Well, there ya are. As the women of Afganistan have lost pretty much all rights - newest ruling, windows that give a view of women while in their home (like a kitchen) now must be covered - too many women in the U.S. continue to vote away their rights.

Yes, some are. Because they have chosen to believe that their religious leaders speak for their god, so their willing subjugation makes them more holy. It's difficult for them to break out of that brainwashing.

To follow @silverotter11's point, women in Afghanistan who don't believe this are considered infidels/sinners and are arrested, raped, tortured, and killed ... a blueprint that may be in our future here under the guise of Christianity.

@silverotter11 @Lauren
We have a long way to go before we've sunk to the Afghanistan level. The country was always very poor and then dealt with years of war. The Taliban are a far cry from an average religion (whatever that is) and is very fundamentalist sect. Also, before this extreme view happens we should ask ourselves about the future of atheists and non-belief. Many studies have shown we are in the majority and the number is increasing exponentially. The more extreme religion gets the more people leave religion and we are a force to be reckoned with.

@pedigojr @Silverotter11 I'm concerned that it's the fundamentalist Christians that are quite comparable to the Taliban as seen in the number of them who are attempting to have abortion punished with the death penalty, something that may come to pass with the new government. And of course there's Musk's promise that things will get "much worse" for a while which is totally illogical unless one wants to siphon every penny from the populace (which he does).

But I will hold on to your optimism and hope because, as you can see, I really need some right now.

@Lauren Remember you live in a very conservative state whereas here we are the most liberal state in the country. The whole west coast is also very liberal (with some exceptions).

No one can foresee the future and a 4th but even bigger force is nature. Denying Climate Change and the other major environmental issues will not make it go away. Right now the predictions are for an extreme weather pattern in the East coast and Midwest (touching on E. Texass). There is another force at play which emerged during the first trump foray in the white-house - infectious diseases. I've been following this one and it is getting scary. Here's a link to a recent item on the possible next pandemic.
[peoplespharmacy.com]
Seems, like people who post then get their post thrown out. I fear it is a winding down of the site so I will post items individually. In the People's Pharmacy site scroll down to the Alfred E. Neuman's song.

@Lauren I bluntly made that comparision to a VERY Christian woman here in the apartment compex - back when I use to go into the Club House - around 6 years ago. THEN around Halloween there was a discussion about what movie to run at the Halloween party they have. I was always pushing for Rocky Horror Picture Show. This same woman goes "Oh, I think I've seen that". LOL, no I don't think so, I then found the clip of Tim Curry doing the number "Sweet Transvestite". Course she did not view the whole thing, just got a sour look and said 'no, guess not'. I'm so bad and I wondered how much wierd shit popped up on her phone after just that one query.

@pedigojr You are quite fortunate geographically but the disease is still present in @Silverotter11's area and with people like my in-laws in Seattle, who are part of an extremist Catholic sect and rabid Trumpers. Ironically, my SIL immigrated to California from Burma at 13 with her parents and eight siblings. My other BIL is mentally challenged and has received SS benefits and medical assistance since elementary school (some 70 years now) and yet they find no contradiction to that with their beliefs.

I've been worried about all the epidemics we're in for and will be sure to get my pneumonia vaccine before the new administration comes in. It would be ironic to end up in another Covid epidemic, but the others are just as catastrophic. I am petty enough to hope Kennedy gets several of them all at once and lives a long while with the suffering they cause.

I enjoyed the song! Somehow I missed it entirely when it was released.

@pedigojr, @silverotter11 Baiting her must have been fun - particularly with it being on her phone! It's such a shame that you get so little respite from them.