The stupidity of the world is really getting to me…

Ok. This article in the NYTimes really pushed all my buttons. I am in favor of gun control and gun ownership–I think there is a happy medium. I really don’t care too much about people who gather together to wave their firearms around; whatever floats your boat, although I’d prefer to be out of range. HOWEVER. The church is NO place for guns!!! I feel really strongly about this. In my reading, Christianity, Christ himself, is largely non-violent. I don’t mean wishy-washy, I don’t mean cowardly, I don’t even mean conflict averse. I just mean non-violent. I think the Crusades were wrong, stupid and ultimately damaging to the religion. I think the Inquisition was absolutely evil. And I think a bunch of southern Americans stomping into CHURCH on July 4th with guns held high is dumb and totally misses the point. I also think this kind of stupidity, picked up by the press and flying about all types of media, reinforces the image of Christians as right wing backwoods rednecks and further marginalizes religious moderates & liberals. My husband disagrees with me on this (although he is not at all religious), so perhaps I am irrational.

Are the shock waves harder and deeper when Republican politicians engage in extramarital affairs? Why do politicians not think they will be caught? Is it possible, now that both sides of the fence have been caught with their pants down, that we can stop worrying so much about the bedroom activities of our elected officials and pay more attention to the actual work they are doing? I think there is plenty of room for real anger and outrage on that topic alone.

Michael Jackson has died! This is very wrong and very shocking to me. Michael and I were just talking about how it must feel when the folks you grew up with–famous and un-famous alike–start to die. I didn’t grow up with Michael Jackson in the literal sense; he is a couple decades older than me. But he was a huge factor in my childhood (even I, who grew up in BFE Pennsylvania and was allotted VERY LITTLE tv time knew who Michael Jackson was). Plus, it seemed like we’d be forever living with stories of increasing fantabulism coming out of NeverLand.

Farrah Fawcett passed away today, too. That’s sad and her fight with cancer was awful to witness.

NBC is holding a two hour special tonight about both Jackson & Fawcett. ABC & CBS are holding 1 hour specials. We live in an odd world.

My city is running out of money. My state is running out of money. I generally think that Florida elected officials leave a lot to be desired (namely, the ability to speak well on the floor [Wende, I think our state politicians would greatly benefit if you took them under your wing]). But they have at least not gone and done something as childish and idiotic as this. I wouldn’t put it past them, but the Republicans have a pretty strong hold on Florida, so I don’t see it happening any time soon.

Let’s not talk about Iran.