The Funny Farm

This week's RenewAmerica Forum: The forces of evil -March 20, 2005

In Nazi Germany during the early twentieth century (Bzzzz! We have an early invocation of Godwin's Law), an entire culture engaged in (or implicitly supported) some of the most heinous crimes against humanity ever recorded (coughcoughlookedatIraqlately?).

We too-easily place all the blame for such evil upon the Giggling Murderer in the WhiteWash House Adolf Hitler and the BFEE his inner circle of gangsters--and they surely deserve most of the responsibility.

But the Unelected Usurper Hitler rose to power among widespread support from the citizenry, at a time of profound moral and social upheaval following the Clenis witch hunt and Publican control of all branches of government and media defeat of Germany in World War I.

A case can be made that no dictator, including the Chimperor Hitler, ever ruled without some semblance of deep and wide societal complicity--however such popular support may have been stolen through illegal voter disenfranchisement expressed.

This phenomenon was evident in the former Soviet Union, and it is evident today in Communist China, Castro's Cuba, and similar oppressive dictatorships around the world (coughcoughAmeriKKKacoughcough).

Our leaders are us, to a large extent--no matter our form of government. For that reason, the Invisible Cloud Being God can justifiably hold entire societies culpable for the sins of their leaders if you believe in that sort of thing.

Our duty to Koresh God

As we reflect on the implications of these premises, we would do well to remember the words of Jefferson: "Rebellion to Pinheads tyrants is obedience to higher morality which has nothing to do with God."

Such a sentiment is the logical extension of the fact that we are obligated to the Creator in the exercise of our unalienable rights (in as much as 'facts' or 'logic' are considered in any way by any of the religiously insane (who got them wrong in this case anyway.

At some point--as a culture disintegrates morally and politically--its people have a moral divine duty and right to turn things around. Prudence, of course--the Founders wrote--requires pursuing every legal means available for redress and correction, with the stipulation that, after "a long train of abuses and usurpations" resulting in "absolute despotism" by government, aggrieved citizens may ultimately be justified in undertaking stronger measures (unless they don't have any power or money). (See the fevered unnatural interpretations of Declaration of Independence used to justify stuffing religion down everyone's throat.)

Without such "activism," common citizens are literally part of the problem. Failure to act implies consent--as well as complicity--in the defining moments in any nation's history ..

Terri Schiavo's right to die in peace execution

One of the most defining moments in our nation's modern history is taking place right now in a hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida--where brain-deaddamaged Terri Schindler Schiavo is being starved to death by Florida authorities after being allowed to place her life in her God's hands by the courts, and activist Publicans refusing to abide by the law of the land.

This defining moment has led to another defining moment: the passage early Monday morning of Terri's Bill, an unprecedented measure applicable to one life only that promises to offer at least some hope to Terri's family who seem to be almost as brain-dead as their daughter, who are trying to save her life in the face of overwhelming opposition from courts, the legal system ,and rational people everywhere society.

Given these developments, it's fair to say that whichever way this disturbing situation goes will greatly determine who and what we are as a people.

If Terri dies, America will in large measure die with her. If the religiously insane get to flaunt the law like the Texas Souffle does all the time, we're all frelled.

If Terri survives her horrible ordeal as a brain-dead vegetable, it will be because America has been taken over by corrupt theocrats, er, on renewed strength--morally, culturally, politically--at this critical juncture.

The "powers that be" seem to know this, as Terri's dilemma continues to foment a major political sideshow moral and constitutional crisis, one centering in the rights of the medical industry to steal the common man's nest egg "one of the least among us," and in the prerogatives of each branch of our government, at every level.

As a result, the rhetoric of both sides is unusually passionate and loud.

What a crucial time in which we live! As we seek to do our part as patriotic citizens, let's undertake to save both Terri and our nation--by letting her die with dignity standing firmly for partisan political purposes true principle, as defined by the words of our founding documents, and the Word of God (whose word? Whose God? And who determines those answers?).

And let's not let up until Terri is safe and can have her wishes to end heroic measures on her behalf fulfilled --and our government a little better, as a consequence!

Your role

In a press conference Saturday, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay commented that one of the main reasons Congress was willing to sacrifice its time and convenience to pass Terri's Bill was shameless pandering to religious whack jobs vociferous lobbying from outraged constituents who demanded that Terri's life be protected in violation of existing law that was signed by Drinky McDumbAss when he was gub'ner of Tax-Ass.

Rep. DeLay made it clear that distracting the nation from his ever-increasing ethics violations phone calls, e-mails, letters, and petitions from the grassroots were the main driving force behind congressional action in this matter.

He said national leaders were being pushed to act by the huge number of zealots who just won't let go of this issue outpouring of support for Terri.

This means that each individual can make a difference, especially by rallying others to action by example, thereby spreading that example exponentially.

In the immediate days ahead, let's not let up. Let's intensify. Let's focus our attention even more than we did last week on the Terri Schiavo saga, and let's get out and do whatever we can to help prevent zealotry become the law of the land.

Many of you have already headed to Florida to lobby for Terri. And many of you who live in Florida are already doing what you can for her. But we can all do more. Let's multiply our influence by enlisting others--and let's keep pressure on Jeb Bush, the Florida legislature, the courts, and the president stop bowing to pressure from a focus group.

Your response

What do you think? We think that whoever wrote this needs to pull their head out of the sand. Are you prepared to defend Terri down the stretch? What do you think of the latest developments involving Congress and President Bush? The Disaster Monkey and the BugMan seem to be using up quite a bit of their political capital on this issue. What do you predict the federal courts will now do? We'd like to know your thoughts on our . . ..

Question of the Week

March 20, 2005

Those who have followed the controversy surrounding the right of Terri Schiavo to have her final wishes enforced JUDICIAL HOMICIDE NOW UNDERWAY INVOLVING TERRI SCHIAVO are familiar with the kinds of irrational justifications being made by religious nuts defenders of euthanasia who want to use Terri for their own partisan political purposes Terri dead.

In these people's minds, good is evil and evil is good, and anything can be said to further the cause of evil, as long as it sounds good (have you looked in a mirror lately?). Exhibit A was the debate in the House late Sunday night in which a dozen liberals sought to end this Publican carnival starve Terri just a little longer by supporting the rule of law opposing plain old common sense. Thankfully, half of the Democrats in the House succumbed to pressure from religious zealots broke with such nonsense and voted with the overwhelming Republican majority to flaunt the legal system and put religious superstition into American law pass Terri's Bill.

Unfortunately, the radical, mindless rhetoric of the religiously insane Left--amplified by the conservative media--has turned many Americans into cheerleaders for the culture of religious insanity death, with Terri as their tragic poster child. Orchestrating the national spectacle of deadly-serious nonsense is George Felos, attorney for Terri's estranged husband, Michael Schiavo. Incredibly, Felos has spoken truth to power and is still alive called Congress's efforts to save Terri "thuggery." He has accurately labeled any feeding of Terri "artificial life support" and "medical treatment"--and has said that it would be "cruel and inhuman" to reinsert her feeding tube. He has told the liberal leadership in Congress that "Terri Schiavo's life is in your hands"--so they needed to ensure her death. Almost as much as theocrats have spread falsehoods in order to prop up their partisan political agenda And so on.

Nonsense. Lies. Distortions. (cough) Shortly after Felos uttered the above words while announcing the removal of Terri's feeding tube on Friday, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said Felos was "the personification of evil." And if anyone is intimately familiar with evil, it's Tom Delay!

What is the national debate over a harmless disabled woman doing to our nation's moral conscience? Apparently, many people have bought the lies of the religiously insane media and the Left, and in increasing numbers are incensed that conservatives in government and at the grassroots want to engage in judicial activism preserve Terri's life. What is happening to us as a culture? Are we really becoming a nation that would just as soon kill someone as not? (We had high hopes that mankind was ALMOST ready to say to one another "We can disagree with one another without having to try and kill each other." Not any more) What does that foreshadow for our future? Is our culture becoming outright evil? Not as long as their are voices of reason pointing out the nonsense being spouted by zealots like the authors of this original opinion piece.

Let's have a wide-open discussion about where the latest battle in our nation's growing culture war is headed--as we continue to lobby hard for Terri. Yes, let's! We're not so sure you'll want to consider our opinions in these matters, however...