A Recommendation

Barbara O'Brien, known to at least part of the world at large as "Maja," has recently posted a string of marvelously acerbic (and mordantly funny) posts on a range of topics at Mahablog.  It seems to be a little shift in tone for her -- maybe she's getting as fed up as I am.  Add her to your bookmarks.

Goldmine

That's Hullabaloo today.

First, Digby posted a speech by AFL-CIO president Richard Tumka, delivered at Harvard. A must-read for anyone who wants to see the "debate" between the teabaggers and rational people clearly.

Second, Tristero has an excellent post on why ID is bad science and bad theology. Tristero touches on a point that's one of my favorites:

Here are two real world examples of the meaninglessness of the question of God's existence for the evolution debate. Exhibit A: Kenneth Miller. Exhibit B: PZ Myers. Both are first-rate scientists and thinkers whose expertise in evolutionary theory is beyond dispute. For one, Miller, God exists. For the other, Myers, God doesn't. Anyone who agrees with PZ and thinks Miller is an intellectual lightweight by being both Catholic and an evolutiionary biologist needs only to read his testimony in the Kitzmiller trial; Miller knows exactly what he's talking about, and is far more knowledgeable and nuanced about it than just about anyone around. LIkewise, anyone who agrees with Miller and thinks PZ is cold-hearted and soulless needs only to read the truly astonishing posts on biological science and evolution available on Pharyngula to understand that this is someone who confronts the natural world with a highly developed sense of amazement, awe, and wonder. (And on a personal level, if you're lucky enough to spend some time with PZ Myers (and you're not a creationist), you'll soon realize that he is a very kind soul. Or, as he may prefer, very kind person. Whatever.)

That's pretty much akin to the christianist idea that only those who believe in (their version of) god can be moral. As I think I've said before, I'm not a Christian of any stripe, and I'll hold my moral values up against those of any Catholic bishop or Republican Senator (or Mike Huckabee*) any time.

It's not only Hullabaloo,though. McJoan has this post at Daily Kos on the comments of a veteran of the company in the "Collateral Murder" video. He deserves a read and some serious thought.

Also at Kos is Angry Mouse's dissertation on sex in America. It's a fun (and sometimes funny) read, particularly things like this:

Feminists have long fought amongst themselves about this very issue, with Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin arguing that all heterosexual sex is, by its very nature, rape. Camille Paglia, on the other far end of the spectrum, argued that when a woman goes to a man’s home, she’s asking for sex.

I have long recognized that Camille Paglia is a buffoon. I hadn't realized that MacKinnon and Dworkin were also vying for the title.

* Why Mike Huckabee? you may ask. Remember, he's the one who released a convicted rapist/murderer because of political pressure from the man's friends, even though the man was clearly guilty -- and the rapist/murderer went out and raped and murdered some more. It's easy to see what counts in Huckabee's world, and it ain't women or the American system of justice. Or children.

Even-Handed

Pam Spaulding has a good, strong post on blow-back from the left over criticism of Obama's complete inaction on gay civil rights issues. (I mean, the best he can do is a proclamation for GLBT etc., etc., Pride Month? That's all?)

Call this one "required reading."

New Discovery

Just ran across the Secular Right blog: conservative discussions without the religious hardliners, which means, as Andrew Sullivan is fond of calling it, "real" conservatism.

In fact, just reading through a few of the posts, the place seems refreshingly free of wingnuts. Was beginning to wonder if that was possible. (With apologies to John Cole.)

Visit Coyote Crossing

It's the new incarnation of Chris Clarke's "Creek Running North," and just as poetic, thoughtful, and impassioned as its predecessor.

It deserves a visit. In fact, bookmark it.

The Week In Review

If I may borrow a headline. See dday's listing of the week's significant stories.

Take a Look

at Chris Clarke's Creek Running North. It's not a happy face kind of place, necessarily, but it's a nice break from politics. The man is multi-talented, to say the least.

Evolution, Darwin, and All That

Tristero has an excellent post over at Hullabaloo on intelligent design and Darwin. Recommended reading (and do follow the links).

Scary Right-Wingers

Nugent isn't alone, or even the scariest -- just one of the most disgusting. Read this post by Sara Robinson at Orcinus. It fits pretty well with her series, "Crack in the Wall," that begins here.

Pay attention. In fact, I recommend you spend some time going through both Dave's and Sara's series (all linked in the sidebar at Orcinus). They've done some sterling work on connecting the dots, much more thorough and well-documented than I have time for.

New blogs

Well, they're not really new, but they're fairly new here. I will eventually get my links list updated, but for your reading pleasure, I heartily recommend the following, all of which I have recently added to my own Bookmarks:

Obsidian Wings, featuring the incomparable hilzoy and publius.

The Bilerico Project, one of the premier gay sites.

The Mahablog, thoughtful and thorough.

Shakesville, Amanda Marcotte's successor blog to Shakespeare's Sister -- pungent. (Correction: Sorry, this is not Amanda's blog, which is Pandagon, also worth checking out, but Melissa McEwen's. My bad. [Note to self: Drink coffee first. Then post.])

Suburban Guerrilla, incisive and clear-eyed.

That should be enough to get you started. Enjoy.

Skimble

I've found my soulmate in the blogosphere, thanks to Atrios. Check out Skimble.

Link Dump

I'm too tired to comment today (having finished the CD Review from Hell). May just go out walking, as long as the weather is nice.

There is some interesting stuff though:

From Sara Robinson at Orcinus, "The Future of Fundamentalism: A Scenario". Also read the following post, "Armies of God."

From Andrew Sullivan, the origins of "enhanced interrogation."

From John Aravosis at AmericaBlog, on those freedoms that our troops are defending.

Molly Ivors at Whiskey Fire, on Cindy Sheehan and the freepers. (And check out Jennifer Pozner's post on the media coverage.)

Sometimes I just don't have the energy for rage.

If you have any other good stories, leave them in the comments.

New Blog

Sort of. Check this out. The kid's priceless.

Thanks to Matt Yglesias for this one.

Heads Up

Two remarkable posts from The Republic of T on school shootings:

Part I, and

Pat II.

Thanks to Wulfgar at A Chicken Is Not Pillage for the alert.

Hats Off to Beyerstein

Excellent post by Lindsay Beyerstein at This Modern World on the debate around the Virginia Tech shooting -- and our public debates on crises in general. A must read.

Gay Kids

I've been advised about a special issue of the Child Welfare League of America journal on GLBT children and parents that looks very thorough. A brief summary and ordering information are here. Some of these articles will most likely be appearing on the Internet, at least in abstract, and eventually.

This is important stuff. If you have any interest in the welfare of gay kids, go for it.


Further thoughts: Kids are about the most important thing we have. Even I, who always thought I would make a terrible father, think about what it would be like to be raising children. I still think I wouldn't make a great father, and I would want to be. (I'm overprotective, distracted, sometimes negligent although not criminally so, and not terribly involved with the day-to-day. I honestly don't know if I could relate to a children very well on a constant basis.) I think it's particularly important for gay kids to have access to gay adults as role models and mentors, and I think the moves against gay adoption are as much about keeping that from happening as from concern about the welfare of the children, which is completely unjustified.

And the gay kids are the ones that really need the support and love. They're getting it from all sides.

Jon Rowe on Religion and the Constitution

Jon Rowe has a fascinating series of posts on religion and the Constitution, beginning here. It's pretty well documented that the majority of the Founders were sceptical of organized religion and that, contrary to what you may have heard from some former Supreme Court judges in Alabama, the country was not founded on the Ten Commandments, nor, as you may remember hearing from someone whose name I have (blessedly) forgotten are public office holders required to swear their oaths of office on the Bible.

Rowe goes on to tackle the standard misrepresentations as put forth in an article by Joseph Farah, providing full context and real facts. Paul Horowitz has responded to Rowe's comments on his paper on the Religious Test clause (which Rowe also includeshere).

Rowe then tears into Nathan Bradfield for his comments on "higher law".

Very informative series of posts.

New Blog

No, not mine! I have enough trouble keeping up with one. This one is by a Catholic priest, Fr. Jeff Gatlin, and concentrates on the lessons of Scripture. So far, it's a series of thoughtful, compassionate and truly Christian reflections on the meaning of the Christian faith. It's called Scripture Journey. I ran across Fr. Gatlin in this post at Crooks and Liars. John Amato had asked for a Catholic to respond to Bill Donohue:

"As a Christian, a Catholic Priest, I stand in opposition to any and all hateful speech used by anyone, especially when they do so in the name of Jesus. I do not believe that one can claim to be a disciple of Jesus and at the same time deride, mock, insult, or threaten violence against another person. Mr. Donohue clearly makes hateful remarks as well as violent comments towards Mr. Cavallaro and as such he insults God, his fellow Catholics and humanity for that point.

Proclaiming the Salvation of Jesus means that we are to refrain from such vile speech. One cannot preach the love of Jesus while cursing one's neighbor. The two cannot co-exist. To continually use hateful, crude, violent language is indicative of what dwells within one's heart. Mr. Donohue speaks only for himself and not the Catholic Church."

It seems we are hearing from more and more real Christians in this country. I think that's a good thing.

New Blog

Ran across The Mumpsimus yesterday. Makes me feel guilty that I don't spend more time blogging about writing, but I don't really talk about writing or the writing biz very much. This blog is one of the ways I get away from that.

Also check out Little Bird Blue, another writer's blog.

sigh

New Blogs of Note

Ecophotos. Some wonderful wildlife photography

Walter Reed/This Veteran's Life. Strong stuff. Good.

Update:

Just found another site that is really neat. It's not a blog, but it's worth looking into:

The Tree of Life