Sick-Ful-A

[Roland Deschain]

I've been following this story with interest in certain circles on Facebook since it began. I've seen so many stupid comments being made about it from fans of Dick Choker, usually along the lines of "we're exercising our free speech" (true), while they ignore that actively removing (or denying) a right is tantamount to oppression. It's just the typical mix of right-wing nutjobs, faux news fans, trolls, and pond scum (sorry pond scum, I love you really).

I've spent so much time viewing the mental gymnastics needed by these people to justify their vehemence, it's tiring me out.

Opsa, what's this talk of moving all aboot? (sorry Aggie, couldn't resist that South Park joke).

[Aggie]

Opsa, what's this talk of moving all aboot? (sorry Aggie, couldn't resist that South Park joke).

No worries, I'm a West Coaster, I dunno what you're talking a boot either. Ops's accent is probably closer to the stereotype than mine; we sound more like Pacific Northwestern Americans than the stereotypical Eastern Canadian accent.

Incidentally, 'a booter' is Manitoban slang for stepping deep enough in a pond or puddle so that your rubber boot gets filled with water or mud.  Big hazard in a province that's 16% under water....

[Sibling DavidH]

Incidentally, 'a booter' is Manitoban slang for stepping deep enough in a pond or puddle so that your rubber boot gets filled with water or mud.

In my boyhood Bedfordshire dialect it was 'getting a bootie'.

[Opsa]

That's not what "getting bootie" means around here!    

Hootman, I have lived here all my life, but have felt out of place for most of it, due to my liberal thinking. Some people have said I should go to San Francisco, and I do like that city, but I'd still be stuck in the utterly insane political carp we have here. I originate from Massachusettes, which is historically liberal, and sometimes I wonder if I should just go back, but as stated above- I'd still be in this place where propaganda would have us believe that we prefer oppression.

[Aggie]

I've tried to ignore politics since I moved back to BC.  The Conservatives are gutting socialism and don't get me started on how corrupt and plutocratic BC politics are.... 

I almost miss Alberta politics.  It was still more or less corrupt ( 'inept' is better descriptor), but it was all done out in the open and you knew the deal.  Y'all shut up and do what Big Oil wants, and we'll all make a hell of a lot of money.  YeeeeeHAAAW!! 

Not "We're already rich and have the power and connections to get richer on the public dime.  The masses?  Let them eat space cake".

[Opsa]

So there's no getting away from it, huh?

Oh well.

I guess the best I can do is stand firm as the opposition, then.

[Aggie]

No getting away from politics (although it's easier to ignore); attack ads are up here too, although generally a little less ludicrous. Michael Ignatieff was heavily attacked for being unpatriotic due to spending part of his career in the US (there was less criticism of the longer time he spent in the UK).

The one bit of relief up North is that one can largely mind their own business, so it's easier to craft your own little world with out being called out and hollered at by people who think that their own little world should determine the reality in yours. Similar to faith, it's not readily apparent with most people what their political leanings are, and if they differ from yours it's a worst a point of mild ridicule.

I went to high school in a small town, and the hippies and the rednecks brushed shoulders with no difficulties. The hills are thick with both, out here.

[Roland Deschain]

Thanks for the lesson in Canadian life and politics, as well as the dialect ( ). It really does sound as if it's a place of calm contrast, or at least a lot calmer than what Opsa is having to put up with, along with our other US sistren and brethren. Right-wing spokespeople have an awful lot to answer for, as do their followers.

[Opsa]

Yeah, and we all suffer for it, no matter what side we're on.

By the way- I live in the hills in a little town full of rednecks and hippies. I am one of the hippies, I guess, though I'm pretty middle class. As with commercial companies, we seem to tolerate one another fairly well until someone opens their mouth and spouts off about their beliefs, at which point some form of hell breaks loose. Some say it's a matter of freedom of speech, but it's also a matter of keeping the peace.


Personally, I couldn't care less about Chik-Ful-A. I'm a vegetarian, so I never go there anyway. But up until the CEO made a public statement opposing gay marriage (or "supporting traditional marriage", which is a load of manipulative propagandist carp IMHO) I had no opinion about them. I knew they were a Christian organization, but that didn't bother me. There are some nice Christians out there whom I respect. Now, because it has become an issue with them, I will never set foot in any CFA even to get a cup of water. I care too much about my gay friends to do anything that would support those that have decided to be openly ugly to them. They have love, for crying out loud. Jesus was all about love, as I understand it, and about being open and fair.

It seems archaic that there's still all this stigma about homosexuality. There have always been homosexuals and those who can't get used to this fact are the ones with the problem. There are weirdos too, of every sexual leaning, and it's those people we need to oppose if they are harming others. Not two people in love who want to take a marriage vow and have a household together.

[pieces o nine]

I am grateful that there's no local CFA to provide 'news' photo ops, angry editorials, and such. But i there were, I must confess, dear siblings, that I might have been spotted there, compassionately handing out flyers warning of the cosmic dangers of wearing poly-cotton blends on the Sabbath...

[Opsa]

Tee hee! But actually, they are closed on Sundays, the Xtian sabbath. There must be another loophole through which one could snag them.

[pieces o nine]

^ I meant the *real" biblical Sabbath, Friday evening through Saturday...     

[Roland Deschain]

The Sunday sabbath is a Roman thing, and definitely not an early Christian thing, yet they fail to understand that. Sigh.

I'm wearing a cotton t-shirt, cotton (denim) jeans, and cotton socks (bless them)*. What'choo gonna do 'bout that, then?!

* I'm also wearing cotton underwear, but in the interests of good evangelical Christian standards of common decency, have not mentioned them above.

[Sibling Zono (anon1mat0)]

In a related note, we went to Orlando a week ago with my parents. My xtian mother wanted to go to the Fundie Holy Land against my advise, only that she tried to go on Sunday and it was closed... 

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

In a related note, we went to Orlando a week ago with my parents. My xtian mother wanted to go to the Fundie Holy Land against my advise, only that she tried to go on Sunday and it was closed... 

Irony meter's pegged at that one, it 'tis.

What's more important to most religions?  Maintaining the crunchy-outer coating of seeming compliance to obscure rules?  Or filling the coffers with more $$....?

... judging by the profuse use of gold-leaf, one would surmise the latter in most cases.