Bill Kassel's Blog

Occasional reflections on religion, culture, politics, and anything else that comes into my mind...

bill kassel

Hating Hate

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FORGET EMPTY GESTURES ON HATE
DEFEND THE 1ST AMENDMENT

I hate hate. I mean I really hate hate.

And I hate the haters who hate. I hate them because they’re so…well…so hateful. And I just hate that.

It’s a good thing Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats pushed for that anti-hate resolution.

There can be no question now that Americans believe hate is bad.

And that’s good.

Because we don’t want any haters around here.

People could get the idea that we tolerate hate. And I’d hate for them to think that.

Hate is intolerance. And tolerating that kind of intolerance is…intolerable.

–  –  –

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Read a Good Book Lately?

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GET GREAT LENTEN READING
AND MEET THE AUTHORS

Good Shepherd Catholic Radio, an AM/FM station covering south-central Michigan, will host a group of distinguished Catholic authors — among whom is moi — at a mini book fair to be held at Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, 606 South Wisner Street, in Jackson, Michigan.

Titled Catholic Authors of Michigan, the event will be held Saturday, March 30, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It is open to the general public, and refreshments will be available.

Guest authors expected to participate are…

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Ashes Once More

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IT’S GOOD TO REMIND OURSELVES
OF OUR FLAWS AND FAILINGS

In acknowledgment of Ash Wednesday, here are some thoughts I’ve posted several times since they first appeared back in 2014…

____________

I have to confess that there are certain Catholic pious practices I don’t entirely get.

It probably reflects the fact that I’m an adult convert and wasn’t raised in the Church — or that I’ve made less progress on my spiritual journey than I like to assume.

One of the things I don’t get is fasting.

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The Mind of the Left

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SLANDERING TRUMPSTERS WAS
LOGICAL TO JUSSIE SMOLLETT

The endless media cycle has already spun ’round several times since Jussie Smollett’s claim of being attacked by two Trump supporters was exposed as another pathetic victimization fantasy. This less-than-A-list actor is already fading into Jussie-Who? status.

He enjoyed a moment of fame when his IMDb ranking (a measure of recognizability with which Hollywood folk are obsessed) peaked at Number 10. But his character was written out of the last three current-season episodes of the series, “Empire,” on which he’s been featured. Will he recover? Maybe. But at the moment, his long-term employability is uncertain.

So if boosting his career was the motive for claiming persecution based on his intersectional characteristics of race and sexuality — as has been speculated — it probably wasn’t the shrewdest move.

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Anything She Wants

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ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ
BENEFITS FROM CUTENESS

In an episode of the comedy/detective TV series, “Monk,” Adrian Monk’s assistant, Natalie, suggests doing something to gain information that might help solve the week’s mystery. I can’t recall what mystery they were trying to solve or what Natalie suggested, but I do remember her idea was considered so outrageous that she couldn’t possibly get away with it. “I can do anything I want,” she replied serenely, “I’m cute.”

Indeed, Natalie expressed a great truth: Much is allowed — or forgiven — a girl who’s cute.

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Mysterious Ways

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STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
ANOTHER TRUMPIAN TRIUMPH

The Donald’s bravura performance in his State of the Union Address, and the overwhelming burst of public approval following it, remind us that individuals make history.

Unshaken by the scowling faces of those women in white — indeed, clearly amused by them — the President managed once again to put Democrats on the back foot in their resistance to his Great Wall of Trump. And pretty much everything else as well.

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The Beat Goes On

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JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS
ABOUT THOSE COVINGTON BOYS

My friend and former Hillsdale College colleague, Dan Bisher, has gained some prominence as a regional historian through his book, Faded Memories, which examines Michigan’s frontier period, as well as through presentations he gives at libraries and schools.

A special focus of his work is the Potawatomi Indian culture that flourished in south-central Michigan until the infamous “Trail of Tears” episode that saw removal of indigenous people to reservations in the American southwest.

Dan’s talks are well attended, and they generate plenty of questions, especially from children, who are always interested in native American life.

Indian lore is a fascination for kids, exposed as they are from a young age to storybooks, TV shows, movies, and school lessons about the earliest residents of the Western Hemisphere. When they learn about the displacement of native culture by European civilization, youngsters tend to feel a special empathy that blends romance, nostalgia and a sense of loss. I dare say no other people have quite the same hold on their hearts as American Indians do.

Which is why I was quite perplexed when I saw the first video images of those Covington, Kentucky, school boys confronted by a native drummer on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

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The Best an Ad Can Get?

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GILLETTE TRIES TO SELL BY
INSULTING ITS CUSTOMERS

Having worked in advertising, I often puzzle over how certain commercials get approved for production.

Granted, I started in direct marketing, where the effectiveness of any promotion is evaluated by strict, bottom-line measures like number-of-sales and cost-per-order.

But these days it doesn’t seem like an ad is expected to actually sell anything. After having viewed that Prevagen spot a hundred-or-so times, I still don’t get the connection between some ingredient that comes from jellyfish and improving my memory.

Progressive Insurance is probably the worst. They’ve run their “Flo” character into the ground, and their spots just get more abstract and obscure.

Liberty Mutual isn’t far behind. The clever campaign that began with that cute little girl and her car, “Brad,” has been creeping over into silliness lately.

Creative directors need to remind their copywriters that humor in advertising only works when the laugh grows out of the problem that’s solved by buying the product. If you’re just going for the laugh, you may succeed in amusing your viewers, but you won’t sell much.

Then there’s the current trend of social commentary in product ads. Have you noticed all the spots that feature mixed-race families? In a time when marriage and adoption across racial lines is increasingly common, what burning problem does Corporate America think it’s being bold in confronting?

And then there’s Gillette.

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To Read, or Not to Read

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THE KINGDOM STIRS ANGER
AT FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY

A fellow who heard that my novel, MY BROTHER’S KEEPER, focuses on James, the Lord’s brother, wrote me charging that the book must be some kind of Protestant screed.

Didn’t I know that Mary remained a virgin and never gave birth to any other children? If I wrote that Jesus had a brother, surely I must be dabbling in heresy.

I explained to him that the book draws on early Christian writings (the so-called “non-canonical gospels”) that describe Joseph as an older widowed man with children at the time he took Mary as his wife. It doesn’t conflict with either the Bible — which says nothing about Joseph’s age and family circumstances — or with Christian Tradition. In fact, it’s been certified by the Catholic Writers Guild as being consistent with Church teaching.”

His misassumption reflected the fact that he’d only heard about the book and hadn’t read it. But then, that’s key, isn’t it. Not only can’t you judge a book by its cover, you can’t fully know what ideas it espouses until you’ve read it.

This truth is relevant to a controversy swirling around Franciscan University of Steubenville.

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Be Strong, Donald

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THIS IS A DECISIVE MOMENT
IN OUR NATION’S HISTORY

I had the feeling Tuesday night that we were watching a truly historic event. A decisive moment, as it were.

In his nationally televised message The Donald laid out his case for a southern border wall — or a barrier, or a high fence, or whatever you wish to call it.

We’ve heard his appeal before, of course. The media never tire of categorizing it as his “key campaign promise,” as if that somehow minimizes its importance.

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