Lonesome Tree in Sandhills

Friday, February 17, 2012

Religious Poppycock

I keep thinking... maybe the earth slipped on its axis from all the hot air being broadcast 24/7. So many people, so little time to brainwash them into believing black is the new white and the wee little folks are 10 feet tall. Charles Dickens and C. S. Lewis would be having a field day about now what with dour pots calling kettles black and rich rotund Men in Black crying out about being victims. Don Marquis would have Archy telling Mehitabel, "Your kittens are YOUR problem... we cockroaches don't have too many little roaches." And, yes Alice, there really are talking rabbits who wear clothes & check time with a pocket watch.

Dickens, Lewis & Marquis would quickly realize Catholic bishops' crying "foul" over insuring birth control at affiliated universities and hospitals is a Giant Red Herring. Catholic cardinals as well as bishops are using "religious liberty" to drive a mack truck through so they won't have to report child sex abuse to secular authority... nor pay over $700 million in judgments that are on appeal. Don't take my word for it, take Cardinal Egan's word for his belief now, retracting his apology 10 years ago, that the Church has no obligation to report abuse cases.

The bishops are reasserting that Canon Law rules, not governments, to get Congress to overturn the Supreme Court's unanimous decision in United States vs. Lee, 455 U.S. 252 (1982).
Justice Burger, writing for a unimous Supreme Court: "Congress and the courts have been sensitive to the needs flowing from the Free Exercise Clause, but every person cannot be shielded from all the burdens incident to exercising every aspect of the right to practice religious beliefs. When followers of a particular sect enter into commercial activity as a matter of choice, the limits they accept on their own conduct as a matter of conscience and faith are not to be superimposed on the statutory schemes which are binding on others in that activity. Granting an exemption from social security taxes to an employer operates to impose the employer's religious faith on the employees."
This isn't new stuff - these folks mean business!  A year ago in March, the "Rights of Conscience Act" Bills were filed in the House & Senate (H.R.1179 and S.1467) and referred to Subcommittees on Health.  The Catholic bishops are now spending $50 million on public relations using code words like "freedom of religion" and "religious liberty" ... with help from their long-time frienemies.

I figure taking the Catholic Bishops' argument to its ultimate conclusion means spending $2 billion/year to Catholic affiliated universities and hospitals could be viewed as a violation of the Establishment Clause.  Then Bishops can tell their Catholic faithful to pay those costs out of their own pockets so they needn't worry about abiding by federal law.  Hummm... pitting Catholics against Catholics??

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Song of Pill Power

The Pill has given women power over their lives since 1964, when my dear Catholic mother said, "If men could have babies, the Pope would make the pill a sacrament distributed at Mass."  Thanks to the Pill, women have been priming the pumps of our economy since then.  Thanks to Juanita Jean's "Thank you, Miss Loretta. You tell Doo & Rick Santorum How the Cow Ate the Cabbage for Loretta Lynn's song about The PILL.  Love that woman's music... she tells it like it is!! (See video on right.)

Monday, February 13, 2012

Jennifer Hudson Tribute to Whitney Houston

Jennifer Hudson showed what a true diva really is when she sang "I'll Always Love You" at the Grammy Awards in tribute to Whitney Houston.  Jennifer herself sets a high standard for celebrity icons.  Bless her heart!  (See video at right).

Saturday, February 11, 2012

British Cuties: Sophia Grace & Rosie

British cuties, Sophia Grace & Rosie, have become regulars on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.  Sophia Grace (8) belts out pop songs by music superstars like she grew up with them from infancy.  Her cousin, Rosie (5), serves as her "hype girl" - as Nicki Manij said, giving her confidence.  She hardly needs any more confidence as you can see in the video.  Enjoy!!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Presidential Election Year - Game On!


Animated Cartoons by Ann Telnaes of The Washington Post
I'll probably sit in purgatory until the Milky Way disappears for this, but...
I just couldn't resist considering men can't have babies....