On why I rail against the abusers in the Catholic Church

This is an example of why:

"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

--Elie Wiesel, from his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize, in 1986

Link: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1986/wiesel-acceptance.html

"Romney and Bain"

Side note, after the humor: This, to me, seems to reveal what I think looks to be a part of a zeitgeist, if you will, that tells me President Obama will, in fact, be re-elected. The Republican ticket has no such groundswell or popular, larger, wider support, I don't believe.

It gives me hope, more hope.

Quote of the day (truly)

"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." --William Shakespeare

Another Ken Burns documentary

A timely film for us, in at least two ways, coming November 18:

On kindness

From a friend's Facebook page last evening (thanks, Kevin):

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'.
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

Link: http://www.randomactsofkindness.org

Entertainment overnight

Coming movie: supposed to be good

Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It's supposed to be good.



A second trailer, maybe my favorite of the two:



Here's hoping they're right and it is.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/movies/cloud-atlas-and-the-master-playing-at-toronto-festival.html

Bishop Finn: Our institutions fail us again

Justice was done but only partly and then weakly, weakly at that.

Our institutions fail us, once again. In this case, two of them--these people's Catholic Church and our court system.

From the Kansas City Star this afternoon:

Bishop Finn verdict: Guilty

As you can see, I'm happy with this, with the one guilty verdict but still, Judge John Torrence "... acquitted him on another count of failing to report."

Here's the other disappointing thing:

"Torrence sentenced Finn to two years of probation then suspended the sentence, meaning that if Finn completes the unsupervised probation without any new incidents happening, his criminal record will be expunged."

This is so disgusting.

To begin, it should have gone to a jury, to a juried trial.

I saw this little figurative slap on the wrist coming.

I'm disgusted.

Isn't it super that Catholic leaders have gotten off easy one more time and they're free--still--to molest or sexually or physically abuse the students--their children--in their own schools and churches still longer?

They'll never learn, at this rate.

To Judge John Torrence and the Catholic Church--you all disgust me.

You deserve each other.

Congratulations to all Catholics.

To our disgust--but not our surprise--you get to keep your male hierarchy that keeps molesting and abusing your own children:

A) We hope you're happy;

B) We can't believe you keep giving these people money;

C) We can't believe you still support these people in any form, verbal, financial or otherwise and finally,

D) Unless and until you stand up, speak up and demand this end--including getting the resignation or firing of Bishop Finn--you are culpable for what Bishop Finn, Shawn Ratigan and all the rest of the people like them have inflicted and for what they will continue to inflict into the future on your children, because it will surely continue to keep happening, as we see time and again, across the nation and world.

Seriously, y'all are disgusting, vile, enabling human beings.

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/06/3800269/bishop-finn-verdict-guilty.html

New restaurant for Nichols Lunch/Mama's spot

After getting a haircut, I learned that an American/Mexican restaurant is, thankfully, I think, going in to the old Nichols Lunch/Mama's location at 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway.

According to the owner, it is to have typical breakfast/lunch and dinner(?) fare along with homemade Mexican food, too.

Great news, I thought.

SNAP urges no sentencing for bishop today

Direct from their email:

Victims write to the judge and the prosecutor"

A support group for clergy sex abuse victims is urging a Kansas City judge and prosecutor to delay any sentencing of embattled Bishop Robert Finn today, should he plead guilty or be found guilty of concealing child sex crimes.

A copy of the letter, sent this morning by fax and e mail, is below:

Dear Judge John M. Torrence:

Dear Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker:

We respectfully urge that Bishop Robert Finn not be sentenced today. Essentially he is guilty of a crime involving secrecy. He ignored and refused to listen to people who should have been listened to. It would be a shame if his case was resolved in a way that also involved secrecy and the ignoring of people who should have been listened to.

Bishop Finn wants this over as soon as possible with the least amount of public scrutiny and public input. While sentencing the Bishop today serves his interests, it does not serve the public's interest. Nor does it help bring justice, healing and prevention.

Normally, weeks transpire between a guilty finding or plea and a criminal's sentencing. That's what should happen here. Bishop Finn should receive no special consideration or privileges. Doing so would only undermine public trust and faith in our justice system.

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, have been hurt by Bishop Finn’s wrongdoing. Victims include families hurt by Fr Ratigan, other clergy sex abuse victims, and devout but betrayed Catholics. As victims of Bishop Finn’s crimes they deserve a chance to be heard before the bishop's sentence is determined.

Fast-tracking his trial is bad enough. Fast-tracking his sentence is even worse. The justice system should not be abused for the convenience or protection of a powerful wrongdoer.

One reason child sex abuse victims stay silent is because they have seen predators and their allies get preferential treatment by authority figures. Many victims are hopeless and feel if they speak up, somehow, wrongdoers will still escape punishment, get privileges and future crimes will not be deterred. Please do not exacerbate the hopelessness many victims feel. Please do not show such favor to Finn and thereby rub even more salt into the already deep and still-fresh wounds of those he has hurt. Please give them the opportunity, another crime victims have, to express their views, in court, after his plea, at a later date before sentencing is determined.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Barbara Dorris
SNAP Outreach Director

Stereotypes on TV

Did you watch "Coma" on TV the other night?

Did you notice how obscenely beautiful all the main characters were?

Did you notice how the "bad guy" security guard at the hospital was a) heavier set, b) middle aged and so, c) not that handsome/attractive?

Did you finally notice that the "bad guy" doctor was--ahem--black?

Coincidences?

I don't think so.

Quote of the day

“The most important question is, what kind of country do you want to live in? If you want a 'you’re-on-your-own, winner-take-all society', you should support the Republican ticket.

If you want a country of shared prosperity and shared responsibility — a 'we’re-all-in-this-together' society — you should vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.”

~-Former President Bill Clinton, last night at the Democratic National Convention

Quote of the day

“Statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception.”

--Mark Twain

Quotes of the day

"If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire, if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores, if women could be dragged to jail for seeking the vote, if a generation could defeat a depression, and define greatness for all time, if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteous dream, and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream. Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country – the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle."

--First Lady Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention

"We can not afford to hand the reigns of government over to someone who wants to double down on trickle down."

"...since 1961, the Republicans have held the White House 28 years, the Democrats 24. In those 52 years, our economy produced 66 million private sector jobs. What’s the jobs score? Republicans 24 million, Democrats 42 million!

It turns out that advancing equal opportunity and economic empowerment is both morally right and good economics, because discrimination, poverty and ignorance restrict growth, while investments in education, infrastructure and scientific and technological research increase it, creating more good jobs and new wealth for all of us."

"Though I often disagree with Republicans, I never learned to hate them the way the far right that now controls their party seems to hate President Obama and the Democrats."

‎"Remember this, Republican economic policies quadrupled the debt before in the 12 years before I took office and doubled it in the 8 after I left.

--Former President Bill Clinton, last night at the Democratic National Convention

You're invited!

...to First Friday's "Firster Thursday" hosted by Chipotle Mexican Grill at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center from 6pm-8pm on Aug 6th! — with Emmett Merrill at Leedy-Voulkos Art Center.

You and a guest are invited to a reception at the Leedy-Voulkos Arts Center on Thursday, September 6 (tonight!) from 6 to 8 pm at 2012 Baltimore, Kansas City, Missouri 64108.

You'll enjoy the opening celebration of Emmett Merrill's exhibition entitled "Drought Cultivation" celebrating the rural heartland with carnitas tostadas and Patron Margaritas provided by Chipotle.

Our Representative Emanuel Cleaver's speech earlier this evening at the DNC

Very well received, too, by the way.

To repeat, the video they should play at some big, culminating point at the DNC this week

One more reason the world can no longer afford the luxury that is war

"In this increasingly interdependent world, we have few pure “enemies” anymore: Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Al Qaeda, the Taliban. But we have many “frenemies,” or half friends/half foes. While the Pentagon worries about a war with China, the Commerce Department is trying to get China to buy more Boeing planes and every American university worth its salt is opening a campus in Beijing; meanwhile, the Chinese are investing in American companies left and right. President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela is the biggest thorn in America’s side in Latin America and a vital source of our imported oil. The U.S. and Russia are on opposing sides in Syria, but the U.S. supported Russia joining the World Trade Organization and American businesses are lobbying Congress to lift cold war trade restrictions on Russia so they can take advantage of its more open market."

--Thomas L. Friedman, The New York Times

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/opinion/its-mitts-world.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120905

Lake of the Ozarks hits Yahoo! News

From this past weekend's news, but on Yahoo! News and GrindTV.com last evening:

Bizarre speedboat accident at Lake of the Ozarks caught on videotape



Link to original post: http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/34726/bizarre+speedboat+accident+at+lake+of+the+ozarks+caught+on+videotape/

The problem with Republicans (and Democrats)

Are we better off now than we were 4 years ago?

Quote of the day

"It’s a strange moment when Americans relate less to the tall, handsome, rich prince of a famous political family than to a skinny black dude of mixed parentage who spent a lot of time in Indonesia."

--Maureen Dowd, from her column in Sunday's New York Times (link below) "Cruel Conservatives Throw a Masquerade Ball"

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/opinion/sunday/dowd-cruel-conservatives-throw-a-masquerade-ball.html?pagewanted=all

Iraq War Crimes? (Guest post)

"The immorality of the United States and Great Britain's decision to invade Iraq in 2003, premised on the lie that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, has destabilised and polarised the world to a greater extent than any other conflict in history.

Instead of recognising that the world we lived in, with increasingly sophisticated communications, transportations and weapons systems necessitated sophisticated leadership that would bring the global family together, the then-leaders of the US and UK fabricated the grounds to behave like playground bullies and drive us further apart. They have driven us to the edge of a precipice where we now stand – with the spectre of Syria and Iran before us.

If leaders may lie, then who should tell the truth? Days before George W Bush and Tony Blair ordered the invasion of Iraq, I called the White House and spoke to Condoleezza Rice, who was then national security adviser, to urge that United Nations weapons inspectors be given more time to confirm or deny the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Should they be able to confirm finding such weapons, I argued, dismantling the threat would have the support of virtually the entire world. Ms Rice demurred, saying there was too much risk and the president would not postpone any longer.

On what grounds do we decide that Robert Mugabe should go the International Criminal Court, Tony Blair should join the international speakers' circuit, bin Laden should be assassinated, but Iraq should be invaded, not because it possesses weapons of mass destruction, as Mr Bush's chief supporter, Mr Blair, confessed last week, but in order to get rid of Saddam Hussein?

The cost of the decision to rid Iraq of its by-all-accounts despotic and murderous leader has been staggering, beginning in Iraq itself. Last year, an average of 6.5 people died there each day in suicide attacks and vehicle bombs, according to the Iraqi Body Count project. More than 110,000 Iraqis have died in the conflict since 2003 and millions have been displaced. By the end of last year, nearly 4,500 American soldiers had been killed and more than 32,000 wounded.

On these grounds alone, in a consistent world, those responsible for this suffering and loss of life should be treading the same path as some of their African and Asian peers who have been made to answer for their actions in the Hague.

But even greater costs have been exacted beyond the killing fields, in the hardened hearts and minds of members of the human family across the world.

Has the potential for terrorist attacks decreased? To what extent have we succeeded in bringing the so-called Muslim and Judeo-Christian worlds closer together, in sowing the seeds of understanding and hope?

Leadership and morality are indivisible. Good leaders are the custodians of morality. The question is not whether Saddam Hussein was good or bad or how many of his people he massacred. The point is that Mr Bush and Mr Blair should not have allowed themselves to stoop to his immoral level.

If it is acceptable for leaders to take drastic action on the basis of a lie, without an acknowledgement or an apology when they are found out, what should we teach our children?"

--Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in a column in The Observer (see link below)

Link to original article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/02/desmond-tutu-tony-blair-iraq

People and groups who shouldn't vote Republican

Herewith, a list of people who, given the Republican Party's stated, formal platform, absolutely should not vote Republican:

--Women

Does Todd Akin mean anything to you? How about women's reproductive rights? How about equal pay for women? They're against all that.

--Blacks/African-Americans

These are the people who have publicly tried to do away with both the Civil Rights Act ("We don't need it any more") and affirmative action ("We never needed it).

--Gays

Please. They virtually hate gays and legislate and vote accordingly and repeatedly.

--Union and/or Labor supporters

They vote against every union-supporting measure that comes up, as we all know.

--Anyone from the middle-class

They've been gutting and helping to gut the middle-class for decades, since Ronald Reagan, at least, in spite of what they tell everyone otherwise.

--Likewise from the lower-classes

Ditto, here. (See "Anyone from the middle-class", above). Also, check their lack of support for welfare, Head Start programs and financing, etc., etc.

--Working-class Americans

This ties in with not supporting measures for Unions, the middle class and lower-classes. It all goes hand in hand.

If all these groups, above, vote Democratic this November, as they should, the Romney/Ryan ticket hasn't got a chance.

Here's hoping.

Surprising intelligence from a letter to the editor in the Star yesterday

One John Segale of Shawnee had a letter to the editor in the Star today that made reading the letters to the editor worthwhile yesterday, Sunday, which is so, so very rare.

He pointed out, so rightly, that the Republicans have a lot of nerve trying to de-fund NPR, PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting when, in fact, it was only NPR and PBS on radio and TV, respectively, that broadcast their national convention last week, almost completely in its entirety.

It seems that, besides the hypocrisy they're so capable of, they're also extremely capable of producing a goodly amount of irony, too.

God bless they're pointy little heads.

And great thanks to Mr. Segale. You built back up a little of my faith in humankind.

Link: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/02/3791269/letters-google-fiber-republicans.html

Question for Pat Robertson

God didn't send a hurricane or other natural disaster to Charlotte, North Carolina to interrupt or shorten the Democratic National Convention.

What's this mean?

Three reasons why I think the Romney/Ryan/Republican ticket will fail

“Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies.” ―-Dorothy Allison, "Bastard Out of Carolina"

"A lie cannot live." --Martin Luther King, Jr.

"A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity." --Baltasar Gracian

Link: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/lie.html#QT4HRbZC7YsrGHtY.99

Happy Labor Day and Labor Day Weekend!

Have a terrific, relaxing, rejuvenating, safe, fun weekend.


And by the way, you're welcome.


Signed,

--Labor Unions and labor workers across the country for the last 100 years.

Entertainment overnight

Don't watch. Listen.

On that "blue moon"

Tomorrow night, folks, we are to have a "blue moon"--a rare event. It is a 2nd full moon in the same month. Being that it's also August, it would be a really large, full moon, too.

So you know, the forecast for weather, due to Tropical Depression Isaac that's headed this way, we are to get clouds and rain tomorrow and tomorrow night.

What's it mean?

The closest we're going to get to seeing that big, beautiful, late Summer full, blue moon is tonight. It's actually right now.

Just so you know.

So, get out there, and take it in.

Cheers.