Doug's Views – Page 31 – Ocassional Thoughts of an Independent Progressive Atheistic Humanist

March 11, 2014April 18, 2020

My Free School Lunch Horror Story

After reading the story about Rep. Paul Ryan’s false ‘no free school lunch’ story he told at CPAC and the general feeling among conservatives that kids need to work for their free lunches, I wanted to tell my free school lunch horror story. Yes, when I was a kid I had free school lunches and it made me feel so ashamed, but not for the reason you might think.

While growing up my family was on and off public assistance. It was during the 70s and early 80s. Being on public assistance made me eligible for a free lunch at school. It usually consisted of a punch card just like the ones used by kids whose families paid for lunch in advance so unless I told someone, no one would know my card was free to me. That isn’t my horror story.

February 26, 2014April 18, 2020

FOX Business Channel Supports Slavery In History Revision

‘Judge’ Andrew Napolitano don’t know much about history

Conservatives try to adopt President Lincoln as their Republican icon but libertarians have an issue with how Lincoln ended slavery. Yes, libertarians are more concerned about the ‘free market’ then about people OWNING other people. But we already knew how some libertarians are plain assholes. That aspect of libertarianism was on full display recently on the FOX Business Channel (FBC).

In a Black History segment on FBC on February 14th, ‘Judge’ Andrew Napolitano falsely blamed Abraham Lincoln for the Civil War.

February 18, 2014April 18, 2020

Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor Lies Again

Ohio Lt. Governor Mary Taylor

Ohio Lt. Governor Mary Taylor was speaking at a Lincoln Day lunch in Findlay Ohio on Monday and she couldn’t help but lie once again about the Affordable Care Act and Governor Kasich’s policies. It wasn’t surprising but if I were a Republican I would be upset with a party leader giving me false information. Anyone who reads the news knows she lied.

As reported in the Findlay (OH) Courier:

February 12, 2014April 18, 2020

Next Time You Get Laid Give A Shout Out To Charles Darwin

February 12th is Charles Darwin’s birthday. He wrote the seminal book about Evolution titled ‘On the Origin of Species’. He introduced the scientific theory that populations evolve over the course of generations through a process of natural selection. Of course, even in 2014, there are some people who either refuse to accept Evolution or seem to have no idea what it is.

Last week Bill Nye debated Ken Ham on the topic of creationism (a debate Nye clearly won) and the website Buzzfeed posted images of several debate attendees who offered questions they wanted Evolutionists to answer. All of the questions were the standard creationist claptrap that have been refuted time and time again. Here is one that cracks me up every time:

February 1, 2014April 18, 2020

Seculars Rock the Ohio Statehouse

image of Doug Berger, co-chair Secular Coalition for Ohio, and Monette Richards, President of CFI NE Ohio and Legislative chair for the Secular Coalition for Ohio

Doug Berger, co-chair Secular Coalition for Ohio, and Monette Richards, President of CFI NE Ohio and Legislative chair for the Secular Coalition for Ohio at the Secular Summit 2.0

On January 28th I joined 20 other secular people at the Secular Summit 2.0 held in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus. The lobby day event was sponsored by the Center for Inquiry Northeast Ohio and included people from several Ohio secular groups. We had several speakers, a little training in lobbying, and prearranged visits with our elected state representatives and senators.

I wrote a detailed account of the day over at my Secular Left blog. It also includes some pictures I took.

On January 28th, a bitterly cold Tuesday morning, approximately 20 people gathered for the second annual Secular Summit in the Museum Gallery in the Ohio Statehouse in downtown Columbus. The summit was organized and hosted by the Center for Inquiry Northeast Ohio (CFI NE Ohio) but included people from the various secular groups in Ohio. In the morning we had several speakers, some training in lobbying, and then the afternoon was when participants visited their Representatives and Senators to introduce themselves and the issues of importance to seculars in the state. The extreme cold couldn’t keep us from talking to the legislature, most of whom have completely opposite views.
Great Time At The Ohio Secular Summit