Want to know why I don't like Tom Delay? It's not because of the ethics committee violations (he ain't the only one, and that applies to both sides of the aisle), or the fact that he dragged my alma mater's name through the dirt a couple of years ago at First Baptist Pearland. No, the reason he upsets me is this map. It was not right for a national figure to interfere with the state legislature to force through unnecessary and unfair redistricting. There is no reason I should have liveed in a Congressional district last year with people who are 200 miles away in Houston! And there's no reason Austin shouldn't have a Democrat representing the whole city. Austin is largely Democratic, and we deserve to have our interests represented in Congress.There's a very interesting piece on marketing, Christianity, and power in the Times today. As one of two participants in the ongoing, mailing-products-with-inappropriate-uses-of-Jesus-around-the-world battle (now in its seventh year), I've seen my fair share of things that are way more upsetting than anything that could happen as a result of Starbucks quoting Rick Warren. (Why they chose Warren to represent Christianity is another question entirely. He's good at marketing, no question. The guy has the "pastors.com" domain name.) Melissa and I started sending each other these things because they were just so wrong - the glow-in-the-dark crucifix, the dashboard Jesus, and the pope-soap-on-a-rope are funny, but they're also attempts to commercialize my deeply held faith, and I find that deeply offensive. Then again, I love my new Last Supper luggage (thanks, Jane!), so maybe there's something to be said for it all. Ri-ight.
Other random news:
- in Namibia? Who'd've thunk? (Washington Post)
- Indictments in the Plame Affair (also related to Africa), if there are any, will come in this week. (The Note)
- A terrible plane crash in Nigeria killed all 117 passengers aboard. The first lady of Nigeria also died this weekend after having surgery in Spain. And this story somehow covers both events.
- The Statesman runs a stupid headline on Prop 2.
- Early voting on nine proposed constitutional amendments begins in Texas today.
- Col. Theoneste Bagosora, who is accused of orchestrating the 1994 Rwanda genocide, began testifying in his trial in Arusha, Tanzania today. Twelve years later.
- If you take this seriously, Baylor won't have a new president before the year is out. That's what you get when you let the fight continue two years past the point when it was clear that the last administration was going to tear the place apart. It's harder and harder to heal a wound the longer you let it fester.
- A doe just ran by my window. The clouds are breaking up and it's going to be another gorgeous day. Guy Clark is on the stereo. The last thing I feel like doing is working on the dissertation.
