posted on December 5, 2002 11:24:50 PM new
I like that one strip where the guy's on the telephone and someone is asking, "When Tom Daschele called Paul Wellstone 'The soul of the Senate,' did Wellstone yell down, 'Why don't you try locating your goddamn soul, you spineless f**king worm!'? -- or can't you cuss in heaven?" Hee hee!
posted on December 6, 2002 10:48:20 AM new
Borillar
That cartoon is so appropriate. As a matter of fact, we were discussing that very thing in the office this morning (we are all staunch Democrats, by the way). How ironic that you would put the cartoon on the board today. It seems that it doesn't matter what Hussein does, Bush is bound and determined to bomb the hell out of Iran. As my boss put it, "It appears he is trying to finish the job his father started."
posted on December 6, 2002 10:59:19 AM new
Thanks, Cheryl. I'm an Independent Ultra-Conservative and a thirty-second degree Freemason and proud to be all of it. I am NOT one of these Nazi-types that try to pass themselves off as Conservatives, but I am a Real and True Ultra-Conservative and defending the US Constitution and our American Way of Life from government oppression is foremost in my mind. Unlike other Freemasons, I am willing to go into the public and make a fool of myself - not for Freemasonry, but for myself.
I saw this cartoon and I had to post it. The cartoon strip that the Prof has as the thread link goes to a different place than this one. This one is from the Arizona Republic newspaper online.
posted on December 6, 2002 05:45:35 PM new
Borillar
As a very annoying friend of mine is fond of saying, "Cool beans." My grandfather was also a thirty-second degree Freemason (and a lifetime member of the Amaranths and a Shriner). As I remember him, he too was ultra-conservative in his views. We did butt heads a couple of times (free wheeling 60's and all), but for the most part I take after him. I lean more toward Democrat although I have been known to vote for an Independent and sometimes no one at all. I'm an Eastern Star as is my mother and sister. My brother and uncle are Freemasons. It's a long-standing family tradition.
I have inherited much of my grandfather's way of thinking, which is why I think we clashed from time-to-time. I joined an anti-war march here in Cleveland a month or so back and was proud of the number of people who walked in the cold and rain for it. Our freedoms are being slowly eaten away, bit by bit. Unlike the 60's when people weren't afraid to stand up and be heard, people today seem to just melt into the woodwork. Maybe it's the fear of the CIA's new shoot-to-kill presidentially blessed authority. I really don't know. The more we ask the government to intervene on our behalf, the more freedom we stand to lose. Is it freedom when my 18 year old son is told to go to war even if it is in defiance of what he knows to be right? And, to be jailed for it when he chooses to exercise his freedom and not go? Fortunately, this is not an actual scenario and my son is still safe at home. But, what of the sons of those not as fortunate as me? This war is being forced upon us. Our tax dollars are going to fund it all and where is our choice in the matter? The American citizens are the ones who built this country and are the ones who choose our leaders. Why is it that once chosen, we lose all control? It's because we allow it to happen. We vote them into office and figure our jobs end there. I don't remember being asked if I minded my tax dollars going to attack Iraq, while thousands of American citizens are going hungry and living on the streets. I don't remember being asked if I minded the government throwing my future Social Security benefits out the window. We live in a great country, the greatest on Earth. But, we have become lax and far too dependent upon Big Brother. We have allowed the invasion into our personal and professional lives and we have allowed the shameful waste of our tax dollars. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Wake up, all of you who remember the 60's, it's time to get the war off. Yes, Hussein is a danger and yes, he is probably lying when he said he has no nuclear weapons but, there has to be a better way.
Thanks, Borillar, I needed to get that off my chest.
Cheryl
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Dec 6, 2002 05:50 PM ]
posted on December 7, 2002 12:51:55 AM new
You bet, Cheryl!
My parents were card-carrying ACLU members, up until the ACLU tried to defend the rights of Nazis to speak freely. My parents marched through Indianapolis with Martin Luther King, Jr. when he came through there with his famous march to Washington. I recall my mom going out and protesting in the 1960's against the Viet-Nam conflict. My mom and dad strongly supported a Woman's Right to Equal Pay for Equal Work and Equality in general.
As for me, I see that Democracy is great, but first you have to have a support mechanism in place. In our case, that's the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights. And today, Cheryl, they aren't nibbling away at our rights, that's that 'Giant Sucking Sound' that Ross used to talk about concerning NAFTA, only it's the sound of our Rights being taken away from us.
Our Rigths have been suspended for the duration of this "War". And this is a War that will never end. Therefore, our Rights are suspended forever. Gone. History.
In the meantime, you get gleeful Republican sympathizers jumping for joy all about Bush's feet.
I have been a Freemason for almost ten years now. We have a large lodge with two Eastern Star lodges attached to it, as well as one Amaranth. We're a busy bunch and we fall through the political spectrum from staunch Bush-Hating Liberals to stalwart Bush-Loving Conservatives -- and that's not so unusual for any lodge, really. I went Scottish Rite for my other degrees. I am very active in charity and in various Masonic projects. While it is not the end-all, be-all for me, it does pass the time nicely with a lot of folks who are first-class.
Inclusive organizations bother me and although I appreciate the good work that the Freemasons have done, I question the secrecy and in the case of southern lodges their policy of racial and gender segregation. This was the case a few years ago. I don't know what the policy is today. My father was a member and my husband is a member. I have other concerns about the Eastern Star. My mother in law was a very proud member of the Eastern Star. I don't know why.
The Eastern Stars do a great deal of charitable work as do the Masons. We donate to the Cancer Society, the Heart Association, help keep a nursing home running, among others. The Stars are actually "sisters" to the Masons in that we, in essence, do our work through them. A Mason can be a Star, but a Star cannot be a Mason. Where I agree that it is still segregated in most cases, there are also stictly African American Mason groups. Attempts have been made to desegregate it more, but they have failed. We, my chapter, would turn no one away based on racial heritage. I cannot comment on the "secrecy" end of it. Like offenses that get you thrown off Ebay, there are offenses that get you thrown out of both the Masons and Stars and I'm still not quite sure what they are. So, if I've said anything here that is too much - oops. In my experiences, I have found them to be very religious based groups. I was leary about joining at first because of the "secret group" thing so publicised on TV news shows. I'm glad I did, however, because the TV news shows no not what they speak
.
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Dec 7, 2002 06:29 AM ]
posted on December 7, 2002 06:53:43 AM new
I agree with you about TV news shows. I got my information first hand from a member.
It's good that the Eastern Star supports charities but isn't it too bad that without such charitable support, people in this country could not afford medical help?
There are also advantages for the members, I suppose.
