MORE MESSING WITH HEALTH CARE SICKNESS 1/26/07

Our politicians are at it again. President Bush wants to re-vamp medical insurance in such a way that would involve tax cuts for those buying into less-comprehensive less-expensive policies. There are perceived advantages for part-timers perhaps. And some threats and fears. Some critics have speculated that employers will not continue to fund most of the expense for health care, for example. Then there is the rising cost of health care coupled with inflation. The insurance companies themselves are not crying "foul" but the proposal has already been sacked in Washington.

As expected, most of the Dems don't want anything to do with the plan proposed by Bush 41. The current three Dem contenders for the 2008 race have different plans. Clinton as in Hill the Pill wants universal health care for all, Obama wants it for all within the next six years, and Edwards is willing to increase our spending deficit to do it.

Ted Kennedy naturally wants to expand the public dole by putting everyone on Medicare. As much as I have my reservations about Bush's idea, I sure don't think Medicare for all is a great thing to do. Folks I know who have been forced onto Medicare due to disabilities are complaining that they are getting large doctor bills. Medicare does not pay the physicians "enough" so instead of writing off the rest to taxes, many physicians are billing their patients for what Medicare will not pay.

Medicare is a busted system and fixing it does not mean opening the doors for everyone to get it. Universal health care was a flop when proposed once before. Focusing on getting health care for all American children has garnered popularity as a feel-good thing to do. Not as "the right thing to do." Unfortunately, the Bush 41 plan would strip some coverage mandates-- preventative care in some cases and treatment to keep people from killing themselves in others.
I believe in preventative care and certainly in treatment for mental health disorders. Yet, I think that the Bush 41 proposal should be the subject for serious study of how to tweak it in order to make it workable.

Once again, radical sapphoq wishes to remind all the universal health care advocates that there will be no universal health care in this country unless it provides as good or better as what the rich folks currently have. No rich folk want to give up what they got. As far as ownership vs. entitlement, radical sapphoq is squarely on the ownership side of things but thinks that the Dems prefer entitlements.

radical sapphoq

A PUBLIC APOLOGY TO ELDER RAVENFIRE 1/24/07

I have contacted Elder Raven Fire [or elder ravenfire, elderravenfire, ERF] privately via e-mail. I have decided to post this announcement to serve as an electronic public apology to Elder Raven Fire.

Elder Raven Fire shows no electronic indications of being 'a danger' or 'dangerous.'
I have examined the "evidence" and found that it is merely a collection of inaccuracies
perpetrated by individual or individuals with their own agendas.
I have retired permanently from helping to distribute any gossip, suppositions, or lies.
I am no longer participating in this particular witch war, flaming, drama.
Washed up.
Pulled the plug.
Fini.
Done.

Any of you who believe you have concrete "evidence" to the contrary, don't bother me with it because I do not care. It remains your responsibility to present your "evidence" or "suspicions" to the proper authorities-- which would not be me.


We are not all the same. We all have stuff that weakens us, that sets us apart from health. We all also have strengths that we can utilize to overcome our problems. We are NOT our labels.
People can have anger problems, mental hell conditions, alcoholism, drug addiction, lack of insight, misinformation, bad spelling, bad math skills, freckles, blue hair, spiritual experiences which are different from yours, mystical inclinations, imagination, concrete thinking, obesity, eating disorders, too-thinness, laziness, poverty, possessions, love, loneliness, hacker tendencies, unusual hobbies, unusual pets, unusual tastes, unusual accents, gambling problems, real problems, imaginary problems, more than one personality, no personality, an occupation, no occupation, disabilities, good sex, bad sex, average sex, no sex, gardens, frogs, good cars, bad cars, mediocre cars, no cars, three feet or any other thing.

It is truly tragic this spitefulness which has its roots in the pagan community-- this vindictiveness and willingness to locate perceived vulnerabilities and capitalize on them--
that reminds me of how predators operate.
Elder Ravenfire is NOT the predator in this particular situation overall.
We the oppressed have now become the oppressors. And that truly SUCKS.

Elder Ravenfire, I am sorry for the things I did to cause you and your wife and your online e-group any pain.

radical sapphoq

SETTING FIRE TO A BUNDLE OF STICKS 1/24/07

In the latest evidence that we are becoming a mental hell nation, an actor voluntarily entered counseling after calling another actor a "faggot." Isaiah Washington apparently used the offensive epitaph towards actor T.R. Knight [who actually was not present] during an argument or disagreement. Washington also met with folks from GLSEN and he has agreed to help out in some campaign designed to teach those not in the know how hateful and painful the word "faggot" is.

In a loose nod to "NoNameCallingWeek," I myself a bisexual dyke, have to admit a certain state of perplexity over why a disagreement or an argument between two actors off-stage or backstage is even worthy of news reporting. Hopefully, the talk therapy that Isaiah Washington gets will do more than just teach him to "play nicely with others."

The use of the word FAGGOT is not the problem. The problem is a society which has been white-washed by political correctness into intellectual dishonesty. I would much rather know directly that someone just doesn't like me-- whether it is because of my sexual orientation or any other -ism-- than have people be phony to my face and real behind my back.

But then again, I've been accused of some rather froward thinking.

radical sapphoq

HEY O.J. IT SUCKS TO BE YOU 1/22/07

It doesn't look like Persian King and former football star turned accused then acquitted ex-wife-killer O.J. Simpson will have much to offer in terms of an expensive night on the town to any woman in Miami or anywheres else, at least until a hearing scheduled for February 20th. On Friday, he was ordered by Los Angeles Judge Gerald Rosenberg to restrain his spending to the bare necessities.

O. J. sure has had a string of rotten luck. Although he is not in prison for the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman back in 1994, he is supposed to hand over a smooth 33.5 million to their kids and future relatives according to a civil court suit. His book deal got canceled just before it was supposed to hit the bookstores. He has a hearing coming up this Wednesday January 24th regarding allegations that he got a 1.1 million advance on the aborted book deal. {Go, Fred!} And now, in place of the glove that "didn't fit," he has to wear the golden handcuffs of restraint. Furthermore, Fred is refusing to negotiate with O.J. for a percentage of O.J.'s future earnings rather than to enforce the terms of the civil suit. Pity that.

O.J. probably doesn't have m/any women waiting around to date him these days anyways. Then again, Nicole and Ronald are rotting in cemeteries someplace or other.

radical sapphoq

SO YOUR FOLKS DON'T APPROVE OF TEEN WITCHES 1/22/07

So you've read Silver Ravenwolf or some of the other books out there geared towards selling to a teen audience. Maybe you joined an e-group or found a teacher. You are totally thrilled at having found something you can be a part of. It's all great except for one or two things-- your parent/s disapproval.

Forget about hiding it, sneaking around, or lieing.
Any adult who tells you that it is okay to keep secrets from your folks is not acting with integrity.

As a teen, your primary job is your school studies. Education is something to be valued and it will serve you well for the rest of your life.

As an adult, you will have the legal freedom to pursue a religious path of your choosing.

radical sapphoq

FLUFFY BEHAVIOR 101 cFreeman and SkyDancer

Fluffy Behavior 101

[Copyright Freeman and Sky Dancer, 2003-2004. All rights reserved. Permission to repost or otherwise distribute is granted provided the essay is kept intact and this notice included.]

The question keeps coming up, "What makes someone fluffy or a fluff-bunny?" The concept of "fluff-bunny" is similar to "twinkie" as used in many American Indian communities: someone who either plays at the spiritual practices or is serious about it but goes for stereotypes and glitz rather than factual information. Practicing any significant number of these characteristic behaviors will be good and sufficient cause to label you accordingly. These are from actual experience, but they don't all apply to any one person - we hope. Several of them seem contradictory; this doesn't appear to matter to the people in question. Note: if you find this list offensive, then you are probably a classic fluffy. If you think we're being unnecessarily confrontational with this, you may be right (but see item 7). If you think we're picking on Wiccans, maybe so; but we do know plenty of non-Wiccan fluffies (check out Why Wiccans Suck and Wicca for the Rest of Us for other detailed views on the decadence of Wicca). 1. Claim to be practicing some really old path, but don't put forth the effort to find out what people actually did or believed on that path. Make stuff up while claiming that it's how the ancients did it. 2. Ignore anything dark or threatening, even if pretending to work with dark deities. Talk about how your deity of choice is always good or always right, or pretend your favorite dark goddess is really just a misunderstood sweetie-pie. 3. Accept any kind of nonsense you're told by another fluffy or read in some book with a crescent moon on the spine. Alternatively, accept any one source as definitive, no matter what those tight-assed intellectuals think about it. And do pass on whatever it is you think you know as though you invented it. 4. Get all worked up at any kind of challenge involving logic or fact. Only feelings really matter. Disregard what others have to say if it doesn't affirm what you already believe, whether or not they can prove their claims. 5. Make a big point of being huffy at anyone who doesn't take whatever you say at face value, especially if they continue to present evidence that disproves your claims, and declare that you are finished talking about the subject because "everyone is entitled to an opinion" and so your opinion is just as good as anyone else's. 6. Emphasize loudly that people don't have the right to make judgments about your words if they don't know you very well offline. Regardless of what you actually SAY, only your professed motivations should matter to other people. 7. Avoid conflict at all costs, and jump into other people's disagreements, even if you're not directly involved, to try to get them to agree for agreement's sake. Agree with other people just to smooth things over, or even lecture them on how they should just get along. If you moderate a list or message board, delete any messages that don't agree with you or that present uncomfortable viewpoints. 8. Try to get others to refrain from using profanity or stop talking about a subject because it makes you uncomfortable; for example, go to a clothing-optional event and then pitch a fit if anyone opts to go fully or partially nude. 9. Tell non-fluffies how horrible/non-spiritual they are for not accepting all pagans, regardless of how asinine their behavior might be; but be sure to tell everyone at the drop of a hat that you're Not A Satanist, whether they asked or not. 10. Be sure to complain frequently about persecution, whether you've actually experienced any or not. Extra points if you think someone choosing not to do business with you is "persecution" or if you repeat any form of the "Burning Times" myth: ~ 9 million died (or any number greater than about 40,000) ~ Those condemned as witches were Wiccans (or any kind of Pagan) ~ People were burned at Salem (try hanged and pressed) You might want to check the Covenant of the Goddess website for a reasonable account of the Witch Hysteria from a source with impeccable Wiccan credentials, except that doing so might be non-fluffy. 11. In conversation in person or otherwise, always assume that the Wiccan Rede (or whatever your code of honor happens to be) applies to all Pagans. If mildly challenged on this, act confused; if strongly challenged, go into Major Evil Eye Mode and accuse the Rede-Infidel (who OBVIOUSLY has no ethics whatsoever) of Satanism, Crowleyism, or worse. 12. Presume to lecture others on any of the Favorite Fluffy Topics: ~ Why Witchcraft is a Religion ~ Only Wiccans are Witches ~ What Real Witches (your definition) don't do: hexes, spells for selfish purposes, animal sacrifices (we're not like those awful Santerians or Voodoo practitioners), sex magick, etc. ~ What Real Witches (your definition) MUST do: be vegetarian/vegan, do charity work, recycle, vote for Democrats, etc. ~ Why Magick should NOT be used to interfere with another's Will or Karma - even by healing them ~ How the world was a happy, peaceful matriarchy until those horrible men had to mess it all up ~ How ritual nudity, sex magick, and the scourge are all in traditional Wicca only because Uncle Gerald was a dirty old man, not because of any actual value they might have 13. Insist that Wicca, or whatever your path is, is whatever you make it, regardless of its history. Demand respect for what you're doing even as you trash the efforts of your precursors and insist on calling the trash by the same name. Don't bother renaming what you do, however loosely based on the original form, because you want to ride on the coattails of people who went before and claim some sort of lineage regardless of the lack of similarities between what they did and what you do. 14. If your belief is "All Goddesses are One Goddess" and "All Gods are One God" and ultimately all deities are aspects of the One, use this as an excuse to not bother learning about or working with specific deities. Or, when you do call on a Lord and Lady by name, mix and match any two from any pantheons at any times. 15. Use a disability as an excuse not to check your facts or learn anything new, or as an excuse to engage in other fluffy behavior. Claim persecution if anyone dares to suggest that using a spell-checker isn't unreasonable even for someone with a disability. 16. Sign your emails/posts "Namaste" or "Bright Blessings" when the content of the message chews someone out, insults, or otherwise contradicts the salutation. 17. You can be lacking in all of the preceding Fluffy Traits, but if you demonstrate this one, you're in the Fluffy Club: Don't show any signs of having been touched by divinity or ecstatic experience. Many mainstream Christians sing hymns as if they were laundry-lists, and everyone accepts them, so that is what we want to do. Look askance at people who actually get out of themselves in ritual or celebration. Care more about what society and/or your friends think than what your deities think or whether you are actually getting anything out of what you do. Be sure not to do anything, even if it would develop your path/abilities/insights, that might possibly provoke disapproval or make you lose face. It should additionally be noted that this is not a diatribe against people who simply haven't learned much yet about paganism; it's about people who refuse to have integrity in their path or to use logic and critical thinking skills. The grey matter in our skulls isn't just to fill up space; it's a tool that should be used - OFTEN. The distinction we make between newbie and fluffy is precisely in terms of how they respond to education. We encounter plenty of each kind. The uneducable will more likely flare up at anyone who presents the truth, because they have already committed to "it's anything I want it to be" as a guiding principle, whether we're talking about history, theology, the practice of magick, or whatever. Why do we make such a big deal about fluffies? We'd happily let it pass if they weren't so busy trying to impose their fluffy values on the rest of the community. The rabid fervor with which they attempt to impose their flippancy on others gives outsiders the impression that we're all stupid, incapable of critical thinking skills, and inconsistent. Quite frankly, we don't appreciate that, and we don't appreciate being told we need to behave in stupid, unthinking, and inconsistent ways. So while you are certainly entitled to believe whatever you wish, you don't have a right to force it on us; but we do have a right to call bullshit when we see it.

PAGAN BULLIES AND WITCH WARS 1/19/07

http://www.quizilla.com/users/SwissCelt/quizzes/How%20fluffy%20a%20Pagan%20are%20you?/
How%20fluffy%20a%20Pagan%20are%20you?/

Yeah I took a quiz to prepare myself mentally to write this post. The quiz has a warning regarding the necessity of having a sense of humor before proceeding. It was a fluffy sort of quiz, short and cute. And I made the little blinkie too, using The GIMP. So if you want the little blinkie, right-click to Save to your My Pictures. I abhor hot-linking just as a few of you claim to watch the I.P. addys of those who post or attempt to post comments to your little stake of the WWW.



We now know-- through historical research-- that almost all of the folks killed during the infamous Burning Times were not witches. And we forget that we did not always know this. We ignore any of our own lack in self-esteem. We make our own petty little wars in order to artifically inflate our false bruised egos. We fling those we don't understand into a heap labeled "not good enough." We seek a unity of those who are like-minded. Community presupposes that there is at least a smathering of unity. Unity is not conformity and that is where I think some of our difficulties come from.

Teaching someone a better way to do things is not the same as blasting their name and character to Hel. We don't have that right. The vulnerable will always be among us. The picked-on, despised, unpopular, different-from-the-average kids were easy marks for the bullies in the schoolyards. We feared those who we didn't understand. Some of us grew out of that and a few of us didn't.

Ya don't care for someone's way of being-- change the channel. Surely there are more interesting options for entertainment. If you don't have the patience or you have lost the patience necessary to give a helping hand to the struggling pagan folks around you, then don't bother. You do not have to help. You might have already done that and need a break from it. Or maybe it is just not your thing. Other people who are able to and want to will step in. You are not indisposable. Downright meanness is not called for. Those of us who are able to face our own vulnerabilities squarely can show people how to conduct research, cite sources, create their own work, and get along with others.

N.B. This post is a direct result of my own experience within the past two months learning about the differences between deserved and undeserved reputations. If you are offended by anything I said, tough shit. No one forced you to read this blog. No one is forcing you to think.

radical sapphoq



http://chass.colostate-pueblo.edu/natrel/pom/old/POM11a1.html

http://members.tripod.com/Grey_Cat/witchwar.htm

http://www.conjure.com/TRINE/namewitch.html

http://wiccans.faithweb.com/fluffy.html

http://www.witchvox.com/va/dt_va.html?a=usma&c=words&id=8424

http://www.akashanpathways.com/witchcraft.htm

http://wicca.timerift.net/fluffy.shtml

http://wiccans.faithweb.com/lbunny.html

http://www.soulrebels.com/beth/fluffy.html

http://www.geocities.com/tribhis/fluffresponse.html

http://witchkit.tripod.com/FluffVsHardcore.html

http://wicca.timerift.net/ravenwolf.shtml

CYBER-SAFETY 101 1/14/07

Friends don't let friends use Micro$oft though sometimes there is good info to be found there. One such example is found here at: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/children/kidpred.mspx

Many of us who blog, post on boards, join e-groups forget that there are basic safety rules and we violate them without thinking. How many of us post our birthdates on our blogs? Town we live in? School we attend? Name of company we work at?
Other folks are doing that too.
Sooner or later, we may be instant messaging with others we have met during our internet pursuits.
We are too casual. We think nothing of these things. And it may be that some of the threats have been exaggerated.
Some stats may be inaccurate, yet the bottom line is when someone we know becomes a victim, the stats lose their meaning.

We may have teens who have been sucked up into blogging and websites and e-groups and boards and on-line gaming and instant messaging as well.
That sympathetic teen blogging "friend" or "buddy" in an e-group for teens looking for support and direction may not have their best interests at heart.

Do we know who they are communicating with? Do we know who we are communicating with?
Witness Yahoo 360 blogs where the ease of getting a yahoo ID can translate into many phoney identities. Nowadays we can be any name, age, or location that we choose to be.

Here and here are some basic safety rules that parents can implement for their children and teens. Actually, those rules would be pretty good for us adults to follow too.

People, are we following the basics of internet safety?
And parents, have you taught your children the basics of internet safety?

Parents, you should be actively monitoring what your children are doing on-line. On e-groups all over the net, there are teens and supposed teens who have posted their names, age, gender, and locations. Would your teen reveal similar information in an introductory post to an e-group?

Parents, you should be actively monitoring what your children are doing on-line.
Bullying is no longer restricted to the schoolyard. Adults can and do bully other adults on the internet on posting boards, e-groups, and in the on-line gamerooms. They can bully other adults via e-mails and blog comments. Adults can bully children and teens. Children and teens can bully each other. Although sometimes people can have conflict which is not bullying, conflict can escalate into bullying or other anti-social behavior. There are also individuals who delight in generating conflict on-line in newsgroups, e-groups, and anywhere that people electronically gather. Educate your teen on internet trolls and how to deal with them. Teach your teen that feeding trolls only encourages them further. Trolls may evolve into full-blown cyber-stalkers.

Parents, you should be actively monitoring what your children are doing on-line. Anyone can be a victim of a cyber-stalker. The Instant Messenger buddy who insists upon knowing why your teen wasn't on-line at the usual time, the blogging acquaintance who investigates your teen [and family] and then publishes personal info on-line [like your phone number] or shows up unannounced at school or job are exhibiting some of the characteristics of cyberstalkers. The religious guru who is running your teen's e-group may be a cult in the making and the malcontent who bombards your teen's e-mail account with threats of legal action may be a bully. The cyber-stalker will invade your teen's life by showing up at your front door or consistently at the electronic gameroom or teen chat.

There is a heap of information on-line about remaining safe in cyber-space.
Here are some ideas gathered from those places:

Be the parent.
Set guidelines and rules for internet usage.
Put the computer in a family room.
Remain in that room when your children are on-line.
Monitor their e-mail.
Monitor their blogs.
Talk about keeping private information private, fighting, bullying, cyber-stalking, and trolling.
Teach them conflict resolution skills.
Show them how to disengage from any internet contact that feels uncomfortable to them.
Tell them: no phone calls, no presents, no photos.
Forbid them to meet any of their on-line acquaintances in person ever-- unless you are present and the meeting takes place in public.
Pay attention to any personality changes or behavior changes in your child. They may indicate a problem that needs looking into.

Those suggestions apply to all of us of all ages.
Be safe, and play safer,
radical sapphoq

NUKES AND MORE 1/13/07

Once again two of my unfavorite dictator-types are in the news. Ahmadinejad of Iran and Chavez of Venezuela had a nice tete a tete today concerning the Iranian Nuclear Programme and the selling of oil. Both countries play important roles in OPEC. It appears that the two men [both of whom some of my more liberal buddies continue to assure me are "good guys"] are intent upon signing agreements formalizing their co-operation on various industrial projects and stuff like that. The two countries will be jointly investing in factories producing iron, steel, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, health care equipment, and munitions. The men both hate the United States, and are seeking to strengthen economic ties in light of a possible U.N. embargo.

Ahmadinejad also intends to attend the swearing-in of Rafael Correa as Ecuador's new prez, meet with Bolivia's Evo Morales and with Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega. President Bush, who opposes the nuclear capability developing in Iran, is uneasy about having Venezuela join in the quest for nukes.

Conde Rice, on her own excursion, is trying to persuade Israel and forces loyal to Palestine's weakened Abbas Fatah movement to unite against Hamas. To this end, President Bush wants Congress to grant "training" money. Unfortunately, the Hamas is very popular in Palestine and the people there are very much against creating any sort of temporary state. Hamas and Palestine want a permanent state to be created rather than going through any intermediate steps which may serve to embroil the Palestinian Authority in further legal battles.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is demanding that the United States share any terrorist intelligence while neighboring Bangladesh is shutting down elections and arresting 2552 people. John Negroponte testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that Pakistan is the center of the Al-Queda network and that the mountainous tribal regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan must be brought under control. Negroponte's testimony pissed off the Pakistani government. President Bush is lobbying to give Pakistan a bit more than one million dollars in U.S. aid in October of 2007-- which is still a bit less than what Pakistan is used to getting. A large contingent of Islamic anti-American demonstrators protested continued American military presence anywhere in the Middle East.

Robert Gates has called for an increase of 27K Marine and 65K Army troops, in light of the drain currently being placed upon our current armed forces. It will take time to enlist and to train the new recruits-- about five years and 10 billion bucks a year. National guard reserve units can also be recalled or have their tour of duty involuntarily extended.

All of these events point to escalating conflicts and wars rather than a hoped-for peace. It may very well be that a draft will become a national necessity. Additionally, we the people of the United States need to look at how to decrease our dependency upon oil and manufactured goods from other countries who hate us.

radical sapphoq

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/
Satellite?cid=1167467723728&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=38862

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6258243.stm

http://www.judeoscope.ca/breve.php3?id_breve=3056

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2007/01/13/AR2007011300834.html

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/170734

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2007/01/13/2003344572

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,9294,2-10-1462_2054196,00.html

http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=5228

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news/archives/international/2007112/99857.htm

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/nation/4465262.html

ASHLEY TREATMENT VS. ASHLEY TORTURE 1/10/07

Thanks to Andib for posting the letter from A.D.A.P.T. and Kelly for sending me the link to the blog of the parents of Ashley.

Ashley is a girl from Washington State whose parents are blogging what they are calling The Ashley Treatment. Due to precocious physical development in spite of a severe brain injury, Ashley had hormones administered to her to interfere with her growth. Recently, with the approval of a hospital's medical ethics committee, Ashley had surgery which involved a hysterectomy along with removal of her appendix and breast buds. Ashley's parents wish her to remain at approximately the weight she is now [65 lbs] along with her height. Their presented reasoning is that she is easier to manage, and will avoid sexual abuse by future caregivers if she remains in the body of a child. I am sickened by this.

Someone should tell these two parents that sexual abuse can and does happen to people who have bodies-- old people, middle-aged people, young people, children, babies, and dead people. Sexual abuse-- okay, rape-- has nothing to do with sexual attraction or whether or not the body of the victim is developed. Ashley will grow up to be a disabled woman with a freak's body. And someone should also tell these two parents that "g-d" has nothing to do with this one. That is their widely quoted comment after all. Some divinity of theirs would want them to use their brains to fix it so that way it is easier for Ashley to be included. Being a "pillow child" [also an offensive and appalling concept] forever is the fate that awaits Ashley.

And there are other less invasive ways to prevent or delay menstruation and to prevent decubitus. I know. I used to work in a nursing home. And I also worked with people who have developmental disabilities. I see this as another form of denying our sexuality. If society can desexualize the disabled, then the disabled will present a pleasing non-threatening picture of compliant children.

Those of us with disabilities are not devoid of sexual arousal, masturbation, or gender-specific sex organs. Wake up folks and smell the lubricant.

radical sapphoq


http://healingtbi.sapphoq.com/2007/01/from-adapt-11007.html

http://ashleytreatment.spaces.live.com/blog/

http://novus-ordo-seclorum.us/

http://www.adapt.org/

DEAD HUSSEIN 1/1/07

Hussein is dead. The American Friends Service Committee [Quakers] condemned the hanging before procedural questions regarding his trial were investigated. Human Rights Watch, an organization which condemned the trial, continues to protest his swift death just before sunup the other day and at the beginning of the Muslim eid named Eid al-Adha-- a day associated with clemency and devotion. Although Cuba still has the death penalty, the country condemned Saddam Hussein's hanging as one that was carried out by force of the occupation of Iraq by the United States rather than due to the wishes of Iraq itself. The Iraqi government is launching a probe into reports of the taunting of Hussein by gallows guards. There is video and photos available on the web which depicts the actual hanging itself-- more than Americans were shown on their teevee sets.

Saddam was hanged on the gallows that his own secret police used for similar hangings. His body was buried in Ramadi, near his hometown of Awja in Northern Iraq.

radical sapphoq says: Good Riddance. I don't care that the United Nations, the Vatican, the European Union and others have condemned his hanging. Saddam Hussein was on trial for crimes against humanity when the order to rush his execution came in. Violence and civil unrest continue in Iraq, Bush 43 considers his death a democratic victory, and there are accusations abounding that his trial was "illegal." I would have been willing myself to pull the switch [hanging is perhaps more intellectually honest but I am after all a Westerner] and willing to endure any "karma" for thinking that I have the right to judge Saddam Hussein for the things he did while alive. I know what I know. Regardless of how he got into power or his brutal childhood or any other factor, Saddam Hussein followed in Mohammed's bloody footsteps. I will not be leaving flowers at his grave.