Category: The Dish

A reader writes:

You ain’t seen nothing yet. Some weeks ago I had the misfortune to view an exhibition by Jack Dawson in Eureka Springs, Arkansas – on the grounds of Gerald L.K. Smith’s "Great Passion Play." (Yes, that Gerald L.K. Smith.)

Here’s a picture of Jesus in a GI’s uniform, mending an American flag. The title, "If My People," comes from 2nd Chronicles. There’s guide to the symbolism here:

Another wacky fave of mine is "Reviewing the Troops" — and in case you’re wondering just who’s doing the reviewing, look for the face of Jesus in the upper right-hand corner (it’s in the foliage of a tree). The paintings currently hang here.

This one may be the most informative yet, because its questions are more exhaustive, and its left-right/libertarian-authoritarian axis can yield more nuance. It’s also less dated. Try it yourself. I came out once again as a rightist libertarian – in the center of the lower right quadrant: socially lbertarian, economically conservative (but not extremely either). My actual scores: Economic Left/Right: 4.50; Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.26

John O’Sullivan lays out his own Iraq strategy.

"A disposition to be conservative in politics] is [not] necessarily connnected with any particular beliefs about the universe, about the world in general or about human conduct in general. What makes it intelligible is nothing to do with a natural law or a providential order, nothing to do with morals or religion," – Michael Oakeshott, "On Being Conservative."

"Vietnam presumably taught us that the United States could not serve as the world’s policeman; it should also have taught us the dangers of trying to be the world’s midwife to democracy when the birth is scheduled to take place under conditions of guerrilla war," – Jeane Kirkpatrick, Commentary, 1979.

The Pew Research Center has just done their latest survey (PDF) of attitudes among the young. They are markedly less religious than their elders – and previous generations. The percentage claiming they are agnostic or atheist has doubled in twenty years to one in five today; they regard heavy drinking as worse than smoking pot; they have become much less Republican than they once were. George W. Bush has persuaded most of the younger generation to vote Democratic, reversing Reagan’s gains among the young. They are much more pro-immigrant than their elders and 74 percent favor some privatizing of social security (yay!); but they’re dovish on the use of military force. They are divided equally on gay marriage (47 – 46 in favor, compared to 64 – 30 against among those over 25) but overwhelmingly support gay adoption. I find myself sympathetic to most of their views. Maybe my views are getting younger as my beard gets grayer.

Conservative columnist Ben Shapiro at least has the courage of his convictions:

McCain brings his massive popularity and media-darling status. He also brings his advanced age, his campaign finance reform record, his Gang of 14, his wishy-washy stance on homosexuality (including a vote against a constitutional amendment to protect marriage), his anti-conservative economic populism and his anti-torture positions.

My italics. Good to see plain English being used on the right. Pity the use of torture is now a plus for some in the Republican primaries. But, hey, that’s what American conservatism now stands for.

He’s saying a minimum of seven more brigades are needed for an indefinite period of time. That translates to roughly 18,000 up to 35,000 more troops as a minimum. I think he’s being too modest and we need more. But at least we have a bar to judge the president’s speech by.

Three Rivers, California, dusk.

A reader writes:

I lived in Pulaski County, Kentucky for 20 years and am not at all surprised that they are the subject of a blog entry entitled "Christianism Watch". I married, raised my children and divorced in that county. A beautiful and thriving community nestled a bit outside of the Appalachians, the county seat of Somerset is one of those places where one could image all the grass grows in one direction. But that illusion is quickly shattered when one becomes familiar with the area – it has quite a dark Christianist underbelly.

My daughter, who has Tourettes Syndrome, was unable to progress well in public school and I had little option but to place her in a "Christian" private school – that is until I went to pick her up one day and the staff and several students had her in a bathroom stall trying to "pray the demons out of her".

I taught youth Bible classes and Vacation Bible School at a southern baptist church for years until one of the very devout young men complained that he was now 18 – a man – and it was against scripture for me to teach him because I was a woman.