Jeb Bush, the Pope, and Bill Clinton
If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you might have noticed that I’m about to change locations. After six years of living and working in the Dominican Republic I’ve decided it’s time to “pop smoke” as we used to say in the U.S. Army (which means to literally activate smoke canisters so you can move from one place to another without being shot). The experience has been invaluable, but there’s more opportunity to do the things I love (write, teach, learn, explore, spend time with friends and family, eat clam chowder, drink Sam Adams, etc.) back in the great state of Massachusetts. The change will likely be transparent to my readers, but I figured I’d let you know anyway just in case anyone was planning on traveling to the Caribbean and sleeping on my couch.
On to business…
Jeb Bush, brother of George W. and the only Florida governor in history to serve two full terms (1998-2006), is reportedly thinking about running for the U.S. Senate in 2010. Personally, I feel for the guy because he did what is generally considered a decent job in Florida. In addition, he’s infinitely smarter than his brother as evidenced by his ability to speak in complete sentences and think on his feet. In my opinion, he has a shot at the U.S. Senate but zero chance of ever being elected to national office. Politico reports:
While Bush hasn’t yet committed to running for the open Senate seat—in an email Tuesday he told Politico, “I am considering it”—Florida Republicans, including other potential aspirants for the seat, were effusive about a potential Bush bid.
“Some have asked whether the Bush name is tarnished because of his brother but I don’t believe it is,” said Susan MacManus, a University of South Florida professor who is an expert on Florida politics. “Jeb left office with one of the highest approval ratings and two years later, he’s still popular even though he’s taken a low profile since leaving office.”
With all of the talk and coverage surrounding the Mumbai attacks there’s been almost no coverage of the mayhem in Africa’s most populated state, Nigeria. Local elections run amok recently sparked sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims. Over 300 are dead and thousands are displaced. According to the Economist:
THE Katako market was still smouldering five days after it was razed to the ground by a mob of Christian youths. The bodies of ten people trapped in the fires that destroyed it had already been taken away and buried. Muslim men kicked up plumes of dust as they shuffled through the ashes of their stalls, which a week earlier had numbered more than 5,000. A dirty young man searched through a pile of blackened onions, picking out those that were not inedibly charred.
A few hundred yards away, students and teachers at an Augustinian monastery were also sorting through wreckage. Their monastery had been attacked on the same day, just 30 minutes later, by a group of Muslim youths. The monk in charge narrowly escaped death when a Molotov cocktail thrown into his tiny room happened to land in the toilet.
Don’t worry. I’m sure the Pope will continue with his message of love for all of God’s children. At any minute he’ll call for a stop to the violence and preach about equality and co-existence in spite of our differences. Ok, maybe not – he’s much too busy gay-bashing. Time magazine’s Jeff Israely writes about the Vatican’s new diplomatic maneuvers:
Benedict’s envoy to the United Nations, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, has announced that the Vatican will oppose a proposed U.N. declaration calling for an end to discrimination against homosexuals. At first blush, no one should be surprised to find the Catholic Church hierarchy butting heads with gay rights activists. But this particular French-sponsored proposal, which has the backing of all 27 European Union countries, calls for an end to the practice of criminalizing and punishing people for their sexual orientation. Most dramatically, in some countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, homosexuality can be punished by death.
Papal spokesman Father Federico Lombardi was forced to clarify that the Vatican continues to condemn the use of the death penalty for any crime, including those associated with homosexuality. Instead, Migliore said the Vatican’s opposition to the U.N. proposal was driven by concern that countries that prohibit gay marriage would somehow be targeted. Said Migliore: “Countries that don’t recognize the union between people of the same sex as marriage will be punished and pressured.”
That might make sense (from their twisted perspective), if it weren’t completely untrue:
The U.N. declaration does not in fact mention gay marriage, and most of the nations that support it themselves don’t allow people of the same sex to wed. Archbishop Migliore confirmed on Tuesday that the Vatican had also refused to sign a U.N. document last May in support of the rights of the disabled because it did not include condemnation of abortion, and the rights the fetus with birth defects. Vatican officials nevertheless voiced support for the central principles of the disabled rights document, which Migliore helped craft before the final decision to withhold the Holy See’s signature.
So, no equality for disabled persons or gays. Oh, and no condoms, even in Sub-Sahara Africa between married couples where only one of them is HIV positive. It makes perfect sense, no?
In the “Special Thanks to John McCain and Sarah Palin” category here’s another piece from Time:
It’s not just right-wing kooks in Middle America who believe Barack Obama is secretly a Muslim: conspiracy theorists across the Middle East have embraced the idea with the same fervor they bring to other bizarre notions. I am not a bit surprised when, later in the conversation, Mohammed assures me that Israel was responsible for the 9/11 attacks and that Saudi Arabia had agreed to bail out the U.S. economy in exchange for an American invasion of Iran.
A Pew opinion poll a month ahead of the Nov. 4 election showed that 12% of Americans still thought Obama was a Muslim. There are no reliable statistics on how many in the Middle East believe that, but there’s some anecdotal evidence that the notion is especially popular among poor, undereducated Shi’ites in Iran and Iraq.
Bill Clinton recently spoke in Hong Kong about his wife’s upcoming role as President-elect Obama’s Secretary of State. He said he does not expect to be directly involved but would do anything asked of him. Mike Allen at politico speculates:
Clinton could be named as a sort of super-ambassador on a specific issue like India, or on a broad topic like restoring goodwill for the United States abroad.
Here’s a question: wouldn’t he be willing to do that anyway? I’ll say it again – I do not like the Hillary pick. If the roles were reversed, does anybody think Hillary would have even offered Obama an internship?
See you next week.
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
The Missing Master Linc | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
Give me a break! If religious institutions would only ask all those hate-mongers to leave their ranks, the world will definitely be a different place. I find it absolutely strange that the Vatican (and a significant number of other upper religious hierarchies) is so worried about what it considers “illicit love” that if forgets about “illicit hate”. The same Vatican which blessed the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the pseudo-scientific racism it spawned, ostracized and condenmed Haiti after its successful overthrow of the yoke of slavery today opines hypocritically about what it considers “a thorny moral issue”? Please! On what basis? Let the Vatican drum out of the priesthood the pedophiles and priests who refuse communion to some members of their congregation because of their political leanings; let the Vatican drum out of its pews adulterers (“illicit lovers”) and leave homosexuals alone. The affection between a homosexual couple is not illicit and will never be. Let the Church revisit its track records… of popes who procured prostitutes from Rome for Cardinals and Bishops in the Vatican. May God help the Church realize that it is neither God nor the sole, ultimate moral voice in the world. We have entered the 21st century and, God willing, we will leave it as more tolerant and civilized beings than the past millennium of christian (and religious) history has left as its legacy for posterity.
Daniel Williams | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
Marx famously opined that religion is the opiate of the masses. Ah, the good old days. Religion has now become the crack cocaine for many Middle East mullahs and rulers and those desperate to depose them. A round of MDMA enemas for the lot of them.
Daniel Williams | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
And how much more gay can the Pope look? With his cute red shoes and flowing robe, he looks like he’s headed for the altar alright – just not to say Mass. And you’d think he could have found better looking men to be his bridesmaids. But at least their robes don’t clash…
dickmill | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
Not to mention that the Vatican is safe haven for pedofile protectors like Boston’s Cardinal Law — living large with steak and wine and, obviously, praying for goodness in the world for you and me.
shadowdude | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
“At any minute he’ll call for a stop to the violence and preach about equality and co-existence in spite of our differences. Ok, maybe not – he’s much too busy gay-bashing.”
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You really think he should condone gay activities and relationships? I don’t. That’s not the doctrine of any Christian church that rails against pre-marital sex or adultry… same thing, aren’t they? Gays should control their carnal urges just as (most) straight folks are expected to.
Daniel Williams | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
Dude, the Catholic Church has been condoning gay activities and relationships for centuries, or haven’t you been paying attention?
dickmill | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
Daniel: “the Catholic Church has been condoning gay activities and relationships for centuries”
But only for priests and nuns! What about the “masses?”
Daniel Williams | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
The masses? That’s who the priests and nuns are diddling! And afterwards, they go to Confession and ask forgiveness. And then go diddle some more.
Perhaps the Pope believes in general, if not from personal experience, the only form of gay sex is that which is practiced by pedophile priests and nuns. At least that would explain his vehement opposition.
RHM | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for the interesting comments. I have to say I agree. The Vatican has the market cornered on hypocrisy.
@ Daniel
Happy 75th Anniversary of the end of alcohol prohibition. Let’s see what happens with the rest of it.
Daniel Williams | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for letting me be part of the conversation! And thanks for covering my trifecta of favorites – drugs and sex and religion.
And for all of you that drink, cheers! My bong’s been bubbling all day in honor of your good fortune.
dickmill | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
@Daniel
I meant that priests and nuns have the right to diddle each other, male to male and female to female (although that might not be diddling) without penalty. OTOH, the “masses” have no right (according to the church) to diddle among themselves with whomever they wish to diddle.
Put another way, intra-church diddling is OK; inter-church diddling is OK; extra-church diddling is OK (with minors); extra-church diddling among gay men and women is verboten.
I know that’s complicated, which is how the church likes to keep it. (The use of the word “verboten” wouldn’t be allowed by the church, of course — it’s too dogmatic and holocasty.)
Jinjirrie | Dec 5, 2008 | Reply
If ever in Rome, make sure to visit the museum at the Vatican and ask to see the historical books of account – they really don’t like being reminded how much gold they’ve looted over the centuries from poor nations.
Another excellent section is the hall where they stash their looted roman statues, sans genitalia, which were hacked off by the Council of Trent. One wonders to what use they put them at the time.
Catholicism shares with other major conservative religions, the distasteful practice of interferring with people’s sex lives, preaching idiotically about not using contraception – thereby perpetuating poverty, disease and the best payoff of all, continued control over those unfortunate enough to lack the education and insight to see through their cunning, and ensuring another generation of mindless sheep to fill the Vatican vaults.
Frank the Tank | Dec 6, 2008 | Reply
There seems to be a lot of church/religion bashing going on. Sure the religion institutions have had their moments of less than christian charity through out history. However, they have also done a lot of good and that sometimes seems to get lost in discussion. Where did we all get our moral groundings?? From the church, which ever one it may be, in one form or the other. Do we all not live our lives according to the tenets of the 10 Commandments?? If we didn’t receive this moral footing, then we would have a world run amok with people all having different/questionable morals screwing each other over doing what ever makes them happy consequences be damned. Oops, we already have a place like that, Washington DC.
As far as pedophile/fag priests and nuns in the Catholic Church, they are an extreme minority. But it sure makes for a sensational news story, doesn’t it?? The problem was in the way it was handled by the Vatican. Instead of trying to hide it, they needed to be out front and proactive in handling of that issue.
Daniel Williams | Dec 6, 2008 | Reply
Yeah, and Mussolini made the trains run on time. And, no, we all don’t live our lives in accordance with the 10 Commandments, or the more secular version, the Golden Rule.
And while many Washington D.C. politicians have questionable morals, citing them as an example of the “world run amok” betrays your lack of understanding of the words “world” and “amok.” What moral footing does Saudi Arabia have for condemning a gang-rape victim to 40 lashes and prison time for her “sin?” Amok, indeed.
Even though your claim (dubious, at best) the sexual predator priests and nuns are an extreme minority, that certainly does not excuse their behavior. And that it has gone on for centuries only underscores its aggregate vile. And I’m not sure such a crime can be “handled” effectively. To wit: The Catholic Church is having such severe difficulties recruiting new priests that its current policy accepts homosexuals into seminaries as long as they promise (Swear to God?) not to act on their impulses. (If you don’t believe me, look it up. My niece, a very devote Catholic, did and was shocked to discover it to be true.)
I’ll quit railing against Christianity when they quit telling me I’m going to Hell unless I proclaim Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
fugro | Dec 6, 2008 | Reply
Are all these posts really made by different people, as their handles indicate, or are they the product of one *Daniel*? The writing style looks suspiciously like the work of one person. Hmmm
fugro | Dec 6, 2008 | Reply
and speaking diddling: Ain’t she sweet?
fugro | Dec 6, 2008 | Reply
Dan’l, don’t you allow html in posts?
RHM | Dec 6, 2008 | Reply
@ fugro,
Thanks for stopping by. Let’s answer your question the democratic way.
Raise your hand if you’re “real.”
fugro | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
No hands, I reckon no one is real.
BTW, I mistakenly addressed my comments to Daniel – they were intended for RHM… sorry about that.
RHM | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
If they haven’t raised their hands yet it’s probably because they have lives outside of reading my blog (shocking, no?). BTW: I know each of the posters personally.
It’s amusing that you see the writing styles as similar. I don’t. In fact, I wish I could write as well as The Missing Master Linc and especially JinJirrie.
You wrote:
“BTW, I mistakenly addressed my comments to Daniel – they were intended for RHM… sorry about that.”
Why would that matter if you think they’re all the same person?
Tim | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
I noticed the “moving” picture in your Dec 5 post and it reminds me of how folks here in the Philippines (I’m an expat from the US of A too)used to move to another location… They gathered all the friends, neighbors and family they could and physically moved the whole house. That seemed strange at one time but after a few years of living in Asia and the Philippines, nothing surprises me.
Daniel Williams | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
Jeez – I guess it’s just me and my imagination that thinks I write well… I’ll try to kick it up a notch from now on!
dickmill | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
I admit it — I’ve been writing for all the above ID’s.
And, Randy, thanks for the mention: “I wish I could write as well as The Missing Master Linc and especially JinJirrie,” masking the identity of your true role-model writer.
dickmill | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
@Daniel
Chemically assisted writing shouldn’t count (like steroids in sports.) I hate to think of what “kick it up a notch” entails.
Daniel Williams | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
I’m not always chemically assisted (outside of what occurs naturally…). No more clues in the future!
Frank the Tank | Dec 7, 2008 | Reply
I have no writing skills. I sit next to the smart Asain kid and copy off of him.
David Cobb | Dec 9, 2008 | Reply
I like it when an organization I can’t stand works so hard to make itself irrelevent. The Catholic Church does double-duty in this respect: Not evolving with the times (remember what they did to Galileo?) and this ridiculous gay-bashing…..especially with a “celibate” priesthood spouting the nonsense.
dickmill | Dec 9, 2008 | Reply
Speaking of religion — Democratic party members will be holding a lot of prayer meetings over the next 4-8 years. They’ll be praying that Sarah Palin gets on the Republican ticket!
MoHippie | Dec 10, 2008 | Reply
Even thought the catholic church as done tons of good (here in the DR i have been able to witness church-goers of my community come together, fund raising for schools in need of walls, chairs, etc.). I find it really hard to assist mass. So i am a catholic in the closet. I sit there in mass (the few times i have gone), and feel like a fake and that everyone around me can tell. They can tell that i don’t buy all that crap about gay marriage, or that i have doubts in terms of accepting Jesus Christ as my savior, and all the singing, and then standing and sitting, and then standing up some more! I remember all too well how my childhood priest was “missing” from mass one Sunday and how later on he was plastered all over the evening news. Can you guess why? That was it for me. My parents (an atheist and a Buddhist, and yes they were hippies) began going to church when i was three and were going for my benefit, thinking that they should be setting a good example. They eventually sat me down and explained to me what pedophilia is and why we were not going back to that PLACE ever again; at age 12. So i sit there in mass and think of all the shit the church isn’t doing that they should be, and then i think of how priests in my church live, with his chofer driving them around in mercedes benz, air-conditioned bedrooms, holidays abroad, maids… i know of one who even has a valet, and i get pissed off!
@Frank the Tank
So yeah, the church has done a lot of good. But isn’t that their job! Isn’t that what they are there for? To aid and guide people, with their faith in times of trouble and need. Wasn’t it the catholic church during the middle ages, that promised a glorious afterlife after their crappy, dark, dirty, sickly lives of turmoil? They didn’t seem too keen on improving anything back then and they don’t seem eager to improve anything now!
One thing i do believe in is that when we die we will be asked (by ala, god, jesus, mary, joseph, zeus, Sister Moon, Jerry Garcia…take your pick):”So, what was your contribution? How did you help? And why the f*%k should we open up these pearly gates for you?”
I wonder what some of the priests, cardinals, bishops and even the pope might have to say.
I can just imagine Jerry Garcia, sittin’ up in his cloud, smokin’ a dubbie saying “Hey there Benedcit! Not so fast. Where do you think your going? We got some shit to talk about first!”
Jinjirrie | Dec 12, 2008 | Reply
What a perspicacious fellow fugro is! noone before has ever detected my polymorphic literary nature!
BTW thanks for the compliment, Randall, you are too kind.
fugro | Dec 12, 2008 | Reply
I am very perspicuous and have great sagacity as well, and I do’have an opinion without being too boring’