I blogged this so I can find it again, and look at it a bit more closely. It's not what it seems.
A conservative blog for peace
But then liberals in a free society are conservatives too, because they have a vested interest in conserving freedom.
28 February 2006
Orthodox Okie: The Maccabean Holy-Day
A friend who posts in LiveJournal posted in the Orthodox Community there that the 4th March was the commemorationof the Holy Hasidic Fathers in the Orthodox Church.
I was unable to find the calendar reference he mentioned, but he also pointed to the following blog, which looked quite interesting.
Orthodox Okie: The Maccabean Holy-Day
Technorati tags: lectionary & calendar, Orthodox theology
I was unable to find the calendar reference he mentioned, but he also pointed to the following blog, which looked quite interesting.
Orthodox Okie: The Maccabean Holy-Day
Technorati tags: lectionary & calendar, Orthodox theology
12 February 2006
Juliebelle's Jottings's
Julie Belding got bounced from Worldchat recently, so I thought I'd blog her blog, just in case.
Juliebelle's Jottings's
Juliebelle's Jottings's
04 February 2006
Ultima Thule: Crucified Kosovo: Destroyed and Desecrated Serbian Shrines
The purpose of armies is to kill people and break things. That is what they are trained and paid to do. But what sometimes puzzles me is why the USA seems to be so intent on doing this.
One of the most destructive in recent years has been Nato (the North Atlantic Terrorist Organisation).
Ultima Thule: Crucified Kosovo: Destroyed and Desecrated Serbian Shrines
There's what happened as a result of their support of a terrorist organisation, the UCK.
Technorati tags: Balkan politics, religious persecution, Orthodox Church, US foreign policy
But what should be the reaction of Christians to all this? Check this article on Nationalism, violence and reconciliation for some background information.
One of the most destructive in recent years has been Nato (the North Atlantic Terrorist Organisation).
Ultima Thule: Crucified Kosovo: Destroyed and Desecrated Serbian Shrines
There's what happened as a result of their support of a terrorist organisation, the UCK.
Technorati tags: Balkan politics, religious persecution, Orthodox Church, US foreign policy
But what should be the reaction of Christians to all this? Check this article on Nationalism, violence and reconciliation for some background information.
Crosstitutes under scrutiny
It seems that the activities of the crosstitutes have not gone entirely unremarked in other parts of the world.
Internet political info
Internet political info
Goodbye democracy, it was nice knowing you
Local government elections are to be held on 1 March 2006, but it really is a bit of a farce. There is no point in voting, because no matter which party you vote for, a politician will be elected, and at the next "floor crossing window" the politicans will override your vote on the basis of which party makes them the best offer.
In 1994 we in South Africa were delivered from a race oligarchy, and got democracy -- one man one vote, free and fair elections.
But it didn't last long. Because there is a loophole in the constitution that nullifies democracy by allowing floor crossing. Now any fool can see that in a proportional representation system with closed party lists, allowing floor crossing by elected representatives takes the power from the voters and puts it in the hands of the politicians themselves, who thereafter are self-selected and self elected.
In South Africa elections are no longer a significant part of the political process. They have been replaced by a series of auctions in which the politicians get to sell their soul to the highest bidder.
Oh, elections are still held -- it gives the people the illusion that we still have democracy, and especially people elsewhere in the world, who don't realise that the real decisions are made in the auctions that follow the elections, where the politicians manipulate the process to their own personal advantage.
Some have tried to defend this, by saying that those elected need to have freedom of conscience and all that, and that is part of their human rights. But that's nonsense. Why should the rights of the crosstitutes take precedence over the rights of the citizens? In effect, the "human rights" of 400 parliamentarians nullify the right of 40 million South Africans to choose their government. Freedom of conscience means that if a politician can no longer conscientiously support the policies of the party that put them on the list, they resign from the party and from parliament, provincial council or whatever and try again with the party they do support.
And it's the same in local government, except for the ward candidates.
I suggest that if you vote at all, don't vote for proportional representation candidates, but spoil your paper by writing "No crosstitutes" on it. Just vote for the ward candidates -- even if they do change parties, it will at least be the person that you elected.
In 1994 we in South Africa were delivered from a race oligarchy, and got democracy -- one man one vote, free and fair elections.
But it didn't last long. Because there is a loophole in the constitution that nullifies democracy by allowing floor crossing. Now any fool can see that in a proportional representation system with closed party lists, allowing floor crossing by elected representatives takes the power from the voters and puts it in the hands of the politicians themselves, who thereafter are self-selected and self elected.
In South Africa elections are no longer a significant part of the political process. They have been replaced by a series of auctions in which the politicians get to sell their soul to the highest bidder.
Oh, elections are still held -- it gives the people the illusion that we still have democracy, and especially people elsewhere in the world, who don't realise that the real decisions are made in the auctions that follow the elections, where the politicians manipulate the process to their own personal advantage.
Some have tried to defend this, by saying that those elected need to have freedom of conscience and all that, and that is part of their human rights. But that's nonsense. Why should the rights of the crosstitutes take precedence over the rights of the citizens? In effect, the "human rights" of 400 parliamentarians nullify the right of 40 million South Africans to choose their government. Freedom of conscience means that if a politician can no longer conscientiously support the policies of the party that put them on the list, they resign from the party and from parliament, provincial council or whatever and try again with the party they do support.
And it's the same in local government, except for the ward candidates.
I suggest that if you vote at all, don't vote for proportional representation candidates, but spoil your paper by writing "No crosstitutes" on it. Just vote for the ward candidates -- even if they do change parties, it will at least be the person that you elected.
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