Is there a Deep State?

The Family Documentary

Surprise! There is a deep state but it is not the one routinely referenced without supporting evidence on Fox News, Glenn Beck, Breitbart, Rush Limbaugh, Dennis Prager, et al.

I started watching this documentary on Netflix and soon had a pucker factor of about 9.8 on the ten point “USPS” (Universal Sphincter Pucker Scale). What I learned also provided evidence for my argument that wing-nut conspiracy theories cooked up by the Republicans often turn out to be mirrors of their own achievements. The so-called “deep state” being a prime example. In their fevered dreams (which is almost indistinguishable from their waking reality) a demon host of commie pinkos (known to us a dedicated government employees) work tirelessly to subvert our freedoms/democracy. It is patently obvious to everyone not wearing a conservative tin foil hat, that Republican-suits conflate laissez faire capitalism with our democratic republic. Boiling it down, it is soon obvious they fear they will be found out and judged too crass if they openly state their intentions to hoard all the resources along with the power to make policies about said resources, for themselves.

Happily, for self-righteous-righties, it is an elementary exercise to propagate the delusional notions out to the largely angry, unsophisticated, base voters who conveniently lack, or fail to employ, critical thinking skills. Such pursuits are greased by the copious injection of sophomoric religious tropes. In no time at all millions believe goofy conservative narratives their overlords have inextricably woven together with their own political objectives.

Were that not sufficient to raise ones eyebrows up beyond ones hairline, the unspoken religious-test of high government officials extends to many/most Democrats as well. That is to say, one must profess belief by continually inserting phrases into ones narrative such as: God Bless America/Americans, We pray for the victims and their families, and so on. It is also helpful to cast our enemies as either godless or disciples of a different deity.

Stairway to Belief

One knows to begin with a disclaimer when challenging the deeply held beliefs of others. This is most especially true in these divisive times.

12 Step programs, Largely ineffective

My disclaimer is as follows: For those who have been involved with one of the many twelve step programs and have found solace, companionship, a path out of addiction, or a pathway to a happier existence when a loved one struggles with addiction, I am truly glad for you. I have seen this happen with people in my own life and it seems wrong to dishonor any new found quality of life, however one achieves that goal. In short, if you feel good about your successes or perceived successes in a twelve step program and your judgment is to continue, by all means. I am satisfied that ones mental flexibility to listen to and/or absorb new ideas is the single most important bit. 

That said, if we “know” (as in; we have abundant evidence for a thing) that a given methodology/treatment is not truly effective, it is incumbent upon us to stand up straight and say this clearly. First, because it is true. Further, in the interest of compassion toward our fellow humans, we wish to both point the way toward superior methods/treatments of serious maladies and away from the inferior. As the psychiatrist in the report observes, even if we were not able to offer a clearly superior treatment for a given disease, our moral obligation to inform others of the failures of a system currently in use, still applies. We arrive at this inference based upon the idea that operating from facts and evidence is unarguably superior to acting from belief alone.

—The fact that we have a very serious addiction problem in the United States and we have finite resources available for research/remediation and the diversion of precious resources to ineffective treatments is a shocking waste, well, that is another discussion.—

I keep up with the news and I am well informed.

Let's examine that claim.


Humans of New York article

Quote from the above article: "She volunteered to tutor us for free. Even though we only saw her two or three times a month, she gave me another perspective on life. I’d probably have five children by now if it wasn’t for her. She taught me to think critically about our traditions. She had empathy for our culture, but she also taught me that not all traditions are positive. Especially for women."

Heartwarming, isn't it? Well, on a personal level, sure. Any effort in the right direction is a good thing.

On the other hand, this isn't the second century BCE anymore. There are seven plus billion humans on this planet. Soon enough there will likely be eleven billion! And guess what most of them won't have and all of them will want? An American or Western European lifestyle. That would include an automobile, a home, a refrigerator, plenty of food, and the energy to manage all that.

For those of us concerned about climate change, guess what? Without concurrently working to slow population growth, almost all of our efforts will be in vain. In short, there are too many humans scrambling for a slice of a finite pie. Do you imagine you are getting the most informative and helpful news and information? Ask yourself, when was the last news story you heard about this topic?

Fuck Bill Barr

Click to see what the AG of the USA is saying these days.

CNN reports on Bill Barr speech

Let me be clear and concise. Fuck Bill Barr.

How does he have the nerve to label people on the left of the political spectrum as, essentially, demons bringing down society? How did he become so deluded as to conflate being America’s pastor with being America’s chief law enforcement officer? He is a living example that one can be an intelligent, and even well-educated, human being and be totally clueless.

If Mr. Barr wishes to run things according to a religious dogma, let him go and become a deacon or pastor in his church.

Leave us out of it.

I am good with religious folks who decide to live by a certain tradition from which they derive an inner peace, a sense of community, a strength to help them get along in a world that can be rather harsh. Bless their hearts, I know and have strong connections to many of them. Back in the day, I was one of them. But I will speak boldly and firmly in opposition to anyone of any religious tradition that brings those beliefs into the public square and tries to impose policies, particular to their traditions, on all of us in a pluralistic society. It is presumptuous at best. At worst it is a crass display of dominance. And, oh by the way, it is unconstitutional.

Ghost in the machine

Click here

Aren’t we all god’s little Androids?


I understand The manufacturer got a great deal on some ancient Windows Vista disks. So, expect to receive dubious responses regarding life-changing decisions and the constant threat of demon viruses. On the bright side, tech support calls will be answered by genuine American atheists in silicon valley.

NOTE: All support personal are cross-trained. Whether you are simply having an issue with your android or a full-blown crisis of faith, you are covered.

Blessings

John Oliver is a British born naturalized American citizen. That is, he chose to be an American. Most American are only citizens by accident of birth. Though they may be delighted by the fact of their citizenship, it was a gift they had no hand in. While clearly displaying a great affinity for America by becoming a citizen, Mr. Oliver uses the platform of his television show to criticize various aspects of American life. And may the Flying Spaghetti Monster bless his acerbic heart.

Click here for a quick primer on the current scourge of televangelism

In any other venue or enterprise the cynical greed and villainy of such people would be a the subject of rightful public shaming and criminal prosecution. Sadly, these con-artists/scammers/sociopaths are able to veil their evil doings behind a cloak of religion. This get-out-of-jail-free-card, provided by religion, not only allows them to use the public airways to market their fraud, they do so tax free. In fact, whole television networks hide behind the religious tax dodge.

So, sure, my believers might wish to pop up and proclaim a personal distance from such practices. To the extent this is true in your particular case, Bravo! However, I would be interested to hear believers make a case for why all of you are allowed to hide among the folds of the same skirt? I am truly curious if a convincing case might be made to except religion from our basic societal contracts without imputing blame on one's own doctrine? Is it possible to carve out the worms from the apple while leaving the sweet bits intact? Could it be that, silence in the believer community suggests a nagging feeling that all are involved in marketing a defective product?

**Note**
Proselytizing religions have a special responsibility in this arena. It is arguable that those who are not involved in marketing their views to non-members should not be held to the same standard. At least on this question.

For those who do not care for, or are not fulfilled by, the comedic approach employed by Mr. Oliver, I would offer the following.

For the eggheads and high brows...

It rhymes!

Humpty-Trumpty sat on a big wall.

There he’d scowl & do little else at all,

He’d burnish his ego or watch his reflection

And hope to evade any criminal detection.

Or line his bottomless pockets with ill-gotten cash.

Or proclaim he cared for things other than his stash.

He’d call on his posse to give him more strokes

While making shit up and fleecing the blokes.

He was supreme in his bloated self-confidence

As he’d never faced a day’s worth of consequence.

They say he had more money than even the Gods

While most of his followers were simply poor sods.

He might’ve kept on as a playboy & bunghole supreme

But the narcissistic twat had a crazy-ass dream.

He got on the ticket for president (or, perhaps, a king)

And that was the start of some very very bad things…

Soon he was quite a big fish in quite a small bowl.

The negative attention took a most annoying toll.

From the beginning, he had distain for the job.

Even with all the power, he was still such a knob.

Many hoped the office would round out the holder.

But the weight only sloped his pampered shoulders.

He walked with head held high, and right on cue

But he was just a loser with TP on his shoe.

Was Humpty-Trumpty an Adonis, an egg-head?

Or just a scammer who’d made his own bed?

To his millions of supporters and me and you-

for Humpty-Trumpty, we were all the TP on his shoe.