262. A LIFE SENTENCE OF POVERTY

From the Archives. (October 2006) 25 years and 4 months, adjusted to 19 years and 2 months with good behavior and the requisite “Hi, my name is Jeff and I am an alcoholic” confessional.

Yep, that’s the punishment our judicial system meted out to ENRON mastermind Jeffrey Skilling.

The judge commented that Skilling’s “crimes have imposed on hundreds if not thousands a life sentence of poverty.”

First, if that’s a crime, then why ain’t George in jail?

Second, don’t you worry that former ENRON employees will still be bagging groceries in 2025 when Jeffrey is released back into the world?

So. I’ve been pondering the phrase life sentence of poverty ever since I read that line this morning.

Have also been mulling over the reality that so many news stories demonstrate our levels of cultural, environmental, intellectual, and soul-depriving poverty.

Example: have you seen what former Louisiana legislative candidate David Duke has been up to lately?

The guy’s copying Ralph Reed and his ilk and urging racist people to run for office.

Now I respect David Duke more than I respect Ralph, because at least he states what he believes out loud, whereas Ralph advises folks to run as stealth candidates in order to increase the likelihood that they can force their extremist views on everyone else.

But John Ubele has gone a step further and is encouraging his flock to form a national pro-White political party.

Meanwhile, Foley’s subterfuge and David Kuo’s timely confessional and Bush's "taking the Lord's name in vain" have left the Christianists aghast with the reality that, golly gee, people might actually make fun of them while kow-towing to them for political advantage.

So now they want their own party.

Church. Politics. What’s the difference anymore? (Except for those handy tax breaks)

I suggest that these 2 groups have a confessional lovefest wherein they collectively state their intention to control the lives of the rest of us. Then they can form their own party and see how far they get.

I know. Let’s call them the Bigocrats!

Mistuh Big ...

Anyway, Writergrrrl spent 15 long and head-banging years involuntarily committed to those fundies and untold numbers of hours under the judgmental vice of Baptist camp counselors and can tell you with confidence that submitting to those purportedly Jesus-inspired strictures, particularly if you are a woman, is the equivalent of accepting a life sentence of spiritual poverty.