Hypocrites, Hypocrites Everywhere

While channel surfing the other day, I chanced upon the TLC reality show of former Alaskan Governor, former US Vice Presidential Candidate (2008) and currently a 2012 possible contender to replace Obama, Sarah Palin, entitled "Sarah Palin's Alaska".

The show depicts her "normal day", as well as a mini-travelouge for the state, though it wasn't quite clear what exactly it was she does in an official capacity. In the particular episode I saw, she went white water rafting, signed the chainsaw of a lumberjack, and "fake argued" with her daughter who wanted a car for her 16th birthday.

One thing that struck me was when she talked about her daughter Bristol, the one who got pregnant, she  mentioned that she wanted to take her away from the spotlight, as Bristol had received negative comments in general from the press and public.

So, of course, Sarah does the most logical thing: star in a reality show, and have her daughter Bristol appear in it as well.

HELLO. Is there no one else seeing the problem with this picture?

But then, how could we not see this coming? During the 2008 US presidential debates (when she got introduced for the first time to the national and international stage as McCain's running mate), she fervently espoused the efficiency of abstinence as a birth control method - and mere moments (in politics) later, her underage unwed daughter showed up with a baby bump, with an annnouncement that she would marry the father's child.

I guess when she batted for abstinence, she failed to check her own backyard.

Why is it so much fun to see the conservatives go down? And why do they enjoy the taste of feet so much?

She is but one in a long line of hypocrites who act so sanctimonious and so better-than-all-of-us, yet are guilty or party to an act that conservatives have long called "immoral".

Locally, how can we forget Bishop Teodoro Bacani?

When he appeared in the GMA "Grand Debate" earlier this year, proclaiming his sadness that in the RH Bill debates, the dimension of morality has been discarded, all everyone can think about was the news item that starred him, in 2003.

"Bacani faces sexual harassment charge." (See http://www.newsbreak.ph/tag/bishop-teodoro-bacani-sexual-harassment-complaint/)

It wasn't enough that he laughed maniacally at his opponents in the debate, at every chance he could muster. It didn't matter that his arguments were nothing short of stupendous - stupendously out of touch with reality. He deigned to lecture everyone on the pitfalls of moral bankruptcy - that's rich. I'm not a saint, I know that, I never claimed to be one. But at least I've never been accused of ever forcing anyone in a sexually compromising manner. If the self-proclaimed "guardians of morality" cannot seem to refrain from their own amorous advances, on what laughable grounds can they now impose "holding off sex" as something doable for those they wish to consign to a life of celibacy as well?

We should also mention the former U.S. Senator Larry Craig.

A staunch opponent of everything "gay-friendly", the senator was caught in a now infamous bathroom scene in 2007 in Minneapolis, soliciting sex from a male police officer, making him such a go-to joke for the late night talk show circuit. He still vehemently denies that he is gay or has done anything "gay" in his life, decides to resign from the Senate because of the backlash his arrest could have on his political career, then withdraws that resignation, and continues finishing his term.

Right. Okay, we believe you. We also believe that child molestation is a consensual act.

And let's not forget on this list, Shirley Phelps Roper. The spokesperson of the Westboro Baptist Church, her church, headed by her father, Fred Phelps, espouses the belief that every word in the Bible must be followed to the end, and any and all "ills" in the world can be traced to ayone loving or supporting a homosexual.

(Picture above shows them picketing the funeral of Heath Ledger, who they say was "killed by God" for "potraying homosexuals in a positive light".)

Some time ago, they agreed to have their daily lives filmed by a British interviewer (BBC's Louis Theroux). He filmed them "ala reality show", a camera following them around as they proceeded to sing in church, or making picket signs, etc. Theroux was able to ascertain that Shirley herself had a child out of wedlock, and when he commented that it was rather hypocritical that she wished to impose her religious views on the world, when she herself could not "follow to the letter" what it was she was preaching, she then invoked the "I have made my peace with my God" line.

Since they have continued preaching their gospel, I thought it would be enlightening to see what fruits their sermons have borne. (Please note that the WBC's members are primarily the (extended) family only, with only a very few who can be considered "outsiders".)

Doesn't this give you a gooey, warm, fuzzy feeling inside? (Video clip above courtesy of youtube.com, uploaded by OnKneesForJesus. Again, my question was both rhetorical and sarcastic - it surprises me how many people are irony-challenged.)

I don't know about you, but if this is a sampling of what valuable lessons we can learn from the so-called "paragons of morality", then I'd rather not take anything these "leaders" say with any weight nor value.

How unfortunate then that many people still do not see them for who they truly are: Hypocrites.

Someone has commented that I seem to take a hard line on hypocrites - something I can't really deny - but then that person made the mistake of adding "well, maybe you should consider that you're not also perfect". Excuse me. I never claimed to be perfect, nor an angel, nor any other virtuous label that ever existed. The problem is that these people above did. And my next problem is that they are seen as some authority on what to consider as right and wrong. In the end, we all have to make our own moral decisions, but I certainly will not be getting help from these four - and countless others like them - in making them.

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday.

The Prom That Never Was

Do you remember your prom?

 I don't. That's because I never had one. Not that I was sick or injured, but because our school didn't have one. Instead we had the "JS Fellowship" (JS=Junior/Senior) Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I went to a conservative Christian co-ed school, so this was their "version" of the prom, a way for them to say "Look, we gave you SOMETHING like a prom, so stop calling us dinosaurs, OK?"

Everyone dressed to the hilt? Check. Dinner and a theme? Check. Co-ed pairings? Nuh-uh.

As I recall from our "memo", boys and girls should maintain "some distance" to avoid "'suspicious behavior". Tables were arranged in big groups (around 10 people to a table) to further discourage "secret couplings" from doing whatever it is couples at that age were expected to be doing. The event started with a Kumbaya type song, standing at our tables with hands joined...you get the picture. Somehow I think from this point, it really veered sharply away from what everyone expected a "prom" to be. The only part that I think was universally accepted was the passing of the key from the senior class to the junior class. The night got lost in a mix of Bible quotations, some adminstrators' speeches, and the long queue for the food. Getting intoxicated without alcohol - how sad does that sound?

Dance? What dance? That would violate the "no couples" rule.

I wonder now, though: If we had a chance to actually re-do the prom, and we got to choose a person to bring for a date, who would each and everyone bring?

No, I'm not drunk while writing this. High school can be a terrifying time, and particularly brutal and lethal for a few. When I hear now of kids going berserk in schools, gunning down their classmates and teachers, or of teachers who got just a little too close to their students, I reflect back on that time in my life where the word "innocent" actually meant not knowing certain things and how the world works.

It is an innocence that we can no longer reclaim. Nor can we afford at this time. The world has changed so much in so short a time that I wonder for my classmates who have children now what a frightening prospect it must be when parents don't always know all the answers anymore. I fear for the new world we are now entering, where the possibilities are so myriad, things that were once the stuff of fiction are already becoming obsolete.

Yes, it is an uncertain time. But I keep my hope up that our shared humanity - in this time of great social upheaval - will see us through. Whatever creed, belief, morality or religion we cling to, I am hopeful that we will remain respectful of each other. It is the one thing I am counting on humanity to uphold as a species - that despte the differences, we will not only co-exist, but thrive.

After all, we shouldn't deny anyone their night at the prom. No matter the version.