Brainstormy
Brainstormy's JournalThe Dakota Pipeline. And me.
I'm not a native American. Not particularly a good student of American history. But this crisis, from its beginning, has captured and wounded me, spurring some legitimate research on my part, and hitting home especially at this holiday season, already unusual for some of us, by being saturated with so much disappointment.
During our family Thanksgiving preparations I began talking to my teen, and pre-teen grands about how upset I'd been over this travesty. I gave them a little background on the treaties that have been broken with these native people, the United Nation speech on the rights of indigenous people that I had recently listened to, and the global embarrassment of the US votes on this issue, and other snippets. I was very emotional and weepy also coming off a bad cold or bout of flu and then there was the added factor that they think their Grammar is always a little nuts. She is. But I'm very happy, and weepy again, tonight. Chalk one up for US. For all of "us."
I really need to feel good, to feel hopeful, about something. I trust there are others of you out there who understand.
Mother Theresa's sainthood
Saddened this morning that the whole world is celebrating the life of this selfish fraud.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2003/10/mommie_dearest.html
"What used to be the lunatic fringe is now called the House of Representatives."
Great article on the toll that the right wing has already taken on America.
"Taking heart at Donald Trump’s plummeting favorability numbers? You think he maybe finally jumped the shark by taking a victory lap over the Orlando massacre? You think the Republic is now safe?
It isn’t. The Republic is already sick. It’s like we had a bad clam — a steady diet of bad clams - and the convulsions aren’t likely to stop soon."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-garfield/donald-trump-2016_b_10523982.html
Iowa governor attempting to impose Christianity as state government’s religion, say rights groups
What next?
Advocates for the separation of church and state are acting swiftly to scuttle a plan by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) to flood the state’s 99 courthouses with praying, Bible-reading Christians activists for four days.
The Des Moines Register reported that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) and the group Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers have roundly condemned the action as a high-handed attempt to establish Christianity as the official religion of the state government. The plan, they say, is a direct violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.
http://www.rawstory.com/2016/06/iowa-governor-attempting-to-impose-christianity-as-state-governments-religion-say-rights-groups/
Franklin Graham boycotting Girl Scout Cookies.
My hips don't need them, but I'm ordering a case of thin mints for the freezer. Honestly, I can't even THINK about the Graham family without gritting my teeth. Maybe the cookies will help.
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/dispatches/2016/03/03/franklin-graham-boycotts-girl-scout-cookies/?ref_widget=trending&ref_blog=lovejoyfeminism&ref_post=raised-evangelical-adult-children-reflect
Biblical Gender Roles
If, as The Atheist Pig suggests, you can stifle your gag reflex, check out this Christian marriage advice blog. There's some debate in my A&A meetup group about whether or not it's even for real. I think it's legit.
http://biblicalgenderroles.com/2016/02/21/how-to-help-women-learn-their-place/
Phoenix City Council Votes To End Prayer Rather Than Let Satanists Lead It
My smile for the morning. Link at HUFF PO.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/phoenix-satanists_us_56b4e2b2e4b04f9b57d9639f?cps=gravity_5030_-382534391645175114
But there's a third way: My Secular/Humanist Meetup group always begins meetings with "a moment of science." 
Clinton or Sanders? Some Iowa precincts resort to coin tosses to award delegates
From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
"Just how close was the race in Iowa for Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders? At least six precincts reportedly awarded their delegates after tossing a coin.
In Ames, the decision to award delegates by coin toss was made after 60 caucus participants apparently disappeared from the results, according to a report from The Des Moines Register.
“Unable to account of that numerical discrepancy and the orphan delegate it produced, the Sanders campaign challenged the results and precinct leaders called a Democratic Party hot line set up to advise on such situations,” the newspaper reported.
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/national-govt-politics/clinton-or-sanders-some-iowa-precincts-resort-coin/nqHLJ/
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Member since: Tue Jun 1, 2010, 11:14 AMNumber of posts: 2,380
