Odds and Ends

More on SOTU

This week's Respecting Religion podcast focused on the co-host's time at the State of the Union as a guest to the originator of the Freethought Caucus. Her efforts against Christian Nationalism and the separation of church and state (from a Baptist tradition) make her a great choice. 

She also spoke about her (first time) stint as a poll worker (in Texas). Various groups encourage people to sign up for poll work. I have been a poll worker for five years years now. I fear the presidential primary will be called off (New York canceled it in 2020 as moot though we are also amid COVID). I did work during the November elections there.

Amanda Tyler referenced seeing a Miss America with her crown. So she was. "Madison Marsh is a Fort Smith native and became the first active duty service member to be crowned Miss America back in January."

Each member was able to invite a guest. An interesting report would be to collate all the names with their positions and/or reasons for coming. The reasons often have an ideological component, including multiple people this time around with reproductive health implications.  

Vice President Harris (is again) on the case there. 

I was at the library today. What book did I see? Yes! Katie Britt's book. I just started to break out laughing. 

Did they by chance have it in the new book section or did some wise person get their hands on a copy after her SOTU fiasco? Ha ha. Another local library has multiple right-wing political books mixed in. My personal one does not.

I didn't get the book out. The book on Iceland was more worthwhile. I know a few basic facts about the country. Reading up on something I don't know much about is helpful. The author is a reporter and handles a quick tour of the nation's history (with more effects on the world than one might expect) in an overall down-to-earth way. 

The last chapter concerns the first woman president (other nations had prime ministers first, but this was a nationwide vote). It rambles some on regarding economic happenings. But, then it finishes off with a short pleasant enough chapter. Overall, even though it doesn't have pictures, recommended.

Meanwhile, after reading Prof. Zug's book, re-reading an older book (2016) book on adultery. I wonder how much the law changed since then. 

Reparations 

A task force was formed in New York to study reparations. 

The study is fine. I continue to be much less gung-ho about the whole concept in action. The examples here do not help. Japanese internment or Holocaust survivors is not the same as trying to deal with slavery going back to 1619 or so.

How do you itemize something like this? How about all the people who came after slavery was over? Racism continues for these people. Affirmative action and so forth can be factored in there. But, reparations are different, right?

The whole thing appears to be a whole bloody mess. We have lots of things to address to address racism, including structural racism, in this country. We can face up to our past. I support critical race education. 

How the heck are you going to quantify dealing with paying off the descendants of slavery? Small scale, such as the involvement of Yale University or something, might be addressed in certain ways. Large scale? Good luck with that. 

And, I did skim that famous article on reparations written years back. The whole thing came off as vibes. On this subject, I take a bit of a politically incorrect take.