Blatant Hypocrisy and the Kid Card


Isn't there already enough stupidity and lunacy in the world without a bunch of born again hypocrites trying to create more? Even if there were some great designer in the sky, intelligence would obviously be not be part of that design simply because so much idiocy exists and permeates every religion that has fanatic believers - and that means all religions.

Tolerance was always at the top of my list of essential character traits, and because I retain a certain element of idealism at the core of my cynicism, I've always been willing to accept the choices of others as long as those choices did no widespread damage to the right of choice for anyone else. Part of that belief in tolerance meant a willingness to mute my own opinions, and stifle any urge to condemn or belittle the conscious beliefs of those with whom I disagreed. All that changed about seven years ago, and about five years ago I realized silence was being taken as acquiescence. I continue to assure people that they are still responsible for their own choices, and they may cling to them forcibly if they choose, but that does not mean that I won't have my say, particularly because of the ugliness of what we are presently seeing and experiencing.

So, let me raise my voice against this short sighted, sneaky, and phony absurdity called 'Intelligent Design' which is not only being espoused by evangelical and Christian fundamentalists groups for the 'good of children' within our educational system, but for the further enlightenment of all people. To come directly to the point, this attempt to undermine intellect and science in favor of blind faith, creationism, and authoritarianism is pure bullshit. And I refuse to apologize for my language.

It has always been my belief that spirituality and/or religion - of whatever kind - is a personal and private decision. It requires no one else's involvement, blessing or agreement. If whatever someone believes brings them joy or comfort in their daily life, that is sufficient. Unfortunately, too few 'believers' share my attitude toward individual beliefs or toward tolerance, yet the 'Intelligent Design' subtefruge was created and is being led by hypocrites who call themselves Christians or New Testament believers who supposedly follow the precepts of Jesus, the most tolerant, secularly aware, and open man of his age. By their very actions, these supposed Christians have already denied the teachings of Jesus - far more times than Peter's three betrayals.

If their beliefs are so 'right,' so pure and altruistic, why do they deny creationism by calling it something different, by hiding behind semantics, by concealing their intrinsic bigotry and innate desire for a fully submissive and controllable populace who all act alike, believe alike, talk alike and think alike (to the extent they think), and who will all bow to the same authority exactly like a masochist will bow to the dictates of his dominatrix? We would be better served to shelve any worry we have about the potential of cloning, because this effort toward sameness and duplication is far more imminent and just as deadly.

I am also thoroughly disgusted by all the groups with their sneaky and hypocritical agendas who immediately play the "kid card." We see it on school boards, we see it in politics, we see in in educational settings, we see it in housing, we see it in supposedly helpful government programs, and we certainly see it in the flash and sparkle of a religious fanatic's eyes. Designing any program, activity, or movement by using the benefit to children as it's primary attention getter, draw or reason for being is crass and jaded. This 'for the children' technique is as blantantly dishonest and emotionally challenging as saying only support for war is 'patriotic' and those of disagree or dissent are treasonous and giving aid and comfort to the enemy.

Our disregard for the demands of public education - and even private education and home schooling - has helped create several generations of self obsessive and overly indulged children who cannot think without a cheat sheet, who don't read or read poorly, or cannot do simple math without a calculator built into their cell phone, who view integrity as just a word, who have no concept of history or right and wrong, who only want to live in a selfish moment and be entertained, or who think all adults are their enemy, that they can only survive and prosper in gangs, that only money is important, that meanness makes you somebody, that they are immune to everything, that they don't need anybody. The entire society has failed these kids, and continues to fail them and flay them with useless jargon and rhetoric every day.

We teach them to be fearful, we teach them that all adults lie, we never listen to their silent cries for help, or encourage their curiosity or praise their honest efforts. We excuse all their behavior problems with 'just kids,' or 'growing pains' excuses, we attempt to mold them into ciphers without opinions, or conclusions or even questions because we want to stifle their need to know, and provide them only with half answers, restrictions, or no answers at all. We do not expose them to unlimited experience, ideas, options, and in so doing, we do not teach them to think. The ability to think sensibly, rationally, thoroughly is not innate - just like hate, thinking must be learned. And they do not learn by being overly controlled or totally undirected - that only teaches them to hate.

So, never tell me something idiotic has to be done because of the children. And in particular, never tell me that children must be kept in the dark on any topic. And if you've turned your child into a little clone of yourself, steeped in the same fear, the same lunatic and bigoted ideas, with restrictions on what they can read, or what you think are appropriate activities, or friends created in the same luke warm crucible devoid of people who think or look differently, don't give me any garbage about Intelligent Design, because you've already proven you're as dumb as a stump.

I applaud the people of Dover, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, the majority of the voters in Kansas must have corn cobs for brains.