno?" More of that smarmy southern crap about not "rocking the boat?" Anybody with half a brain who reads and thinks KNOWS about this stuff, praline.

And John A. Arkansawyer, "I'd rather talk about bad beliefs than those who promote them. Creeds and institutions--even the Catholic Church--those things change over time, but inhumanity keeps on hurting people as long as it's practiced."

Why NOT talk about "those who promote" bad beliefs and "inhumanity?"

It took the Catholic Church 350 years to admit it was wrong and Galileo was right, for God's sake!

God! The "southernness" here is overwhelmingly ugly. Call them out! When the largest Christian religious body on earth "promotes" hate and discrimination toward women and gays and targets well over half the human population (women + gays and lesbians) with MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in political campaigns and lobbyists for MORE Supreme Court justices and MORE theocracy . . . you'd rather not TALK about it?

Just let them get BY with this shizz?

Take a long nap, John, honey, and reset the synapses. Or is it too late?

Where are all the supposedly informed and enlightened religionists publicly standing up to this hateful "takeover" of their supposedly "loving" religion?

The same "place" supposedly "moderate" Muslims are? Cowering in a corner? Afraid of the fundamentalists?

And what's with "the act," John? You think this is a rerun of "Desperate Housewives" going on here?

This is no "act."

It's the State of the Union, Pea-pie.

I'm agreeing with Norma from a safe distance. In my life I have loved and continue to love some good Baptists and Catholics....they are good people who I believe don't fully understand what they think they believe. But that's not the point.

The point is, my point at least, is when are atheists going to get some damn representation in Congress and on the Supreme Court? We all agree an all white anything isn't good. All male clubs have bit the dust and phooey on those that are left. We've been melting this melting pot for 3 centuries and it's working in most areas....but let an avoid disbeliever rear his or her Putin looking head and folks start looking like someone cut a big one.

Just screaming at the Baptist and the Catholics isn't going to work...it just makes them dig in harder. The key is educating them.....educating them about their own goofy beliefs. I haven't seen Bill Maher's new movie yet....I'll be a speckled baboon before it plays in Fort Baptist. But I hope it does some of that educating stuff and I hope it plants a few seeds.

I don't care if religion goes away, if it ever does it won't be in my lifetime. I'm not on a crusade...I just want it removed from government to a degree where people who don't fit the mold get a fair shake too.

For example....at Ramsey Junior High this coming week there will be something called Fields of Faith. This was announced over the video morning announcements at Northside this week. At 7 pm( they failed to name the date) all schools in Fort Baptist and Van Baptist are invited to Ramsey Stadium where preaching and scripture and Christian music will take place. I already know, no one will be killed, very few will be saved...but but....why is this being held on school property....why was this announced at Northside High?

When will the Buddhists get to take over a piece Fort Baptist school property and have a big Kabuki dance...or whatever they do? In all my years at Northside I never heard an announcement about a big wing ding at the Jewish Temple. We got us a big Muslim Mosque over on Albert Pike.....when will they have Muslim Day at Ramsey Junior High Stadium? And why not a gun show or a flea market?

It's not fair...it's unconstitutional and I don't like it! According to The Google there are about 3980 churches in and around Fort Baptist....yes ....I said 3980. I took a quick look at the list and holy moley tons of churches and faiths and denominations I've never heard of! Now......do you really think the kids of Fort Baptist are so hard up for a church meeting that they have to gather on school property to have a big Pep Rally for Jesus?

Funny...when I Googled atheists and Fort Smith it turned up 2 hits: Toys R Us and Elwood's Blues Street Tavern‎......eLwood...you didn't tell us! So sports fans Jesus is royally stomping the atheists butt in Fort Baptist. 3980 to 2........like Toys R Us or that dumpy bar has anything to do with atheists.

I rest my case. But don't forget Fields of Faith....coming to public property in your town soon!

For what it's worth--which, admittedly, in this context it might not be much:

There is one significant difference between Roman Catholics and Baptists in general and Southern Baptists in particular: church polity (read "government," "organizational structure").

There is one Roman Catholic Church. There are more than thirty Baptist groups in the United States alone.

There is one Southern Baptist Convention--which is not composed of churches, but of "messengers" from churches who attend the annual meeting. The business of the SBC is conducted by the Executive Committee between annual sessions.

The Roman Catholic Church is a hierarchy with the Pope at the top, Cardinals next, Bishops next, and Priests at the bottom of the pecking order.

There is no authoritative organizational structure among Baptists. Every church is an independent, autonomous congregation. No one outside that local church has any authority to tell it what to know, believe, think, or do.

So the Roman Catholic Church is a monolithic structure while Baptists are as individual and diverse as creek gravel.

And no Baptist, at any level, has any authority to speak for any other Baptist on any issue. When you hear any Baptist speak, s/he speaks only for herself/himself--although it is true that there may be a lot of them who agree with the speaker.

You will hear the most blather from the Baptists (especially Southern Baptists) who are authoritarian and charismatic enough to get a large following of mindless sheep who will follow their leadership and do as they're told. Jerry Falwell was good at that. So is Rick Warren.

The reason you don't hear much from the others is that the pastors--and their flocks--are not authoritarian and for the pastors to take a strong stand on a divisive issue would result in his being fired--if those against his position could raise enough votes--or in a church split, which is not uncommon.

Many mild-mannered church members would rather go along with injustice than to confront it because they live in a community and have to find ways to get along, even with bigots! They simply eschew controversy--at almost any cost. They are just not confrontational by nature, whereas most of the authoritarian pastors--and a lot of their followers--are!

All you have to do is look at the Arkansas Gazette to see how this works: You take the unpopular position, raise the minority voice of decency, and you can start losing your friends--or customers. And when your customers vote with their dollars, you go out of business and starve.

And THAT'S the reason you won't hear many voices from among Baptists supporting the notion of gay rights and freedom of choice (read "abortion").

They are personally opposed to homosexual practice on moral grounds, but to support the civil rights of people of different views is to be labeled one who "supports homosexuality"--or may even be accussed of "being one," or presumed to "be one."

And openly to advocate the right of women to exercise control over their own bodies is to be viewed as "favoring abortion." To advocate the view that the state has no right to legislate in that arena is to be viewed as "advocating abortion," although the individual believer may believe that no abortion should ever be performed except as an absolute last resort.

If a pastor advocates one of these "tolerant" positions, those who are opposed may advocate his dismissal or, short of that, vote with their feet and move their membership--along with their monetary support--to another congregation where the pastor rails against "liberal" views.

It's a lot easier for a monolithic church to speak with one voice and exercise some degree of control over its constituency than it is for a church group involving 16,000 individual, independent, autonomous congregations--especially where the pastor's authority rests ONLY on consensus. No pastor has any more authority than any individual church member.

And for those who don't know--if they care: The district associations, the state conventions, and the Southern Baptist convention are all autonomous organizations. They are not hierarchical; none has any authority over any other. Each derives its membership and "authority" directly from members of local congregations.

The "authority" of Baptist churches rests in the individual member and, by consensus only, in the local church. The local church sits at the top of the heap, not at the bottom.

At that difference can account for a lot of other differences between the Roman Catholic Church and Baptist churches.

Hey, I'm an atheist, and I don't think any supernatural metaphysical beliefs (including astrology, Norma) are true. I'd be tickled pink to have a Supreme Court made up of rationalists.

On the other hand, one of the worst human beings I ever knew, a recently deceased lawyer from Fayetteville, was an atheist who believed, rationally (according to his lights), that blacks were genetically inferior to whites and women were biologically unfit to hold positions of authority. What a piece of work he was! Didn't believe in tipping, either. I'm glad he never made it to the Supreme Court.

So atheism and rationalism isn't enough to qualify someone for the Supreme Court I want.

Now, if you want atheists and rationalists to have a larger role in public life--and I want that--you need to have a larger number of them out and about and existing and vocal.

Throwing hissy fits about religion isn't the best way to go about that.

"And that difference . . . ." Not "At that difference . . . ."

"A Wrinkle in Time..."
'Reagan's / [Bush's] Legacy: Homelessness in America'

"President George W. Bush, who often claims Reagan's mantle, recently proposed cutting one-third of the Section 8 housing vouchers - a lifeline against homelessness for two million poor families.

We've already named a major airport, schools and streets after Ronald Reagan, and since his death some people have suggested other ways to celebrate his memory. Perhaps a more fitting tribute to his legacy would be for each American city to name a park bench - where at least one homeless person sleeps every night - in honor of our 40th president." [CLICK]

Oh, eLwood, I started watching the PBS show, POV, with plans to move on 'cause I knew it would be gut wrenching and I wanted something light...but I watched the entire thing and I cried. Heartbreaking, just heartbreaking...made me ashamed of my country (YES, FUCKING ASHAMED). ANYONE who's had a serious/chronic illness or watched a love one suffer from illness knows that sick people shouldn't have to fight the whole world and fight the disease.

Everyone profiled from last night's show was a working, producing human until laid low by serious illness...most lost everything and were so in debt from medical expenses/medicine costs they'd never come out.

When the woman with ovarian cancer (who made sixteen thousand the year before her diagnosis) started stripping her place of personal NON-VALUABLE 'what nots' to help pay her huge debt 'cause 'they (hubby/her) didn't want to declare bankruptcy 'cause they've always paid their bills' I thought I was going to lose it. What could be more American...more necessary for 'family values' than treating our sick neighbors humanly through their illnesses?

One of my dearest friends, Carla, is from Costa Rica. She married an American/has two children and is now a citizen (Costa Rica allows dual citizenship). Her mother (a retired school teacher with insurance) stays with them during school months to babysit. Anyway...agonizing gut pain sent her to US docs who blew her off like and quoting my friend 'she was an illegal who didn't count'...despite having insurance and money to pay. Long story short: She went home to Costa Rica got FREE treatment for her ovarian cancer and five years later is doing great. I'll never forget Carla telling me that the myths about the great American Healthcare system are dead. The difference between her treatment here and her treatment in Costa Rica is staggering. One treated her like a human being who was ill and needed help...the other treated her like a leech who wasn't worth the time/effort.

And John McSame's healthcare joke will sink the rest of us who are barely hanging on to employer-funded healthcare plans.

Oh yeah...the religion thing: Every church that 'formally' places women second to men and 'formally' makes gays less than heteros isn't getting my respect, time or money. Bigoted bastards all.

I was raised Catholic...but then I lived life and got an education. My hubby's mom/dad are as devout a Southern Baptists as I've seen...but then he grew up looked around his church and married a heathen. Which was the first time I faced discrimination 'cause Catholic was a dirty word in small-town Baptist churches in the 70s...mercy, can't imagine how a lifetime of such nonsense affects someone. Bless my mother-in-law's heart, she's still trying to figure out if that 'once-saved stuff' translates into anything Catholic; because I'm now a beloved daughter rather than a heathen Catholic. Can't help it, I get tickled watching her trying to wrap her small mind around anything that doesn't begin with/end with Southern Baptist...but mostly worrying about how we're (son/me) going to join them in Baptist Heaven...given it's got specific requirements. Age is about finding humor EVERYWHERE.

September 16,2000
ARKANSAS CATHOLIC

(excerpts-front page)

CHURCH IS NECESSARY TO RECEIVE SALVATION, NEW DOCUMENT SAYS

'Church of Christ' fully exists only in Catholic Church.

VATICAN CITY - Taking aim at the notion that "one religion is as good another, a new Vatican document emphasized the "exclusive, universal and absolute" value of Jesus Christ and said the Catholic Church is necessary for salvation...the 'church of Christ' continures to exist fully only in the Catholic Church," said the document.....while other religious belief was still in search of the truth......