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In 2013, activist Chaz Stevens took offense to a nativity crèche that had been placed in the rotunda of the Florida Capitol building. Stevens marched himself down to city hall and applied to the state to put up a Festivus Pole to celebrate his beliefs. The Festivus Pole is the aluminum pole that is at the center of the secular Festivus holiday invented by George Costanza's dad on Seinfeld. Being designated a public forum, the state had no choice but to acquiesce.
Stevens is the Executive Director for The Humanity Fund, an “advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and promoting freedom of speech and religion, especially the separation of Church and State.” Now in its third year, the Festivus Pole is getting an update. This year’s 6’ foot-6” pole has been built of rainbow-hued beer cans and topped with a disco ball. Stevens explains the reason for the change.
In December of 2013, I felt that the religious symbols prominently showcased in the Florida State Capitol were implying that certain viewpoints had state endorsement. To protest this violation of our rights, I decided to force Florida to allow me to erect a Festivus Pole, a symbol from the [fictitious] holiday created within the scripts of the Seinfeld show, with the same prominence given to the manger and menorah. The protest was an international sensation during the holiday season that was nationally recognized on The Colbert Report, Daily Show, Fox News, and hundreds of media outlets.
We saw similar injustice play out after the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage a constitutional right, subsequently various public officials, political pundits, and presidential hopefuls across this country are actively seeking to thwart those inalienable rights.
We could not stand by while religious fanatics denied people their basic human rights and dignity, and watch in wonder as Kim Davis, and her followers, flaunt the law of the land.
The Humanity Fund has decided to take our advocacy a step further by placing Festivus Poles across the country, so the world can collectively and jubilantly protest this harassment, while making the world a better place.
Let the airing of the bitter fundamentalist Christian grievances begin.
And now, on to TOPS!
Top Comments
From Contenius:
Tony Situ's comment from sholmberg's diary is a careful, critical response to claims that HRC is in Wall Street's pocket.
Just go to OpenSecrets, and you can see exactly where her $77M war chest came from:
HRC for this cycle so far:
- Total: $77M
- Small individual contributions: 17%
- Large individual contributions: 81%
- PAC contributions: 1%
HRC’s contributions from Wall Street employees and Wall Street corporate PACs: Looking at her top 20 donors and adding up the Wall Street totals, it looks like around ~$330K, which would be less than 0.5% of her war chest. Of course, that just counts Wall Street firms that are in her top 20 donors, but it does include 3 of the 7 Wall Street firms for which candidates must be damned for accepting donations from their employees (according to HRC bashers): Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America. The other four being Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Suisse Corps, none of which are in HRC's top 20 for this cycle. So let's be generous to the HRC haters and just double that ~$330K amount to account for the big Wall Street firms that aren't in HRC’s top 20. That brings us to ~$660K, which is less than 1% of HRC's war chest.
From Geenius at Wrok:
Sometimes the best comments come late. For example, this gem of wit by G2geek.
Yes, I’ve run across that phrase “premature anti-fascism” before.
Makes me think “premature anti-housefire” or “premature anti-measles.”
From Steven Payne:
I’m submitting this comment by cfk found in Padresteve’s thoughtful diary The Historic Christian War on Christmas for it’s warmth and true spirit.
May small things be noticed to bring joy; and may we give love and a smile that costs nothing, however we believe, even if we don’t celebrate the season. May everyone make at least one good memory as we wait for the solstice and the light returning. Hope and caring are always in season.
Best wishes to all here and
{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}
Top Mojo courtesy of mik
Our apologies. The Picture Quilt had the borks tonight.
