I AM ON A FUCKING DIET. GIVE ME A BREAK.




Also, never again am I drinking a Bud Light.

Or better shoes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

Play

I wasn't even aware that there were other movies than Dark Knight Rises this year…

Wake me up when you are wearing a football shirt with the name “BARMONDE” on it…

It’s been almost two years since I’ve moved into my current apartment and I have yet to find a use for the oven…

@PenelopePuppet suggested I use it as extra storage. Given the price of rent in SF, it’s a terrific idea.

It’s an island, you can’t just run, you’ll have to swim…

The brides.

Only if you agree to watch it with me.

Disclaimer: I have never read, nor seen anything Harry Potter related.

First things first, I am French. My opinions are naturally biased by my education, family roots and environment.

To fully understand the implications of such a polarizing policy, you need to understand that France, currently under the Fifth Republic is based on the principle of Laicity. The separation of “Church and State” as some like to refer to, is/was most certainly the best thing that could have happened to France.

Second disclaimer, I am an atheist.

Religions carry the weight of History. They tap into our inner irrationality, where illusions and myths reign over skepticism and scientific methodologies. They led to wars, deaths and destruction. They also have brought communities together, provided shelters and food to the most unfortunate among many other good things.

I don’t buy the security argument over the ban of the veil. While it can certainly be used maliciously, so can a wig and a fake mustache. So, French politicians, please spare me the security BS.

Some are quick to call all arms against our “Freedom of speech” or our basic human rights being violated by France, of all countries. Damn these French.

What these people fail to see, is the growing gap of inequalities and the stigmas they impose on society. France and the UK to a certain extent, are starting to pay the price of their colonialist past, trying to adjust their current societal mechanisms to the pressure of distinct ethnic groups, which values can sometimes be opposed the ones of their current nation. It is far easier to manage a country following the same uniform vision.

Why do you think some students are required to wear uniforms throughout their ENTIRE education? Did anyone complain about our basic human rights to wear an over-priced Nike t-shirt manufactured by child labor in Pakistan? Nope. The benefits of having everyone playing on roughly the same level far outweigh our stupid irrational ideological concerns.

I‘d like to believe that everybody is treated equally, regardless of his religion, color of his skin or his (non) apparent wealth. You know the old “give everybody a chance”. The less visible it is, the more likely it is not going to be “played” against you.

Is this going to help? Maybe.
Is this going to hurt some people's feelings or beliefs? Most certainly.

But it also going to slow-down the growing nefarious communitarianism responsible for hatred and racism, responsible for exclusion, responsible for the feudal practices currently being taught and enforced.

If the French legal system is any good, it’ll self adjust when communitarianism and racism won’t be a major problem anymore.

In a country where Le Pen got > 15% of votes for the last three elections, I am not convinced this will happen any time soon.

So in the mean time, I'll support measures that protect laicity.

Next on the list: replace catholic holidays by non religious ones.

Without a doubt: @jd http://www.formspring.me/jd

He is the only Formspring user with a two characters username. Proof that he’s awesome: he has ID #1 in the database.

Try to beat that.


ps: contender for best username would by @MyBigDingDong, because you know… MBDD.

Related: http://4ms.me/O1sWEV