Embracing Bigotry: Parishioner Defends Anti-Gay Pastor

When it’s come to national interviews gone awry, I’ve seen some pretty bad ones over the years.  There was Jim Rome versus Chris Jim Everett. There was Allen Iverson’s infamous “practice” interview. And, of course, there was Sarah Palin’s monstrosity of an interview with Katie Couric. But this next interview ranks pretty high up there. In a segment with Anderson Cooper,  Stacey Pritchard – a member of Charles Worley’s church – is defending her pastor’s recent comments suggesting gay and lesbian folks should be put behind an electric fence and allowed to ‘die out.’  This interview is pretty bad.

This interview isn’t just a train wreck. It’s a train full of the most beautiful women on the planet crashing head on to a train full kids coming home from a field trip who, just a few seconds earlier, crashed into a bus full of volunteers recently returning from East Africa on a peace mission. Yeah, it’s that bad:

 

 

I guess what’s worse than the sheer bigotry she put on display for the world to see (while single-handedly embarrassing every Christian on the planet) is the fact that she and so many other Christians are so selective in how they subscribe to the Bible. People seem to have a huge problem with homosexuals, but are quite mute when it comes to every other “sin” identified in the Bible; adulterers and such. In fact, if you actually read the Old Testament, a lot of the stuff we do in our day-to-day walk would have been considered offenses worthy of death (which reminds me, the shrimp alfredo I had the other day was fierce. Biblically speaking, it was to die for.) This woman, and so many others, demonstrate a clear misunderstanding of the spirit of God’s word.

Maybe if we put her behind an electric fence, she’ll finally get the point.

- ACL

You Got Ta Fight…For Your Right…To Pig Out!

I make no bones about it: I’m overweight. As such I have no legitimate ground to say anything particularly disparaging about other overweight people. One of those “pot calling the kettle black” kinda things. I get that. But, damn son:

 

 

Everything you just saw has “Typical American” written all over it (let’s throw in a little Homer Simpson for good measure). Obviously there is the morbidly obese aspect to this story. But also notable is that this clown is essentially invoking his right to be fat (proudly, at that), the ridiculous sign he scribbled wrote in protest, and the sense of entitlement he seems to have by demanding service despite running up an unpaid tab at a buffet (how do you get a tab at a buffet? Inquiring minds would love to know that one).

If this dude spent as much time exercising his body as he did exercising his rights…OK, let me stop.

- ACL

Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012)

Earlier today, I heard that conservative provocateur Andrew Breitbart has died of natural causes. He was 43. From ABC News:

Andrew Breitbart, the conservative Internet publisher and blogger, died early this morning at age 43.

A statement posted on his website said that Breitbart died “unexpectedly from natural causes” this morning.

The Los Angeles Coroner’s Office confirmed to ABC News Radio that Breitbart died shortly after midnight at UCLA Medical Center.

Breitbart was walking near his house in California’s Brentwood neighborhood shortly after midnight when he collapsed, his father-in-law the actor Orson Bean told the Associated Press.

Someone who saw Breitbart fall called paramedics and revival attempts were made, the AP reports. He was taken to the emergency room at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in L.A.

“I don’t know what to say. It’s devastating,” Bean told the AP.

Breitbart had apparently suffered heart problems a year ago, but Bean did not know what had happened.

Source

I’m not a fan of Breitbart in the least bit. In fact, I had my fair share of choice words for him in the past. And I stick to my guns on those pieces of commentary. The man was shady, disingenuous, disrespectful to the deceased, and a tool for conservatives to promote scores of outlandishness. But he was also a person with a family. Like him or not, approve of his ideologies or not, he was a human being. I hope that liberals don’t get so celebratory over this man’s death that they turn into the same cold, callous, and disrespectful people they claim conservatives are.

Just sayin’.

- ACL

Acknowledging Mistakes

“Everybody makes mistakes. That’s why they put erasers on pencils.”

- Lenny, from The Simpsons

Occasionally, I have a tendency to get a little disheartened when I think about all the mistakes I’ve made in my life. In some cases, I find myself so deeply immersed in those mistakes, I often feel that there’s no turning back. What’s worse is that frankly, I’m not always sure whether many people I know (with the obvious exceptions of my family and a handful of my closest friends) have the kind of love and support for me that will allow them to accept me in the face of the mistakes I’ve made. But I can at least rest on the belief that God is still standing beside me; even when I screw up, be it inadvertently or on purpose.

To date, I haven’t come across anyone who hasn’t messed up before. It stands to reason they will mess up again. We all will. It’s a part of what makes us human. But our humanity doesn’t mean we necessarily have to succumb to our shortcomings. Instead, I think we can become victors of those mishaps. As a starting off point, I think it’s important to embrace our humanity and face our shortcomings head on. It’s when we don’t confront those issues, admit them to ourselves, turn away from them, and learn from them, that we are led down a road of disappointment and indeed down the same path of destruction we so assiduously tried to avoid in the first place. As we watch our once close relationships with our friends and family, our lives, and any bit of humanity disintegrate into nothing, we find ourselves empty, lonely, and devoid of purpose. That can be a fate worst than death.

While I believe it’s easy to point the finger at others when they have done us wrong, I believe it’s much harder to point the finger at ourselves when it comes to identifying our own shortcomings. Hoping to be a better person in that respect, I’m striving to get to the point where I stop hiding behind my failures and my faults and come to grips with how messy I can be at times. I’ve fallen short more than I can count; I’ve missed the mark time in and time out. I’ve hurt people. I’ve lied to people. I’ve betrayed people. I’ve done a poor job of uplifting people. I’ve failed people. In that respect, I hide nothing.

All of that notwithstanding, I don’t want to spend all my days shamelessly holding my head down at the thought of being a bad Christian. Rather, I hold my head up knowing that even when I miss on all cylinders, God has my back. Even when the rest of world is ready to abandon me, thrust their fingers into my chest, or have my head on a platter, He’s standing with me giving me strength and boldness of faith to endure it.

Even when I can’t always see or feel it, I’m never alone.

-ACL

Checking In With 2012

What’s up, 2012? Just checking in with you for a second. A couple more posts like this and I may earn another badge. Score one for me!

I’ve officially survived the first week of 2012. So far, so good. No disasters of cataclysmic proportion to report just yet (then again, if the Mayans were so good at predicting the future, couldn’t they have prevented being conquered by the Spanish? Just sayin’). I’m not certainly not trying to jinx the rest of 2012, but so far things have gone off without a hitch. God willing, the rest of the year will follow suit.

- Now I will freely admit that it’s a bit weird that there is currently no snow on the ground, especially in a notoriously evil place like Michigan in January. But I’m not trippin’. After all, my dear friends on the right have told me that there is no such thing as global warming. #SighOfRelief

- I guess it’s also a bit weird that the fate of the universe will probably be decided this November. I mean, except for maybe Mitt Romney (at least the Mitt Romney who shows up every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. The one I actually like.), I shudder at the thought of any of the loons from this pathetic Republican field earning their party’s nomination and, quite possibly, a residency in the White House. It’s odd that Republicans haven’t simply rallied around the lone guy who appears at least partially sane in this whole thing. But, we’ll see what happens down the road. Whatever the case may be, the humble host of this blog will have plenty to write about.

Let’s see. What else can I update you on, Mr. 2012?

- Ah, yes. Michigan won a BCS game! Yes, that Michigan. Annoying voice or not, Brady Hoke is a flippin’ genius for the way he took us from being the laughingstock of the college football world to a team with a restored sense of national relevance. The 2012 schedule will be brutal for the Maize and Blue, but after the insane turnaround season we had, I see big things down the road.

- Speaking of turnarounds, the Lions just lost their playoff game. Wait. What? The Lions made the playoffs? Yes, 2012. You heard me correctly. The Detroit Lions, yes…those Detroit Lions…made it to the playoffs. The city of Detroit hasn’t seen a drastic improvement of that nature since…oh, right…last year. Don’t get me wrong: the D is probably still not a place where you’d buy your first home (though even that’s up for debate now), or find the next American Idol. But if you want to find a team in whom you can take some pride, the Lions would be it. I know, right?

- The Pistons? Yeah. No comment.

- Despite her being evil enough to make the most insidious hellspawn jealous, I made one last attempt to reach out to the ex. She ignored my olive branch offer or, knowing her, took it and made a fire out of it. Oh well. Some levels of evil just can’t be helped with human logic and goodwill. I think she may need to have Damascus Road experience or something. That, or an exorcism. You know, some kind of divine intervention. OK 2012: real talk? As cathartic as some of my potshots may be, a part of me really does feel bad for her. When a person like her can get so delusional that they can’t take an honest and introspective look at themselves, it’s a sad sight. Maybe you can give her the much needed insight that 2011 couldn’t. While you’re at it, I wouldn’t mind a little more discernment on my end. I wasn’t perfect to her, but I was a pretty good guy. But knowing when to fold ‘em has never been my thing. I pray that I don’t waste too much more of myself on people like her, especially if it’s at the expense of better people.

All things considered though, you’re off to a great start in my book. I still have the love of my family, good friends to keep me stable, a great job, a cool apartment, my health (save a cold I haven’t been able to completely shake) and a few marbles rolling around in my head. This is no small feat in a place like Flint, Michigan.

On top of it all, I have the grace of God, which sustains me even when I don’t deserve it. I miss the mark time and time again, but I’m still in God’s good favor. Can’t beat that.

Anyway, looking forward to hanging with you for another 51 weeks, God willing. Let’s make it a good one, 2012!

- ACL

Back to Work

What’s up, Unmitigates? Needless to say, the humble host of this blog has been on somewhat of a blog-cation as of late. It’s been a combination of busyness at work and school, the occasional writer’s block when I did feel up to putting something down, and life in general. While there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of material, I just haven’t found the time nor the motivation to sit down and do some writing. But I think I’m out of my funk and I plan to get back to my regularly scheduled dosage of social commentary. There’s just too much out there to get my hands on. Things just calling for my attention.

In the meantime, just checking in with you jokers…you know, all three of you. :-/  I’ll be back on the job soon.

Peace and hair grease.

- ACL

Election Day: The Tale of Two Evils

Today is Election Day. Today is the day some people have been looking forward to, while others have dreaded. Today is the day voters are given the charge to set the course for the country over the next few years. As I’ve stated numerous times before, I predict a major shift in the country’s political position. Namely, I see Republicans picking up at least eight seats in the Senate and at least 40 seats in the House of Representatives. It won’t be pretty for the Democrats.

What role will I play in this, you ask? Let’s put it this way:

While I think some Republicans have certainly proven their worth, the overwhleming majority of them have nothing quality-laden to bring to the table (except, perhaps, when it comes to preserving the interests of the wealthy). Meanwhile, many Democrats have done more to manipulatively play on the sensibilities of the working class, minorities, and the poor than even their opponents on the right. So given my status as a [relatively] young, black, working class citizen with aspirations of seeing progressive reform through governmental actions, the question becomes: Do I support the Party of Bad Ideas or the Party of No Ideas?

There’s no doubt that this country is governed by two parties. Even the Tea Party - who is supposedly committed to the principles of Libertarianism - is nothing more than a radical fringe of the Republican party. So despite being an industrialized nation which has made advancements in virutally every field of science and art, we find ourselves in a position where all of our hopes rest in an archaeic system only represented two political agendas; both evil in their own rights. Therein lies the ultimate problem with the political philosophy of this country; and the root of my frustration as a political scientist. We work within a system that grants a particular person or group of people with power, but then limits our choices to binary options. In turn, we accept and abjectly capitulate to certain electoral limitations (often times self-imposed, since we’re the ones actually doing the voting) despite ostensibly being committed to true democracy.

All that said, who am I voting for? What party will I support? Who do I think will best represnt the collective interests of this country? Hard to tell. And I certainly won’t use this post (or this blog) to preach to you about who to support. But I will urge you to at least get out and vote. Voting (even in the system of limitations we have in place) is one of the most sacred tenants our democracy. Now, should you decide to walk into the box today and select candidates at random, that’s fine and dandy. In fact, maybe we all should. 

- ACL