As Kat Knits

“We’re praying for rain and snow and anything else that can cause a problem.” ~ Andrew Brenner

There has been much in the news this week about 9/11 as we approach the 9th anniversary of that tragedy. However, apparently, prejudice and hatred is not a lesson we learned.

Lest you think that not true, the pastor (and I use the term loosely) from an evangelical fundamentalist church in Gainesville Florida is here to prove us all wrong.

On Saturday, he and his congregants will set some 200 copies of the Qur’an on fire to honor the 2,996 people who died that day. Perhaps this misguided pastor needs a reminder that the deceased represented more than 90 countries, some of whom were Muslim.

I truly wonder what Bible this church is using in their worship practices, because the one that I use calls for us to be “a light shining on a hill” and encourages us to “love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us.” I do not believe that setting the Qur’an on fire is the kind of light Jesus was speaking about nor does that act show any love, mercy, or concern for anyone.

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Currently, there is not a 12-step program for addicts to fossil fuels but perhaps there should be.

Living in Michigan, I thought us immune to the danger of a catastrophe similar to the likes of the one that is decimating the Gulf of Mexico right now. Nor did I ever think that we needed to worry about an Exxon Valdez type calamity ever washing up on the shores of any of the Great Lakes.

Who knew that in my own back yard, an oil disaster was brewing?

Sometime earlier this week, an underground pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy Partners released into Talmadge Creek some 840,000 gallons of oil. A drop in the bucket in comparison to the amount that spewed into the Gulf over the past months, however it is devastating to the fragile water Eco-system of West Michigan. This morning, Michigan Radio reported that already at least 50 geese have died and that the EPA is monitoring the toxicity of the area.

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A little light dispels a lot of darkness – Rabbi Schneur Zalman

If you have not heard of Mark Williams, I am about to introduce you to him, and while it is not a pleasant introduction I believe it is necessary.

Mr. Williams’s infamy is growing, specifically surrounding some statements he made recently. He is not only a member of the Tea Party movement but apparently a leader as well, and personally, if I were ever so inclined to become a member of this organization, which is highly unlikely, this would make me resign.

Mr. Williams is obviously a blind and ignorant bigot, but what surprises me is the lack of outcry from fellow Tea Partiers about his disgusting statements. While many bloggers, pundits, and reporters have shed some light on Mr. Williams and his comments there has been very little, if any, protest from the people who classify themselves as Tea Party Movement Members.

It causes one to believe that all Tea Partiers are of like mind, does it not? What is it that they say about birds of a feather…?

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There has been sadly little in the news recently on education.

However, unemployment makes the headlines daily, and with good reason as a large portion of our citizenry is either unemployed or under-employed.

How little we think of unemployment and education being vitally important to each other…and then last week I came across an article about employment and a company’s woes as it tried to hire some 1300 people and their lament of only being able to find less than a hundred whom they could employ. Why, you ask? It is easy, less than 100 applicants could pass the simple 9th grade mathematics exam for employment! That is correct, Gentle Reader, they have some 1300 positions they are trying to fill but cannot find workers who are capable of doing the work because they cannot do 9th grade math!

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