Liberty Counsel

The right-wing legal group Liberty Counsel has filed a lawsuit challenging New Jersey’s ban on “ex-gay” therapy, signed into law this week by Gov. Chris Christie.   So, how do we look at this?

I don’t know about the rest of you, but, it’s just another day at the garage for Mrs. N.   The crazy-assed nut jobs who make their living running the big churches here in Central Virginia are out doing Jesus’ work, as usual.  Liberty Counsel, the proud public service arm of the world famous “Liberty Law School”, hot off a spectacular loss in their patriotic attempt to have the Affordable Care Act declared unconstitutional because, after all, the president is a nigger, have set their sights on Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey.

Liberty Counsel filed the complaint Thursday in U.S. District Court in New Jersey on behalf of two counselors who practice such therapy and two organizations that support the widely discredited practice — the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality and the American Association of Christian Counselors, the Washington Blade reports.

Another proud moment for America.  The Holy Ghost of Jerry Falwell continues to walk the earth in the form of Liberty University, where, not content with the hatred and misinformation he spewed in life his legacy of nonsense and religious huxterism lives on and continues to embarrass all but the severely religiously dissociated.  At Liberty, you will remember, the Earth is but a few thousands of years old and “Creation Science” is the only REAL science.  At Liberty humans once played and frolicked with dinosaurs, before Noah’s Flood that is, and 9/11 was the result of God’s great displeasure with America for “tolerating” gays and “uppity women” in our midst.

Now, in case any of you my gentle readers think this is crazy I must remind you of the reality of the country we are talking about.  This is America and this bullshit is FUCKING REAL!  This is happening in Virginia, the home of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and many truly fine universities, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech to name but a few.  Oh, but no “university” in Virginia receives as much government backed federal student aid and loan money as Liberty does and none is growing anywhere near as fast as Liberty is.  No university in Virginia has their success and I have no choice but to conclude that, unlike “other” universities who actually permit gay students to attend classes, Liberty’s success must have something to do with the fact that they don’t.  Possibly, it may have something to do with the fact that they permit Republican Student organizations on campus, but, not Democratic ones…. But, I can’t be sure.  Then again, it may have something to do with the fact that it is permissible to carry loaded firearms to classes at Liberty, but, should a male and female unmarried student be caught alone.. They will of course be expelled.

Now they have set their sights and mustered their religious wrath in the direction of the Great Garden State of New Jersey and its popular republican governor, Chris Christie.  Governor Christie it seems has had the unmitigated gall to institute a law that bans “ex-gay” therapy.  It is Liberty Counsel’s contention that…  “Chris Christie has essentially declared war” on the “message of the Gospel.” The legislation, Mihet added, is a sign of “the power of the darkness in our time.”

The Darkness of our time.

Imagine that.

I don’t know, you can call Old Mrs. N. crazy if you like, but, it seems to me that “The Darkness of our time” is the Darkness of ignorance spread for profit in the form of religious hate, anti-intellectualism and the growing influence of corporate plutocracy over every facet of government and public life in America.  Personally, I don’t think it has anything to do with putting a stop to adults, who fancy themselves as “professionals”, tormenting, humiliating and threatening children into claiming that… they aren’t gay anymore.  

Jerry Falwell “claimed” that he was friends with and spoke with God.  Governor Chris Christie, in fact, is friends with and talks to Bruce Springsteen.

Mrs. N. is confident that, at least in this battle, the forces are grossly mismatched.

KIss, kiss

Mrs. N.

 

Bad Moon Rising

On the night of August 19–20, 1969, Nelson County Virginia was struck by disastrous flooding caused by Hurricane Camille. The hurricane hit the Gulf Coast two days earlier, weakened over land, and stalled on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, dumping a world record quantity of 27 inches (690 mm) of rain, mainly in a three-hour period. Over five hours, it yielded more than 37 inches (940 mm), while the previous day had seen a deluge of 5 inches in half an hour, with the ground already saturated. There were reports of animals drowning in trees and people who had had to cup their hands around their mouth and nose to breathe.  Flash floods and mudslides killed 153 people, 31 from Roseland, Tyro, and Massies Mill alone.  Over 133 public bridges were washed out in Nelson County, while some communities were under water.   In the tiny Davis Creek community, 52 people were killed or could not be found; only 3 of 35 homes were left standing after the floodwaters receded.   The bodies of some people have never been found; others washed as much as 25 miles (40 km) downstream along the creeks and rivers. The entire county was virtually cut off, with many roads and virtually all bridges gone.

Meanwhile, about 400 miles or so north, as the dove of peace flies, the highways of lower New York State were jamed with carloads of hippies headed home.

Trapped in traffic, out of rolling papers and headed home with stories they would tell for the rest of their lives the unwashed multitudes listened to their car radios and heard the call for help from Nelson County Virginia.   Hippies, having nothing better to do anyway and looking for an adventure, headed south to lend a hand.  Many found friendship enough to stay, and some found wives and husbands.  They camped in open fields and bathed in the receding rivers and streams and in the fullness of time the dope smoking hippies began to find an easy camaraderie with the sons and daughters of the proud and fiercely independent moonshiners who were desperately trying to put their lives back together.  Unusual bonds were formed.  Hippies and rednecks interbred.  The rest is history.

As of this writing Nelson County Virginia enjoys an excellent public education system, a thriving art community, magnificent unspoiled countryside and consistently remains the only county in Central Virginia to vote Democrat.  A blue dot in a sea of red.  Vineyards and artisan breweries have exploded like mushrooms and, I have it on excellent authority,  the moonshine and local weed are second to none.

“Bad Moon Rising” is a song written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was the lead single from their album Green River and was released in April 1969, four months before the album and exactly four months before the Great Nelson County Flood.  The lyrics fit the reality all too well…

I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin’.
I see bad times today.

Don’t go around tonight,
Well, it’s bound to take your life,
There’s a bad moon on the rise.

I hear hurricanes ablowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

In a few weeks there is going to be a concert in Nelson County.  You can read all about it here.  Interlocken Music Festival | Sept 5 – 8, 2013 | Oak Ridge …

It is being put together by some outside money folks who are billing it as another Woodstock.  It ain’t.  Many of the locals are not amused and a tad pissed off at the disturbance of our bucolic existence.  With tickets running from $300 to $1100 and tents, rented by those running the show, going for $500, it seems almost sacrilegious to mention in it the same breath as Woodstock.  Tickets to Woodstock cost $18.

Many members of the local community can’t even come close to affording a ticket to this fiasco.  Some of them that pray are praying for rain.

On the 44th anniversary of the Nelson County Flood AND Woodstock a full moon is flying high over my house and I think back to Woodstock where the acid and the weed and the love was free… for just a little while, in the rain.

Times have changed.  We have grandkids now.  The world is a colder place, it seems to me, and the information provided below regarding the upcoming concert… well, it soils what’s left of my memories of times when music wasn’t all about money.   When everything wasn’t all about money.  When it wasn’t so fucking obvious that plutocrats have their grubby little hands in everything.

Sorry, no kisses tonight

Mrs. N.

_____________________

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• Festival Admission
• Dedicated Festival Check-In with Private VIP Entrance
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• Exclusive Access to Air-Conditioned Bathrooms with Flushable Toilets and Showers
• Invitation to the Welcome BBQ Party
• Private VIP Cash Bar
• Complimentary Late Night Munchies
• VIP Parking Pass (One Per Order)
• Limited Edition Screen Printed Festival Poster
• Festival Welcome Gift Bag with Festival Survival Kit, Tote Bag, Water Bottle and T-shirt
• VIP Laminate
• Please Note: If you are driving in an RV, you will also need to purchase a VIP RV parking pass.

Nobody minds being dead you know?

Does this look like octopus to you?  I was pretty sure the chef was full of shit when he told me it was.  I have always had a kind of sixth sense when it comes to detecting when someone is full of shit.   Sea-Food Deluxe Platter my ass.

My neighbors tell me that this is delicious.  They call it “Biscuits & Gravy” here in Dixie.  Anyone can see that it is dog puke.  The dog has gotten into something he shouldn’t have again and it has made him sick.  In the geographical areas of The Plutocratic States of America where people spend the least money on education and the most time in church they are convinced that viewing dog puke like this is a mouth watering experience.  Tip of the iceberg…  Tip of the iceberg…

Everybody has a different opinion concerning “What’s going on”.  When you get right down to the finer details of being human you find that it is impossible for any two people to agree on anything at all… one hundred percent.   This makes it exceedingly difficult to put together a civilization, form long standing relationships with other members of our species and  refrain from destructive and vindictive quarreling.   It all works for a while.  People need each other for specific periods of time, for differing reasons.  Then, the moment circumstances permit, they are at each others throats over something they see differently.   To one degree or another there is always disagreement.  It seems to be inherent in a biology that relies upon different eyes, ears, tastes and neurological wiring … that grows itself from different DNA.   Why would we expect anything less than Bedlam from such a fiasco?  It’s a fucking miracle that anything works at all.  Social insects like ants and termites put on a good show with regard to working together, selflessly, toward a common goal, but, they share the same DNA, so, it doesn’t count.

In the end it seems that a universe that extends to, and makes use of the term “infinity”, must, by definition, contain absolutely everything including this… and us… just like this.

They say that you can find all kinds of possibilities in books.   It’s true.  I have found truckloads of possibilities in books.  I know lots of other people who have too.   If something exists in a book, or, just in someone’s imagination, does that mean an infinite universe need do no more to be truly infinite?  Is that kind of a half-assed manifestation enough to count?   Is that real enough?  Next Question please…

Where can a person with a degree in Ancient Egyptian literature get a job?  If you hear of anything, would you let me know?

It’s a rainy morning here in Dixie and I have finished my Sunday morning watering of the orchids.  I find that, at this time of year, when everything seems to be going to seed, life in matter “feels” a lot more absurd than usual.  I don’t know why that is and if the truth be known… I don’t care.  August has always been like that for me.  I think there is less gravity in August.

Respectfully, or, disrespectfully… take your pick

Mrs. N.

 

 

 

 

What to tell kids.

Do you ever think about this?  Do you ever wonder what kids have a right to know and if anyone is at all interested in seeing to it that they are properly informed?

I find myself thinking about this a lot lately.  I’m troubled by my inability to come up with anything helpful in the way of advice for those just beginning their journey on life’s path.  The wisdom that is supposed to come with age and experience, when I look for it, isn’t there.   It’s no wonder really.  Never having quite figured out what people are for, myself, puts me in no position to offer advice on anything but short term projects.  How to tie a proper Windsor knot, treat a bag-bug infestation on an ornamental maple… things like that I can do.  That is all that was given me in my time, really.  Simple formulas for doing right like… Love my country and hate communists… follow orders, fear god and don’t get in trouble with the law.  Simple stuff to understand if you didn’t think about it too deeply and, if I did those things, and worked hard at something, everything would work out for the best and things would just keep getting better and better for everybody.

What a crock of shit that turned out to be.

“Better dead than Red” is what they taught us.  They wanted us to know that the communists were evil because they didn’t believe in god.  The communists wanted to take over America so that they could force everybody in America not to believe in god  too is what they told us.  When we were children those in authority encouraged us to think that we would be better off dead than alive, if being alive meant not believing in god any more.  To prove that point of view, and that they meant business, our government constructed thousands of atomic bombs capable of utterly destroying the only planet we have to live on rather than run the risk of letting communists take over America.  We Americans first tested two of those atomic bombs, before I was even born, on people called “Japs” 68 years ago this past week.  They worked swell.

It was all something they called M. A. D.   [M]utually [A]ssured [D]estruction.  It was really just another way of saying… Better dead than Red.

It never occurred to us how belief in a wonderful afterlife was somewhat inconsistent with the highest degree of desire for physical survival in this life.  How lucky we were to have Marxists for enemies.  Not believing in wonderful afterlives Marxists were never really likely to see any advantages at all in pressing the BIG BUTTON to start a nuclear war.  Marxists were not particularly keen on the prospects of becoming dead.  Looking back at those days… we were the ones to worry about.

Looking back a little closer at those days, and the days after, and, right up to this minute, it was never about anything but selfishness and animal-like pack rat greed here in America.  Those with power hated communists because communists would take away their stuff.  Communists would, at least in theory, eliminate both poverty and wealth.  What could possibly be worse for a wealthy person than that?

None of that has changed.  The primary concern of people with wealth and power is getting more and never losing what they have to people who have less.  “Damn the depression, starvation, misery and mayhem… full speed ahead!”  

So, what do we tell the kids?

When a young person asks you for advice what can you tell them that doesn’t make you feel kind of dirty inside?

I guess you could tell them about how much God loves them… but, you would have to hold your nose.

Kiss, kiss

Mrs. N.