35 Comments
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Maltnothops's avatar

OT right out of the box: A high performing Islamic K-12 school in Alabama has Republicans freaking out. Free link from the NYT.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/us/politics/muslims-alabama-islamic-school-republicans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.TlA.K60I.guCEjSHSXOJW&smid=url-share

Joe King's avatar

Aren't these the same NSGOP snowflakes who want to force Christian schools to be the default? Do I even need an answer?

Troublesh00ter's avatar

Once again, sauce for the goose isn't a horse of a different color. Christian schools are JUST FINE, thankuverymuch, but an Islamic school? EEEEK! No! Shun it! Stop it! BURN IT WITH FIRE!!!

How I wish these idiots could understand the raw irony they project.

Linda's avatar

So true. The Islamophobia uptick is a desperate attempt to bring back together a splintered base and overlook an extremely unpopular administration. It’s not going to work!

Claudia's avatar

Thank you for posting this article! I am just reading it and this jumped out at me: "As Representative Chip Roy of Texas said in February, “We’re not going to let Dallas or Houston or any other city in this great country become what has happened to London and to Paris.” "

I'd lay a bet of my last shirt and your nicest tie that this bloke has not been to London or Paris, certainly not recently and maybe not ever! What a twat! And the likes of Mr Tuberville or that Florida twat Mr Fines (who calls himself 'Randy'??), can we get all of them voted out? Please?

Tinker's avatar

The irony in that article is thick.

Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuzz's avatar

Uh, oh. Are there any Tomahawks nearby?

Claudia's avatar

(I'll go and read the article in a moment) It seems that this is (another!) case of 'a mile for mee, an inch for thee'.

If it weren't so serious it'd be funny to see the pretzeling pretzels people are trying to twist themselves into to avoid the 'sauce for the goose and gravy for the gander' standpoint.

larry parker's avatar

Shariah law bad, christian shariah good.

oraxx's avatar

While I have precious little use for any religion, I classify Mormonism under the heading “Some people will believe anything.”

Troublesh00ter's avatar

“Some people will believe anything.”

Under which heading belong all religions, homeopathy, astrology, tea leaf reading, phrenology, and too many other snake-oil schemes to count.

oraxx's avatar

All religions are frauds other than mine, and I'll kill anyone who says otherwise. /S

Airlane1979's avatar

Sadly, some well-educated people who think they are cleverer than others add 'vaccines' to that list.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

The idiots who would add vaccines to that list have either forgotten or ignored what Salk and Sabin did for this planet over 70 years ago. Frankly, every time I hear someone say, "No" when asked if they or their kids are vaccinated, I cringe.

Talk about nominating oneself for a Darwin Award!

larry parker's avatar

Seer stones are less likely than talking snakes?

NOGODZ20's avatar

A sect of Christianity founded by a man who had a 14-year-old wife.

I'm surprised Trump and so many of his MAGAts don't identify as Mormon.

oraxx's avatar

A convicted con artist who had a 14 year old wife.

Airlane1979's avatar

She was 14 all her life? Truly a miracle.

NOGODZ20's avatar
2hEdited

Helen Mar Kimball, the youngest of Joseph Smith's 30-40 wives. She married Smith in 1843 when she was 14.

Airlane1979's avatar

While, obviously, child marriage is abusive, I've never been convinced that it's a strategy by men attracted to children - which should also be obvious. It's far more, I suspect, about men enjoying control over women.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛; 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛.

-- Paracelsus

Personally, I would just as soon that MacPherson had left his Book of Mormon at home and not even made the suggestion, whether it was tongue-in-cheek or not. As we've note here multiple times, sarcasm (and satire, for that matter) generally don't translate well into the printed word sometimes, and the whole State / Church separation issue is problematic enough these days as it is.

So maybe I'm being a buzzkill. So freaking what?

NOGODZ20's avatar

This stunt aside, how addictive and dangrous is religion? Tragically, we have seen the effects and consequences all too often.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

WE see it every day, with thanks to Hemant. THEY can't see the forest for all them goll-darn TREES ... and I seriously wonder if they could perceive it at all, even if we pointed it out to them.

wreck's avatar

MacPherson's proposal only counts if he was wearing his magic underwear.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

I'd pretty well bet the farm that he was. That kind of mental conditioning doesn't fade easily, if it fades at all. That said, I am so very glad that Brian Keith Dalton did manage to slip its grip, thence to give us the stylings of Mr. Deity!

Eric's avatar

Good press, bad press - it's all press. Clicks are what drive internet media anymore, rather than dissemination of facts. Until we get rid of incentives for media to lure people in, this is only going to get worse.

Kent Smith's avatar

A few legislators in Utah, but only a few, retain a sense of humor and a perspective on serious issues.

Otherwise, it is a desert bereft of common sense, where legislators unquestionably support a thinly disguised theological state, often leaning toward a version of Christian Nationalism, John Birch conservatism, and MAGA conspiracies.

Troublesh00ter's avatar

The way things are going with State / Church separation these days, my sense of humor in that vein borders on nonexistent. As I suggested, MacPherson was better off leaving his holy book out of the discussion, particularly with all the misunderstanding his little stunt caused.

Joe King's avatar

The headlines around this suggest that the theocrats have started gearing up to purge the heretics.

Joe King's avatar

Mr MacPherson is a unicorn. That rate Republican in a Republican state who is actively trying to protect the freedoms of those he disagrees with. Of course, we would have to examine his voting record closely to determine just how much of a unicorn he is, but baby steps.

I even like his tactic -- going over the top with a ridiculous amendment to point out the ridiculousness of the bill's original goal.

Maltnothops's avatar

Between seasonable rain and a string of unseasonably warm days, I’m gonna have to mow the lawn. Middle of March!! Jeez.

larry parker's avatar

Seasonable 1" of snow and 10F. The lawn can wait. : )

Troublesh00ter's avatar

We've been oscillating between highs in the 70s and the 30s for roughly a week now. THIS week we're only going up to the 50s, but this pattern continues to obtain.

Claudia's avatar

Yesterday Mr Velshi did a great monologue on pluralism. It's definitely worth listening to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJbQk-fqwkc

NOGODZ20's avatar

Crash course on Moronism...er, Mormonism

youtu.be/RaRsv1xNT3A

DumbdumbdumbdumbDUUUUMB!