Rev, Annotated

From Red Letter Rev:

R and I have been rapt watching John Adams. That should be required viewing for every junior high student.

Yes, it took a great deal of thought, negotiation, and an huge amount of courage to stand up to tyranny in the face of being shot for simply demanding dignity, fairness and equality. Most folks out walking around have no idea what the Founders and Framers went through and that is a shame on our educational system and a shame on any responsible citizen.

It was very interesting how they tried to end slavery, but were forced to put up with it to first gain independence from Britain. They did hope to take the issue up and end the shameful practice once and for all, but it took another 87 years and a horrible war to bring the promise of liberty and justice "for all" to a hobbling start. But it was a start to fulfilling the dreams of the Framers. Another 150 years later than that, and we're still in the struggle for liberty and justice "for all".

If the righties ever bothered to read and understand the Constitution (just like they don't read the Bible they love to beat people with), they would never be righties. Anyone who reads the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution would very quickly understand that both were created by, even carefully crafted (if you will) by liberals.

Liberals liberated this country from England. Liberals ended slavery. Liberals are still fighting for liberty and justice "for all". Liberals gave us the 5-day work-week, are guardians and stewards of the air, water and national resouces and natural treasures. Liberals made sure that (according to the Constitution) we have a right to redress in a court of law.

Reliably, the right-wingers have fought in favor of rights only for the rich and pampered, in favor of slavery (they're still not letting go), in favor of removing every right the Constitution guarantees. They fight to squander our natural resources for the profit of the very, very few, the rich and pampered. They actively work to suppress the voices of the poor, the disadvantaged.

Jesus only gave two commandments. The second being deemed equal to the first is to love one another. I firmly believe He'll have some mighty, mighty tough and personal questions to ask the wingnuts when they knock on the Pearly Gates.

Maybe it's because of the way I was raised (to love my country because of its marvellous Constitution), or maybe because of my military service (I promised [Quakers don't swear] to "protect, uphold and defend" it) or maybe because it's the correct, moral and only defensible position for a loyal, patriotic citizen to take. I've said it before and I'll keep repeating it until it takes hold: The Constitution is the one and singular document that makes America "America". If that is destroyed, then America itself is destroyed and something less, free, less righteous and, well, less, will take its place upon this soil.

You'll only find educated people aware of what the Constitution really means amongst the center to left. The right wingers don't read it, don't care what's in it: give them a mouthful of slogans to chant and a flag to wave and they'll happily (and stupidly) throw their rights and country away.

That's as good as treason and I regard them as I would any enemy of my beloved country.
_____
You know how passionate I am about protecting the Constitution and the promises of freedom in it. Better men than I have said, "Until everybody is free, ain't nobody free" and that's the G'd's honest truth. It's more than just the concept and practices of a free society. The righties totally miss the point. Sadly, it's completely understandable, since they have no notion of empathy, compassion or anything outside their own personal wants, demands and desires, and screw everyone else.

The point the Framers were making, the point for which the Founders fought, endured hardships we can't imagine today, even died for, was that human beings deserve their own dignity and suchness. It is that rich tapestry that makes for a healthy society. Homogenization and regimentation always, always throughout history are the destroyers of nations.

Just because a few selfish folks wanted everything all their way and no way else. Every regimented state has failed, and the erosion on our nation is visible to the entire world.

It grieves me as much as losing a parent would, to see my beloved country sicken, wane and begin to die. The Constitution is mother to every citizen and like a mother, every patriotic citizen should protect, love and defend it.
_____
It boils down to a very simple question: Do we support the Constitution and the rule of American law, or do we continue to allow the U.S. to slide into a third-world dictatorship?

We are on the verge of completely losing our citizenship and with it, our country, our freedoms and our way of life. There's but scant time to turn the Bush/neoKKKon mess around and become a constitutional democracy again.

Or not. It's up to us.

We Are The Ones We Have Been Waiting For

So What Are You Going To Do About It?

_____
Updated and cross posted here.

We Still Ain't Skeert

From Red Letter Rev:

JEEBUS! Just when we think we've made headway against one sort of illegal domestic spying, we find out that BushCo have been sneaking in another. From TPM:

It is the closest thing I've seen to a complete explanation of the surveillance program the Bush Administration has assembled.

Siobhan Gorman of The Wall Street Journal reports this morning that the National Security Agency has assembled what some intelligence officials admit is a driftnet for domestic and foreign communications.

Here's the way the whole thing works, according to Gorman: into the NSA's massive database goes data collected by the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Treasury.

This information includes data about email (recipient and sender address, subject, time sent), internet searches (sites visited and searches conducted), phone calls (incoming and outgoing numbers, length of call, location), financial information (wire transfers, credit-card use, information about bank accounts), and information from the DHS about airline passengers.

Then the NSA's software analyzes this data for indications of terrorist activity. When it hits upon a suspicious pattern, the NSA "feeds its findings into the effort the administration calls the Terrorist Surveillance Program and shares some of that information with other U.S. security agencies.”

Basically, no American citizen can fart without Bush and the neoKKKons smelling it. Keep in mind, the flip side of "marketing" data collection is a complete profile on each and every American citizen, law-abiding or not. They know every penny you've got, where you spent your money and on what, who you call, who calls you, how many of those idiotic saccharine "forwards" you've actually forwarded (did you do all 10, or will a house fall on you??) ... in short, every single frickin' intimate detail about your life.

Bush and his neoKKKon buddies are bent and determined not only to break the law, but to give themselves amnesty for doing it (Mr. Rockefeller, you lis'nin'??). Add the American "black site" gulags, extraordinary rendition and torture to this vile stew, and you have the very definition of a fascist, totalitarian state run amok.

1984 is now. We're a terrifyingly long way down the path to utter implosion as a nation. And when it does implode, the neoKKKons will quietly slip offshore with all the cash they've stored in their Cayman Island lockboxes -- where we'll never touch either again.

Every nation that has ever hyper-militarized and regimentalized, then allowed a small wingnut cabal to run amok has imploded miserably: from Rome, to Germany, to the Soviet Union... right down, sadly, to the once-free, once-great America. Our economy is the product of a neoKKKon military/industrial complex that is a ticking time-bomb with but seconds left on the dial.

Meanwhile, the targets of this "driftnet" of spying are Quakers, grannies' knitting circles, peace activists, Democrats, equal rights advocates -- y'know, all the very worst turriss. (SNARK!) It wasn't lost on me that the new crowd-control weapon 60 Minutes showed was demonstrated on "peace activists".

We got the message. We still ain't skeert.

Rev's Monday Moanin' Rant 'n' Grr

From our Rev:

GOP =

Grasping Old Pirates …

Greed, Oil, and Plunder …

Gross Old Perverts …

Grabby Officious Plunderers ...

Generates Obnoxious Pollution ...

I'm still thinkin'. There have to be plenty more. What a thoroughly amoral, disgusting lot with their cow-stupid, drooling, knuckle-dragging followers. They never take on any of the personal responsibility they natter endlessly about. They roar in, screw up or completely despoil everything around them, then look around for someone else (who likely was completely uninvolved) to blame.

They've screwed this country to the wall, sold its citizens in bondage to the mega-corporations, stolen everything not nailed down and carted it to offshore tax havens they created just for the purpose. Either we rise up and vote in a Progressive Congress this time or there will never, ever, ever be another chance. We've already hit all fourteen points of fascism and the "federalist" and "strict constructionist" traitors to the Constitution have already rescinded rights that once-free Americans took for granted -- and now have lost.

Any red-blooded, patriotic American would fight rather than give up their rights. The pug crowd are all-too happy to throw their rights away to those who don't deserve to be in power, just because those in power are willing to throw the words "Jesus" and "conservative" into their vile diatribes, even though they have amply demonstrated that they don't give a whit about either Jesus or conservatism. This GOP performs acts that Jesus will never let them get away with in the hereafter and prove that the only thing they "conserve" is our money into their pockets.

I long for the day when every last one of them is rotting in the mega-prisons they've built for us.

* * * * *

Either everyone becomes serious about rescuing this country from a complete slide à la USSR into grinding poverty for all but the top 10%, left with nothing but warring crime syndicates just like modern-day Russia, or we'll be there within a very, very few years. We've already got one foot in the grave and the other on a nanner-peel.

The wealthiest 10% have already grabbed 90% of the wealth and privilege --yet demonstrably they're not satisfied. The traitors on the right have happily thrown their rights away -- they're damn well not welcome to mine. The 19%-ers have no right to throw America away out from under the majority.

Either we are serious about making this election a landslide or we are seriously in deep crap. The military/industrial complex Ike warned us about are here. The same kind of people drove the former Soviet Union right into the ground (Raygun had absolutely nothing to do with it, despite the fairy-tales the right like to believe). They're doing a good job of it here.

There hasn't been any real money in the banks or in the stock market for the last 30 years. When that paper castle they've built starts collapsing for real (and it's going to -- it already is) we're going to be in a complete world of hurt. We will look back as a nation and will say "we saw it coming, but we didn't think the worst could actually happen to us". All the clues are there. Either we fix it with a peaceful revolution at the polls to put Progressives into Congress or we will soon suffer the consequences of our inaction.

* * * * *

Anyone who can't vote for a Democrat this fall isn't serious about keeping their rights and the Constitution intact. We've lost so much, thanks to single-party rule (vs. governance) from the Republics. While I respect the right of other people to throw their rights and country away, I absolutely resent the fact that they disrespect me by throwing my rights and country away with them. Nobody has the right to take my rights away.

But by either voting for McKook or staying at home in November, that is exactly what they're doing. They're stating loud and clear that they despise America and they despise the Constitution. I'll say it again: If you want a country where a single religious sect makes the laws in accordance with a single interpretation of a religious text; if you want a country where Big Brother spies into your bedrooms, your every phone conversation and your every email; if you want a country where a single religion is taught in public schools; if you want a country where there are no rights for females and minorities; then, I submit that your heaven on earth already exists and that you should pack your bags and go there.

It's called Iran. The rest of us who love America and are willing to fight for it will pass the hat and make sure you get there -- and good riddance.

* * * *

Our banking system is in major trouble, our economy is in major trouble, joblessness has once again increased -- and who was at the helm stealing all they could get their hands on, selling our jobs and our country out from under us, whilst ignoring the problems they themselves were creating?

Betcherass that blame lies squarely and 100% on the Republic party.

Vote Democratic whilst you still can, lest the deluge of shyte the Republics have created washes us all and our country with it completely away.

* * * * *

Oh, but the Great White Idiot in the Oval says there isn't any domestic turrisstesses. (*snark*)

I mean, if the bozos in DC can't catch the ELF freaks, don't care if family planning centers are blown to bits, and they can't seem to catch the perpetrators of hate-crimes that have soared exponentially since the Chimp took office, then how in hell are they going to catch al Qaeda?

QED, Bush's cronies can't find there own arses with two hands and a huntin' dog. Worse, the Republics in Congress have squabbled over the spoils of spending bills, whose cronies are getting what, and they've blocked all meaningful legislation that would secure our borders and make us safer. The net effect is that demonstrably, the US is far more unsafe than we were pre-9/11.

I fear to think, but nonetheless I do think that the PNAC and fascist crowd will not go either peacefully or gracefully after their certain defeat in November. They have demonstrated that by leaving us unsafe, they're either itching for or will manufacture another "Pearl Harbor event" in order to secure power once and for all. If you will remember, the resident gave himself the power to declare martial law to suspend elections -- and he never does anything without an ulterior purpose that will soon be revealed. I would not put it past the neoKKKons, not for a New York split-second.

* * * * *

Patriotism is serving your country in honorable fashions, not hollering for war then standing back while someone else's kids go die for your greed. Patriotism is being involved in your governance, not playing with your vote like it's for American Idiot, er, Idle, er, Idol. Patriotism is holding your elected officials accountable for the well-being of all your fellow citizens, not flocking to the polls because some yay-hoo says that the most important thing they have in mind to do is to deny rights and equality to fellow citizens. Patriotism is conserving and preserving national treasures and resources, not sticking a frickin' magnet to an SUV.

There's much to be done, and much education to catch a lot of folks up on. It's an unthinkably massive job we've got ahead.

~ Red Letter Rev

De-mythologizing Republic-speak

From our Rev:

We're, what now? 6 or 7 generations away from the American Revolution. We're spoiled with always having had the Bill of Rights. These Republics, they've got nothing into it, so it's easy for them to exchange actual freedom for just the mere trappings of freedom.

Take this flag-burning beeyess that Congress had to put through instead of taking care of actual business. The Republics were all for it; they never once stopped to think that when a symbol of freedom is raised above freedom itself, then freedom itself becomes an unattainable dream.

In the republic-world, down is up, black is white, science is fantasy and fairy-tales are not to be questioned as a matter of "faith". Similarly, endless restrictions and punishments equate to "freedom". Yeah, you'd have to be as crazy as a shithouse rat to believe half the things they do; but that's another post. I've come to regard republicanism as a mental disorder that prevents people from considering the consequences of their actions, no matter how self-destructive those actions may be.

F'r instance, if you throw away your first and fourth amendment rights and can no longer dissent with an obviously corrupt government, then add to that the notion that the government can spy on anyone at any time, how TF can any sane person regard that as being "freer". Right. A sane person can't, but a republic will argue you into the grave. They'll buy any marketing-schmooze from a republic official, but fact is anathema.

I'm all for de-mythologizing republic-speak. F'r instance:

Values Voter - These are wedge issue voters. It is not a sense of national duty nor civic pride that brings them to the polls. The only thing that gets this bunch off their dead arses and into the polling booth is the joy of taking something they didn't appreciate in the first place away from someone else who desperately needs it. These are short-sighted and mean-spirited people who haven't the mental capacity to realize that they're voting their own sorry hides right down the river along with whatever group they're hating this week.

Protect America Act - Bullshit. Call it what it is: The Protect Corporate Colluders in Criminal Activity Act. The only reason the repugs in Congress and the Oval are pitching such a bitch about it is that they know they broke the law and now they want retroactive forgiveness.

Patriotism - Becoming an informed voter? Serving your country or community? Not in republic-world. In the republic-world "patriotism" is sticking a magnet on your gas-hog SUV while you send someone else's kids off to fight for oil. Patriotism is parroting party line (no matter how crazy) and (of course!) wearing a lapel pin. With more "patriots" like these, they'll have to call the Iraq occupation a day for lack of interest.

Illegal Immigrant - Any person of color, regardless of whether or not they were born in the US; except for African-Americans who were brought here against their will. The Republics can't and don't care to figure who's who. Did you know that hate crimes against Hindus increased dramatically after 9/11? Think about that! That's our "mental giant" republics at work.

Defense of Marriage - Yeah right. Just because a couple of guys across town want to live in peace and equality, the frantic sheeple republic's marriages are suddenly going to explode. Well, with a 54% divorce rate, I'd have to say they're doing a fine enough job ruining their own marriages. Let's call this bullshit what it is: Defense of Baby Bounty Tax Breaks for People too Irresponsible to Control Their own Procreation.

There's a million of these republic-speak words and phrases that need de-mythologizing. We're dealing with a group of people who read "New Lower Price" at the market and get all excited, never stopping to consider that what it really means is "New Smaller Bottle". The price per unit is of course higher, but the republic mentality will never take the extra 5 seconds to pencil that out. They're perfectly fine with getting f'ked so long as it's phrased prettily or can be turned into a slogan.

It's like George Orwell and P. T. Barnum had a nightmarish love-child and called it the republic party.

While they may be perfectly happy to throw their own rights away, they are absolutely not welcome to mine. If they want to live with a big-brother government that's more concerned with who's getting along in the bedroom than who's not eating in the kitchen; if they want forced religion in schools and to replace hard science with fairy-tales; if they want to live under a "justice" system that takes its cues from the maunderings of sun-baked prophets rather than well-thought-out system of fair justice, then I submit that their heaven on earth has already been created and they can leave America alone. The place that they so idealize is called Iran.

I say let's pass the hat and send them on the way to their Beulahland they so much wish to impose on the rest of us.

On The Iraqi Civil War

From our Red Letter Rev:

G'day, {{Y'all}}...

Yes, there has been civil strife between the Shi'ites and Sunnis for decades, if not centuries. We can thank British imperialism and redrawing up political maps for monetary gain for that. The administration should have realized how well nation-building and imperialism worked out for the British (not so well, actually) and taken a note from that. But nooOOOOOooo.

As rotten a sumbitch as Saddam was, he at least had a lid on it (equal-opportunity oppression). There was not the wholesale sort of slaughter during his regime as there is now. What ShrubCo did in removing him (IMHO because he quit playing ball and they wanted the oil), was to remove the cork from the bottle penning up the evil genie. Now instead of one dude committing the slaughter over there, they're all doing it (with our active participation) -- and our resident is responsible for allowing it to happen, if not actively inviting it to happen.

If Saddam had suddenly been offed by someone else (who'd'a missed him?) I believe the same civil strife would probably have started. But they didn't; our government did, and as the party responsible for releasing the genie from the bottle, the stank is on us. Otherwise, our hands would have been clean and the trillions of dollars spent on trying to clean up the wholly-predictable and inevitable mess would have stayed here in our pockets. Now, they're going to Cheneyburton, where ShrubCo wanted them to go all along.

From this end of the cheap seats, it looks like a carefully planned heist of taxpayer money.

No, we didn't start the civil war over there, but the buck clearly stops at the desk of our resident for concertedly and premeditatedly enabling it to resume in full force for the benefit of no-one but Cheneyburton with the American taxpayer footing the bill.

Just thinkin' out loud here, trying to find a middle ground.

It always slays me when someone talks about "winning" in Iraq. To win usually means to obtain something of value, with or without personal effort ("win" like lotto, no effort vs "win" like a basketball game, sweat-effort). Since we have been involved in an act of aggression, with neither the consent of Congress nor the American people, I have to ask what is it that we're supposed to "win"?

Peace? Hardly. There was a sort of peace in place before Shrub went in.

Protection from turristesses? Nope. Acts of terror (which were zero in Iraq before the invasion) increase on a weekly basis. Thousands of new terrorist training camps have sprung up in Africa and the Far East since and directly because of the invasion. We're in far more danger than ever because of the invasion.

To strike back at those who attacked us? Wrong! All but one of the attackers were Saudi -- y'know, Bush's handholding buddies, the ones his oil-buddies get a chunk of their profits from and the ones we sell arms to. Well, that makes a load of sense, dudnit (snark!). The funding for the attacks was laundered through Dubai -- y'know, the new home of Blackwater (offshore, where they can't easily be prosecuted for war crimes, how convenient). To attack Iraq in retribution for the attacks on 9/11 is the same as you stepping on my foot, then I go to your neighborhood and slap some poor sod down the street for it.

To combat Islamic Fundamentalism? To what end? Replace it with our own, equally nuts version of Christian Fundamentalism? Yah, there's a real improvement (again, snark!). I'd rather we keep a close eye on the volatile nutcases right here in our front yard than go stirring up somebody else's on top of the trouble and irritation we already have. There is absolutely no question that the invasion has done more to increase Islamic Fundamentalism, whilst cynically using Christian Fundamentalism to achieve that end.

To export democracy? It is philosophically and physically impossible to "export" democracy at the point of a gun. The concept is insane, even on the face of it. Then again (while I'm in a wry and snarky mood), why not? We're not using it much here. We allow obvious criminality in the administration and intelligence arms to go on in full view and unpunished. We allow election fraud and obvious rigging to go on in full view and unpunished. We allow torture and war crimes to go on in full view and unpunished. Our government then cynically uses doomsday-cult fringe-religion and a complicit media to justify it all.

Gee, except for the choice of religious writings, there's little difference between the government that the Islamic fundamentalists are trying to achieve over there and one that the Christian fundamentalists are trying to achieve here, with BushCo's full blessing and support. In either case, the only ones who benefit are of the plantation-owner class.

It's a funny twist of events to me (funny-crazy, not funny-haha). I was in the military during the Cold War and went through school during the 60's. These are exactly the actions for which we castigated Communist Russia and China. They were the Great Enemies, simply because their governments were doing exactly what ours is now. Yet, somehow, and completely inexplicably to me, these actions which were burn-for sins then are justifiable practice now. Isn't a sin still a sin?

I'm Quaker to the core; unprovoked acts of aggression are abhorrent to me, from the skin all the way to my soul. While, like my ancestors during the Revolutionary War, I will defend myself if I am the victim of unprovoked violence, I cannot understand how anyone who calls him/herself Christian can justify committing an unprovoked act of murderous aggression -- and still lay head to pillow at night or expect the rewards of Heaven later. From where I sit (and I may be completely biased due to my practice of faith), but cheering on a sin carries equal damnation to committing the sin itself.

Rev On Voting

This morning, from our Red Letter Rev:

G'mornin' {{y'all}}

I was listening to the Tom Joyner Morning Show on the way in to work. They were carrying reports from 1-866-MYVOTE1; very intereting things going on. They were getting an average of 5-7 calls per minutes, largely about where to find polling places. It appears that primary polling places are different from the general election places and not everyone was getting the word. Thank goodness for resources like 1-866-MYVOTE1.

There were numerous complaints from Georgia. The new republican-backed voter ID requirements were working as predicted and quite a few people were being turned away. Also, there aren't nearly enough machines, making the lines very long and ensuring that voters who had to get work had to give up before being able to vote. There were numerous reports of machines breaking down and this problem only agitated the problem of not having enough machines in the first place.

I'm going to interject right here and ask why in heck is it that during Democratic primaries and in heavily Democratic precincts, there never seem to be enough resources? I'd also like to know when it is that we're going to stand up and counter the Republic meme of "voter fraud" (which has been proven to be near non-existent and concentrate on the real problem of Republic-engineered election fraud. Here it is, the year 2008 and we're still dealing with the same dirty tricks that went on in 2000. I'm thoroughly disgusted with Republic engineering, fraud, suppression and in-your face, don't-care-who-knows rigging and mobster tricks. That's the kind of crap that we castigated Russia for in the 1960's.

Hmph.

Thank heaven for people who have courage, a voice and a microphone, like Tom Joyner, are speaking out. A lot of folks listen to his morning show. Perhaps we'll finally be inspired to concrete action before the general election, rather than being thwarted in getting to the truth afterward. It's up to us to break the pattern of republic election abuse, suppression and fraud. Y'all listen in and follow, because we're getting reports right from the ground. This time, the republics can't tell us it isn't happening — we're hearing it all live.

…

I have the sneaking suspicion that there are a lot of moderate Republicans who are secretly going to push a (D) presidential button this fall. 'S'awright, nobody's gonna tell on 'em — even secretly cheer them on for coming to their senses.

It looks pretty evident that only the koolade-drenched 26% want more failed policies, more lies, more war, more debt, more lawlessness, and more destruction. If they want war so damn badly, then they need to get off their chickenhawk asses and go fight one, rather than cheering when someone else's child or spouse is sacrificed to their bloody, bitter, evil war-god.

…

The more we all work at it now, the bigger the landslide will be.

Oh, how I'd love to shove a dose of STFU down the 26%-ers' wackogelical, Constitution-despising, America-hating, chickenhawk throats.

…

In the last few years, they've worked on us to convince us to give up the very last remaining thing that makes America "America" — to wit: the Constitution and its precious Bill of Rights. It is presently only the thinnest of lines between us and a complete collapse of the Union, putting once-proud Americans on their knees as slaves. Not just a segment of us, as once was a shameful part of our history — but all of us universally.

Give up my rights, my Constitution, my pride? Over my dead body. They might accomplish that in a hand-to-hand, but they'll by-G'd know I was there and I was an American.

Raging Rev's Righteous Ranting

This story must be kept going. Sibel Edmonds is talking and the truth about neokkkon dirty deals involving nuclear material and internal and domestic spying against the United States must come to light. Since no action has been taken by our government to find and prosecute the domestic spies and nuclear arms dealers in its midst, she is bravely speaking out despite what consequences may befall her.

Congress has avoided asking any real questions (like "name some names") and the DOJ has so far turned its head. MSM, of course, hasn't picked it up, but bloggers aren't giving up. If you really want to take the USA back from the fascists, arms dealers and traitors, read these and pass them on.

There are people in the administration and in the CIA who are actively engaged in the illegal trafficking of nuclear material -- this, while hollering about who can and cannot develop nuclear technology. (Sound like anybody we know, like certain two-faced republics?) These are far more serious than impeachable offenses: the rot goes deep, far deeper than even we had dreaded.

We're talking about verifiable, overt acts of treason perpetrated by high-up officials. Serious, scary and should cause any patriotic American a good deal of anger; enough to prod Congress into some real action.

The next POTUS and AG must be willing to investigate each thread to its very end and put the guilty to the punishment they so richly deserve for spying, then taking action against our country, lining their pockets with our money and washing their hands in the blood of innocents the world over.

__________

The next POTUS I'm looking for is the one who will have the cojones to go after these treasonous bastids with tooth and toenail.

__________

I, for one, have had a bellyful of criminals running the government; especially when they've tried over and over to disenfranchise me and millions of other voters, have legislated against me and mine, stirred hatred and division, spied on millions of innocent Americans and -- worst of all -- have sold bits of nuclear technology and weaponry directly to the ones they're calling our enemies.

That is treason. No way out, no other way of defining or excusing it. Bush, Cheney, and hundreds of their specially-appointed minions in extremely sensitive places in government have divided us up with idiotic "wedge issues", have diverted our attention with mirrors and parlor tricks whilst committing some of the worst acts of traitorousness against the United States since the American Revolution.

Benedict Arnold did nowhere near as much damage as these criminals.

Yet, MSM and at least half the population give them a pass.

My many-greats grandparents who fought and died, liberating this nation from tyranny and its citizens from ill-use, who made sure that we have a Constitution and a government of laws and reason are now whirling, ready to climb up out their graves. Shame, shame on Americans for letting heinous acts be given a pass, simply because we're too busy watching for Paris Hilton's next square-shot or worrying about the "sanctity of marriage" WhateverTF that nonsense is supposed to be.

Have we really become that inured or that goddam dumb? Are we so numb to the pain that we no longer care what happens to what was only lately in our history the greatest nation on earth? Do we not care that murder and torture are being carried out in our name (just so long as it isn't our own skins)? Both my Dem granddaddies are having fits in their graves. I'm having a fit now.

Growing up, I was proud to be an American. We stood for something. We stood for peace, for ingenuity and progress; we prayed quietly and humbly as our Lord commanded, not in the public square like the Pharisee TV mega-money preachas. We pledged allegiance and meant it, because there was honor, integrity, truth, and patriotism behind what that flag stood for.

In less than eight years, every bit of that has been reduced to shameful meaninglessness by a criminally-minded, "do as I say, not as I do" band of Republics who were all-too happy to sell us, our nation, our resources, our jobs and our futures off to whatever bidder; all to line their own pockets, trample on every true American value, and subjugate the masses.

Woe, and how far the mighty have fallen. Woe unto woe that a monkey is at the top of the heap.

__________

It's amazing to me that anyone would identify themselves as republic any more. Only criminals support criminals. Never have I seen such a completely amoral, self-righteous bunch of crooks, not in all my born days. They're either an in-your-face, out-and-out crook or a religious nut.

Neither has any place in government, let alone polite society.

__________

At the moment, I'm more worried about getting back what we've already lost. Our Constitution has been used for toilet-paper; all our rights have been abridged or ignored. Before I worry any more about discrimination against LGBT folks, I've got to occupy myself with the outright destruction of American law, values and decency. Without the Constitution and its Bill of Rights, anything else just sorta pales.

I know I sound rant-y today, but I'm far from angry. I'm frightened; down-to-the-core frightened. We have reached a Stalinist, authoritarian point in our history, much to the great sadness of patriotic Americans. The republic neoKKKons have turned the Pentagon and the CIA into mob-run, strongarm operations of which even the Mafia would be ashamed. Any one of us is in danger of a free trip to the Caribbean (or worse "black site" place) for speaking out.

If Keith Olberman and Sibel Edmonds have the courage to fight against this dark force that has pervaded our nation, then find the courage I must.

I spent my time in the military; even extended my active duty because they were short in my main MOS. I even went back and extended another year and participated in the active reserve. Even though in the Intelligence community, my job was the lowest of the low -- yet, I would have died to keep the trust my country had bestowed upon me. I still would. I love my country very much and would never, ever hurt her.

It breaks my heart that there are so many in positions of trust and power who neither love our country nor have any qualms about breaking our trust and selling our secrets. Would somebody please tell me what is so jeezorighteous about selling out your nation and kinfolk for a quick buck in the here and now? Every republic who has thumped a Bible and worried that gays were going to somehow put their marriages in jeopardy, rather than keeping an eye on the traitors who have so easily sold us out, deserves a public bitch-slap; or worse for supporting and suborning treason and the destruction of our Constitution.

I say to them again, shame upon shame upon you all.

__________

One thing that was drilled into us over and over and over again in the military is that the highest form of respect to our country and to our roles in the intelligence community was never-ever, under any circumstances divulge anything. "Neither confirm nor deny" was a phrase repeated many times a day.

To think that these chickenhawk civilians, who were either to lazy or too cowardly to serve, are all-too willing to chuck our technology directly into the hands of our enemies. I just can't fathom it -- I'm not put together that way. Do they hate America so much they'd happily destroy it? Are they just so self-serving and egocentric that they just don't care? I can't imagine a motivation that would cause me to hurt my country and my fellow Americans so.

Again, I'm not so much angry as truly and deeply disappointed in their lack of integrity and morals; not to mention their complete lack of patriotism. How dare they question my patriotism when I served (twice, dammit!) and did my job for home and country -- and they didn't. Worse, they sold home, fellows and country out. It disgusts me right down to the ground.

And they wonder why we call them Selfservatives.

__________

The neoKKKons are shitting up their backs at being caught, found out and now they're being outed for treason. They'll pull anything at this point. Anything. That scares hell outta me, for they've already said that if impeachment proceeds or it looks like they'll lose control and be prosecuted, they won't hesitate to ice an American city. No wonder Pelosi is walking on tiptoe -- American lives are in the balance, and right here on American soil.

Good G'd protect us and give us the strength to battle the evil right in our midst.

__________

Anyone rooting for war with Iran had best to study the facts -- and be ready to glow in the dark, because that particular little venture will most guaranteed not to be fought exclusively "over there". Neither Al Qaeda nor the NeoCons will have the slightest bit of trouble icing as many American cities as it takes to get and keep total control.

The Founders and Framers are looking down from Glory and shaking their heads. Franklin is probably saying, "Damn you all, I told you so."

~ Red Letter Rev

* * * * *

My gratitude for allowing me to repost your words here, dear Rev.

β

Rantin' Roarin' Righteous Rev

Loving the Seattle PI this morning. Here are a couple of tidbits:

The GOP's disgruntled right

By Dan Thomasson

Ah, yes, the folks whom MSM euphemistically term "values voters" (in English: "wedge-issue voters") are having strokes because their attacks on the Constitution will be coming to a close and none too soon for the survival of our nation.

Let's de-euphemize these "values" voters and call them what they really are: wedge-issue voters.

They're singularly unpatriotic: rather than a sense of civic pride and citizens' duty bringing them to the polls, it's the joy of taking something away from someone else that does it. A voter with values would value the Constitution and all the rights accorded by it. The wedge-issue voters have amply demonstrated their willingness to take razor-knives to our founding document, so long as it favors their narrow agenda and dehumanizes their fellow citizens. That is tantamount to treason at the worst; subversiveness at the very best.

They're mentally and morally lazy: it's easier to come forth in droves like ants after honey when they, in equal mindlessness with the ants, simply follow what some rich crook tells them to do. Let some K-Street sleazeball, or sleazeball-connected big-box preachah, raise their banners in the name of weird, mostly insane notions of "morality", out the wedge-issue voters pour. That thinking stuff's just way too hard for them and they'd rather just bleat along with the other stupid sheep.

Rather than just fading back into the nutcase woodwork they came out from, perhaps their disdain for the Constitution and their fellow human beings would be better served in a nation that's made just the way they like it, with religion in schools, spies and "moralistic" judges with eyes and ears in the bedrooms and a totalitarian, strongman sort of government they so crave for the rest of us.

It's called Iran. I say, let's pass the hat and help them get to their Beulahland, and good f'ing riddance to lazy, unpatriotic, hypocritical rubbish.

Next tidbit.

Reigning ayatollahs of the right soon to be powerless

By Frank Rich

Oh happy day!!!! and Jesus save us from the deceivers who claim to be Your followers. There isn't a republic in office who isn't a liar, crook, thief and deceiver. The 80% of us who are still loyal Americans want our country back, thankyouverymuch.

Hey, America, had about enough of the nutjobs running the show, ruining the economy and slashing your rights? Had enough of endless, planless, directionless war that exists only for the benefit of Cheneyburton profiteers? Had enough lies and hypocrisy?

The solution: run every Republic out of office and tar their robot followers with the destruction they've wrought. No more "nice": pin their crap on them and let them wear it home like a scarlet letter "S" for stupid.

~ Red Letter Rev

Big Box Preachers: “Let Us Prey”

*Time Wounds All Heels*

(More from our Rantin’ Rev:)

One of the most important things we have to do nationwide is to remove the Republican machine district gerrymandering. In far too many districts, the Democratic vote is extremely diluted on purpose. That's part of how the pugs built their machine to steal and hold on to absolute power.

The other big part of their power-hold may be slipping - the one with the big-box “preachers” (vote cheerleaders) and their cult-freak followers who are willing to sell theirs and everybody else's Bill of Rights right out from under us. I didn't give anybody permission to shred the Constitution nor to sell my rights to a bunch of greedy, corrupt Republican corporatist despots. Especially snake-charmers like Haggard who are throwing GLBT people to the wolves while he's sneakin' off for a li'l down-low.

Bastid. May he rot in hell for selling out his country and his cult-followers like that.

If the pugs steal it again (which I'm positive they are in the process of doing), it will be “to the streets and never let up until every thieving, lying, traitorous pug is in jail forever.” Never again. They're not going to steal another one and get away with it. Not this time, not ever again.

. . .

Most folks still don't realize just how deeply in jeopardy America is. The so-called federalists, the PNAC-ers, the southern separatists have joined in an unholy (no pun) alliance whose very mission is to destroy the Constitution: hence, America itself.

This is far, far more serious than a few gay guys getting outed. The far-right have been active in the crime of sedition for years. Not one single American should sleep a wink until every one of these seditionists is rotting in jail and the Constitution is once again safe from domestic enemies of America.

. . .

Ain't any religion in it -- it's just an poor attempt at trying to put Jesus' face on their duplicity. Anyone who is willing to sell their fellow Americans into slavery or, at the very best, non-citizenship cum Jim Crow, is a seditionist who should rightly swing from a high branch with a short rope. Luckily, I won't ever have to worry about that -- the Lord will be a much better getter-backer on the Last Day than I will ever be in the here-and-now.

Dang, I'm tired of being lied to, discriminated against and told that I'm not a human being. I know I'm just as much an American (if not WAY MORE) than any of these chickenhawk apologists to sedition.

. . .

The Haggardites are going “now, let's pray for the man” and everyone else is going “not when you sell the Constitution and the nation down the road by bashing everyone else, we ain't.”

Gotta love it when the hypocrites and seditionists are called out.

~Red Letter Rev

Rantin' Rev: "You Choose"

(Borrowed from the Rev:)

No question that the neoselfservatives have completely screwed up Iraq and destabilized the Middle East. None whatsoever. No question that Iraq is already in a civil war. When people stop voting and start shooting at each other, that's a civil war, end of story, period, full stop.

Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld's little pirate war has ruined our economy, completely screwed up the Middle East, enslaved our treasury to Communist China (unforgivable!) and wiped their fat backsides on the Constitution. Criminals, with criminal-minded (or cult-freak) followers. That's not what I want running my government. It's up to each American to decide whether or not they want a criminal government or a clean, transparent one. The only way that happens is to participate and not give them a chance to steal it out from under you.

I blame people who sit on their butts or say "oh, I don't like politics" just as much as I blame the nutcase right-wingers for the mess our government is in; equally for enabling the neoKKKons to perpetrate sedition at home and nation-as-enterprise-building abroad. If you feel un-inclined to vote for change, consider this:

If you were in a department store and saw someone tucking a few shirts into their bags, would you call an associate over and point it out, or would you "just let it ride" because you're not interested and think it doesn't affect you? Allowing someone else to steal through your own inaction is just as much aiding and abetting as if you were handing the thief the shirts to steal.

You gonna let a group of people do that to your whole country? If you stand idly by or vote to continue enabling theft, misery and destruction (R) then you are no better than the criminal. Period.

On the other hand, if you try to do the right thing, (voting D), even if some of your candidates are defeated this go around, you've cleared your conscience and departed from sin. As far as I concerned, it's almost as simple as that. Protecting the Constitution and the American way of life is the most patriotic act of all.

Enabling those who destroy the Constitution, steal your jobs and send them overseas, steal oil from other nations, enrich themselves on no-bid contracts that your tax dollars are being wasted on, isn't just wrong... it's unpatriotic, and borders on the stupid and self-destructive.

You choose.

The best thing we can do as a nation is to get the hell away from Iraq, quit throwing our children into a death machine and set about restoring our face. The only way we can do that is to mind our own damn business for a while, prosecute and convict the criminals who stole from us and attempted to steal from Iraq, and get our own house clean.

We have no business telling anyone else how to run their business, when obviously and demonstrably we can't run our own.

The neoselfservatives have been picking illegal wars since Korea. It's waaayyyyy past time to put a stop to their criminality. Don't just throw the bums out; throw them in prison where they richly deserve to be.

~Red Letter Rev