Daily Topics - Tuesday December 22 2009
By Louise
Quote: If the truth doesn't save us, what does that say about us? --Lois McMaster Bujold
Hour One - Is it possible to get the Senate to change on the filibuster rules in order for the Senate to be more democratic?
Hour Two - How long is it going to be before we realize what a mistake we're makingon Afghanistan?
Hour Three - How did the right wing steal Christmas? Richard Thompson www.thomasmore.org
Guest: Taking back Christmas...is Deism really the fastest growing religion in America? Jayson X Deputy Director of the World Union of Deists www.deism.com
Comments
#2
News Alert
02:40 PM EST Tuesday, December 22, 2009
In an exclusive interview, President Obama rejected the criticism that he has compromised too much on health-care reform legislation, challenging his critics to identify any “gap” between what he campaigned on last year and what Congress is on the verge of passing.
For more information, visit washingtonpost.com - http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/RRHKUP/BCTK4/MSGOGL/35BZNN/5MLHK/...
#3
DRichards,
Fine, I wasn't impressed with what he campaigned on...Just the alternative was unthinkable.
#4
Zero
I suspect it to be an empty challenge on Obama's part.
#5
Mark:
Our USA has a veto on the UNSC so getting the UN to comment honestly on anything we do is not so easy. It's the same with China, Russia, the UK and France.
Lots of people call Hamas' and anyone else's attacks on Israeli civilians illegal, terrorism and so forth. You can start with Amnesty international and go from there. I would expect Thom has said so from time to time, but let him speak for himself. None-the-less, Palestinian atrocities don't excuse Isreali atrocities, either as a matter of law or of justice ... and of common sense.
The Israelis should remember that the Irish fought their English occupiers for 700 years.
(And the Palestinians should remember that Gandhi succeeded far better than Arafat)
#6
BTW special thank you to Thom for staying on the radio this week instead of heading off on Holiday Vacation early. As always, very grateful for his insight.
#7
YES!
Thanks to Thom for being on the air this week!
#8
MUST SEE...
Helen Caldicott comes out against any new excuse for more nukes. Nukes are not the answer to 'global warming'.
There's a video of Caldicott speaking at Copenhagen below the article:
#9
> I liked the Thomas Moore lawyer. He wasn’t a jerk, and he gave us something
> to think about.
> Perhaps the solution to religious displays on public property
> is to have more of them. Let the deists, agnostics and atheists get off
> their duffs and put up displays too. Here in Washington state there’s a
> minor controversy about after-school clubs on public property that
> propagandize for Christianity. The non-Christers should organize their own
> clubs, and let them fight it out by providing better service kids.
The fundies that fight so hard to put their religious symbols on public property are the same ones who want to make america into a theocracy.. So, its not religious freedom ion the public square they are after; rather they want to control it.. Rather than expecting atheists to retaliate with our own displays, I say they should put these displays in front of churches (take a look at how many churches have these religious Christmass displays on their own property.. very few).. I believe the act of putting these displays on public property is symbolic to the fundies, that they are the power behind our government..
Every time I can recall when we (atheists) did as you suggested, our displays were resented, and stolen on more than one occasion (even after some court decided that all displays would be allowed).. Its a pain, and I believe counter productive (because it always generates animosity toward atheists)..
bobbler
Freethought Society
#10
RE Thom's discussion with guest, the Ayn Randism proponent:
Thom was correct about the AynRandism being RELIGIOUSLY DOGMATIC and its believers being PROSYLETIZERS!
Thom, you gave up too soon though, when your guest said religions require "FAITH". That's not necessarily true.
Some religions/spiritual practices consider their teachings and techniques SCIENCE! Yoga, Christian Science, Science of Mind to name three of which I'm aware. Buddhism and Taoism also seem to be pretty sure that there is a cause and effect relationship between their practices and sought-after results.
So there are two things I'm pointing out here:
1. A religion can be based on long studied and observed techniques that result in a perceived scientific methodology,
or
2. A religion can be based on pure faith -- believing in mythical stuff and priestly philosophy and dogma.
Either way, Thom's guest can't claim AynRandism isn't a religion. The first could apply since the guest claimed Ayn Rand's philosophy is like a dependable science; and the second could apply when one considers that only AynRandians and neocons seem to "believe" there is a cause and "positive" effect resulting from Free Market practices!
If contemplating this puts your braincell synapses in knots, it could be because, instinctively you realize that we accept on FAITH alot of the purported validity and usefulness of Science! Think nuclear weaponry and nuclear power! Or use of chemotherapy for every cancer patient! Or genetically engineered animals and food!
Anyway, good segment. Thanks, Thom!
Happy Merry Snappy Cheery Holidays to you and your crew!
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
With His Holiness The Dalai Lama, at His home in Dharamsala, India (Synthesis Dialogues - made into a movie narrated by Harrison Ford)
From Screwed:
"The powers that be are running roughshod over the powers that OUGHT to be. Hartmann tells us what went wrong — and what you and I can do to help set American right again."
From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:
"Beneath the success and rise of American enterprise is an untold history that is antithetical to every value Americans hold dear. This is a seminal work, a godsend really, a clear message to every citizen about the need to reform our country, laws, and companies."
From Screwed:
"Thom Hartmann’s book explains in simple language and with concrete research the details of the Neo-con’s war against the American middle class. It proves what many have intuited and serves to remind us that without a healthy, employed, and vital middle class, America is no more than the richest Third World country on the planet."
Col. Patton was sending a HOOAH!