Libertarianism and white privilege.

     In many political conversations, I often encounter people who say "Live and let live. I'm Libertarian. We don't need government involvement in our day-to-day life." Well, that's fine to think you don't need surveillance and a jack-boot up your ass, but conflating that with having a government is disingenuous and deluding. Let's take a look at a quote from political activist/punk icon Jello Biafra:
     "I am an anarchist in my personal life. I try to live my life in a way that I don't need cops or baby-sitters to keep me from infringing on others. But I don't feel we have evolved far enough as a species to make anarchy work in society itself. We still need government to transfer the wealth from those who have too much to those who have too little, to make sure important projects get done, and keep territorial humans from screwing over and killing each other."
     From an intellectual standpoint, Libertarianism seems antithetical to our evolutionary ancestry. As I've said before, we've evolved from a long line of social pack creatures. Therefore, it is in our nature to look out for the group/tribe with the same importance as we would look out for the self. Nurturing the group allows the group to provide a firm foundation for the individual; a firm foundation allows the individual to grow into their natural role that benefits the group.     Libertarianism is this quaint idea where the rugged individual works hard and achieves nothing less than their natural proclivities. On paper, that's nice. It's cute. But, believing in this requires the infamous idea of white privilege. Only a short-sighted person who doesn't belong to any group that has needed "government interference" to assure their fair shake in America would believe in this type of society. The evidence of this can be seen in the fact that blacks, women, and the LGBT have had to fight tooth-and-nail for property rights, marital rights, and voting rights, whereas white straight males have never really had to; and look who the overwhelming majority of Libertarians are - white straight males.     As a gamer and fan of the series Borderlands, I can't help but think of Libertarianism as the basis for the setting of those games. It takes place on the planet Pandora; it is a world run by a handful of corporations, with a pay-for-play healthcare system, no government, and crazed yahoos running around carrying heavier and heavier weapons.

An apostate's view of Israel

     All too often when discussing Israel with people online, I hear people say that we have to stand with Israel or face God's wrath.
     My main problem with America's manufactured ally in the middle east is that they are an apartheid state that treats Palestinians like second class citizens.
     But additionally, I have a lot of problems with basing a political or world view around subjective religious beliefs.

     I see a sick irony in seeing the "Jewish state of Israel" claiming to be "God's people", using that claim to illegally occupy land, and treating others as second-class citizens by violating their human rights. Maybe they should talk to their elders about what happened a generation or two ago.
     I guess it's like they say: some people who have been abused end up giving in and emulating their abusers.

     I know I'm dipping into geek talk, but when I see a good analogy is due, I will point it out. Besides, good science fiction is just reality wearing a mask. America's aid in the establishment and involvement in the modern state of Israel reminds me of the Star Trek: TNG episode "The Devil's Due."
     In this episode, an alien species called the Ventaxians was experiencing unrest a millennium before. Suddenly, a figure named Ardra appears and creates a contract. The contract states that she would bring them peace for 1000 years, and when she returns heralded by earthquakes, the world would be hers to enslave.
     Cue the Enterprise. They come to the rescue when Ventax was undergoing seismic activity, which led to mass panic and a revival of the story of Ardra. This alien woman appears and causes these seemingly miraculous things to happen- earthquakes on demand and such. The Ventaxians were ready to surrender.
     It turned out that Ardra was just an alien who used the Myth of Ardra, along with advanced technology hidden aboard her cloaked ship.
     "Devil's Due" and the creation of Israel have a central theme in common. Someone artificially creates the conditions of an End Times prophecy to gain political power, because those who believe in the prophecy turn a blind eye and support those who perpetrate the facade.

     While I'm just a deist, no longer a Christian or Muslim, I still have the ability to look at Israel through other religious outlooks. With that in mind, I would have to say that the Abrahamic God would see the modern state of Israel's claim as false prophecy or even blasphemy.
     Muslims are against the modern state of Israel because they believe no one is God's special, chosen people.
     Many Jews are against Israel because, as many would tell you, "Zionism is not Judaism." I've seen them marching in New York, stating that "America is our home."
     Christians who believe in the Israel prophecy should be advised against blindingly following this charade that mocks their beliefs, claiming to stand with Israel because it is what God wants; they should question whether or not the modern state of Israel - a secular democracy - is really the Biblically prophesied Israel - forseen as a theocratic monarchy.