Not that anyone would notice, but I seem to have disappeared from the blogosphere for a time. Well, I'm back now. The dissertation proposal is drafted. The quizzes are graded. The new Rock Band II has lost just a bit of its initial shine. And so I'm back in the blogosphere to write posts that virtually no one reads. My apologies for being gone, but every once in a while even philosophers have to work.
Palin calls herself a fiscal conservative, but she must mean something different by 'fiscal conservative' than what I'm used to. As mayor, she drove her town into debt, despite all the earmarks she was getting from the federal government.
The American Chronicle has a great article about the history of secularism.
A Harvard study finds that voters (particularly men) are prejudiced against women in power (in India), but their perspectives change as their are around more women in power. Well, duh! Why did they even waste money on this? (Via Feministe)
McCain pushed a lady in a wheelchair? Now, I'm no fan of McCain, but really? I find this dubious. Then again... he's known to have a temper.
Below is video of Sarah Palin speaking to graduates of the Master's Commission at her childhood church.
What's really freaky? She's praying that Iraq is a task from God, rather than, say, using her reason to discover whether it's actually the right thing. She thinks a pipeline in Alaska is god's will (but for some reason people still need to pray for it). And she thinks a police force and education are useless if people aren't "right with god".
Honestly? Education is worthless if you don't believe that there is a sky daddy who put his human creations in a garden with a tree that would give them knowledge of good and evil and told them not to eat from it (how would they know disobeying his command was wrong?); but then a walking, talking snake came along and convinced them to eat from it, and because of this all their descendents are marred with a sin that someone else committed; and to deal with this, sky-daddy impregnated a virgin with himself so he could sacrifice himself to himself as a payment, and after this sacrifice sky-daddy rose from the dead but will come back and put all those people who don't believe this cockamamie story through eternal torture.* But he's just and he loves you. Yeah. Someone's education certainly was worthless.
I know that probably appears a bit offensive to believers. But it's basically an accurate description of your garden variety fundamentalist christianity. If you're not a fundamentalist, then it shouldn't offend you, because you don't believe that. Sarah Palin does. And I'm all for people being able to believe what they want. But please don't tell me that belief in this rather extraordinary story that must be taken on faith is necessary for education to be worthwhile. Not only is that a gigantic non-sequitur, but it's insulting to anyone who has a desire to learn about the world but doesn't accept that the Christian bible is literal truth. Believe what you will. Your faith is your business. But don't insult our intelligence.
*Apologies for the run-on, but it just sounds better that way.
I have been so fed up with how the Republicans have decided to deal with Bristol Palin's pregnancy. It's not that they want it to be a private matter. That's fine (although they seem perfectly content to use Palin's family as a prop whenever they want... a little hypocritical if you ask me). It's not that they want people to leave Bristol alone. I agree. To a certain extent, it's not even that Sarah Palin slashed funding to teen mothers, opposes comprehensive sex-ed, and likely opposes contraception (although it certainly is partially that).
It's that the Republicans keep lauding Bristol Palin's "decision". They are so happy that she "chose life". And that irks me to no end. You don't get to laud her choice when you don't think she should have one. If you are truly pro-life, there is no choice! "It's a baby, not a choice", no?
Well, Samatha Bee from The Daily Show finally said what I wanted to say. And she said it at the Republican convention. Just watch:
Palin's being tagged for VP has Republicans falling all over themselves to say things that run contrary to previous statements. Jon Stewart, with his usual wit, puts it in perspective:
Via Pharyngula
ProfMTH, who I have a bit of an internet crush on, gives us the week in review:
For the citations referred to, see the video on youtube.
