Wednesday, June 08, 2005
3 posts with no comments make Jonah a dull boy...
grrrrrrr
Anyway, high school chums, remember that enlightened Republican state we used to live in down on the bottom part of the U.S. map somewhere. Yeah, Oklahoma.
Well at the Tulsa Zoo, they've decided to put up a creationism display.
"Damn liberal secular humanist.... ZOOS!!!!!!!"... conservative theocons across the Sooner State must have thought to themselves. Seriously, don't people have better things to do? I guess since every TV show, even 7th Heaven with all the multiple marriages and pregnancies, is too offensive, the families that have advocated for a "fair representation of religions" at zoos must have real togetherness time making anti-zoo posters, organizing anti-zoo speeches, and working their darn-diddely-arndest to make something innocent and fun a matter of religious discrimination. Read the articles and read some fun statements, including a zoo employee describing how the process of RESEARCHING and constructing the creationism zoo exhibit will take over 6 months. A quicker way would be to take duct tape, put them over all the labels and animal behavior descriptions of every exhibit... and affixed each ducttaped panel with the same shiny new sticker that reads "GOD MADE THIS... MOVE ON".
Stupids.
Anyway, high school chums, remember that enlightened Republican state we used to live in down on the bottom part of the U.S. map somewhere. Yeah, Oklahoma.
Well at the Tulsa Zoo, they've decided to put up a creationism display.
"Damn liberal secular humanist.... ZOOS!!!!!!!"... conservative theocons across the Sooner State must have thought to themselves. Seriously, don't people have better things to do? I guess since every TV show, even 7th Heaven with all the multiple marriages and pregnancies, is too offensive, the families that have advocated for a "fair representation of religions" at zoos must have real togetherness time making anti-zoo posters, organizing anti-zoo speeches, and working their darn-diddely-arndest to make something innocent and fun a matter of religious discrimination. Read the articles and read some fun statements, including a zoo employee describing how the process of RESEARCHING and constructing the creationism zoo exhibit will take over 6 months. A quicker way would be to take duct tape, put them over all the labels and animal behavior descriptions of every exhibit... and affixed each ducttaped panel with the same shiny new sticker that reads "GOD MADE THIS... MOVE ON".
Stupids.
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Come to think of it maybe it would be a good idea, especially if the creationism exhibit is placed next to or around animal pens. I would love for the exhibit to end with some statement like "Now... behold the magnficence of our Lord!" and have that accompanied by watching a couple of rhinos publicly mating or monkeys flinging poop at you.
I guess being the token conservative, I should say something controversial that angries up everyone. But I can't. I'm just plain bored of the whole hypocrisy of religion angle.
I'm not really angry at your anger on the issue, either. I'm just blase about the provincialities of my home, because, well, they're the provincialities of my home.
The "stupid state" remarks do pique me a bit, though. On the foolchildren message board, I've tried to defend the beauty of my home. My defense has been, that, unlike the atmosphere of the big cities, or lush Vermont, Oklahmoma isn't beautiful for what is there, but what isn't there.
This is a very different philosophy to adhere to, and one that doesn't captivate the preoccupations of youth. But still, it compels me, and I am an adherent.
Unfortunately, I've never been able to really get this to sink in with my more adventurous friends. Oh well, one more time...But not to make it stick, only to explain why it never will stick.
First off, I would say the level of stupidity in the world is equally distributed, only our understanging and appreciation of it is variable.
You had your own reservations about Chicago, which you expressed in your "Chicago ain't all Peaches and Cream" posting of 4/7/05:
"I'm sensing Chicago isn't such an enlightened place. At least it doesn't live up to my perception of it when I visited it as a tourist.
But I still like it here."
A much more world-weary tone than the cynicism and derision of the current one.
Reason for the discrepancy in presentation: You get your place. You forgive and forget its shortcomings, which are palpable.
Because you still like it there.
Frankly, I don't think either you or Amy ever really got Oklahoma--It hasn't been a home as much as it's been a starting point, the first square in the Game of Life. So you spin the wheel, move to other locales, fair enough.
And I don't think you'll ever be able to forgive and forget the provincialities of Oklahoma, in the same way you've forgiven Chicago's. I think this is a matter of preference, rather than objective fact. Fair enough.
I read your posting on the Tulsa zoo (it's OKC's that really matters anyway, considering it's a top ten zoo. I don't know where Tulsa's fits in, but I'm sure a biblical display is the least of its problems), and have the same reaction you do about Chicago's uncaring democratic political machine.
I can't really defend this particular provinciality. But I am more than willing to defend my home, even if it's a stupid state to foreigners:
I still like it there.
I'm not really angry at your anger on the issue, either. I'm just blase about the provincialities of my home, because, well, they're the provincialities of my home.
The "stupid state" remarks do pique me a bit, though. On the foolchildren message board, I've tried to defend the beauty of my home. My defense has been, that, unlike the atmosphere of the big cities, or lush Vermont, Oklahmoma isn't beautiful for what is there, but what isn't there.
This is a very different philosophy to adhere to, and one that doesn't captivate the preoccupations of youth. But still, it compels me, and I am an adherent.
Unfortunately, I've never been able to really get this to sink in with my more adventurous friends. Oh well, one more time...But not to make it stick, only to explain why it never will stick.
First off, I would say the level of stupidity in the world is equally distributed, only our understanging and appreciation of it is variable.
You had your own reservations about Chicago, which you expressed in your "Chicago ain't all Peaches and Cream" posting of 4/7/05:
"I'm sensing Chicago isn't such an enlightened place. At least it doesn't live up to my perception of it when I visited it as a tourist.
But I still like it here."
A much more world-weary tone than the cynicism and derision of the current one.
Reason for the discrepancy in presentation: You get your place. You forgive and forget its shortcomings, which are palpable.
Because you still like it there.
Frankly, I don't think either you or Amy ever really got Oklahoma--It hasn't been a home as much as it's been a starting point, the first square in the Game of Life. So you spin the wheel, move to other locales, fair enough.
And I don't think you'll ever be able to forgive and forget the provincialities of Oklahoma, in the same way you've forgiven Chicago's. I think this is a matter of preference, rather than objective fact. Fair enough.
I read your posting on the Tulsa zoo (it's OKC's that really matters anyway, considering it's a top ten zoo. I don't know where Tulsa's fits in, but I'm sure a biblical display is the least of its problems), and have the same reaction you do about Chicago's uncaring democratic political machine.
I can't really defend this particular provinciality. But I am more than willing to defend my home, even if it's a stupid state to foreigners:
I still like it there.
Okay Chris whatever. I was not bashing the state I Iived in for 7 years. I was venting my anger at the conservatives and Republicans which are attacking science at all levels instead of using their resources and energy and money to appreciate life in some other way.
This is for everyone. My concept of blogs began to develop NOT because I was reading blogs of friends about what they did everyday (which is a great way to keep in touch, now that I've been following everyone). Instead I first started reading them for political news tidbits as well as sharp biting commentary for ordinary liberal folks over that particular news item. For me, the standard blog post that I understand is a link to an article that makes me mad or happy followed by some rant about why this or that sucks. So that' s what I was doing, except personalizing it a little bit with some nostalgia and identifying with all you Okies.
Oklahoma is very Republican and very conservative, regardless of how beautiful the Wichita or Ouchaita Mts. are. If a substantial portion of Tulsans can get behind an iniative to put creationism up in zoos, they are a legitimate political target for me regardless of where they live.
But wow Chris thanks for looking back in my previous posts to point out my inconsistency regarding my opinions on different cities. I could be considered a flip-flopper (like John Kerry, right?) if I was discussing marginally the same topic in this post and that other post. But I don't believe I was.
Anyways, really though thanks for reading.
This is for everyone. My concept of blogs began to develop NOT because I was reading blogs of friends about what they did everyday (which is a great way to keep in touch, now that I've been following everyone). Instead I first started reading them for political news tidbits as well as sharp biting commentary for ordinary liberal folks over that particular news item. For me, the standard blog post that I understand is a link to an article that makes me mad or happy followed by some rant about why this or that sucks. So that' s what I was doing, except personalizing it a little bit with some nostalgia and identifying with all you Okies.
Oklahoma is very Republican and very conservative, regardless of how beautiful the Wichita or Ouchaita Mts. are. If a substantial portion of Tulsans can get behind an iniative to put creationism up in zoos, they are a legitimate political target for me regardless of where they live.
But wow Chris thanks for looking back in my previous posts to point out my inconsistency regarding my opinions on different cities. I could be considered a flip-flopper (like John Kerry, right?) if I was discussing marginally the same topic in this post and that other post. But I don't believe I was.
Anyways, really though thanks for reading.
The theme of both posts was provinciality, which makes them related, despite the differentiated topics. So I needed to make sure "very Republican and very conservative" wasn't replaced with "very provincial" and "very stupid". The latter two are universal. The former two don't necessarily link to the latter any more than any other political creed.
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