Let the Ranting Procede

I blew off some steam about reproductive rights on my main blog. Check it out here if you are interested:
http://beckyispassingthrough.blogspot.in/2012/04/v-is-for-vagina.html

Dangerous Pissing Contests

This will be my first post on politics in India. Hopefully you like it.

At the moment, I am a resident of India. I have been for the past 6 months, and hopefully will be for the next 5 – 6 years. The political environment in India, understandably, has started to concern me more. The BBC had a large headline today about India having a long range missile capable of reaching China.

India, may I ask why this needed to be such a large announcement? Are you in yet another pissing contest with China? If so, why?? For the love of Buddha India, don’t poke a sleeping bear. India and China have an uneasy peace going on, why poke at China by saying that you can blow them sky high? It just doesn’t make sense.

Another thought – since the officials officially deny it (well obviously!) is someone else trying to pit India and China against each other? I really don’t think that is the case, but I still wonder.

Have we really not learned yet that piling weapons upon weapons in the name of deterrence is really not all that logical? All it takes is one of the dominoes falling (even accidentally) and the whole world is all of a sudden glowing nuclear green.

There’s a lot of chatter from the talking heads about this being a huge success. I’m not sure how far I agree with that. Perhaps the rocket launch was successful, but if you look beyond the surface, it makes me pretty damn nervous. India, please do not take cowboy lessons from the US. This is not a good track to go down.

Becky

Grilling Ted Nugent

I’ve been plenty clear before about how I feel about listening to Ted Nugent’s political opinions. The man has them, just like everyone else. I have yet to figure out why we’re so hell bent on giving him a platform to speak from.

Apparently, Nugent shot off his mouth and made some remarks that ruffled some feathers. Now he’s claiming that the Secret Service needs to come interview him. Really Secret Service? You have nothing better to do than interviewing hot headed aging rock stars? To make this dog and pony show just a little bit more silly, Glenn Beck is doing us the favor of gracing us with more attention on Uncle Ted.

Oh Ted. I’m very happy for you that your career in music is so fruitful that you’re still giving concerts. Perhaps you should stick with that. At least give us some solid reason why you need to have TV time to shoot off political opinion. Seriously, why are you still getting air time? This is like people using my blog as news – it’s not. I don’t expect to get tons of attention because I have opinions, why should you?

Glenn, I really don’t have much to say to you besides stop being such a stupid douche canoe, but I know you’re not listening anyhow. Whatever.

Becky

Where in the World?

Listening to: Obsession - Animotion

Mood: Happy

Today is not the day that I discovered Blogger’s stat features. I have been occasionally throwing an eye around there for quite some time. 

As of late, this has especially fascinated me. I’ve found out that I have readers from Latvia (!), Malaysia, Iran, Russia, Romania (!!), Slovenia (seriously?!), Turkey, China, The Netherlands (holla back Dutch folks!), France, Nepal (!), Ukraine, Brazil, and Laos (again, really?!)

All I can say is wow folks. I appreciate every single last one of you. Please, please, please come back often. I’ll do my best to continue providing you with entertaining reading. I also love comments, so let ‘em fly people. There are convenient following options also if you want me all up in your email inbox or RSS feeder. All of my goodness delivered to your (virtual) doorstep. The email following instructions are on the left, the RSS subscription at the bottom of the page.

I have some options for those who want to read something different. I regularly keep 6 blogs. Some get written in more than others, but the content is all different. Check out the links below for more of my content.

My take on a mommy blog:

http://guardingthecouches.blogspot.in/

Life in India – good fun with pictures:

http://followingthemasala.blogspot.in/

My main blog with life musings:

http://beckyispassingthrough.blogspot.in/

For what I’m reading and Recommending:

http://searchingforedification.blogspot.in/

For all things related to marriage and all of its tomfoolery (there may be posts about sex, you’ve been warned):

http://beckysballandchain.blogspot.in/

Thanks for reading!

Becky

Now That's a Grudge

Listening to: Foolish Games – Jewel
Mood: On

As I mentioned, I’ve renewed my relationship with BBC news. Ah BBC, but I missed you. I’ll never leave you again.

Greece is in a spot of economic troubles right now, as you probably know. Again, this blog is based on the presumption that you don’t like ostrich holes. If you do, just go, this won’t make any sense to you. Ahem. So yes. Economic woes. This isn’t what caught my attention, as Greece was one of the first European places to start throwing around SOS signals.

Apparently, many Greeks blame Germany for their economic woes. Wait… what? That, intrepid reader is exactly what I thought. According to the news story, there are still plenty of people out there who are angry with Germany for its rampant invasion and destruction and subsequently, lack of any economic reparations being paid.

In fact, if you check out what Wikipedia has to say, it really does look like Greece got shafted from a few different directions in WWII.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Greece_during_World_War_II

While I do sympathize with Greece about how the end of WWII went down, I’m still failing to see how this relates to the current management of their economy and how this turns out to be Germany’s fault. Is any of this actual feeling, or is it more like, “Hey, remember how Germany sucked a while back? Let’s blame them!” type thing. Is anyone from WWII still alive still? Apparently there are still lots of folks around, but I have a hard time imaging that all those elderly veterans being the driving force behind this sentiment.

Can we call it as it is? I’m sure that the end of WWII was a devastating time for Greece. However, this was damn close to 100 years ago. 100 years of government, policies, and decisions being made since that time. Yes, it is convenient to blame Germany for encouraging austerity measures, but I really don’t think this is a rational thought pattern for finding out what went wrong and what should be done to fix it. The entire world has had a paradigm shift in thinking. That, Greece, is why so many countries in the world are struggling, not because of the outcome of a war. Almost the entire world has been at war at some time or other. Empires and wealth come and go. I think it’s time to man up a bit. To be fair, I think the shift in thinking has to happen for any country that is over extended and facing economic difficulties. I’m just picking on Greece for being whiney about it and blaming someone else for their problems. The fact is, Germany is not responsible for your economic choices. You chose to be a part of the European Union, meaning you get the responsibilities as well as the benefits. If everyone is tightening their belts, you can’t whine that Germany was unfair and that you should get an exception. Hopefully Greece won’t ever get into another war with Germany, so that doesn’t need to be an economic concern for them. They do however need to do some serious thinking as to how they’re going to help themselves work on the economic problems they do have. Looking back at the past and blaming someone else for your current problems never solved a damn thing.

Destroying Bin Laden’s Compound

Hmm. Seems Pakistan is going for some positive PR by making a big deal out of destroying Bin Laden’s compound.

I’m kind of at a loss as to why this is important enough to rate a spot on the top news wires. The man has been dead for a while now. It’s almost like putting Bin Laden’s name on paper they would be hoping for some higher ratings or something. Ridiculous, I know.

Seriously folks. He’s dead. What does it matter what happens to his compound?  I’m pretty sure that destroying it won’t demoralize anyone who chooses to carry on in his legacy. I’m also pretty sure his family isn’t going to claim to care, even if they do. So…why? Buildings are just buildings. They don’t carry on the legacy of people who have spent time in them. Otherwise  serial killers' houses – never used again.

I really hate PR stunts and this just reeks of being one. I’m pretty sure no one in Pakistan is all that interested in hearing about his house being torn down (in fact, it may piss off some people quite a bit). Spitting on Bin Laden’s grave by being happy his house was torn down just seems a bit juvenile.

Really, Bin Laden was just a man. He was a particularly hateful and evil man, but only a man none the less. Can we move on already?

Becky

Watching the Nonsense From Afar

My family and I have moved to India. This is really old hat news for me, but since I don’t think I ever mentioned it in this blog, I thought I would explain my absence from complaining about all the nonsense. 

In fact, I haven’t paid much attention to what’s happening in the US since we left in September. I took a look at my blog today and it made me wonder exactly what was going on in the US.  I think some BBC viewing time is definitely in order. Alas, while India has stepped out of the comedy stone age and now gets Comedy Central (even though the programming is distinctly un-Comedy Central-ish), I still haven’t been able to catch a current John Stewart, which makes me weep on a regular basis. I do love that man.

Anyhow. Being out of the US with little access to all the nuanced news and talking heads in the US has made me wonder how much all of that nonsense really means anyhow.  It just doesn’t seem to have the same importance to my family now that we aren’t living there.

I’m going to have to catch up with what’s going on, just so I can stay informed.

Becky

That is so Gay

Listening to:Staind

Mood: Mellow

So…In case you aren’t following politics in or around New York, Albany recently passed a bill allowing gay marriage.   Wait, wait. Have you read about how much I LOVE Albany? People, ALBANY passed gay marriage in NY! This is indeed an interesting day in history. A great one to be sure, but completely unexpected for this blogger. New York city definitely has a well deserved reputation as being a liberal Mecca, but we actually have quite a few conservative minded folks from the rest of the state. Albany is not usually a place to take a stand; it’s a place to establish yourself in political corruption.  So that would be a pretty big middle finger pointed at all the rest of the god fearing people in the country who are positive that gay marriage is going to open up a big sink hole somewhere in Kansas that will swallow any and all wholesomeness in this country.  Mmm hmm. Sorry about that.

Let’s stick in a disclosure: I’m not gay. I don’t even know anyone who is openly gay. I’m really hoping that I don’t offend anyone who this directly applies to because I support this idea whole heartedly.  I get a pretty big hard on over people being able to be equal. 

This historic incident just happened to occur at the same time as the gay pride parade was happening.  I love it.  I do think the parade would have been a lot more colorful and fun (if that’s possible!) had the bill been passed before the parade.

I think the kicker of this whole thing is sitting slightly below the surface here. You see, New York wants to brand itself as some kind of gay marriage destination. You heard right, we are hoping to attract the gay tourist market segment. As if New York didn’t have enough reasons for people to come here. Now, this leads me to be suspicious that this law was passed because all of the politicians had little dollar signs dancing in their vision after someone convinced then there was money to be had. That’s right people, this always comes back to money. As happy as I am that this was passed, I don’t for one minute believe anyone in the state capital cared all that much about civil rights or the morality of being gay. They cared about dollars. Welcome to New York people.

Becky

Enlightenment vs. being a Pussy

Listening to: Random Hindi on the ipod

I was watching John Stewart the other night (as I am known to do on a regular basis) and watched him roast John Boehner for the waterworks show he has been putting on as of late. Before anyone accuses me to promoting the bastion that is the heartless, sexist, uber masculine old boy’s club, let me just express my support for the enlightened, sensitive, new age male. That being said, grow a pair Boehner.  The American public has had its fill of apologies filled with false regret and tears, we’re really not falling for this display, not matter how genuine it may have been.  I think it’s great that you feel strongly about certain issues (this is key to becoming a good politician, if that exists, in the first place), but crying on tv…. It just undermines your point.

I’m not a big fan of Boehner in the first place. I know it’s a cheap shot, but I can’t help but think of him as Beaner every time I see him on tv. After someone like Obama, it’s hard to find the same gravitas and leadership and many politicians come across as spineless jellyfish. I’m sure this is a useless generalization, but it is my opinion after all.  

Seriously Boehner, meet me at camera 2. Listen, I’m not really sure if you have genuine strong opinions or this is a new sensitive side of you that you’re trying to convince us that you really do have. Either way, if Obama bowing to certain world leaders comes off soft, you have absolutely no chance of being taken seriously if you are willing to cry on tv. Tell you what. How about you translate your strong emotions into a motivation to implement some real, strong, actual changes that we can respect you for? That way we can appreciate you as an enlightened politician instead of just a possibly fake weepy pussy.  Good luck with that.

Becky

Israel vs. Palestine - War of the 2 year olds.

Mood: Calm

Listening to: Wind of Change - Scorpions

The republicans have won. No doubt you noticed from all the little happy dances that have been performed ever since on every news channel out there.  I’m going to leave this alone for today, but I’ll be back. This means you Boehner, I’m nowhere near done with you. 

So. Israel and Palestine. According to Yahoo news, Israel is defending its choice to continue construction in Eastern Jerusalem. It seems to me that Israel is amazingly callous and uncaring of any world opinions or criticism on how they are conducting themselves with the Palestine, a situation that would seem to benefit from a little something called diplomacy. In a recent Time article with Condoleeza Rice, she stated that there was only one workable solution was two separate nations working to respect each other. I’m not a huge fan of Dr. Rice, but I totally agree with her on this. Why in the world can these two countries not behave like adults on this? Perhaps I don’t know ALL the facts on this, but Israel does seem to be the aggressor in most of these situations. All of the land grabbing and refusal to budge on anything.  Eh Israel, meet me at camera 3. You guys got your own country. Take a look back in history and notice how rare a solution this is. Seriously. Not sure how you pulled it off, but you have your own space. It’s a decent sized space that came at the expense of the countries around you. Why be assholes about taking further space from your neighbor?  Prime Minister Netanyahu, your statement is either naiveté, or simple belligerence. Just because you don’t agree that you shouldn’t develop in eastern Jerusalem doesn’t mean it isn’t affecting the peace in the region. Good grief.  Contrary to your belief, you can respect the border. Let it go. Redirect your attention, persistence and efforts into developing your country in other ways. Really, 1300 apartments in that exact neighborhood isn’t really all that important. Good lord, I feel like I’m talking to my own children. Don’t make me tape a line down the middle of your room and make you have a time out until you agree to play nice. Palestine, you meet me at camera 4.  Israel, you stay right where you are at camera 3. No poaching in on camera 4.  Palestine, if you continue to take the high road, you will come out ahead in this conflict. Keeping your stance on not giving in is a good idea. You don’t have to be a wimp in the process, but let’s keep that crazy Hamas under wraps, ok? Try and keep the suicide bombers to a minimum. The world will eventually place enough pressure on Israel that they will have to cave in and stop building. Patience is the key here.

Becky

The Slimy Time of Year

Mood: Rather Lost. I missed an entire week somewhere.

Listening to: Sheryl Crow

It’s that time of year, kids. The time when you can turn on the tv and get all the dirt on your local politicians and those who wanted to wade into the fray and challenge them. The nerve of those amateurs. Thinking that they can get into democratic politics. The very idea. Ludicrous. The joyous time of year when campaign signs litter the street corners and curbs of headquarters trying to sucker the innocent into thinking they have chosen a candidate that will actually change Albany. Ah, the innocent – they are so cute you just want to pinch their cheeks to make them wake up! It’s the time of year when they create advertisements about themselves and how they will create change in Albany and the other guy will without a doubt contribute to the shamefulness and mockery of democracy that is Albany.  Yep, local elections folks, just in case you had your head in the sand.  If you live in New York, you have a bit of an idea of how local politics runs. 

The word that keeps popping up here is Albany – our capital and where all of the political machinations occur.  What those of you not from New York may not understand is that Albany is historically and currently notoriously corrupt. To the point where corruption is almost a birthright of any politician involved in any level at all. The fun thing about all of these sound bite advertisements is that none of these local fools can change Albany at all. Kind of like Obama not being able to single handedly change everything we hated about the white house the minute he landed up there. It just ain’t happening. Even if we wiped the slate clean and started over again with all new politicians, or even average folks, Albany’s reputation and nefarious nature would suck the newbies in and create more of what was there. It’s just the nature of the game. You may not like it, but let’s be realistic. 

I’ve always hated the absolute reek of sleaze that accompanies local politics. The first whiff of an election a few months away and you can sit back and let the mud pies fly back and forth.  Even if they aren’t slinging mud, they’re promising people the moon, a Mazarati, and everlasting Change. Can we please let this idea go? It didn’t work for Obama, gifted speaker that he is; it’s not going to work for you either. 

My husband has encouraged me to enter local politics just for the giggles he would get -he’s a bit sadistic that way. I told him I wouldn’t touch that nonsense with a 20 foot stick. Kind of like my watching the “Situation” on MTV. I like watching him, but I would not touch that fool with a 20 foot stick. Ew. God knows where that’s been.    

So we can divide the candidates into 2 basic categories – the innocent and the players. The innocent think they can honestly change things. Or are really, really good at selling that idea. The players have been there, seen it, and done it twice with 2 girls, a dog, and possibly a reindeer. These guys are the professional mud slingers that have written down every real or perceived transgression of absolutely everyone else, and they’re not afraid to use it. This would include the slaughtering of the innocent because they can’t possibly do things right. It’s pretty easy to tell them apart.   

It makes you want to throw your hands up at the whole system, but that’s what they want because then they can carry on as they have been for so long.

Becky

They’re crucifying The Savior!

Listening to: Travel Channel and chattering children

President Obama, we need to talk. I don’t know if you’ve notice this, but they’re crucifying you out here. I know you are just a mere mortal man, in spite of all the hoopla doopla about you saving America during the election. I also understand that most of this criticism is misplaced, since no one man can turn the direction of the ship on the turn of a dime. Still, you have to do something. Anything. I understand that you were smart enough to capitalize on the average American’s need for hope and change, but you gotta keep the ball rolling here. We need you to be the one who makes a stand on things that matter to the American people. I’ve heard of you changing your stance on a few things that you were pretty firm on, like Palestine. Please, please, please, don’t be that guy. We would much rather have a leader that takes a (educated, classy) stand on issues than pick one side and changes his mind later. Don’t.Be.That . President. I think most of us took a running leap onto the Obama bandwagon because you seemed to embody all of the things that Americans prize most in leaders. Things that your predecessor sorely lacked. Americans want, desperately, to believe that you will deliver on at least some of the promises that you made campaigning. Redeem at least some of the respect that America had dealing with other countries. We are sitting here waiting for you to step up again. You have the foundation to be one of the epic presidents that last in our folklore, you just have to reach out and grab it by the horns, and be that guy.

Becky

The Corruption of Karzai

Listening to: Olivia
Mood: Blah

I haven’t really been keeping right up on top of politics as of late, but I have been trying to hit up the BBC for my daily dose of what’s happening in the world. One of the major stories that my favorite news network has been covering is the elections in Afghanistan, and how president Karzai fixed the election and is now insisting that everyone just move on with life as they knew it.

For some odd reason, this really disappoints me. I couldn’t tell you why. After all, this is Afghanistan, great granddaddy of Pakistan’s craziness. I guess it’s just a little disappointing to see everything revert to craziness in spite of everything that has been done to try and counteract it. In a country famous for nuttiness, disorder, and rampant corruption, is it really so much of a surprise that a US backed leader would be true to his roots and revert back to running things in a way that benefits him. This all lies on the assumption that the charges are true. Anyone really want to dispute this? Didn’t think so. I think the really tragic thing is that no one will do anything about this. In all reality, what can be done? Even so, this sends the unfortunate message to both the Afghani people and others around the world that if you are backed by the most powerful people, corruption is sanctioned. This directly counteracts the message of democracy that we are trying to beat into others, and last time I checked, corruption was distinctly undemocratic.

Becky

Anticlimax

Listening to: One hit Wonders of the 80’s on VH1 classic
Mood: Crack head type awake

Apparently it’s been a LOOOONNNNGG time since I’ve been round to blog. Sorry about that! Life has been keeping me busy.

So. Let’s review the obvious. Obama won. By a landslide. He has hit the ground running.
Is it just me or has the whole process been totally anticlimactic? I mean, it really had to be the way he was tearing up the campaign, but still. To be fair, as I mentioned, he has hit the ground running and has been working hard to repair world relations. They have been working round the clock to manage the economic situation too. (if I hear one more person, doesn’t even have to be a talking head, calling it an economic recession, I will personally rip his or her head off)

So what now? Miracles aren’t worked overnight. Unless you’re Jesus or Sai Baba, which Obama is not. So now we have a rockstar in the office, how do we judge his success? I didn’t really want to put failure there also because I think it’s rather hard for us to head downwards from where we were. I still hold out hope that people wouldn’t make a worse choice than the previous one. So how do we judge his success? He promised tons of stuff, some of which he will be able to accomplish. So far, he’s been holding his own with class and good judgment. The issue in my mind is how to know if he’s really a rockstar, or just appears as one compared with his predecessor. President Bush was not a rock star. To call him competent at the office of president would be kind. So compared with such an example, is Obama really that wonderful? I guess, as President Bush was so fond of reiterating, history will be the judge. It’s kind of hard to judge his success so early on in his term.

I know one thing I don’t want to hear anymore about. Their dog. For the love of everything holy. The family has a dog. So frickin what? How many million families in the us have a dog? I also don’t really care if Obama takes off his shirt and goes swimming on vacation with his kids. People do that. After all, he is still a person. I don’t really care much about what Michelle is wearing either. They’re clothes people. She’s not a fashion plate, she’s part of the governing team of the US. If she’s well dressed and makes a good impression, fantastic. Beyond that, let it go.
Becky

Obama and his "Liberal Allies"

Listening to: Peter Pan
Mood: Happy with a little quiet time


Overall, this political season has been surprisingly benign. Really, there hasn’t been much mudslinging or personal attacks. Surprising, I know. Unfortunately, that has changed a bit. I heard an ad recently from John McCain. I have never been a huge fan of John McCain. Obama has been such a breath of fresh air from politics as usual, it’s disappointing to hear a candidate resorting to smearing the other. John McCain released an ad about Obama and his “liberal allies” being more of the same. Ahem. Well. What? Liberal allies? I thought allies were supposed to be a good thing. Why in the world would McCain use such a charged word, reinforcing the fact that he’s quite militarily minded when most of the country has had enough to war talk for a while. It just seems very poorly done. Anyway, how exactly would liberal leadership be more of the same? What? At least McCain seems to have given up the tack that Obama doesn’t have enough experience. Especially after he chose a VP candidate with, you guessed it, literally no experience in big government.

Excellent Article

An excellent article to check out:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/92303-looming-financial-catastrophe-a-real-inconvenient-truth?source=front_page_most_popular_articles

The Art of Winning or Losing a War

Listening to: The noisy, yet appreciated, air conditioner.
Mood: Mellow

I was reading Time magazine (I know, another blog inspired by Time) recently and happened to catch an article about the presidential candidate’s views on the war on terror. More specifically the problems we are having in Iraq and Afghanistan along with a schedule for leaving. Now I like Time magazine. It’s one of the bazillion magazines I read every month along with numerous books. It just so happens to feature things that get my dander up. Me being a raging liberal and all. Anyhow, I was reading about how both contenders for the presidential title would be judged for winning or losing the war. Ehm, what?

First of all, are have we advanced beyond the bullshit to call it a real “war” now rather than just using the justification of a war on terror? (God I hate that term!)If we are still hiding behind that, we need to be waging war on humanity. Mankind has, and continues to be, incredibly stupid and brutal. Most if not all civilizations have engaged in terror (state sponsored in most cases!) at one time or other. Let’s call a blunder a blunder and recognize the war for what it is. A drain on human capital and money. As a species, we should have advanced way beyond the need for taking what we want by force. Since certain parties did not take history lessons and did not bother to think about the Vietnam war before they instigated this mess, it would probably be a good idea to remember next time that the world has evolved beyond war being an effective means of getting what you want.

Second, and mainly, how in the world do you judge either a win or a loss in war? I’d venture to say that since we are a country with a ginormous army, plenty of money and resources, and a huge amount of control in the world, we have probably won in Iraq and Afghanistan. Well, we’ve won in a war sense. We’ve devastated both countries and area not getting resistance per say from the countries themselves. Yes, we are still encountering resistance, but from non state sanctioned entities, which is a whole other matter and blog. We have completely ruined what was a semblance of order and control and have destroyed their economic system along with blowing away a shameful number of civilians. So what’s the problem? We won. It’s just not that easy. We still have not gotten what it was that we started the war for. Yes, Saddam Hussein was definitely way up there on the list of brutal rulers who need to be disposed of. Yes, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban are evil entities that really had no business ruling a country or running around free. But folks, that is not why we went to war with either place. What the US really wanted when we went in was to gain some control. You see, we are control freaks. At one point, we supported Saddam and the Taliban in the form of Mujahidin. We seem to think that we can control a lot of things in the world through swaggering and threats. In the realm of control of the country and region, we have definitely lost. I think this is a major reason that we have been so reluctant to leave. There are still insurgents, and while the countries have changed, we still control them no more than before we invaded. If we leave now, or before the next 100 years are up Senator McCaine, we will have to come to terms with the purpose of the invasion and the countless lives and resources that have been misused and wasted. We hid behind the moral ground going in. We fancied it up to make it look like a defense of our own soil. Admittedly, that was a catalyst, but in terms of Iraq, it was an empty justification that was just below the surface. If we do the mature, responsible, ethical thing and do what we can to help both countries while we’re leaving, we may gain back some of the respect that was lost when we invaded.

There is no winning at this point. It’s my personal opinion that no one “wins” wars. If we struggle on and deny dealing with the problem, we will only lose more lives, resources, and respect in the eyes of the world. I sincerely hope that both candidates have used their heads in thinking of a strategy for dealing with this problem. Arrogance and stupidity never had a place in the leadership of the United States.

Becky

So You Wanna Be a Martyr

Listening to: Hercules
Mood: Content and calm

I just saw on the news today that Kahlid Sheik Mohammad’s trial is finally under way at Gitmo. It seems that our friendly neighborhood 9/11 terrorist would like to receive the death sentence and become a martyr. Keep in mind that this is a man who freely admits to orchestrating the suffering and death of thousands of innocent civilians. Enthusiastically. Is there any reason that anyone should care what this man wants, nonetheless give him what he wants?

So. Now that he was stupid enough to make his preference known, why in the world should we not do everything humanly possible to avoid turning this man into a martyr? Wouldn’t a miserable life in prison be much better of a punishment? The whole idea of justice and punishment is to keep society in line and discourage others from following the same path. Why should we encourage individuals to plan massive pain and suffering because of ideological differences only to have the consequences amount to becoming a hero in death? It makes no sense.

I generally hold this person in very low regard. He has proven himself to be arrogant, cruel, and stupid. I mean seriously. If you wanted to be a martyr, the best strategy when being judged by a country with a score to settle would probably have been to keep your mouth shut. You probably would have gotten your wish without much ado. I’m sure your lawyer would have explained this to you, had you not been arrogant enough to appoint yourself as your council. However, now that you have once again selfishly made your preferences known, I’m sure most Americans would much rather keep you alive just on principal rather than let you further your ideological religious heroism.

I’m not even going to get into how I feel about people who have no respect for the differences of others, not to mention causing intentional pain and suffering. I would be up on my soap box for hours.

So seriously, dude. Just shut up and think about what you’ll do about your trial. I hope you’re prepared to become someone’s bitch in jail for a long, long time. In fact, let’s just pipe in Eric Cartman’s “Kyle’s mom is a bitch” song just for good measure. I personally would find that to be fantastic poetic justice. Is that vengeful? Well, yes. In other circumstances, I would find it to be too severe. But bombing two huge buildings full of innocent people for religious reasons seems a bit vengeful too. Someone who has no respect for human life or differences really doesn’t deserve too much respect in return either.

Becky