The Godless Liberal in Seattle

As I watch the gradual deterioration of our civil rights, the utter lack of accountability among our "Leaders" and sense of apathy amongst much of our populace, I find myself vaccilating between outrage and numbness.

Sure, the numbness is largely due to self-medication, but it is a reasonable alternative, in my book.

What can one do? Of course, one should only worry about the things one can control, but what if the situations outside of your control are affecting the things that you can, or should be able to manage?

We have a huge corporate bailout of nearly a trillion dollars, with not a cent set aside for any sort of relief for the average American. Much like rush to the Iraq War, it is being sold to us as something that needs to be pushed through, no questions asked, in the name of National Security.

Really? Are you fucking serious, Mr. President?

It's a bit much to take.

The "L" (liberal, not lesbian) word has been effectively reduced to portray an effette, Ivory Tower living, America Hating, French Loving pussy who would rather eat tofu cakes and hummus than watch 8 hours of football on Sunday, like a true American.

To that, I can only say, "bite me you scum sucking fascist"

I am trying to figure out where and when exactly Republicans cornered the market on love for their country. I think it started with Reagan, and it blossomed because, to be truthful, Democrats have been too big of pussies to fight them on it. They've painted themselves into a corner by refusing to consistently articulate that their agenda is pro-american (at the very least more pro-american than the fascist tendencies of the Bush Administration) and why it is pro-American.

It is patriotic and American to question authority, not to bow to it.
It is patriotic and American to engage countries in civilized discussion rather than bomb them.
It is patriotic and American to understand that we are one country (albeit the most powerful) in a sea of many other countries, rather than the center of the Universe.
It is patriotic and American to see health care as a basic human need
It is patriotic and American to be a citizen of the world, rather than wrapping yourself in the flag


It is not patriotic and American to question the patriotism of those you disagree with, especially when their ideals are based on a sense of humanity and not societal darwinism

It is the height of irony that the culture of greed and avarice has convinced many that to have a basic compassion for others is a sign of weakness and worse, Un-American

I have heard the pundits carry on about Godless Liberals, and I am here to say that I am one.

I don't believe in spooky stories written by people who lived in caves thousands of years ago.

I believe that everything is relative, and that there are few absolutes. Shoot me. (No, I take that back. Under the Patriot Act, I believe that I just gave Cheney consent...)

The world we live in is governed by wierdness and randomness, and it is the engine of opposites that truly runs the world. (I stole that last part from Tom Robbins)

I was told recently that the singularity is coming by someone who truly believes it. I don't know that I am that much of an optimist. The way I see it, it is either that, or the Apocolypse. And as you've probably guessed by now, I don't follow the bible.

The singularity is the idea that evolution is following something along the lines of Moore's Law, and soon there will be such a convergence of man and machine and information, that we will truly live in a vertical world, where no one will have leverage over anyone or anything else, because everyone will have access to the same information and that information will be impossible to control or dominate. No one will have a need for anything, and no wars will be fought, because everything will be understood and therefore possible.

The only thing that stands in the way as far as I can see is fundementalism. And when I say that it is either the Singularity or the Apocalypse, I mean this:

The people who believe in the Apocalypse want the Apocalypse. Things will be so much better on the other side, in their belief, that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

That is why true believers scare me and should scare you too. They are the only thing standing in the way of you and any hope of peace in this world, and their numbers are many. They exist in this country as well as nearly every other country in the world, and they are to be feared. They are the cause of much of the pain and suffering and ignorance in this world

And that is why I am proud to be a "godless liberal", if that is what they want to call me.