The Tyranny of State Legislatures

In 38 States Being Gay is a Terminable Offense I was horrified by this example of how allowing the States to "protect our rights" is a meaningless statement.

James Madison, author of the Constitution, wrote that the federal government's purpose is to protect the people from the tyranny of state legislatures. Here we have a perfect example of why a strong federal government is essential.

If it were left up to the states, we'd still have slavery - at the very least segregation. Women would not have been given the franchise and, well...yes, you see it here. Gays and Lesbians don't have the full rights guranteed them - indeed, promised them, by the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I don't see any exclusionary clauses there, "Except...." Please, do show me where they are, if you are going to argue that some of our citizens should have fewer rights than others.

It is hardly a coincidence that the people supporting the withholding of these rights are now the ones attacking the Obama Administration as taking away rights, of imposing a totalitarian form of government on our Nation. Sadly, the rights these people most want to protect are the rights they claim to withhold rights from others.

Remember that Nazi Germany made gays and lesbians - yes, and Jews and Pagans - second class citizens. Given it is the Republicans who now argue that gays and lesbians are second class citizens, who do you really think are today's Nazis?

It isn't the liberals. They got thrown in concentration camps too.

The same arguments were used to keep African Americans as second class citizens. The same arguments were used to keep women "in their place" as are now being used to diminish the rights of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters. And what argument is that?

God. He just doesn't want it. Do this and you violate his will. Do this, and 9/11 happens. He smacks you down with righteous fury and makes you his bitch.

The constructed other. The politics of fear. Epic fail.

Time to say "Whatever," folks.

Let's do the right thing.

Let's fix this, America. Is the Declaration of Independence, are the words of Thomas Jefferson, a lie?

Note: Cross-posted at A Heathen's Day (www.aheathensday.com)

Liberals: The Children of Liberty

Here is my new article, published in ProgressiveNation today: Liberals: The Children of Liberty.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

It is a lovely day. The sun is shining, the sky is almost without clouds, and it's a balmy 54 degrees. Can't ask for much more than that in mid-November. We haven't seen snow yet, and barely even frost. Growing up in Minnesota, I've been snowed in by this point in the year before, even if it did not typically last.

I was invited to pen a piece for ProgressiveNation and I've spent the morning writing about liberalism and today's conservatism. As usual, my ideas have run away with me and it's ended up a bit on the long side. Hopefully not too long. Anyone who knows me knows I like to cite my sources and provide examples (in context) in order to support my arguments. I did not want to simply write a flat-out opinion piece. I like how it turned out. If it's too long I'll find a use for it elsewhere or see what I can do to put together an abridged version as well.

It always feels good to write. Fighting with the flu has given me some time to do that since I haven't been up and around much and a laptop offers so much flexibility. I'm getting used to Microsoft Office 2007. WORD is a little different than the old version I was using and nothing is where I expect it to be but that hasn't slowed me down terribly, and I'm gradually getting the hang of it and of the new keyboard.

I've been doing a lot of reading as well, including some very interesting Neoplatonism by Edward Butler. I've always said it doesn't get any better than Plato, but this is not strictly true as it leaves out Plotinus and Proclus. I've never seen a better cosmology than that supported by Neoplatonic thought. Polytheism lives very comfortably in its bosom, which is why you will not find the ancient philosophers calling for an end to the traditional cults. On the contrary, the traditional cults were supported.

I've also pretty much organized my new desk. It's slightly larger than the old, still fits snugly in the corner but has a couple of handy (if not too-strong) shelves for little things that no longer clutter the area where my mouse roams. I'm very comfortably ensconced and it's not too much of a burden to unhook and move to another room. Targus makes a very nice folding lap-desk for laptops which when deployed on a desk-top can position the computer at an angle suitable for typing. It was only about $20. I highly recommend it. It has holes in it and keeps the laptop breathing, which is essential - while keeping your lap relatively cool. I haven't had to use my old fan yet.

Now that I'm fully locked onto the 21st century, I'm going to get back to writing in order to offer some resistance to the 13th century the Republican Party is so eager to impose upon us.

Thor protect you all.

Some Rambling Thor's Day Thoughts

A nice, balmy, 30 degrees this morning. Frost on the car. On the leaves, which are still on the grass and un-raked. The H1N1 hit this week and I'm probably going to have to fight frost (hopefully not snow) to get the lawn raked before the city comes to collect the leaves. They were tardy about it last year, which may work to my advantage this year. I'm a bit chilled, sitting in front of my laptop. Usually this is the warmest room in the house, but I can tell when it's colder than normal outside.

I've been working on some art-work for the Helhest Captain's Log, a portrait of Najet Boulemi, Moroccan captain of the ship. I sketched her with my mechanical pencil, scanned her into a jpg and then tried working with her on my Wacom. I did not prove adept at this so I resorted to my mouse (strange that a mouse would be easier to draw with than a stylus). I think she turned out decently. I'm not 100% satisfied but as a first effort I'm quite happy. I may fiddle with the image some more before all is said and done. Here is an "artistic" rendering of her. I've put another up at the Helhest blog (http://helhest.blogspot.com).

It's an interesting way to "do" art. I used to draw a lot as a child. My mother went to art school and painted in oils and acrylics. I tried my hand at oils and at acrylics and the results were not promising. I was more comfortable being able to erase. I think that helps me with drawing pictures on the computer. I can save as often as I want, use the "undo" feature real life so sadly lacks, and have another go at it until I get it right. And of course, adding a layer...oh, need another layer! is nice too. You can fiddle endlessly, blend, blur and anything else you want. The mosaic version of Najet Boulemi was interesting.

I want to try to do a ship image too. I'm already working on a sort of sun-wheel symbol to use as the signet of the imperial house (and on the imperial flag). I will probably create a background for her that utilizes the sun-wheel over one shoulder and the ship's own symbol (a stylized helhest) over the other, maybe with a motto and the hull number. It's a nice creative process and it helps generate ideas for background material in my head as I work. One thing leads to another, as they say....

I've been slowed by the flu and going to bed early so I haven't gotten much actual writing done. I find inspiration dries up when I feel like death warmed over. I'm fortunate I'm old enough that I haven't gotten as sick as my son, but then he got Tamiflu, which seems to be some sort of miracle drug, it acts so quickly. I hope now that he's been exposed (at least once, possibly twice) he develops some immunity and that he won't have to deal with it again, because there is a long school year ahead and he's already missed two weeks, not to mention every Tuesday for his Gaucher treatments.

Finally, there is Thursday night football. I love NFL Network. Watch it more than any other and I don't have to worry about my favorite shows being canceled. I've got my fantasy rosters set (I think). My bye-weeks were mostly weeks 5 and 6 and I've had far fewer gaps to fill since then. I have three teams among my 10 bound for the playoffs barring a late-season collapse, a couple so far behind they can never catch up, and several that are middle-of-the-pack. We'll see how it all turns out. I'm not cut-throat about it. I want to win, certainly, but it's just for fun and I have fun either way. I know what I'll be doing tonight as I recline beneath my Baltimore Ravens blanket with my feet up, laptop in my lap, and a mug of hot apple cider in my hand.

A Television Wasteland

Once again we see evidence of the lack of commitment television networks have towards quality programming. If it's not cheap and flashy, they don't like it.

I'm saying this because one of the best shows on television, Dollhouse, has just been canceled by FOX (yes, yet another reason to hate FOX).

Perhaps the networks aren't entirely to blame. Ratings were admittedly low, but networks are famous for making sure shows they for whatever reason take a disliking to fail - changing the schedule around, putting them on at unfavorable times, poor promotion, etc.

I haven't seen enough about this latest slap in the face to know the details but having just added Summer Glau to the cast makes this especially tragic. Here she leaves the canceled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, comes over to Dollhouse just in time to get canceled again. And she's a brilliant actress. I was looking forward to seeing a lot of her on this brilliantly written show.

At this point, I'm about ready to swear off network television. They put on a show, let you get hooked, and then cancel it. Why bother in the first place?

V

Can you believe it? "V" is back. I loved the original back in 1983. It was a nice change of pace from your typical space opera fare. The cast was great, particularly Jane Badler. I'm looking forward to seeing Morena Baccarin (Firefly) take that role and run with it. The only downside is that we get to see only four episodes, all in November, before the series goes on hiatus until March. I hope they repeat the first four episodes before picking the story up again. By March I'll need a refresher. Seems a strange move to make - build up momentum and then abruptly kill it, but then the decisions of television networks have never made any sense to me (or to producers and directors from the things I've read).

Still, it's a good season for Firefly alumni - Baccarin in "V" and Summer Glau joining "Dollhouse." You won't find me complaining too much. And of course we've got Nathan Fillion in "Castle." Still, I'd give all this up to have "Firefly" back.

A Perfect Day for Football

The sun has finally come out. The rain, for today at least, is a thing of the past, and just in time for some football. Nothing fits the fall weather better. I'm sitting in bed with the laptop in front of me and the TV set on NFL Network while they talk about Brett Favre. 've got my fantasy rosters set and all that's left to do is to decide whether to take a chance on Vince Young, newly promoted to starter against the leagues 31st ranked pass defense. It doesn't get any better than this.