Browsed by
Tag: constitution

What does it mean to celebrate Independence Day?

What does it mean to celebrate Independence Day?

I’ve been getting all the regular emails that I expect this time of year. It makes me sad that a form of blind nationalism has seemingly replaced authentic American patriotism. “Actions are held to be good or bad, not on their own merits but according to who does them, and there is almost no kind of outrage — torture, the use of hostages, forced labour, mass deportations, imprisonment without trial, forgery, assassination, the bombing of civilians — which does not…

Read More Read More

VirusHead Blog Against Theocracy

VirusHead Blog Against Theocracy

Once again, it’s time for the annual Blog Against Theocracy blogswarm. Thanks to Jolly Roger for reminding me. BAT logo by Tengrain of Mock, Paper, Scissors, who also points out: The theme [of the blogswarm], like always, is the Separation of Church and State — we are for it. But the variations on the theme are many…This is not a bashing of religion – peeps can believe what they choose, however they choose — but it is a reminder that…

Read More Read More

Today’s Links

Today’s Links

Just some things that caught my eye… The 5 Most Horrifying Bugs in the World | Cracked.com Why We Flirt | Time Top 5 things I saw in America which, as a Canadian, freaked me right out | Paulitics Congressman calls hearing after White House report shows 473 days of email ‘missing’ | Raw Story Bush’s Contempt for the Law | Washington Post Former JAG lawyer: Only America ‘parses’ torture | Raw Story Canada places U.S., Israel on torture watch…

Read More Read More

No Senate Consideration of Habeas Corpus

No Senate Consideration of Habeas Corpus

The US Senate has voted not even to consider upholding habeas corpus those designated an “enemy combatant” by the U.S. government (that could be you or me, folks). This means that anyone can be held – STILL – for an indefinite amount of time without even being told why they are being detained (“arrested” “held” “imprisoned” “tortured”). They have no right to question or challenge detention, even if such detention is in violation of US and international law. The draft…

Read More Read More

JWs are SO Not Threatened

JWs are SO Not Threatened

“On Faith” (an online joint venture by the Washington Post and Newsweek magazine) published an essay called “Witness to Separation of Church and State,” by Joel P. Engardiom, on June 5, 2007. Joel was the director, writer and narrator of “Knocking,” the documentary about Jehovah’s Witnesses that ran on the PBS series Independent Lens. Yet as otherwise law-abiding, taxpaying citizens, they remind us that the America worth fighting for is an America that does not force people to follow a…

Read More Read More

Presidential Directives

Presidential Directives

I was rereading a bit about Emerson and self-reliance earlier. It affected me, as it always does. Before I wade into current political statements of opinion on the recent Presidential Directives (I’ve seen blog headlines), I’ve decided to treat it like I would treat any document I wanted to interpret. What follows is my initial set of impressions and thoughts. This will change, it always does. It might be interesting to do part 2 sometime later, when these thoughts bounce…

Read More Read More