Monthly Archives: July 2004

Churchgoers’ Checklist

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The instruction sheet circulated by the Bush-Cheney campaign to religious volunteers lists 22 “duties” to be performed by specific dates. By July 31, for example, volunteers are to “send your Church Directory to your State Bush-Cheney ’04 Headquarters or give [it] to a BC04 Field Rep” and “Talk to your Pastor about holding a Citizenship Sunday and Voter Registration Drive.”

If anybody from Holy Moly sends our directory to the Repugnicans, there will be Hell. To. Pay.

Our incoming vicar won’t be here until the first week in August, anyway, so we’re already behind. However, a Voter’s Registration drive may be in order. Note – need to remind the vicar to register 30 days after his arrival. There will still be time for him to take care of this before election day if he and his partner (oho!) want to take care of driver’s licenses at the same time according to Illinois voter registration guidelines.

By Aug. 15, they are to “talk to your Church’s seniors or 20-30 something group about Bush/Cheney ’04” and “recruit 5 more people in your church to volunteer for the Bush Cheney campaign.”

Well, let’s see. On a typical Sunday, we have about 40 bottoms in the chairs that pass for pews at Holy Moly. Of that number, many are seniors. Of THAT number, an unknown number are Repugnicans. Nobody discusses politics at church much. And I don’t know how the one family with a son in Iraq feels about the election, but can guess. Still, somehow I think the “5 person” recruitment goal is going to be a bust. Might get that and more for Kerry, though. Oh, and 20-30 somethings? Get real. They only show up when their parents make them, except for one college kid that actually likes church. But he’s in school, so not always there, and I don’t know if he’s a voter or not.

By Sept. 17, they are to host at least two campaign-related potluck dinners with church members, and in October they are to “finish calling all Pro-Bush members of your church,” “finish distributing Voter Guides in your church” and place notices on church bulletin boards or in Sunday programs “about all Christian citizens needing to vote.”

Several more Hell. To. Pay. requirements there. Potluck – out, for several reasons, but the main one being that the nice lady that does all the grunt work on potlucks is British and I’m not sure if she’s a US citizen or not. And I have this feeling that she’s not a Bushie. Also, feel pretty certain that a howl of protest would go up if anything Bushie went up on either of the bulletin boards, which are reserved for concert notices, news of other parishes, and non-profits’ newsletters. I don’t think a parish that managages to help support the local food pantry AND the local women’s shelter thrift shop out of its very limited funds is likely to stand for any Bushie propaganda.

To be pro-Bush is to be anti-fairness, anti-freedom, anti-equality, anti-liberty, anti-democracy, anti-tolerance, anti-intellectual and generally antediluvian in outlook.

So I think they’re going to have to take this checklist and stuff it… just like they stuffed the ballot boxes in 2000.

UO Library Thief Sentenced

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A career thief who stole old books from the University of Oregon library and sold them on eBay sought leniency but got none Tuesday in Lane County Circuit Court.

Well, I’ll have to have a chinwag with my old Oregon friend who’s now at the LC about this.

According to the article, he devised an unsophisticated way to bypass the electronic sensors at the entrances. Let’s see… I’d guess that would be sling the book in a UO bookstore drawstring bag and chuck it out the nearest open window in the Reserve Reading Room, first floor northeast. If that’s too public, either the ITC (second floor) or the Douglass Listening Room (third floor) probably still have windows that can be opened, and reasonable privacy.

I’ll have to ask Debbie if one of her friends that’s been at UO library more recently would agree with my theoretical MO for this caper.

I spent a lot of time, in my erstwhile college career, in the Reserve Reading Room. One of the classes I took one term had several selections of required reading that were only available at the RRR. It was a pleasant enough place, with high ceilings and very high, old fashioned sash windows which were often propped open on warmish fall or spring days. It’s in the older part of the building, so it had a certain amount of institutional charm. I spent a lot of time in the Douglass Listening Room one term too, because I had a music appreciation class. It was in the newer wing, but had small windows along one wall and plenty of “cover” where it could be possible to surreptitiously drop something out without being seen at all.

The other thing that was interesting about this book thief thing was that his mother was in on it, and they apparently stole from bookstores as well.

Throw the book at him, I say.

Small Town Utah, Closed Mind Utah

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Herriman Mayor J. Lynn Crane balked at allowing a group opposing a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage to pass out literature from a booth at the city’s founders day party last Saturday. But Crane’s decision may put the 5-year-old city on shaky legal ground

Utahns – if you see a booth for Don’t Amend Alliance in Layton, Tooele, Park City or Torrey at your local 4th of July celebration, step up and say hello.

And by the way, no they’re not recruiting. Sheesh.

Disclaimer: My marriage continues to thrive no matter how many gay people manage to commit matrimony. Congratulations to all who managed to get married in Massachusetts. Let’s see – where’s the next wedding festival going to be?

Homeland Insecurity

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A veteran federal agent assigned to O’Hare International Airport tried to extort $10,000 from an immigrant living illegally in the U.S. by threatening to have him deported, according to charges made public Wednesday.

This makes me feel much safer. Because this is the only Federal employee on the take who’s tasked with guarding our borders, right? Right?