As a follow-up to Hate in America, did anyone see the DKos diary on the group in Texas called Repent Amarillo?
http://www.texasobserver.org/dateline/he-who-casts-the-first-stone
What’s next for Repent? They’ve posted a “Warfare Map” on the group’s Web site. The map includes establishments like gay bars, strip clubs and porn shops, but also the Wildcat Bluff Nature Center. Repent believes the 600-acre prairie park’s Walmart-funded “Earth Circle,” used for lectures, is a Mecca for witches and pagans. Also on the list are The 806 coffeehouse (a hangout for artists and counterculture types), the Islamic Center of Amarillo (“Allah is a false god”), and “compromised churches” like Polk Street Methodist (gay-friendly).
In January, Repent caused a stir when the group rolled out BoycottHouston.com, a Web site that urges economic sanctions against Houston because the mayor is gay and a large Planned Parenthood building is being built.
In http://amarilloindy.com/wordpress/?p=651, their leader, David Grisham says: “Tolerance is indeed the last virtue of a degenerate society. Any society that starts teaching its children about tolerance and intolerance rather than good and evil will raise an entire generation that simply tolerates evil.”
Grisham works as a security guard at Pantex, a nuclear weapons facility contractor for the federal government. The Pantex website says, in part, that the plant, located 17 miles northeast of Amarillo, is charged with maintaining the safety, security and reliability of the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile. The facility is managed and operated by B&W Pantex for the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration… The Pantex Plant workforce must exhibit the highest standards of ethical behavior. The Company does not discriminate based on race, age, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability.
It’s disturbing when religious fanatics have access to nuclear materials.
Methodists, coffee houses and parks?
Christ, these people are wackaloons.
Next, they’ll be going after Montessori schools!
I wonder how they would feel about the Methodist Owned Coffee House I used to attend Single Socials at?
Speaking of Montessori schools and all things liberal… I checked, and there is indeed a Unitarian Universalist fellowship there. Security detail forthwith (especially for the UU Pagans!). Knoxville is still fresh.
Nottoolate, I went directly to their website and sent ’em an email:
“I’m praying hard for all of you. Not because I think you’re right. But because I think you’re frighteningly wrong and don’t even realize it. I urge you all to read the Gospel of Matthew–seriously and thoughtfully. What you are about has almost nothing to do with the real message that Christ preached. Repentance is needed in Amarillo–that’s true–but it’s the gunslingers and the judges of their fellow humans who need to repent. God help you.”
The site itself is completely creepy:
http://www.repentamarillo.com/
For those with strong stomachs who would like to check it out.
You are very brave to have emailed them, and your message was compassionate and skillfully stated. Thank you. Yes, their website is frightening, what with the military images, sound of gunfire, Army of God recruitment delusion, and so forth.
I joined the Facebook page of Amarillo Citizens Against Repent Amarillo and send them a message of encouragement. (They also have a website called repentamarillo.NET.) I got a reply: they’ve got a couple lawyers working pro bono for them. I asked if they could confirm that Pastor Grisham does indeed work as a security guard at Pantex. I’ll also call Pantex tomorrow and ask. I’d like the facts before I contact the Feds. ThinkProgress has an item about Repent Amarillo, and some posters point out the very remote odds that Grisham could access the nuclear materials there. Remote possibility not quite acceptable in my book. But then I wonder how many other Amarillo “whackaloons” as Pepe so colorfully calls them, work at Pantex.
Re Hate in America, I’ve been thinking lately of Blake’s poem:
O Rose, thou art sick!
The Invisible worm,
That flies in the night,
In the howling storm,
Has found out thy bed
Of Crimson joy;
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.
Nottolate, the Blake poem is tragically, eloquently perfect. I wish it weren’t such a fitting choice, but, sadly, it is.
A (edit) WILLIAM Blake fan?! Oh, be still my heart! Thank you so much for that, Nottoo.
Cher–forgive me for being somewhere between obsessive and Alzheimer’s–and please correct me if I’m wrong. Is it William Blake? The poet?
Or have I slipped a cog?
Doh!! 😳 Thanks, Kes.
That’s what I get for watching the Oscars and typing.
I’m embarrassed that I couldn’t rest until I knew for sure!
That’s what I get for being unable to drop a lifelong compulsion to take my sanity pulse on a daily basis. (Madness runs in the family, dontcha know!) 😳
Haha!
It happens. Sounds like a fun Oscar game though.
I guess it’s safer than drinking and driving! (Or drinking and blogging?) 😀
Cher, I wouldn’t be so sure about that, even waiting for a train while drunk has it’s dangers.
Kalima– that’s what we need– A couple of personal security guards at all times!
If you saw the way I weave even without one drop to drink, you would know that you have hit the nail on the heat. 🙂
Or a glass too many and email. 😆
Drunk dialing is hazardous enough.
Drunk and disorderly “anything” is bad for me. Hubby hasn’t offered to make a drink for me since Christmas Eve. I’m still on probation. 🙁
Last night I accidentally texted someone I don’t know and invited him to dinner! I texted to my son as follows: “Hi Hon, we’re meeting at Puerto Vallarta for dinner at 6. Wanna join us?” Then I sent it to the wrong number!! (Off by one digit.) I got the following response: “Who dis??”
Was I mortified! 😳
It still amazes me how writing gives so few cues that we depend on. When we communicate in person we have so many more cues that we really seem to need. Those smileys are at least some help.
Kes– Yikes! If I don’t have my glasses on, I sometimes misread the caller on my cell, and have been known to answer, “Hi, Baby!” to complete strangers. The funny thing is, they are ALWAYS happy when I do that!
Just be careful…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFSCrcqebVg
They are essential for me. I’m so sarcastic and dry it gets me in trouble even in real life, and it slips through even when I don’t mean to be!
Kes – one time I got a happy birthday – after my own, from someone I didn’t know texting in teen girl language – it was uncomfortable, ’cause I was like, who’s this? And she was like, it’s me silly… oy…
That was cute, Khirad ❗ 😯
kesmarn I’m glad that I don’t own a mobile phone, it would be utter chaos.
Here in Japan you say “Hajime mashite” when you meet someone for the first time. It literally means, “Happy to meet you for the first time.” I have said it endlessly to people I already know when I’m too lazy to find my glasses, I can’t imagine what they tell others about me. 🙁
Kalima, Cher and Khirad, you’ve made me laugh out loud. I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s had little communications mishaps. I do like the idea of a hearty “Hi, Baby!” to every caller.
Thanks Kes– er,
Thanks, Baby!
kesmarn, since “Baby” has never been a word I would use except when addressing my cats, that might be hard for me to do.
My friend in NC started our email friendship by addressing me as “Babe” I soon stopped that. He then used “Sweetie” which I stopped because it reminded me of Neo on HP.
He’s called me a few other things too but it’s now progressed to “Toots” I really don’t have the energy to fight about this any longer and it’s much better than the usual Japanese term of endearment which is “Oi” and means “Hey you.”
How old is this guy? And he’s not being ironic, I assume? Lord, I wouldn’t even say it ironically, except in a special context – like mocking guys who say that.
No offense to the guy though. I think some were just raised with it or are set in their ways and don’t mean anything by it; but it just seems demeaning to me, unless, you’re really close to someone. Toots, however, not so much.
Kalima 😆 You wrote “hit the nail on the heat. Perfect!!
😆 so I did!
Blind as a bat and proud of it, not really though.
You do realize that your actions and what you just posted here about contacting the “Feds” borders on felonious harrassment…
Huh??
X2
Are you kidding? If not, how so?
That was my reaction. a ” 😉 ” goes a long way.
No, I did not realize, but I am willing to be educated.
These people stir up feelings in me that I don’t feel comfortable discussing with progressive brethren.
So instead, merely this, to center my anger:
The real enemy to this earth is the projections of their own ignorance, fears and hatred.
“It
I read about these goons the other day. Don’t people who work at nuclear facilities have to take a personality test or something? Cops do.
If not, they should. At the very least they should have to be able to obtain and keep a DOE security clearance. I can’t imagine working for the Department of Energy would be any different than working for the Department of Defense…contractors included.
At the very least, having Yahoos like Grisham working for them should raise a red flag for “employee requirements” in the contract between Pantex and the DOE.
These hate groups need to be tracked. There is a group out of Philly that does track them, One People’s Project. You can bookmark it to track these people. I am sure you know of the Southern Poverty Law Center they track hate groups as well. Someone should blow the whistle on this guy to whoever is in charge of that plant.
http://www.onepeoplesproject.com/
I referenced them several times in my series,Sue. The SPLC that is. But I never heard of these guys!