I am not a fan of basketball

But I can still appreciate greatness when I see it.  The time when finesse met athleticism.  I could watch this all day (even if the video is rather scratchy). 

If it is true I hate to see Paterno go this way

I was never a Paterno fan.  Didn't dislike him, just not a fan.  But then, being an Ohio State Buckeyes fan pretty much makes me biased.  I respected his accomplishments, though felt he should have retired already.  Still he didn't.  But now, he's going to at the end of this season, probably due to the abuse scandal at Penn State.

Maybe it's just me, but I try not to cheer and hoot when someone or some institution is torn down.  Sure, I admit, there are times when I say 'hoorah!' when it's something I don't like, or a politician I didn't vote for.  It's easy to celebrate when it's 'them' under the gun. But I try, I try real hard, not to be that way.  Not to be so cynical that I'll take anyone's accusation if it just helps to tear down another life. 

Sure, Paterno has more money in his change drawer than I'll ever have in life.  Sure some politician out there might be a self serving crook.  But you know what?  They're people.  They're human beings.  Maybe they did wrong. Maybe they deserve punishment.  Who doesn't at one point or another?  But I feel we live in an age of criticize, accuse, and cheer the tearing down of anything (other than the things I value).  And that doesn't seem to add to the Christian flavor of our society.  It's sure not a tendency for which I can readily open up the Sacred Scriptures to and find a solid reference.

To comment or not to comment

Ah, that's the question.  Ages ago my blog went goofy.  When it finally came back, my comments boxes weren't working.  I tried to figure out the problem, and finally - with some help - found that it was actually a simple solution. 

Still, I decided to leave them off.  Why?  Because early on, I had several folks stop by and throw their comments in the boxes.  Most were nice.  A couple were naughty.  Some were just downright mean.  And it came to pass that one particular day, when I was in a pissed off mood anyway, I told a fellow who enjoyed coming by and pointing out how stupid us Christian types were to knock it off.  Disagree all you like, but at least hang around and debate, say something constructive, something.  To his/her credit, he decided to move on.  After that, the number of comments dropped.  As if saying 'hey, I want constructive and respectful debate here' was a red flag for some of my readers.

It was also at that time that the great Lila Rose Disaster of 2011 was occurring.  This is when Catholics asked the question 'can we tell lies in order to achieve good ends.'  I can see the problem with that.  And I saw the problem with a Catholic based organization founded on deception.  But oh, the arguments.  I read things about Lila Rose, other Catholics, even Corrie ten Boom, that made my hair curl.  All by Catholics.  It was embarrassing.  I was ashamed to be part of any Catholic discussions at that point, and vowed to keep the comments off for good.

But there is a problem.  As a pastor, I never used 'the bully pulpit' to advance my agendas.  I even resisted discussing controversial topics except for casual forums where the congregation was free to speak out.  I understand that there are times when you stand up and proclaim 'thus saith the Lord', but it's also nice to hear other views and allow other ideas to be tossed about. 

I can be opinionated at times.  I'm no great writer, I admit.  But I can throw out opinions.  I sometimes wonder if it's fair for me to say this or that without a visiting reader having a chance to reply.  I noticed this a week or so ago when a blog I used to visit put up a generic dig at Christianity. I knew the fellow wasn't Christian, but he usually left the faith things out of it, or opened up his blog to comments when he didn't.  But this time he made the dig, and purposefully removed the comments section.  Somehow I felt it was unfair that he would unload like that and not allow those who disagreed a voice.

So I'm kicking it around now, especially as I've gotten back into the whole blogging world.  Not saying I'll bring them back.  I've seen some pretty scary stuff in comments sections.  And I don't want to just ban, ban, ban anyone who says things I think are over the line.  Then folks just don't bother because they aren't sure what will bring the crushing gauntlet of eradication from the blogger.  So I'm kicking it around.  I might bring them back.  We'll see.  Just FYI. 

I sure didn't see this coming

Looks like Iran may have been secretly working to build a nuclear device.  That's shocking since Iran's leaders promised they wouldn't, while of course maintaining their right to have one.  Now we shouldn't worry, as Ron Paul has said we need merely reach out in friendship.  Plus, they probably only want nukes to get more respect.  A respect they no doubt deserve.

Then again, why shouldn't they have nukes?   After all, America has them.  Israel has them.  Isn't every culture and society the same?  I mean, really.  Wasn't Nazi Germany just doing its thing?  Iran doing its thing?  The Khmer Rouge doing its thing?  America doing its thing?  Why shouldn't we let Iran have nukes?  It's not like they're going to send armies over the Atlantic to invade us.  The thought that terrorists could use them?  Bah.  That's just ticking time bomb scare tactics.  That's like saying terrorists could coordinate a vast plan to hijack major airliners and fly them into key iconic structures filled with innocent people.

So nothing to worry about here folks.  Since libertarianism and isolationism seem all the rage across the Catholic blogosphere, I'm the first to say let's move on.  Get on with life.  Ron Paul says we should.  And that's good enough for me.



Sarcasm off.

Hollywood hearts censorship

In yet another case of the Left warming up to good old McCarthy-like censorship, the powers that be at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have dropped the axe on Brett Ratner for dropping the F-bomb.  No, not that one.  Had he said that, he would have been celebrated.  But he blasphemed one of the dogmas of homosex, and for that, he's history. 

It is really amazing.  Hollywood thinks it's this bastion of nonconformity, rebellion, and pushing the envelope.  But seldom in the history of human thought has there been an industry less enslaved to its own desire to be a spineless yap dog of conformity to a particular ideological movement.  That it so willingly embraces a censorship that would make McCarthy's head spin, over saying something that is said about other groups by those in Hollywood on a daily basis, shows just how conformed to our Big Politically Correct Brother old Tinseltown has become.  And not just conforming, but willing to put teeth on its groveling obedience by showing how quickly it will punish those who fail to conform to the dogmas of post-modern leftist goodthink.

China and Russia give high-fives over their limiting of Western influence in Asia

Nothing to see here folks.  It's not America doing it, so it must be OK.  Move along.

Rest in Peace Andy Rooney

Andy Rooney as I knew him, and will remember him

I was sad to hear of Andy Rooney's death.  There was something almost literary about it, like Charles Schultz dying on the day of the last Peanuts cartoon strip.  I don't know why, but when I was in high school, I was addicted to Andy Rooney.  No matter what, I tried my best to make sure I was home in time to see his little curmudgeonry on cue at the end of 60 Minutes.  Of course, back then, 60 Minutes was the News, and the News was (T)ruth.  It never dawned on me one way or another what Mr. Rooney's views were, his beliefs, his ideals and stances on this or that position.  It was the early 80s, and that meant Liberalism.  That meant we listened to people we may not always agree with, people we could still respect even if they held different beliefs.  It was the great movement to a society of tolerance, diversity, respect, and live and let live. 

And nobody pushed the limits of that ideal more than Mr. Rooney!  Even then, he could say things that would boil my blood.  He could set my parents on evening long diatribes explaining just how wrong he was.  He could cut to the quick, piss people off, and generally step on as many feet in an evening as possible.  And yet, we still went back for more.  Sure, it's because as often as not, we agreed.  But I think it's because at that stage, we were still in the days when liberalism was ironically trying to do what already was. 

I mean, nobody cared if Andy Williams was a this or that.  Nobody held some ideological yardstick up against Sinatra and said unless he conformed he was the enemy.  Nobody felt the need to qualify their respect for Mr. Rooney despite failing to hold to orthodox dogmas of diversity.  The age that liberalism promised was already there.  Ironically, it became liberalism that would do the very things it promised against.  When Rush Limbaugh entered the airwaves, it was calls for censorship and boycotts all the way!  When Charlton Heston died, sure Civil Rights leaders had to admit he walked with Dr. King, and was a strong proponent of Civil Rights.  But what mattered is that he disagreed with them, held differing beliefs, advocated things, such as the NRA, that they were against.  That is what dominated the memorials around Mr. Heston.  How times have changed.

Be that as it may, I will miss him.  I liked him enough that for Christmas one year, my parents bought me a couple of his books.  I still have them and have gone back to them a time or two over the years.  But mostly, I prefer to remember him as the product of a time when we judged the person, the whole person, not his stance on this issue, how he voted on that, what his sexual preference happens to be, or any such thing.  We simply looked to the person and said we did or didn't like him because of all he was.  And with Andy Rooney, when I looked at all he was, I admit I liked him a lot. 


Réquiem ætérnam dona ei Dómine; et lux perpétua lúceat ei. Requiéscat in pace. Amen.

In more tolerance news

The Bishop who dared link homosexuality to Satan has resigned.  This after the Boston Archdiocese went groveling on its hands and knees, begging forgiveness for its sins against homosex.  Again, I haven't found the article, and who knows?  It may have been out there loony.  But couldn't they have used it to open up dialogue, rather than invoke censorship for diversity?  Geesh.  Backbones, how doth the Church need you.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz can barely surprise me

When the Tuscon Shootings happened, and the MSM tried to convince us that such violence was the logical product of murdering conservatives who were simply waiting for someone to pull out the deck of cards and send them on killing sprees, Ms. W-Schultz stunned me despite how shocked I already was at such vicious and slanderous propaganda.  She told how her poor daughter trembled with fright, knowing that such horrible persons were out there ready to shoot her Mommy dead (cuz that's what them Conservative types did).  That she obviously had no qualms with appearing to exploit the fears of her own daughter in order to climb the ladder of political power, was enough to take me off her fan list for good.

Since then, she has continued to be everything that bad stereotypes say modern politicians are all about.  Each time she accuses Republicans or Conservatives of being divisive I almost have to keep myself from choking on laughter.  So it's not really a surprise that she would christen herself the final authority on just how to define human life and personhood, whilc accusing everyone who disagrees with her as being 'divisive.'  
But there was one thing in the article that leaped out at me:

"To American women, their reproductive health and choice is an intensely personal and private issue between themselves, their families, and their doctors."

Their families?  Since when?  Unless that means families sans husbands, boyfriends, lovers.  Because we all know that feminists have fought like mad dogs to keep a husband/father from having any say whatsoever in the decision.  A woman can abort a baby with the father screaming outside the window and, thanks to Ms. WS and her ilk, is powerless to stop the proceedure. 

So no, don't fool me with such garbage.  Admit what it is.  Abortion is simply one more rung for feminists to climb, assuring themselves that they have ultimate power over everything and everyone.  It is a slick birth control alternative so that women can jump on every Tom and Harry's you-know-what, and still climb that corporate ladder of narcissism and self-worship, greed and power.  It is the mass slaughter of the innocent to slake the feminist lust for power and control, and for which they gleefully high-five one another in the face of a historical judgement that cries out from the earth for the vengeance of God. 

May God grant His grace to women and young girls, that they see the lie and the horror, and flee the charnal house of post-Christendom, and experience the love and forgiveness that is their through Christ.

God bless Andy Williams

I was saddened to hear that Andy Williams has cancer.  May God be with those doctors and medical workers who will bring aid and comfort to Mr. Williams.  And may His peace be upon Andy Williams' family and loved ones.  He has been the voice of the Christmas season to so many, and has moved millions with his music over the years.  For one who has brought so much happiness, and whose own quiet and understated way points back to a bygone era, I can only pray God be with him through his upcoming trials. 

Iraqi cleric seems to think US wants to conquer the Middle East

Where would he get this idea?  Probably from any one of a thousand new casts, blogs, and pundit reports by progressives and others critical of America who are, you know, Americans.  In other news, Tokyo Rose suggests America is the bad guy and the cause of hostilities in WWII.  American tend to agree!  Can you imagine?  Of course there are those who say WWII was our fault, we had no business being there, and who tend to focus on the sins of our country to the exclusion of any other atrocities (with the obvious exception of the Holocaust).  Funny how times change.  Was a time when siding with the aggressor against our own country was looked down upon.  But let's face it.  For a growing swath of the American population, there is only one force of evil in the world, and it is, and always has been, us.

Catholic writes about Catholic things

And Gay Rights groups scream.  Naturally, the Boston Archdiocese paper immediately invoked the Glorious Censorship by pulling back on all that freedom of religion and the press garbage.  Heck, it's only a newspaper for the faithful, who has a right to express opinions that might offend homosexuals?  Granted, I can't find a link to the article, and who knows?  Maybe it had some crazy things in it.  But again, being a child of the 80s, I know that the problem is always those who are offended, rather than those who simply wish to have an open forum for sharing opinions.

But the Catholic Church is a tough nut to crack.  Bound by 2000 years of Sacred Tradition, it just can't scrap this or that teaching because the latest, hippest beautiful people demand it.  Yet it's hard not to see that if certain groups yell and scream, a growing number of Catholic leaders are willing to back down.  While certain other groups can yell and scream until they are blue in the face, and the Church is more than happy to let it's yes be yes, and it's no be no.

Since all of the hubbub is greeted by a Gay movement still not happy with the Archdiocese of Boston bringing self-censorship to appease them, and since much of the indignation seems to be that the paper was not conforming to the homosexual agitprop that God puts a gene in people that makes them gay which is like being Black or Asian (or we simply evolved that way for the more secular inclined), I'm less than convinced that the response did anything other than grant a victory to post-modern reformers.  I wish, at least, the whole uproar could have been used to open up a dialogue, rather than cower, insert tail between legs, and once more act as if the driving force of 21st century Catholic leadership appears to be 'ah come on guys, like us will you?'  At least when discussing those whose affections are deemed important.

A very merry All Souls Day

Fidelium, Deus, omnium conditor et redemptor: animabus famulorum, famularumque tuarum remissione cunctorum tribue peccatorum; ut indulgentiam, quam semper optaverunt, piis supplicationibus consequantur: Qui vivis et regnas in saecula saeculorum.*

Contrary to modern American belief, the holiday known as Halloween doesn't really end on the 31st of October.  In fact, that day is not really a holiday at all.  It is simply the eve of the real holiday All Saints Day.  Now most people have heard of All Saints in the endless debates about the origins of Halloween.  But what many don't know is that fast on the heels of All Saints Day is another Catholic gem called All Souls Day. 

Dad in his prime, along with the family pooch Tramp.  Both are missed.

Whereas All Saints is the commemoration of all the saints of the faith, those we acknowledge to those we do not know, All Souls brings it closer to home.  It certainly did for me.  For it is the day in which Catholics around the world remember those who have died, especially those who have passed this year.  Since my Dad died only about six months ago, this was a special time for me. 
Our parish has a wonderful All Souls Mass, and we attended it last night.  It was a typical Mass, except for the inclusion of a candlelight procession, in which one candle representing the loved one who died is brought forward and lit from the Paschal Candle.  That candle, representing the Light of Christ, carries the light to the smaller candle, in this case representing my Dad.  I then took it and placed it to the left of the Alter where it will burn for a week. 

That was a way to remember the ultimate promise of our faith.  Laugh as they may, secularists can't appreciate the peace that comes with realizing that my Dad has not passed into oblivion, but now rests in the arms of a loving and merciful God.  As I saw that light go from the light of Christ to my Dad's candle, I was able to say goodbye, and trust my Dad's soul to the grace and love of Christ.   He's still in my thoughts, and I'll remember him every day.  But there was a closure, a sense of peace that came with seeing him placed upon that shelf alongside the faithfully departed.  I was able to say, "Take him Jesus, he belongs to you now.  He did the work he was here to do, and I'll always be thankful, but now it's time to let go." 

So it was a very merry, if not somewhat bittersweet, All Souls Day.  I'll still miss him, but that Catholic tendency of playing out the mysteries of our faith with visible and touchable symbols and customs, went far last night in helping me see the consummation of our faith, the receiving of our promise that I pray Dad will receive, and that we will all join when our own time has come. 

*"O God the creator, and redeemer of all the faithful, give unto the souls of your servants remission of all their sins: that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon which they have always wished for. Who lives and reigns forever."

Living large at the Occupy Wall Street protests

Can't help but chuckle.  I know, I know.  This is hardly a scientific study, whatever that would be worth.  But it's still interesting that even in a completely random sampling of protesters who were arrested, their standard of living would be so high.  I'm sure there are poor and unemployed among the protesters.  I'm sure they make up the bulk.  But it's interesting that folks who have reaped the benefits of the very system they are protesting are out there.  Don't know what it means.  Maybe nothing.  Or maybe something.  Unlike many across the Catholic blogosphere, I'm not convinced this is something to celebrate or even ignore.  After all, last time we had nationwide youth protests on an ongoing basis was the 60s.  And that didn't exactly push our country to a more Catholic union.  So we'll see.  Just found it interesting, that's all.

Twas the night of Halloween

When the strangest things are seen!  What a night.  We were able to get some fun time in with the boys after I managed to work an account for most of the morning.  After pizza at Pizza Hut for lunch, we went to the usual cemetery visit, picking up where we had left off with the Mom and little'un the night before, spooking around and looking at the reminders of just how precious life is.  What better focus on that day before All Saints?   

The great Griffey Boys cemetery ghost hunt, 2011

Don't know what they're doing, but either it's funny or frightening

Then we took an excursion through the woods at nearby Blue Limestone park, known to be haunted by restless spirits owing to a train wreck in ages past.  Alas, rain that morning and in previous days made it impossible to get into the tunnel where the ghost is believed to dwell.  So my intrepid sons decided to make for another way, discovering a 'path' and climbing up and around the leaf bare woods. 

We came out at a point not less than 40 feet above the lake beneath us.  That was enough to assure my sons that it was time to turn back.  That the woods also reminded one of the same forest in the Blair Witch Project, added to the urgency. 

Adventurers to the fore!

Seeing things from an angle we've never seen before.

Then we came home, met up with their Mom and our youngest, and began preparations for the annual candy frenzy.  Through cleverness and resourcefulness, a makeshift cemetery was placed in our front yard.  And where dampness and winds prevented the usual display of artificial webbing, a rather dismal and haunted looking graveyard took shape.

Yes, there's a cemetery there.

Then on came the costumes.  Despite weeks of wanting to be a pumpkin, our youngest balked at the last minute and could only be convinced to wear his pumpkin costume under an Ohio State jersey while carrying a wooden dagger.  The Ohio State shirt must have been in celebration of our stunning victory over Wisconsin.  The dagger?  Don't ask me.  With my Mom living with us, we had him covered and ready to go.

It's a pumpkin dressed in Ohio State fan garb with a wooden dagger thing.

His traditional pumpkin face, with a little help from his Mom

Next was our 11 year old, who wanted to be a thief.  Originally looking to a Robin Hood thief, or one from the pages of an old D&D Players Handbook, he settled for all black with face paint, ala Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief.

Always dashing and full of charisma, even before his black face paint

I'm sorry, but his design looked doofy

Then our 13 year old stood firm on his desire to be Gandalf the Grey.  Not Gandalf the White, but the Grey.  Because Lord of the Rings is not the latest, hippest, the marketing machines of Halloween did not supply us with the needed $40.00 costume.  So we improvised, with grey bathrobes, powdered hair, one store-bought beard, and an old limb from one of the trees that recent storms had dismantled in our backyard.  After taping a light stick to the top, he was ready for action.

You shall not trick!

Always the most intricate, because he doesn't have to carve it

Now our 16 year old is pretty much done with tricks-or-treats, but he did agree to take our youngest around the block once with everyone else, then bring him home and stay to help me pass out candy.  What to wear though.  He's built a reputation on thinking outside the box.  Two years ago he was a mummy.  Not original, but well done.  Last year he was the Invisible Man, completely outside the box and much noticed.  This year, as we've been overdosing on Hammer Horror films, he got the last minute inspiration to go out as none other than the master sleuth himself.  Donning an overcoat and a Holmes hat, with pipe in hand he once again upped the ante on originality, culminating with a search for clues in the graveyard as the evening wound  down.

Son, you astound me (bonus points for keeping his sideburns)

He has this geometric shape thing with his pumpkin designs

The family was over, though it was sad without Dad around.  His Alzheimer's had made it tough in recent years anyway, and I think we chose not to dwell on that too much.  My sister and her husband brought her granddaughter over, looking pretty and charming. 

As cute as a princess, if not overwhelmed by the boys

She had to leave earlier than usual, but indulged in the usual Halloween music with Lon Chaney's original Phantom of the Opera on the big screen.  After the tricks-or treats, the kids came in and we settled down for candy, pumpkin seeds and apple cider while watching Hammer's The Curse of Frankenstein.  I love that our kids can be wowed by such movies in the age of Avatar. 

On a Halloween of neat things, a bird of prey lands in a nearby branch just in time for me to get this shot

And that was that.  Showers then off to bed after a brief cram session for a social studies test scheduled for the next day.  Though Dad wasn't with us, I hope he was able to follow along and see the fun we had.  It was the type of fun he always wanted us to have around such times, as he was never given that opportunity in his Depression Era upbringing.  So Happy Halloween Dad, we all made it another wonderful celebration and can't wait to come back to you in a couple days.

Ooooooooo!

Twas the night of Halloween.

Ooooooooo!

When the strangest things are seen!

Ooo.

Ooo.

Ooo.

BOO!

More historical dumbness courtesy of our enlightened age

So my eyes catch a story, again on ABC News, about a Halloween Costume that has sparked outrage.  It is an evacuee's costume being sold in Britain.  There wasn't a picture, but apparently it was supposed to bring back images of the British children who were famously evacuated from their homes during the Blitz. 

But read the story.  Read this part:

“All that’s missing is a yellow star,” Julia Rubin of the Styleite wrote. 
Any costume that’s even remotely related to the Holocaust sets off a nerve, but the Huffington Post reports that the costume is intended as a way to teach kids British history and is not specifically for Halloween. Evacuee Day is commemorated in primary schools and museums across England, marking the evacuation of millions of schoolchildren from Britain’s cities to escape German bombing attacks during WWII.

You get that?  It's a British costume about British kids doing something courageous in British history.  And the first thing you read?  BAM!  You can't mock the Holocaust!!

What the hell does it have to do with the Holocaust?  I know, I know.   The Nazis were evil and killed six million Jews in the Holocaust.  And America nuked Japan and rounded up Japanese citizens.  And thanks to Saving Private Ryan, we know that Americans did brave things on D-Day before going on killing sprees and gunning down defenseless Germans.  And that's about it.  Anything else in the 20th century?  Any real studies of the other tens of millions of humans who were butchered for any one of a thousand reasons?   Nope.  Just that.  You know it's bad when the Huffington Post has to stand up and attempt to bring some perspective.

So when our brilliant and educated elites see something like this, they obviously assume it must have something to do with the only subjects they've bothered to study or care about.  Again, despite all assurance to the contrary, I'm not 100% convinced that the Internet Age has made us smarter.

Dumbest Halloween post of the day

So I'm reading this little bit by ABC news.  The usual 'water is wet' let's make a story where there isn't one approach to journalism.  And the usual gang of suspects jumps into the comments section to do everything from debate rationally to throw out idiocy and stupidity.  The best one I read?  It had to be this:

"All of the seasonal Holidays are pagan in origin. When the christian church was created by Constantine in the 2nd Century, it embraced these holiday dates and tied them into their own created holidays, such as Christmas, All Souls and All Saints Days. This was done to try to bring the Celts and other pagan communities into the church for the purpose of politically unifying Europe and the middle east into one empire under Constantine. The Pope was created as the spiritual/ political head, reporting to the Emporor and remained so until Henry VIII created his own church and spiritual head who reported to Henry."

Wow.  Where to begin.  Not that the Catholic Church was started by Constantine, but apparently the whole Christian church was started by him.  And of course all of those holidays Christians came up with were just mirroring pagan practices (as opposed to their own celebrations based on Jewish customs and celebrations in light of the Christ event).  That's an old one.  Wrong, but old.  And no, Constantine did not live in the 2nd century, just in case some of my more informed readers were thrown off by the timeline.  Nor did the Pope answer to the emperor until Henry VIII. 

When I read things like this on the Internet, I hope and pray that it's just some kid still in elementary school trying to act big.  But then, it makes me wonder what they are teaching in elementary schools. 

Symptoms of a dying civilization

If you're looking for evidence that America, and indeed Western Civilization, is beginning to wheeze its last gasps of breath before passing into the hereafter of history, you need go no further than this story.  A boy who's been dressed in dresses by his parents is shocked that the Girl Scouts will not have him.  The Girl Scouts, not exactly a bastion of traditional values, thought it was progressive enough.  Turns out not.  Gay Rights advocates and academics (as if there's a difference there) jump in to remind us that all this gender stuff is the result of ages old bad-think.

Of course, there's a little throwback to old time liberalism's mantra of 'it's all relative.'  But fool me once you know.  I stopped believing in such rubbish as I saw the apostles of tolerance and diversity increasingly seek to eradicate and oppress anyone who fails to conform to their dogmatic doctrines.  So while 'it's all relative' might help win the argument in a society that would gladly don the chains of servitude for a little sex, down the road we'll see yet one more case of yesterday's progressive principle tossed aside in favor of brutal censorship, oppression, and demands for goodthink.  Whether or not the rest of our society sees it or not will determine if this symptom points to a sickness that can be overcome, or one that will eventually overcome all of us.

Cain opponents forget the times we live in

Apparently Herman Cain may have sexually harassed some women back in the day.  Of course, back in the day that might have meant something.  But you see, this is the PC period in American history.  Not politically correct, but post-Clinton.  Remember, during the later phase of the Clinton scandal, after he was forced to admit he had lied to America and falsely accused the GOP of lying about him, we were informed by our brightest and smartest that all this had to do with sex, and so was unimportant.  It was sex.  And with that, who cares?  Why, pundits and supporters actually went on to insist we Americans needed to get with the times.  Who cares about character, truth, perjury, values, morals?  As long as Clinton was giving us the greatest economy in the history of the universe*, that's all we should care about, right?  After all, it's the economy stupid!

Never before has a single presidency done more to destroy the moral fabric of American society than the Clinton Administration.  He showed that a massive swath of our country was willing to sell its birthright for a bowl of stew.  And ironically, it ended up losing that stew as many said we would.

*FWIW, as early as 1998, some economists were suggesting our economy wasn't really that wonderful.  They were concerned that much of the purchasing was being done on debt, personal and corporate debt, and if it didnt' turn around, everything could blow up in our face.  But what did they know. 

The Motley Monk appears to be shocked by the obvious

Over at The American Catholic, the 'Motley Monk' laments the lack of God at the Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial.  I'm shocked that anyone would be shocked.  King has become the icon of the post-Western world.  Seldom is he called Reverend, the press and most thinkers preferring Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.  That he was a churchman is, of course, troubling to the whole notion that we should keep wrong religions out of the public domain.  Most, when confronted with this, explain it away by saying that the parts of King that are praiseworthy had nothing to do with his religion, and everything to do with his right thinking about Civil Rights. 

Again, I've said it before and I'll keep saying it: there is nothing more revealing of the narrative set forth by the post-moder left than MLK.  He not only represents what they will do to promote their doctrine, but how they plan on dealing with those issues that do not conform to their doctrines.