Tag: Reality

Recognition

The reality that supports the recognition of the Voice – Pearls and Irritations

Albanese may well want to have an Aboriginal Affairs Minister in cabinet with its own department, demonstrating his commitment to the Uluru Statement. Image: Pixabay

Historically the belief in equality and equal citizenship has motivated actions aimed at remedying Aboriginal discrimination and disadvantage. It underlay the success of the 1967 referendum. Supporters of separate Aboriginal medical and legal services in the 1970s saw that what were supposed to be universal service providers often did not provide for Aboriginal people. There were discriminatory and cultural barriers between disadvantaged Aboriginal people and the services that were meant to provide for all.

Source: The reality that supports the recognition of the Voice – Pearls and Irritations

Conspiracy

Inside the “Private and Confidential” Conservative Group That Promises to “Crush Liberal Dominance”

Andy Kroll and Andrea Bernstein, ProPublica, and Nick Surgey, Documented Co-published with Documented ( ProPublica ) – A few months ago, Leonard Leo laid out his next audacious project.Ever since the longtime Federalist Society leader helped create a conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court, and then received more than a billion dollars from a wealthy Chicago business owner to disburse to conservative causes, Leo’s next moves had been the subject of speculation. Now, Leo declared in a slick but private video to potential donors, he planned to “crush liberal dominance” across American life. The country was plagued by “woke-ism”

Leo declared in a slick but private video to potential donors, he planned to “crush liberal dominance” across American life. The country was plagued by “woke-ism” in corporations and education, “one-sided journalism” and “entertainment that’s really corrupting our youth,” said Leo amid snippets of cheery music and shots of sunsets and American flags.

Sitting tucked into a couch, with wire-rimmed glasses and hair gone to gray, Leo conveyed his inspiration and intentions: “I just said to myself, ‘Well, if this can work for law, why can’t it work for lots of other areas of American culture and American life where things are really messed up right now?’”

Leo revealed his latest battle plan in the previously unreported video for the Teneo Network, a little-known group he called “a tremendously important resource for the future of our country.”

Teneo is building what Leo called in the video “networks of conservatives that can roll back” liberal influence in Wall Street and Silicon Valley, among authors and academics, with pro athletes and Hollywood producers. A Federalist Society for everything.

 

Source: Inside the “Private and Confidential” Conservative Group That Promises to “Crush Liberal Dominance”

Informed Comment

How to sell out your species while pretending to be the adults in the room | The Shot

Nothing normal.

Whenever a narrative is detached from observable, tangible, bona-fide, actual real reality but widely believed anyway, staggeringly shitty things always happen. As the gulf between what is and what is believed grows larger, trauma, misery, oppression, and, in the worst cases, piles of gooey, smelly, otherwise-avoidable death inevitably follow. 

Whenever mass delusions like Australia’s climate debate occur, it is meant to be journalism’s mission to peel back the layers of crud, these conditioned false truisms, and drag democracies closer to a state of informed decision making. But here’s the fucking thing: as the dust settles on this age, what emerges is the largest media voices – particularly Murdoch, but on this topic almost everyone in Australia, from the ABC to Channel 7 – helped spread and proliferate mass delusion more effectively than any other force, bar the Church, on the fucking planet. 

These same voices now and forever tell us The Greens, the only party with a position conducive with humanity’s continued tenancy on Earth, are the unreasonable ones? 

Inhumanely wealthy individuals in mining have purchased the support of both major parties. And the extreme propaganda end of the “news” spectrum has enabled this by claiming the climate crisis is nonsense, for decades, while the more “reasonable” press allows that stupidity to survive by telling us to consider both sides as the fires and floods keep getting worse

Source: How to sell out your species while pretending to be the adults in the room | The Shot

LNP

Liberals lose from their unholy, right-wing mergers

Liberals

Peter Costello’s CH9 and The Age tried to make out the ALP’s “political machine” won them the election in Victoria. It’s a total distraction from the fact that the LNP were never fit for the job either Federally or State wise and that will be proved in the next NSW election when the voters yet again won’t be manipulated but will choose who they want to employ as their next government.

The Liberals seem to talk to themselves, about themselves, and defend their actions rather than face reality, Julia Banks writes.

Scott Morrison’s historic censure over his multiple ministries and his ‘sorry not sorry’ defence speech played out this week on the back of a disastrous Victorian election result for the Liberal Party.

Morrison’s speech will be an endpoint of his legacy – a trail of destruction of the party forever linked to a man who abused his power and undermined our democracy.

Source: Liberals lose from their unholy, right-wing mergers

Uncategorized

School education: designed to fail? – Pearls and Irritations

Woman is sitting at a table with her head on a pile of books. Concrete wall background with education icons and a graduation hat above her.

Is this the case here in Australia? Is this what the LNP want and expects of Education?

Education is a fundamental human right and the bedrock of sustainable development: it contributes to all three dimensions of sustainable development – social, economic, and environment – and underpins governance, and security of the individual. The interconnected dividends that result from investments in equitable quality education are immeasurable – generating greater economic returns and growth for individuals and societies creating a lasting impact on public health, decent work and gender equality, and leading to safer and more resilient and stable societies.

Source: School education: designed to fail? – Pearls and Irritations

Informed Comment

Paul Bongiorno: Summer of our discontent changes political calculus

Morrison Peter Costello tries to boost Morrison by telling us “what we think” in The Age poll.

However:

The rising death toll and explosion in infections are a direct result of the failure to provide adequate safeguards to cope with these new “freedoms”. Experts warned exceptionally high vaccination rates by world standards would not be enough. Instead, we were given the mantra of “getting the government off people’s backs and out of their lives”. It was a stark dereliction of a government’s public health responsibilities. The failure to provide self-administered rapid antigen tests (RATs) as an essential tool in keeping the country functioning is a major contributor to the deep malaise we are now experiencing. Empty supermarket shelves are the most eloquent witnesses to this reckless wishful thinking. The situation has become so dire even Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s critics are giving him a serious second look.

Source: Paul Bongiorno: Summer of our discontent changes political calculus

Military- Industrial Complex

The Military-Industrial Complex Needs Perpetual Confrontation | The Smirking Chimp

Good luck to Mr Biden. Let us hope that he will sacrifice popularity for peace and that he will bear in mind the words of his illustrious predecessor President Eisenhower, sixty years ago, that “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” Indeed it has risen. But the world would benefit enormously if Joe Biden terminated its ascent by coming to terms with China and Russia. The problem for the world is that the military-industrial complex will continue to profit if confrontation continues.

Source: The Military-Industrial Complex Needs Perpetual Confrontation | The Smirking Chimp

Israel

Water Justice for Occupied Palestinians is demanded by UN, as Israeli Squatters Use 87% of Aquifers

The UNHCR director of field operations, Christian Salazar Volkmann, adds, “In addition, Israeli authorities treated the nearly 450,000 Israeli settlers and 2.7 million Palestinians residing in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) under two distinct bodies of law. This resulted in unequal treatment on a range of issues, including access to water.” The Israeli squatters on land owned by Palestinian families are, in fact, water hogs. The draft report said, “as estimated in 2014, 87 percent of the mountain aquifer waters were used by Israelis and only 13 percent by Palestinians.” Aquifers are non-renewable underground water resources that are being drawn down, and I think it is clear who is drawing them down most rapidly.

Source: Water Justice for Occupied Palestinians is demanded by UN, as Israeli Squatters Use 87% of Aquifers

Protest

Protesters’ cries for freedom ring hollow for dying woman

Adriana Midori Takara, 38, died after contracting the coronavirus.

Adriana Midori Takara was just 38 when she died from COVID-19 this week. She was only a year older than I am and had no underlying health conditions. Her first COVID test was negative and then a few days later, when she was tested again, it was positive. Ten days later, she was dead.

Source: Protesters’ cries for freedom ring hollow for dying woman

LNP, LNP Government, LNP Policy

Crocodile tears no mask for Coalition’s economic war on women – Michael West

March 4 Women

Well may Scott Morrison tear up as he relates how his daughters, wife and widowed mother drive his every decision. The facts are that every move of the Coalition government ensures women are poorer, more insecure at work and more vulnerable to violence on the job. The Industrial Relations bill pushed through last week is a final nail in the coffin for women. Alison Pennington reports.

Source: Crocodile tears no mask for Coalition’s economic war on women – Michael West

Australia's pride

“No-One Can Tell Me To Stop Celebrating The Anniversary Of Captain Cook’s 334 Not Out Against The Advancing Japanese Troops At Gallipoli” | The Shovel

OPINION: There’s been a fair bit of talk about moving the date of Australia Day recently. But these people don’t have any idea what they’re messing with. 26th January is sacred. Mark my words, it ‘aint moving. Do all the complaining you want. But buggered if you’ll stop me celebrating Cooko’s triple century against a full-strength Japanese attack on a deteriorating Gallipoli wicket in ‘44-‘45. It was the making of this country. Bob Hawke gave the nation a day off to celebrate. And yet here we are, trying to mess with it.

“No-One Can Tell Me To Stop Celebrating The Anniversary Of Captain Cook’s 334 Not Out Against The Advancing Japanese Troops At Gallipoli” | The Shovel
Trumpland, Uncategorized

Foreign Correspondence: How coronavirus is creating a class education divide in the US

Schools are becoming a political football. Parents, especially those who work outside the home, are at breaking point.

America is not a rich country, but rather a poor country with a lot of rich people in it. Suddenly a lot of things made sense.

I am so sad that my American friends and family have to witness such a dramatic decline.

via Foreign Correspondence: How coronavirus is creating a class education divide in the US

Trump's Opinion, Uncategorized

The new coronavirus threat to the world is the USA

The reality is that America’s response to the pandemic has been disastrous.

The latest data shows that the USA:

now has the world’s highest number of active coronavirus cases at 480,427, nearly five times higher than Italy, second with 96,877;
now has more than 38% of the world’s active cases, despite having only 4.25% of the world’s population. This is up from 27.5% 12 days ago;
has the highest total deaths, having overtaken Italy and Spain yesterday; and
has a death rate at 61.8 per million citizens, up from just 12.3 at the end of March.

The falsehoods most obvious to informed observers were Trump’s assurances that everything possible was being done and the crisis was virtually over. This was conveyed via terms like “incredible” used 14 times: “It’s been really incredible what’s been happening”. Plus the word “tremendous” used 23 times: “We have tremendous plans” and “We are doing tremendous testing”. The word “great” was used 81 times: “We are in great shape in every way” and “We’re doing great. Number one in the world”.

And the never-ending self-congratulation:

“I watched a certain network, and it wasn’t Fox, and you had doctors saying that we’ve done an incredible job.” 

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The new coronavirus threat to the world is the USA

 

Informed Comment, LNP Government, LNP Tactics, Uncategorized

Lest we forget – » The Australian Independent Media Network

After active opposition to action on climate change, rorting on a grand scale in water management, no long term national drought strategy, and a woeful response to the bushfires, ScottyFromMarketing (SFM) is now positioning himself as some sort of crisis leader.

In actual fact, he is finally being led by advice from experts, and luckily able to share the burden with the Premiers, or pass the buck where necessary.

via Lest we forget – » The Australian Independent Media Network

Trump, Uncategorized

Joe Biden Blisters Trump For Lying About Defense Production Act After FEMA Admits Holding It As ‘Leverage’ | Crooks and Liars

Joe Biden Blisters Trump For Lying About Defense Production Act After FEMA Admits Holding It As 'Leverage'

“Mr. President, stop lying and start acting. Use the full extent of your authorities, now, to ensure that we are producing all essential goods and delivering them where they need to go.”

“President Trump’s dithering on preparing us for this global pandemic and his lies about his response to this dangerous crisis is one of the most unjustifiable failures of presidential leadership in American history.”

via Joe Biden Blisters Trump For Lying About Defense Production Act After FEMA Admits Holding It As ‘Leverage’ | Crooks and Liars

LNP Government, Uncategorized

Scott Morrison’s lessons from a Labor response to the GFC unfolding before our eyes

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has joined other Coalition MPs in criticising Labor's response to the GFC.

We were one of 3 countries to avoid a recession during the GFC. Swann was voted the World’s best Treasurer and the LNP are trying to change that reality to save Morisson now (ODT)

We are seeing an attempt at revising history unfold right before our eyes. Over the past month, it has reached a crescendo. The PM went into full flight on Thursday when he said Labor had “lost its nerve” when it decided to borrow billions to keep money flowing through the economy as queues of redundant employees snaked out of Wall Street.

Tactically, it allows Morrison to avoid being accused of sitting on his hands amid the worst Australian economic results since September 15, 2008.

See freshman Liberal senator Andrew Bragg in October: “Labor overreacted and wasted billions of taxpayers’ money during the GFC. Worse still, the budget was structurally put into deficit with unfunded promises and disastrous taxes (some which raised no money).”

via Scott Morrison’s lessons from a Labor response to the GFC unfolding before our eyes

Free Trade, Trade, Trade Unions, Uncategorized

Free trade agreements are often ignored by business. So why has Australia signed a new one? – Analysis & Opinion – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Scott Morrison shakes hands at the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok, Thailand, November 4, 2019.

via Free trade agreements are often ignored by business. So why has Australia signed a new one? – Analysis & Opinion – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Humour, Uncategorized

BREAKING: Illuminati disendorse Donald Trump for 2020 U.S. presidential race

Many speculate the Illuminati, in concert with several other shadowy groups, were critical in delivering the U.S. presidency to the former reality TV star last year.

This unexpected move by the powerful cult is seen by most commentators as a severe blow to Trump’s chances of re-election in the presidential race next year.

via BREAKING: Illuminati disendorse Donald Trump for 2020 U.S. presidential race

Australian Economy, Informed Comment, Uncategorized

True Lies: Mathias Cormann caught by his own department for economic fairy tales – Michael West

True Lies: Mathias Cormann caught by his own department for economic fairy tales

via True Lies: Mathias Cormann caught by his own department for economic fairy tales – Michael West

Australian Politics, Uncategorized

Chinese-Australians have had a gutful of politicians’ tokenism

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.307%2C$multiply_1%2C$ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_393%2C$y_87/t_crop_custom/w_800/q_86%2Cf_auto/ec0da2e309ad3b70c182e0b353258c13e925c36b

Get real we are Australians not Chinese first (ODT)

Chinese-Australians have had enough of the political tokenism displayed by all sides of politics.

We are not political cannon fodder and we no longer want to serve as cash cows and walking ATMs at fundraising dinners. We’re tired of having candidates in non-winnable seats. We want to be recognised for our commitment to Australian democracy.

My advice to Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison to take a step away from WeChat and show some genuine interest in our community’s concerns.

via Chinese-Australians have had a gutful of politicians’ tokenism

Trump

Trump Can’t escape having called Nazis “Very Fine People” by SOTU Spectacle

Trump made Bannon his chief strategist in the White House.

Bannon praises Benito Mussolini, who is not as widely vilified in today’s America as he should be. His armies slaughtered 330,000 Allied troops during World War II, including large numbers of Americans. Of 45,000 Italian Jews, 8,000 were delivered to Nazi death camps and a similar number were forced to flee abroad. Some $1 billion was stolen from them as a community.

But guess what. In an opinion poll, 72% of Jewish respondents said they hold that Trump is at least somewhat responsible for the synagogue massacre.

His SOTU spectacle cannot cover up that he helped galvanize those Nazis who invaded Charlottesville.

via Trump Can’t escape having called Nazis “Very Fine People” by SOTU Spectacle

Media

MAGA teen Nick Sandmann says he is not sorry for stand-off with Native American veteran – Donald Trump’s America – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

He said as the students surrounded him he soon realised he needed to escape the situation.

“I needed an out. I needed to escape. I needed to get away. I needed to retreat somehow, but the only way I could retreat at that moment, is what I see, is just to go forward, and when I started going forward and that mass of groups of people started separating and moving aside to allow me to move out of the way or to proceed, this young fellow put himself in front of me and wouldn’t move,” he said.

“If I took another step, I would be putting my person into his presence, into his space and I would’ve touched him and that would’ve been the thing that the group of people would’ve needed to spring on me.”

Are these the words of a 16 year old kid or his PR advisor? Guess whose been invited to the White House not the veteran. (ODT)

Mr Sandmann said his facial expression during the encounter was “a smile saying that this is the best you’re going to get out of me — you won’t get any further reaction of aggression”.

via MAGA teen Nick Sandmann says he is not sorry for stand-off with Native American veteran – Donald Trump’s America – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Humour

HILARIOUS: Trump Declares Himself The Expert On Literally Everything | Crooks and Liars

HILARIOUS: Trump Declares Himself The Expert On Literally Everything

Donald Trump, without evidence or facts, declares himself an expert on everything. His actions, statements (and misstatements) and policy decisions show he is a Lying Liar McLiarPants.

via HILARIOUS: Trump Declares Himself The Expert On Literally Everything | Crooks and Liars

Informed Comment

8 Times Donald Trump Claimed He Was A Self-Made Man

The source of Trump’s fortune was his father, who bailed out the son’s failing businesses many times, a bombshell New York Times investigation found.

Donald Trump has, for decades, attempted to portray himself as a self-made, up-by-your-bootstraps entrepreneur who benefited little from his father’s fortune, relying on his own gumption and wiles to overcome financial challenges.

But a bombshell investigation by The New York Times published Tuesday annihilated this claim

8 Times Donald Trump Claimed He Was A Self-Made Man

Electricity

Tesla battery proves a leading source of dispatchable power, AEMO says – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Tesla's giant battery near Jamestown at night.

Scott Morrison said it would be about as useful for the electricity system as the Big Banana at Coffs Harbour or the Big Prawn at Ballina in NSW.
Key points

South Australia’s Tesla battery was initially dismissed by critics
Market operator finds the battery dispatches power faster than conventional stations and pushes down prices
Energy analyst says the battery has helped shore up the entire energy grid

via Tesla battery proves a leading source of dispatchable power, AEMO says – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Wealth Inequality

Don’t believe what they say about inequality. Some of us are worse off

The income survey data show an even more mixed record. The Our World in Data database shows that by 2003 the real income of the median Australian household was only about 5% higher in real terms than in 1989, while the second and third decile households – mainly headed by those on low wages and some on social security – were actually no better-off than in 1989, largely due to the effects of the early 1990s recession.

Despite the way it’s been spun, the Commission’s main message is that in the decades ahead we will need both policies that generate economic growth and policies that ensure it’s well spread. One without the other could leave many of us worse off.

via Don’t believe what they say about inequality. Some of us are worse off

USA

‘US Is Now Allied With al-Qaeda in Yemen’: AP Reveals American-Backed Saudi Coalition Forged Deals With AQAP Fighters

A man walks on rubble of a building destroyed in airstrikes carried out by warplanes of the Saudi-led coalition hours after the UN Special Envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths departed Sana’a on June 06, 2018 in Sana’a, Yemen.

As the United States continues to fuel Yemen’s worsening humanitarian crisis, and boast that it’s targeting al Qaeda in the impoverished nation (AQAP) with airstrikes, new reporting reveals that the U.S.- and U.K-backed Saudi coalition waging a bombing campaign there is recruiting al Qaeda fighters to join its ranks, and paying off the extremists to leave areas.

The militants were guaranteed a safe route out and allowed to keep weapons and cash looted from the city—up to $100 million by some estimates—according to five sources, including military, security, and government officials. […]

Coalition-backed forces moved in two days later, announcing that hundreds of militants were killed and hailing the capture as “part of joint international efforts to defeat the terrorist organizations in Yemen.”

via ‘US Is Now Allied With al-Qaeda in Yemen’: AP Reveals American-Backed Saudi Coalition Forged Deals With AQAP Fighters

Informed Comment

ASIO seeing fewer young Australian jihadists

Security agency ASIO has confirmed it has started seeing a drop in the number of Australian youngsters pursuing violent Islamist extremism.

The agency has told a hearing in Canberra that the number of children and teens being drawn to jihad on the wave of the so-called Islamic State’s previous success in the Middle East has passed its peak, though it warns Islamist terrorism remains a significant threat.

ASIO seeing fewer young Australian jihadists

Media

The world is going slow on coal, but misinformation is distorting the facts | Environment | The Guardian

This is a story about how misinformation can take hold. It’s not always down to dishonesty. Sometimes it’s just a lack of time, a headline and the multiplying power of ideological certainty.Last week, China announced it was stopping or postponing work on 151 coal plants that were either under, or earmarked for, construction.Last month, India reported its national coal fleet on average ran at little more than 60% of its capacity – among other things, well below what is generally considered necessary for an individual generator to be financially viable.Tony Abbott needs to explain U-turn on climate change, Julie Bishop saysRead moreNeither of these stories gained much of a foothold in the Australia media. But one story on global coal did: that 621 plants were being built across the planet

Source: The world is going slow on coal, but misinformation is distorting the facts | Environment | The Guardian

Coal

A Reality You Can’t Dig Yourself Out Of – Adani’s Coal Mine Is A Dud – New Matilda

In a world where coal has no future, the proposed Adani mine should not be given serious consideration. Even if climate change were not a pressing problem, and even if thermal coal prices were to rise and stay high, the project would bring little benefit to Australia, writes Ian McAuley. Dear reader, I’m asking youMore

Source: A Reality You Can’t Dig Yourself Out Of – Adani’s Coal Mine Is A Dud – New Matilda

Coal

No, new coal is not feasible: on price, reliability or emissions | Tennant Reed | Opinion | The Guardian

The proposition that new coal plants could be an effective solution to Australia’s energy needs should be treated with scepticism

Source: No, new coal is not feasible: on price, reliability or emissions | Tennant Reed | Opinion | The Guardian

USA

Sinister visions of America in crisis: Hollywood finally gets foreclosures right in “99 Homes” – Salon.com

The new film, starring Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon, goes where too few movies have been willing

Source: Sinister visions of America in crisis: Hollywood finally gets foreclosures right in “99 Homes” – Salon.com

Humour

Indiana Makes Desperate Bid To Join Bible Belt: Democracy some of US enjoys. Is it coming our way?

Posted in politics, religion

mikepence

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – (CT&P) – Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law yesterday in an attempt to show solidarity with politicians around the Bible Belt who are pushing “Religious Freedom Acts” of their own. The legislation allows individuals and corporations to cite ‘religious beliefs’ as a defense when sued by a private party. Thus, business owners who don’t want to serve same-sex couples, or any other member of a group they dislike, now have legal protection to deny service.

jesus-redneck-elite-daily

“We just wanted to show that religious folks in Indiana have just as much pent-up prejudice and hatred as our brothers and sisters down South,” said Governor Pence at a press conference after he signed the bill. “We want to protect our God-given right to treat people who disagree with our archaic belief system as second class citizens and objects of derision. Judge Roy Moore ain’t got nothing on us,” chuckled the governor, as he foamed at the mouth.

The fact that the bill may cost the state millions of dollars in revenue did not seem to bother the governor.

“If people and businesses want to move to a more progressive state that treats all its citizens and tourists as equals, then let them burn in hell with all the other heretics. We in Indiana want to stand as an example of God’s love for bigots and hatred of fags. If we lose a few conventions here and there then so be it!”

indianaklan

The bill has prompted public outrage around the country and several large organizations such as Salesforce have abandoned all future plans that include Indiana. Other organizations such as Gen Con, the NCAA, and Ely Lilly, one of the state’s largest employers, have already spoken out against the bill.

When asked if the bill would not allow business owners to refuse service to just about anyone they disagreed with or did not like, Governor Pence replied, “Yes, thank God. Like other ‘Religious Freedom’ bills making their way through state houses around the country, we made this one vague enough to where we can discriminate not only against gays, but Jews, Muslims, atheists, Mormons, Scientologists, or just about anyone we want to. It’s great!”

“The main thing to remember here is to ask yourself the question ‘What would Jesus do?,’ and I think we can all agree that if Jesus owned an Ace Hardware he would refuse to sell building materials to homosexuals, Jews, Muslims, atheists, or any other group that threatens our fragile and insecure system of beliefs.”

Governor Pence concluded, “The God-fearing citizens of Indiana want nothing more than to return to the Middle Ages, just like those folks down South, and I think this bill is a good beginning.”