Forces beyond my control...

...have forced me to post again. I wasn't going to anymore. Seriously. I was done. I mean it. ... Okay, we all know that's not true. I like to spout words too much to actually give this up. But it was under the most grave of circumstances that brought me back after my hiatus (of, um, 11 hours). I, once again, made the mistake of trying to read the two errant comics that appear, not with the rest of the comics, but in the editorial section of our newspaper. I try to avoid reading these comics, because I almost always catch a glimpse of an editorial header that draws me in, but ultimately infuriates me. But today, I ran out of comics before I ran out of breakfast, so I decided to check out the other two comics. Well, I'm clearly insane, because insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. But, I guess if that's the case, then I've partially cured said insanity, because I'll no longer attempt to read these comics under the fantasy that I won't end up irritated by what I see on the other side of the page. Here's what I encountered today:

"FEMA'S POLICY CHANGE IS BAD GOVERNMENT: The unprecedented change in policy by FEMA to retroactively "reimburse" churches and religious groups for helping hurricane evacuees is bad business, and worse government. There should be no payment or reimbursement where there was no prior contractual agreement. FEMA's plan to reimburse churches and religious charities is financially and constitutionally a river of no return. It will open the floodgates for future reimbursements without government contract or public oversight. Imagine if individual volunteers who pitched in during September's natural disasters were to demand "reimbursement" from the federal government for missed wages, transportation, and other expenses! If a church expects or accepts payment from the taxpayers, then it is no longer charitable. Once again, churches get the credit, while taxpayers get the bill." -Annie Laurie Gaylor co-president of Freedom from Religion Foundation

My God! Was this woman molested by a clergyman or what? What other explanation could there possibly be for such searing, seemingly-unfounded hatred towards "churches and religious charities." She seems upset that churches are actually getting some acknowledgment for what they did during hurricane katrina. Yeah, because that's so unjustified, right? They didn't do a damn thing. I'm so infuriated by this... where does she think church money comes from? Does God just hand it down to the churches and say "Here, go do something good with this. How about that hurricane thing I just made? Go help out with that." Whatever money churches used to help out (either in flat-out financial support, or in the form of the supplies or personnel that they provided) came from their parishoners (or members, or whatever terminology is appropriate.) Why is it such a bad thing for them to get some of that back? Now, I think Mrs. Gaylor's letter would be slightly more understandable if the government had actually acted on time. If that was the case, I'm sure that the amount of aid needed from churches would've been lessened. But churches and those other religious charities bore the brunt of this situation. They didn't do it expecting compensation. They did it because it needed doing. Nevertheless, they deserve a little bit of acknowledgment and reward for what they did.

The more I think about this, the more bothered I become. So, this woman is upset because she might have to pay money for the help that was given during katrina? I already asked where she thought church money came from; where does she think federal money comes from? But, more to the point, why is she so livid that she might actually have to contribute to this aid? Yes, heaven forbid she have done anything to help out. Oh, wait. No, heaven couldn't have forbidden it, because heaven is only a haven for pedophiles and necrophiliacs.

You know, every once in a while, one of these letters infuriates me to the point that I start thinking about writing in a counterpoint. This one is the closest I've gotten, and I might actually go do that. If I do, I'll post it here; maybe I'll post it before I send it. You know, get public opinion. For those of you who don't know me, it'll be less juvenile than what I've already written, but far more biting and potent.