Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Dust off the crystal ball...
So, in this discussion over on dKos this morning, I made the following comment pertaining to the question of whether or not we face the prospect of some kind of civil disintegration in the US, specifically regarding some kind of violence generated by the far Right:
(My paranoia level is rising...) Because this country is a tinderbox, and once some idiot strikes a match, the whole thing could go up in flames around us.
I'm not saying that we have to give in just because some idiots threaten violence. I am saying that we must work in ways that avoid violence. Because as anyone who understands violence will tell you, even if it is justified, once it happens it will change you forever.
To be honest, I'll be astounded if we make it through the next decade without something disasterous happening in this regard. I hope I'm wrong, and will work to do what I can to avoid it - but I fear I'm right.
That last paragraph in particular is what I want to open up for discussion here. What, in your opinion, is the likelihood that we'll see some kind of serious crises here in response to some man-made or natural disaster? It could be another large-scale terror attack, or mounting problems due to global warming, or a pandemic, or just a backlash of right-wing nuts to losing all political power in '08. For this discussion I'm less concerned with the specific causes than with what you think the odds are, and whether you are taking any steps to protect yourself/family from the perceived danger. And no, I'm not talking about building a bomb shelter and stocking it with enough food, water, weapons and supplies to feed your neighborhood for the next decade.
This could be an interesting poll question, but I'll leave that up to our supervisor...
Jim Downey
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A dark undercurrent
There is a dark undercurrent of Christianist corporatism snaking itself beneath the cultural radar. Theocratic security firms like Blackwater suggest a compound mentality: to protect the extremely wealthy in this country when the populace reaches a point of desperate push-back. So many jobs going overseas. So much wealth channeled to the few. Lack of decent health care for so many. And the religious connection is, I think, tied in to the historical re-routing of the divine into Calvinist notions of capitalistic self-justification. An impatience that throttles transcendence and then chains it up in the dungeon of a stark, implacable imminence (God as Finance and Market). Bloodstain and body parts are splattered all over these institutions, as if some macabre re-imagining of transubstantiation.
My crystal ball:
Within 25 years, a 33% chance of a violent populist uprising against the compounded exploiters and profiteers.
Within 50 years, a 67% chance of same.
Something wicked this way comes
While I would say that one or more of the proverbial fecal typhoons is nearing the fan I would definitely discount the possibility of the right wingers doing violence. They are a bunch of cowards who only send those others misfortunate enough to be under their command off to die. Risk their own precious flesh? No way.
Sorry,
Sorry, I had no idea about your brother. But I'm curious, how would a headshot be slow and painfull ? I always imagined it would be more or less instantaneous.
I'm no doctor...
...but plenty of people have survived gunshots to the head. A gun is not magic. Sure, you hit the right place with the right bullet, it'd be pretty quick. But you could also just turn yourself into a vegetable, or injure yourself just enough to lie there and wish you did it better for several hours.
Jim Downey
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Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
I've also
I've also purchased a gun, something I've never done before, but not to fire at anyone. I plan on taking myself out when things spiral out of control.
Messy.
Well, while I maintain that anyone should have the right to check out on their own schedule, I wouldn't recommend a gun as the means. Too messy. Potentially slow and painful, too, particularly if you are not used to the things. Bottle of sleeping pills (or acetaminophen, for that matter) and a big glass of vodka is better.
If that sounds callous, sorry. My brother killed himself with a gun. Not the sort of thing you want to leave for others to have to clean up.
Jim Downey
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Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
I'm not looking, but ...
I wonder that there isn't a Suicide How To on the web somewhere.
Considering the stories I've read of young people accidentally offing themselves while practicing autoerotic asphyxiation games with a man's tie and a bed post, that sounds like a pretty painless method. Plus the equipment list is short, the materials readily available.
That being said, whatever happens in the world, I think I want to ride it out to the end, just to see what happens.
Agreed.
Agreed. But I think everyone has the right to check out on their own schedule. I can see circumstances which would lead me to do so (as was the case with my brother). But for the most part, I'm curious about what the future holds.
Jim Downey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
The 'entropy' of American
The 'entropy' of American society has been increasing for years (the right wing blames the left for this instability). One needs only to examine life in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina to observe the disorder and chaos that can occur anywhere where life-sustaining resources are in short supply. Americans are not used to hardship, and will not tolerate it well. And the 'when', as you pointed out, is a function of the triggering mechanism: natural disasters (hurricanes, asteroid impacts, tsunamis, super volcanos,etc.) terrorist attacks, large-scale economic collapse, etc.. I put the odds at 100% within the next 10 years.
The way the government is
The way the government is beating the war drums for war with Iran and the way that the media is still acting as their puppet, makes me worry that we'll have another staged terror attack (like all of the so called other stopped plots) that will give us the excuse to go there, much like Bush and 9/11.
And the saddest thing is is that the Democrats lied. Pure and simple. They will change nothing if they get into power. Most of the Democrats are following the "We Must Attack Iran" party line and so called translators with agendas are pumping out fake translations to help build it up.
I can only imagine what another attack, blamed on the Arabs or Muslims, will do to this country that has been soaking in fundie gasoline for eight years.
Hell, or president signed an order making him the sole provider of Constitutional government (read: dictator) in the event of a national emergency. What will Bush's Reichstag fire be? I'm almost afraid to find out.
Violence does change your life. I was watching a video on 9/11 and they played the final moments of a phone call from inside the towers before they were collapsed. It haunts you.
Dems lying?
I agree with much of what you say, except for the part about Dems lying about the Iraq war and wishing to attack Iran. My take on the Dems failure to cut off funding for this stupid war is that they allowed Republicans to frame the debate, and put themselves in an impossible situation. Reps successfully were allowed to call this funding 'supporting the troops'. It was not supporting the troops! The funding was prolonging a failed occupation, plain and simple. Dem's still can't figure out how fight spin and to use words of their own that work.
I don't know why you believe the Dems want to attack Iran, but I would be happy to hear your explanation. Maybe I missed something? Are you referring to the fact that Iran having nuclear weapons scares us? If that is what you mean, I agree. I don't want to see the fundamentalist Islamic government in Iran holding nukes. That being said, I think attacking Iran would be the worst idea possible. From what I read about Iran, it is the most democratic country in the Middle East, and most young Iranians really don't like their own repressive fundie government. Diplomacy, as well as offering economic aid and assistance to a peaceful nuclear power program seems to be the best course of action. I would even support economic sanctions if Iran is not willing to be reasonable, but the last thing I want to see is open warfare.
Dems
I keep waiting for any one of the Democrats to come out and say they oppose Bush's citizen-surveillance and government-secrecy juggernaut, and will reverse some or all of what he's done.
Nothing so far.
Privacy
Thanks for reminding me to continue to be pissed about this issue. I have heard a great deal of criticism of domestic wire tapping, email spying and bank record sharing, but you are correct, I have not heard a candidate specifically talk about making changes. This stuff really bugs me too. Stay out of my shit! I am so sick of being tracked and video taped and data-mined and probably a bunch of crap we don't even know about. I won't even fill out the census anymore. Call me paranoid if you want, but I just don't like it.
And I hate when people (usually right wingers) try putting me on the defensive with questions like 'what do you have to hide'? Fuck you. I value my privacy. That's it. Now go worry about yourself.
I suppose it's possible, the candidates have so much other Worst President in History BS to talk about that this issue is not showing up on their voter's concern sheets, but I would love it if someone would bring it up at a debate or something. I bet Kucinich and probably Ron Paul would do something about it if elected. On the other hand, I am sure Hillary and the all of the other R's would absolutely keep these programs in place.
Dictator
I'd say the chances of violence may be better than people might think. Blackwater scares the shit out of me. They have thousands of mercenaries in Iraq and some of you may remember when they basically imposed martial law on New Orleans after hurricane Katrina.
The Worst President in History has actually given himself dictatorial powers in the event of a national emergency which he gets to define. I saw this on a show called Washington Journal on C-Span about a week ago and was horrified.
Please keep in mind the guy in the video (Corsi) is a bona fide wingnut formerly famous for his role in the 'Swift Boating' of John Kerry in the 2004 election cycle. I mentioned that so you will understand this is not just a liberal alarmist reaction.
Here is the article from WorldNetDaily (wnd.com).
I just watched most of the Dem presidential debate on CNN. I wonder if we will actually be allowed to have elections next year?
As for the steps I've taken... I purchased a 12 guage shot gun about a year ago. I have never owned a gun before and I support gun control laws, but it seems like every wingnut has guns and I don't want to be helpless if law and order breaks down.
Normal preparations seem enough
We have a fair amount of food in the basement, 40 gallons of water in the hot water heater, plenty of tools and camping equipment and stuff. And a 40-year-old car capable of driving across a highway median without any trouble. I am creative and handy and can always make a living with my broad mechanical skills.
I'm more worried about my kids. Their skills are more specialized.
My own preparations...
...are fairly modest, and in keeping with living in the midwest where a series of storms could knock out power and civilization for a week or two. Add in the camping equipment and other such things I already own, and we're reasonably well prepared to fend for ourselves here at home for a couple of months whatever the weather. Beyond that, well, we'd have to improvise, but I am fairly confident that we could do so.
Jim Downey
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Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
Sorry -- should be
Sorry -- should be "immanence."