Redstate

It continues to astonish me that the influence of the God-haters so completely outweighs the proportion of society that they cam claim to represent. When a country can confuse so completely freedom of religion and freedom from religion, in despite of the professed attiudes of a vast majority, it must ask if it can tolerate an acid minority that instrusts the majority to hate itself. If Christians pulled the weight per person that the atheists and PC crowd do, there would be no recognising America. Where do those dolts come from? I suggest as their national anthem ---

I --- come from nowhere

And you should go there

For a while.

(Frank Zappa, 'Coneheads').

is your life being absorbed by RedState. :-)

I don't know anywhere else my thoughts are appreciated, so it makes sense to appreciate those who appreciate me, in turn :)

Trouble is most of the time I have no idea what people are talking about, due to the large puddle that separates us. I just hope that my latest witterings about the British Welfare State have some point of similarity with your arrangements.

If you're a member of the religious right, and you're looking for like-minded folks, you'll pretty much have to hang out with us Yanks. :-)

Now, I've been led to understand that the Irish prohibit abortion. To what extent is this true, and what are the rest of their politics like (and can you answer this question objectively)?

Dominated by the Catholic church, with a slight wriggling away. I think that abortion is out, with possibly the usual exceptions, and that the main matter of concern is that young Irish women can export their abortions by going elsewhere.

The rest of their politics can be filed under irrelevant, because even we never hear anything about them, other than the matters relating to the IRA. Oh, and some paedophile priests.

Northern Irish politics are entirely another matter. Most English people utterly despair of any sense from the mutually hostile parties, whose flags should really be the hammer-and-tongs, in each case. I console myself by remembering that 'Rev Ian Paisley' is an anagram of 'Vile IRA Pansy', as pointed out by the late Dave Allen over thirty years ago. Nothing has moved on from then very much, except everyone has realised that fighting each other will never result in a victory for anyone. The Catholics have realised, at a senior level, that it will best pay them to breed like rabbits rather than bomb people. That way in maybe twenty years they will be able to win a referendum on leaving the United Kingdom.

Two problems arise from that; will Eire have them, and will anyone take the Ulster Protestants, who all live in the district of High Dudgeon?

That I am an atheist.  And also left-leaning (with a strong libertarian streak).  And I have no problem with stamps of a religious nature.  Nor with Christmas trees.  Nor with nativity scenes on public property.  Nor with "In God We Trust" on money.  Nor with moments of silence in public schools or students carrying the bible or meeting after school hours for bible study on school property.

I would draw the line on teacher led prayer in schools.  I'm a bit uncomfortable with 10 commandments monuments in courthouses.  And also with "under God" in the pledge (although not militantly so and my discomfort stems more from pledges as a whole than it does with the "under God" line).

Just thought I would let you know that not all of us "godless heathens" are jerks. :-)

or the G-d of the Protestants that you don't believe in. (Just a joke and a tie into Ireland).

I am right leaning, and Jewish and I believe society should celebrate the majority holidays and not pay a mind to the minorities or any whining or complaining about offenses received when in fact none are meant.  

What ever the countries pledge, whether believed fully or not at all, it should be respected.  (In a foreign country I stand as their national anthem is being played.)  It does no harm to me to bow my head as Christians lead prayers.  Likewise the halabaloo over nativity scenes and crosses is such a waste of time and money that one hopes the supreme court will set the record straight on the establishment clause and let the post office sell whatever stamps the public will buy.

You have just said what I would have liked, only more eloquently and with a cool accent.

When I visited America recently, I impishly considered bringing a bowler hat, an umbrella, and asking innocent questions of a deliberately absurd nature. I think the umbrella would have been quite useful, but apart from that, yours is the only country left on earth where being British can be considered cool. However here in Britain I'm basically alone in my opinions.

"What would the holidays be without cookies?" asks Mr. Post Office.

And what would the holidays be without the Madonnna and Child?  

For starters.

think it neccessary to no longer do religious stamps.

It isn't like you don't already have to request the holiday stamps as it is.

Since I was raised Catholic, I guess it would be the Catholic one. :-)

I am currently living in another country (Norway) with my Norwegian wife and two kids.  I always stand when they play the national anthem.  I always bow my head when others pray as well (for instance at a friends house for a before meal prayer).  

It is just common curtesy and respect for other people, something I think many people everywhere have seemed to have misplaced.

Some of these problems would be cleared up if there was better general understanding of American History. You would be surprised how many people are shocked to hear that the words "separation of church and state" are not in the US Constitution. Try it some time. It is especially fun if you do it with a computer nearby. To watch the gullible search those ~7 000 words again and again, unable to find their favorite phrase is delightful.

I called my local Post Office today.

Me: "I heard a rumor that the Madonna and Child stamp is being discontinued.  Is that true?"

PO: "I don't know, let me check."

<Long pause>

PO: "No, nobody here has heard anything about the stamp being cancelled."

When I was at the post office yesterday, it had a poster advertising the Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and EID stamps.

Indeed, even the USPS press release says

Five additional stamps from the Holiday Celebration series are currently available nationwide as well: Kwanzaa, the celebration of family, community and culture; Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights; EID, the Muslim Holiday; Madonna and Child, the Christmas stamp; as well as last year's Holiday Ornaments.

You can buy the Christmas stamp at the post office website.

Perhaps the postal employee was confused because the Royal Mail has decided not to reissue a Christmas stamp showing Hindus worshipping Jesus.

There was an effort by PC conservatives to stop the Post Office from issuing religious stamps that they disliked, but they seem to have been unsuccessful.

It is possible that there are secret plans to cancel the stamp in the future, but nothing has been announced.

So if I make up a holiday, I can expect to see stamps commemorating it annually in about 20 years?

Not necessarily. I declared my birthday "Nick Danger Day" at least that long ago, but nothing happened. Every year I go into the stores hoping to see long aisles of Nick Danger merchandise, but not even the Chinese seem interested in making any. I tried to get the mint to make me a memorial coin, but they blew me off. Maybe stamps are easier to get.

I'm still hoping for Festivus stamps at least.

The larger question is: who is still sending things by USPS anyway?

It goes to show you the business model in place here. Fewer people are using USPS because it's slow and unreliable; USPS responds by raising prices for postage.

This issue may more deeply affect collectors than anybody who actually wants to send something in the mail.

We Yanks are total suckers for English accents, manners and customs.

Of course, I have friends in London who are of the opinion that Yorkshiremen are not to be accorded the consideration of membership in the human race, but that won't prevent you getting a warm welcome here. (When I asked about Irishmen, I didn't get an intelligible reply- it was more like a snort.)

I'm assuming that Sheffield is where you are from, not your surname, and I hope it's clear that I'm attempting to be humorous :-)

"'Rev Ian Paisley' is an anagram of 'Vile IRA Pansy'"

This is amusing because Paisley is actually a Protestant and a Unionist, right?  

prager as well

farber link only at this time

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/12/18/145204.shtml

because this move, by the USPS struck me as completely insane.  I was able to find stamps dedicated to Mary and Jesus.  I was unable to find any evidence that religious stamps have been repealed.  You can find them here:

http://shop.usps.com/cgi-bin/vsbv/postal_store_non_ssl/display_products/pro
ductCategory.jsp?prodCat=/Stamps+by+Subject/Holiday

Perhaps this diary should be deleted or updated in the name of truth and honesty.