Muslim sects

There they go again, killing each other. I suppose many Christians relax a little, relieved that as long as they are killing each other, they aren't killing us. I could have some of that weakness myself. But it is a weakness. It is really a terrible thing that the Muslims are killing each other. We don't want them to kill us, or the Jews, but we definitely don't want Muslims to kill each other either. They are, after all, children of God, made in His image, worthy of the ultimate respect that one can give to any creature. All Christians are saddened when Muslims kill each other. There is plenty of blame on both sides of the conflict, but it could end if both sides were determined to end it. As a Christian I cannot take sides in the sectarian conflict, but I can plead with both sides to stop killing each other. You are not pleasing God when you kill people, any people, for we are also in the image of God, as are the Jews. That sectarian difference goes back to the 7th century AD. For 1400 years killing each other has solved nothing. Why not shame each other by trying to do the most good to the other? I cannot predict that such a movement will solve your problems, but isn't it worth trying? At least you won't be killing your fellow Muslims then.

Neo Cons out

Have we reasons to be optimistic? So much depends on definitions. I am glad the neo-cons are out. They call themselves "conservative," but are really 60's liberals who have been reconciled to Wall Street. I cannot call Rush Limbaugh "conservative," for example, because of his constant retreating to "safe" politics. As for W, he seems to be still fighting the Cold War. The times we are living in will not support safe positions. The devil is very active. The only thing I have any desire to be optimistic about is counter-revolution. There are hardly any models for that. There was a time when the Democratic Party was the more conservative. During its Populist phase, it was far more friendly to the past than the Whig/Republicans. But it was hijacked by progressivist elitists during the Wilson Administration. John Dewey led it into anti-Christian hatred, and J. K. Galbraith led it into socialism. And local labor leaders, who didn't understand how the party had changed, kept turning out the troops. The Democrats lost the "solid south" under LBJ. While 1968 was a transition year, conservative voters actully had George Wallace as a choice, from 1972 on the traditional South was red. It included a large group that has become known as the "Christian right," which is probably as mainstream as they come. It certainly isn't on the right in my book. While it includes some rather wooden interpretations of the Bible, for the most part it is consumerist, and above all safe. I give it credit for standing strongly against sodomy and abortion. But it is very foolish to have "faith in democracy," which means faith in humanity, a completely untrustworthy entity. This year the traditional South has turned purple, although a reddish purple. The media like to scream that the Republicans ought to move to "the left," but the Democrats made the gains they did because they moved to the right. The media will never admit it, because they hate the truth above all. What made the Republicans lose was the war, the war, the war. I am more optimistic that we will get out of that than I was a month ago.

When will it end?

It will end soon. Next Tuesday. Until then the phone calls, he junk mail, the ridiculous commercials, the even more ridiculous claims will go on ... I did see one other person who is voting for Bill Pierce - no, not the pitcher. He's the Libertarian candidate for Ohio governor. Somebody had a letter in the Plain Dealer supporting him. He will get those two votes at least. As for all those judges, the only one who seems at all familiar is Dick Ambrose, former Browns linebacker. I can't vote for DeWine because he voted to extend the Voting Rights Act, which is so far below my line. Brown is a tax and spend liberal, although at least he voted against the Patriot Act. If there's a third choice for senator, that will be mine. Whoever is running against Kucinich has that going for him. Once again we see the axis of evil - the Republicans and the Democrats.