R Blog

Support the Troops

Those “Support the Troops” ribbons on cars have always irritated me. There’s some things about the military I support; some things I don’t. I support, for example, proper medical and psychological care for wounded veterans. I support substantially larger death benefits than what widows now receive. I support body armor that works. I don’t support going double or nothing in Iraq so that President Bush can prove his place in history (last place). I don’t support evangelical Christians in the military pushing their religion on others through organizations like  Christian Embassy. (Video has been disabled on their website). 
I do support organizations like Military Religious Freedom Foundation who are very upset about Christian Embassy’s recent video. Academy grad and Republican Michael Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, had this to say in an interview with Salon.com— “This, to me, constitutes as much of a national security threat to this country as al-Qaida...Catton (General Jack Catton who appears in the video), whom I knew when I was a kid at the [Air Force] Academy, and he goes, "I share my faith, that's who I am, and let me tell you right now, the hierarchy as an old-fashioned American is that your first duty is to the Lord, second to your family and your third is to your country." That is the exact opposite of what is taught, and for anyone who understands anything about the military, it is always the country first... I get calls 24/7 from the soldiers, Marines and airmen...They're being tormented...These are Christians being preyed upon by evangelical Christians -- pray and prey -- and being told that you're not Christian enough, therefore you're going to burn in a hell of fire...I've had nine death threats since about 10 o'clock last night. I usually get about two or three a week. They're very grotesque, everything from wanting to gas all the Jews in America and send the corpses back to Israel to threatening to blow me up, threatening my house will be blown up, raping my wife, blowing up my house. We've had our tires slashed, we've had feces and beer bottles thrown at the house, we've had dead animals placed on the front door of the house...This is not a Christian-Jewish issue, and it's also not a political spectrum, left or right issue, it's a Constitutional right and wrong issue. These officers, and what's happening in that video, simply by appearing in a video that is blatantly and vociferously sectarian, by simply doing three things in that video, they should be court-martialed.” Clearly, there are some troops one can support; others one cannot. Proselytization has no place in military service, an institution devised to protect our freedoms. There are many ways to support the troops. Supporting their religious freedom is one of them.

Britney Spears Pursey

Now Britney’s purse has made the news. It’s full of pharmaceuticals. But aren’t most American purses full of drugs?

Britney Spears, Ted Haggard and Gangaji have proven that blogging is mostly a stupid way to spend your time. I’ve written and posted hundreds of short essays on various subjects over the last couple of years. Lots of them were interesting. Some were funny. Most were a good read. Short. Unthreatening. On a normal day I’d have my twelve regular readers and twenty more, or so, who tripped a link through Google or Yahoo search. Then came a week when the Gangaji scandal was quickly followed by the Ted Haggard dust up. In three days I had 12,000 hits with a high one day of 5500. The hits diminished. The blog returned to normal. But I’d had a taste of the big time. I liked the attention. How could I get some more ? The Rude Pundit gave me the idea and later articulated it thusly: “Apparently, if one includes mention of a pop star's genitalia in the title of a post during a time period when said genitalia has been copiously photographed, oh, the bounty that will follow.” Now I’m back in the spotlight. 1500+ hits today. It’s what people want. (With this post, I’m making a pathetic ploy for the people who can’t spell “pussy.”)

BSP

There has been much interest lately in Britney Spears’ ______. “For the fifth time in six years (she) topped Yahoo’s list of of  most searched for topics." The reason, if you don’t know, is that  Britney was photographed  (With a bit of creative Googling you can find the uncensored photos) emerging from her limo panty-free. Britney’s mum has been forced to order her to put on her panties and return to Louisiana  for fear her behavior may screw up child custody negotiations with K-Fed. . At the same moment when the Iraq Study Group has released their report informing the President that we can’t “stay the course” Britney’s _____ is bigger news. The Rude Pundit, in his inimitable style believes  that Brit’s _____ could be used for the benefit of mankind. (Warning: Rude Pundit is somewhat of an acquired taste which many will find offensive. Full disclosure: I read the Rude Pundit everyday). As the Rude One put it, “There are places in Iraq that weren't probed for WMDs pre-war as deeply as Britney Spears' _____ was last week.” This freer style of dressing is alarming. Think of the commotion Britney has caused by wearing those bellybutton baring trousers. Now we are pretty much forced to look at fat girls belly buttons, even in winter. Britney’s look apparently knows no seasons. If the pantiless style catches on one will have to learn to avert ones eyes every time a car door opens. The older among you will recall that Sharon Stone attempted to start this craze back in 1992 in the film Basic Instinct. Society wasn’t yet ready. But with the ascendance of Britney Spears, and her running mate Paris Hilton, I fear that the trend may catch on with those who don’t require the panty liner. I’m going on record as stating that I don’t like the pantiless style.  Who wishes to be as blasé about the ____ as a gynecologist? The _____ should be viewed on special occasions only and not in every parking lot in America. Looking up Britney Spears mini as she unfolds her skanky legs from the back seat of a limo is not erotic. Too much is, well...too much. A couple weeks ago Masterpiece Theater did a new version of  Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy. In that film was a most erotic scene which did not involve panties or lack thereof. Fancy Day and Dick Dewy, the lusty protagonists, wash their hands in the same basin of water. This modest event was a genuine turnon.

UPDATE: Britney puts her panties on.