My Take on the WBTS

Confederate history has been in the news lately thanks to Virginia's proclamation that April is Confederate History Month and the omission of slavery in the original proclamation. The governor of Virginia knew what he was doing. Even though he apologized for his "mistake", everybody knows where his heart really is. Slavery was bad. Nudge nudge wink wink.

Now folks are arguing about how we should feel about the Confederacy and what the Confederacy was all about. My confederate bona fides are as good as anyone's. I'm the direct descendant of at least eight Confederate veterans and the indirect descendant of many more. There's not a single Union soldier in my family tree. I am interested in the history of the time and the role my family played in it and how we were impacted by it.

Only one of my Confederate ancestors owned any slaves. The rest were poor farmers or tradesmen who worked their own land or plied their own trade without the help of enslaved persons. I don't aim to piss on the graves of my ancestors, and I don't aim to attribute grand motives to them. Each had his own reasons for fighting. Some were conscripted. Others responded to the call to defend their state in the same way that so many bastards have been duped throughout human history. At least one of them was probably defending the institution of slavery by which he profited. Every one of them would have been better off if he hadn't been involved in the war. The South should have stayed in the Union and argued the point about slavery through legitimate processes. If abolition resulted, then the South should have manned up and accepted it. I like to imagine that my ancestors would have been on board with something like that rather than tearing their country apart.

I doubt that any of them gave a second thought to tariffs or abstract constitutional arguments. The war was not of their making. They were caught up in it as pawns of powerful elites. What the war was "about" for each of them we can no longer say. In a larger historical sense, the war was about defending the right of people to own other people and about the fundamental structure of the United States of America. The pro-slavery side lost. The concept of the US as a loose confederation of sovereign states also lost.

Those who advocate a system of state sovereignty with a weak federal government should perhaps avoid coupling their argument with an apparent nostalgia for slavery. There's nothing inherently immoral about the idea of such a government structure, and it ought to be discussed on its merits. And forget about turning back the clock and revising the interpretation of the Constitution that has prevailed for a century and a half. If we want a weak federal government with strong states, we'll need a new constitution or some radical amendments. The idea should be put to the political test for what it is, a radical rethinking of the structure of the government.

States' "rights" has been so often deployed in the context of the reprehensible (slavery, Jim Crow) that it has become almost universally recognized as code for racism. That's what Reagan meant when he talked about respecting states' rights in 1980. He was appealing to disaffected southern voters still angry over civil rights legislation. The GOP is still engaged in this "Southern Strategy". They poison discussion about the concept of decentralization by coupling it with reactionary and authoritarian ideas.

Let's stop talking about the frakking WBTS, and start talking about decentralization on its own merits. Moreover, let's discuss it pragmatically and accept ad arguendo that some things are more appropriate for decentralization than others. Let's talk about it in the context of actual policies and issues that matter today and forget about what the government was like in 1840 or what the Founding Fathers would have preferred. They're dead, and it's the living who will have to contend with our constitutional arrangements.

Embarrassing Mistake

This morning on the way to work on the Taconic, my carpool companion spied a state trooper on the side of the road pointing a device at us. Fearing that it might be an RPG, we opened fire on him. It turned out to be a radar gun. Was my face red or what?

Corporations are Creatures of the State so the State Should Create Them Diffrently

One way for ordinary people to deal with corporate power is to get state legislatures to enact more stringent rules for operating as a corporation like what existed before general incorporation laws became common. Back in the day, states granted charters more sparingly, and strings were attached. Moreover, states could revoke charters whenever it seemed to be in the public interest to do so. Charters were for limited time periods and required renewal. Charters were for limited purposes, and corporations had to get permission to change their line of business. The liability scheme could also be modified to keep executives honest. Corporations could be required to act in the pubic interest, and public directors could be mandated.

Stuff in the News

bpsycho posts about the collateral murder video and Oliver Willis's hissy fit about liberals who criticize the military: http://www.psychopolitik.com/2010/04/if-you-dont-know-them-by-now/

I don't reckon pointing out bad acts necessarily constitutes a blanket condemnation of all servicemembers. I have observed a lot of right wingers among my FaceBook acquaintances who go to great lengths to defend even egregious crimes like the one in the video. War is ugly sometimes, they say, so what can you do? Avoid indiscriminate killing of civilians, for one thing. Observe the rules of engagement and the law of land warfare for another. Prosecute war criminals to the fullest extent of the law.

So the Pope knew about child molesting priests and was involved in the cover-up? D'uh! That would be true no matter which Cardinal had been elected Pope. Covering up and enabling were the policy of the Church, and you don't get to management in a top down hierarchy by bucking policy.

Afghan President Kharzai threatens to join the Taliban? What are we fightng for over there, again?

Rush Limbaugh is a Walrus

This is the the most awesome SadllyNo piece in a long time. http://www.sadlyno.com/archives/29831.html

We bought some plastic storage bins to stash our Christmas decorations and keep the voles from nesting in them. They had the above warning sign on them. I'm not sure what it means. Is it a warning to people that the bin is not suitable for storing a baby? Or do babies like to crawl into stoarge bins and pull the lids down on themselves? A baby that stupid would never understand the warning sign, so I'm guessing this is for adults. Never put your baby in a bin!

I never knew how irresistible babies found buckets. Apparently, they like to stick their heads in them. If they are full of liquid they will drown. I'm not sure those babies are smart enough to heed the warning sign I have seen on buckets that I own.

These were hazards that were never explained to me when I was a wee one. We knew about plastic bags.

We even had a vesre of a song: "Suffocation, we like suffocation. Suffocation, that's the game to play. First you take a plastic bag, then you put it on your head. Go to bed...wake up dead. Oh oh oh oh." We were warned about abandoned fridges as death traps and about the perils of blasting caps. Apparently, it was common back then just to leave blasting caps lying around. Forks and toasters did not mix. We did not fear buckets and bins, however.

I'm OK with Pedophile Priests as Long as They Don't Act on Their Pedophilia

I'm not Catholic, so as far as I'm concerned the Pope is just a guy in a funny hat. This Pope has even less moral authority from my perspective than your average Pope what with the handling of the priestly pedophilia scandal. It's not enough to transfer sexually abusive priests to parishes with less attractive children. Seriously, what does it take to get fired as a priest? The way it was handled makes it look as if the RCC condones child molestation by priests and considers the problem to be exposure rather than the abuse itself.

And now the defense of the Pope and the RCC seems to be to accuse critics of anti-Catholic bigotry. Talking about priestly child molesting is worse than priestly child molesting. This fits in with the notion that the problem is exposure rather than the abuse. Unless the RCC actually considers child molesting a priestly prerogative, it ought to acknowledge the mistakes it has made and pledge to do better in the future.

Standing on Principles

I have to hand it to Wm Norman Grigg for sticking to his principles. He continues to call out DHS and to defend the rights of recent terror suspects. I'm not so courageous. I have been very disturbed by the "Patriot Movement" and the possibility of domestic terrorism and by the tone of discourse from the right that appears to condone violence. Also, a part of me gets a kick out of seeing right wingers who were so gung ho about the security and surveillance apparatus when GW Bush ran it become targets of it.

New Talking Point for Wingnuts

I guess it's not really new, but it's used in a new context. Accuse people who point out Tea Party craziness of being "name callers". What's worse than advocating domestic terrorism? Pointing out that someone advocates domestic terrorism.

The idea is that the craziness of the Tea Partiers does not detract from their ideas. I reckon that would be true if the movement actually had any ideas and was anything other than a manifestation of a generalized reactionary discontent. In principle, the movement has certain not very controversial objectives such as smaller government and lower taxes, but it appears that the rank and file are willing to use violence to air their vaguely expressed grievances and, if not willing to use it or advocate it, to condone it. This makes it very hard to trust them on any issue or to take their positions seriously.

Why the Windies Will Never Dominate Again

West Indian acquaintances who learn that I am interested in cricket invariably ask me to explain why the West Indies, unstoppable for a decade not long ago, cannot recapture the days of glory. I usually just nod and remark on what a mystery it is and promise to look into it. The answer is pretty simple, though. The rest of the world adapted to the relentless pace attack that the West Indies mastered and monopolized during its Decade of Dominance. The rest of the world learned to hit fast bowling and to cultivate pace bowlers themselves. The West Indies needs a new trick if it aims to dominate again. Its population base is too small to allow it to outcompete year in and year out the teams from larger countries.

Another reason for the decline in the fortunes of West Indies cricket is a product of the earlier success. Youth cricket has become highly institutionalized in the West Indies with the result that "sandlot" cricket is an increasingly rare phenomenon. Youth are channeled into organized leagues, and playing outside the formal system is devalued. This drives many young would be cricketers away from the sport.

Still, you gotta love the Windies. They're America's team.

Easter's On Its Way

Good Friday is fast approaching, and I am so not ready. I need to practice with the CD player every chance I can between now and then. Maybe there will be a miracle, and I will do great. I'm definitely going to suck on Easter. We're doing a Vivaldi piece with lots of staggered "amens". I will never get this right in time. Fortunately, we in the chancel choir are doing only one Easter service. The early birds are getting a praise band. I suppose it will be all praise bands all the time within a few years.

Easter is on the first Sunday of the month, so I suppose we'll be having "communion". Or maybe we always have communion on Easter. I just don't remember. Our version of the Lord's Supper is not very memorable. We get a crouton and a thimble of grape juice that we ingest with great solemnity, and that's it. Most of the ceremony is taken up with the elders and deacons bringing the bread and juice to the congregation. The choir is singing throughout all this, but the congregation is just waiting to be served.

The church will be full with an overflow crowd in the fellowship hall watching everything on video. Who are these people? Where have they been since Christmas Eve?

At the end of the service, anyone who wants to is invited up to the choir to sing the Hallelujah Chorus. That's pretty fun.

This is the one Sunday where most people dress up, even the sullen teenagers.

I Still Suck

When I went to Montana, I took my music and a CD of the Cherubini Requiem that we're doing for Good Friday. It turned out that I had no time to listen to it or to look at the music, so I am way behind with Holy Week fast approaching. The other tenor better be ready.

I was also going to use the exercise room in the hotel every day. I didn't use it once. That's a setback in terms of my fitness program.

I was going to blog. I didn't.

I was going to eat right. I didn't.

If I had just admitted to myself from the get go that I was going to slack off from everything except the trial, I would be having a lot less self loathing right now. Or would I? I'd probably be full of self loathing for being the kind of person who could slack off without a second thought.

Mom's House Struck by Lightning

My mother's house in Georgia, where I spent my teenage years, was struck by lightning about 10 days ago and was destroyed. Nobody was injured. The house was insured. Mom has a trailer that she used to rent out to live in while she rebuilds. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming.

It's Fracking Good to be Home

We lost the trial of the matter I had been working on for eight years. I don't have a personal stake in the outcome, but it was still a disappointment. The forces of evil prevailed. I worked a lot harder than I am used to doing over the last two weeks in Montana, and I'm glad it's over so I can get back to my normal routine.

On the plus side, I enjoyed seeing some headlines that dealt with 'fracking" http://billingsgazette.com/search/?l=50&sd=desc&s=start_time&f=html&q=fracking

Wyoming is looking at stricter fracking rules. Some fracking legislation is getting attention. We don't talk so openly about fracking here in New York.

Speaking of fracking, I caught up on the episodes of Caprica that I missed while I was away.

No More Tribes, Please

Here in Montana, it's hard not to notice the circumstances of Indians on reservations. In a way, their circumstances are similar to those of non-Indians who are stuck in the disappearing small communities all over this state. Family farms give way to corporate farming, and jobs get scarcer and scarcer. In the dictionary, next to the word "bleak" there should be a picture of rural Montana.

In another way, the Indians have it even worse. Everything they have is tied up in the reservation and the tribe, and they are stranded in and tied to their remote and unproductive locations by a desire to maintain their cultural heritage.

I don't think it makes any sense to maintain the idea of tribal sovereignty in the 21st century. Congress has the power to abrogate every treaty with the Indians and ought to do so if it is in the interests of the US to do so. Let the US deed the reservations to the Indians or buy the land from them and put it into the BLM system. Let the US buy out of its treaty obligations and pay off individual Indian citizens and have done with it. Then they can move where they like and get jobs and maintain their culture, or not, as they see fit.

Let's face facts. There was a war, and the Indians lost. Let's not rub it in by maintaining a system of homelands for them that keeps them impoverished and in a perpetual state of dependency. Rather, let's assuage our collective consciences by throwing a lot of money at the Indians once and for all and treating them just like every other category of citizen. The federal and state governments can apologize for their sins and even hold truth and reconciliation commissions to air the grievances of Indian people and educate Americans about what bastards their ancestors were (unless they're immigrants). Existing casinos can be grandfathered in but transferred to corporations with Indian shareholders.

I Wish I Had Become an Astronaut Instead of a Lawyer

After three days of this trial and dealing with legions of lawyers, I remember why I hate being a lawyer and am convinced that I have wasted my life. I don't usually feel this way in my non-litigation role, thank the gods.

The adversarial system is supposed to reveal the truth. That's like saying that combining two turds will make a chocolate bar.

Even though all the missions are lame ass shuttle trips, it would be better than being a lawyer.

In Billings

I'm in Billings, MT and its sunny and in the fifties! The bad news is that I'm here for a two week trial in federal court and will be stuck with a flock of lawyers the whole time.

These civil trials are complex and expensive undertakings. The amount of paperwork boggles the mind. Nothing is more mind numbingly boring than working on these things, and I'm glad I'm a witness and face of the corporation rather than a litigator. There is a boxcar load of banker's boxes with files, and that's just on our side. We have a small army of lawyers and assistants to lawyers.

The worst part is that we are going to waste two weeks out of the lives of a dozen citizens who will be compelled to serve as jurors in our corporate squabble. How I pity them.

Why I Care

Folks sometimes ask me why I care about what happens to humanity in the far distant future. I don't even have children, so what do I care about posterity?

First let me address the idea that being childfree renders me less mindful of the future. The children of my siblings are as genetically related to me as my own grandchildren would have been if I had had any. In the vast scheme of things, this one generation difference is inconsequential. Even if my siblings didn't have offspring, I have enough relatives with shared genes to have a genetic stake in the future of my genus, assuming that this matters.

Secondly, I expect to upload into a computer when my meat body gives out and to live on as a machine for a very, very long time. I would like the environment and society to be pleasant and to support the advanced technology that I will need to occupy better and better machine forms.

Thirdly, if my robot plan does not pan out (and even if it does and my roobotic self wears out), I expect to be resurrected at the end of time, and I don't want to have to explain to folks who came after me why my generation was so shortsighted, selfish and douchey.

Away for Two Weeks

I drew the short straw. Montana for two weeks. Could be worse. Could be Texas.

Not Spacefarers?

By all accounts, it looks like the US has scrapped plans to go back to the moon. This probably means a Mars mission is off the agenda as well. Maybe the Chinese will pick up the slack and keep us on track as a spacefaring species. Maybe demand for Helium Three will inspire commercial space travel and exploration. I doubt it. What private entity would be that future oriented?

If the Chinese start going to space, the US will probably see this as a national security problem and get back in the space game. If space is going to be militarized, the US doesn't want to be on the earthside looking up. Maybe militarization would get space exploration jump started as each state competed to stake out extraterrestrial real estate.