I, your humble blogger, have been nudged...

and, because I have a following (of one, apparently, but I'll take it), I will respond.

There is so much that is stupid going on in the world that it is difficult to focus on just one thing, but I will try. The Stupid i will tackle today is Bloggers Who Fear Intellectual Discourse.

Those of us who have spent any time on the internet, particularly blogs or message boards, have encountered people whose raison d'etre would appear to be pot-stirring. Those are folks who post provocative pieces, but, when challenged by commenters on those pieces, either delete the posts (Terry Frank) or respond by lashing out and name calling (Glen Dean). The latter of those two called me a bitch this week on NashvilleisTalking.com. To be fair, I baited him a bit, because he had, several months ago accused me of "flexing my intellectual dick" over at his place when I corrected his oh-so-misguided notion on something I can no longer recall.

Glen and Terry and their ilk seem to be afraid of challenging their deeply held notions, no matter how lacking in facts they seem to be. So their reaction is to lash out at those of us who aren't afraid of exposing their ideas (not to mention ideals) to intellectual rigor.

When did it become okay to be ignorant? And not just to be ignorant, but to embrace that ignorance with all the gusto to which Linus embraced his blanket? Heaven forfend someone tell those people their notions are misguided. Beware those who dare tell them they've got their facts wrong.

Bless their hearts.

Minneapolis cop calls Representative Ellison a "terrorist"

During a department ethics class, Lt. Bob Kroll, whose record speaks for itself, insinuated that Representative Keith Ellison is a terrorist because, well, Ellison is a *whisper* Muslim.

Here's a tip to wage slaves everywhere, if your department has to issue an apology for your inane statements, perhaps it would be wise of you to either STFU, or find another gig.

We live in the land of biblical idiots

I find this opinion piece both fascinating and troubling (here's a news report about Professor Prothero's article), being a not-so-recent transplant to the Bible Belt, who grew up in, by and large, in Utah, a Bible Belt in its own right. I also attend an evangelical, non-denominational mega-church-to-be. I mean, I think people should read the Bible because it is important literature. I also think people should read the Koran for the same reason. I think both should be taught as part of history, particularly as so much of western civilization concerns these two books.

But, when

50% of high school seniors think Sodom and Gomorrah were married

well, something needs to be done. And it leads me to wonder what is going on in Sunday schools. Anybody actually teaching the Bible?

Oh yeah, General Pace?

You're a dick.

I know that name-calling isn't mature or enlightened.

So what. I am no longer in the military, and I am no longer bound by the UCMJ.

You are a dick, and your bigotry is immoral.

Can't wait to see how many of the soldiers you commanded over the years come out.

Dick.

Nation's Top Cop a Big Fat Liar?

It would seem that when Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General of the United States, testified to the Senate recently, he failed to mention that the White House was deeply involved in the firing of federal prosecutors. While one of his "top aides," Kyle Samson, resigned Monday, apparently because he did not fully disclose to undisclosed "other Justice officials" the extent of then-White House counsel Harriet "I Was Nearly Promoted Beyond My Competence" Miers' involvement in the firing process, Mr. Gonzales did not make any mention of that in his sworn testimony to the Senate. Though he did say "mistakes were made" in handling the situation.

IOKIYAR, though, right?