Corapi Responds, Denies

I had heard that John Corapi was going to respond to his community’s verdict of guilt today. I was hoping that this would be some sort of repentance, but I feared it would be another rant.

Instead, he has offered a lawyerly denial, restrained in comparison to his recent weirdness. He denies what he addresses, and ignores the rest.

It is difficult to see, as litigious as the BS Dog has proven to be, how the Society would make these charges without being able to back them up in court.

And speaking of the Society, while they are distancing themselves from Corapi, it is hard to see how they are blameless. They accuse him of violating his promise of poverty, but it is obvious that they have known about this for years. It is hard not to conclude that they struck a deal; they have acknowledged that Corapi has sent the community money over the years. As their most prominent member- can you name another member of the SOLT?- he was good for PR, and profitable to boot. So what if his lifestyle was contrary to his religious profession? In fact, the only reason a member of a cenobitic community should withdraw from that community is to embrace the eremetical life. And if the allegation that he cohabited for years with a woman is true, how could rumors of that not have made their way back to his superior?

One may hope that after all this is settled that there is an investigation into SOLT, and their negligence in this matter.

Anyway, if you want to read the latest statement from Mr Corapi:http://theblacksheepdog.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/my-response-regarding-tuesdays-press-release-from-solt/

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We’re Number One

In drug use, obesity, incarceration, divorce, murder….

Is the United States “number one”? Many Americans take deep pride in their nation and the truth is that the U.S. has a lot going for it. The United States has the largest economy in the world. The United States also has the most powerful military on the entire planet. The United States has produced most of the greatest movies that the world has ever seen. But the United States is also number one in a lot of categories that are not go great. If we ever want to turn this country around, we need to be very honest with ourselves. We need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and realize that it is not a good thing that we are number one in divorce, drug addiction, debt, obesity, car thefts, murders and total crimes. We have become a slothful, greedy, decadent nation that is exhibiting signs of advanced decay. Until we understand just how bad our problems really are, we won’t be able to come up with the solutions that we need.

From Lew Rockwell, with a hat tip to Serge, from A Conservative Blog for Peace:

http://lewrockwell.com/rep2/us-number-1-not-so-good-categories.html

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Creating the Bogeyman

How many times in recent years have we read of terror plots by Islamic militants, which upon further scrutiny look more like entrapment; of federal agents finding a bunch of young and impressionable men, urging them to violence, helping them to draft the plans for an attack, securing weapons, then busting them?

“Islamic terror”, instigated by the government, and funded with your tax dollars:

Government agents preyed upon the “defendants’ vulnerabilities – youth and poverty,” in its methods. The government appears to have also taken full advantage of the lack of sophistication and street smarts of many of those lured into participating in the “concocted plots.”

Read the whole story:http://www.alternet.org/rights/151490/islamic_scare_paid_for_with_our_tax_dollars%3A_homegrown_muslim_terrorist_threats_practically_invented_by_govt._informants/?page=1

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Melancholy Man

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A Broader Peace Movement?

A new antiwar movement that can really challenge U.S. militarism is being born. Today, people from across the political spectrum join together opposing U.S. war and empire. They cite a combination of events that present a “historic opportunity to redirect U.S. foreign policy down the pathways of peace, liberty, justice, respect for community, obedience to the rule of law, and fiscal responsibility.”

“Dear Mr Obama”; On the Come Home America letter: http://original.antiwar.com/kevin-zeese/2011/07/05/is-a-broader-peace-movement-finally-here/

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