Untitled

I'm still kinda upset about the loss of my favorite bar of all time. In fact, a lot of people are upset. Me, and literally like 20,000 people. Including the Mayor. "Kinda" is an understatement, for me, and the other 19,999.

But when I heard about the people who lived above Delaney's, who are now displaced,  and when I talked to the people, my friends, who worked there, well, I guess it came into perspective for me.

I think that maybe sometimes, in all honesty, I like the newspaper so much because it makes me feel better about myself. Maybe I read about mothers who drown their own children, and dudes who shoot up a school full of first graders, or the Israeli military bombing the shit out of Hamas.... because maybe, just maybe, it makes me feel content.

Because I know, that shit ain't happening to me.

I'm not involved.

And I talk a lot of shit about the reality tv industry, and say what a detriment it is to our society. I say FUCK HONEY BOO BOO, that white trash bitch. I laugh at fake ass Kim Kardashian. I don't even know what channel Bravo is. But I know it sucks. I look back at my days of being infatuated with the MTV Video Music Awards and I shake my head in disgust. I think, or like to think, that I'm, I'M, better than that. I like to think that I know what is best for America, and if more people that thought MY way had some power, well, a difference could be made. I brag, at times, that I'm not religious about anything...when in fact, this very thought makes me religious. And I demonstrate my religious beliefs, not by going to church, or professing my sins, or even bowing my head in prayer every now and then. I do it, by BLOGGING... on this very site, that is free of charge. For everyone.

It requires barely a shred of effort.

And then you have, or had, for centuries, individuals who literally DIE for their beliefs, for their religion. And you expect me, us, we, to think that OUR religion is right??? I mean, my Irish Catholic ancestry has a notorious history of lacing up the trunks of cars with bombs, yet an entire army of Islamic militants, most of whom are disenfranchised middle class Iraqi soldiers, is willing to go to battle against the Syrian Army, the Iraqi Army, the AMERICAN ARMY... and win!!?

In 2001, were we not shocked to learn that out of all the 19 hijackers, 2 were from Syria, 2 were from Jordan, and the others were from Saudi Arabia!!!!!!??? Which, I may add , was and still is our biggest Middle East ally!!??

When you raise black flags, when you condone human crucifixions, when you have skulls on your lapel pins and you gas people because of their beliefs... you are pure evil.  But evil triumphs when good men do nothing. And in the case of America, something.

Religious belief will always be here in this world. And for better or for worse.

I will, and actually I did, donate to the Delaney's Fund at Niagara Bank on Fountain Street because I believe, we believe, that this place is important. That this place is worth resurrecting. That without this place, that does nothing more than sell alcohol and food to regular attendees, this neighborhood, and in turn our own social lives and souls, will be meaningless.

But shit, I'll take a beer at Delaney's, some football, and Honey Boo Boo ANY day over a God damn Islamic State.