the caste system is inherently racist. Merriam-Webster define racism as "a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race." They define race itself as "a class or kind of people unified by shared... characteristics" and "a category of humankind that shares distinctive physical traits."
You're saying lighter skin = higher caste = easier access to wealth. That's a classic case of racist rationalization.
But I do think it's highly likely that his mental state was influenced by Christian bullying post-9/11. That, and his head being fucked up by listening to god only knows how many hundreds of GIs telling him about what triggered their PTSD; and his easy and Army-trained access to guns; and his anger at the military for blowing off his pleas to not be sent overseas--even when he offered to pay for his education! All contributed to this tragedy. That doesn't mean I think he shouldn't be held accountable for his actions. It just means I see that he was a product of his environment, he's caught up in the evil web that is a real part of our armed forces today.
The Boy Scouts are homophobic and forbid gay men from being scout leaders and also forbid atheists and agnostics from joining a troop. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouts_of...
The Girl Scouts are welcoming of all girls, with anti-discrimination policies protecting leaders' sexuality or religion. They did this in direct response to the Boy Scouts anti-gay stance. http://www.womensenews.org/story/lesbian-t...
because the OT is so messed up. First of all, the OT is still part of the Christian Bible, so many Christians take it just as seriously as the NT. And there is stuff in there that is not draconian, and is in fact liberating, such as the story of Moses freeing the slaves and many strong female role models that are almost entirely absent in the NT. Then there's the fact that the primary followers of the OT had their population severely decimated by that little thing called the Holocaust. And finally, those are the texts that Jesus himself drew inspiration from; if you like his teachings you cannot toss out the Hebrew teachings that informed him.
As a devout agnostic, I don't believe the Bible is inerrant, but to broadbrush the selective Jewish teachings that are included in the Christian Bible comes close to being anti-Semitic (although, knowing you, I am 100% sure that wasn't your intent).
I've read that even links the teens to that school. This was a gang activity, just as likely to happen during prom as on any other given night. The suggestion that proms should be cancelled because of one gang rape is ridiculous. I'm sure there are lots of rapes going on during proms and football games and during house parties all over the country, you just don't hear about them because it's usually one-on-one and the girl is often too embarrassed or scared to come forward about it. If you think it wasn't going on in your school when you were growing up, no matter where you grew up, you're either male, naive, or both.
"Anger/Hatred" (though I'm never revengeful), "Nothing in particular - You expected him to pull this stunt" and alsame's upthread response of "Disgust".
I hate that troll, Lieberman! I would expect nothing less from that troll Lieberman. That troll Lieberman disgusts me.
I hate that term, choice, because it's as polite and milquetoast and unambiguous as saying gay people are living a lifestyle choice!
It's not about the woman's right to choose whether or not to keep a fetus, it's about a woman's right to control her own body! Once we abdicated that argument, once we gave up that basic human right--to control one's own body and destiny--by coyly referring to it as a choice, we elevated a (undevelped human) fetus' rights above a (fully developed) woman's human rights.
Because that's what also included in the new proposed display entitled "Foundations of American Law and Government! I like what Vonnegut had to say about our national anthem:
Trout and Hoover were citizens of the United States of America, a country which was called America for short. This was their national anthem, which was pure balderdash, like so much they were expected to take seriously:
O, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thru the perilous fight O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
There were one quadrillion nations in the Universe, but the nation Dwayne Hoover and Kilgore Trout belonged to was the only one with a national anthem which was gibberish sprinkled with question marks.
Breakfast of Champions
Really and truly, the only thing in their lame-o would-be display is the Constitution. If they really wanted a display of the principles of law and government we were founded on, they'd include the Magna Carta, the story of the Six Nations (Iroquois Confederacy), and the Emancipation Proclamation and leave the Ten Commandments and and our meaningless, war-loving, flag-worshipping national anthem the fuck out of it.
* Belief that every individual has inherent worth. * Belief that every individual is deeply connected (whether scientifically, religiously, or both) to every other individual and thing in the universe. * Belief that every individual should have access to healthcare, education (including the arts), a job in a safe environment with a living wage, shelter, food and clothing, regardless of race, gender, religion, economic status, language, or sexual identity. This means everybody, including prisoners and undocumented immigrants--even war criminals like Cheney. Which leads me to... * Belief that torturing and killing a person for any reason except self-defense is immoral and unethical, including wars and use of the death penalty. * Belief that "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
The Unitarians and the Universalists were two separate churches until they merged in 1961. The Unitarians did not claim to be a Christian church at the time of the merger (having been drummed out of Christian circles by denouncing the validity of the Trinity), but the Universalists considered themselves (and were considered by others) to be Christians when the churches merged. Even when the Unitarians were decidedly NOT a Christian church there were still many among them who believed in a Unitarian Christianity, based on a sermon by Rev. William Ellery Channing delivered in 1819, called (oddly enough) "Unitarian Christianity."
They don't believe in the Trinity. They believe Jesus was human, an inspired teacher who lived an exemplary life that serves as a model for being a compassionate person. They believe he died on the cross. Period.
Big change. Certainly not the wet dream of both the left and right of an outright ban of all lobbyists who disagree with us, but getting them out of committee keeps them from spreading propaga--, er, advertis--, I mean, lobbying during actual meeting time. They may have their congress critter in there advocating in their favor, but it cuts down the corporate proponents by at least by 50%, possibly more depending on the makeup of the committee. So sorry it's not perfect, but it's still change I can believe in. And it will be ever-more effective if we can get trolls like Dodd and Baucus voted out and some actual progressive Dems voted in.
The People are willing to spend their money to learn the truth, and the People know the truth. Number of hits on YouTube prove nothing b/c you can have a million hits by just 100 people reloading the page 100 times.
Besides, Moore puts his money back into film making and also gives generously to a variety of non-profit organizations working to shore up and reclaim our democracy. It's not enough that he and his family have had to walk around for a decade with armed security details trailing their every move because the rabid right sends him death threats every hour on the hour. But you act as though he should take a vow of poverty just because he speaks truth to power. I have no problem with Michale Moore making money because I figure he's being paid to do a job he's actually doing, and doing well. As opposed to, say, the banking industry who gets paid millions more than Moore will ever see to be deceitful and fuck over the American (and global) citizens.
I like what Vonnegut had to say about our national anthem:
