Got work to do, but ...

I'm reading a lot of chemistry and statutory-construction stuff.  Need it to settle in my mind before I can start writing in a hyper-legal way.  Or maybe I'm just avoiding it.  Dunno.  But I will get to it today.  Probably.   We'll see.  Just had Papa Johns delivered for lunch.  Fighting off a cold.  Mind wandering.

I'm shaking my head over this John Zogby quote:   “I think that there’s a direct correlation between the president of the United States and Islamophobia. As we do our polling, we find that it is not the universal phenomenon. This hatred toward Muslims is largely concentrated with middle class, middle age, white people, and then it overlaps almost identically with the Tea Party. It is not a Republican thing. It’s a generational thing."   He continued: “And I think that, if, we had, I have a lot of gripes with George Bush, but if he were president, he would be doing what he did, which is put his foot down and say stop. I think we would not be seeing the phenomenon growing as we see it growing. But the problem is is that if Barack Obama says stop they say,you’re just the damn problem to begin with, you’re not one of us anyway",” Zogby said, affecting an accent that might be characterized as “redneck” or “country.”

Where to begin?  Islamophobia is not the fear of Muslims, but the hatred of them.  That's a convenient definition.  I'm middle class, white, and TEA Party, so I hate Muslims.  Gee, John, how about you blow me while I think that through?  Oh wait, according to your statistical knowledge I'm probably Gayphobic, too.  Nevermind.

How remarkable that Mr. Zogby can translate immutable characteristics into feelings and actions.  I wonder if he ran statistics on inner-city crime, cross tabbed it with race, would he come up with a particular immutable characteristic of ... (oh, the horrors! I just can't type it!).

And neither will he because it's OK to be racist if the race is white, and it's OK to slash political leanings as long as they're conservative.  So, we HATE another group of people.  HATE.  Not disliking the fact that certain elements of their religion fly planes into occupied buildings and overrun embassies to kill us. We're incapable, you see, of distinguishing bad actors from a group. Somehow or another all of that translates to us HATING the entire religion.

Whew, John, you need a cold-vinegar enema.  Gramma always told me it'd "cure any nasty thing you gots inside you."

You're an idiot.  Whew, I HATE balding statisticians.