The moment was years in the making. It was 11.45pm Tuesday night, and the Texas Senate was poised to enact perhaps the most restrictive anti-abortion bill in the United States. State senator Wendy Davis had filibustered the bill for 11 hours in a remarkable attempt to run out a 30-day special legislative session.
Category Politics
The Australian Labor Party have ousted their PM ahead of the elections which they will probably lose. This upsets me. I have always admired Gillard. Forthright and a good leader, in my books. And an atheist, too.
When interviewed in 2010, she said:
“I think it would be inconceivable, if I were an American, for me to have turned up at the highest echelon of American politics being an atheist, single, and childless.”
Aah, gun laws. How much money is spent on combating terrorism (and I know the comparison is far more complex…
This is delicious irony. Brilliant. In a bad way. Caroline Lucas, sole Green MP in the UK, and stalwart of socialist ideal, the environment and women’s rights, is championing the cause of the curtailing of the ubiquitous page 3 topless model in the UK’s most popular newspaper, Murdoch’s The Sun tabloid. The anachronism that is the page 3 topless model in modern society is all too obvious. So obvious, that most people don’t bat an eyelid. But it is pervasive and supports sexist ideals which most probably permeate into the rape culture in Britain that is illustrated by the shocking stats that were produced by Amnesty International last decade:
The shitstorm going down in Turkey deserves more attention. I mean that our governments should be coming out and decrying the Turkish conservative government’s attempts to drive out secularism in the historically secular country. I get enraged when I read about what is going on there. Here is an ostensibly Muslim country which has remained, against all odds, secular in nature. The tide is turning, though, and outrageous things are taking place. This argue makes me bristle with the injustice of the world. Over to the Guardian.
I am going to look at political libertarianism in this post in the context of morality, ethics and philosophy. This has been brought on by the Any Questions live radio programme on BBC Radio 4 the other day from the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Wales which featured right-wing Conservative, Telegraph blogger, Climate Change (AGW) denier James Delingpole, Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Owen Paterson MP (Conservative), left wing Labour politician Peter Hain MP, Leader of Plaid Cymru (The Welsh national party), socialist and republican Leanne Wood.
My local Conservative MP voted against including a clean energy target in an amendment to the Energy Bill. There’s a great action and pressure internet group called 28 degrees which famously succeeded in changing the governments mind on forestry called 38 degrees. They mobilise people virtually to pressure governments with petitions and the like. Here is the email they sent me:
Energy Secretary Ed Davey is to make an unprecedented attack later on climate change sceptics.
In a speech, the Lib Dem minister will complain that right-wing newspapers are undermining science for political ends.
He is set to accuses climate sceptics of nimbyism, publicity-seeking, and “blinkered… bloody-mindedness”.
An atheist state lawmaker tasked with delivering the opening prayer for this afternoon’s session of the House of Representatives asked that people not bow their heads.
Democratic Representative Juan Mendez, of Tempe, instead spoke about his “secular humanist tradition” and even quoted author Carl Sagan.
Ever since hearing about the Tory government in Canada the other day from Peter, a Canadian commenter, I have been shocked to think that the Canadian government has been doing some insanely immoral dastardly things since it has been in power entirely unbeknownst to me! I came across this Huff Post Canada article and felt I had to repost this. Man, how do we put pressure on an entire G7 government to tell them to stop being such morons?
You´ve all heard the standard lies about the third reich being an “Atheist regime” and Darwinian evolution being a foundation for the Nazi race ideology. The funny (“funny” in a tragic way) thing about this is, that these claims are not only wrong, but that the exact opposite happens to be true.
So there were local elections yesterday, these for councillors for the County Councils (broadly speaking, States in the US). Councils are run by a number of councillors, and overall majorities mean that certain parties control whole counties (again, broadly and simply speaking).
If this doesn’t send shivers down your spine, you have no heart. Shed a tear, go on. One…
I have spoken a little bit on conspiracy theories here. This, however, is a shocking indictment, if accurate, on the gullibility of modern US citizens. I think the media may have a lot to answer for with this, as conspiracies are perpetuated and given credibility. Here is ana article from The Atlantic reporting PPP survey results:
This piece of genius was sent to me. From whence it came, I know not: God made Adam and Eve…
Another fascinating Guardian article. It seems like Egypt is imploding in Islamic-led idiocy. Such a shame, with a wonderful opportunity to progress the country in starting with what could have been a blank slate. Instead, the country has largely regressed under the leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of people, many holding signs with names of gun violence victims and messages such as “Ban Assault Weapons Now,” joined a rally for gun control on Saturday, marching from the Capitol to the Washington Monument.
One of the occasional commenters here, and a kindly man from across the pond, Russ, wrote this which I thought would…
Two pro-gun US senators have called for changes to firearm laws, as the first victims of the Newtown school shootings were buried in Connecticut.
Democrats Mark Warner and Joe Manchin, who have “A” ratings from the National Rifle Association (NRA), now say action is needed after the massacre.
Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto, both aged six, were buried on Monday after funeral services attended by hundreds.
They were among 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook school.
Other victims’ funerals will be held throughout the week, and the town has already begun removing Christmas decorations in mourning.
Two adults who were injured in the attack survived are recovering in hospital and would be crucial witnesses as police continue their investigation, it was confirmed on Monday.
Polly Toynbee at the Guardian has this to say:
As my term as British Humanist Association president comes to an end, a few words of advice to my successor, Jim Al-Khalili
‘If you’re not religious, for God’s sake say so,” we implored, and many did. Over a quarter of the population registered as non-believers: more might have done were the census question unambiguous about whether it meant cultural background or personal belief. My term as president of the British Humanist Association ends this month, but gladly I hand over to Jim Al-Khalili, the distinguished professor of physics, writer, broadcaster and explainer of science. With atheism as the second largest block, he will be in a stronger position to see that unbelievers get a better hearing.