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Name: Andre,
Location: Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Birthday: 8/27/1984
Gender: Male
Interests: Reading, Writing, no 'rithmetic, Movies
Expertise: Nearly all of my "expertise" is self-granted, so I'm sure it doesn't count
Message: message me
Member Since:
12/13/2005
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Well, GAS prices are high (and, in the previous sentence, capitalized as well). Not as high as they have been (ie, "crack-house on CSI" style high), just sort of a general, localized-grumbling high (ie, "those kids in the anti-drug commercial who pass doobies around on a couch in the garage" style high). Anyway, gas is high.
Well, now that I've got that out of the way, onto my real topic. The SGA and the GSA (Student Government Association and the Gay-Straight Alliance (the GAS thing was put in their so my title would look clever (and so I could make a crack-house reference))). For those of you that don't know, the SGA here at Troy will be voting tonight on the chartering of the Gay-Straight Alliance.
As a practicality, this will pass. Even if we here in South Alabama have enough backwards rednecks (who think that Billy and a Boy named Sue shouldn't be married) and religious bible-belters (Who want to break Ang Lee's back (in a spirit of love and discipline, of course)) to have the Senate vote it down, it won't have any effect. A number of years ago the Senate overwhelmingly voted down the charter for NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and the School board overrode them and told them they had to give it to them. This leads me to a rant-style post on how the SGA has absolutely no power whatsoever, to the point of being a shameful mockery, but I'll save that for another time.
No, my purpose in this post is religious. The Oscars were last night, and though I didn't watch them (who wants to sit through four and a half hours of painful "best song" nominees and Levitra, Zyprexa, and that other herpes medication commercials (herpes meds, so you can be outbreak free with a quick reminder that this doesn't mean you can't spread the virus. So the point of these things is to help you trick somebody into thinking you're clean so you can give them herpes on the sly. Heaven help us if ex-girlfriends ever catch on to this trend)), I was supremely delighted to see that "Crash" won best picture. I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, this means that the front-runner, "Brokeback Mountain", did not, which got me thinking about the SGA and GSA (and, in a burst of anagramatic alliteration, GAS as well).
So, to the "meat" of the entry. What exactly is our responsibilities as Christians regarding this kind of thing? I have a theory, and though I'm not proposing it as the be all and end all of Christian thought on the matter, I do think it holds a bit of merit. I've gone through a number of stages regarding the Christian's responsibility in politics in the past year thanks to Tyrese, Camille, Camille's grandfather, Camille's family, the Jolly Red Giant, and the Amish Jedi, among others. Anyway, for a time I thought what many Christians today think--that we ought to try and have an effect on the political environment around us. For example, if prayer to buddha becomes a law, we ought to try and stop it, and if they try to allow gay marriage, we ought to try and stop that too (by the by, a number of Christians have tried to convince themselves and others that gay marriage isn't wrong. I don't buy into this, but I am looking into it to see what kind of arguments they have. I'll let ya'll know. For now, let's assume it is wrong, with the caveat that if it isn't, this whole post will change).
However, I got to thinking about this stance from a practical viewpoint, and I'm not sure that it works. I mean, who are we to try and impose our religious standards on the rest of the country (I know, I know, it's because we're "right". Just bear with me)? Once we set the precedent that, in America, it is okay for laws to be governed by a certain religion's morality, we've started down a very dangerous path. What happens when Islam is the majority? Wiccans? Jedi? Then they will be able to make their religious views into law, and as Christians, we won't have any arguments against them. After all, we did it first!
At this point in my though process, the Jolly Red Giant entered, and suggested that perhaps God never intended for us to have an influence on the political process. After all, Christ is our example, and he never attempted to effect political change. Also voicing an opinion at this time in my life was the Amish Jedi, who basically agreed with the Giant (note: there is a difference between this perfectly sane, Christian jedi, and the ones mentioned above in the same breath as Wiccans and Muslims. Just wanted to clarify). However, I wasn't yet ready to fall into the Giant's and the Jedi's camp. After all, surely God wanted us to bring light into the world? "The darkness hated the light", right? I firmly believe that we will not ever be able to make the world a better place when we leave it that we found it, but we still ought to try. After all, we will never achieve perfection, but Christ still intends for us to strive for it. So, I thought political abstinence wasn't a viable answer either.
At this point, I was bombarded with a few opinions from Camille, her father, and her grandfather. Now, Camille's father falls into the first group. He believes we ought to actively oppose pro-gay legislation. He has six children, and doesn't want them growing up in a world with rampant sin and filth everywhere, and I can respect that. In fact, I respect Camille's father a great deal. We may not agree on every issue, but I'll be damned if he doesn't stick to his guns, and is always man enough to admit when he doesn't have the answers. Anyway, Camille's grandfather is a Libertarian, which was what I was rapidly becoming at this point. Anyway, I was priveleged enough to sit in on a few family discussions over cake, tea, and Scrabble (note to self: never play scrabble with a family that includes two english majors. It's more fun to swim in a pit of sharks naked while slathered in meat juice, and you'll have a better chance of coming out in one piece and with some small shred of dignity intact).
Anyway, I began to sympathize with Camille's grandfather. Christ never called us to change the world, only to be ourselves holy. Though He didn't want to affect the political climate, Christ did drive the money-lenders from the temple with a whip. A stinking whip! That's a man right there! Anyway, Camille's father used that story to demonstrate that we should care about the sins of our nation, and Camille's grandfather used that story to demonstrate that we shouldn't, but should only care about the sins within the church. Though I tended to side with the latter viewpoint, I also recognized the inherent complications in trying to draw morals from just one story.
Anyway, after a talk with Tyrese and Evelyn (my mother) later, I realized that Libertarianism can't really be the answer either. After all, Christ taught us to respect authority, but He didn't live in a time or nation as we do, where we can affect change without open revolt and bloodshed. We can vote, we can protest, we can call our congressman--all avenues Jesus did not have available. If He were living in America, would He use them? Would He approve of those that did? Would He watch CSI? (While that last question provides some startlingly interesting fodder for another blog, we'll pretend like I didn't say it. Let's replace it with "Would He?"). And now for the answer...
I don't know. But here's what I think (note the "I" in both previous sentences. Just because I'm unsure does not mean there is no right answer. Just because I think it, doesn't make it right (although, even if this post tends to argue against it, more often that not I find myself to be correct)): I think we can't be Libertarians. I think we can't be social conservatives or social liberals or any such thing. I think we have a different responsibility, and response to issues such as this. Here's a visual example.
Picture two parallel roads. One is "the church" and the other is "society". Now, these roads are both heading towards a city (We'll call it Sodom because it fits our example so very well). Many Christians today are so hot to draw a big black line across both roads before they reach Sodom. They want to say "This is wrong, for everybody. It's against God and nature and it should not be allowed". I do not think Christ demands that of us. I think Christ demands that a line be drawn, but it be drawn between the roads. We ought to be saying "This is the church. We are set apart. We do not approve of homosexuality and we refuse to acknowledge it as an acceptable lifestyle. We will not allow practicing, unrepentant homosexuals into our positions of authority, but we will love them, just as we love all sinners, for we ourselves are no better. We still think it is wrong for everybody, but it is not our responsibility to physicall force others to stop sinning, be that with tangible power or through legislation."
And so it is not. Look back at the example of Christ in the temple. He did not draw a big black line across both roads and all money lenders everywhere. He did not run around the city with his whip, driving out any usurers anywhere. No, Christ drew His line around His church. He said, "this is my Dad's house, and you will not condone sin within it. This is non negotiable under any circumstances. It is wrong. Even if the law allows you to, I do not allow you to within my church, and my followers will not. Period."
Or look at Daniel. That ought to be the way we deal with the legislation of religion. Daniel was in the King's confidence, a "lawmaker" of his day, if you will, but it came down to something higher than that. Daniel had drawn a line around "the church" as it then was understood. He did not worry about the law, only about what God demanded. And still he loved Darius, even as he sinned and approved of making sin legal. But Daniel would not allow that sin within the church, within himself, under any circumstances. And he would not hide that it was unacceptable.
I'm not saying I wouldn't vote against gay marriage. I'm certain I would. But I can't see myself marching against it, or joining protests. Christ wants us to make very clear what is acceptable to Him, and within His church, and we ought drive sin away from it with every breath (Not to point any fingers, but I'm looking at you, Episcopalians). But we ought not try to abolish sin throughout the world.
Christ did not call us to be sin fighters! He called us to be people lovers!
"If you love me, you will keep my commands."
"Peter, do you love me?" "Lord, you know I do." "Then feed my sheep."
How many of us, myself included, are too busy trying to whip Sodom, that we forget to feed His sheep? After all, to feed sheep twenty-three hours a day and then whip isn't good enough. Loving God and "go ye therefore" are what it all comes down to. Period.
And that's a guarantee! (kind of) | | |
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Ladies and Gentlemen, due to technical difficulties, the "Survivor: Troy" episode supposed to be posted today will have to be cancelled. Apparently Xanga limits the number of photographs an account can put up. Until I scrape up the money to upgrade this account (its like seven bucks a month) or find another blog site that I can make this work on, I'm afraid this will have to be postponed. But don't worry, I'll update asap! We thank you once again for you time, and attention, and for keeping your cell phones on silent in the movie theater. I mean, good grief! How hard is it to turn your ****ing cell phone off? It's a freaking movie theater! Oh, and if you turn it on silent, DON'T ANSWER THE STUPID THING! Sometimes I just want to...to...look, I'm going incoherent with rage!
And that's a guarantee! | | |
| Alright, it's been all of six seconds since my last post, and here I am doing it again. This time I'm warning both of my readers that I am no longer satisfied with just the two of them. I want their friends to know about this site, dadgummit! (Ah, the wonderful choice for the modern Christian--to curse or to use the hick equivalent). Anyway, I have decided that, starting probably sometime this weekend, I am going to begin updating this site with a new and exciting weekly feature...
Survivor:Troy!
This is a shameless attempt at getting more readers to come to this site. Absolutely. Shameless. If I get a few more visits, or at least comments, I will begin to regularly post some more stuff up here (The ADA piece got quite good reviews...from apparently the one person that took the time to read it! Sorry Tyrese, but that's just not enough to make me happy anymore). For those of you that don't know, Survivor: Troy is a weekly piece that myself and Doc Holliday do for the "BCM Update", a religious on-campus organization. It consists of ten castaways (such as Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Potato Head, and Superman) competing to be named the Sole survivor. Pretty simple actually. Anyway, It's all shot with a digital camera, and inspired from the work found at http://gosurvive.blogspot.com/ which I would try to credit better, but after scouring the site and Google, I can't come up with the name of the creator. Anyway, go there if you want to get a little preview of what mine looks like (note: this survivor was NOT created for a religious organization, and though it doesn't offend me personally, I've had a bit of an issue with getting some of my own material approved, and just wanted to note that, for those offended by episode three of Survivor: Troy, this site is not for you. Everyone else, enjoy!).
Now, to my two regular readers, here's what I need. I need the two of you to spread the word! This is your call to arms! Tell everyone you know to look for my update on Saturday. Post it on your own blogs every day between now and then, twice a day even! Once it is up, call all of your friends, direct links to it from your own blog, hold a press conference! Get all of the publicity you can so that, come Saturday's launch, it might be more than just the two of you seeing what you've already seen.
Anyway, Episode One ("A Hunk, A Hunk of Burning Fluff") will be up this Saturday.
***********!
(Alright, the previous group of asterisks denotes the spot where I would normally put some kind of catch phrase, only I haven't come up with one! I'd like to end all of my entries with something mildly funny, but serious enough to end my other posts as well. Kind of like "And that's a guarantee!" or something like that. Any suggestions are welcome, and I'll consider all of them. And that's a guarantee!) | | |
| Well, after all of two entries, I have decided to stop doing movie reviews. The reason, I'll be honest with ya'll, is that I just don't care enough about you guys. Despite my lauded hopes, this blog has not reached the world 'round, so anything about movies that I have to say, I can just say to the faces of the two readers that occassionaly bother to check this. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted... | | |
| If I were honest, I'd tell you that I'm not quite sure where to begin this entry. However, I am a bald-faced liar, so I know exactly where to begin this entry (by the by, "bald-faced" is an expression meaning "obvious" or "in the open" (I'm sure Tyrese and Holliday knew that, but on the off-chance that someone of a lesser intellect stumbled upon this page, I didn't want them to think I couldn't grow a beard (which I probably can't, but my five o'clock shadow is darn sexy in a Hugh Laurie kind of way))). Now, to begin this entry exactly where I think I know I should...with a quick note giving credit where it's due.
Much of these ideas have already been bounced off a number of people, and a few of their thoughts will be included herein. If nothing else, they deserve credit for allowing me to bounce my ideas off of them. They are (in no particular order):
G. O. B. (My mother's younger brother, moniker assigned due to his love of inflicting pain on the weaker family members ("Next time you jump over a wall and don't get punched in the chest, it'll be more fun!"))
The Jolly Red Giant (A friend from High School and College who bears a striking resemblance to...well.. a jolly red giant)
The Amish Jedi (A friend from Troy with an affinity for bike-riding)
And of course, Camille (All of my ideas get bounced off of the most wonderful Camille)
Now, to the meat of this entry (My preambles are getting longer and longer. I need to work on that). America is not a "fair" nation. It never has been and it was not founded on the principles that everything should be made to be fair. Hear me out, I love America. I think it's the greatest nation in the history of the planet and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. However, especially in modern times, many citizens of the U.S. have confused equality (a principle I highly support, and one America was founded on) with fairness (a principle I am moderately supportive of, depending on the circumstances (That is, in my personal dealings I strive for it, and in my business and political dealings (such as I have) I would strive for it to be removed as much as possible), but that either way, America was not founded on).
Allow me to explain the previous paragraph in more detail (I know that my multiple parentheses can tend to be a little daunting). Darwin was wrong about a lot of things, but he was right about some stuff too. For example, a "survival of the fittest" mentality breeds excellence in a species. It just works. Likewise, a "survival of the fittest" mentality breeds excellence in a nation.
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) has taken hostage our "survival" mentality in America's colleges and universities today, and it is breeding out our excellence. The ADA allows students less equipped to handle classroom learning special "exemptions" or "assistances" not given to normal students. For instance, the following quote is taken verbatim from the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning:
" For a person with a learning disability, accommodations might include extended time on tests, test-taking in an isolated setting, a note-taker, or the use of a tape-recorder."
This stance is completely supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (It is part of a pamphlet, the entirety of which can be found at http://das.kucrl.org/iam/studentdis.html). Allowing certain students to be given special circumstances in achieving the same academic degree as "regular" students is entirely fair, but in no way assists in equality. Allow me a ridiculoulsy long analogy:
Let's say that I start a minor-league baseball team (The Troy "Game Systems", I'll call them (because it's my team, and I can)),a farm team for one of the big boys upstairs (We'll call them the Huntsville "XBox 360s"). I want to find the best athletes, and then train them all to be even better. The cream of the crop will be plucked by the big boys upstairs to join the XBox 360s (which kind of sucks for the Game Systems, but hey, that's why they call it a farm team I guess). Let's say that I hold open try-outs, American Idol style, at a small stadium in South Alabama which we'll call Riddle-Pace Field (alright, it's not a stadium).
Let's say 100 players attend the try-outs, hoping to join the Game Systems. Let's say that I pick 20 to actually be on the team. Of those 20, 8 eventually get to be starters and then years later, after having trained hard and learned all that I have to teach them, a pair of brothers, Gren and Blaq Ecksboughcks (they're French military strategists, which is why they've abandoned France and come to play baseball in a better place), are good enough that the XBox 360s call them up to come play in the big leagues. So, the Ecksboughcks brothers, having been given a better job due to my high recommendation, leave the Game Systems and go with the big boys upstairs.
At this point, I have done my job, and given the best possible players to the big boys upstairs. It was an equal system. Everyone in America could try out for the Game Systems on an equal footing, and the players selected all recieved equal training regimens. The best of the best rose to the top and advanced to the XBox 360s.
Now, imagine how this scenario could have gone if I had been shackled to the ADA the way schools and universities are today. Let's enter another dimension, where nothing is what it seems. Think the twilight zone inside of a Xanga account (er, okay, don't think of that. Just pretend like this paragraph is some kind of picture and skip over it. Pretend I put a baseball here or something).
This time, I again hold American Idol style try outs, and again 100 people attend. I have 20 slots to fill on my team, and I again pick the 20 best players. Here's my preferred new roster:
Troy Game Systems New Players (Skill Rankings out of 100)
Gren Ecksboughcks (98)
Black Ecksboughcks (97)
Play Station II (90) Plays Tation II (90) Game Q.B. (90) Gaye M. Cube (90)
Play Station Sr. (79) Plays Tation Sr. (79)
N. Ten-Do LXIV (75)
S. N. Ten-Do (70) S. N. E. S. (70)
Sega Genesis (64) Genesis Sega (64)
Nin Tin Dough (50) N. Ter Tainment (50) Sis Tem (50)
Game Boy (41)
At Ari (38)
Donald V. D. Player (8) Victor C. R. Player (8)
Everyone else that tried out (such as Rock M. and Sock M. Robots (more brothers) and Mon. O. Poly) simply couldn't play baseball, or didn't want to, so I cut them. I was unhappy having to take the Player brothers already, but I did have 20 spots to fill. Still, I wasn't sure they were Game Systems material. Anyway, I had my roster. A few years go by, and eventually I go to the owner of the Game Systems and tell her that I'd like to move eight players from the bench to becoming starters. We'll call the owner Ada. Ada asks me who I'd like to move up. I give her the names of my eight best players: The Ecksboughcks brothers, our two father-son teams of Station Jr. and Sr. and Tation Jr. and Sr., Q.B., Cube, Ten-Do LXIV, and S.N.E.S. (since S.N. Ten-Do died of a drug overdose (apparently minor-leagues are no different from major leagues in many respects)). These are my eight best players, I have given them my stamp of approval, and I think they have earned the right to start playing.
However, Ada says no. She tells me it isn't fair to keep lesser players such as At Ari (one of our many Japanese recruits) and the Player brothers (African recruits) from starting simply because they don't have the natural talent and ability of the rest. I agree, it isn't fair, because I know that these three work harder than any of the rest of the team. They're simply not good baseball players. However, Ada tells me we have to be fair. Then she shocks me.
Ada tells me that it isn't right to just promote the people with natural advantages, and that I ought to even the playing field even more. I tell that the playing field is absolutely equal--I'm very proud of how I run my clubhouse. Every player gets equal time with every trainer, and each player is treated absolutely the same. They all perform the same workout routine with the same weights, are given the same meals and the same living conditions. I yell at Ada that it couldn't be more equal if it was communist Russia (I almost get fired over this one, I think)! Ada is a smart enough woman to know that fair does not mean equal, but is too stupid to realize that the difference matters in real life. So, Ada tells me to hold tryouts for the new starters with all 20 of my recent additions. She then tells me to let everyone tryout on the main field, but to let At Ari and the Player brothers use a little league field.
My back is up, and I argue that it isn't fair to make them run shorter base paths and hit for a closer fence. Ada tells me that baseball is baseball, isn't it, and that these players can't help that they are not as good. They were born that way. I scream that this is cheapening the entire value of the team, especially my better players, but Ada tells me calmly (the woman always has had an infuriating way of keeping her calm) that this is more fair.
So, embarrased, I hold the tryouts. Everyone plays at Riddle-Pace Field, except for Ari and the Player Brothers (nothing against Japanese or blacks. Several of the eight I had picked were Japanese or Black) who get to play on a local little league field. Naturally, given these advantages, they proceed to do much better. When I rescore the group of 20, the advantage is enough to allow At Ari and Donald V. D. Player to get into the top eight. So Ada has forced me to bump two of my truly good players, S.N.E.S. and Ten-Do LXIV back to the bench to make room for inferior ones. I'm extremely upset, but decide not to do anything. I'll let them get ahead, but they won't ever leave the Game Systems, so what can it hurt? The XBox 360s would never take them.
A few more years pass, always with me continually giving Ari and Player small advantages over the other players. Better meals, more training time, easier requirements, smaller weights to lift in the gym, etc. Eventually, the XBox 360s call. They need two players (their roster is short due to a drug overdose and a lifetime suspension involving three hookers, a transvestite, heroin, kiddie porn, sushi, and the white tiger that mauled Roy Horn. I decide not to ask for details). So I go to my records and can tell that the Ecksboughcks brothers are my two best players. I put their names on the form and send it to Ada for approval on Monday. On Friday, I find myself fired.
Naturally, something happened in the intervening time. Here it is, as near as I can recall.
Monday: I submit the form to Ada, and have a few beers with some other coach friends, telling them that my star players are going to the big boys upstairs.
Tuesday: Ada calls me and tells me that we can't let both of the Ecksboughcks brothers advance to the XBox 360s. She says it isn't fair to let them move up just because they have more natural ability than the rest of the team. Again she cites At Ari and Donald Player. I yell and scream and cuss and tell Ada that the Ecksboughcks brothers are the best players and that the only reason Ari and Player are even still around is because she is making me hold them to a lower standard. I call her a whore and hang up the phone.
Wednesday: I call Ada and apologize, and tell her that I know that a whore is a prostitute, and that I'm sure she doesn't take money for her sexual favors. She's probably just a slut. This time Ada hangs up on me.
Thursday: Ada calls me and tells me that she has changed my recommendations, and that she is sending Gren Ecksboughcks and At Ari to the big boys upstairs. She tells me that, if everything was fair, At Ari would be a better player than Blaq Ecksboughcks. I tell her that the world isn't fair and that Blaq Ecksboughcks is a much better player than Ari. I tell that she is dragging the team down and that I refuse to give my endorsement to Ari's promotion. You see, I explain, I like to think that my recommendation means something. I like to think that when the XBox 360s see my name on a players file, they know that he is a good player. They know he's one of the best, and that they can trust he will do his job. I tell Ada that the reason she's a slut and not a whore is because she couldn't get anyone to pay her for the lousy lay that she is. Ada seems a litle upset and calls the team attorney, Barry. Barry calls me and tells me that in my contract, I have to endorse whoever the team sends up. I tell Barry to go to hell. Barry tells me that if I don't endorse the Ari, the team will sue, and I'll lose my coaching license and my private yacht. I love that yacht, so I tell Barry that I'm sorry and ask him to bring over the paperwork. Barry does, and I reluctantly sign it. I get the last laugh however, because as Barry is walking to his car I yell out the window "Go to hell!" and slam it before he can respond. I also call Ada and tell her that she is still a slut and a bad lay and that I think she used to be a man. I hang up before she can answer either.
Friday: Ada fires me. I take out a full-page ad in the paper explaining how I was forced to sign Ari's recommendation. I explain how this double standard is going to cause the XBox 360s to be a lesser team in the long run. I explain that from now on, a recommendation from the Game Systems will mean nothing because no one will know how good the player actually is due to our myriad of standards. I explain that this behavior cheapens the degrees that "regular" students have really worked to earn because an ADD student that would not suceed as well in the workplace is given an equally valid degree for less work. I also put the following in large red letters at the bottom of the ad:
ADA is a Slut
Okay, thus ends my baseball analogy. I belive I inadvertently slipped out of character during my recap of Friday for a little while, but I hope that makes my point a little more clear. By the way, the same applies to ethnic minorities that are given any kind of help or consideration in their admissions process because of their ethnicity or lineage. A grade loses its value as an objective standard of a students work when objective standards are no longer equally applied. Period. | | |
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