FLDS

So... I don't know yet how I feel completely about all this FLDS business. But I do know that

1. It is sketchy for 50 year olds to even WANT to marry a 15 year old. Obviously they do not have a marriage as defined by the Bible. (apart from the fact that they marry multiple women) What could they possibly have in common? It is disgusting and appalling.

2. It is all very suspicious, cult-like, and scary. All the in-breeding and "brainwashing." And any group that shields their members from education is obviously shielding them from reality.

BUT.

Does that mean that CPS should take away hundreds of children from their mothers and cause chaos and hatred? If there was a valid reason (which there isn't, it was determined that the phone call from "Sarah" was a hoax) to suspect actual physical or sexual abuse, if there was probable cause, why didn't they take all the MEN off the ranch and question them and leave the mothers and children alone?

Obviously, because there was no probable cause and while CPS is perfectly ok with trampling on Texans' constitutional rights, law enforcement is a little more gun-shy.

What happened to due process? Life, liberty or property cannot be taken away without due process... last time I checked children, under the Constitution, are property.

This case is going to have enormous consequences... probably not now... but later. Why does it take years for the everyday child abuser to lose their parental rights and they are already talking about terminating rights and there is no conclusive evidence that any child has been abused? Putting these kids in foster care is a huge mistake, and whats next? Whats to stop them from taking any kids away from any parents? All they need are "allegations" of "potential" abuse!!

Where is the ACLU? Where are all the constitutional rights people? Is EVERYONE a victim of political correctness? Of course, most cynics know that the Constitution is basically ancient history and expecting adherence to it now is naive.

I have had experiece with San Angelo CPS and it was mostly positive. But I have seen abused children and neglected  children IN THIS TOWN. It isn't hard to find... why are we taking kids from El Dorado who are perfectly healthy and safe with their mothers and separating them?

If it turns out that there was abuse and that kids were in danger... I doubt that it will be because their mothers abused them. So my point remains... why don't we use the law enforcement system and punish the male abusers and leave the rest alone? Don't fix what ain't broke.

One of my professors has an off-the-wall theory... he thinks that this whole raid and the judge's verdicts were prompted by politically correct feminism, and that their man-hatred has prompted them to blame the men and victimize the women.

On a totally different note, many San Angelo business owners were delighted when hundreds of lawyers, reporters, and CPS agents invaded our economy, filling hotels and restaurants. My dad says that it is "very cold" to talk about the money of the situation, but it has sucked a lot of money from our city and put a lot in. I know a guy who works for the city that is working 12 hours a day now because of the situation... and he gets paid salary, not hourly, so he does not get overtime.

Currently Listening Highway 377 By Cross Canadian Ragweed see related

Quotes for Posterity... or not

 I thought I would share some especially insightful quotes from a couple of my professors. Usually, I write these down during class to keep myself awake while the professor rants and raves, and says humorous (if only to me) things.

"If you're sick don't come to work, and I mean contagious, by that I mean fever. We're talking about the flu here."

His definition of essence- "how you do whatever you do in terms of what you do."

Org Behavior professor. This is how he talks, all the time. It makes no sense. An hour and fifteen minutes I must sit through this nonsense. 9/10 of his lecture is a rabbit trail, and not the good kind.

"I'm not a piece of damn academic furniture."

after one students absence excuse of "My roomate is an alcoholic and he was sick..."

"Would you tell that to God on judgement day? Hes one big Daddy you don't mess with. Hes the Big G and hes got JC and Spooky ridin' shotgun!"

in reference to the North's franchise system (pre-War b/t States) of bringing people of low intelligence to the polls... "This ain't no Platonic lycaum runnin' the show!"

"You get on the bi-polar express when you come into my class!"

Noelke... American Pol. Thought II

On an unrelated note... I like going to the bank and sending my stuff up the magic chute and saying the customary fine, how are you to the teller and sitting there listening to music while I wait for my receipt.It is relaxing, and a break probably between other errands. NOW.... I have to sit there and listen to FOX News ramble on and on or watch commercials! First they put a TV in at school. Then, at work (well, where I used to work.) Now the bank? Whats next? TVs at stoplights? Is there no rest, no peace from this device of extraoridinary intelligence numbing power? Alas.. advertisements are EVERYWHERE and it makes me want to stop consuming anything. I understand how important advertising is to business nowadays, as my professor says, marketing is so powerful it  can make people pay more money for less amount of jeans. But why do I have to go to the bank and see it? Is NOTHING sacred? lol

Hayden has the funny face. Samuel is looking back, Jordan is the girl, and thats Papa Steve and Jackson.Me and Jackson last week!

Tax Hike Mike

"Some say Mr. Huckabee is the tribune of the "religious left," and that strikes us as about right. He exhibits protectionist instincts, distancing himself from Nafta and saying he would insist on penalties and barriers to countries that don't support his conception of "fair trade." He delivers populist sermons against income inequality, but in favor of farm subsidies and an expanded government role in health care. He regularly knocks Wall Street, and he borrows from the Democratic playbook with digs at "the rich." "- The Wall Street Journal

Huckabee is in favor of higher taxes, and not in favor of school choice.

"Unfortunately, what Huckabee offers by way of solutions is a mixture of populism and big-government liberalism; the common theme of his policies is that they are half-baked. If an ill-considered slogan can be used to justify a policy, he is for it. He is a protectionist, because we need to have “fair trade.” He wants to put illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship, because we need them “to do jobs that are going unfilled because nobody here wants to do them.” Energy subsidies and farm subsidies must be increased, because they’re a matter of “national security.”

When he was governor of Arkansas, these instincts led Huckabee to move farther and farther in a statist direction. (Education policy offers a nice example of what happens when his statism and his social conservatism conflict: He opposes meaningful school choice.) The Cato Institute gave him a D on fiscal policy, noting that spending had increased at three times the rate of inflation during his governorship. Not surprisingly, Huckabee is the one Republican candidate who flinched when President Bush vetoed the Democrats’ proposed expansion of S-CHIP. He says he is against socialized medicine, but don’t look for him to resist the drift toward it." The National Review

"Huckabee, a compound of Uriah Heep, Elmer Gantry and Richard Nixon, preens about his humble background: "In my family, 'summer' was never a verb." "- George Will... this quote is just plain funny, read the rest of the article here: http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/will010608.php3

I'm sorry people. Its nice that Huckabee is a Christian, and pro-life. But don't choose a candidate who will polarize the Republicans and hand the Democrats the White House. He is fiscally stupid. He is not Robin Hood. Don't put our economy in the hands of an idealistic super spender. At least choos someone who has a slight chance of winning. Don't just look at the best candidate in your opinion--choose the one that will win against the candidates you like least. So Democrats, please, please vote for Hilary! I admit that Ron Paul will not win either. I just like the guy. Look at Thompson and McCain more closely and decide... but don't just pick Huckabee because he is pro-life or a minister. I've known and loved plenty of pastors who I would never want to be Presidents.

"As a lapsed Catholic of wavering sexual orientation, I have never understood the pressure for ordination of gay clergy or even the creation of gay Catholic groups. They seem to me to indicate a need for parental approval, an inability to take personal responsibility for one's own identity. The institutional relitgions, Catholic and Protestant, carry with them the majesty of history. Their theology is impressive and coherent. Efforts to revise or dilute that theology for presenc convenience seems to me misguided. My generation left its own society and religion behind in its quest for expanded consciousness. This self-reliant lesson of the 1960s has not been fully absorbed."- Camille Paglia

I thought this quote was interesting, and I find this author very interesting, although I disagree with her on almost everything... interesting reading, if nothing else.

I'm writing a paper this week on the importance of sex and power... any bright ideas or authors i should look into? I'm very open to suggestions at this point.

Well!

Just a little tiny update on my life.

This is Jackson Thane McCloy, who was born August 11th. He is now almost three months old and hes the CUTEST BOY!!! I don't get to see him as much as I'd like, as Zach and Sarah are in Alpine for Zach's Border Patrol job... but he is adorable, laid back, and just the best.

Other things, good and bad, have happened... in my life... but I just have one more thing to say....

I'M GOING TO SCOTLAND!!!! For the study abroad program. Well, I have to get approved/accepted first but I don't think it will be a big deal. We are going to be in Edinborough for ten daysand then London, then Paris, then Genoa, Italy and Florence! If I had the money, I might be tempted to just stay in Italy an extra week. But this is all happening the month of June, 2008.