Fri Musings

Well, I guess it's September.  The leaves are just beginning, barely, to turn.  I hear the gunshots from the nearby woods (although it was a bit unnerving yesterday AM, long before sunrise, to hear several).  And, of course, classes have started.  But, gee, do we need frost already?  We had to scrape car windows the other day before K went to work.

The shootings and deaths from shootings continue to pile up in Detroit.  They are running ahead of last year.  And, I wonder, do these numbers include murders from weapons other than guns?  Yesterday, a factory worker was stabbed to death on the job.  I've asked it before, but how has the value of human lives become worth so little?  What is it?  Is it the violence of television, movies, video games, etc.?  After all, if the messages of advertising work, so must the messages of violence (and, for that matter, casual sex).  The consequences, apparently, aren't considered.  After all, "It's only a television show."  Is it the "I, Me, Mine" mentality fostered several decades ago and perpetuated in later generations?  Is it the casual and callous use of abortions, under the guise of "a woman's right to her own body?"  If we can dispose of a person that way so easily (And I've never heard a pregnant woman say, "I'm carrying a fetus."  No, it's "I'm carrying a baby."), why not another way of another person?

I noted the six major state proposals on the ballot.  Once again, after viewing the latest poll numbers, I find myself most often on the minority side.  Some, I just don't understand.  Oh, I understand the proposals; I don't understand how people can support (or not support) them.  Maybe I'm out of touch.

I see the White House finally admitted the anti-Muslim film trailer on You Tube isn't/wasn't the cause of the most recent fanaticism of the Islamic mobs.  At least, today's newspaper cites the President finally saying the video was just the excuse.  That only took a week or more to switch positions.  It was great (facetiously so) to hear the White House press secretary last weekend say the last rounds of murders and destruction by the Muslim mobs was "in reaction to [the] video."  That seemed to be the view of the Administration and State Department until the past day or two.  Such a view is based on ignorance or delusion.  I often wonder if it's willful ignorance or willful delusion.  Can these people be that stupid?  Or are they so self-righteous (that is, full of themselves)?  I really don't know....

I'm not sure on the specifics, but why would the Detroit City Council not approve of the state taking over Belle Isle (once called "Hog Island")?  What would be a reason for opposing it?  The only things I can think of are the lack of specifics of a deal and, yet again, willful ignorance/stupidity (ego).  I can understand it if there are no terms yet on the table.  I don't trust the politicians in Lansing, including the governor.  They are more of the arrogant elitists--they are in both parties--who know what's best for us, better than we do ourselves.

Speaking of not trusting politicians, Karen was watching the tube when I arrived home from class last night.  A commercial was running about one of the proposals (see above).  A voter, in considering one of them, was adamant in saying, "I just don't trust the politicians."  Amen....

Just asking department....  In the obits, do people really not know that James is also known as Jim or Robert is Bob or William is Bill?  Why do the listings, so very often, have Joseph "Joe" Blow?  Speaking of death(s), I read a good French view of death in a book.  It seemed to be a very good approach.