Tent of Abraham

Bill Clinton Pays a Well Deserved Tribute

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:12:26 +0000

Real Men Don’t….. (Amazing pics)

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:40:27 +0000

Real men don’t need to bully, subordinate, put on false pretenses or own a gun to feel like a man.

Could Any Member of the American Joint Chiefs of Staff Give This Speech? (VIDEO)

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:59:24 +0000

Lieutenant General David Morrison

In a 3 minute message to members of Australia’s military, Lieutenant General David Morrison, expressed the kind of moral and ethical leadership we have yet to hear from non-civilian leadership in America’s military establishment. In no uncertain terms Morrison makes it quite clear that:

women are considered not only equal to men in the military, but are highly valued and appreciated
sexual harassment of any kind brings shame to the military and is contrary to their mission
soldiers who need to humiliate others have a serious problem that is incompatible with being in the military
men who mistreat women are not welcome in the Australian military and should GET OUT!

Not only am I skeptical that among America’s top brass we don’t have anyone capable of giving such a speech, but I have no doubt that if one did, he would be subject to profound mocking and criticism from his peers and many socially conservative Americans who everyday remind us with stupid comments about: women asking for it; not getting pregnant from rape; women should not be serving with young men with raging hormones, simply don’t get it.

How to Silence a Fool Without Saying a Word (VIDEO)

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 00:16:51 +0000

As a political activist and blogger one of the most painful lessons I’m slowly learning is how pointless it is to argue with fools. Arguing facts with people who need to believe in highly revised and edited versions of the truth is a waste of your time and emotions. Take it from me, getting all worked up because of stupid arguments posed by others will only give you high blood pressure and contribute to your less than flattering rep as a hot-head.

I’m trying to learn from Jon Stewart who brilliantly shows us almost every night that humor and satire can not only effectively communicate your message, but is always so more fun and entertaining.

Kudos to the two college students in this video who chose a totally appropriate, hysterical way to silence a holy roller intent on bringing her conservative Christian message into the sinful world of college students.

Gordon Gee Forgot That It’s Not Polite to Even Joke About Someones Apparent Stench

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 01:19:06 +0000

I’m sure that if I were a Catholic I would pleased with the news that Gordon Gee is stepping down as President of Ohio State University. But I’m not a Catholic. In fact, I can’t think of faith community in the world today that I am more leery of than the Roman Catholic Church. For that matter, I can’t think of religion in this world at the moment that I profoundly believe is unintentionally doing more harm than good.

I’m sorry Gordon Gee has to step down because he was a highly successful, effectual leader of this country’s largest public university.

And I’m really sorry that he has to step down because he made inappropriate comments about such arrogant, destructive, deleterious religious cult that is run by clerics who are more inclined to:

Hide pedophile priests than protect the jobs of highly successful teachers in their schools because of who those teachers choose to love in their private lives. (Remind me again, Jesus was opposed to love? Oh yea, now I remember, Jesus left it to a bunch of misogynist men drunk with power to declare his ‘true’ message to the world according to their interests.)
Direct their vast financial and political power to highly destructive, divisive political campaigns against the reproductive rights of women and the civil liberties of LGBT people.
Insist that books that were written by HUMAN BEINGS 2,000 years ago cannot be subject to the kind of honest intellectual study that might promote more relevant interpretations of ideas and values that might stand the test of time if the Catholic clergy weren’t so afraid of change and possibly having to share power with women, learned lay-people and Catholics who won’t be loyal members of an old-boys networks that protects its own regardless of their sins.
Many in the church’s hierarchy seem more inclined to viciously criticize and condemn elected world leaders who are more committed to serving the collective interests of all citizens rather than legislate Catholic religious doctrine that coincidently, most Catholics don’t follow any longer.

No Dr. Gee, it’s not polite to point out that someone needs a bath or that their cooking is awful, their taste in clothing horrendous, or, that their not quite as holy and noble they would like to believe.

The Cherrios Commercial That’s Pissing Off the Bigots (VIDEO)

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:03:01 +0000

I’m a firm believer in the idea that ‘tribal-loyalties’ include both blessings and curses to the human spirit. Each of us belong to a number of tribes: e.g. race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationalism, etc. There’s nothing wrong with taking pride in one more of the tribal identities we subscribe to. Our tribal loyalties become problematic when we allow our tribal affiliations to prejudge other individuals and groups who do not share membership in one or more of the groups we belong to. Tribal chauvinism, the belief that my country, my race or my religion is somehow better than yours, has created more wars, more hate and human suffering than any other historical antecedent.

Those people who proudly recognize that among the many tribes they may claim membership is the tribe of humanity are inevitably more tolerant and accepting of the remarkable diversity found among the human inhabitants of this world.

When I first saw this Cheerios commercial which includes an interracial family, I jumped out of my chair and yelled: “YES! AWESOME!!!” It’s not surprising but still sad to note that the folks at General Mills had to disable the comments section on YouTube where this video could be seen because of hundreds of racist comments posted by people who were offended by the idea of an interracial family.

Nope. Some people still don’t get it. Ideas about racial purity and superiority did not die with defeat of Nazi Germany, the defeat of the American Confederacy, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, or the inauguration of the first American President of color.

“The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.” (Senator Ted Kennedy)

What Does Equality Mean to a Conservative? What Does Equality Mean to a Liberal?

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 19:24:11 +0000

As a prolific blogger, liberal Democrat, staunch defender human rights and civil liberties, I can’t begin to imagine how many hundreds of hours and thousands of words I have spent over the years trying to make the point that this simple picture makes so simply and yet so eloquently.

You Know You Want It. You Deserve It. So Enjoy!

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Fri, 31 May 2013 23:52:08 +0000

Why Do Some Liberals Like Alice Walker Support Bigotry and Deny History?

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Thu, 30 May 2013 17:05:04 +0000

Author, Alice Walker

Singer, Alicia Keys

The Israeli daily, Haaretz is reporting that Alice Walker, one of America’s most cherished writers is now taking her personal support for the “Boycott-Divestment-Sanctions (BDS) campaign a step further by urging American singer Alicia Keys not perform in Israel. I’d like to pose a couple of thoughts and a question to Alice Walker and other progressive thinking supporters of the BDS movement:

Why in instances where there is a regrettable historic strife between two “tribes,” two religions, two ethnic groups, my fellow liberal crusaders for human right inevitably side with the group that is less white, less connected racially to Europe, less engaged in modern commerce, less familiar with western education-technology and culture? Doesn’t truth, history and objectivity count for anything?

Have the Palestinians had it tough? Yes. Have they been mistreated by Israelis? Yes. Should they have their homeland? Yes.

The question the knee-jerk liberals like Alice Walker can’t or won’t answer is: How did we get to this point and who is responsible for this situation? Why do the Alice Walker’s of the world choose to ignore the political and cultural vilification of the Jewish people and Israel in the culture of most Arab nations? When did it become socially and morally acceptable to side with those who promote hate and bigotry? When did automatic support for third world people of color replace intellectual honesty? Why is hate among people of color ignored or tolerated?

(reprinted from Haaretz)

Alice Walker urges singer Alicia Keys to cancel July concert in Israel

In open letter to the R&B musician, author of ‘The Color Purple’ and proponent of the BDS campaign calls on Keys to boycott Israel and visit Gaza instead.

By Haaretz | May.29, 2013 | 11:25 PM

Alice Walker, renowned American author of “The Color Purple” who made headlines in Israel last year after refusing to authorize a Hebrew translation of her prize-winning book, has published an open letter urging singer Alicia Keys to cancel her scheduled July concert in Israel.

Walker, who is a proponent of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel and participated in the 2011 Gaza Flotilla, says in her letter that although she has never met her, “It would grieve me to know you are putting yourself in danger (soul danger) by performing in an apartheid country that is being boycotted by many global conscious artists.

Invoking the civil rights movement she fought in that the 33-year R&B star is too young to have known personally, Walker calls a boycott of Israel “our only nonviolent option and, as we learned from our own struggle in America, nonviolence is the only path to a peaceful future.”

Just days after Alicia Keys confirmed her summer performance in March, the BDS campaign began to kick into gear, and websites, Facebook pages, and petitions urging Keys to cancel her plans to play Tel Aviv started popping up.

In her letter, Walker specifically holds Obama and his administration accountable for Palestinian suffering, and ends the letter by urging Keys to visit the Gaza.

“This is actually a wonderful opportunity for you to learn about something sorrowful, and amazing: that our government (Obama in particular) supports a system that is cruel, unjust, and unbelievably evil….Please, if you can manage it, go to visit the children in Gaza, and sing to them of our mutual love of all children, and of their right not to be harmed simply because they exist.”

Does God Speak To Us Through the Pets and Animals That Care for Us?

Mitchell S. Gilbert — Wed, 29 May 2013 02:36:09 +0000