Family Sep

Duty to my country (specifically the Army) has caused me to spend the next three months away from my family. I'm only on the first week of that separation. The good news is that I'm never further away from my family than the moment that they drop me off at the airport - which means that we're drawing nearer to our reunion all the time...

I miss my family like crazy. This is by no means the first time that we've spent time apart, nor is it the longest period of separation, but "family sep" really never gets any easier.

I've written before some of my thoughts about the forced separation of families that has occurred in Texas. I believe the State of Texas was way out of line to declare itself more fit to care for those FLDS children than their own biological parents. I applaud the Texas Supreme Court's decision to order Texas and the CPS to reunite those poor broken families.

To be clear, I think the FLDS church may in fact have some serious flaws, but I'm not going to get into that in this piece, as I wish only to address the serious trespasses against the FLDS community.

I find it incredibly ironic that just as one form of alternative marriage seems to be gaining ground (see recent decisions in California and New York), polygamy once again finds itself under attack. Yet civil rights activists have been slow to notice...

I find it incredibly hypocritical that so many Americans seem so eager to attack the institution of plural marriage, in an age where premarital sexual relations are not only accepted but in many cases celebrated, and where the value of sexual monogamy continues to decline. This behavior is a tacit approval of sexual promiscuity, and of bearing and raising children out of wedlock; and an explicit disapproval of anything nearly resembling a commitment. Heaven forbid we actually make any commitments in this modern era...

I am offended by my own church's refusal to make a stand in defense of religious freedom as another church with whom we have a great deal in common (official LDS statements to the contrary notwithstanding) faces intense persecution.

And I am heartbroken for the separation that has been forced upon those families, and for the mental and emotional harm that has been inflicted upon them. They have been the victims of a malicious state government that robbed them of their rights as Americans. Their reunion cannot happen soon enough.

Vacation dreaming...

Gonna have to go here someday. DesMoNews had an article on it this morning. Rock 'N Roll themed rides? Sounds cool.

Ugly money

I haven't written for awhile - for several reasons, but no matter. Today I've just got a bit of a rant.

Why is American money getting so ugly? I mean, it's got its classic look, the portraits are well-drawn, and its still got its green color, but every new "improvement" introduced by the US Mint seems to detract from those good qualities.

There are examples of beautiful currency all across the world. Most of these feature bold colors, and color coding systems that are not only distinctive, but convenient as well.

Whether Americans like it or not, the greenback has gone polychromatic as well - and not in a good way. The 20 has some orange, the 50 some red, the 10 is peach-colored, and I saw my first purple 5 dollar bill today.

Americans seem unwilling to deviate far from the color green, but if this is how we're going to accomplish that, then it is time to throw in the towel. Adding a splash of hideous color to the greenback is just not worth it. I say keep the 1 green, but embrace color for everything else. Open up the color palette and create something that is visually appealing.

Anyway, that's just my two cents.