Yes… Another Point of View on Syria

It’s been a while since I posted. As I told a trusted confidant, it’s mostly because everything I’ve been reading annoys and angers me. But here we go… a quick statement on the Syria Situation.

Personally, I think the US should stay out of foreign conflicts. Say all you want about the humanitarian issues (Especially in light of the recent chemical war crimes in Syria) but historically it seems to me intervention in the Middle East tends to only cause future problems. One major example of this would be the US backing the Taliban in the Cold War which helped the rise of Islamic extremism. Other examples I’d be willing to talk to anyone about in a conversation. Issac Newton’s Third Law of Motion states “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I believe this is the same about people. Push someone and they push back. Scream your point of view to someone and they reply with the same zeal.

That’s just my opinion. With the US missile strikes, the narrative within DC has shifted AND this is what I want to highlight. The “alt-right” groups that backed the man who I believe ordered the missile strike to show he could win in a measuring contest are screaming about their savior betraying them… and of course David Duke is blaming the Jews. The rest of the Republican base is praising the man on the throne… despite the fact they didn’t want President Obama to do the same: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/us/politics/syria-bombing-republicans-trump.html?_r=0
And of course the Democrat leadership seems thrilled that everything that happens in Syria is on the puppet who deeply believes in nepotism.

The rest of the op-ed pieces I keep seeing in the news praise the golfer in chief for finding a distraction from the Russia issues or for finding a cause. It brings me back to Syria itself. The single biggest argument to intervene always seems to be on the basis of humanitarianism… Where is that in the news? Who is saying the US did the moral thing?

Another Re-Introduction

Hello all. I have been sending my blog link to only a few people, I hope they share this with a few who they talk to and maybe are willing to comment in the future. Maybe suggest future topics or add to topics or even refute them. I hope that this can be a place to blow off steam and discuss. I’m also planning on starting starting a small campaign on social media (despite the fact I dislike social media for various reasons) to possibly get more readers… thus a re-introduction.

I call this blog space Aleph Naught. Aleph Naught is a mathematical term for infinity (Okay, there’s more to it but it’s a math geek thing and I won’t drag anyone into it who doesn’t want to be). Voices can be infinite if used right and the internet is a place where nothing dies. Here, we are all Aleph Naught, we are all infinite.

Like any leftist who believes themselves to be open minded, I declare myself to be open minded. However, I close my mind to those who fight me on what I deem to be intolerant (I a pro-choice, I am perfectly fine with gay marriage, I think banning transgenders from certain bathrooms is silly, and I believe government funding of charter schools destroys public schools). So yes, I openly declare myself a hypocrite… though I believe people on the right and left who would condemn me as a hypocrite are themselves hypocrites.

Recent turns in the government have made me and a great number of others angry. The truth of the matter is we may not be able to do anything… But for now we can speak. So here I encourage a couple of things:
1) Speak Up. The First Amendment says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” So you can speak the truth, write the truth, have no problems with Muslims immigrating here, have meeting to discuss your disgust with the current government, and even tell the government your issues without reprisal.
2) Know the Truth. On this site I WILL make statements. I hope you check up on them… I also won’t always use the best resources, only the best I can find. Your greatest weapon against lies is your own mind. Don’t just accept “facts,” “truths,” or “opinions.” Do your own research. Many people will declare themselves the true voice of something. It’s your job to look into everything, even what I say. Do not accept a pretty answer.
3) Think for yourself. Most important of all.

So that’s it. Once again I am Aleph Naught. I hope you will be as well.

And Now a Word From… Seriously?

I can’t believe it… I actually feel the need to comment on him. So please help me re-welcome to the stage of craziness, a man who has humiliated himself a few times while trying to get the Republican nomination for President and the who is currently holding a cabinet position he forget the name of in a debate and later swore to end (Along with education)… Rick Perry. Yes, the man famous for the great “oops” in a debate is someone I suddenly feel the need to comment on.

Now you’d think I’d feel the need to comment on something about the Department of Energy. After all, Perry is the Secretary of Energy, which notably is a phrase that is so crazy that it’s running a close second along with Attorney General Jeff Sessions and several others but behind the really insane phrase I don’t wish to say. But no. My comment on Perry today is he’s claiming the election was rigged! No not the Presidential election… no not a Senate race… no keep going lower. The rigged election that Perry comment on is the race for student body President of his alma mater, Texas A&M. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/03/23/rick-perry-accuses-texas-ams-first-gay-student-body-president-of-stealing-election/?utm_term=.8accc94ff7b2

So apparently there was some actual controversy in this race. A&M students voted in one guy by a slim margin, however a student judicial court disqualified the popular vote winner on failure to disclose financial information (Over glow sticks of all things). Notably there was also another charge of voter intimidation. Anyway… so first guy was out and the runner up won. This became historic at A&M because it was their first gay student body President. Wow… this is already way too much background.

So what’s my point. Rick Perry, you’re the damn Secretary of Energy and you’re getting involved in an election that literally has nothing to do with yourself. Seriously, if you’re whining for attention again, go on another reality show because I’m guessing most of your job is being a toady who is working for interests that don’t involve average Americans.

 

Also in the news, or actually not so much in the news… is a recent memo by Jeff Sessions. http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/documents/world/read-the-memo-sent-by-sessions-on-violent-offenders/2367/

In the memo, Sessions writes: “It is the policy of the Department of Justice to reduce crime in America, and addressing violent crime must be a special priority.” When you consider the slashed budget of the Department of Justice and it’s special priority I’d say it’s safe to infer that any corporate crime won’t be a priority.

 

So there we go. Sorry for another depressing and anger rousing post. To cheer you up, cute puppies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ggIHfwkIWM

Switching Gears… Sort Of.

One of my favorite video game series has been Mass Effect. It’s a fun series with a good story and I’ve been a huge fan even with the “controversial” ending to the third game. The company that makes the series is coming out with a fourth game shortly that essentially reboots the series in a new galaxy. Advanced reviews of the game suggest that the facial animation is poor. So of course a handful of gamers are blaming a woman who worked on that part of the animation because… she’s a woman. Oh and did I mention many of these gamers have threatened to kill and rape the woman.

Yes that’s right, gamergate has returned. For those of you who don’t know the phrase, gamergate basically refers to the harassment of female programers and gamers in the video game community. I won’t really get into who these harassers are. If you want to learn more I have links below. What I will say is I find these people to be merely pathetic. To send death threats over a video game makes you a lousy person. To send rape threats shows a pathetic impotence.

That’s all I really have to say now. Games are supposed to be fun for all. When pathetic creatures threaten women over a game… well they’re just low creatures.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/gamers-send-death-rape-threats-female-mass-effect-andromeda-dev-over-facial-animations-1612620

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamergate_controversy

“Compassion”

First off, I don’t dislike Christians in general. I don’t even dislike Christianity. Yet every time I hear someone declare the United States a Christian country, I want to scream at them.

I could get into the whole melting pot thing again or even the escape from religious persecution thing again. But what I’m going to address is when people declare the US to be a “Christian country” they seem to forget the phrase “Christian charity.” The new “America First” budget proposed by the White House, besides having massive military spending, major cuts to the state department, major cuts to the EPA, etc, also includes cuts to:
-the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program: They help poor people pay for heat in the winter.
-the Legal Services Corporation: Provides free legal assistance to the poor.
-the Community Development Block Grant Program: This program includes Meals on Wheels which provides meals for the elderly, poor, and disabled.
-the Child Care and Development Block Grant Program: This includes the program Head Start which provides breakfast for poor school children.

Mick Mulvaney, a graduate of a Catholic high school (So I’m going to assume he’s Catholic), and a White House Budget Director was asked if the budget was “hard-hearted.” To which Mulvaney replied in defense: “No, I don’t think so. In fact, I think it’s—I think it’s probably one of the most compassionate things we can do…”

There you have it. Mulvaney thinks he’s being compassionate in letting poor children and poor elderly not to have food. People like him actually make me wish there is a heaven and a hell. I would like to know how Mulvaney would tell God that he was “compassionate” in letting the poor starve. I would like Mulvaney to experience starvation and understand the meaning of compassion.

You’re Allowed to be Here (IF You Do as I Say)

One of the side news stories recently has been about Melissa McSpicer, sorry I mean Sean Spicer. He was recently ambushed with provocative questions by a woman with a cell phone and replied that she lived in “such a great country that allows you to be here.”

For the record the woman who is not white is, in fact, a citizen of the United States. And also for the record, maybe McSpicy didn’t mean for that to sound like a threat. The sad fact though is it is. Even if McSpicy thought he was taking the high road, he used the word “allow.” As citizens of the United States we sell ourselves as a safe haven, a place where our earliest settlers found a place away from religious persecution. And now we seem to have set a bar where only certain people are “allowed” entrance.

That’s one part, the other part is the gasbag sitting on his throne in the White House tweeted (Someone take his cellphone away!) that the media was being “rude” to his hard working employees. Guess what, if your skin is so thin that you can’t take criticism about one of your staff members then you shouldn’t be a public official. The point of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press is to call out public figures when they do something that should be called out.

Speak your mind, it’s the best weapon you have against hate.

MY Civilization

Ok, I’ve been trying to work on a post about racism and justice in the wake of an Indian man murdered in Kansas and a Sikh attacked in Seattle by people who made some comment along the lines of “get out of my country.” I’m still working on it and I plan on give it a title along the lines of “Well, what about MY country.” The problem is it’s taking a while and I’ve been busy. So I’ll give a shorter rant today:

Today is about Iowa Congressman Steve King. Last summer King made national news by declaring white Christians contributed the most to Western Civilization than any “subgroup.” Yes, he used the word subgroup. I’m guessing he’s never asked any Jewish, Muslim, or non-white group for campaign contributions. I’m also guessing if he and David Duke have each others pictures on their walls. Speaking of which, the KKK wizard has declared the Congressman to be the picture of sanity via twitter and also asked God to bless him. Anyway… Now the Iowa Congressman has declared that “our civilization” is being held back by Muslim babies. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/03/12/rep-steve-king-warns-that-our-civilization-cant-be-restored-with-somebody-elses-babies/?utm_term=.51f21a9f5501

Ok, I’m paraphrasing… but sadly not actually reshaping his message. This is a man who declared that a football player taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police violence was actually cheering for isis. This is also the same man who, in the wake of madman in the Whit House claiming President Obama wiretapped him, called for a “purge” of anyone hired by President Obama because they might be creating a shadow government.

Insanity is the normal to spread fear and encourage racist bull.

So what lesson should we all take from this? Call out racism. Don’t scream it from the rooftops, but point it out.

I’ve sent an email to the Iowa Congressman telling him “It’s my civilization too.” His email is https://steveking.house.gov/contact/email-me, please do the same.

Just sigh…

The man in the White House called the election rigged before the votes came in, the National Security Advisor resigned after his ties to Russia became known, the Attorney General lied to Congress about meeting with a Russian Ambassador, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Yet the Republican lead Congress believes no one needs to look into the election.

In the last few days the madman on the throne screamed about being wiretapped with no proof. The Republican lead Congress wants an investigation.

So, just sigh…

The Past, Present, and Future

So those of you who haven’t seen it yet, this is the new internet joke: https://twitter.com/polnewsnetwork1/status/837001201384374272. If this happens to get taken down, it’s a picture taken of a Muslim woman with the full traditional garb sitting next to a drag queen in a NY subway car. This was posted on a conservative blog under the heading “This is the future that liberals want.” Strangely enough the picture taker’s camera was not some Twilight Zone camera that took pictures of some unknown future event… it was likely a very normal camera that took pictures of the present which depicted as I said before “a Muslim woman with the full traditional garb sitting next to a drag queen in a NY subway car” (Wow… I just quoted myself…).

Forgetting the potential problems in the time-space continuum, let’s just think of the picture in a different perspective. Two random people being who they want. People once escaped persecution to be themselves in America. May they be Pilgrims escaping their plight, traditional Muslims, or guys who like dressing in drag… I don’t really understand any of those groups but hey, live your life your way and let me live mine my way and we’ll all be happy. Just think of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAomAwIwxm8

Well that’s my 2 cents. On that at least. A couple of more things to mention. First off, I really dislike Kellyanne Conway. If she were to say it was sunny out, I’d want a second opinion. But recently a photo of her was shown online of her kneeling on the White House couch. Some called this disrespectful, I didn’t really see why. Others, including democrats, made jokes about a woman on her knees. Those I found truly offensive. If you’re going to attack Conway, attack her credibility, don’t stoop to a lower level. One such attacker was Louisiana Rep Cedric Richmond. Makes me wonder how he would respond to a joke about a black man on his knees? He apparently has no problem joking about a woman. Racism and sexism are both problems that we need to solve.

I’d also like to applaud Chelsea Clinton who broke partisan politics to defend Conway. She showed honor.

So that’s my statement for tonight. I want a future where we all just stay out of each others business and accept one another. I want a present where we fight for a future for everyone. I want a past that we can look at thoughtfully to avoid our future and present hypocrisies.

Apparently Segregation Was a Choice.

She’s become a name in politics that I despise almost as much as the madman living in the White House. Once again readers, I give you a DeVos complaint.

As those of us paying attention know the Secretary of Education is very much pro-Charter school, often calling it something along the lines of “school choice.” I could go into a long rant about why I dislike charter schools but that will make this a loooong post. If you want to learn more, I’d suggest you google the Last Week Tonight Episode where John Oliver goes into charter schools. If you want something more unbiased, then may I suggest research.

Anyway, DeVos was recently quoted for saying that historically black universities have been: “real pioneers when it comes to school choice.” A lovely statement from someone who clearly thinks the phrase “separate but equal” was a good idea. Colleges and Universities that have been historically black have been that way because many other colleges and universities refused to allow in black students.

Frankly if you don’t know that then you’re not qualified to lead Education in this country.