progress (of the wrong sort)

[mellowtigger]

It's not yet time to review my predictions for their accuracy, but informally I think that things are still on track.

Last Saturday morning (Feb 20), two men wore their gay softball team shirts in downtown Austin Texas, and they were beaten by four attackers who yelled antigay slurs while enjoying their righteous offensive.  I wouldn't say there was anything really unusual about such an incident (I mean, that's the "Land Of The Free" America that I've lived in for 42 years) except for a prior incident that gives me pause.

Two days earlier (Feb 18), also in Austin Texas, Joseph Stack flew zheir airplane into the regional IRS building.  That's bad enough, since murder-suicide against government agencies is not being called terrorism.  Zheir daughter condemns the action, but then Samantha goes on to insist that Joseph was still a hero for maintaining zheir opinions about the government.  I happen to agree with many of the things that zhey said in the suicide-note screed, but fanaticism of any sort isn't what I would call heroic.  Some people do... and that's why I think my prediction is still progressing nicely.

In other news, Wired magazine continues their practice of reviewing technological gadgets and gizmos for their computer geek readership.  Their latest review? Bullet proof vests.

Yep, this nation is right on track.  I repeat my statement from five months ago:

"I distrust these people who obviously feel that they no longer hold any (or sufficient) political power.  I disbelieve that they will employ peaceful and lawful means of reasserting their (self-perceived) political power."

Comments

[bluebear2.livejournal.com]

It's time for Texas to be "encouraged" to secede.

[mellowtigger]

If we could all do it peaceably and with efficient communication, I'm actually completely supportive of a new constitutional convention involving all 50 states and our territories!

Some people seem to prefer the ruckus of gunfire and explosions, though. *disappointed sigh*

[dangerdhotrod.livejournal.com]

I think it'd be great for all gays to learn some serious self-defense so when something like this happens the bashers get beat back. Sounds like these guys fought back too, good for them.

[mellowtigger]

*agree* I'm not sure which defense skill would be best for me. I've never even finished any Tai Chi class that I've started... and I've started them many times. :/

[dangerdhotrod.livejournal.com]

I've been doing Krav Maga, it seems to be a very practical self-defense method that doesn't require a ton of training to be effective. I really like it, it makes sense to me. A lot of it is really aggression training, learning to react. It's not really something you'd ever do half-way, it assumes really bad situations and is based on a military combat system invented by an Israeli so it's pretty bad-ass. Lots of kneeing/kicking people in the crotch, strikes to the throat/eyes/knees, going for weak spots, kind of brutal, but I think that's practical. They also do things where they wear you out physically and then train you there so you're reacting more on instinct but still reacting. The instructors are really cool, and it's a very friendly informal environment.

http://www.kravmagampls.com/

I haven't gone since November because I injured myself doing circus acrobatics, but I'm going to start going again next month. Check it out! It's a great workout too, you will be exhausted.

[pangolin.livejournal.com]

Your odd pronoun usage is making it difficult to read your post.

[mellowtigger]

It's much worse reading emails/posts from different intersex people who each use different pronoun standards. I'll be glad when experimentation finally yields a common usage! (So far, my limited usage of Z pronouns is much more to my liking than other standards.)

Still less confusing (to me) than reading text from people who confuse they're/their/there and other frequent grammar or spelling mistakes. I thought that language would cease to evolve with the introduction of network communications. Instead, language experimentation (intentional or accidental) is propagated at the speed of electrons! My mistake. Language still evolves.

[pangolin.livejournal.com]

Evolution is a universal constant.