There's an old song, sung to the tune of “Oh my darling Clementine”:
"Look what I've got, look what I've got,
Don't you wish you had some too..."
Yes, that's right, the BME stickers came in the mail this morning… Finally! So now I've got a pile of envelopes to stuff. Check out all the stickers we got:
 RAYNUTZ ATE MY BALLS |
 CLEAR VINYL CALM LOGO |
 GIANT IRON PENIS! |
 ROUND TEAM BME |
 BMEZINE BUMPER STICKER |
 DONG PIERCER! |
The US continues to escalate its threats against Syria, continuing it's “Since we can't find WMDs in Iraq (more), you must have them! Give us your WMDs now or we will invade!” stance. It really blows me away that people fall for this crap (more, more, more, more)… The people of Baghdad are none too thrilled as the US puts INC (Chalabi) sponsored rulers in charge (more), and the people of America don't seem to even notice as the very rights they promise to bring to Iraq are slashed at home (more, more, more).
"And how can you not express brotherly solidarity with your contemporaries tried by war and violence in Iraq, the Holy Land and other regions of the world? Peace is a gift from Christ."
- Pope John Paul II (more)
Then there's the putting in charge of potential terrorist leaders in charge of weapons facilities in Iraq, setting the stage for worse oppression than that nation ever saw under Saddam (more)… We (the West as a whole — before people blame just the US, realize that far more people died in Iraq thanks to Bill Clinton and UN sanctions than in this war — not that this war makes it better, it just makes it even worse) are not in a position to continue antagonizing people who have increasingly little to lose. Fact: there is no effective defense against suicide attacks.
And let me again remind people that the Taliban is well on its way to being back in power in Afghanistan (more) and al Qaeda (who? didn't Bush say he defeated them?) has more recruits than ever… And if that doesn't matter to you, and you just want to “support the troops”, let me also remind you that the military is at best a glorified make-work project that really doesn't treat many of its slaves that well (more)…
PS. Regarding the “Kill Hollywood” entry below, I've actually had a few people message me complaining that I shouldn't make fun of their “valid opinions”. Seriously, people really do believe those things. It's just so weird… sometimes I think the world is playing some bizarre joke. I just don't understand how people can think that way.
I tossed a bit more of the framework up onto the site… Not really any real content, but I'm getting a better idea of how I want to build the offsite FTP functions for IAM which I will use to maintain the blog on the Zentastic site.
I just did this little interview… As always, I'm just leaving it here for my own records. If you're interested in that sort of thing, feel free to read it. Otherwise just look at the funny little fellow that was just outside my window.
Do you feel like you are discriminated because of any modifications that you have? If so, how does it make you feel? Can I have a specific example of a time that stands out in your mind?
The world is full of small and ignorant people that pathetically try and make themselves feel better by attempting to take down someone else. Do people try and insult me because of my mods? Sure, all the time. But that's life — I know that they're not actually attacking me — they're simply broadcasting their own pain and disappointment in their sad lives.
If you look different — tall, short, fat, skinny, ugly, beautiful, tattooed, albino, whatever — you become a scapegoat. That doesn't mean you're being “genuinely” discriminated against or that you should feel bad because you're being put down. It just means that you've found yourself in the company of people who are unhappy. Don't let them pass their unhappiness to you — it's their problem.
Have you ever been to a job interview and felt like you were being judged in a bad way due to your mods?
No, never. I'm good at what I do, and because I have “the credentials” required and am friendly and personable to the people that hire me, if anything having visible mods has helped my career by making me memorable. Being a hard worker and good at what you do can transform people's prejudices into working in your favor.
Do you think that there should be a set standard or law about discrimination against people with body mods?
Absolutely not. You can't “force” decency onto people. I do believe that the government should be restricted from these behaviors (that is, a public school shouldn't be allowed to deny education to a pierced student, and social services should not be denied to a heavily tattooed individual)… but I feel that we are stepping in a very dangerous direction when we start telling other people how to run their lives.
All I want for “us” is the right to practice our rites without restriction, and the freedom to exist in society as equals. Anything past that is none of the government's business.
What is your opinion on the Church of Body Modification?
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but in my opinion we were all far from qualified to attempt something as lofty as a religion, and running it as a “legal trick” was something that was destined to backfire on us.
About the CostCo case and the woman accusing violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act what is your opinion on that entire case?
It's embarrassing, and I hope that the world doesn't believe that she's representative of this community. CostCo definitely did act like idiots in firing a good employee for having an eyebrow ring, but that's their right as an employer with a dress code. If modified people don't like that, then they should stop shopping at CostCo, but “making up” a claim that an eyebrow ring is essential to religious practice just degrades all of us.
Do you ever feel like your opinions and thoughts are discredited by people due to your mods?
Absolutely not. If anything, having “hey, look at me” mods has made it much easier for me to broadcast my opinions and thoughts and has gotten me into doors I'd not have otherwise had access to.
Do you ever feel like people dont pay attention to your accomplishments and only focus on the fact that you have modifications?
No, I've never felt that. Body modification (and anything out of the ordinary) acts as an “amplifier”. If you're good at what you do, it can help you and get you “more credit” than you're due. If you're average or below average on the other hand, it can give you even less than you're due. If you choose a modified path for yourself, you will have to be willing to work hard.
If you got the chance to undo any of your mods, would you? Which ones and why?
I would not change anything. Sure, I've done things that I've covered or taken out in time, but without those experiences I wouldn't be me — and I'm happy with how I turned out and wouldn't trade myself in for anyone else.
So I was looking for a website “against Hollywood” that had conveniently listed the contact info for all of their agents and I came across this foolish petition calling for an end to any movies that don't prop up stupidity. A few of the comments left by people signing it:
"In your fictitious world everyone is for love/peace/and the right to smoke marijuana..in the real world we go to war to protect communist/head in the sand people like you!!!""Hollywood is absolutely disgusting! I am so sick of stupid 'movie stars' thinking they know what they are talking about! The truth is they live in fantasy worlds. They really are undeducated, uninformed, and obnoxious. I will be boycotting all these unpatriotic horrid people! God Bless President Bush! God Bless Our Troops! God Bless America!"
"IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY"
"I support Bush. I want all of the Hollywood liberal to leave this country"
"Michael Moore is a Socialist idiot and contrary to his delusional thinking he only speaks for as of now about 24% of Americans! And I use the term 'Americans' loosely when referring to those 24%!!"
"I will boycott ANY OF the actors/actresses who openly push their anti-American Pro-saddam agenda! I consider them to be TRAITORS!"
"Michael Moore is a fat, cowardly child molester. This is not a joke."
"Shame on you and My family will not go to the movies unless Hollywood apologizes to the U.S, the troops and the President"
"The hollywood left is an embarrasment to our company. Their films should be banned."
"watched FOX NEWS to keep me updated on the real world"
"It's bad to bash the prsident and not support him-if not treason."
"Those who are dedicated to the destruction of a free society are unfit to live in that same society. Michael Moore is therefore unfit to be an American. He is unfit to live in this country. With luck and God's grace, he'll swing from the end of a rope."
"Pretty tired of watching homosexual movies and the forcing of hetrosexual Actor/Actresses in homosexual roles."
"We now boycott all stars/ musicians, anti-american. anti war"
"Hollywood is completely out of touch with the majority of Americans. If you don't stop making anti-Christian, anti-American, obscene movies, we will boycott! You are only qualified to play make believe, not to give political/military advice."
"I hope the 'entertainers' get the message that knowing their political views detracts from their acting or singing etc. I used to really like Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon and others, but just can't watch their films anymore because they had to shoot their mouth off! I don't want to know my doctor's political views or anyone else that is doing their job."
"I don't petition Hollywood to do anything, I stopped funding their Marxist agenda long ago and engourage others to do the same. Favorite movie: LOTR, LOTR, LOTR!"
"The Hollywod Left are neo-communists"
"USA: Love it, support it or leave it!"
"The liberal theology/philosophy is relatively new to our American history and. is NOT the foundation on which our country originally grew to become the strong, productuve, and innovative place that it is.. There is a reason that the U.S.A.became such a country in the 1st place. The reason is that American society began by operating according to Scripural principles; whether those following those principles believed in them or not.. Just as with gravity; it works for everyone, whether you believe in gravity or not."
"Americans for Bush, the Flag, Pledge, Israel & God"
"I think what we really need is for Hollywood to make more Christian movies and stop the violence."
"the Hollywood folks have used so many drugs, drank so much alcohol and experimented so much with their fellow wierdos, that they do not or cannot understand how the everyday American lives, works and worships"
"Have you forgotten...? What happened on 9/11, obiously you have, because you are against a war that will prevent another day like 9/11."
"I am all for getting the 'Leftys' to shut the hell up. Ever wonder why there were not this many protestors when Clinton was in office...OH I forgot it was because Republicans go to work and dont have time to go protest."
"you're either with us or against us"
"Hollywood black lists veterans of the armed forces from their industry."
"anything less than respect for the President & our troops is UN-AMERICAN"
"Why are Americans disliked in foreign countries? Might it be because of the view of America and Americans presented by anti-American movies?"
"why don't you all move to iraq-good riddance traitors!!!"
"I welcome the boycott of anti-American socialists in Hollywood"
"I for one will stop going to any movies starring these non-patriotic idiots!"
Are people really this stupid and gullible? I find it so hard to believe… I mean, I get moronic email like this, and I've seen a few people write this junk on their pages here, but I have a lot of trouble believing that a majority of people in an educated (?) first world country could be so ignorant?
