Chant at St. A

Theresa (pastoral assoc.) and the Seminarians are setting up Advent Evening Prayer, followed by Scripture breaking (and food, I think). Next Wednesday at 6:30. She called me, and I went over to help plan (that was nice), and I'll cantor. That should be a good evening.

t r u t h o u t - Howard Fineman | Rove Unleashed

t r u t h o u t - Howard Fineman | Rove Unleashed: "Asked to name Bush's biggest accomplishment thus far, Rove replied in a flash: 'His clear-eyed explanation of how to win the war on terrorism. It was the defining moment of our time.'"

Chant at St. Joe

First Sunday of Advent 7 am mass

Entrance Song: O Come, O come Emmanuel # w. organ

Resp. Psalm from missalette, chant verses, a capella
Alleluia Show us Lord, your love, and grant us your salvation.

POG (cantor and schola)
Ad te levavi anima meam:
Deus meus in te confido, non erubescam:
neque irrideant me inimici mei:
et enim universi qui te exspectant, non confundentur. (Graduale Triplex)
(To you, my God, I lift up my soul.
I trust in you.
Let me never come to shame.
Do not let my enemies laugh at me.
No one who waits for you is ever put to shame.) (Fr. Columba Kelly english chant)

Eucharistic acclamations: Sanctus: (Mass XVIII)
Christ has died (Danish)
Amen (Danish)
Agnus Dei (Mass XVIII)

Communion (choir) John 6:57
Qui manducat carnem meam, et bibit sanguinem meum, in me manet, et ego in eo, dicit Dominus. Graduale Triplex
(“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, remains in me, and I in him,” says the Lord.) Chant mode VIII

Sending: Organ Postlude On Jordan's Bank
--------------
All went well. The people sang strongly with us. I taught the Sanctus before mass.
The latin and its translation was printed in the worship aid. Yess!!!! Thank you, Vivian!
Next liturgy for this group: Fourth Sunday of Advent 7 am
Rehearsals: the next 3 Wednesdays 1-2, possibly a Friday.
I want to make some arrangements for someone to bring communion to the choir loft, if possible.
And David wants to approach people in neighboring parishes, which makes good sense to me.
Frank won't be able to attend daytime rehearsals, can we record? Sure. Just have to remember.

DO FENCE ME IN, Finding a Balance Between Hubbub and Silence in the Big City, by Sarah Vowell (11/18/04)

DO FENCE ME IN, Finding a Balance Between Hubbub and Silence in the Big City, by Sarah Vowell (11/18/04)

National Feathering-Our-Nest Club

National Feathering-Our-Nest Club

record:
Intelligence information, inconvenient
        decision: ignore
International opinion, inconvenient
        decision: ignore
Separation of Church and State, inconvenient
        decision: change the rules
Geneva Conventions, inconvenient
        decision: change the rules
Budget limits, inconvenient
        decision: change the rules
Environmental safeguards, inconvenient
        decision: change the rules
Deficit limits, inconvenient
        decision: change the rules
Ethics, inconvenient
        decision: change the rules
Objections from staff, inconvenient
        decision: change the staff
Democratic process, inconvenient
        decision: TBA

credo: Rule of Law Our Club RULES!

Possible correlation--voter preference and river systems

Wanna see something interesting? Open these three maps in new windows:

1. Election 2004 Results
2. Set this map to show rivers
3. Purple America

My daughter Laura is home from Germany. She's a geographer. We were looking at election results and she noticed that you can see the Mississippi river system in the "blue." (for Kerry).

That makes intuitive sense in that this country is more populated along the river systems, and the more populated areas (more urban? more international?) tended to go Kerry.

But the red/blue shift doesn't hold true about ALL river systems. Eyeballing it, I see a correlation between the direction the rivers flow and the voting percentages. By and large, areas with only east-west river systems are reddish. Areas with north-south river systems are more blue.

Offhand, the only things that come to mind are:
* rivers = people who travel more, meet more people vs. those who have less varied experience
* North/South = Union/Confederacy, thereore people who travel (or meet travelers) across north/south areas get more experience beyond whatever cultural mores are leftover from the Civil War divide, whereas travelling east-west would leave the person within whatever of that particular cultural mix he/she already lives in
* Population appears to be less (by my eyball) in those areas that were largely red. Again, less cross-cultural experience, just from meeting fewer people

???????????

Election 2000 Results Map by County

Election 2000 Results

U.S. births to youngest teens reaches lowest level since 1946

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Nation -- U.S. births to youngest teens reaches lowest level since 1946

Regrouping at Bernheim Forest

Invitation:
To all of you who worked with Pledge-3 here in Bullitt Co.

Thank you for your hard work, your serious thought, and your sincere communication with so many people. Many of us are grieving, and this grief shows that there is much more to this past election than winning or losing.

You are invited to be part of a simple ceremony where we:

recognize our feelings of loss,
name the hopes that we want to carry forward,
express our gratitude to John Kerry and John Edwards,
and begin to transform this valuable experience toward a better tomorrow.

As John Kerry told us, "in an American election there are no losers, because the next morning we all wake up as Americans." He's right. We move on. Please come.

When: Sunday, November 14 4:30 - 5:00 PM
Where: Bernheim Forest Quiet Garden (beside the Arboretum)

Bring a pencil or pen for yourself and one to share. Lawn chairs optional. We'll be outdoors. Bernheim charges an entry fee on Sunday, but tell them you're with Maggie Hettinger, and you won't be charged.

pax,
maggie

---

REGROUPING
Bernheim Forest
11/14/2004

Song
Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight
'Till by turning, turning we come round right.
--Joseph Brackett, 1848

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

Welcome
"Somewhere, in the last few years, from our different backgrounds, we all, I think I can safely say, we all came to an awareness that our world was even more out-of-kilter than usual, and that we probably should do something about it. What we here have in common is that we came to focus our hope for change on the election of the President of the United States, and put our efforts strongly behind two people, John Kerry and John Edwards, their vision and their goals.

"The result of the election may or may not be known yet, but regardless, our roles in the highly-polarizing, dualistic process have come to a natural breakpoint. We are all people who think deeply and evaluate, and this is the time to do it. I'm glad you agreed to come here to this beautiful place to do it together.

"Today I want to do three things, in a ceremonial way.
1. Recognize the loss we've experienced
2. Consider John Kerry's invitation to us to pledge in uniting our country over the partisan divide
3. Make a personal commitment to move forward.

"No matter how big the problems, how grand our goals, it still always come down to simple engagement between one person and another."

Reading

After the election
some of us thought that God
had smiled upon us-
had rewarded us for righteousness-
had promised to save us
and millions of sweet babies--
had shown allegiance
to the sacredness of marriage.

After the election
some of us thought that God
had become small
and mean spirited, like those
who like to make their gods
in their image.
Some of us thought
we could see them at the forge,
pounding out their chains from the veins
of gold in the human heart.
Some of us knew what they knew --
that even the shadows
can be sharpened into swords.

After the election some of us
talked about how simple it had been,
to extract those nuggets of goodness
and those ancient myths- fashioning them
towards a higher cause.
Manipulating the masses is easy
once you’ve found that core.

After the election some of us were
slain by words too small-
and bombs too dumb.
Some of us knew that morality
is larger than the body politics
of the bedroom and procreation.
Some of us believed in God’s whole house,
an ecology of relationships.
Some of us wanted that large God to come back
to occupy that house in us.
--Patty Wren Smith

Sharing
--Hobie Dotson
(individual accounts of loss, and coming to terms with it)

Reflection

What you did made a difference, and building on itself we go on to make a difference another day.

In an American election there are no losers, because, whether our candidates are successful, the next morning, we all wake up as Americans. That is the greatest privilege...

With that gift also comes obligation. We are required now to work together for the good of our country. We must find common cause. We must join in common effort, without remorse or recrimination, without anger or rancor. America is in need of unity and longing for a larger measure of compassion. I hope President Bush will advance those values in the coming years. I pledge to do my part to join in ending the partisan divide. Join me in pledging to bridge the partisan divide.

---John Kerry Nov. 3

* Put America back to work
* Political Party ideals
* Protect the environment
* Support our troops
* Push the frontiers of science and discovery
* Succeed in Iraq
* Restore America's reputation in the world

Commitment
Write a letter:

Dear John Kerry, John Edwards,

Thank you…

I hear your call to bridge the partisan divide. I pledge...

Signed,

(letters to be sent to John Kerry, either individually, or by Maggie)

I am one voice, and I am singing.
I am one voice, and I am singing.
I am one voice, and I am singing.
I am not alone.

We are two voices, and we are singing.
We are two voices and we are singing.
We are two voices, and we are singing.
We are not alone.

We are one hundred voices singing.
We are one hundred voices singing.
We are one hundred voices singing.
We are not alone.

We are one thousand voices singing.
We are one thousand voices singing.
We are one thousand voices singing.
We are not alone.

We are one voice, and we are singing.
We are one voice, and we are singing.
We are one voice, and we are singing.
We are not alone.

Letters to John Kerry, John Edwards

Dear John Kerry, John Edwards,
Thank you.
I hear you call to bridge the partisan divide. I pledge to continue voicing, with determination, the concerns, the ideals that you fought so hard for during the campaign. This includes but is not limited to, the environment, education, and health care.
Signed, A.A., Kentucky and Ohio campaign

Dear John Kerry, John Edwards,
Thank you for giving us hope. Thank you for making us believe that we could come together to make our country a truer, more honest place to live.
I hear your call to bridge the partisan divide. I pledge to continue to support the values that I believe in which are the ones I believe you embody. I voted my values and you got my vote. I will not go back to sleep. I am awake.
Signed, D.R. ATR

Dear John Kerry, John Edwards,
Thank you for working so hard for the past years on the campaign--that's a big sacrifice and a lot of work. I'm disappointed that you were not elected but the work goes on.
I hear you call to bridge the partisan divide. I pledge:
...to keep listening to people's deep desires
...to keep working in my own neck of the woods to make the world a better place
...to keep looking for the good, the truth, the beauty and find common ground.
Signed, C.B.

Dear John Kerry, John Edwards,
Thank you for inspiring us. Thank you for a vision of what we can be. Thank you for standing up for integrity of Law and Democratic process. John Kerry, thank you for your work to end the war in Vietnam. That story has inspired us, especially my children.

I hear your call to bridge the partisan divide. I pledge:
* To write a letter to someone (newspaper, etc.) once a week
* To learn how to speak to people who don't already agree with me
* To finish my schoolwork, integrating what I have learned in this election
* To seriously consider the Libertarian and Green political parties
* To make a home for progressive values in the spirituality emerging around me

John and John, we expect you to continue.
Any government leader who does not stand up for Law and Democratic Process is a patsy. Hold their feet to the fire.
And count those votes!
Signed, M.H.

After the Election

by Patty Wren Smith

After the election
some of us thought that God
had smiled upon us-
had rewarded us for righteousness-
had promised to save us
and millions of sweet babies--
had shown allegiance
to the sacredness of marriage.

After the election
some of us thought that God
had become small
and mean spirited, like those
who like to make their gods
in their image.
Some of us thought
we could see them at the forge,
pounding out their chains from the veins
of gold in the human heart.
Some of us knew what they knew --
that even the shadows
can be sharpened into swords.

After the election some of us
talked about how simple it had been,
to extract those nuggets of goodness
and those ancient myths- fashioning them
towards a higher cause.
Manipulating the masses is easy
once you’ve found that core.

After the election some of us were
slain by words too small-
and bombs too dumb.
Some of us knew that morality
is larger than the body politics
of the bedroom and procreation.
Some of us believed in God’s whole house,
an ecology of relationships.
Some of us wanted that large God to come back
to occupy that house in us.

Chant at St. Joe

We had a wonderful rehearsal tonight. David and his wife, Shirley, and Frank ( who was new to us, but knows chant and Latin).

We rehearsed for 1st and 4th Advent. Mass XVIII Sanctus, Mysterium fidei (though we won't sing that 'til Lent), Communion Antiphon Qui manducat carnem meam and english psalm verses, and Resonet in laudibus for Christmas season.

Then we sang Night Prayer from Fr. Pat Creed's book.

Next rehearsal, the Wed. before Thanksgiving.

Abortion Arithmetic

Now that voting is behind us for a while, it won’t hurt to evaluate the difficult role played by our faith and our Catholic churches in our American Democracy.

There are many social problems concerning protection of life, and many different levels at which our government might address these problems. In our role of Faithful Citizenship, following the Way of Christ, we not only weigh the issues and values, but the effectiveness of different civic agencies in dealing with these issues. The combined effect of all our votes, from all our different perspectives, can be a powerful force for insight and change. The Spirit moves in us.

The Holy Father and the American Bishops recognize this. Political Activity Guidelines prohibit any staff member (certainly the homilist), from intervention in a political campaign in discussion of an election by promoting candidates or issues.

I expect that the majority of Catholic pastors followed the guidelines of the Church and managed to speak in ways that shed light on the issues, without endorsing any side or position.

Of course, as we all know, some parishes did not follow those guidelines. Those renegades did us all a real disservice. And they undoubtedly commandeered enough of the Catholic vote to determine the outcome of the election. Should they be pleased with themselves?

In hindsight, the immediate problem of the election was this:

In a sea of ugly sound bites, George Bush, the 9/11-anointed hero, claimed and was awarded the Pro-Life stance. John Kerry stated his position, “I personally oppose abortion,” and his bottom line to oppose anything that compromises the constitutional right of the mother to make the decision with her doctors. Those who know Kerry as a decent, process-oriented, even idealistic person, know that Kerry was stating his limits, saying we could work with the rest of it. But most people didn't hear that. They heard, "I will not (oppose abortion).”

Neither Kerry, nor Democrats, nor Catholics of social conscience found a way to effectively bridge the chasm at which we found ourselves.

Why aren’t we saying, "Abortion has always been with us, but in our responsibility to protect the vulnerable, there are things that we will do that will help reduce the number of abortions. We have to respect the mother and the unborn child. We have to work within our American justice system, or chaos will reign. No law yet devised would be able to eliminate abortion, but we can cut it by ??% in eight years if we do (fill in the blank)."

There are universally acceptable and desirable social programs that can do this for us. Who is developing them? Who is researching their real effect in the real world? This would give us a direction to move steadily toward the values we consider so vital.

As it was, unless they could see beyond those renegade self-styled "Pro-Life pastors” who flaunt the rules and the radio talk shows that blather endlessly on a dead-end street, Catholics were faced with a deceptively clear inequality to define their moral position:

152 Texas executions + 1000 American military dead + 100,000 Iraqi citizens dead comes to much less than 44 million murdered unborn babies.

Anyone can do that kind of math. So we voted.

And we’re left at the same brick wall that we were before, where our favorite anti- abortion strategies imperil the American Constitution and justice system. What we need are people who can do the work of charting new directions through this impasse.

selection for attorney general

President Bush,

I am very concerned about the formerly illegal activites that Mr. Gonzales has enabled and supported, basically deciding to ignore the rule of law in anti-terrorism issues. These are highly visible, and look to me to be part of the basic failure of leadership in human rights (Guantanamo Bay and AbuGraib being the tip of the iceberg). These policies flout the rule of Democracy and Law that the United States has always stood for. This is NOT the kind of person I want to see as Attorney General. How can he be Attorney General if the only thing he is known for is flouting the law?

If he were to admit that those polices I mentioned overreach themselves, and your administration was to change those policies, I could support the man, and maybe he could go on to be a great Attorney General.

I think we have to clean up our messes before we go on to create even bigger ones, and as President, you are the one who has be responsible. Otherwise you're just a patsy.

Predicting the president

Predicting the president:

Lawrence County is the birthplace of country singer Ricky Skaggs and former Gov. Paul Patton, and now it has another claim to its name — a 40-year winning streak in picking U.S. presidents.
...
Louisa Mayor Teddy Preston said winning streaks don't just happen; some voters make up their minds at the last minute so they can see which way the race is tipping nationally.

'They're not going to go for a loser,' Preston said. 'They didn't want to go and cast their vote for nothing.'"

t r u t h o u t - Michael Feingold | Our Vanished Values

t r u t h o u t - Michael Feingold | Our Vanished Values:

John Kerry asked us to pledge to build bridges to unify the United States. I think that now, since the antagonistic election process is over, we might be able to rekindle the conversation on issues of good government, without the so-called 'moral issues' completly drowning out the voices.

Here is an excerpt from a rather blunt, yet insightful piece.

"  Fear and prejudice, Bush's twin allies, go hand in hand with the refusal to think, something that has always been part of American politics: The Republican Party actually had its origins, in the 1840s, as a faction of the anti-immigrant, fundamentalist Know-Nothing movement. A century and a half have only upped the ante: We live in a country as flooded with information as it is with conflicting viewpoints and contrasting ways of life. To understand the mistaken half of our electorate, we have to begin with the realization that this flood of data can itself be a source of fear.


  The longing to be simple and to solve problems simply is a natural human impulse. We on what might be called the unfrightened side of the informational flood have to make a start at bridge building and boat rescues; those on the other side are too panicked by the sight of the flood. Ill luck and unwisdom have made them run to a man whose only perceivable goal is to lead us all, like lemmings, over the cliff to drown. So our job for the next four years, while fighting every way we can to extricate our country from the messes Bush has already made, is to reassure simple souls by educating in simple terms. And to avoid condescension, this means reorienting ourselves to them, understanding that we have a basic faith in democracy, free speech, the separation of church and state, the balance of power among branches of government. We, as well as our opposites, have often enough let our prejudices and the media barrage obscure our understanding."

FOXNews.com - The O'Reilly Factor - Talking Points - Another Dangerous Ruling by an Activist Judge

FOXNews.com - The O'Reilly Factor - Talking Points - Another Dangerous Ruling by an Activist Judge

Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points about a Dangerous "Activist Judge" sound to me like commendations. U.S. District Court Judge James Robertson is being attacked by O'Reilly, with his customary warped logic.

Judge Robertson, thank you for your good service to this country.

Peace Love & Candlewax

Peace Love & Candlewax

I met someone yesterday, who calls himself Gentle Giant, and seems to have kept the positive perspective on life, peace, faith, and the Spirit, that I wonder if I have lost.

His journal is intelligent, productive and calming. THANK YOU for sharing.

Chant at St. Joe

Today the Youth Choir sang for mass, and sang very well. Edie was cantor for the responsorial psalm, and her clear voice was refreshing, beautiful, and accurate. It was her first time. I think she's in the 6th grade.

We sang Qui manducat carnem meam after the communion song, and it was beautifully done. Fr. Toan complimented the girls, saying that he knew from Seminary how difficult it was and how much work it took to prepare. He invited the congregation to applaud, and I was grateful. I don't think that is something that should be done very often, but it helps the young people know that this new "old" stuff is valuable to the parish. He also came over after mass, said he heard a lot of good comments, and the people of the parish would like to hear it more often. Great. There is a very long communion procession at St. Joe, especially on Saturday, and perhaps we could do this every week, changing our chant more or less seasonally.

We have an invitation for the Youth Choir to sing on Christmas Eve with the Herde Family choir, and so Amy would like us to find at least one chant piece for that.

"What Barry Says" video text

The United States of America is the most powerful nation on Earth.
in itself, this goes a long way to explaining the things it does around the world.
At present it is conducting a War On Terror
or, more accurately,
a campaign against opposition to U.S. domination.

Others prefer to call it the beginnings of the Third World War

The United States has an insatiable appetite for conflict,
and since going into Korea in the 1950’s,
it’s been at war with someone or other,
in some corner of the globe, nonstop,
right up to the present day.

This drive is now led by the weapons manufacturers themselves.
It is highly dangerous precedent.
I call it “War Corporatism.”
It is the door of a new fascism being pushed open.

And don’t be fooled, not all fascism looks like Adolph Hitler.

The reality,
as we see from the Iraqi invasion,
is that the Presidency has been captured
by the most powerful elements of this Corporatism.
And this ghastly molecule aims to turn the world
into its very own enslaved global market,
and the plan is well on the way.

The attack by AlQaeda on the World Trade Center
is just one response to it.

Is this a conspiracy?
Quite the opposite.

It is a high-profile project known as
The Project for A New American Century.

People like Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Perle,
are the major players
among politicians, right-wing thinkers,
militarists and industrialists,
in the creation of the project.
The project is a neo-conservative manifesto,
which includes in its toolbox
an unbridled use of war
in clearing a path for U.S. interests.

The will to attack Iraq came entirely from this visible, yet sinister, group.
Sept 11 was merely the pretext.
Bush is merely the figurehead.

And so, who’s next, you wonder?

Iran? Korea? France? Britain?
None of us really matter to them.

Notes on fascisim

Fascism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Modern History Sourcebook: Mussolini: Wht is Fascism, 1932

Benito Mussolini (1883-1945) over the course of his lifetime went from Socialism - he was editor of Avanti, a socialist newspaper - to the leadership of a new political movement called "fascism" [after "fasces", the symbol of bound sticks used a totem of power in ancient Rome].

In 1932 Mussolini wrote (with the help of Giovanni Gentile) and entry for the Italian Encyclopedia on the definition of fascism.

Fascism, the more it considers and observes the future and the development of humanity quite apart from political considerations of the moment, believes neither in the possibility nor the utility of perpetual peace. It thus repudiates the doctrine of Pacifism -- born of a renunciation of the struggle and an act of cowardice in the face of sacrifice. War alone brings up to its highest tension all human energy and puts the stamp of nobility upon the peoples who have courage to meet it. All other trials are substitutes, which never really put men into the position where they have to make the great decision -- the alternative of life or death....

...The Fascist accepts life and loves it, knowing nothing of and despising suicide: he rather conceives of life as duty and struggle and conquest, but above all for others -- those who are at hand and those who are far distant, contemporaries, and those who will come after...

Fascism, now and always, believes in holiness and in heroism; that is to say, in actions influenced by no economic motive, direct or indirect...

After Socialism, Fascism combats the whole complex system of democratic ideology, and repudiates it, whether in its theoretical premises or in its practical application. Fascism denies that the majority, by the simple fact that it is a majority, can direct human society; it denies that numbers alone can govern by means of a periodical consultation, and it affirms the immutable, beneficial, and fruitful inequality of mankind, which can never be permanently leveled through the mere operation of a mechanical process such as universal suffrage....

...Fascism denies, in democracy, the absur[d] conventional untruth of political equality dressed out in the garb of collective irresponsibility, and the myth of "happiness" and indefinite progress....

The foundation of Fascism is the conception of the State, its character, its duty, and its aim. Fascism conceives of the State as an absolute, in comparison with which all individuals or groups are relative, only to be conceived of in their relation to the State. The conception of the Liberal State is not that of a directing force, guiding the play and development, both material and spiritual, of a collective body, but merely a force limited to the function of recording results: on the other hand, the Fascist State is itself conscious and has itself a will and a personality -- thus it may be called the "ethic" State....

...The Fascist State organizes the nation, but leaves a sufficient margin of liberty to the individual; the latter is deprived of all useless and possibly harmful freedom, but retains what is essential; the deciding power in this question cannot be the individual, but the State alone....

...For Fascism, the growth of empire, that is to say the expansion of the nation, is an essential manifestation of vitality, and its opposite a sign of decadence. Peoples which are rising, or rising again after a period of decadence, are always imperialist; and renunciation is a sign of decay and of death. Fascism is the doctrine best adapted to represent the tendencies and the aspirations of a people, like the people of Italy, who are rising again after many centuries of abasement and foreign servitude. But empire demands discipline, the coordination of all forces and a deeply felt sense of duty and sacrifice: this fact explains many aspects of the practical working of the regime, the character of many forces in the State, and the necessarily severe measures which must be taken against those who would oppose this spontaneous and inevitable movement of Italy in the twentieth century, and would oppose it by recalling the outworn ideology of the nineteenth century - repudiated wheresoever there has been the courage to undertake great experiments of social and political transformation; for never before has the nation stood more in need of authority, of direction and order. If every age has its own characteristic doctrine, there are a thousand signs which point to Fascism as the characteristic doctrine of our time. For if a doctrine must be a living thing, this is proved by the fact that Fascism has created a living faith; and that this faith is very powerful in the minds of men is demonstrated by those who have suffered and died for it.

FASCISM -- What It Is and How To Fight It

(The military ruin of German and Italian fascism in WWII convinced most
people that fascism had been destroyed for good and was so utterly
discredited that it could never again entice any followers. Events
since then, particularly the emergence of new fascist groups and
tendencies in almost every capitalist country,have dispelled such
wishful thinking. The illusion that WWII was fought to make the world
safe from fascism has gone the way of the earlier illusion that WWI was
fought to make the world safe for democracy. The germ of fascism is
endemic in capitalism; a crisis can raise it to epidemic proportions
unless drastic countermeasures are applied.)

PublicEye.org - What is Fascism?:

"Fascism is a form of extreme right-wing ideology that celebrates the nation or the race as an organic community transcending all other loyalties. It emphasizes a myth of national or racial rebirth after a period of decline or destruction. To this end, fascism calls for a 'spiritual revolution' against signs of moral decay such as individualism and materialism, and seeks to purge 'alien' forces and groups that threaten the organic community. Fascism tends to celebrate masculinity, youth, mystical unity, and the regenerative power of violence. Often, but not always, it promotes racial superiority doctrines, ethnic persecution, imperialist expansion, and genocide. At the same time, fascists may embrace a form of internationalism based on either racial or ideological solidarity across national boundaries. Usually fascism espouses open male supremacy, though sometimes it may also promote female solidarity and new opportunities for women of the privileged nation or race."

Four More Years--Simple

CBC News - Viewpoint: Adrian Dix:

Here's a clear post-mortem from Canada:

"In short, the Republicans' message to voters was sharp and clear. There are simple answers. America is right, its critics wrong. America would set its own rules of engagement with the world. God is on our side, the 'right God,' a message routinely delivered at Bush rallies.
"
...the Bush White House is on a mission, at home and abroad. A Bush advisor recently said for example, "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality." He mocked opponents as living in a "reality-based community." Faced with enormous challenges to their policies, the response from the Bush White House will be unpredictable and potentially dangerous.

Here's another simple message:
http://www.knife-party.net/flash/barry.html

And here's the complete, Republican-approved program:
http://www.newamericancentury.org/index.html

And, horriffic as it is, it all appeals to a lot of Americans. Four more years of selfish, self-righteous, violent bigotry.

A handful of years ago we were seeing the incredible potential of the "faith-based" movement. Problem is, too many of us bought into the glory, but left our brains and experience behind. Too much born-again surrender makes people very susceptible to manipulation by horrible preachers promoting the "Born to Raze Hell" mentality, or the cold calculations of the New American Century group.

The Catholic Church's traditional foundation of faith-based living, the Liturgy of the Hours, is a practice that seems to allow the best of both worlds. It is a complete surrender to God's will, but, as evidenced by the life of the Saints, does not require that people give up their minds, their abilities, their judgment, their talents. Participation in the Church's great prayer brings all of our human capability into the influence of God's love for evaluation.

election

all votes aren't counted, but it looks bad for Kerry and the U.S. and the world.

What is the rush? Seems to me that any president would want all the votes counted?

But that's not the point, is it? It's a game, a "guy thing," about domination and victory.

There are legitimate differences between republicans and democrats, some major things, like the approach to abortion, the respect/disrespect for human life on other levels, and basic differences in the role of business and money.

Unfortunataly, this election wasn't really a referendum on any of these things. The endorsement of blatant bigotry and murderous commercialism is unprecedented in my lifetime. Bigotry and selfishness seem to have won out.

No big surprise there.