tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85798168257944511652023-11-16T05:24:01.093-05:00RABID INTUITIONRated "P" for Personal; Political; and occasionally Prophetic or Pathetic.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-14552318267871920542016-11-17T09:58:00.004-05:002016-11-17T09:58:37.577-05:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Came across this gem today...<br />
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I saw it as a screen grab on in an article on Steve Bannon <a href="http://heatst.com/world/listen-bbc-presenter-accuses-steve-bannon-of-anti-semitism/?mod=fark_im">here</a>.<br />
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The piece that cracks me up is the quote the white nationalist supporter chose to use.<br />
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'Tis a quote from Mahatma Gandhi.</div>
Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-9790086154231570252013-05-29T12:49:00.002-04:002013-05-29T12:49:10.100-04:00Family values... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKowcn29cfUI8raiDWEwY0g0ZimHGAzqNc9xe5cfZXvZJ2kKB9s6jA_61xDqZ0FnsDh2Bb0OZ6fP3RPUkC8R6o5MHBlzr7jvbMalK5GMM8t4B4y8ysA08pVAXdRMLmEPnwe-ngSonlgI/s1600/375106_606970725980576_2145524769_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTKowcn29cfUI8raiDWEwY0g0ZimHGAzqNc9xe5cfZXvZJ2kKB9s6jA_61xDqZ0FnsDh2Bb0OZ6fP3RPUkC8R6o5MHBlzr7jvbMalK5GMM8t4B4y8ysA08pVAXdRMLmEPnwe-ngSonlgI/s320/375106_606970725980576_2145524769_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-6604731391445612902013-05-28T12:02:00.001-04:002013-05-28T12:02:08.641-04:00Lest we forget<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-53990648974357681412013-05-13T12:26:00.001-04:002013-05-13T12:26:41.886-04:00Sybil Disobediance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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In the spirit of Saul Alinski... there are radicals out there who are still willing to stand up for whats right. Go Sybil! </div>
Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-89665278676103703092012-02-08T09:56:00.002-05:002012-02-08T09:56:44.124-05:00Saul Alinsky<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Once upon a time... there was a great hero named Alinsky....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FQEK1pbRNBM" width="560"></iframe></div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-44511622267107331922011-05-21T10:10:00.000-04:002011-05-21T10:10:15.535-04:00Keep it classy Tea Party...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So I'm somewhat dumbfounded.<br />
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Who knew the girl on the left was such a profound threat to our Constitution.<br />
<a href="http://www.kare11.com/images/640/360/2/assetpool/images/110520103357_amy_meyers_michele_bachmann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://www.kare11.com/images/640/360/2/assetpool/images/110520103357_amy_meyers_michele_bachmann.jpg" width="320" /></a>Menacing isn't she? I know, hard to believe but the keepers of the truth have deemed it so. Her name is Ann Myers, and don't let those braces fool you, she is one dangerous 16 year old girl.<br />
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How dangerous? Well get this, she didn't think Michele Bachmann knew the Constitution well enough and so she wrote a letter to Rep. Bachmann and challenged her to a debate. *GASP* <br />
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The horror! How did the Tea Party react? <br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">After it started getting media attention last weekend, commenters on tea party websites have threatened to publish her home address and some have threatened violence. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;">The 16-year-old from Cherry Hill says several commenters have called her a "whore."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
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The Tea Party, keeper of all that is right and noble in our country has it right. We can't have young citizens, whores no-less, think they understand the Constitution. Ms. Bachmann will tell us what is in it, and even more importantly, what to believe. And if that authority is challenged? Use fear and intimidation. And if that doesn't work? Well, we all know the Tea Party is above violence.<br />
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(Original <a href="http://www.kare11.com/news/article/923863/14/Teen-who-challenged-Bachmann-to-debate-receiving-threats">news story here</a>. h/t to The DailyWh.at)</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-90727841107074070752011-05-02T01:35:00.002-04:002011-05-02T01:35:38.257-04:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://chzdailywhat.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/eca72b65-dba7-4a0f-8771-1c974e697e5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://chzdailywhat.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/eca72b65-dba7-4a0f-8771-1c974e697e5a.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-71383049633579309302011-04-29T14:35:00.005-04:002011-04-29T14:55:05.373-04:00OMFG! The War for Your Mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Should I be surprised?<br />
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This is insanity at its worst.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" height="336" id="+id+" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.crooksandliars.com/v/MjA0NTQtNDU5Njg?color=C93033" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://embed.crooksandliars.com/v/MjA0NTQtNDU5Njg?color=C93033" quality="high" wmode="transparent" width="400" height="336" allowfullscreen="true" name="clembedMjA0NTQtNDU5Njg" align="middle" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br />
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Of course it's fake right? Because a black man can't possibly be legitimate.<br />
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They won't be satisfied. EVAR.<br />
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I loved the last line. It's a dead give-away as to their strategy.<br />
"We'll keep our eye on it. We'll keep digging....But it certainly opens up that can of worms that there are at least questions."<br />
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This is where the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">War for Your Mind</span></b> comes in. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agenda-setting_theory">Agenda Setting theory</a> is a media theory which posits that the more something is talked about in the media, the more salient it is on people's minds. It's been tested again and again and proven true. When asked what are important issues facing the country, again and again, people cite those things that have been highlighted in the media. This prompted noted media theorist Bernard Cohen to pen: “<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">It (the press) may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling its readers what to think about.</span></b>”<br />
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The echo chamber of the right has been well documented (<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/25/from-drudge-to-fox/">ThinkProgress</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Echo_chamber">SourceWatch</a>, <a href="http://knowyourgovernment.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/%E2%80%9Cthis-is-how-the-right-wing-echo-chamber-works%E2%80%9D/">Know Your Government</a>). Rachel Maddow does a nice piece on a particular lie regarding <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20021841-503544.html">Obama's trip to India last year</a> that is worth watching. She goes on to unpack some of the crazy lies that frequently show up in our news cycles and how they come to be.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yBxzMMCokpI" width="480"></iframe><br />
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This is important to recognize because the more the various media outlets report on topic, the more likely it will be covered. And when enough media sources say things that aren't true - they become true in people's minds.<br />
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Rick Perlstein had a great article in <a href="http://motherjones.com/">Mother Jones</a>, <i><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/history-political-lying">Inside the GOP's Fact-Free Nation</a></i> that's worth the read just for the historical look of political lying. But inside his piece is an analysis of one factor that helps us understand how this has come to pass. He writes:<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">There evolved a new media definition of civility that privileged "balance" over truth-telling—even when one side was lying. It's a real and profound change—one stunningly obvious when you review a 1973 PBS news panel hosted by Bill Moyers and featuring National Review editor George Will, both excoriating the administration's "Watergate morality." Such a panel today on, say, global warming would not be complete without a complement of conservatives, one of them probably <a href="http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/15/george-will-global-cooling-warming-debunked/">George Will</a>, lambasting the "liberal" contention that scientific facts are facts—and anyone daring to call them out for lying would be instantly censured. It's happened to me more than once—on public radio, no less.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">In the same vein, when the Obama administration <a href="http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/14/white-house-vs-fox-news-not-just-fox-opinion/">accused Fox News</a> of not being a legitimate news source, the DC journalism elite rushed to admonish the White House. Granted, they were partly defending Major Garrett, the network's since-departed White House correspondent and a solid journalist—but in the process, few acknowledged that under Roger Ailes, another Nixon veteran, management has enforced an ideological line top to bottom.</span></b><br />
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The inability to call lies lies because of the need for "balance," coupled with the 24 hour news cycles, coupled with a zealous willingness to lie to further their cause<b>*</b>, has led to a media circus where outrageous claims become part of the daily discourse in multiple media outlets. And when multiple media outlets talk about it, people think that it is important and thus must have merit. Even if it is a lie. Gobbles, the infamous Nazi propagandist once said "<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it</span></b>."<br />
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As long as there are questions, there is controversy. And you can bet your ass that they will keep asking the questions.<br />
<br />
But the question I really want answered is how come none of those people in the top video have rejected the accusation that they all fuck goats? Remember, as long as the question is out there, we'll keep digging.<br />
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<b>*</b> Perlstein's <a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/04/history-political-lying">article</a> also exposed a culture where lying is justified on the right as long as it furthers a noble cause, summed up excellently by this quote from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Your-Church-Grow-Peter-Wagner/dp/1579105890">evangelist C. Peter Wagner</a> "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><b>We ought to see clearly that the end does justify the means, if the method I am using accomplishes the goal I am aiming at, it is for that reason a good method</b></span>."</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-87798873685179371702011-04-28T21:27:00.002-04:002011-04-29T15:15:04.275-04:00This is important. You should watch it.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vX5ueEKsSWc" width="640"></iframe><br />
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FOLLOW UP: Baratunde Thruston was <a href="http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/04/baratunde_thurs.php">interviewed by The Village Voice</a> on his YouTube post. It's worth a read.<br />
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Spoiler alert, "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>And Trump says he wants to just walk into the White House and touch this document? That he has the right to do so? You don't have the right to do shit! You don't have the right to roll up to the White House and say, "Show me your papers," like it's apartheid South Africa</b>"</span></div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-26150767368980746982011-04-25T12:24:00.004-04:002011-04-25T12:29:59.471-04:00Views of the Tea Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">In my previous post Rachel told us about the declining numbers of the Tea Party...<br />
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But take heart! All of you who want to defend America from evil people not like you, you aren't alone.<br />
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Ricky over at <a href="http://utteroutrage.blogspot.com/2011/04/omfg-sc-tea-rofl.html">Cause for Concern</a> shares a video of South Carolina Tea Baggers who are carrying the standard! I think he summed it up best with the title of the video: <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><a href="http://utteroutrage.blogspot.com/2011/04/omfg-sc-tea-rofl.html">OMFG, S.C., Tea? ROFL</a></span></b><br />
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<a href="http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/sweet-little-old-folks-tea-parties-s">Crooks and Liars</a> posted this gem: </div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" height="336" id="+id+" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://embed.crooksandliars.com/v/MjAzNzEtNDU3ODI?color=C93033" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://embed.crooksandliars.com/v/MjAzNzEtNDU3ODI?color=C93033" quality="high" wmode="transparent" width="400" height="336" allowfullscreen="true" name="clembedMjAzNzEtNDU3ODI" align="middle" quality="high" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object><br />
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Racism in the tea party? How do you get that from things like this? "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><strong>The United States has a higher standard of living than Mexico because it's populated by white people.</strong></span>" No racism to see here... just move on to .... Orange County?<br />
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<a href="http://www.theawl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Screen-shot-2011-04-19-at-12.36.21-PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="http://www.theawl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Screen-shot-2011-04-19-at-12.36.21-PM.jpg" width="200" /></a>...I know everyone has heard about the GOP official in Orange County sending this photo around:<br />
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The Awl has a nice <a href="http://www.theawl.com/2011/04/primate-in-chief-a-guide-to-racist-obama-monkey-photoshops">breakdown of racism in photos</a> for us.<br />
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And finally, Lyssa over at <a href="http://leoslifeinhell.blogspot.com/2011/04/leos-take-on-least-of-these.html">Leo's Life in Hell</a> takes us behind the scenes and into the mind of a teabagger. Warning: Leo is not a nice man.</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-2671018737392789542011-04-21T15:18:00.003-04:002011-04-21T15:24:05.197-04:00PAYGO<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">So I've been a big believer in PAYGO and trying to live it out in my activism. I'm not talking about this thing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PAYGO">in Congress</a> where they have to justify new spending, but in my own life when it comes to giving money to the Democrats. <br />
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The thing is, I've gotten a lot of calls recently from the DNC, the Democratic Senate Campaign, and a bunch of other Democratic fundraising institutions. So far I haven't given money. This isn't to say I haven't given to the Dems, I have, on multiple occasions in the past, but I've stopped for now.<br />
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And when they ask me why I tell them I believe in PAYGO<br />
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Here, take a look at this thing Rachel has put her finger on...</div><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=10,0,0,0" height="245" id="msnbc42e6de" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" /><param name="FlashVars" value="launch=42654141&width=420&height=245" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed name="msnbc42e6de" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" width="420" height="245" FlashVars="launch=42654141&width=420&height=245" allowscriptaccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><br />
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</div>See, when the Republicans were in control under Bush, I didn't like the way things were going. So I ponied up and gave to the party that I thought would make the difference. I gave to individual campaigns as well as the DNC. And they won!<br />
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So the Dems held both Houses of Congress and the Presidency, and I expected Change. The kinds of Change that was talked about during the election. And yes, I'm one of those who believes that not enough Change has happened. <br />
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It's not that I don't believe in trying to find a bi-partisan solution to issues. I do. But the Republicans didn't want compromise - they wanted it their way. And no matter what the Dems did, the Republicans fought it tooth and nail. Look, when you get kicked in the nuts repeatedly by the people you're trying to find compromise with, you ought to realize that they don't want to compromise, and that they sorta enjoy kicking you there. <br />
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And throughout this time I kept getting solicitations saying "We need money to stay in power, so we can keep those Republicans at bay," and I thought "you've got both Houses of Congress and the Presidency - make something happen."<br />
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So the Dems finally got health care passed. When they did - I call them up (ok, I used the internet and did it electronically but the thought is the same), and I donated. (Though I don't think the bill went far enough).<br />
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Then came the lead up to the mid-terms and here came the calls again. "We need money to keep the House!". <br />
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"Honestly", I thought, "what for? You didn't do all that much when you had it."<br />
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And when they passed the finance reform during the lame duck session I donated again. (Though for the record, I don't think that went far enough either).<br />
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Now reflecting on Rachel's thesis - that the Democrats in Congress are embarrassed by or ignore their base - I think she's right. There seems to be this notion that the Republicans are so horrible that we should just give to the Democrats to keep them in office. And that fear tactic does have some merit. <br />
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But if the best we can do is to hold the status quo versus letting things get worse, how will things ever get better? If the Democrats won't use their power when they have it, why should I expect them to be able to stop the Republicans when they don't? <br />
<br />
Think back to the debate around the Patriot Act. Did the Dems stand firm and unified agaist this massive encroachment of our rights? No. <a href="http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2011/02/08/house-democrats-who-voted-for-patriot-act-reauthorization-feb-8-2011/">67 Dems</a> rolled over and voted for it in the House. And only <a href="http://educate-yourself.org/cn/patriotact20012006senatevote.shtml">1 Democratic Senator</a> voted against it (Sen. Feingold) and only 10 voted against it when it was up for renewal.<br />
<br />
Going to war? Same thing... a ton of House Dems and Senators voted to give Bush the authority <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Resolution#Passage">to go to war</a>.<br />
<br />
But what are the Dems fighting for now? They continue to adopt Republican talking point, allow huge cuts to progressive programs, extend the Bush tax cuts... And we have hundreds of thousands of people marching. Far more than the tea party ever had. So they put Medicare and Social Security on the table.<br />
<br />
I'm frustrated by the lack of action on behalf of the Dems. That's why I believe in PAYGO... I'll pay as we go. I'll give them money when they get stuff done. But I won't pay for the empty promises that they'll fight the Republicans. I just don't believe them anymore.</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-87658860919058703422011-03-04T09:41:00.001-05:002011-03-04T09:42:49.361-05:00This is sad... so..so.. sad.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Posted in its entirety from <a href="http://thedailywh.at/2011/03/03/this-is-important-you-should-watch-it-of-the-day-2/">The Dailywh.at </a><br />
<br />
<b>This Is Important, You Should Watch It of the Day:</b> Last month, Tea Party members gathered outside an ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America)-sponsored charity event held to raise money for women’s shelters and hunger relief, and hurled racist epithets and bewildering ethnocentric remarks at the American-Muslim families entering the Yorba Linda Community Center. Several members of congress even showed up to express their support for the protesters and their message.<br />
<br />
CAIR-California caught the whole nasty mess on tape, and uploaded the footage to YouTube.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NutFkykjmbM" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
The protesters may pretend, nay - fool themselves - into thinking what they are doing isn't hate, but it <i>is</i> hate, pure and simple.<br />
<br />
These are their neighbors. Fellow Americans who happen to have a different faith. Something our very Constitution protects. And yet, in nakedly non-Christian form, they hate their neighbors.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">SHAME</span></b> on Councilwoman Deborah Pauly.<br />
"<i>As a matter of fact, I know quite a few Marines who will be very happy to help these terrorists to an early meeting in paradise</i>"<br />
<br />
No incitement of violence there! (Note: that was followed by loud cheering.)<br />
<br />
What was it Jesus commanded? Oh yeah, "But I tell you: <b><a href="http://bible.cc/matthew/5-44.htm">Love your enemies</a></b> and pray for those who persecute you"<br />
<br />
And finally....<br />
<br />
"One Nation Under God - Not Allah" - some protester<br />
*sigh* <br />
<br />
Allah is simply Arabic for God. Further, the God of Muhammad, is the God of Abraham and Issac...<br />
<br />
So, in essence, the protester was screaming out "One Nation Under God - Not GOD!"<br />
If these protesters are representatives of Christianity? <br />
No thank you.<br />
<br />
</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-15700977101883602872011-02-08T16:30:00.004-05:002011-02-08T16:32:16.806-05:00Who's afraid of the dark?Jump it up to Hi Def and Full Screen...<br />
<br />
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j2oXFWKpJiA?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-79193868206213410302011-02-03T10:11:00.000-05:002011-02-03T10:11:57.877-05:00Science! I love this stuff!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Phil Plait over at Discover wrote <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/02/02/motherlode-of-potential-planets-found-more-than-1200-alien-worlds/">an awesome pos</a>t about <a href="http://kepler.nasa.gov/">Kepler's</a> (an orbital telescope) discovery of almost 1200 potential planets found!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/files/2011/02/dandurda_moonart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/files/2011/02/dandurda_moonart.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Just think of it... by the end of this century, and by the next, how far will we venture?<br />
<br />
Get ready to hit the road.... It's time to cross that river.<br />
<br />
(Do yourself a favor and watch it full screen in hi-def)<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oY59wZdCDo0?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-78986513259986024892011-02-02T10:07:00.002-05:002011-02-02T10:08:31.743-05:00While we cheer for Egyptian's fighting for freedom....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">... back home we're working to take it away from others.<br />
<br />
<b>This is important - you should watch it.</b><br />
<a href="http://thedailywh.at/post/3067145369/this-is-important-you-should-watch-it-of-the-day">h/t to TheDailyWh.at</a><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FSQQK2Vuf9Q?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
And while it <a href="http://iowastatedaily.com/news/article_60d0ea06-2e5f-11e0-a83f-001cc4c002e0.html">passed the House</a> it is not likely to be brought to the floor in the Senate. Kudos to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Democratic Majority Leader Mike Gronstal who indicated "that he will not bring the legislation up before the Senate, as he does not believe that discrimination belongs in the Iowa Constitution."</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps it's just me but I don't believe discrimination belongs in <i>any</i> Constitution.</span></span></div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-483456581761801222011-01-31T15:53:00.001-05:002011-02-02T10:09:01.365-05:00We will not be silenced...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ThvBJMzmSZI?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="640"></iframe></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">"We will not be silenced, whether you are Christian, whether you are Muslim, whether you are an atheist, YOU WILL DEMAND YOUR GODDAMNED RIGHTS, AND WE WILL HAVE OUR RIGHTS, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. WE WILL NEVER BE SILENCED." - Egyptian revolutionary</span></div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-47522986514310895672011-01-12T10:03:00.000-05:002011-01-12T10:03:11.165-05:00You've got to be taught to hate...Nicole Sandler over at <a href="http://radioornot.com/site/">Radio or Not</a> has put together this very nice video...<br />
<br />
You've got to be taught to hate.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Furthermore, she's put together a nice post entitled <a href="http://radioornot.com/site/?p=4314">The Role of Hate Speak</a> which details an interesting note: Immediately after the Tucson shooting, the Right went into defensive mode fairly quickly. If what they are saying doesn't matter, why be defensive about it?Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-25116703704050263962011-01-06T09:56:00.000-05:002011-01-06T09:56:58.466-05:00Prophets"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls<br />
And tenement halls"<br />
<br />
<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hl4NlA97GeQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hl4NlA97GeQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-62095415977545978852011-01-05T14:01:00.002-05:002011-01-05T14:01:48.355-05:00Race you to the top...<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XHjKBjM1ngw?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XHjKBjM1ngw?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
There have to be better ways. Unfortunately Congress seems hell bent on scapegoating migrants than solving problems.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-53887949069657331722011-01-05T12:53:00.003-05:002011-01-12T10:15:43.308-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYCMSIK2celPDejIpLiYkB3ZvPhplefJ5ZI-kAYtp0Ld9k9hWh43YXJQZoIX1YGG4mDWagMs0VHnOW_KaKXWcYuwc2vfQMmdOoMiXeRrAabo19WMNk9MKmxGEbGBf8pyG09GCC_xx_co/s1600/Colbert+selfish+Jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYCMSIK2celPDejIpLiYkB3ZvPhplefJ5ZI-kAYtp0Ld9k9hWh43YXJQZoIX1YGG4mDWagMs0VHnOW_KaKXWcYuwc2vfQMmdOoMiXeRrAabo19WMNk9MKmxGEbGBf8pyG09GCC_xx_co/s1600/Colbert+selfish+Jesus.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
You can watch Colbert's shout out in his clip <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/368914/december-16-2010/jesus-is-a-liberal-democrat">Jesus is a Liberal Democrat</a>.Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-83321971052368130332010-12-01T23:05:00.000-05:002010-12-01T23:05:06.809-05:00Hope in a Hopeless World Part IIThe world is a tough place. Hundreds of <s>thousands</s> millions of people will go to bed hungry tonight. <br />
<br />
But there is hope, and things seem to be converging in such a way it's tough to ignore. <a href="http://rabidintuition.blogspot.com/2010/11/hope-in-hopeless-world.html">Hans is telling us that the world is getting better</a>. And hey - that's cool. And then Dave, over at <a href="http://teapartyjesus.tumblr.com/">Tea Party Jesus</a>, <a href="http://teapartyjesus.tumblr.com/post/1692212321/some-things">writes this really cool blog</a> launching <a href="http://projectneighbor.tumblr.com/">Project Neighbor</a>. Basically that as tough as many of us may have it, we're still light years ahead of most of the world.<br />
<br />
And then I stumbled upon the Killers new release <i>Boots.</i> The Killers rock, and a powerful reminder that we still have struggles here at home, but we can overcome.... If you didn't click on the Project Neighbor link above, give it a go.<br />
<br />
In the mean time... enjoy the Killers<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<br />
Hans has give several other great talks you can<a href="http://www.ted.com/search?q=Hans+Rosling"> find at TED</a>.<br />
<br />
H/T to <a href="http://thedailywh.at/post/1730312425/this-is-informative-you-should-watch-it-of-the">TheDailyWh.at</a>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-47137174344222427352010-11-03T16:00:00.000-04:002010-11-03T16:00:22.335-04:00George calls a douchebag out!<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UACK93xF-FE?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UACK93xF-FE?fs=1&hl=en_US&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-81246936149284304172010-10-20T13:52:00.001-04:002010-10-20T13:54:03.779-04:00It gets betterI had to have a talk with my son the other day. Not because of anything he did, but because of the homophobic attitudes, bullying, and outright violence toward gay and lesbian folks.<br />
<br />
I want to raise my children so that they aren't bigots. And so that in the future this beautiful, yet tragically necessary video won't need to be made anymore.<br />
<br />
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<br />
After the talk my son said to me: "Dad, in the future, these talks could be less embarrassing if you were more scientific." Ah! the world of 9 year old boys....Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579816825794451165.post-82267714403186175422010-10-12T11:42:00.004-04:002010-10-20T09:52:57.824-04:00Does it matter what they think?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a while since my last post...</span><br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLGV-dqJQM_NfwT4W4fGhKHPmIx2gISe9Ewt5yNtZkqGiuicgAyE4SFh4eRSNEjOR0oEtOfDbpZ5aQF3q0uAFqYF2lKrwejn40O903XSWYPmfO8UneTgBEfMSE_hkQWwf7N42oq7wm5o/s1600/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLGV-dqJQM_NfwT4W4fGhKHPmIx2gISe9Ewt5yNtZkqGiuicgAyE4SFh4eRSNEjOR0oEtOfDbpZ5aQF3q0uAFqYF2lKrwejn40O903XSWYPmfO8UneTgBEfMSE_hkQWwf7N42oq7wm5o/s400/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+251.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been out of the country - traveling to Africa to see development projects by U.S.Doe NGOs first hand. I flew down in the beginning of September and visited a couple east African countries.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some amazing work happening which I'll write about later, but one piece I wanted to highlight. When I left the states, the '</span><a href="http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=ground+zero+mosque#q=ground+zero+mosque&hl=en&prmd=ivn&source=lnms&tbs=nws:1&ei=1Wi0TL3MJcWAlAfb8OTzCg&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&ved=0CBkQ_AU&fp=5a996d56de453056"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">several blocks from ground zero community center</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">' controversy was ongoing. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a freedom loving American I was torn between defending the Constitution which our country is based on (you know, that freedom of religion stuff and those free market principles we hold in such high esteem); and scaring the bejesus out of my fellow Americans by smearing other faiths / those who don't look like me.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It appeared to me that many proud American's decided to chuck the values we hold dear in order to gain political advantage; and they did it in the name of America and Christianity. In doing so they </span><s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">accidentally</span></s><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> conflated Islam with terrorism. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to wonder what message this sends to the Islamic world, when American Christians position themselves in such a way. But then I remember it doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks because, by God, we're right don't-cha know?</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF_MCjUzvCZ1lqk92CUVwbiennLjmSSlRx-Q2ZmNJxfhHNLjk1kTqXy7el_YIezEenvAf9KACulZUYb1PhwytqTMRzXobLDULp3ahW5C7fHhfH2z1XW6xIfeKHPBlsEAC4fMJKpYXWzA/s1600/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF_MCjUzvCZ1lqk92CUVwbiennLjmSSlRx-Q2ZmNJxfhHNLjk1kTqXy7el_YIezEenvAf9KACulZUYb1PhwytqTMRzXobLDULp3ahW5C7fHhfH2z1XW6xIfeKHPBlsEAC4fMJKpYXWzA/s1600/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF_MCjUzvCZ1lqk92CUVwbiennLjmSSlRx-Q2ZmNJxfhHNLjk1kTqXy7el_YIezEenvAf9KACulZUYb1PhwytqTMRzXobLDULp3ahW5C7fHhfH2z1XW6xIfeKHPBlsEAC4fMJKpYXWzA/s320/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While I was in eastern Ethiopia I was in a region that was 90% Islamic and looking at some development work done by an American Christian NGO. Through local partners they were able to provide clean water in the village we visited. Not just water for drinking, but water for people, water for livestock, water for sanitation, and water for irrigation. It was done in a way where the local community had full ownership over the well and water systems. It was done in a way that brought the local community together for joint decision making, empowering women in the process. And it was done in a way that was sustainable so the people would have clean water into the future.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7arPThUduS2DPgdI3G_KZbQWePBSTIkGCrT9R1Eaiik3dkiBz6STpnyETcSm1j51JjxXBciS553xbg4fxs-hwoDLQaK_Ib3UO9Z2MxfuT33i-MQP41hSIxoOy4fe0FyTkrt1m2adzS3s/s1600/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7arPThUduS2DPgdI3G_KZbQWePBSTIkGCrT9R1Eaiik3dkiBz6STpnyETcSm1j51JjxXBciS553xbg4fxs-hwoDLQaK_Ib3UO9Z2MxfuT33i-MQP41hSIxoOy4fe0FyTkrt1m2adzS3s/s1600/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7arPThUduS2DPgdI3G_KZbQWePBSTIkGCrT9R1Eaiik3dkiBz6STpnyETcSm1j51JjxXBciS553xbg4fxs-hwoDLQaK_Ib3UO9Z2MxfuT33i-MQP41hSIxoOy4fe0FyTkrt1m2adzS3s/s320/Africa+DD+Delegation+2010+044.JPG" width="320" /> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we drove into the village, we were met by an Islamic community who came out to celebrate our arrival through song and dance. They cheered to see us coming. The gratitude was obvious and in this village, these Islamic people saw American's as people who want to work with them, to be their partners in life. They saw Christians as people who would come alongside them in their struggles and offer, not just assistance, but empowerment. And at the end of the project, it wasn't the American Christians who owned and controlled the water. They did.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They saw us as friends. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I wonder what they would think if they saw us back home....</span><br />
<img height="168" src="http://sadhillnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/MOSQUE-1-articleLarge.jpg" width="320" /><img height="179" src="http://holyorthodoxy.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/IslamTerror.27852746_std.JPG" width="320" /><img height="240" src="http://www.cbsnews.com/i/tim//2010/09/09/TerryJones4_370x278.jpg" width="320" /><img height="240" src="http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/images/item/item-20100823-protestsign14.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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</div>Chrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11732503451364194381noreply@blogger.com0