A controversial view?

I know that my view on the Park51 Mosque in NYC is very unpopular, but it shouldn't be. I believe in the Constitution, and I believe that "freedom of religion" means freedom of religion for ALL, not just those religions you approve of. We cannot accuse all Muslims of being members of Al-Queda (an evil and radical group), just as we cannot accuse all whites of being members of the KKK (an evil and radical group). Yet some of us persist in doing so. Why? In my view, that is painting Americans, in the rest of the world's eyes, as being intolerant. That is unacceptable. Our nation is built on diversity and tolerance, that is why it was written into the Constitution in the first place.

One of the most well thought-out opinions I have read yet on this topic was written by Mark Green at The Huffington Post, and you can read it here. He says it much better than I ever could.

Americans have worked too hard and too long to make this a country that believes in civil rights for everyone. Please, let's not take a step backwards.

Cat

ID theft warning

It really makes me feel sad how a few bad people can take something that's meant to be fun and turn it into someting that can help perpetuate a crime.

I recently started filling out my family tree on Ancestry.com (a legitimate site), thinking it would be fun to see how far I could go back, or that maybe sometime in the future other members of my family could use it to look up their family history.

Then tonight I was watching a Dateline show about identity thieves. They said that after someone steals your credit card number, they sometimes go to the Ancestry site and see if you are listed on it. Then they look up your mother's maiden name so that they can answer the ID questions from your credit card company. Not that anybody would want to steal my crappy credit history, but I immediately went to Ancestry and took that piece of information off my family tree, just in case.

I had never even thought about that. Just another reminder, I guess, in this "information age" to be very careful about what information you are putting out there about yourself.

Stupid criminals. They ruin things for everybody.

Cat

Kitchen anger

I was in one of those moods today where I was depressed and angry (at I don't know what, or everything, or nothing). I happened to be in the kitchen at the time, and I got to a point where I just sunk to the floor and sobbed. Well, by the time I had enough of a handle on myself to look around, I realized that there was a LOT of built-up dirt/grease in my kitchen that a cat may see on a regular basis, but I sure don't see it when I'm standing around in there.

In my despair, I grabbed a rag from under the sink and started attacking one of the more offending spots. Although I was still angry and sobbing, one thing led to another and before I knew it, I was 'attacking' parts of my kitchen that hadn't been seen by a rag in a long, long time. It was some kind of a weird release. I felt like I was hurting something, but I could see the dirt just dissapearing as I worked, almost as if I were washing my anger and sadness away.

I can't say that I felt "better" in any real sense of the word, but by the time I couldn't find anything else to attack in the immediate area, I was spent and tired. I didn't have enough energy left to feel like hurting myself or anyone else. I just went upstairs and laid down, albeit still feeling sorry for myself, but I eventually did fall asleep.

I know that I haven't found some miracle cure for depression, but at least I have found a safer outlet for the ways that I feel sometimes. It's certainly better than some of the other crazy thoughts that I could have come up with. Maybe I'll try it again sometime when I'm feeling like crap. One little bit at a time, depending on my moods, and my house just may become the cleanest house in America. Now THAT would be a miracle.

Cat

My political views?

I don't normally take online quizzes, but this one at www.okcupid.com/politics had me curious. I didn't have to sign up for the site or even give them any information such as my name or email address to take it. According to the (very short) quiz, I am a:

Social Liberal (63% permissive)
Economic Liberal (28% permissive)
Democrat
"You exhibit a very well-developed sense of Right and Wrong and believe in economic fairness"

Hmmmmmm...

Cat

I've been putting off writing this post, because every time I start it I just can't finish. But I just wanted any of you who still might read this blog to know that I lost my best friend, my mom, on July 26, 2010 at 2:10 pm.

She had been ill and in the hospital for almost two months, in hospice for the last two weeks. Hospice was kind, and they did not let her suffer. She made her own decision to go to hospice rather than continue suffering. She was a brave woman.

My heart still breaks every time I think about it, and the shock comes again. It is even very hard to write this post.

I love you mom. I will always remember the good times we had together and the way you taught me to live my life. Rest in peace.

Cat