Catholic Calendar: Friday, Sept. 30, 2011

Today is Friday, September 30th, 2011, the Solemnity of St. Jerome, one of the patrons of this blog, in both the new and traditional calendars.

Daily readings in the Ordinary Form: Bar 1:15-22; Ps 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9; Luke 10:13-16

Daily readings in the Extraordinary Form: 2 Tim 4:1-8, Matt 5:13-19

Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Slutwalk Comes To Minnesota

Rule 5 Post #1

(This is posted in accordance with Robert Stacy McCain's Rule #5 for successful blogging.)

Stupid feminists (a tautology) routinely protest in various states of undress in order to get more attention than they otherwise could. This is the sort of tasteless, tacky, and frankly sexist tactic that one would think would be beneath a self-respecting feminist (an oxymoron). "Slutwalk" is coming to Minnesota tomorrow:

Waving signs like "My dress is not a ’yes,’" women in various states of dress or undress take to city streets to protest an attitude that holds victims responsible for inviting sexual violence. The march has caused controversy among women’s rights advocates, not only for its intentionally in-your-face name, but also because of a concern that the medium is smothering the message.

Now represented in more than 75 cities worldwide, SlutWalk was launched by a single remark. At a college safety seminar in Toronto last spring, a police officer told young women they would be less likely to be raped if they didn’t dress "like sluts."

Police officers will routinely offer you advice on how to avoid being a crime victim: lock your doors, put your Christmas presents in the trunk, stay out of rough neighborhoods, carry a weapon, don't go alone, get a dog, get an alarm system, get a restraining order... and yes, dress modestly.

We've built a society that has no concept of respect. Not for self, not for others. Take all the offense you want, but the guy who is impressed by "SlutWalk" probably wouldn't have raped you anyway, no matter what you were (or were not) wearing. The guy who rapes won't care about your message of what you should be able to wear (or not wear) without fear.

U.S. Senate Candidate Forum Tomorrow In Plano

The North Texas Tea Party is hosting a candidate forum for candidates seeking to succeed the retiring incumbent, Senator Kay Baily Hutchison.

It's right around the corner from my house in Plano, but I'm not sure if I can break free from the Beauty Girl's birthday festivities to be there:

A Texas US Senatorial Candidate Forum will be held on October 1, 2011 from 2:00 – 4:30 p.m. at Spring Creek Campus Living Legends Conference Center: AA135, Spring Creek Campus 2800 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75074. Doors will open at 1:15 p.m.

Glenn Addison
Andrew Castanuela
Curt Cleaver
Ted Cruz
Elizabeth Ames Jones
Tom Leppert
Lela Pittenger

All registered Candidates have been invited; any Late entry Candidate will be invited

The forum will give voters an opportunity to become better informed about their choices for elected representatives, and candidates an opportunity to express their views to the audience.

The question and answer format will be moderated by Mark Reid, past president of Texas Tea Party Alliance and a panel of select tea party members.

The forum is sponsored by Texas Tea Party Alliance, Co-Sponsored by African American Republican Club of Collin County, Allen Area Patriots, Amigo De Patriots, Articles of Freedom, Collin Young Conservatives, Collin County Conservative Republicans, Frisco Tea Party, Golden Corridor Republican Women, McKinney Tea Party, North Texas Tea Party, Plano Tea Party, Plano Republican Women, and Candidate coordination by New Revolution Now.

Obama's Malaise Moment

He says we've gone soft.

Debating Abortion

I've used this line of reasoning, but with little success. Maybe it's the medium. Maybe it's the people I'm engaging. Maybe it's me.

What do you think of this video?

Recommended

If you're in Austin, TX, of a Friday or Saturday night any of these next four weekends, I can highly recommend the work of The Baron's Men, a local theater troupe whose performing venue is a replica Elizabethan theatre in the round.

I may not make it to this play myself, but I will if I can.

Of Course It's The Republicans' Fault

When the Democrats, with their Senate majority, can't pass President Obama's top priority "jobs bill," we all know who'll get the blame, don't we? But Majority Whip Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) says they just can't round up enough D's to support the President (H/T: Marathon Pundit):

WLS Radio’s Bill Cameron reports his own party has delayed action in the Senate and talked with Senator Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate, about the reason why.

#2 Senate Democrat, Richard Durbin (IL)

"The oil-producing state senators don’t like eliminating or reducing the subsidy for oil companies," Durbin tells WLS Radio, “There are some senators who are up for election who say I’m never gonna vote for a tax increase while I’m up for election, even on the wealthiest people. So, we’re not gonna have 100% Democratic senators. That’s why it needs to be bi-partisan and I hope we can find some Republicans who will join us to make it happen.”

But so far, Durbin concedes Democrats don’t have the votes in the senate to pass it, “Not at the moment, I don’t think we do but, uh, we can work on it.”

President Obama will be here in the DFW area next Tuesday campaigning for his bill. I won't be be able to make it, I have to work. But I hope he doesn't try that "If you love me, help me pass it," line in Texas.

Follow Jesus

And not just on Twitter!

Re-Boot: So Many Changes

Well, I see it's been over two months since I hit the "new post" button here, but it hasn't been for lack of material nor lack of desire. It's just that so much as been going on!

As was already reported, I've moved my family from Illinois to Texas following the taking up of my new job in Carrollton, TX, just north of Dallas. The job continues to go well, but it's always been my practice not to blog about my job, and I intend to continue that practice.

We moved into a lovely rental house in Plano (east of Carrollton) at the beginning of August, and have been settling in nicely. With its fenced back yard with a playhouse up on stilts, and its fourth bedroom, the kids have adjusted well to it, as an improvement over the townhome we left in Illinois.

(l to r:  John Paul, Michael, baby James, Robby, and Mary)

Then, the Extraordinary Wife gave birth to our fifth child on Sept. 20th. Her parents came in the prior weekend to help out with everything, and they'll be here until Sunday, long enough to celebrate the Beauty Girl's 8th birthday on Saturday.

One of the biggest changes has been putting the kids into public school. That's right, with all that's going on, we've given up homeschooling, at least for now. I still have every good thing to say about homeschooling, but it just wasn't right for our present situation. We're just around the corner from a very nice elementary school, and the Plano school district has an outstanding reputation. The kids are loving it.

We attended mass for a few weeks in Irving at Mater Dei parish, run by priests of the FSSP, but have decided to make St. Mark the Evangelist, in Plano, our parish home. It is a huge parish of over 8400 families (over 30,000 parishioners), but it's much closer, and at that size, quite literally has something for everyone.

I haven't yet made direct contact with local political organizations, beyond subscribing to a few email lists, but I'm sure I'll be making my presence felt soon. There are a number of other changes to blog about as well, and I'll be resuming my commentary on all things political and cultural.

I hope you'll stay tuned.