...or: The Good, the Bad, and the Snuggly.

The Good

It has come to my attention that wonderful things are going on in Elkhart, IN (also known as "Indiana's answer to Rockford"). And by wonderful, I mean "spiritual war". And by spiritual war, I mean "publicly-elected insanity". All good things, without a doubt. Over at jamierieger.com, a disection of this "spiritual war" has begun and is quite funny (not funny "ha ha," but rather funny "I'm terrified, hold me."

...

Okay, I lied, it is funny "ha ha")

This look at "Spiritual Warfare" will continue into the week as he begins a three-part series on this warfare of the spirit. Check back as I will post the daily links.

The Bad

...could also be referred to as "the mad," as in, "I'm mad." (geez, enough with all the "quotes" and "parenthesis" (this entry is almost impossible to follow with all these asides)). Anyway, our country's response to the ravings of the spiritually enamoured was a cause for much angst last week and I'm sorry I couldn't write about it sooner. The young man who wrote "Big Lie" in shoe polish across the salt stain that looked like the Virgin Mary is now facing charges for criminal defacing of public property. Oh god, I don't even want to start with this.

First of all, it was just shoe polish. It washes off pretty easily. And maybe it will take some of that salt stain with it that has marred an otherwise lovely overpass.

Second of all, and much more importantly, is the fact that this is an absurb reaction to an already absurd situation. Why do we decide to prosecute one person while letting all the other who deface public property run free. Not only that, these same people flagrantly littered with no regard for the beauty of our Chicago highways. Yes, that's right, these true believers were all scribbling prayers on the overpass right next to the salt stain - in permanent marker!! Permanent!! Now that is true vandalism. Not only that, but they left their candles and what-nots all over the ground when they left. That should be a $500 fine for littering. And what really gets me is, they did it in front of cameras! We know who they are. It would be a simple matter of rounding up these truants and prosecuting them to the full extent of the law.

Of course, this will never happen. Somehow our society has been so twisted around that it is okay to commit a crime if it is done in the name of religious hysteria. This is a dangerous road to follow, though, as excessive tollerance for religious fanaticism has caused many problems for many countries.

I have my doubts that I would be un-prosecuted were I to start scribbling non-religious phrases on public property, all the while droping candles and beads and the like all over the ground. Of course I would never do this, as it is wrong, but I guess therein lies the difference.

and finally...

The Snuggly

awwww....