Thursday, March 24, 2005

It's time to let her go

The US Supreme Court has just denied Terri Shiavo's parents request to have her feeding tube reinserted. I couldn't be more happy for Terri and her husband. Her wishes are finally being heard.

The fact that the US Congress can step in and try to direct one American life the way they did last week should scare the hell out of everyone in this country. We are no longer able to direct our own lives, people. Big Brother is a reality.

The fact that not one but two FEDERAL courts did not follow the course Congress took but upheld the LAW should tell us something: Congress doesn't care about constitutional law anymore. We need judges in places of power that are not swayed by politics, but do follow the letter of what the law states. We need this type of Checks & Balances, right now especially, to keep our so-called lawmakers and executive branch in line. If the Bush Administration has its way, this will no longer be a reality.

And, finally, to all you Lifers out there: keep trying to break into the hospice center to bring her bottled water. You'll just drown her, you idiots. Then her death will be on your hands.

Either way, Terri's final wishes will have been granted. See you on the flip side, and keep YOUR personal wishes off MY body.

In other words, you want to be hooked up to a machine that lives for you, be my guest. I'd rather to on to the next one. Thanks, see ya.

Monday, March 14, 2005

"He said he thought I was an angel"

A man on trial for rape overcame the officer watching him, shot and killed the judge presiding over his trial, shot and killed the court reporter, shot and killed a deputy, almost killed the reporter whose car he hijacked, and later killed an immigration officer.

The day before, he was found to have two homemade knives that he smuggled into the court in his shoes.

Now, the question running through the media is how can you have a person on trial for a brutal rape NOT handcuffed and in the presence of one female officer? Especially the day after he smuggled two blades into the court? Hello?? Does anyone in Atlanta have a brain?

It turns out the answer is a resounding yes. I am not a Christian, I don't believe in miracles. I do believe we are directed to certain places for certain reasons at certain times. The trick is to have enough intelligence to recognize it when it happens.

Ashley Smith did just that. If Nicholls had run into anyone else in that city, he and many other people would be dead right now. Somehow, Ashley knew what to do. I don't know how. I couldn't have done what she did, I don't think. What an amazing turn of events.

I do not condone what he did, I do not try to defend his murders, and I sympathize with the families of the slain. However, who could have thought this monster had a human face?

If you haven't, please read the transcript or view the video of her first-person account of what happened while she was a 'hostage.' They currently have it on CNN.

Friday, March 04, 2005

Back to the grindstone

I'm considering going back to school. The thought scares the shit out of me. This is graduate school, for gods sake.

I have been looking for a great program for years and I think I may have finally found one. UNC-Greensboro has a great Master of Arts in Liberal Studies that is fully online. The classes look facinating, and I'm planning on taking a class this summer online to see if I like it, and maybe another in the Fall, for the same reason. You can only take 3 classes from them before you have to enroll in the program. Ugh. I hate making decisions like that.

The thing is I have a BA in Sociology right now, and it's more and more feeling like a "do you want fries with that?" degree. Why whould I want a "do you want fries with that?" Masters as well?

On the other hand, I have a friend who has a BA in something, an MA in Russian, an MA in Anthropology and most of an MA in History, AND she's currently going back for another BA in Psychology. There is nothing saying this is the only MA I can ever get, and it is a good stepping stone off to other things. Many of the jobs I've looked at require a masters, but don't really care what it's in.

If I take 3 graduate credits per semester I'm considered half-time and my undergraduate loans can be defered, which means more money to put towards more important bills with higher interest rates. Matt's loans will be paid off within the year, too. I don't see how this is a bad idea. Except that I might hate it, but I'm gonna give it a whirl anyway.