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Monday, July 24th, 2006
2:38 pm	Paganism gaining popularity in prison By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press Writer Sun Jul 23, 2:39 PM ET A pagan religion that some experts say can be interpreted as encouraging violence is gaining popularity among prison inmates, one of whom is scheduled to be executed this week for killing a fellow prisoner at the foot of an altar. Even at this point in the story, I knew what would come next... Read on to see what these experts have come up with... Michael Lenz is scheduled to die Thursday for the death of Brent Parker, who was stabbed dozens of times at Augusta Correctional Center during a gathering of inmates devoted to Asatru, whose followers worship Norse gods. At his trial, Lenz testified that Parker had not been taking the religion seriously and had to die to protect the honor of the gods. Oh boy... Here we go again... Some idiot gets news and we're all blood-thirsty bastards *rolls eyes* Other followers call the religion misunderstood and say most adherent inmates do not use it to further violent agendas. Our religion is no more misunderstood than any other. It doesn't take much research to find out what Asatru is really about... just a little bit of skimming through the scum that rises to the top of the oh-so-perfect media feeding-frenzy. Just take a minute to actually talk to an Asatruar and you might get a clue. Asatru has been gaining popularity among inmates, say religious leaders and prison experts who believe its roots in Viking mythology attract prisoners seeking power, protection and unity. Religious leaders and prison experts... Well isn't that just peachy? Do any of these people have any clue what Asatru is about? Ooh... we know it has roots in Viking mythology... Actually, numbskulls, it has its roots in the mythology of Northern Europe from long before the Viking period. And as far as attracting people "seeking power, protection and unity" - well - let's see... If the power they're searching for has to do with living an honorable life and taking responsibility for their actions, then maybe. If the protection and unity they're looking for has anything to do with the close ties of kinship that grow between men and women who walk this path, then maybe. Asatru as a power trip - which seems to be the way the "experts" are headed... Get a grip. Get a clue. Get your head out of your ass. Whatever it takes. Just find out the facts before you start buying into the bullshit. The gang culture in prison also contributes, said theologian Britt Minshall, a former police officer and Baltimore pastor who ministers to inmates. Some white inmates who felt threatened by black prison gangs formed their own gangs and sought out a belief system they felt would provide additional security, he said. "It's a way of grouping together for safety," he said. "And you have to have a god in the middle of that to really keep you safe." Maybe I'm reading too much into this... maybe I'm too close to the subject... but did he just say that the white prisoners who turn to Asatru are cowards? Um... hello?! Car 54? Get a grip! If they want to form gangs, they'll form gangs. That seems to be an everyday part of prison life. I wonder if Mr. Minshall has done any research on any other ethnic groups. It seems a little one-sided that he can say with such certainty that the whites turn to Asatru so they can have a god to justify their gang mentality... what about the black gangs? What about the hispanic gangs? Asatru is often referred to as Odinism, although some followers believe the two are separate religions. It is a polytheistic, pre-Christian faith native to Scandinavia whose adherents worship gods including Thor and Odin. Po tay to Po tah to By definition, all Odinists are Asatru... although not all Asatru are Odinists. Odin is one of many gods and goddess that are an important part of the Asatru way of life. And a side-bar for the Odinists=racists crowd... Odin's a half-breed. Get over it! It emphasizes a connection with one's ancestors and values honor, loyalty, generosity and truth. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 people in the United States consider themselves Asatruars or Odinists, said Stephen McNallen, director of the Asatru Folk Assembly, a leading Asatru group. Oh no... someone pretended to do their homework. I've met Steve McNallen... I've been in ritual with Steve McNallen... I'd love to know what else he said during the interview that spawned this little sound-bite... You can bet it's more than will ever see print in an article like this... probably more than will ever see print in any mainstream media. Why? Simple, really. The good folk don't sell newspapers. The good folk don't bump TV ratings. No national statistics are kept on how many inmates follow Asatru. But experts say its popularity enjoyed a boost from the Supreme Court, which last year sided with an Asatru inmate by upholding a federal law requiring state prisons to accommodate prisoners' religious affiliations. There are no national statistics on how many people follow Asatru - inside the prison system or out. Why? Because nutbags like the guy at the beginning of this joke of an article have created a social climate that is too hostile for many to cope with. Asatru is often associated with white supremacy, although most Asatru leaders bristle at suggestions of such a relationship. A 1999 FBI report on domestic terrorism described Odinism as a "white supremacist ideology that lends itself to violence." Ah, the dubious Project Megiddo report. We still have the letter my husband recieved from the FBI when this garbage came out... a very nicely worded 'thanks for your input, but our minds are made up.' "What makes Odinists dangerous is the fact that many believe in the necessity of becoming martyrs for their cause," the report said. Martyrs?! HAH!! It's hard to earn a living when you're dead... hard to serve your kin when you're dead... hard to teach your children when you're dead... For anyone claiming to be Asatru that doesn't want to take my word for it... they can take Odin's! It is always better to be alive, The living can keep a cow. Fire, I saw, warming a wealthy man, With a cold corpse at his door. The halt can manage a horse, the handless a flock, The deaf be a doughty fighter, To be blind is better than to burn on a pyre: There is nothing the dead can do. Such comments are typical of those who don't understand Asatru, said Jane Ruck, who runs the National Prison Kindred Alliance and ministers to Asatru inmates. White supremacists make up only a small portion of Asatruars, and most inmates who follow the religion do not use it to push hate-filled, violent agendas, she said. "There might be some white supremacists who consider themselves Asatruars, but they're not (Asatruars) because they're not following our beliefs," Ruck said. "We don't hate anybody; we just want to take pride in our heritage." Thank you, Ms. Ruck. Lenz and another inmate, fellow Asatruar Jeffrey Remington, stabbed Parker a combined 68 times with makeshift knives. Remington was also sentenced to death but committed suicide in 2004. Okay... here's where the problems begin... He was stabbed 68 times with "makeshift knives." Hello?! Personal responsibility?! Honor?! Where, exactly, does this situation fall in line with the reality of living Asatru? Yes, I know, I threw the Havamal out earlier and someone will, undoubtedly, want to throw it back at me... but you know - I've had this discussion with many people over the years and, amazingly enough, it always ends with them getting flustered and telling me they're right and that's that... A wayfarer should not walk unarmed, But have his weapons to hand: He knows not when he may need a spear, Or what menace meet on the road. Sorry, folks... been there, done that. This translation specifies spear... another specifies sword... the important part here is weapon... and if your own body and - more importantly, your own mind - are not weapon enough for you - especially in an environment where you're allowed nothing more... You've got issues no amount of hiding behind any god is going to fix. Go back to a nice, pretty church and get spoon-fed. According to Art Jipson, who studies white racial extremism and directs the University of Dayton's criminal justice studies program, Lenz's belief that fatal force was warranted is not surprising. "If he believes the fight was necessary, whether or not it was legal is the least of his concerns," Jipson said. "If he's a truly devout practicing Odinist or Asatruist, he's doing what he must do. And it would be a shame — it would be a black mark on his soul, his spirit ... for him to be cowardly and not to fight." If a fight were necessary, that would be one thing. This wasn't a fight... it was a slaughter. And it's bullshit. "If he's truly devout practicing Odinist or Asatruist," then he would talk to his kinsman and find out what was causing his flippant behavior. He would stand with his kinsman and help him understand the things that make Asatru what it is. That kind of warrior mentality can exacerbate the tense environment behind bars, said Mark Potok, a leader at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., which monitors hate groups. What's been described here isn't a warrior mentality... it's a fighter mentality. Regardless of the fact that the word "war" can be found within "warrior," the true warrior does not fight for the sake of fighting, and he does not fight without just cause. "It's a theology that celebrates raw physical power and domination, and that is why I think it is so popular among prison inmates," Potok said. "The kind of inmate who might be attracted to this is a white man who is looking for justification for extreme violence, who is looking for an ideology which explains why he should be the boss." Hey... Mr. Potok... why don't you pull your head out of your ass? Asatru is a theology that celebrates family and honor. Physical power is a means to protect your family - to preserve the lives and livelihood of your kin. Thor uses his astonishing physical power to protect all mankind from the advances of the forces that seek to overthrow the gods and destroy earth and man. Is physical power celebrated? Sure... Is it celebrated for the reasons Mr. Potok implies? Certainly not. And as for domination... Well, Mr. Potok... the only domination that factors into the modern Asatru mindset is the lack of recorded data we have on many of our gods and goddesses because the Christian scribes decided to censor the material. The only domination we deal with is the repeated attempts by The Church to destroy us. And celebration is hardly the word I would choose to describe our feelings on that matter. "Justification for extreme violence?" Please... Family! Honor! Fairness! Hello?! So... here we have a couple dumbfucks who say they're Asatru... they murder a guy... and it has nothing to do with the fact that they're already criminals... nothing to do with the personalities of the men themselves... No... it's all based on their religion. Why? Because everyone needs a scapegoat and, for this article, Asatru's it. And because dumbfucks like this make the news, we all suffer. People click the link on the bottom of the page, see a symbol that looks like one I'm wearing, and I become a violent, racist bitch. Yipee. Why don't the rest of us make the news? Hmm... good question. Maybe because we're law-abiding citizens. Maybe because we get lost in the crowd and the blood bank and the supermarket and the library. Maybe just because we're too concerned with taking care of our families to worry making the local paper another buck. Bottom line, folks... talk to people before making assumptions - especially based on such wonderful "expert" information as provided by the media. Current Mood: annoyed (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 16th, 2006
10:06 am	Perspectives There’s something that’s puzzled me for a long time, and I guess now is as good a time as any to address it… Funny how that happens when a subject is brought back to mind so… clearly. Maybe it’s just me… maybe I have a “larger” or “clearer” outlook on things… but I’ve never understood why the majority of Pagans feel the need to home in on one or two aspects of a god or goddess and ignore the rest. Today’s case: Freyja. A post on one of the lists I belong to brought this subject back to the front of my mind… one of the posts in a long thread that has devolved into a thinly veiled flame-war agrees with a prior post that ‘Freyja can be found in all women.’ Now, the original post, I had no problems with… but maybe that’s because I, like the author of the original post, have an intimate understanding of this particular goddess. It’s the follow up… the *ahem* agreement *cough*, that I have issues with. “Any woman can be materalistic and promiscuous to a fault. Freya however possess a strength and independance few women possess.” *eyeroll* What’s the deal, folks? At the risk of sounding sexist, is it a guy thing? In this case, in particular, I notice a much greater percentage of men focus on Freyja’s sexual side and ignore all her other aspects. Why is it so hard to look at a goddess and see all the different sides of her? Yes, Freyja is a sex goddess. Big deal. That’s one part of her role. Freyja is a mother, a wife (albeit to an absent husband), a sister, and a daughter… She is the protectress of all children. She’s also the goddess of magic – the teacher of Seidhr to Odhinn himself. If that wasn’t important, why would he have bothered learning? She’s also the goddess of war – the so-called Queen of the Valkyries. The ultimate Chooser of the Slain… as not only does she select a full half of the fallen warriors for her own hall, but chooses before Odhinn. I suppose that “strength and independance” remark is supposed to smooth over all the insult from calling her a whore? In what world does this make sense? (Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006
1:40 pm	The passing of a modern hero Heil the Folk Gatherer, the ravens sing his name The sounding of his horn, so many times, that called the folk to rites With open heart and open arms he welcomed all to stand at his side Heil the Hearth Builder, the ravens sing his name Each life he touched, through him, touched countless more And families, hearths and kindreds flourished each place he stood along the shore Heil the Great Teacher, the ravens sing his name His knowledge flowed freely, in great and simple teachings His mind he offered joyfully to all he saw searching Heil my brother, Ragnar, the ravens sing his name Often we met with fond embrace and joyful smiles And his love for his kin ever defied all the time and miles Heil my friend, Ragnar, the ravens sing his song His journeys take him far from us yet with us he still stands For true is the saying, never dies the spirit and name of a good man Current Mood: sad (Comment on this)
Thursday, February 16th, 2006
8:24 am	Time flies when you're not having any fun Yeah... so... it's been several months worth of craziness... Lost a sister-in-law to a heart attack the end of November... then the "standard" holiday madness compounded that pain into something less than comfortable... Now one of the other brothers-in-law is currently undergoing a bunch of tests to find out what's wrong with his heart - as he's showing the same symptoms his sister did... In the midst of all that, the college I work at is in very real danger of losing its accredited status... which would, essentially, destroy the institution (the oldest in California, not that that matters at this point). Oh - and the dentist wants to pull all my teeth out. But hey - at least I finished the writing part of MB2... now I just have to get the map drafts to the cartographer. It should only be about 3 years between books *sigh* (Comment on this)
Friday, April 1st, 2005
4:43 pm	In Celebration As the world watches, a man lies in his home dying. He has lived in this home for the last twenty-seven years… a castle that houses untold riches and mysteries of the ages… a tiny sovereign nation with the ability to influence the entire world… He is a man of unquestionable strength and unwavering character and, even though not everyone shares his viewpoint, none can deny the strength of his convictions. He has lived in the public eye… a dignified figure holding the truths of his heart with awe-inspiring resolve… his example and influence touching every corner of the Earth. Unlike countless numbers around the world, I do not pray for his health to be restored. His faith, always under scrutiny, is so strong and so real that I cannot see his God taking him from this world without what they both would agree is a good reason. Do I agree with his views? Anyone who knows me knows that the answer is likely an uncontrollable laugh that is finally punctuated with the words “of course not.” Do I admire him? More than I can adequately express. My heart is with you, Karol Wojtyla. May your next journey be as wondrous as this and may the memory of you and your strength shine brightly in those who have loved you. Current Mood: thoughtful Current Music: CNN Radio News (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, March 9th, 2005
9:17 am	Take the quiz at dicepool.com (Comment on this)
Friday, March 4th, 2005
12:55 pm	In honor of Women's History Month... It’s not true that life is one damn thing after another – it’s one damn thing over and over.      --Edna St Vincent Millay Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.     --Maya Angelou No one’s life is ordinary. We’re all the heroes and heroines with fate or flaws to beat.     --Maeve Binchy Submission to what people call their “lot” is simply ignoble. If your lot makes you cry and be wretched, get rid of it and take another.     --Elizabeth von Arnim There’s a great male myth that women aren’t funny, but I think men just don’t like what women are funny about.     --Kathy Lette Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after. --Anne Morrow Lindbergh Never regret. If it’s good, it’s wonderful. If it’s bad, it’s experience. --Victoria Holt Only good girls keep diaries. Bad girls don’t have time. --Tallulah Bankhead Reality is something you rise above. --Liza Minnelli I have seen myself grow, so I can never again close the door on anyone because he or she holds a position diametrically opposed to mine. --Maya Angelou Current Mood: amused Current Music: Depeche Mode - Walking In My Shoes (Comment on this)
9:03 am	hehe You are a fire angel! Very headstrong and willfull, you can accomplish anything you want. You are constantly doing something and therefore have no time for anything else! But you are like a flame, burning with energy and happiness, then gloomy and depressed. Which natural angel are you? (awe-inspiring pics!) brought to you by Quizilla (Comment on this)
Thursday, March 3rd, 2005
4:49 pm	Back to Being Me At long last, my world seems to have fallen back into a somewhat familiar spin. Hopefully *knocks on the wood desk* it will stay calm enough for me to regain the facade of sanity the rest of the world seems accustomed to seeing on my face. My two youngest daughters have begun to frighten me... one is four years, the other is eleven months.  The four year old got the Return of the King special edition for her birthday in December (there's a long and logical explanation, I swear) and will sit and watch the whole movie.  And it's not a fluke.  She will ask, almost daily, to watch her Lord of the Rings, and she will.  Are four year olds supposed to have attention spans like that? The eleven month old, following in her sister's footsteps I suppose, will sit for 30-45 minutes and play with a single toy. My older two have always been (and at 10 and 6, in most cases still are) bored after 20 minutes of anything. My babies are going to grow up to be geniuses... or psychos... Current Mood: alive Current Music: Pink - Trouble (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, February 18th, 2005
6:46 pm	Quiet times Silence and a toast to Father Time's Memory - a dear friend, brilliant teacher, exquisite crafter, and great man. Current Mood: somber (Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 16th, 2005
4:49 pm	B'gah! *twack* *gurgle* *pitterpatter* *fwop* Yep - that's me making like a chicken with my head cut off.     Sometimes, being a responsible adult really sucks. My "to do" list is growing much faster than things get checked off... which is rather unsettling for someone who was never cut out to have a "to do" list in the first place. conference nametags - half a check: more responses keep coming in classified senate presentation - half a check: had to rush because the meeting was supposed to be over already daily filing - no check return e-mails - no check finish LotR character - half a check: but it's the same half a check that's been there for 48 hours accomplish something on MBII - half a check: still have almost two cities and maps and art to collect and... and... and...  maybe it's not quite half a check candles for wedding - half a check: got a couple examples done, but no confirmation on if I have to do a bunch yet Oh well...  time to dive in... again Current Mood: eerie calm Current Music: Pet - A Perfect Circle (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, February 10th, 2005
9:00 am	kids with sniffles I love my kids. More than anything in the world. I'll take all the hugs and kisses and cuddles they're willing to dish out. I just wish they'd keep their sniffles and sneezes to themselves. Current Mood: sniffly and sneezy Current Music: Bowling for Soup - 1985 (Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 9th, 2005
4:32 pm	I wonder where they come up with this stuff... You're the Rock Star! Take What sort of Hipster are you? today! Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.</p> Fuck college, fuck a "real" job! Music is your life! You're a hometown hero! You're in at least two local bands and are thinking of forming a third. You sleep on your friend's couch, eat your friend's food, and borrow your friend's car. You frequent the dark city bars and hang with the other rockers and groupies. You wear dirty jeans, well-worn t-shirts, and your hair is a mess. You're sinister and mysterious and look as if you don't give a shit. You worship the Rolling Stones, MC5, and your older brother's band. You're gonna make it big one of these days, you can just feel it. (Comment on this)
11:08 am	I hate this town So, for those of you that don't know, I work at a California Community College.  This means we're funded by the state government.  This - to my apparently all-too-naiive mind - says the college shouldn't be paying one of its employees to organize a gospel concert while she's on the clock and also tells me that maybe our little craft/vendor fair thing that is choking the hell out of the only decent walkway on campus maybe... just maybe shouldn't be dominated by a booth handing out study bibles. Current Mood: annoyed Current Music: Papa Roach - Scars (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, February 4th, 2005
9:40 am	sleep deprivation and other insanities I spend far too much time doing things I don't want to do and not nearly enough time doing things I really want to be important... *sigh* One of these days, I guess, I'll figure out the pefect balance... Yeah... Right... Lots of strange dreams and short nights... started my workout again... have to get back in shape so I don't look like a big red blob for my best friend's wedding... still trying to write MBII and half a dozen short stories that have started and fizzled due to lack of time and inspiration... Current Mood: drained Current Music: Megadeth - Die Dead Enough (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 24th, 2004
3:22 pm	new name - same old game ...and why not, right? Makes more sense since I'm not just talking about gaming stuff. Of course, if I was, then it would get really boring to some people (although others might enjoy it). Anyway... I hope to get some good (and current) pictures of my girls this weekend... guess we'll see :) (Comment on this)
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2004
11:52 am	Twenty-something days later... Well, we haven't self-destructed yet... I'm actually a little stunned. Life goes on as it has for the last four years - prices are too high wages are too low I still feel like I'm trying to claw my way out of quicksand But life is so much better... Yeah... whatever. Thanksgiving is the day after tomorrow...  I guess I can be thankful for those that will be around me... the "bigger picture" leaves much to be desired. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2004
11:36 am	And in other news... In spite of the stupidity of the election and the incredibly nasty stench the roofers have put into the air here, the world continues to turn. MB2 page count is now up to 71 - and still growing Chaperoning a fourth grade field trip this Friday to San Juan Bautista If I can ever get this damned book done, I might be able to focus on something else *sigh* (Comment on this)
10:23 am	Ohio's called.... *sigh* I still contend that any man who tells a Time interviewer "God wants me to be President" doesn't belong anywhere near the White House... (1 Comment |Comment on this)
8:01 am	So, I'm sitting here - waiting to see how Ohio calls. At least they waited to declare their 'overwhelming victory'... unlike the last election fiasco. I have to wonder how the rest of the world sees us... us being the United States. The only two options, as far as I can see, are that we are either some sort of cosmic joke or a new and disgusting breed of school yard bully. Either way, the government has made sure we're not the shining paragon of society that people used to measure themselves against... at least as far as I can tell. Maybe I'm too disillusioned by the whole process - this election and the last have done wonders for destroying any faith I had in "the system." Oh well... if you need me, I'll be at home. With my family and my faith and my guns. Okay - enough politics - they're not good for anything but stress. (2 Comments |Comment on this)