I suppose I should be working, but instead I’m playing this. Okay, and this. This is what happens when I am left to my own devices for too long. Talk to me. Drop me a note, leave a comment. Is there anybody else out there? I am suddenly in the need of some external validation.
About Fred
Half awake this morning, stumbling from the shower, I heard something on NPR that has stuck with me all day. At Sunday’s memorial service in Yankee Stadium for the victims of the September 11 terrorist attack, one rabbi said that six thousand people did not die on that day. One person died, six thousand times.
That sent me looking for this half-remembered verse by John Donne: …any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.. I hope we can remember that, in the days to come, in our calls for war, we who are so ready to kill, so hungry for revenge. No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. I don’t see how more death will honor anyone’s memory.
Last night I had a dream that I was at my old job. Which was weird, but probably has something to do with today being the first official day at my new job. I’ve been here for two weeks now — two tedious weeks — but only today do I move from wage payroll to salary. The job is not without its problems (which may be putting it mildly), and I have yet to convince myself that this change is one for the better, but my fortune cookie from lunch assures me, you can always find a way out. I’ve chosen to take some comfort in that.
And incidentally, I’m still worried about missing the Buffy premiere next week. Isn’t that just pathetic?
As Sharon points out, Jerry Falwell is an asshole. On September 13 (a short two days after the attacks in New York and Washington), Falwell told the equally offensive Pat Robertson of the 700 Club, “I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way — all of them who have tried to secularize America — I point the finger in their face and say, ‘You helped this happen.'”
Yes, Falwell has since called these comments “insensitive, uncalled for at the time, and unnecessary,” but he neglected to mention that he was wrong. In an unanswered e-mail to jerry@falwell.com (sent 9/14/01), I posed the following questions:
In which context would this not sound like you were casting blame on “the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and lesbians” for this Tuesday’s horrible events? Were you misquoted? And if hate-mongering isn’t your objective, what is? Please, if you’re going to use religion to masquerade your political opinions, at least learn when it’s inappropriate. And when you do apologize for your comments, accept the blame completely, rather than complain that you were misrepresented. Misrepresented? I think we all know what you are.
Want to know the context in which these comments could seem like anything less than misinformed hate-mongering? Michael Gerber and Jonathan Schwarz offers nine possibilities. Found through Alternet.
First, a brief (but, be forewarned, unedited) e-mail exchange from yesterday, and then I swear I’m going to figure out this archive script problem so I can get down to shortening the first page.
I might not like CNS News (and I think it’s perhaps a little unethical for them to hide who they used to be), but Johnson raises an interesting point. I’m not sure the government should have a right to investigate someone who registers imgoingtokillfredcoppersmith.com (I checked, it’s available), but I am not entirely sure why they shouldn’t. Is that sort of “suspicious” behavior enough probable cause? Any thoughts?