The Arch Nemesis Can't See The Forest For The Trees

What kind of priest seriously considers bankruptcy as a valid option to protect his diocese from having to pay damages in lawsuits because of unresolved child abuse cases that keep getting won in court by victims? Why; a Catholic priest, of course! Reverend John Nienstedt, Archnemesis of the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, truly feels that despite dozens of lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct of his priests, he "couldn't see the forest for the trees", and he refuses to resign.

Before this whole matter went public, the archbishop did not perceive any problems, despite the fact that his knowledge of Minneapolis priests was the same as it is now. This means that the real problem, as the reverend sees it, is that he is having to answer in court for the priests he failed to properly train, and that the matter is now known to the general public. Back when he enjoyed the luxury of private child abuse, Nienstedt had no problems.

This type of Christian church truly pushes limits. It seems that when Catholic priests are not busy telling victims of domestic violence to apologize to their abusers, they are telling victims of hate crimes that the violence is all their fault......after all, if the victim had never been Black, Spanish, female, disabled, Pagan, Jewish, Muslim, ect., the hate crime never would have been committed! Surely the victim should "take ownership" for being different in some way or other that offended the perpetrator! Merely obeying the laws and being upstanding is obviously not good enough; we must all work harder to make the bigots happy, so they don't lash out! Ain't that right, Reverend Patrick Sullivan? And it appears that those children should all work harder at not being children, because it's all their fault that they are vulnerable, and as long as that's the case, a priest is naturally expected to take advantage of vulnerability, rather than act like a decent human being. It's never the church or the priest's fault. If the perpetrator is politically or financially better off than the victim, it's always the victim's fault when abuse takes place.

Of course, another perspective would be that Archbishop John Nienstedt should be responsible and neuter his priests.

Unexplored Anonymous Tip In Kendrick Johnson's Death

Now that the investigation into Kendrick Johnson's untimely death has been closed, and Lowndes County sheriff, Stryde Jones, is insisting that some anonymous testimony that was sent to his office via email is "not credible", Kendrick's parents have filed suit against the Lowndes County Board Of Education in Georgia for wrongful death. This is appropriate, although it would have been more appropriate to conduct a thorough investigation. The tip was anonymous, but that does not mean that probable cause for searches, more interviews, and analysis of DNA and fingerprint evidence does not exist. In fact, this death is speculated to be the result of a white assailant against Kendrick, who was black. We all know that if it was the other way around, the sheriff and the court would have conducted a real investigation and answers would have resulted.

Here is a question about Stryde Jones and his statement that the anonymous tip "isn't credible": just how the hell does Stryde KNOW the tip isn't credible? How does he KNOW that he does not have to pursue this tip, the same way other law enforcement agencies pursue tips? There really is only one way this sheriff would know these things, and that is if he already knows who killed Kendrick Johnson. Which begs the question, who is Sheriff Stryde Jones, of Lowndes County Georgia, protecting?

More on this in a day or two.

Insight

Through The Lens Of Siriunsun's Camera

Abbie Hoffman Moment

Wichita Kansas May Have To Put Marijuana On The Ballot

A petition to decriminalize marijuana has gotten 5,800 signatures so far, in order to force Wichita, Kansas to decriminalize marijuana and change the nature of the offense from a criminal misdemeanor to a minor civil offense. This is over twice the number of signature needed, so Wichita really has no excuse to refuse to put the question of decriminalizing marijuana on the ballot. The petition calls for a twenty-five dollar fine in municipal court instead of the current criminal sanctions and requests that violations be treated the same way building code violations or uncontrolled pets are treated. I do not use recreational drugs and do not approve of recreational drug use, but I also do not approve of prosecuting victimless crimes with millions of dollars that can more productively spent on education. It's also a nice gesture to avoid the needless ruin of lives with what amounts to malicious prosecution and selectively applied sanctions. Power To The People!

In Case You Skipped Church On Sunday

 

Chad Taylor Thinks Kansas Wants Blood

Whoa! Not only has Chad Taylor forced this blogger to assist the senile and Republican Pat Roberts in another meaningless victory in the Kansas senate, he even makes incriminating statements about his career path while doing so! A recent poll about the upcoming senate race showed Chad Taylor leading incumbent Pat Roberts by five percentage points. About this, Taylor was heard to say, "This poll simply confirms what we're hearing as we visit with real Kansans throughout the state -- they are ready for new blood!" WIBW News

Blood? After the way he has managed the job of District Attorney, that's a very strange word for Chad Taylor to use publicly. His job performance in Topeka has been controversial, and there have been complaints, including outcry over his 2011 announcement that because of a budget cut, his office would no longer prosecute domestic violence. He was forced, by popular opinion, to change his mind. It seems that the people of Topeka Kansas were not ready for domestic violence to become legal again.

Something Kansans should think about, now that our Democrat candidate for the senate has made mention of "blood" is the place of children, particularly children of middle class parents. Along with the rest of the nation, Kansas has experienced more cases of violence against children over the past decade. Chad Taylor's attempted stance on domestic violence was disturbing enough, but it seems that only some children, primarily the children of the upper middle class and richer, are worth any of his precious time or prosecution dollars. There's a very strong chance that Chad Taylor's assumption that voting Kansans feel the same way he does about middle class children is wrong. Most Kansans care about children. If the media in Kansas gave better coverage to cases about children who die needlessly, Chad Taylor would have been forced to answer for his lack of attention to some of their cases, just as he was called out on his refusal to prosecute domestic violence cases. There is still one question Mr. Taylor has not answered: what about Caleb Stewart? Caleb died in February of 2013 at a daycare in Topeka while his parents were at work. His family is still waiting for answers and justice. Blood is a very incriminating sound bite for the senate hopeful.

Disrespectful Christian Children

Today I read a post from someone on Facebook, whose son, a Christian of the born-again variety, didn't like her Tarot cards. The cards disappeared, and my Facebook friend was unable to find them, and this morning her son finally told her that he tore them up and threw them out, on an isolated country road near their home. She's really disgusted with his behavior, and I don't blame her. I've met Christians in the past who destroy property.....the more superstitious ones often burn books on matters occult and throw any jewelry that reminds them of a pentacle away. In extreme cases, occultists or suspected occultists have been assaulted and murdered, and homes and buildings have been set on fire or otherwise destroyed.

Why would an adult young man bear his mother such disrespect? This is something else about Christians that I have never understood. Just what is it, about another person's differences, that frightens them so badly? And what is it about respect for other religions that is so difficult? Especially when we are dealing with born again types whose parents are not Christian? And why is it so easy for some of these born-again congregations to encourage children to disrespect their parents? First, to condescend to a parishioner's parents while cheering on the parishioner to do the same, followed by destruction of property, in this case, the Tarot cards. Another word for the latter is theft, but apparently "thou shalt not steal" goes out the window with "honor they father and thy mother" when keeping the ten commandments requires empathy and manners. Feel free to believe me when I state that the Christian "God's" permission to his faithful to exclude yours truly from the respect he insists must be granted other elders and parents is enraging, and does not foster any family atmosphere or relationship.

If any of my sons had destroyed a deck of my cards, or any other tool connected to the Craft or matters occult, I would probably film myself ceremoniously burning the culprit's bible and put it on YouTube. That said, I suppose it is a good thing it was only the Tarot cards that were destroyed and discarded on an isolated rural road. Born-agains do some strange things.

Insight

Abbie Hoffman Moment

In Case You Slept Through Church On Sunday

You might still be able to get a part time job in the Illuminati! Even if you slept through church in Sunday!

Taking Candy From Strangers

In South Carolina, we have strangers giving candy to children. The Ku Klux Klan wants to bolster it's image and increase membership by tossing bags of candy on people's doorsteps. Bags of candy against one hundred and fifty years or so of violence and terrorism....right. Somehow, this seems ridicules. There is also printed material included in the bags of candy, for anyone interested in joining, should such a person read above a third grade level, explaining that the Klan wants to curb immigration, black crime, and "minority tyranny". Perhaps the Klan should be aware that minorities would like to curb unlawful immigration and white (collar) crime, and "establishment" tyranny! Minorities and everyone else would also like the Klan, and other terrorists, to know that most of us still teach our children not to accept any candy from strangers.

A Moulton By Any Other Name

A Moulton by any other name. Would it still be a Moulton? We may find out one day soon, as Terri Moulton Horman, former step parent of missing Kyron Horman, wants to change her name to Claire Stella Sullivan. After failing two lie detector tests after Kyron disappeared from his second grade class at school and walking out on a third lie detector test, refusing to help in any way with the subsequent searches, giving at least half a dozen accounts as to her whereabouts on June 4, 2010, when Kyron went missing, and sending naked pictures of herself to one of her husband's friends while everyone else in the family, with the notable exceptions of her parents, were passing out flyers with Kyron's picture and contact information; it's probably obvious why Terri would feel embarrassed and unpopular enough to consider changing her name. How she settled on "Claire Stella Sullivan" is anyone's guess!

Will a name change even help Terri Moulton Horman's image very much? It might, as long as Terri never develops any close friendships. The internet-free past probably would have offered her better luck at starting over, after all of the bad publicity she's received, with a new name. But in this day and age, anyone can google her new name and find out, in a matter of minutes, that a mystery involving a missing child is in her past. The most likely result, upon such a discovery, is complete personal rejection, no matter the context of the perspective relationship. Not many people would even buy Tupperware from Terri Moulton Horman.

Some parents and families of missing children, such as the family of Etan Patz, try not to move house, or even change their telephone numbers until their missing children are found. If Kyron is still alive, and looking for his family, (yes, I think it's important to hope for the best until informed otherwise) won't it be easier to locate them if they do not change their names? Just something for Claire Stella Sullivan a.k.a. Terri Moulton Horman to think about, in addition to any unpaid child support or other debt left over from her recent divorce from Kyron's father.

Private Message

Rather than destroy your long standing relationships and associations within our community, wouldn't it be better to simply establish the legal rights to your intellectual property and invoke those rights when someone violates them? Once the persons in question see and realize that you are not playing games, your problems with said persons are likely to stop. Quite a few of your friends, and even some of mine, have decided, over the past few months, that your angry and ongoing reactions after you experience professional problems connected to theft and theft of intellectual property are spilling over into other aspects of life, inasmuch as it includes you, and have decided to stop interacting with you. That is a shame, because when these things are not going on in your professional life, you are a very nice person. That is all I have ever said about you to anyone, when asked. Nothing else; except that as clergy, we owe you a certain amount of respect, and you generally are knowledgeable about the subject matter of your written works and lectures. When you are not, you have always sought the input of those who are. That makes it a shame when it is made so difficult for so many to look beyond your anger and irrational defensiveness for so long.

I've been friends with you long enough to know that you are truly more mature. It would be much better to simply copyright your intellectual property, file the appropriate complaints when the copyrights are violated, and move on.

Insight

Abbie Hoffman Moment

In Case You Skipped Church This Sunday

Contrary to what I was told by the priest of Annunciation Catholic Church, in Frankfort, Kansas; bad people are sometimes told to leave church and not come back. In fact, Pope Francis is kicking out the Mafia. I'm impressed. The priest in Frankfort told me that the high school guidance counselor who recklessly endangered a child by abandoning her four miles south of school "just made a mistake", and "should be forgiven"; and that the principal, a member of his congregation, is "a good man" even though he blamed an autistic child for an incident in which the autistic child was assaulted and battered by several older and bigger boys. This administrator was actually going to punish the autistic child, until his guardian, yours truly, made him aware of the Americans With Disabilities Act. Well and good, but what about the creepy church and it's carte blanche handed to it's members to harm and bully others any time they please, both locally and globally? After all, an autistic child certainly doesn't matter to any of the Gods, does he? The reverend and the principal might be surprised. Apparently, the padre was wrong when he told me that violent, rotten people should be free to go to church every Sunday and convince the rest of the community that they are good people.

It has never been easy for me to co-exist with the social girls and boys club called "Christianity", but now that I have actually heard a fucking priest call the school principal who lies and discriminates against autistic and disabled children a "good man", I have seriously not wanted anything to do with christians. Now, at least I know that the Pope does not agree with the notion that God loves enabling criminals and grants them assistance in harming their victims. Not that I will ever feel that I can safely allow my children to mingle with anyone who attends his church...it isn't safe...but at least I know the local priest is playing politics, and doesn't really care about morals.

As an encore, Reverend Sullivan told the victim of a hate crime that she was at fault for the actions of her assailant.

A Kansas Customer Makes Retail Headlines

I forgot all about this! An Abilene, Kansas man happened to be in Washington on July 8, when Top Shelf, a store in Bellingham, opened and sold the first bag of recreational marijuana retailed there since 1937. It was heralded as the very first weed to be retailed in the state of Washington, but that seems unlikely, since the federal prohibition laws against it have only been in effect since 1937. The man's name is Cale Holdsworth, and since he only bought two grams, his purchase probably did not survive the trip back to Kansas! It's nice to see Kansas in the news for something other than Kris Kobach's latest legislative lunacies or Westboro Baptist Church's shenanigans.

* No, I do not support recreational drug use, so don't be running to your mama or your local pharmacist crying that I do. I simply prefer to see your tax dollars and mine spent on something besides the prosecution of victimless crimes.

Insight

Kansas And Nebraska Defend Racism

Parade Float; picture courtesy of WIBW Topeka

A Fourth Of July parade in Norfolk, Nebraska celebrated by mocking President Obama by making a float that suggested that Obama is not as well read as the average, bovine, Midwestern Caucasian. This is simply hilarious. President Obama is a constitution lawyer, and most of the parade attendees, including those who created the float, probably do not even read at a sixth grade level. Their defense of the public racist statement? "It's obvious that the majority of the community liked it," said Rick Konapasek, one of the parade's organizers, according to WIBW.

So, if all this guff from the nonsensical parade organizer is interpreted correctly, it appears that we have a segment of the population here in America that does not understand that the "majority" only rules during a popular election. The "majority" does not have the authority, or the right, to override the law. The principal of the public school in Frankfort made that mistake when telling a parent that he could teach and preach christianity at the PUBLIC school because the "majority" of people in Frankfort are christians, and didn't mind if federal law was violated at Frankfort School. The ACLU was quick to point out to the principal that this is incorrect; it is unlawful to violate the the law, no matter how many crooked frankfurters appear to be in favor of it. While a parade float is not quite the same thing, promotion of racism and unlawful discrimination is not only backwards, rude, and stupid; but a terrible example for children.

A lot of pink and fluffy Midwesterners apparently don't remember "white's only" signs on businesses, or race riots, or demonstrations and marches, or glass ceilings, (we still have those) or Brown v. the Board of Education in Topeka, or all of the violence connected to enforcing Brown v. the Board of Education in Topeka. Quite a few of the pink and fluffy crowd are not even aware that a woman could not obtain credit to buy a home without a male co-signer until 1974. Or that children could be bullied by teachers in school for religious reasons until 1963. How far behind do these ignorant neo-nazi types want to slide? The "majority" supported these forms of discrimination until challenges were issued, and the Supreme Court established what is already guaranteed by our Constitution. Something the Midwest, Nebraska and Kansas in particular, very much need to learn is that when something becomes law, especially federal law, it is not optional. The "majority" in a white, church-going community do not have the right to discriminate against those perceived as somehow not conforming to the preferred pink and fluffy mode of existence so favored by their adipose tissue. Another word for "majority" is Bolshevik, and from the way Christianity is practiced in Northeast Kansas, that appears to sum up the goal of christian churches in the Midwest, and the interest those churches have in schools and public parades. Yuk.

Abbie Hoffman Moment

In Case You Slept Through Church This Sunday

Suppose all the Christians actually believed what they say they believe? Suppose they practiced what they preach?

Don't worry; it isn't going to happen. The thought is certainly amusing, though!

Through The Lens Of Siriunsun's Camera

Happy Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July, everyone. This is a good video. If you have time, watch it. When you get to the part about Obama not needing new permissions from Congress concerning Iraq, ponder this: Obama has tried to work with Congress since he was elected. He has had more patience with them than most people would have had. Out of all of the presidents this country has elected, Obama is probably the most gifted statesman. But the question about what is actually going on deserves an answer: who is actually pulling his strings, and ours? Happy Fourth, everyone.

The Doctor Made A House Call

Who said doctors don't make house calls anymore? Dr. Jeremy Howes, of Wichita Kansas made one yesterday! He was also booked for reckless driving and driving under the influence. When Dr. Howes is not making house calls or recklessly operating his Mustang, he is operating with Wichita Surgical Specialists.

The homeowner's surveillance video shows a pedestrian moving out of the doctor's path immediately before his house call. This could have had a much more tragic ending.

Put Information To Good Use

While the media has been attempting to keep the masses focused on Hobby Lobby and it's barely useful employee insurance package, (seriously; Hobby Lobby is certainly NOT the only employer out there who rips off workers via benefits) there are elections coming up later this year. Every legislative session seems to feature either subtle or blatant challenges to the fourth amendment, putting down SOPA was, sadly, not good enough for everyone; and we still have a government that isn't interested in the upholding of the Constitution. But what about the information that is available about those running for public office? Shouldn't that information be shared and discussed publicly? After all, those who hold elected positions are merely civil servants, and their lives actually SHOULD be open books. Instead of hyper-focus on some dumbass Christians who want their employees to take as much maternity leave as possible, (isn't that what happens without contraceptives?) lets put the spotlight on all of our politicians who are planning to run for public office this fall. As for sharing information about their personal lives, remember how deeply they care, OR NOT, about the privacy of all the rest of us!

Snagged from Facebook.....seemed apropos. 

Insight

Police In Kansas Respond To Imperial Storm Trooper

The irony. On July 1, the very day the clarified version of the law defining open carry of firearms takes effect in Kansas, police in Salina were called because an Imperial Storm Trooper exercised his second amendment rights. It turned out that the guy in the costume was making a video. A business was locked down for awhile....all because someone walked around in a costume.

Creativity, Hobby Lobby Style

What a double edged debate Hobby Lobby has provided for the nation! Two things retailers almost never cared to provide for their employees, back in the day, were insurance and lenience in when families required lots of an employee's time. Health insurance has been a highly debated issue for at least two years, and Obamacare has become law. Private insurance companies are running amok with ideas of their own on how to do business, and Hobby Lobby is apparently a Christian corporation. Not that corporations can be Christian, as if they were human, but it has been said that corporations are people, too. 

Because Hobby Lobby is Christian, it's love for it's imaginary icon is expressed by opposing abortion. Not that the bible addresses abortion specifically, among all the instructions to go ahead and kill, bully, and traffic humans, (yeah, slavery is human trafficking and America's economy got strong because of it) but because political lobbies (not to be confused with Hobby Lobby) such as the Moral Majority purport that contraception and birth control are the same as abortion, and as such, are murder. One must wonder what all the good christian corporations and people were doing before Buck v. Bell was abandoned, but NOT overturned, in the United States. One must also wonder why the Catholic Church did not excommunicate Adolf Hitler, who strongly supported abortion, eugenics, and murder.

Back to insurance and leniency in balancing children and work schedules: Hobby Lobby has refused to allow their employee health insurance providers to cover any type of contraceptives. This seems unusual, since most employers would rather not work with pregnant employees or the needs of pregnant employees. Indeed, a birth is a lot more expensive than contraceptives. So is a maternity leave. In fact, it was not until 1993 that an American woman had any guarantee of returning to her job, through the Family Medical Leave Act, after giving birth. Thankyou, Bill Clinton. 

And now, after a woman's maternity leave is over, what is Hobby Lobby going to do about her need for childcare when she returns to work? Retailers traditionally do not care much about the children of their employees, and will often pressure employees not only to neglect their own health needs, but to neglect their children. Sometimes, a retailer will even threaten to fire the employee who refuses to leave his or her children home alone when a choice has to be made. After saying "no" to birth control, will Hobby Lobby be the "creative center" it calls itself in the above picture and provide daycare for all those employees to whom contraceptives were not readily available? At the end of the day, it seems as if it might be more cost effective and simple to just enlist health insurance policies that provide contraceptives.