No Thanks to Thanksgiving

We should atone for the genocide that was incited — and condoned — by the very men we idolize as our ‘heroic’ founding fathers. . . Simply put: Thanksgiving is the day when the dominant white culture (and, sadly, most of the rest of the non-white but non-indigenous population) celebrates the beginning of a genocide that was, in fact, blessed by the men we hold up as our heroic founding fathers. . . Obscuring bitter truths about historical crimes helps perpetuate the fantasy of American benevolence, which makes it easier to sell contemporary imperial adventures — such as the invasion and occupation of Iraq — as another benevolent action.

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Overdue Notice: Defend Our Libraries

. . . [T]oday, in the wake of an inexhaustible economic crisis and the reactionary assault on everything public, the public library is under attack. Local governments across the United States—from New York City to Detroit, and from Denver to Seattle—are slashing library budgets and closing libraries. . . These cuts will disproportionately punish poor and working class people.

Another key aspect of the public library mission is to defend free speech and intellectual freedom. With programs like “Banned Books Week,” libraries are on the front lines of defending the rights of people to examine unpopular points of view so they can make their own informed decisions.

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Pepper-Spraying UC Davis Cop Accused of Using Anti-Gay Epithet (VIDEO)

The police officer who casually pepper-sprayed students at University of California, Davis, was involved in a discrimination lawsuit alleging that he used an anti-gay slur against an openly-gay officer, the Daily Mail reports. The racial and sexual discrimination lawsuit specifically singled out Lt. John Pike, a retired Marine sergeant, for “using a profane anti-gay epithet” against a gay police officer. The case ended in a $250,000 settlement.

Read more, and watch video here . . .  

Camp Pendleton Cross Privileges Christianity; Marginalizes non-Christians

In a case where federal officials allow to stand a prominent Christian cross as a representation of military service, atheists, humanists, and all non-Christians who have fought and died for our country are relegated to second-class citizenship.

The comments in response to this article bespeak volumes to the intolerance, ignorance, and bigotry expressed by Christians toward non-Christians in the military. It is absolutely astonishing! [MSH]

Read more here . . . 

Aphorism: On the Unsolicited “Have a Blessed Day” Complimentary Closing

By Madison S. Hughes (11.22.2011)

I take offense to it for three reasons:

1. It implies that I deign the same irrational superstitious belief.

2. The audacity of it being so freely used reminds one of how it has been allowed to become a meme of the Christian White Privilege that so permeates our culture.

3. The passivity of those that recognize such, but somehow feel it is not worthy of a stance for their convictions.

I always respond with:

Don’t assume I share your delusions.

Have a Reasoned Day,
Madison

The rhetorical question is, why, to some, would my response come-off as sounding bombastic, yet somehow it is considered taboo to criticize the sender’s complimentary closing? The answer may be found in number two above.

The Top 0.1% Of The Nation Earn Half Of All Capital Gains

Capital gains are the key ingredient of income disparity in the US– and the force behind the winner takes all mantra of our economic system. If you want  even out earning power in the U.S, you have to raise the 15% capital gains tax. . . Make no mistake; the battle that is to be fought over  the coming attempt to reverse this reduction in capital gains  will be bloody and intense. The facts are clear according to the Congressional Budget Office  more than 80%  of the increase in income inequality was the result of an increase in the share of household income from capital gains.

Read more . . .