Lennon invites Catholics to the chancery

An identified reporter [not an editor] writes in Cleveland's daily of a meeting between Cleveland's bishop and the board members (parish council) of the Community of St. Peter's:

two topics -- "the importance of unity among Catholics" and "the Second Vatican Council's teachings on membership in the church." 

These will be very directed talks; contrary interpretations, and contributions not supporting the director's direction  (if brought up) will not be appreciated by the director. "Unity" for Richard Lennon has always meant obedience to the will of Richard Lennon. This will not be a free colloquium. Perhaps unity will only be achieved with his departure from the diocese. No one will be willing to ask for his resignation at this meeting.

Lennon is going after St. Peter's on E. 71. He wants their council to betray Fr. Marrone, after he dictates terms of "Unity".  It is a campaign. He has not learned a lesson from the Roman decrees. He is relentless. A year has passed since the decrees, and a new Curia has not been installed.

“It is essential to exclude all those unwanted and unasked for, if the people are not to be crossed and end by despising or hating their bishop. If they cannot have the candidate they desire, the people may all turn away from religion unduly.” — Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Bishop of Rome 440-461

__________________________________
postscriptum 6 May 2013: Well, the meeting was not as i expected. It also deviated from the agenda given. Lennon brought with him several members of his chancery's senior officers (all being priests and sisters). There was open discussion between the bishop and the parishioners, and a future meeting proposed. One odd claim was made by Lennon, that the 'parish clusters' were pre-determined before his arrival. There is definitely mendacity afoot, for throughout, before and after the 'clustering process' the claim was repeatedly, insistently made that nothing was pre-determined.

Lennon should leave, Cleveland's paper shills for Lennon

The one single act that would benefit the diocese of Cleveland quickly and greatly is the departure of Richard Lennon. His removal is possible, and it is permitted. The people have always had the right to remove a bishop. The current population is somewhat ignorant of that right and tradition. They have allowed themselves to be cowed by clericalism. see: Odium populi, odium plebes. see: Is totalitarianism acceptable in the episcopacy?

Anyone considering becoming a Catholic near Cleveland, if they had true knowledge of Lennon, would have to overcome that. He is a repellant. So many parishioners shutter when they see Lennon in their church. But as with so many other things in the US, the establishment is protected from the masses. This is the way one can tell if someone is of the establishment or not. If one is not, then criticism of him and attempts to remove him are tolerated and encouraged. If he is of the establishment, then criticism of him is stifled, 'voices' supporting him are given air, and attempts to remove him are not given notice.

Lennon has been protected by the editors of the Plain Dealer. The lennonist party has been free to give their unchallenged rationale without critical examination, and certainly not a rebuttal. Letters defending Lennon, and attacking his critics have been printed without identifying the business relations of the writer to the diocese. Recently, a television reporter was given space to reel off a number of fictions, and demanded a trumpeting piece of praise to be printed on Lennon's fundraising (shake down) acumen, and the paper delivered an article to that effect. Now, some people complain of the reporting of articles that touch on lennonism, but the reporters try diligently to be factual, and the facts do not flatter Lennon as do the opinions of his supporters. As with the Wall Street Journal (before Murdoch, the owner of Fox cable) when the front page stories are in conflict with the editorial pages, believe the reporters.

And, after i wrote the three paragraphs supra, i read to-day's Plain Dealer editorial heaping praise on Lennon's fundraising. O, it is all false propaganda, every statement is part of a deception and a lie. In regards to the fundraising see:
When they say it’s not about the money, it’s about the money. 
the american bishops' plan
How much does Lennon like money? 

Rooted in Faith ~ Forward in Hope
The Diocese of Arlington's Capital Fundraising Initiative

Here's the agency that created Lennon's fundraising campaign. They advertise Cleveland, and San Jose California using it. http://www.ccsfundraising.com/catholic-dioceses
_________________________________
postscriptum: As i have said in many private conversations, "management lies". Management wants to control labor, the interest is not in truth, but in power. Sometimes people recognise this. Under 'totalitarian' governments, there were always enthusiastic supporters, many who were ambitious. Others, knew. There is a certain φρόνημα (phronema), as St. Paul and Blessed John Henry Newman indicate, an instinctual collective property of discernment of truth. They were speaking of the Faith and the Spirit, but there is also one of the Truth. People can sense the Truth when they are fed lies and verbal nonsense. As we crudely say, we have a 'bullshit detector'.  So even a co-ordinated campaign does not convince everyone. That campaign has to be continuous, and it still does not fool everyone. Prudence, often suggests to acknowledge this silently.

postscriptum ii. 9 May: I forgot to note, 'vibrant' and 'vibrancy' are words that Lennon bandies about and does not define. In this shakedown context, we see these terms applied to the success of money accumulation. So a 'vibrant' community/parish is one that delivers money to the chancery. So the anawim (click, here too) can never be vibrant.

Workers' Memorial Day 2013

Because of God-awful situations as Texas, the United States needs to be interested in worker (Human) safety. The Canadian Union of Public Employees began Workers' Memorial Day in 1984, since then it has been adopted elsewhere.

Texas City 16 April 1947 -- A ship containing ammonium nitrate went boom, after the initial explosion other ships, and much of the industrial port town went to fire. Officially, more than 580 people were killed, but many bodies were incinerated, and Texas had a history (re: Galveston flood) of under counting deaths. Windows were broken in Houston 40 miles away.

Texas City 23 March 2005 -- Vapor explosion at the US's third largest oil refinery (owned by BP) kills fifteen.

West 17 April 2013 -- West Fertilizer Company fire caused an explosion, fourteen dead, mostly firemen.  Tons (270?) of ammonium nitrate were on site. Last OHSA inspection was in 1985.  Rick Perry (Republican) is the governor. He shot off his fool mouth about Texas seceding, he complains of business regulation, he complains of taxes being collected for governmental spending, he demands money from Washington for spending in Texas. Perhaps the entire Repuke congressional delegation from Texas acts this way.

 a British poster

 “I have a word of advice for employers frustrated by Illinois’ short-sighted approach to business: you need to get out while there’s still time. The escape route leads straight to Texas, where limited government, low taxes and a pro-business environment are creating more jobs than any other state.” -- Rick Perry

  _______________________________________________________________
Postscriptum 4.30 pm: the cartoon infra by Jack Ohman, was published Thursday, 25 April in the Sacramento Bee. Some thin skinned political nitwits in Texas are upset. Republicans always cry foul when their bullshit is exposed. They expect to mouth their nonsense without rebuttal, and when reality occurs, no one is to point out that reality contradicts their propaganda. On the contrary, they want silence. Perry's Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (he who lost the senatorial primary) wants the cartoonist fired, apparently Republican lieutenant governors believe they have the right to end anyone's right to make a living anywhere. Is this considered 'messing with Texas'?

[borrowed images]

turning the page on bush junior

April 23 is both St. George Day, and World Book Day, 'tis sickening that a 'Presidential' Museum and Library was formally opening in Dallas Texas only two days later. Did not Dallas already darken the presidency forever? Sickening more is that three legally elected presidents (Carter, Clinton, and Obama) will 'honor' the individual that the place is named for. bush, cheney, et alia were criminals that have escaped punishment, and the only censure they have received is that of world opinion. Why is the current president, who is so reviled by Republicans, going through the false pretense of honoring such a schmuck? It is odd that Democrats will so easily make nice, while their enemies ('opponents' is to soft a term) do not share the compunction.

While the unmitigated, miserable failure was occupying the office early in the second term of usurpation he repeatedly mentioned that history will ultimately judge him. He said this to avoid the discussion. Busheviks on the government's dime were already then revising history, but as Gary Trudeau correctly observed in mid 2006, History has already rendered judgment — bush the lesser was a disaster. Television and the press are mouthing nonsense about historians always revising their opinions, and that a president's reputation is fluid. No. After Lincoln, and Roosevelt died in office, no one thought them insignificant. People who loved them, and those that hated them, did not change their minds. In the 1920s there were three Republican presidents, no one (other than Republican partisans) after 1930 thought they did a good job. The example for favorable re-evaluation is Truman, and what do you have with Truman? A New Deal Democrat that had to constantly fight the reaction of Republicans, and suffered from the comparison to his predecessor. As time passed, he was evaluated apart from the Roosevelt shadow, and that the Republicans were both ornery and wrong, so their opposition was then discounted.

As time passes, only the degree of damage can be gauged about the repercussions of gwbjr. Did he destroy what people assumed was America? Was his tenure when the collapse began? Or was it a bad 'stretch' that took many years to recover from? his presidency drastically increased partisanship, and after his departure his partisans became even more partisan to the point where they left him in the dust as not crazy enough. he as president overlooked his father's reign, as he and his minions looked at Reagan. Even before he departed from the District his party did the same concerning his presidency. Many young Republicans having no memory of the 1980s have been taught to idolise the aged actor, and others who were around have fantasized Reagan's success. Since '65, that is '1865', there has been a wretchedness about the Republican party, gwbjr was a nadir. That nadir is significant in that it was proficient in gaining, and wielding power while being an unqualified failure.

Arbor Day

 

 ecology/environmental flag

To-day is the last Friday in April, and by law, national Arbor Day.  Earth Day, in the US, was first promoted by a senator from Wisconsin, Gaylord Nelson (D) for Wednesday 22 April 1970. He wanted the day for a teach-in, especially on college campuses. That day, that year, would have been a regular school day most places (not Easter vacation, not exam week). By co-incidence, it was also Nebraska's Arbor Day, the birthday of its founder, Julius Sterling Morton (D) . Nebraska was a flat land without trees, Morton thought it a good idea to have trees. Many of the first white settlers lived in sod huts. The first Arbor Day was in 1872. Under Franklin Roosevelt (D) millions of trees were planted partially as a windbreak, and an erosion preventer.  Also, by accident, 22 April is also Lenin's birthday. This gave tinfoil hat libertarian lunatics license and liberty to let loose. 

The Sysacks of Cleveland in 2010 put this one up, the year before a green swastika. When you are nuts, you do not have to be consistent. These nuts make signs for their living, and usually [which is odd, for their kind] spell well. Often besides being ridiculous, and obnoxious, they have been obscenely (even stomach turning) vulgar. They hate 'liberals', and i do not know if they remarked on 'liberal' courts allowing public obscenity. I am sure, many passerbys had no idea what this sign meant. Russell died late in 2009, his sister Nancy was his partner, and continues on.

Over the years, about 40, i only remember thrice the billboard vandalised; once by some paint splashing, once some torching, and once hit by a vehicle. On the one occasion he mentioned H.N.I.C. (head nigger in charge), Cleveland's mayoral election. That scared them, for a long time the sign was blank. They have regularly hurled abuse at Martin King, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Barack Obama, and virtually the entire black population of the United States. I was beyond surprised when i saw them taking Republican provocateurs to task. 

Saint George's Day is April 23rd and has long been celebrate as a green day. Part of  the celebration of Spring. The Slavonic peoples have celebrated Juri Zeleni (spelling varies, Green George) for centuries. In the Arthurian tales there is a Green Knight. The English also had Jack in the Green for MayDay celebrations.

but this is more of what happens on Arbor, and Earth days around here

Stooge of the Night

Hooray for David Letterman. God grant him many blessed years. This week he aired a new segment, "Stooge of the Night". The first stooge highlighted, and this was also by happy calendaric accident, on Earth Day, Jim Inhofe, the most anti-earth Senator. 

Mr. Letterman, as Messrs. Colbert and Stewart are jesters. Only jesters can make a living telling the truth. The first stooge is Inhofe, David went in a little detail, repeated himself and lingered as the screen showed a photograph of said stooge. Not much audience response, perhaps they were in shock. The humour was not so much, as it was clear, didactic, and verbatim reporting.

I have been a bit sleepy that late in the night, this week.  I have not reviewed it on tape, the bit begins: “Well, Dave, it’s time for ‘Stooge of the Night!’ Tonight’s Stooge is Senator James Inhofe, Republican from Oklahoma!”.  It has become clear, that Letterman's action has as raison d'être the failure of the Senate to vote in the safety interest of Americans; they prefer to bow before the merchants of death and commerce. The first three stooges are:

•Republican Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe
•Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake
•Republican Tejas Senator Ted Cruz

I await to-night's programme to see if more stooges are shown. As we remember, the theatrical Stooges had several third members after Larry and Moe.

Why were these stooges highlighted. Let us start with the lead stooge:

"See, I think it's so unfair of the administration to hurt these families, to make them think this has something to do with them when, in fact, it doesn't." — Inhofe*

Inhofe uses a typical formulæ of a Republican lie. It is in the false guise of compassion, but really is a cover to attack Democrats and a Democratic president; then the cruel, and militantly stupid essence to insult and wound people (the parents of dead children) whom have been devastated; and finally, the authoritarian lie as a declaration. Perhaps, the loathesomeness of this statement unnerved the audience.

Flake the Stooge received his recognition from this action reported in the following headline: 

Arizona senator told mother of theater shooting victim that he supported gun background checks, then voted against them

Now, we can't be too upset at this, after all if there is any constant principle among Republicans it is hypocrisy. Now, what is interesting about the Flake is that he was supposedly a friend of his former Arizonan congressional delegation mate, Gabrielle Giffords. She was shot in the head in an Arizonan shopping center. She has recently come under tasteless and cruel attacks by 'conservative' writers. But hey, we are dealing with fascists. Fascists will always attack democrats. Getting back to Flake, this is a type of personal betrayal.

Cruz has been a senator for an hundred days. He is trying to be the new Joe McCarthy. All Letterman had to say was, "$14,000 from the N(at)R(if)A(ss)." Some people are bought cheaply, but Texas has for all too many years been electing the most wretched people possible for office. 

David Letterman is too polite. He uses 'stooge', when he should say 'scum'.
___________________________________________
*on May 2nd i saw a clip on youtube, Letterman does not use this quote, but does refer to the manner of the stooge's rationale.  ..."Well, that's because they've been told that by the president." Inhofe followed the quotation after asked further. 
 

America, here are your additional Stooges of the Night!

postscriptum: the clean up stooge is Republican Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. 82% of Kentucky's residents wanted increased background checks, so Miss votes 'No'. 
ps ii: on Friday, the stooge was Democratic Arkansas Senator Mark Pryor who was part of four 'gun control' pieces while in the state legislature, but voted against it now.

ps iii: on Monday the 29th, the stooge was Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio. He voted "No", because he did not read the bill. He was busy drinking water.
ps iv: on Tuesday the last day of April, the stooge was Republican New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte. 89% of New Hampshire's residents wanted increased background checks.
ps v: on the 1st of May, the stooge was Republican North Carolina Senator Richard Burr, who took $1,000 from a British ammunition company. There are no background checks on campaign contributions.
ps vi: on the 2nd of May, the stooge is Republican Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson who voted against the Manchin-Toomey amendment to S649.
ps vii: David finishes the second week of stooges with Democratic Montana Senator Max Baucus. 79% of state voters are in favor of background checks.

ps viii: The first stooge of the third week is one of balance. The last stooge of week one was the Democratic Arkansas Senator, and now we have the Republican Arkansas Senator John Boozman. So, Arkansas is the first state with multiple stooges, and we have not mentioned Huckabee, the Hutchinsons, and Cotton. 
ps ix: The stooge for Tuesday the 7th of May is Republican Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. The novelty of the segment has lost its shock value, but Letterman has a history of sticking to a bit. And David sees this issue as important, i see this bit continuing. These stooges need to be listed and lampooned. Grassley, under Obama, has become noticeably more asinine than before.
ps x: The local CBS affiliate, for the third night in row, pre-empted part of Letterman. This night, five minutes of local commercials (including the same car dealer's advert three times) ended and joined the show at the exact end of the stooge bit.
ps xi: And the stooge was Republican Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. David mocked him, for most of two minutes and the audience continued with moderate laughter.
ps xii: I had difficulty staying awake. The stooge was the bushs' family friend, who so ignobly 'won' a senate seat by defaming a legless Viet Nam Veteran (but hey, that is how Republicans win). Republican Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss was the stooge. Recently Chambliss played golf with the president.
ps xiii: On the end of the third week, Dave finishes up with a Democrat again, he will run out. The stooge of the night is Democratic North Dakota Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who voted 'No' despite of 94% of the state's voters wanting a 'yes' vote.
====================================== 
ps xiv: If Mr. Letterman continues with the entirety of the stooge roster, perhaps it would be easier just to check them off. I am waiting for Ohio's stooge. (and Dave delivered him Thursday 16 May, noting Portman has accepted $1.3 million from gun interests)

☐Lamar Alexander, R., Tenn.
☑Kelly Ayotte, R., N.H.
☐John Barrasso, R., Wyo.
☒Roy Blunt, R., Mo. Stooge of 20 May
☑John Boozman, R., Ark.
☑Richard Burr, R., N.C.
☑Saxby Chambliss, R., Ga.
☐Dan Coats, R., Ind.
☐Tom Coburn, R., Okla.
☐Thad Cochran, R., Miss.
☐Bob Corker, R., Tenn.
☐John Cornyn, R., Texas "Corndog" by gwbjr, evil bastard by others
☐Mike Crapo, R., Idaho
☑Ted Cruz, R., Texas
☐Mike Enzi, R., Wyo.
☐Deb Fischer, R., Neb.
☑Jeff Flake, R., Ariz.
☐Lindsey Graham, R., S.C.
☑Chuck Grassley, R., Iowa
☐Orrin Hatch, R., Utah
☐Dean Heller, R., Nev.
☒John Hoeven, R., N.D. Stooge of 17 May 
☑James Inhofe, R., Okla.  the Stooge of Stooges
☑Johnny Isakson, R., Ga.
☐Mike Johanns, R., Neb.
☒Ron Johnson, R., Wis. Stooge of 15 May
☐Mike Lee, R., Utah
☑Mitch McConnell, R., Ky.
☐Jerry Moran, R., Kan.
☐Lisa Murkowski, R., Alaska
☒☑Rand Paul, R., Ky. 1st double Stooge, 8 & 14 May 
☒Rob Portman, R., Ohio Stooge of 16 May
☐James Risch, R., Idaho
☐Pat Roberts, R., Kan.
☑Marco Rubio, R., Fla.
☐Tim Scott, R., S.C.
☐Jeff Sessions, R., Ala.
☐Richard Shelby, R., Ala.
☒John Thune, R., S.D. Stooge of 13 May
☐Diaper David Vitter, R., La.
☐Roger Wicker, R., Miss.

☑Max Baucus, D., Mont.
☐Mark Begich, D., Alaska
☑Heidi Heitkamp, D., N.D.
☑Mark Pryor, D., Ark.
☐Harry Reid, D., Nev.* voted 'no', procedural move so to be able to call for a new vote

truth is precious

Truth is valuable. In argument, lies are more effective; for two can argue fairly and honestly, but when one lies it changes the balance. The one who objects to the liar has now the need to challenge two stands simultaneously, but without commensurate time. Once lies are public, they are equal in supposition. Once public, someone will refer to them again as legitimate arguments. Lies are like vampires, though dead they prowl the world and attack. As in some movies, a sharp stake through its heart will cause it to become dust and destruct to nothingness. A simple, courageous man armed only with truth has the power to overcome.

Boris Leonidovič Pasternak wrote, “In every generation there has to be some fool who will speak the truth as he sees it.” He was not the only Russian with such thoughts. Not all written works were openly available. Some documents were available as samizdat. Now, the word 'сам' (sam) is “self, by oneself”, 'издат' (izdat) is short for 'издательство', izdatel’stvo, “publishing house”. Now in Slovene, and even more in Serbo-Croatian 'izdat' means to give out (often, 'betray', sometimes as in reveal). The written work is put out by one's self. Most of these samizdat works were political. People were compelled to have them read, regardless of their safety, or permission, or approval of the establishment.

In 1970, Aleksandr Isajevič Solzhenitsyn received the Nobel Prize for Literature. He delivered a seven part speech, he could not leave Russia. What are the duties of art and literature? Literature was suppressed in Russia. He refers to Camus, and quotes Dostojevskij. He speaks of beauty, and truth. The last portion of the seventh part is very important:

Скажут нам: что ж может литература против безжалостного натиска открытого насилия? А: не забудем, что насилие не живет одно и не способно жить одно: оно непременно сплетено с ложью. Между ними самая родственная, самая природная глубокая связь: насилию нечем прикрыться, кроме лжи, а лжи нечем удержаться, кроме как насилием. Всякий, кто однажды провозгласил насилие своим методом, неумолимо должен избрать ложь своим принципом. Рождаясь, насилие действует открыто и даже гордится собой. Но едва оно укрепится, утвердится, — оно ощущает разрежение воздуха вокруг себя и не может существовать дальше иначе, как затуманиваясь в ложь, прикрываясь ее сладкоречием. Оно уже не всегда, не обязательно прямо душит глотку, чаще оно требует от подданных только присяги лжи, только соучастия во лжи.

И простой шаг простого мужественного человека: не участвовать во лжи, не поддерживать ложных действий! Пусть э т о приходит в мир и даже царит в мире — но не через меня. Писателям же и художникам доступно больше: победить ложь! Уж в борьбе-то с ложью искусство всегда побеждало, всегда побеждает! — зримо, неопровержимо для всех! Против многого в мире может выстоять ложь — но только не против искусства.

А едва развеяна будет ложь — отвратительно откроется нагота насилия — и насилие дряхлое падет.

Вот почему я думаю, друзья, что мы способны помочь миру в его раскаленный час. Не отнекиваться безоружностью, не отдаваться беспечной жизни — но выйти на бой!

В русском языке излюбленны пословицы о правде. Они настойчиво выражают немалый тяжелый народный опыт и иногда поразительно:

“Одно слово правды весь мир перетянет”.

Вот на таком мнимо фантастическом нарушении закона сохранения масс и энергий основана и моя собственная деятельность, и мой призыв к писателям мира”. 
===============================
F. D. Reeve translation:

We will be told: What can literature do against the pitiless onslaught of naked violence? Let us not forget that violence does not and can not flourish by itself; it is inevitably intertwined with LYING. Between them there is the closest, the most profound and natural bond: nothing screens violence except lies, and the only way lies can hold out is by violence. Whoever has once announced violence as his METHOD must inexorably choose lying as his PRINCIPLE. At birth, violence behaves openly and even proudly. But as soon as it becomes strong and firmly established, it senses the thinning of air around it and it cannot go on without befogging itself in lies, coating itself lying's sugary oratory. It does not always or necessarily go straight for the gullet; usually it demands of its victims only allegiance to the lie, only complicity in the lie.

The simple act of an ordinary courageous man is not to take part, not to support lies! Let that come into the world and even reign over it, but not through me. Writers and artists can do more: they can VANQUISH LIES! In the struggle against lies art has always won and always will. Conspicuously, incontestably for everyone. Lies can stand up against much in the world, but not against art.

Once lies have been dispelled, the repulsive nakedness of violence will be exposed — and hollow violence will collapse.

That, my friends, is why I think we can help the world in its red-hot hour: not by the nay-saying of having no armaments, not by abandoning one self to the carefree life, but by going into battle!

In Russian, proverbs about TRUTH are favorites. They persistently express the considerable, bitter, grim experience of the people, often astonishingly:

ONE WORD OF TRUTH OUTWEIGHS THE WORLD.

On such a seemingly fantastic violation of the law of the conservation of mass and energy are based both my own activities and my appeal to the writers of the whole world.
==========================================
Nobel Organisation translation:

 We shall be told: what can literature possibly do against the ruthless onslaught of open violence? But let us not forget that violence does not live alone and is not capable of living alone: it is necessarily interwoven with falsehood. Between them lies the most intimate, the deepest of natural bonds. Violence finds its only refuge in falsehood, falsehood its only support in violence. Any man who has once acclaimed violence as his METHOD must inexorably choose falsehood as his PRINCIPLE. At its birth violence acts openly and even with pride. But no sooner does it become strong, firmly established, than it senses the rarefaction of the air around it and it cannot continue to exist without descending into a fog of lies, clothing them in sweet talk. It does not always, not necessarily, openly throttle the throat, more often it demands from its subjects only an oath of allegiance to falsehood, only complicity in falsehood.

And the simple step of a simple courageous man is not to partake in falsehood, not to support false actions! Let THAT enter the world, let it even reign in the world - but not with my help. But writers and artists can achieve more: they can CONQUER FALSEHOOD! In the struggle with falsehood art always did win and it always does win! Openly, irrefutably for everyone! Falsehood can hold out against much in this world, but not against art.

And no sooner will falsehood be dispersed than the nakedness of violence will be revealed in all its ugliness - and violence, decrepit, will fall.

That is why, my friends, I believe that we are able to help the world in its white-hot hour. Not by making the excuse of possessing no weapons, and not by giving ourselves over to a frivolous life - but by going to war!

Proverbs about truth are well-loved in Russian. They give steady and sometimes striking expression to the not inconsiderable harsh national experience:

ONE WORD OF TRUTH SHALL OUTWEIGH THE WHOLE WORLD.

And it is here, on an imaginary fantasy, a breach of the principle of the conservation of mass and energy, that I base both my own activity and my appeal to the writers of the whole world.

foil helmet brigades

In November 2008, the London Telegraph listed thirty top conspiracies. Many were familiar, many were American. A very few had not caused a blip upon my radar. On the last one, the writer used the phrase "right-wing radio shows in the US". O, yea.

American politics has often been an arena for angry minds. In recent years, we have seen angry minds at work, mainly among extreme right-wingers, who have now demonstrated, in the Goldwater movement, how much political leverage can be got out of the animosities and passions of a small minority. But, behind this, I believe, there is a style of mind that is far from new, and that is not necessarily right-wing. I call it the paranoid style, simply because no other word adequately evokes the sense of heated exaggeration, suspiciousness, and conspiratorial fantasy that I have in mind. — The Paranoid Style in American Politics. Richard J. Hofstadter. 1964. 

Hofstadter *1916, 1970† was a professor and public historian of an earlier generation. Goldwater would be a liberal Republican to-day. 

Some of these crazy beliefs have over a century of conflicting adherents. Mark Twain in response to the controversy promoted by Delia Bacon, that a group of men, primarily her kinsman, Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare: "If it wasn't Shakespeare who wrote Shakespeare, it was another guy named Shakespeare!"  Now, sit down and read the Elizabethan Bacon, dull and turgid. The similarity is the language used, English. Now, the candidates have expanded (not unlike the President Kennedy assassination). There are even fine Shakespearean actors, who believe in these fantasies. These 'anti-Statfordians' are jackasses, but they don't roil the body politic (although, one, Scalia, sits on the Supreme Court, and now maybe you know he is crazy).

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion was a tsarist secret police hoax that will not die. It was, and still is used, to stir hatred against Jews.

Some of these were active in my childhood; the Roswell Flying Saucers of 1947 and Area 51, and then one of the big ones — the moon landing was faked, Paul McCartney is dead (no, he was alive throughout the 1960s, and still performs to-day; now two other Beatles are dead, one being assassinated by a cracked pot, and another almost so, but survived the murder attempt and fell to cancer), and conversely, Elvis did not die. The biggest was the various individuals and groups that killed John Kennedy. You know, there are 'x' amount of propositions, and at least 'x-1' are necessarily false and why then not 'x'?

Another political conspiracy is that Pearl Harbor was allowed to happen. This boils down, in some cases, in an excuse to defame Franklin Roosevelt. 

As the fascists who hated Roosevelt have reproduced, they still hate everything Roosevelt did, and they hate his political party. So, a whole barrel of crazy stories they tie together: FEMA has created several concentration camps to imprison Americans, Barack Obama's birth certificate is not real, black helicopters are waiting to kill Americans, global warming is a hoax...New World Order/United nations/George Soros/Illuminati/Jesuits/Jews/Freemasons/atheists/liberals/socialists/communists (and anything Glenn Beck gloms on to next) forms a world wide conspiracy to enslave "us".

Besides the political yahoos, and there are too many (some in Congress: Michele Bachmann, Jim Inhofe, being the extremes), there seems to be an inability to either grasp science or to think badly written science fiction is real. They are willfully ignorant of both the historical, and scientific methods, or what Karl Rove called "the base".

Here is a partial list of more nonsense:

• Diana, Princess of Wales, was murdered
• Bible/Jesus conspiracy/Da Vinci Code (bad novel as history)
• 9/11 was not al-Qaeda, but an inside job
• Chemical jet contrails
• tobacco has no effect on cancer [really, i thought that was not debatable anymore]
• AIDS came from a laboratory
• Fluoridation of water attacks our health
• Aluminum foil will prevent people or waves reading my mind
• Computer chips will be placed in our necks 
• Our guns will be taken away, and we will be helpless 
• a particular color of chocolate candy is dangerous
• vaccinations cause autism 
• extra-terrestrial beings are kidnapping people to probe them

__________________________________________
postscriptum: 2 May 2013. New crazy [click], with gun nuts and super crazy republican (senator Okla.) Jim Inhofe. The President is causing a bullet scarcity by hoarding ammo to use on citizens.

World Book Day

To-day (23 April) is St. George's Day, it is connected to both as a date of death to Cervantes, and to Shakespeare. It was begun by booksellers in Spain in 1923, and then expanded by the United Nations in 1995. Alcalá de Henares is Cervantes birthplace and there is a public reading of the world's first novel, El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha 1605, on this day there.

It is better to note than Banned Book Week which begins at the end of September. American librarians began this in 1982, rightly to protest censorship. World Book Day is a celebration, while the other is a warning against the dystopia of 1984, and Fahrenheit 451.

Generally it is either important or popular novels that are banned in America. The syllabus of books studied in high school and college literature classes are virtually identical. At different times, different books, for different reasons are objected to. Being absolute crap, like Ayn Rand has not been a reason. Recently a Republican legislator in Idaho wanted one of her doorstops mandatory.

Often it is the idea wants to be censored, especially if is true and, therefore, embarrassing or against controlling economic (or political interest).  Uncle Tom's Cabin 1852 was anti-slavery. The Grapes of Wrath 1939 showed the plight of internal, agricultural, migrant workers. The land magnates, and their stooges burned the book, and banned the book in their part of California. J. Edgar Hoover made sure the FBI and the IRS would always harass the author. Eleanor Roosevelt praised the book, Hollywood made a big movie of it, Steinbeck was awarded Pulitzer and Nobel. That Steinbeck book, and more so Of Mice and Men are routinely threatened to-day.

 “The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.” – Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and To Kill the Mockingbird show the inhumanity shown to slaves and blacks. This is why they were objected to. Yet, now they are objected to over the use of one word, 'nigger'. It is almost a clever way aimed to prevent an appreciation of truth and humanity by directing one to a red herring of a now taboo word.

Some instances are tellingly, dangerously stupid; others are just stupid. Senator Joseph McCarthy had copies of an anthology that included Thoreau's Civil Disobedience removed from US libraries out side the country. Department of War during WWI had pacifist books removed from libraries. More recently, Little Red Riding Hood was banned because she had a wine bottle in her basket. Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice has been banned as anti-Semitic.

So, go read a damn good book [do not read trash, it is a waste of valuable time], and tell to others of good books to read.

stewards of the earth

How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field wither for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? The beasts and the birds are consumed: because they have said: He shall not see our last end. — Jeremias xii.4.

There are several biblical passages, that when taken together, outline and define the concept of stewardship over the earth. Now, a steward is not the owner, he is the manager of the possessor. This comes in the first chapter, of the first book, at the end of the account of creation:

And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth. — Genesis i. 26.

'Dominion' is the word that is often, purposely, misused. It means 'ownership' in Latin, but it is translated not from that word but from 'praesit', which is a third person form of 'praesum', which means to take charge, or be present. No, man is not the owner. And not a single man. Here man is a collective (and gender common) subject. All men, all humanity, is to take charge in caring for God's creation of the earth, and all things of the earth.

And the Lord God took man, and put him into the paradise for pleasure, to dress it, and keep it.  — Genesis ii. 15.

Now, greedy, avaricious, manipulative individuals wish to seize possession of the earth, and its abundance, and use it for selfish means. This is contrary to all legitimate Jewish and Christian understanding. People that claim to be of high religiosity and do not care for God's creation are deficient in the practice of faith. Hypocrisy is strong in this world.

Dómini est terra, et plenitúdo ejus ; orbis terrárum, et univérsi qui hábitant in eo.

The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein. — Psalm xxiii. 1.

The understanding within Catholicism is represented in the recent Catechism under these two numbers thusly:

2402 —  In the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take care of them, master them by labor, and enjoy their fruits. The goods of creation are destined for the whole human race. However, the earth is divided up among men to assure the security of their lives, endangered by poverty and threatened by violence. The appropriation of property is legitimate for guaranteeing the freedom and dignity of persons and for helping each of them to meet his basic needs and the needs of those in his charge. It should allow for a natural solidarity to develop between men.

2415 — The seventh commandment enjoins respect for the integrity of creation. Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity. Use of the mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. Man's dominion over inanimate and other living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of his neighbor, including generations to come; it requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation.

Capitalists, and others who claim themselves as dominionists are contrary to respected religious, and the general, moral order. Those that deny that man is ruining the biosphere are fools, or more often, and accurately, selfish liars. Climate change as the result of the activity of man is not only logically possible, but climate change as an hoax is absurd. Those that only believe in private ownership are lying for self interest. The anti-Earth Day crowd are such people. Some create the red herrings of pagan celebration, and world wide conspiracy of communism, or one world government are the same, or in league with the greedy, or are their stupid and foolish tools. The conspiracy believers have let irrational paranoia overtake them. The claim that there are people who are irreligious, or pagan earth worshippers are non sequiturs at best. One does not have to have a religious belief system to have a moral sense of shared human respect and responsibility for the world; and people with alternative, and even strange, religious belief may still share the common moral humanity of religious believers. We are one people of one earth (that God created).

Allied ideas alongside of respectful stewardship are love, charity, and justice. These together are in harmony. The physical world, and the moral world are related and comparable to body and soul.

This was on a plaque dedicated to a docent at the Cleveland Zoo. Note the errant placement of the 'h'.

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated. This has been attributed to Mohandas Gandhi. Well, it sounds like something he would say, anyway; yet i have not seen when he did. There are other such cases when certain words have been attached to famous persons. Some things are of the same spirit (of course, sometimes some things are falsely created as manipulative propaganda that mimics a view and not the integral spirit, and here subjectivity lies). 

  map at Cleveland Zoo's  Rain Forest Building showing deforestation of tropic woodlands.

paranoid, obnoxious idiots will remain so

 2009

 2010

2013

I was waiting. Earlier this week, the previous sign was down. Drove by a second time, it was still blank. To-day, she (or they) had it up. Crazy people are often dependable, once the madness sets in, it stays. 

Many years ago, this particular billboard and its owner/artist made the local press. Recently, i read that the fellow used to call in to radio talk shows. It is a family business. I think his father had it before him. I recently found out, his sister was his partner. He died in late 2009 (notice the style of lettering of the 2009 sign, and the next two). Unlike most such nuts, their spelling is rather good.

Finally, in 1997 i drove by to see one of the signs. I forgot what it was. I was then unfamiliar with the west side of Cleveland. It is on a commercial street in a residential neighborhood. Over the years, i came to pass the area more, and made a point to see what the nut had up. At first, i thought he was just politically extreme, and often very provocative. Then, at one point, he became often vulgar towards obscene. He had long been racist. That word is inaccurate. There was nothing suggestive or mild, his dislike for African-Americans was virulent.

Well, in 2009 in protest of Earth Day, there was a sign portraying the Nazi indoctrination of America through the media (local and national), the politicians, and teachers as the agents of brain washing indoctrination. Huh??  The next year, Lenin and the communists were the founders of Earth Day. Apparently, he (and she) had no problem with gross self contradiction.

I either don't know, or don't remember, if there was a sign the last two years, or if there was a sign before 2009. I have read, that the surviving sibling has a record (photos?) of all the signs over the years. It would be good to be published. I found it, and still do, as legitimate public art. They are also crazy as all hell. The development and flow of the pathology, and how it compares to more than a generation of current politics would be instructive.

So, i wanted to see if a sign would appear this year. And it has. And she hit the trifecta — Hitler, Lenin (substitute any communist), and Obama; after all they are all the same entity and conspiracy. This is the mentality of the teabagger, and radio/cable television 'conservative' mouthfoamer.
___________________
Postscriptum: I wrote this, this evening. I previously wrote the related posts to appear on the 22nd, and the 26th. I also wrote this one (click).

first German Protestants on the west side

Vereinigt Deutsch Evangelisch Protestantische Kirche 1866

United German Evangelical Protestant Church

The 1866 building is inside the present exterior.

Like many cities in Pennsylvania and the Middle West, Cleveland was heavily German. In the years before the Great European War, centering around 1900, the majority of children in Cleveland's public schools were German speaking and had German language instruction.* On another count, Cleveland had forty-nine German Protestant churches, seven Catholic, and six synagogues.*

1848 was a year of failed revolutions in much of German speaking Europe. There was not one Germany. There was the great multi-national empire, which was the Habsburgs in Vienna, and the smaller Hohenzollerns in Berlin. Parts of those two states were in the German Confederation with 37 other states [state=independent sovereign entity; not the U.S. usage, the words 'state' and 'nation' refer separately to a political unit, and an assemblage of people].

While the Irish were fleeing starvation and the British tyranny, the Germans fled conservative political reaction. In 1853, the first German Protestant church on the west side of Cleveland began. They built a third church on Bridge and Kentucky (now West 38) in 1866, next to the second, which was very near the first. they did not move far. The Irish were building the new Saint Patrick on Bridge on the other side of Kentucky from 1871 and moved in 1873 while construction continued for years, they also only had moved a few feet from their 1853 church.

In the 1870s the finances of the German church almost lost the building. In 1880 the church had a pastor from the German Evangelical Synod. In 1934 that church merged with the Reformed Church to create the Evangelical and Reformed Church. In 1957 they merged with the Congregationalists to become the United Church of Christ.

a window with Heilige Schrift (Holy Scripture)

The parish decided in 1926 that the language in the church to become English. To-day, portions of these windows give testament to the old language.

Jugend Vereine Sonntag Schule (Youth Union Sunday School)

 West Side Evangelical and Reformed became the West Side United Church of Christ

The congregation is now a couple of dozen people. I talked to one couple, one of the fourth generation, and the other the sixth. People still have a spiritual home.

____________________________
*Germany on the Cuyahoga. Eleanor Prech. Cleveland Press. March 31, 1976

Reprobate wants past office back

An adulterous hypocrite wants to return as a congressman from South Carolina. Mark Sanford is human scum with illusions of grandeur. He wanted the presidency, perhaps he still does. He when caught compared himself to King David.

When he was congressman last, he voted to impeach Bill Clinton for adultery. Mark Sanford had a millionaire heiress and financier as a wife. She was far more attractive than he. While governor he disappeared to Argentina to spend time with his girlfriend. Sanford completed his term of office. His girlfriend was with him last night. His wife had considered to run in the primary, and then declined.

Yesterday, he won the Reprobate, Republican run-off to contest Elizabeth Colbert Busch in May's special election for the 1st District. She works in business for Clemson University, but is better known as a comedian's sister.

Here is some of the smarm from the words of the Reprobate candidate, exactly there are so many of these pukes, it is hard to know which one said which interchangeable statement, but these are from Mark Sanford:

• "It's been a very long journey. And in that journey I am humbled to find ourselves where we find ourselves tonight,"  
• "I want to thank my God. I used to cringe when somebody would say, `I want to thank my God' because at that point I would think this is getting uncomfortable. But once you really receive God's grace and (have) seen it reflected in others you stop and acknowledge that grace and the difference He has made in my life and in so many lives across this state and across this nation."
• "I look forward to a vigorous campaign that focuses on creating jobs, balancing our country's budget and choosing an independent-minded leader who shares the values of the great people of South Carolina."
• "I'm both humbled and grateful for the response of the voters here tonight,"   
• "Not since Jesus Christ was here has there been a perfect man or woman."
• "here is your chance for you to learn, not only from your experience in Congress and the governorship, but more significantly what you learned both on the way up and the way down and apply it to what is arguably one of the great conundrums of our civilization, which is how do we get our financial house in order."

And fellow Repukes Republicans are on board. "I believe he has found peace with God. If God forgives, I forgive, and we should go forward and put this man back in office."
___________________________________
Postscriptum, election night 7 May 2013: Sanford declared winner. As the sensible world understands the term 'disgraced', there maybe no way that a Republican is ever disgraced amongst Republicans for doing things that would disgrace normal people. Apparently, in a Republican (cracker alert) area, hypocrisy is not a bad thing. For such people, scum is better than a Democrat. Another reason for northerners to look down upon southerners. Before the evening is over, with 100% of vote counted, Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch 64,413 votes 45.2%, Reprobate 77,251 votes 54.3%. South Carolina remains unreconstructed. Lincoln is the only Republican who could have lost.
Postscriptum 12 May 2013: "I remind all you conservative Christians celebrating Mark Sanford's win that Leviticus commands you to stone adulterers." - John Fugelsang

Francis and the Wolf

  

Cud, Sw. Franciszka czyli Wilk z Gubio

Bracie wilku, ponieważ zgadzasz się na to, by zawrzec pokój ze mna, chcę abyś mi przyrzekł, że odtąd nie będziesz szkodził nikomu, ani ludziom ani zwierzętom, i cóż przyrzekasz mi?

                                           Miracle, Saint Francis with the Wolf of Gubbio
Brother Wolf, as you agree in concluding a peace with me, I want you to promise me that from now on you will not harm anyone, not people nor animals, and what do you promise to me?

.

detail. Luc-Olivier Merson. Le loup d'Agubbio. 1877.  Lille.

This is a portion of a busy painting now in French Flanders, it is in the largest French museum outside of Paris. Brother Wolf is being given a strip of flesh. He is slightly gaunt. He is petted by a smiling girl. Brother Wolf has a nimbus, and a collar of medals and charms. A baby gazes upon him, and a cat is comfortable in his presence.

For the first time, i asked some of my correspondents (10) to comment on the picture above. I found it something to consider, and to let the mind wander upon. No one replied.  

I waste time typing on the internets. Certain things attach my interest more than others.
Francis and the Wolf
This is a portion of a French painting (1877) concerning the legend.
The village of Gubbio was in fear of a great wolf.
Francis told the village "feed your wolf".
I have known of this story for some time, it is in the Fioretti. There is a poem by Ruben Dario of Nicaragua, somewhat skeptical, Los motivos del lobo.
Take a look at the picture, and tell me about it.

 Pope Francis. Alessandro Forlani. Asia. 18 March 2013.