A scary but interesing column about America's drift toward a fascist theocracy--it might be a bit extreme, but it's definitely something to think about.
Don't expect the jackboots to march around the corner tomorrow. Don't expect homes to be indiscriminately raided. Don't expect citizens to be hauled off in the dead of night -- although that has been the case with indiscriminate arrests of many Muslim immigrants since 9/11.
Consider, however, the anti-democratic warning signs: the Patriot Act and subsequent civil liberties-busting legislation; election snafus seamlessly fading into history; a war carried out on the basis of misinformation and disinformation; secret prisons where captives are tortured.
Think about how things change slowly, yet dramatically, while good people either aren't paying attention or are too satisfied to raise their voices.
beatification
Wait, don't you have to, like, have done something on purpose to forward the faith? Like, I don't think somebody who accidentally fell off a cliff could be called an advocate for cliff safety. An example for future advocates, yes; an advocate, no.
Then again, last time we had this conversation, I asked why Kitty Genovese hadn't been beatified.
If the pope can have "holy suffering", I'm thinking Terri trumps him.
Well, but the Pope jumped through various theological and ritual hoops to become the Pope. Like, every booger the Pope blows is a holy booger (or, it would be, if we valued boogers) not because he's a guy named Karol but because Karol grew up and did all the things that make one Pope.
Presumably (or anyway theoretically, with apologies to the Borgias), Popely things marry ritual to spiritual milestones, such that getting to the top of the bureaucratic heap makes one automatically higher spiritually.
Betsy, that 911 call is both hysterical and maddening. How in the holy hell can that woman get dressed by herself?
Anyone ever read "The Shoes of the Fisherman"? I think that was the beginning of my "No, the Pope is NOT infallible!" thinking that has led to me reconsidering the whole being a Catholic thing.
Ah, the joys of being at home when the mail comes!
First, my random stack of fannish swag now includes a Drew Goddard signed Alias baseball cap. (From the drawing from the last Minion charity drive. I should just hang it on the hanger with the Numero Cinco shirt signed by Jeff Bell.)
But, more importantly to my Very Shallow Self: old stock Charles of the Ritz Power Foundation in Paper White, aka, the powder foundation every Gothlet who could get away with it was wearing 12 years ago. Squee! Ahem. The black and pink compact is giving me flashbacks to my youth, it has the same Interestingly Pale effect as remembered, and best of all, I have THREE MORE compacts of the stuff en route.
(And yes, I alerted Jilli. And yes, she also picked some up.)
It's become increasingly hard to find a good, pale, powder foundation. Aveda reformulated and all the new shades are too dark, Urban Decay discontinued theirs, and MAC makes me break out. So this was a happy eBay score.
We now return you to actual on topic Natter.
Why, why, why are we making it our business to listen? This sort of thing happens everyfrickingday.
Well, I may be a sap, but just watching this play out over the last month made me care about her, and her family, on both sides. It also made me think about the fact that this is happening to others every day, and what that must be like. (As well as talk to my husband about living wills and directives, which is a good thing, clearly, to do beforehand.)
Also? I think the larger issues of the laws governing living wills and medical guardianship and Congress trying to step in and take over one person's medical care is my business to know. I need to be informed about this stuff, even if it's stuff I never want to imagine would happen to me or mine, because it very well might one day.
The Focus on the Family take on Terri's death:
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