#babbling fool

[passer-fringillidae]

Atheists (and most groups) are very hard to understand when they're arguing. And maybe I'm coming from a combative place, but if you start your explanation "You're wrong about believing in God." I'm going to be too flustered to understand some very good points you make later. You do believe in something, and that's far easier for me to understand than having the table set with "I believe in nothing." Just because it's not the patter I believe in, doesn't instantly make it Nihlism. 

I write this in response to an interview I heard with the author of Me and Dog, a book meant to teach children about Atheism. I don't know if it can be taught that way. I believe, like anything, it has to be discovered and understood through experience. So does religion. Children's books on religion help explain basic doctrines. Maybe the book explains basic "doctrines" of Atheism. 

I guess I'm really writing this in response to everyone telling me The Golden Compass is an Atheist book, and I can't see that yet. Maybe I don't want to. I was raised on Narnia and all it's virtues and a belief that Atheism is empty. Based on this short interview with an Atheist author, I've learned that it does have it's own virtues, much the same as the religion I grew up with, but they are separate from the motivation of a God. I can respect the statement, "Do good because this world is all we have and we are responsible for everything that happens in it." Maybe I grew up in a really weird religion. Maybe I interpreted the interview wrong. 

TL:DR I have a lot to learn about what Atheism really means. 

[passer-fringillidae]

This radio show on Transgender in America quote a figure of 5% (possibly 10% depending on how the inquiry is phrased) of the population identifies as transgender. But look how loud and effective they've been. All of the guest mentioned the internet as a great place to find people like them and discus their issues. 

But when you look in the comments section, you see along side the stories of supportive parents, mockery, off topic comparisons from social conservatives with an agenda, and outright disgusting hate. The internet is a tool which concentrates any population and their message. Assholes get to be as loud as those fighting for respect and safety.

I feel it appropriate here to quote my idol Remus Lupin (a part of an oppressed minority in his universe) who said in a moment of utter terror "It is the quality of ones convictions which determines success, not the number of followers." 

I take comfort knowing that eventually the minorites with a conviction towards living authentically, harmoniously, and equally will succeed. 

[passer-fringillidae]

Because you think the government is either not protecting you, or just oppressing you. 

[passer-fringillidae]

If a mass murderer killed a bunch of students with a knife, maybe the conversation would turn away from gun control.

If we started noticing more killings before they happened, maybe the conversation would turn away from the lack of mental health care. 

And the truth is, both of these things have happened, but we're just not ready to stop arguing and start paying attention. 

[passer-fringillidae]

what if you get two canonically gay characters but give one of them a super great friend of a different gender. Do they get shipped? Does the fandom call them straight? 

No. Maybe they get shipped and the fandom makes them bi. 

My theory is that you see the gay in an otherwise platonic relationship not because it's there, but because you need to. my other theory being that certain writers did put enough subtext in there for those of us who need it. 

[passer-fringillidae]

see there's rape culture and then there's perverts, for lack of a better word. There's little difference in women who get raped, there's a huge difference between a boy who rapes his girlfriend, and a predator who attacks a woman in a dark alley. So as long as you start treating all symptoms the same and talking about all rape in the same way, you're leaving one front of the battle uncovered.

[passer-fringillidae]

an autistic young man wandered off from a historical park this week and the state sent out helicopters for him. Now, I know it's a lot more scary when a disabled person goes missing, but a 13 year old girl hasn't shown up at her home for a while and the police have to wait until she's been missing for longer to start looking for her. This autistic boy was found by a man's dog while he camped out his his back yard. He's fine, just spent one chilly night outside. I haven't heard anything about the 13 year old girl. And in the midst of this, hundreds of students are missing in Nigeria. I wish they had helicopters and dogs out looking for them.

[passer-fringillidae]

I feel like the middle ground for women is Tank top and above the knee shorts. One extreme is head to toe state imposed shawl, and the other, is either a bikini but I have seen my share of topless women on my blog. No I'm not placing any judgements on what ladies wear, what ever you judge appropriate for the situation, I'm just saying bare shoulders, a low neck line, and varying degrees of thigh isn't quite middle ground casual. I end up feeling over dressed with my knee shorts.