In today's news...
...The Ethiopian government is stupid. Why do people think regicide works? Russia should've been enough of an example, but apparently not, 'cause the last Emperor of Ethiopia was murdered in the 1970s and the country's struggled ever since. The latest is the sentencing of the leaders of the opposition (including several MPs and the new Mayor of Addis Abeba) and of several editors of newspapers that don't repeat the government's proclamations concerning political issues. Several got life in prison and a lot more got prison terms ranging from just under to just over 10 years. People say that Putin is heavy handed, but I don't see how - shooting in the streets of the capital and other major cities? Failure to bring about significant economic and structural changes? Heavy-handed suppression of individual political parties? Discord with the local Church? If only Putin had an Ethiopian twin...
Moving on, I worked about 9 hours today in the Bookstore and at Meijer. They gave me some runner stuff to do at Meijer and that was quite nice - it was a good change for my back after standing all day in the Bookstore.
While at the Bookstore I listened to Focus on the Family's daily broadcast on the University's radio station. Their broadcast was on the hate crimes legislation currently being reviewed by the Senate and I had somewhat mixed feelings about their coverage of it. On the one hand I do agree that there shouldn't be a two-tier justice system - after all, isn't all violent crime is hate crime? On the other hand, I was NOT impressed by the example they cited to show what they think will happen if this legislation becomes law. They referenced anti-gay, 'repent now sinners' demonstrators in Philadelphia 'trying to share the Gospel' during some sort of gay pride street parade. I just don't see how that sort of thing is constructive, loving, or at all helpful to anyone. If you want to share the Gospel get to know someone, come to understand them and their hurts and struggles, love them through your relationship with them, and in the appropriate time and place try to bring them to a change of heart and life. Don't frickin' march in the streets - that's just one step away from the despicable 'God hates fags' jerks from Kansas. So, I could sympathize with the organisation's reasons for fearing this legislation, but their example of what could go wrong sucked.
Anyway, I'm not due into work till 11am tomorrow, so I'm off to work out a bit and try to get a couple of applications done before bed. Hope you're all well! Please keep John and Charmin, Charmin's family, and especially her recently deceased father in your prayers.
Moving on, I worked about 9 hours today in the Bookstore and at Meijer. They gave me some runner stuff to do at Meijer and that was quite nice - it was a good change for my back after standing all day in the Bookstore.
While at the Bookstore I listened to Focus on the Family's daily broadcast on the University's radio station. Their broadcast was on the hate crimes legislation currently being reviewed by the Senate and I had somewhat mixed feelings about their coverage of it. On the one hand I do agree that there shouldn't be a two-tier justice system - after all, isn't all violent crime is hate crime? On the other hand, I was NOT impressed by the example they cited to show what they think will happen if this legislation becomes law. They referenced anti-gay, 'repent now sinners' demonstrators in Philadelphia 'trying to share the Gospel' during some sort of gay pride street parade. I just don't see how that sort of thing is constructive, loving, or at all helpful to anyone. If you want to share the Gospel get to know someone, come to understand them and their hurts and struggles, love them through your relationship with them, and in the appropriate time and place try to bring them to a change of heart and life. Don't frickin' march in the streets - that's just one step away from the despicable 'God hates fags' jerks from Kansas. So, I could sympathize with the organisation's reasons for fearing this legislation, but their example of what could go wrong sucked.
Anyway, I'm not due into work till 11am tomorrow, so I'm off to work out a bit and try to get a couple of applications done before bed. Hope you're all well! Please keep John and Charmin, Charmin's family, and especially her recently deceased father in your prayers.