Roller Derby is Awesome!

Roller Derby is awesome!!

Enough said.

Morality Has No Place in the Law

I have a new piece up at Daylight Atheism, which I think you might enjoy:

Morality Has No Place in the Law

Here it is:

http://www.daylightatheism.org/2011/01/morality-has-no-place-in-the-law.html

And, of course, I dedicated it to my baby bro, Jacob.

I will always love you, Jacob.  It's Jakie's birthday later this month.

Jacob Michael Braasch (01/28/86 - 02/02/10)

Thank You, Bill Zeller

This is a difficult but brilliant read. It is the suicide note of Bill Zeller, who took his own life recently. I am so happy that he asked to have it republished. It exposes the religious abuse of children for what it is: abuse. It also exposes how often the religious abuse of children is inextricably intertwined with physical and sexual abuse.


I identify so strongly with so much of what he writes. But, I will never take my life, because I would never inflict that kind of pain on my beloved siblings, Rachel and Aaron, especially not after what we've all been through, losing our youngest and beloved baby brother, Jacob, to suicide. I encourage you to read this, but, again, I warn you that this is a painful read.


http://gizmodo.com/5726667/the-agonizing-last-words-of-bill-zeller


It is also available here, along with some thoughtful commentary.


http://friendlyatheist.com/2011/01/08/there-is-support-for-all-of-us/

Happy New Year!

I am both thrilled to be closing out 2010 and heartbroken to say goodbye to the year of my baby brother's death.  It doesn't seem right that time should continue without him.  

I'm bringing you with me, Jakie.

2011 is going to be a great year of new beginnings, and I'm doing it all for you, Jacob.

I will always love you, Jacob.

Jacob Michael Braasch (01/28/86 - 02/02/10)

Strings

I decided that I am going to learn how to play the guitar.

I want to be a singer/songwriter.

But, I refuse to give up my day job.

Jakie was a musician, and I want to be one too.

Weary Traveler

I think it's sort of perfect that I am going to be resting my head above a pub called the Weary Traveler.

For a little while.

FFRF Winter Solstice Sign at the WI State Capitol and Marianne Makes an Appearance

Here are some lovely shots of the WI State Capitol, the Freedom From Religion Foundation's Winter Solstice Sign, and Lady Liberty in her Red Phrygian Liberty Cap, borrowed from Marianne, the feminine icon of the French Republic.  Actually, the red phrygian liberty cap was a part of the iconography of the American Revolution as well, but, generally speaking, that memory has faded into the dusty annals of history.  But, not in France, where Marianne dons her red phrygian liberty cap with pride.

FFRF and Madtown

So, it looks like I'm going to be spending a little more time in Madtown (Madison, WI), working with FFRF (the Freedom From Religion Foundation).

Sounds good to me.

I can think of no better way to spend my time while I wait to hear back on my grad school apps.

I love the Constitution.

Especially the Privileges and Immunities Clause.

Success

I just want to live a life, which will make my Rachie and my Aaron and my Jakie proud to be my siblings.

We will always love you, Jacob.

You will always be our baby brother.

We are going to celebrate your 25th birthday in style.

With you.  For you.  Because of you.

I miss you.

I think about you every moment of every day.

I will be really sad the day I don't mourn you, cry for you.

That day will never come.

I will never be consoled.

Jacob Michael Braasch (01/28/86 - 02/02/10)

Culpability

You are not not culpable just because you did nothing, because you stood by silently, passively in the midst of evil, while the innocent were being harmed in the face of your ostensible acquiescence.

Me on Freethought Radio Last Weekend!

Here's the Freethought Radio show on which I appeared.

http://209.197.21.112:80/g9z6c6z5/cds/p/d/a/8/da8699b1046cc8f8/FTRadio_242_121110.mp3?sid=1aafb820c48008690a51077b7ec8d650&l_sid=18176&l_eid=&l_mid=2343439&dopvhost=hw.libsyn.com&doppl=3d0ff82570057b6870557b68a1906e13&dopsig=e8ba5fcd500131f93d75413e708d1fbc