Shit that Pissed me Off this Week – 9/21

Rick Santorum Doesn’t Like Smart People

We all know what I think of Rick Santorum, right?

Santorum basically believes the “intellectual elite” just want to run the lives of everyone that is dumber than them.  He seems to believe that smart people are all mad scientists who believe that if the world will just submit to their will, we’ll all be a lot happier.

Yes! If I am successful, I will FORCE THE WORLD to never have cancer again! BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

The wave of anti-intellectualism in this country is staggering.  It’s the reason people with no knowledge of biology will spend hours arguing with biologists about the evidence for evolution.  Santorum is not the cause of this wave.  He’s a symptom.

I can’t understand why anyone, Conservative or Liberal, wants to live in a country where we dismiss the brightest among us simply because they happen to be smart. Maybe I’m the only person who views Idiocracy as a cautionary tale.

I look at people like Rick Santorum and I think that he could very well represent the smartest of our future politicians.  If that doesn’t fill you with horror, you are probably already too far gone.

Egyptians Arrest Pro-Democracy Blogger

Alber Saber is a pro-Democracy blogger who also ran a Facebook page for atheists.

We atheists may think we have challenges in the US but that is nothing compared to atheists in Islamist regimes where atheism isn’t just frowned upon, it is actually illegal.  The link above takes you to a petition that will, probably, not help an awful lot except that it could save somoeone’s life.

Freedom of speech is important enough that it should cross religious and political boundaries.  If you believe that is true (and you really should), then sign the petition.  You have nothing to lose except a few minutes.

Saber stands to lose a lot more than that.

Seriously guys, if you read my blog and you haven’t signed the petition, please take the time to do it now.  If you have the time to read this, you have the time to sign the petition.  At least 100 folks read this blog every week.  That’s 100 signatures, which would be a huge boost.

Topless Pictures of Kate Middleton Show Up and This Editorial Blames The Victim

Here’s the thing folks, when someone is sunbathing topless on private property a long way from what they believe are prying eyes, they deserve to have their privacy respected.  It isn’t her fault that her breasts might show up in magazines all over Europe.

I totally get that she is (potentially) the future queen of England and there are cameras pointed at her all the time.

Come on Kate! Show us your ti…uh….personality!!!!

I also get that she will most likely never sunbathe without a top again.  She’ll probably make sure the only time she is naked is when she’s in a room with no windows.

And she’ll probably trust the press even less than she did before so the folks who took and sold those pictures will have made everyone else’s job that much harder.

But it is not her fault that those pictures were taken and it is certainly not her fault that some jerks decided that they would try to publish them.  How about we stop blaming people who are the victims when their privacy is invaded?  Can we try that?

Christian Group Puts out an Anti-Bullying Brochure that is also Anti-gay

You have to admire the way they managed to put together a brochure that is trying to teach kids to avoid bullying while also making sure they remain bigots.  Check it out:

It may be a grown up subject but you need to have bigoted kids if you want bigoted grown ups!

Note the acknowledge that some churches say homosexuality is OK but you know what?  They’re wrong!!!!

And, you know, bullying is wrong too.  Definitely wrong.  Not as wrong as being gay but it sure is wrong.

Because if you bully, you can still get into heaven.

Stupid Polling Numbers Giving me False Hope

Looking at current polling numbers, it would appear that Michele Bachmann is in danger of losing her seat.  She is currently leading by only 2 points.

But let’s not get excited folks.  She lives in a district that has repeatedly shown they would rather vote for a crazy Republican than a sane Democrat.  I’d love to believe that Bachmann will lose but you know what?  She probably won’t.

I’m sure Fox news is keeping a chair warm for her but my guess is that she’ll be able to stay in Congress as long as she wants.

Minnesotans for (Straight) Marriage Think that Only Atheists Support Gay Marriage

I would argue that while 100% of the atheists I know support gay marriage and will be voting “no” in November, suggesting that the “vast majority” of religious voters will vote for the amendment is pretty messed up.

See? It’s just the Atheists!!!!

If I take an informal poll of the people I know who are religious, I’m under the impression that almost none of them are going to vote “yes.”

And to the moron who made this idiotic comment:  if I’m part of a group that is (damn near) 100% for gay marriage, you aren’t insulting me by bringing it up.  You are making me proud that the people with whom I share a common belief about god are (at least in this one instance) far more tolerant and far smarter than you.

It might not be this November but you all need to keep in mind, my side is going to win this one.  You can see the poll numbers as easily as I can.  You lose ground every year.  That means either there are a lot more atheists than you think or there are a lot fewer theists who hate gays as much as you do.

Either way, you are going to lose.  Eventually.  Chew on that.

BOO-YAH!

It’s Time by the Imagine Dragons

I love this song.  So that doesn’t piss me off.  There is something about this song that makes me love life.  I wish more songs were as jubilant as this one.

I don’t mean the subject or the lyrics, either.  I mean I can hear how much these guys fucking love to make music.  They live for it.  And they poured all that love into this song and put it out there for the rest of us to hear.

And seriously, I know how they feel.  Because I love to perform with my band and I hope every now and again the audience notices how much we enjoy doing what we do.

I consider myself lucky music like this exists and I get to listen to it.  You should too.

But the cover of it on “Glee” last week? Meh.

They don’t have a single male voice on the show that could have done this song justice. Darren Criss has nailed some songs on that show.  Not this one, I’m afraid (note that the commercial below only has part of the song).

This song deserved better.

P.S: The next episode is a Brittney Spears episode.  Their second.  Can someone explain to me how Brittney Spears gets two episodes before Cyndi Lauper gets one?  Or Elvis Presley?  Or the Beatles?  Or Elton John?  Brittney?  Really?