Looking around the blogosphere, all the old wives’ tales about the full moon sure seem to be true. Look at all the words that are derived from the word luna. Does anyone want to start a list?
Actually, the full moon was yesterday, but who’s counting. The next full moon will be May 9, so everyone just needs to get their howling out the way now or hold it until then.
Let us know what you are thinking.
The person who made the correlation between immigration and tourism was Elena. The fact remains that Mrs. Gotthardt has shown open disdain towards PWC in writing. I guess that Wally felt he needed to throw her a bone in order to keep her in his back pocket. Or to keep her from constantly e-mailing and FOIA’ing him.
Well, now, I am getting confused. If the majority voted for the BOCS members based on their platforms as you say, but Mr. Covington is being disliked for doing something, then it seems to me those who voted for him knew what he stood for and shouldn’t be so upset by this.
What’s FOIA’ing anyway?
You Wish, most people that I know were not impacted by the problems that some neighborhoods in PWC experienced – overcrowding, too many cars, noise – so they absolutely did NOT rank immigration issues (espoused by the Velvets) high on their lists of priorities. So their selection of BOCS candidates were NOT determined by immigration issues. Additionally some candidates ran unopposed. I don’t think that anyone other than Corey Stewart made a major issue of immigration. If you look at the numbers at the marathon BOCS meeting, the Velvets were outnumbered. Besides, the BOCS remedied much of the Resolution.
Did you express as much outrage over Robert Duecaster’s appointment?
Who said Mr. Covington is being disliked? He’s only mentioned because he is the one who recommended KG be on this committee.
FOIA – Freedom of Information Act – requesting documents from the governments.
There was just discussion a few days ago about how Frank Princpi ran on a platform of “cleaning up” route 1, including the several day laborer sites.
The posts that Anti attributed to Duecaster were under the name “advocator”, which could not be shown that it was Duecaster. Period. Just as everyone on this site was outraged by his appointment, I have the same right to be concerned about this appointment.
Mrs. Gotthardt has shown OPEN CONTEMPT for PWC. Her own words state that we are backwoods, bigots and the racist capital of the country. If this were anyone who had these beliefs, I would be concerned. This has nothing to do with who KG is, it has to do with her own words.
People on BVBL were saying they didn’t like Mr. Covington because he was wishy-washy and you never knew what he was going to do.
I think the post there was titled something like “I see stupid people,” referring to Mr. Covington.
I don’t see having open contempt for the resolution and perceived bigotry as contempt for the whole county.
Anyway, that’s about all I have to say because I came here for the full moon discussion 🙂
You Wish,
Mr. Duecaster’s license plate says Advocator(abberviate of course, but clearly says it). Under his monike of Advocator, twice, he admitted to “writing the original resolution”, additionally, HSM takes credit for Mr. Duecaster writing the resolution in one of their newsletters. I am pretty sure that one plus one still equals two. Furthermore, he admitted to writing under the moniker of Advocator to the reporter from the D.C. Examiner in article written during his appointment.
I love my county, just because I point out problems with it governing body , does not thus mean I love it any less. In fact, I would propose the exact opposite. Any good citizen should speak out when they see their elected officials making mistakes.
I think Katherine Gotthart is an excellent choice for the Tourism Board. She’s obviously a big supporter of open government, interested in learning, and willing to share her views. Another positive is that her vision for Prince William County is clearly different than the one promoted by the small group of single-minded people who shrilly condemn (powerless) illegal immigrants as the source of all evil but give corporate America (the source of the problem) a pass.
If Prince William is be the the world class community described in the BOCS vision statement, it would be helpful to have someone on the Tourism Board who is ready to welcome the world to Prince William.
You Wish, I assume you realize that KG has the ability to write in a non-confrontational matter if she’s approved for the appointment. (Just as I hope Mr. Duecaster has the ability to tone his rhetoric down as he serves on a public panel.)
Tell me why Frank Principi should have cleaned up all of Rt. 1’s problems in the short time he’s been in office. That strip is notorious. Have you volunteered to help him achieve that goal – a cleaned-up Rt. 1? Have you held John Stirrup to the same standard as many of the neighborhoods which contacted him with their problems have begun to slip back into the same mess?
I agree with your post Anon. If anything, her vision of community and love for the beauty of open space is what WILL attract people, not a sentiment of hate and mistrust towards our immigrant community based on their looks and the language they speak!@Anonymous
I give up. The point I was trying to make is why someone who continually puts down the county would be asked to serve on a tourism committee? But that doesn’t matter, I guess. A “love of beauty of open space” will attract people, regardless of the KKK and Neo-Nazi’s that we have here.
Of course, Wally just needs you three (or even four, including Moon Howler) to back him for a judge position. Politics as usual, I guess.
Give me a break.
You Wish, someone on bvbl told me that you have more than a blog relationship with Ms. Gotthardt. Could that be motivating your feelings? Aren’t you the person who posted all that custody stuff over on bvbl about her about 6 months ago?
Let’s face it those over there have to fight the appointment. They are just trying to save face over the Duecaster appointment. He did call human beings vermin. That’s sort of embarrassing for them.
My Hungarian neighbor always comes and knocks at my door when there’s a full moon to make sure I’ll see it. It shows beautifully from her side of the street. She has her 5 and 6 year old girls with her too.
I feel very fortunate!
Punchack,
That is so sweet, thanks for sharing 🙂@Punchak
Anonymous,
I don’t know anyone on BVBL. I’ve never spoken to anyone on BVBL. I don’t know Mrs. Gotthardt, other than through her writings on here and other places on the internet.
I’m speaking as someone who has lived in PWC their entire life and hates the way it has been represented. By both sides of the fence.
Is it safe to check back in now? Man! You all have been busy since I have been gone.
Punchack, neat story. Aren’t you worried about a Hungarian enticing you with the full moon? Isn’t Transylvania in Hungary? Just kidding just kidding.
The moon was just an intro. It seemed fitting. When I was in college and a psych major, we were told that the state dept got more letters from disturbed people during full moon time than any other time.
It is an open thread and anyone may discuss anything they want to discuss. Plus, Firedancer and I always appreciate a good full moon. Its in the genes or something.
For the record, I believe Censored is on to something.
So did we decide if the infidels are stealing Christmas or not? SA, I understand what you are saying. What did you think of Madelyne Murray’s case before the Supreme Court back in the 60’s? Didn’t she end up dying mysteriously? At the hands of her son?
I am glad Elena and Firedancer gave us the perspective from another point of view. I believe if you are a member of a minority religion those of us in the majority just have no idea how left out a person can feel. I have another friend out there I wish would weigh in. He knows who he is. Plus, why should any of us be forced to say another group’s prayers? Just seems that doesn’t happen if we keep our religions at home or in our houses of worship.
I appreciate the full moon too as an amateur astronomer. On the Christmas subject, as a Jewish person the term “Merry Christmas” does not offend me. Back in school, I did feel a little bit left out with all the Christmas singing. As far as prayers, perhaps the moment of silence is the best idea.
It’s pretty sad, indeed. The moderate voices get washed out by the vocal radicals of the left and the right. The moderate voices are where the vast majority of population stands, but the screamers are the ones that get heard. Everyone’s voice should be heard, not just the extremists. There is some common ground, unfortunately those extrememists refuse to consider the least little bit of compromise. I’ve attending things with those that have very extreme views, and there was common ground. However, not all are even willing to listen to others, it’s just easier to trash them for trying.
Happy Easter! Now, back to the gripes. So at what point do you halt a tradition because someone doesn’t want to participate? Is that figure 50%, 20%, 10%, 1%, or even one person in a town of 10,000? That to me is the problem. There is no way that you will ever get 100% acceptance of any activity without someone objecting to some portion of the activity no matter how well meaning (Obama supporters aside). So therefore are we to stop all activities where a single person objects based on their upbringing? I get tremendously offended, when at a stop light, I hear the outrageous lyrics of some vile and violent rap song (and I use the term loosely), but hey that’s protected free speech! On the other hand a peace loving prayer, no matter what the religious background, is held in contempt so as to be eliminated from formal proceedings. Doesn’t it seem to you that society is heading in the WRONG DIRECTION.
In selecting Katherine G. to represent Prince William County, Wally Covington has done something very important. Something John Stirrup and Corey Stewart have not: he has shown some backbone, and put the interests of his district and the interests of his county, before a desire to bend to the will of Gospel Greg’s hysterical email-enhanced echo chamber.
Wally is a properly cautious and conservative leader. His reluctance to be dragged into the immigration hysteria was not due to wishy-washyness. It was due to his principles. He is too smart to be in the practice of leaping before looking. He wanted to move with caution if at all into a radical agenda, no matter what politician or what party stands to benefit.
But he did vote with the rest of the Board. And some thanks he gets from Gospel Greg! Apparently you are not a true member of the Temple of Gospel Greg unless you are puppet.
Shellyb, you also have to have drunk the kool aid.
SA, I hate hearing other people’s music at stop lights also, 99 times out of 100. I don’t want to hear hymns or rap trash. I would be all for noise enforcement, but that isn’t up for discussion, is it.
I understand your point, I think. However, let’s take the Easter Egg Roll on the White House lawn. That annual event commenmorates Easter. I feel certain if Joe Liberman were in the White House, the Easter Egg Roll would still be going on. It is a secular activity that celebrates a religious event.
Now, a state funeral? That is another matter. That should follow the religious wishes of the deceased. All of us have been to funerals that are not our own faith, I would think. We all suffer through, pay our respects to the deceased and the family and then leave.
Here is my private little test: ask yourself if you want a religion like Santeria practiced on the court house steps. If the answer is no, then you have to give up your right to practice your religion on the courthouse steps. I personally don’t want to witness animal sacrifice.
MH
Transylvania is in central Romania (Carpathian mtn area).
My neighbor is definitely “different” and some of the mothers in the tract don’t want their kids to play with hers. For instance, she let’s them run around in their underwear in the rain on the front lawn and also slosh around in the little creek behind my house. No fear of contamination. The British mother is APPALED!
I LIKE her a lot! And she’s a pianist who also plays the organ on Sunday mornings in the chapel at Walter Reed hospital.
M-H, I’d prefer to think that Stirrup and Stewart did not fully “drink the koolaid.” Rather, they saw a political opportunity in exploiting and exacerbating the fears and phobias of constituents who were coping with rapid demographic shifts. Now that this perceived advantage has diminished … and indeed backfired politically … they are both attempting to shift the focus.
I realize, of course, that Stewart has been popping off in the newspapers here and again, but it is impossible for him to resist offering a misleading and/or illogical defense of the county’s costly immigration policy … in light of the damaging statistical data recently released. Today’s article in the Post is a good example:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/11/AR2009041102122.html
Were Stewart to have somehow managed NOT to be quoted in this article, it would have appeared as if he was admitting responsibility for the grave failure in leadership that was the Immigration Resolution.
If not for these embarrassing statistics, I expect Stewart would have kept his promise to stop touting right wing social issues and focus instead on pocketbook issues that actually fall within our county’s jurisdiction.
SA, perhaps US citizens (and non-citizens) are less religious than they were in the 50s. There may have been a resurgence of evangelism and born-again types, but in general I think fewer people attend church. I look at my own family. None of my siblings are atheists or even agnostics – and we attended church regularly as children – but none goes to any church service now – except weddings and funerals. Their children have never gone to church services other than the two types of service above – weddings and funerals. None actively supports having prayers at government meetings but none would worry one iota if prayers disappeared from those meetings entirely. And, they’re mostly conservative types of people. Society has changed. Maybe we’ve become more aware of how imposing a particular type of religion on non-believers makes people feel. Nothing bans people from praying to their god silently or at home. Nothing prevents them -generally, but not always – from wearing religious objects or apparel important to their faith.
Shelly, I agree with you that Wally Covington is a judicious conservative, and I support his recent appointment of Ms. Gotthart.
Punchak, I was just kidding. No offense to your very nice neighbor.
WHWN, I think you are right about one of them just sniffing the kool aid for a high to get him elected. The other one…not so sure about. I think he might be an intravenious user of that kool aid.
SA, I also tend to be on the side of the “we are a nation founded on Judeo-Christian values.” However, there is a scenario in which I can relate to Firedancer’s position. There is no way in you-know-where that I–a citizen of “the Great Satan,” an “infidel” or whatever it is that Muslims call the U.S. and nonbelievers in general–will EVER bow my head in respect if the name “Allah” is invoked in prayer.
I know plenty of Muslims who do not call us the Great Satan or infidels. When my mother was so very ill, the kindest person to her was a muslim woman from one of the Carribbean islands. I can’t recall which one. But she was a wonderful, kind, loving, caring person. I will always be eternally grateful to her for her kindness.
Again, the extremists are getting all the attention. There are Christian churches I wouldn’t worship in because they send out a message I do not like. That Baptist church out in Kansas that stalks the funerals of our dead servicemen pops into my head. I know all Baptist churches don’t behave that way. I have lots of Baptist friends.
Allah means God and I am sure He didn’t drive a plane into the WTC. Allah is the God of Abraham the same as the God Christians and Jews worship.
I must be honest. I am very taken aback. Non believers do not bother me at all. Some of my best friends are avowed non-believers. I have a pagan steak or 2 running through my veins. Pagans don’t bother me. Broad brush disrespect of a religion to me is …I don’t know, wrong. However, this is America.
You wish,
I wish I had that kind of pull (getting Wally Covington appointed to be a judge), but alas, I don’t. I like Wally. If I could, I would appoint him to be a judge. That doesn’t mean I agree with him on everything.
In fact, if I read you correctly, opposing anyone on the bocs would disqualify me from ever sitting on a county committee? How about being a county employee? I certainly think any last one of us can opppose county policy and our county politician without that dislike disqualifying us from service to our county government.
Katherine Gotthardt knows a great deal about the county and is a good selection, in my opinion. She knows more about the place than I do and I have lived here most of my adult life.
If you use your criteria, then very few on the dark screen should qualify. Let’s see, there are threads against Chief Deane, George Barker, Wally Covington and Senator Colgan. I have seen threads ridiculing Frank Principi, all of Woodbridge District, Hilda Barg, John Jenkins, and Marty Nohe. Not just a remark here or there, but vilification of all of those people named. There has been a huge amen chorus, as there usually is, agreeing with Greg.
So much for fairness. No one who opposes county policies or Supervisors on Anti can serve on a county committee. Everyone on the dark screen is good, can say what they want, and it doesn’t count.
Reminds me of an old Joan Baez song…God on My Side…
Sorry folks. I haven’t thought of this song in years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pih1hVdflnQ
Joan Baez
With God on Our Side Lyrics
Artist(Band):Joan Baez
Oh my name it is nothin’
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I’s taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And the land that I live in
Has God on its side.
Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.
the Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
Are us to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side.
Well the First World War, boys
It came and it went
And The reason for fighting
I never did get
But I learned to accept it
And Accept it with pride
For you don’t count the dead
When God’s on your side.
And Second World War
It Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And called them our friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
Now The Germans now too
Have God on their side.
For I’ve learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war comes
It’s them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.
But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
(And) it fire them we’re forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God’s on your side.
For many dark hours
I thought about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can’t think for you
You’ll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.
And now as I’m leavin’
I’m weary as Hell
The confusion I’m feelin’
Ain’t no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
They fall to the floor
As God is on our side
He’ll stop the next war.
Mr. Whines-a-lot on the dark screen is trying to convince his readers that there are many people named Advocator on the dark screen. He was falsely accused by anti-peeps. He forgets that he has been named a nativist by SPLC while complaining that K. Gotthardt says many people in the county have white supremcist tendencies. I guess he should know. He did not like anti contributors googling his hallowed blog, however he allows material from this blog to be posted on his. Hypocrites never seen their own fallibilities.
I’m sure there are many wonderful people who happen to be Muslims,Moon-howler, but I don’t worship the god they worship. And not once has the mainstream Muslim leadership every really distanced themselves in any significant way from Muslim extremists. It seems to be ok to define the entire Catholic Church by the actions of some awful priests and bishops, yet Muslims stand by utterly mute on the subject of their more radical, violent and anti-Semitic brethren, and no one raises an eyebrow. Makes one wonder..
Actually they worship the same God that Christians and Jews do. On the other hand, I don’t know that many muslims so I don’t know how many distance themselves or renounce the actions of the extremists. I have no use for extremists of any religion. I also don’t know if Muslims are more prone to extremism or not. From all reports, it seems so but I am broad-brushing. Let me restate, if news reports are to be believed, they are more prone.
I expect that normal moderate Muslims don’t identify with the extremists and therefore don’t feel the need to renounce anymore than I feel the need to distance myself from WEstover in Kansas.
I think Muslims end up being like protestants. There are so many sects with different beliefs, it is difficult for one to speak for the other.
Emma, there are countless Muslim leaders in America and abroad who have denounced extremism and terrorism. Did you consider whether that claim might be true before you made it? Or is it just the way you choose to express your feelings about Muslims?
M-H, your song got me thinking about extremism and war. It’s perfectly clear to me that extremism also exists in this country. I expect that anywhere there is war, you will find extremism. I am no expert on why there has always been war and upheaval in the Middle East. Oil is probably a big reason. But if you look at the bigger picture of history, it’s hard to say any one religion is prone to extremism.
Has religion caused war? Or has war caused the bastardization of religions?
ShellyB, can you cite to me where Muslim leaders have denounced extremism in any mainstream media source? I’ve looked and could only find links to Islamic sources, quotes from the Qu’ran, etc., but no direct quotes from known Muslim leaders actually denouncing extremist actions.
Contrast that with the Catholic Church, which has openly admitted to its own failures and has spent enormous resources trying to help victims of abuse by some bad priests, yet continues to get slammed in the mainstream press.
“I expect that anywhere there is war, you will find extremism.”
Extremism is seldom an element of the cause of war…it is almost always greed and avarice (actually, I really believe that the qualifier “almost” is unnecessary), in one form or another (territory, wealth, power…you get the picture). Extremism has often been the excuse, and can be a result.
I don’t think I would hold up any one church as the mia culpa haven. How many years did it take the Catholic Church to apologize for arresting Galileo for having the audacity to say the earth revolved around the sun? How long did they know about the abuses going on with the priests? How about ignoring aspects of the Holocaust? How about the Mormons facing the polygamy problem? Meadow Mountain Massacre?
No church is perfect. Churches are gatherings of humans attempting to figure out what their Lord wants them to do. I don’t know if the Muslim faith is more prone towards violence or if the Middle East is more prone towards violence and that is where many muslims live. I don’t even want to go there. I have no facts to base my thoughts on.
AWC, I think I would throw extremism in the mix there with greed and avarice. Extremism is often how one appeals to the masses to join in the war effort.
Read my comment, Moon-howler.
Emma,
The Catholic Church has also seen its share of extremism, The Crusades, burning witches, etc. The point is, I think that religion, observed to its extreme, not matter what the belief system, is dangerous.
picking on Galileo…..putting him under house arrest.
I am in agreement with Emma that no Muslim leader has stepped forward in any meaningful way to condemn the actions of Muslim extremists. If Islam is all about peace, then Muslim leaders should condemn the violence.
for yankee and emma
http://www.algeria.com/forums/religion-religion/22060-british-muslim-leaders-introduce-guidelines-fight-extremism.html
http://www.islamyat.org/L_ENGLISH/3_ISLAM%20AGAINST%20TERRORISM/5.pdf
Clearly, there is an issue with Islam and Theocracy, I will not argue that premise. Turkey is a great example of a muslim secular country.
This comment is in reference to the remarks made about Alanna’s Easter Post.
I certainly hope all our salvation will not be determined by whether we comment on a blog or not. TDB and Cynic, shame on both of you. Do you think that your comments in any way honor the Lord on Easter, the holiest of Christian Days?
What really needed to be said on the thread ‘He has Risen,’ that Alanna posted? Did it not speak for itself? Do you take yourselves so seriously that you think you can trump the Lord? I thought it was a time for quiet reflection myself. Nothing I could say would add to it. I don’t come from a church background that has an amen chorus of people speaking out.
Find something better to do with your time. Go cook breakfast for a homeless family. Hide some Easter eggs for those kids. Stop feeding into gossip and character assassination on that blog. You people have blasted the chief of police and 3 elected officials, just this week. You didn’t just criticize their decisions, you attacked their visceral being. You are proud of yourselves which is obvious in your posts.
Perhaps you need a little more Easter. Reflect a little more and comment less. Listen to what the New Testament says about that beam in the eye:
I was embarrassed to have to explain to a non-Christian friend why Christians were acting that way on a holy day. I really had no explanation.
Amen, Moon-howler. Lol. Preachy hypocrites do more to drive people away from organized religion than godless liberals do!