Religious Extremism: There might be a cure

A leading neurologist at the University of Oxford, Kathleen Taylor responded to audience question regarding what in the future of neuroscience could be expected. Her response was surprising, as it inferred that radical beliefs whether religious based hatred or corporal punishment, could be treated and cured.

“I am not just talking about the obvious candidates like radical Islam or some of the more extreme cults,” she explained. “I am talking about things like the belief that it is OK to beat your children. These beliefs are very harmful but are not normally categorized as mental illness.”

Those currently under the rubric that their institutional violence or threat of violence is acceptable and their own lifestyle choice, it is especially acceptable if associated with "the one true G-d", will surely take offense that they are curable. Violence in general should be unacceptable in every flavor, whether it is a commandment from the neighbor's dog (David  "Son of Sam" Berkowitz) or that the most modern military should partaking in military adventurism due to Book of Revelations' 'Gog and Magog' (as George W. Bush did with Iraq). Maybe in the future there will be MRI scans at the airport to determine who among us are religious extremists, just as there are body scanners today to check if passengers are carrying weapons? 

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/30/leading-neuroscientist-religious-fundamentalism-may-be-a-mental-illness-that-can-be-cured/

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/08/agog_over_bushs_comments_on_go.html

IRS taking a double look at conservatives who oppose paying taxes-- is like Child Services taking a double look at NAMBLA

Last week it was discovered that the IRS performed extra scrutiny on 25% of the 501c4 non-profit organizations if they had "tea party", "patriot", or other conservative identifier within their name; the double check was limited to the Cincinnati regional IRS office. This extra scrutiny was in response to the Citizen United decision that allowed Super PACs and the follow up of the 501c4 to hide the contributors from the public. It doesn’t come to anyone’s surprise that a burst of newly formed tax-free organizations created with the patina of tax avoidance should come under closer examination by the agency that is responsible for regulating such organizations. This is in comparison to pacifists and non-violent activists coming under extra scrutiny of the FBI from 2001 to 2006, under the premise that they were dangerous to the security of the nation.

The facetious shock that the right wing pundits responds to this story comes from the same mindset that believes if government revenues can be shrunk small enough then the government can be small enough to be drowned in a bath tub. So those organizations that are advocating against taxes altogether warrant the double check by the IRS.

"Just imagine, Donna Brazile, if you will that the George W. Bush administration had IRS underlings saying we are going to target organizations with the word 'progressive' in their name, we would have all hell breaking loose."
-George Will on ABC's This Week

The kabuki that is being slung by conservative pundits regarding this story wholly ignores the recent history, and the administration’s defense is devoid of assertiveness (no surprise there).

http://abcnews.go.com/News/Blotter/fbi-spied-peta-greenpeace-anti-war-activists/story?id=11682844#.UZI7OrXF-So

McCain unsure how many houses he owns - Jonathan Martin and Mike Allen - Politico.com

McCain unsure how many houses he owns - Jonathan Martin and Mike Allen - Politico.com

McCain is so wealthy (more accurately his wife is so wealthy) that he doesn't know how many houses he owns. This story seems to really have gotten a foot hold amongst the political press. Obama certainly has taken advantage of it producing an ad with the politico.com interview already.

What I think about when I hear this story is Kerry flubbing this exact issue in 2004, he brought up Bush's tax returns and stated how much money Bush got refunded for owning a lumber company that made capital purchases. Kerry should have jump all over Bush's joke ("got wood?") by replying "I know where most of money comes from, and so does everyone in the room, because there is a bottle of ketchup on everyone's kitchen table. This guy is so wealthy and so out of touch that he doesn't have the faintest clue where his money comes from."

I know fighting the last battles is not productive, but indulge in my cathartic rant. Kerry should have used humor in that instant, it could have won him the election. It would have cast Kerry in a new light and would have shown Baby Bush as exactly what he is, which is a silver-spooned brat.