As some may recall, a booklet that I cowrote with Steve Wilkins entitled Southern Slavery As It Was was at the center of quite a hubbub last February. What some may not realize is that Canon Press pulled the title from their inventory around the time of that controversy. This was not because we were …
A Two Party System
I have to qualify my political observations on a regular basis because it is always and everywhere assumed that to speak the truth about the Democrats makes one a Republican. But I am not a Republican. I belong to that school of thought which maintains that we have a two-party system: the Evil Party and …
George Orwell, Call Your Office
One of the problems that Orwell had in his classic 1984 is that of a disjunct between the inhabitants of the world he was describing and the inhabitants of the world in which people were reading his book. In other words, while Big Brother held everyone in thrall with propaganda that was believable to them, …
Chimerical Doings
It is a long and convoluted story, but it seems that the Nez Perce County prosecutor was asked to look into whether or not there was any nefarious funny business on Paul Kimmel’s part with regard to his role in Christ Church’s and New St. Andrews’ original tax-exempt status. This request was made of Nez …
All Things
The Sawtooth Bitterroot give glory to God! The North Pacific and all it contains, Trees in the wilderness, countless trees magnify the name of the Lord our God. But all things praise Him— Steam from a cup of coffee in a styrofoam cup, a truck stop in Wyoming, and miles of asphalt in the high …
The Face That Stuck
Once there was a little girl who made a face, and it stuck that way. This was most unfortunate, because she had been the kind of girl who was always so sweet when her parents were around, and all the adults at church used her as a good example when they were exhorting their children. …
Polling As Farce
In all cultures, at all times, a great deal can be learned by looking at what everyone assumes together — left wing, right wing, moderate, libertine, conservative, or anarchist. In our day, virtually everyone assumes the legitimacy of polling as a way of spot-checking what demos, the people, has to say at any given moment. …
Erotic Retardation III
Dear visionaries, Joanne writes: “My observations suggest that it’s very poor countries–often fundamentalist regimes of various kinds–that have poor facilities for personal hygiene and women who are hidden from public view.” To which I reply, all regimes are fundamentalist. The only thing that distinguishes them is the nature of their fundament. Prudent legislation has spared …
Erotic Retardation II
Dear visionaries, Everybody take a few deep breaths. If that doesn’t help, put your head between your knees for a few minutes. Just a couple thoughts. On the subject of female toplessness, Thomas moaned, “We Americans look like bumpkin country jakes to most of the civilized world . . .” But there is a difference …
Taking Over Moscow?
A certain kind of mind cannot wrap around the concept of political consequences being accomplished apart from political instruments or means. Indeed, a certain kind of mind, being made of wood, cannot wrap around anything. And consequently, when we say, as we have often said, that we do not have a political agenda, we are …