I Write Letters

Hello there!  Been away for a while, under a great cloud of some pretty freakout inducing health issues, and just didn't have the creative spirit to, well, create.  THANK GOD for my misguided boyfriend Charles Krauthammer.  He obviously knew this and penned one of his obnoxious missives just for me.  Wasn't that sweet?

Chuck's argument against appointing Caroline Kennedy to Hillary Clinton's senate seat from the Washington Post:

Right idea, wrong argument. The problem with Caroline Kennedy's presumption to Hillary Clinton's soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat is not lack of qualification or experience.  The Senate houses lots of inexperienced rookies -- wealthy businessmen, sports stars, even the occasional actor.

The problem is Kennedy's sense of entitlement. Given her rather modest achievements, she is trading entirely on pedigree.

I hate to be a good-government scold, but wasn't the American experiment a rather firm renunciation of government by pedigree?

I, of course, couldn't let this pass me by, health and ennui be damned:

This is lazy writing. Your premise of Caroline Kennedy's sense of entitlement is not supported by facts.  What are you basing this statement on?  What you have pointed out is others' and apparently your sense of Caroline Kennedy's entitlement.  You do this all the time.  You state what can only be in another's mind without proof to back it up.  Lazy and if I may say, entitled opinion reporting.  It's true if you say it? Gah!

It's not that I disagree with his idea that Kennedy should not get the senate seat on her name alone.  I think it's a bad idea for the government by pedigree reason that Chucky states.  What gets my goat about Chuck is his assumption of others' thoughts and beliefs and stating them as facts in The Washington Post.  Gah, indeed.

How Do I Know About God's Judgment?

Reinhold Niebuhr, was a theologian who applied his philosophy to politics and diplomacy.  PE Obama is a "fan" of his; that is to say that Obama has stated that he respects Niebuhr's philosophy and how it applies to 21st century world affairs.

I found this interview between a dewy-skinned Mike Wallace and Niebuhr from 1958.  Niebuhr's thinking is rational, generous, non-dogmatic in an affective way, yet secure in his understanding of his relationship with God.

It's 30 minutes long but the time flies because Niebuhr's answers compel your thoughts like dominoes.  At the very end, he states something that aptly applies to my whole argument about Prop 8 among, in my opinion, other injustices perpetrated in religion's name.  Wallace asks:

"Do you think that because you're a Christian you're a more valuable man in our society, or more worthy in the eyes of God than an atheist like Bertrand Russell?"

Niebuhr rightly states that he's already answered the question, but generously offers the following:

"Certainly anybody who says 'In the eyes of God,' is pretentious.  How do I know about God's judgment?  One of the fundamental points about religious humility is that you say you don't know about the ultimate judgment. It's beyond your judgment.  And if you equate God's judgment with your judgment, you have a wrong religion."

EXACTLY!

Blogging is Easy; Commenting Is Hard II

I hang out a lot at Ta-Nehisi Coates' blog, which to anybody who is reading me, is no surprise.  The brother is smart and fiercely self-evaluating, curious almost to the point of annoyance, and completely nerdy.  He's hip to Joss Whedon.  I thought I was the only black person hip to Joss Whedon.

I don't comment much because I have a job, as I'm sure I've explained before.  When I do, it is nowhere near the caliber of his other commenters.

One of TNC's more intelligent commenters goes by KevDog.  TNC spotlighted his brand new blog named Beautiful Futility.  I am completely jealous.  I'm suggesting you take a gander.

Beautiful Futility has been added to my blogroll.

I've still got blogging ennui.

Mental Health Break

I've had to take some down time.  A bit of a glitch in my creative get-along.  I'll be back up soon.  Please don't go 'way.

I've Seen The Future

See, Obama had this shizzat tight from jump.

Hill's maniacal laughter sure got smoothed out, dinnit?