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Dallas Willard is coming for a Conference on Ministry at one of my alma maters (I’ve graduated from too many places…). I very much intend to make the time to go to this conference, on recommendation from iMonk and others.
Ron Paul’s campaign is finally over as of Thursday night. Of course, this should have happened a while ago, but there you are. It will be interesting to see if his ideas pick up steam from here, or die with the man’s defeat in the republican primaries. See editorial below.
Arts and Entertainment
Ani DiFranco - Tricia and I went to see her here in Rochester last weekend. I’m not a huge Ani fan, but she’s really, really talented. She’s got a 1-year-old, and she did a nice set of songs about her baby.
Springsteen - My parents, Tricia and I went to Springsteen and the E. Street Band. Great show! Highlights of the night were “Because the Night” and “Working on the Highway”
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Just bought two tickets for their outdoor concert in Canadaigua this summer.
Books: Big reading week for me. I finished a few books this week:
- J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- McGrath and McGrath: The Dawkins Delusion?
- H.P. Lovecraft: At the Mountains of Madness
- J.R.R. Tolkien: Farmer Giles of Ham
I was also selected to review Andrew Peterson’s forthcoming book, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness during the “blog tour” the publishing company has organized. I got my copy today and read the introductions and the first chapter. This is going to be a tremendous book.
Editorial: I’m not a “Ron Paul Republican…”
…primarily because I’m no longer a Republican. Well, technically I am. But within the next year I’ll be leaving the Republican party. I have to say that, while I understand what Paul is saying - that the current process is unfair to third parties and such - I think he’s dreaming to imagine that the Republican party will change anytime soon. In other words, I think trying to change the GOP from within is the wrong move for Dr. Paul. If he really believes there is a need for third parties to become more prominent, he needs to go third party and take his following with him. I respect what he’s trying to do, but I’m leaving and going for a different party. I don’t think NYS formally recognizes the Libertarian Party, so I’ll probably go independent.
Seriously, the Republican party isn’t going to get the message unless we start leaving in droves. This country is about to be taken over by Democrats for decades to come. I’m serious. Bush’s 8 years has basically created a massive number of young Democrats. If the Republicans aren’t willing to offer a genuinely conservative alternative (the neocons are not doing this at all), then it’s time for conservatives to leave and find a party that will allow us to offer that alternative.
10 responses so far ↓
1 revgeorge // Mar 9, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Travis,
As if I didn’t have enough to do this time of year, I finally followed your links to your personal blog & also the Boar’s Head Tavern. Will have to spend some more time looking around.
In regard to Ron Paul, I voted for him way back when he ran as the Libertarian Party candidate. I was hoping he’d get a little more traction but I wasn’t thinking any miracles would happen. At least we heard a little bit more truth in the Republican debates this time around.
I left the Republican Party way back in the mid-80’s, but then I am older than you.
I also ended up leaving the Libertarian Party in the late ’90’s & am now a small ‘l’ libertarian.
I don’t hold out much hope for a 3rd party but not because of how hard the political haves have made it for the have nots. But because the vast bulk of the American people have been conditioned to think that there is some kind of difference between the Democrats & the Republicans, when in reality there is none. Both are for big,intrusive government. They just differ on the minor details.
I’m reminded of the one Simpson’s Tree house of Horror episode where Kang & Kodos disguise themselves as Bill Clinton & Bob Dole. It skewers the utter stupidity of the two party system. There’s also a South Park episode that does the same thing.
Nice blog. Thanks.
2 Brian // Mar 10, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Thanks for the tip about Perterson’s book. I’ve got mine pre-ordered.
3 Amber // Mar 10, 2008 at 3:38 pm
fyi, the youtube video you linked has been removed, and this might be a more important video anyway: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/10/paul.campaign/#cnnSTCVideo
4 Travis Prinzi // Mar 10, 2008 at 11:01 pm
revgeorge, glad you’re here! We’ll have to do some communication about the Libertarian Party vs. being a “small l” libertarian. I’m still so new to the whole thing.
Brian, I’m about 50 pages in. It’s a good story so far.
Amber, thanks for the video link!
5 Scott // Mar 10, 2008 at 11:13 pm
An Ani Difranco concert nod with no mention of opening act Over the Rhine? For shame!
Actually, though, their set was very disappointing: 7 songs, 4 from their worst album to date, and 2 covers. But Tracey and I still loved it. And Ani was good too—she is a powerful performer. I loved the new song “Smiling Underneath.”
6 lonelypilgrim // Mar 12, 2008 at 9:02 pm
I don’t know the best place to put this on here, but since there is mention of politics in this post it will have to do.
Geraldine Ferraro has learned what many who aren’t on the Left have learned. If you say something that is politically incorrect there is a high price to be paid. It makes no difference that what she said is totally correct. It just matters that it offended a key Democratic constituency. Telling the truth is politically incorrect if it offends the wrong people.
Apparently she needs to go to a sensitivity training class.
7 Travis Prinzi // Mar 12, 2008 at 11:06 pm
lonelypilgrim, I’m not quite as convinced as other conservatives and some liberals are that Obama’s success is due to his race. I’m inclined to think it’s the other way around; if he were white and running a very similar campaign, he’d have had this nomination wrapped up by Super Tuesday.
In any case, it can hardly be called a “statement of fact” as Ferarro has done. It’s opinion either way; it can’t be verified objectively.
8 lonelypilgrim // Mar 12, 2008 at 11:37 pm
If Obama were white, there is no way he would have won over 90% of the black vote in Mississippi. And John Lewis would still be supporting Hillary as well.
If he were a white dude, the issue would then be gender. Then Hillary would be the one benefiting from group identity politics. So, even though I’m convinced that Ferraro is correct, it’s hard to feel sorry for the junior senator from New York. In many ways she’s a victim of her own creation.
9 Travis Prinzi // Mar 13, 2008 at 7:44 am
I’m just not as convinced that everyone is chomping at the bit to vote for a minority candidate. You’re correct about the black vote in Mississippi. But a really competent, white guy with an inspiring message wins lots of other states by a lot more, because white men are far more ready to vote for a white guy than a black guy. And as much as I dislike Limbaugh, and as much as I dislike this basic fact - the candidate who gets the white male vote usually wins.
10 Shauna // Mar 29, 2008 at 3:01 pm
You might be interested in Marcia Ford’s newly released book, We the Purple: Faith, Politics, and the Independent Voter. I haven’t read it yet but plan to soon.
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