Hamma Time

Religion impeding on anything that effects the non religious infuriates me such as opposition to Gay Marriage, Stem Cell Research.. etc. However I find that I often agree with many things on the other side as well, the side that has things that I despise.

I will give a couple examples of what I mean first being Gun Rights. I believe that the constitution clearly states that Americans have the right to own firearms. The fact that it gets so diluted when the verbiage is obvious is ridiculous. States such as my home state, Massachusetts restrict guns like crazy. If you want to own a firearm in Massachusetts it must meet specific requirements and be on a list of approved weapons.

Similarly if you want to conceal carry your weapon in MA you need to get permission from the local police chief to do so. In most cases the Police Chief isn’t the friendliest and most rational of individuals.

Another example is our current administration and state of affairs in the USA. Now I hated George W due to some of the BS he pulled. I could not bring myself to vote for John McCain because of Sarah Palin’s views. It angers me that this whole Health Care thing is happening and I do not believe that giving people free hand outs is what this country is about.

When Obama was running we had people saying “I wont have to worry about putting gas in my car anymore” What kind of garbage is that? The Government should not be in the business of supporting people in ways that we are about to see happen. Because with all due respect, the Government has not a clue what it is doing.

So therein lies my conundrum. Unfortunately, I doubt I will ever see a candidate I will be able to vote for without things changing significantly. If I want gun rights and in most cases (not all) smaller government I have to vote Republican. If I want gay rights and medical advancement I have to vote for a democrat.

It sucks really, and I know I am not alone in this country.

Hamma Atheism, Random Thoughts, politics Atheism, politics, Random Thoughts, Religion

I was settling in tonight watching the Nightly News as I do every night and there was a segment on their recent NBC News Wall Street Journal Poll.

I was pleasantly surprised when the following result came up. 41% of people favor same sex marriages up from 30% in 2004 (source). Now we still have quite a long way to go as proven by another poll number 40% of the 49% strongly oppose it where as only 26% of the 41% strongly favor. But it is good to see that some progress is being made on one of the most basic rights as an American. We have heard time and time again that Marriage is defined as a union between one man and one woman. The awesome thing is that we, as humans write the dictionaries and are able to redefine words for the common good. The thought that it is between only a man and a woman and nobody else comes strictly from religious beliefs and the bible, something which has no place in the laws of the USA.

The awesome thing? It has been redefined already by Merriam-Webster

1 a (1) : the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2) : the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage <same-sex marriage> b : the mutual relation of married persons : wedlock c : the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage
2 : an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected; especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities
3 : an intimate or close union <the marriage of painting and poetry — J. T. Shawcross>

It’s awesome to see progress being made on this front. Marriage is something that allows quite a few rights such as being able to see your spouse in the hospital if there is a major accident. The religious will often say “What is to prevent a man from marrying a pig if we make this change” the answer to that is so simple it’s hard to see how people can use it as an argument. A pig, is not a knowing willing participant in a marriage. Where as a human being has the unique ability to choose who they mutually want to spend the rest of their life with.

Hamma Atheism, current events, politics Atheism, current events, gay marriage, marriage, politics

So unless you have been living under a rock for the past few days you know about Rep. Joe Wilson and his shouting “You Lie” at Obama’s speech Congress last week. It turns out that today congress passsed a resolution criticizing Wilson for shouting.

Now obviously this moron really shouldn’t have shouted out in the middle of a joint session of Congress. That’s a dumb moronic idea that he really should have thought about. He went ahead and apologized to the President as he should have and that shold have been it. But sadly in today’s age that wasn’t it, Congress decided today to totally blow our Tax Dollars and waste time by voting on a resolution telling Wilson that he is dumb. Sadly, I totally agree with Wilson on this one when he said that today they didn’t do anything for Americans.

Wake up Congress, American’s dont want you wasting your time on this bullshit. We want you to work for us and get some issues settled. Sitting around circle jerking and slapping eachother on the wrists is such a blatent waste of time and money that it makes me sick. It makes me sad to be an American. How about you guys get off your asses and do something useful for a change and quit accusing eachother of being racists (Which happened in this instance) and bickering useless garbage.

Congress works for Americans, not the other way around. America is extremely divided right now and that’s why you are seeing such anger on both sides. Republicans are afraid of Socialism and Democrats are afraid of Extreme Conservatism. In reality most Americans (Like myself) are somewhere in the middle (Even though obviously Senators voting purely on a religious basis scares the shit out of me.. They shouldn’t be allowed to hold seats). So quit being dicks and get some work done before people start to get REALLY pissed.

Term limits anyone? How bout we clean house and start over.

Hamma Bullshit, Random Thoughts, Rants, politics politics, Random Thoughts, Rants

Every now and then a news story comes along that angers me and it isn’t about religion. I always find it amusing that I am an Atheist yet on the side of gun rights, from my limited experience most Atheists are very liberal. I could be wrong so feel free to correct me!

This Gem came along on CNN today:

Outside President Obama’s town hall today, a man showed up with a semiautomatic rifle hanging off his shoulder. He defended his legal right to carry a firearm in public in Arizona by saying, “I’m exercising my right as an American in Arizona. Well, I come from another state where open carry is legal, but no one does it, so the police don’t really know about it and they harass people, arrest people falsely, and I think that people need to get out and do it for so they get kind of condition to it.” He was not alone. About a dozen others were also in the crowd armed. Are they merely invoke their right or part of what could be a dangerous trend here? (There is also a video in the original article here.)

In the video I found it interestingly amusing that Campbell Brown said something along the lines of “I am from Louisiana and I know allot of people with guns, I don’t see them carrying around semi automatic weapons” what Mrs. Brown fails to realize is that most handguns carried by folks are indeed semi automatic weapons. Fully Automatic weapons are not permitted without a full cavity search. Actually you can obtain them in some states but it is extremely difficult.

On to the ignorant comments in the article:

People who carry guns to any large assembly, especially political, may have 2nd amendment rights We the law abiding citizens without arms also have a fundamental rights to feel safe in public places. Since overwhelming majority do not carry semis therefore those lunatic fringe should be lawfully removed from such public events.

The 2nd amendment is clear on this we are allowed the right to keep and bear arms this right was upheld by the Supreme Court in ‘08. This obviously varies state by state but let’s get to the point here. If the gentleman carrying a gun should be removed from the event than so should everyone else who is there. He is no less american than those who are “afraid” or “offended” by the display of a firearm. Like it or not, people who carry firearms concealed or open often times prevent crimes from happening in the first place. In fact I myself feel safe in public because I know there are likely people around me (Including myself soon enough) that are carrying firearms.

Law abiding citizens with licenses to carry firearms are on our side.. criminals who obtain weapons illegally and kill people with them are bad guys. The amount of law abiding citizens that committed crimes when licensed to carry is so minute its not even worth mentioning.

Bottom line, this country allows us various basic rights. It allows us to keep and bear arms. The forefathers knew how important that was to the start of this country and it is critical we maintain this today.  As Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of the Japanese Navy once said:

“You cannot invade the mainland United States.  There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.”

Hamma Random Thoughts, Rants, politics guns, Random Thoughts, Rants, second amendment

Great news came out of Iowa yesterday that a law defining marriage between a man and a woman only was struck down. The opposition had this to say:

“It’s, quite frankly, a disaster,” said Brian English, a spokesman for the Iowa Family Policy Center, a nonprofit research and educational organization committed to strengthening the family.

“Obviously, we’re extremely disappointed,” he said. “We’re saddened. Perhaps a little bit surprised in the unanimous decision that the court handed down.”

Yea isn’t it sad that the government actually allowed them the right to marry their partners regardless of their sex. Isn’t it sad that they were allowed the equal rights they are guaranteed under this great nation’s constitution.

Marriage may be defined as between a man and a woman in the bible. But I have news for these people fighting people’s rights: this country is not a Theocracy. Marriage is defined as whatever we want it to be defined as, we wrote the dictionaries remember?

I am happy to see this news but I am sad that it is taking so long to get people the rights they deserve nationwide. Catch a video after the break.

Read more…

Hamma Atheism, Random Thoughts, current events, politics Atheism, current events, Gay Rights, politics

Every so often a story comes along that is so messed up it had to have been caused by a Video Game..

The NYPD has charged John Katehis (left) with repeatedly stabbing George Weber, 47, last Friday. The pair met after Weber posted a Craigslist ad offering to pay for violent sex. Katehis was to earn $60 for the sleazy encounter at which alcohol and cocaine were reportedly used. Weber, apparently as part of his sado-masochistic fantasy, supplied the knife with which Katehis eventually killed him.

Naturally this was caused by Grand Theft Auto right? Chances are the media will focus more on the fact this kid played GTA than the fact the dude was soliciting some pretty weird sex with a minor on Craigs List and even brought his own knife along for some S&M action.  This kids parents were obviously completely oblivious to the fact their son was out doing blow and having sex with men in violent sexual encounters.

This problem along with many many situations before it could have easily been solved by involved parents.

Hamma Gaming, politics current events, Gaming, politics

  So here we are in the Spring of 2008 and gas prices are continuing to skyrocket day after day. Just last week here the price of gas went up .15 cents in just 2 days. So that led me to wonder how much am I spending on gas this month? I should have just not bothered figuring it out because it was just depressing, but I figured that I am on track to spend almost $400.00 dollars this month. Yep, thats right.. FOUR HUNDRED BIG ONES. And I don’t even have all that long of a commute. About an hour drive every day plus whatever local driving I do at home to get groceries and whatever else.

Prices of food and everything else are going up too, you don’t need my little blog to tell you this. Because truckers who are hauling all this stuff are paying about a grand to fill their diesel tanks. I personally feel the squeeze of the increased cost because I can’t go out and do the things I enjoy anymore. Jen and I can’t go out and grab a bite to eat at our favorite restaurant because we have zero spending money left. And the sad thing is we are living at home right now to save money. I would hate to have a mortgage or a rent to pay right now, I feel for any of you out there who do.

The big question is this, when are our worthless pandering, fucking idiot elected officials going to get off their stupid asses and do something about this? I am not an economist or an expert on gas and oil by any means but this continuing trend needs to be curbed in some way. The fact that prices are not even being driven up by lack of supply is honestly frightening, what does this mean for the summer season? Elderly folks on fixed incomes can’t even drive to the grocery store or the bank because they are spending all their money on gas.

This is the reality of the situation, the human effect. And don’t tell me we need to “Decrease our dependence on foreign oil” or “Drive a cleaner hybrid car” because those are long term solutions that would be wonderful, but America needs solutions now and that shit won’t help us in the near term. While giving everyone in America some cash this summer was a nice thought it isn’t going to do shit to resolve the current situation. Write your congressmen and let them know that something needs to be done, give them real world experiences and give this situation a human face.

Hamma Bullshit, Rants, politics economy, expensive, gas, gas prices, news, politics, Rants