So I've been publicly silent about the recent protests and BLM, but not because I don't care. I've been really trying to figure out what to say and how to say it.

I see an awful lot of my Christian friends and relatives speaking out about obeying the rule of law and the necessity of force to maintain order. It makes me really sad. I know my religious beliefs are eclectic, and that doesn't win me some friends, but they're sincerely held and they inform what I'm about to say.

When Wiccans talk about the immanence of the divine they speak about a sacred holiness to all of creation; specifically, all persons are inherently children of the god/goddess and have a sacred worth. The divine exists around us, through us, and in us all. There is no separation between sacred spirit and profane flesh. All are equally worthy or love, respect, and compassion because we are all incarnations of the goddess.

Now, for a Christian perspective. The Old Testament prophets railed against the systemic injustice of their day; warning that God judges the perpetrators of injustice (and those who sit in silence) harshly. One of my favorite prophets is Amos who says: "Hear this you who trample the needy and do away with the poor...[who] buy the poor with silver and sell the needy for a pair of sandals... Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn?" (Amos 8:4-8)

God in the book of Isaiah says: "I have no pleasure in your sacrifices... your incense is detestable to me... I cannot bear your assemblies...even when you offer many prayers I am not listening." He then commands: "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow." (Isaiah 1) And later, the prophet warns that "God will rise up and shake the foundations of the earth." (Isaiah 13)

If God exists in our African American brothers and sisters, as much as in us, perhaps this is God rising up to shake our foundations; to shake us out of our comfort zones.

There is something inherently holy and sacred in the voices that cry out for justice. Again and again the Bible affirms that God hears the cry. He hears it in Egypt and in Babylon and in Rome...

In Exodus, a man named Moses has lived a life of luxury as a prince in Egypt. He lived off the sweat of slaves and profited from a society built upon the crushing of others. One day, in the wilderness, he hears a voice speaking to him from a burning bush. God tells him to take of his sandals for the ground he's on is holy. From my perspective, I feel like this is the burning bush of our generation. The divine is speaking to us with the voice of the poor and oppressed. I urge my friends not to turn from the cry. Hear it. Move to it. Support it. Then, take off your shoes for the ground we are walking is holy.

So for almost the entire year I've been working my way into a career as an EMT. I am now certified, licensed, and (most recently) hired by my preferred agency. It's been a long ride but I'm super excited to finally be getting out onto the road. I just have to clear with the Field Training Officer.

And then next year, paramedic school!

Are there any groups for HEMA furs?

Yep, it's that time once again.

I turn 27 today. I'm an old man. ;_:

Hey everyone!

 open_arms is doing a charity drive. Right now we're voting on what charity to support.

Go check it out, vote, and get ready to bid on some great prizes!

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/7512689/

Who's going to AC?

So I'm thinking of creating a Clone Trooper character, but I'm still mulling over some of the details. I'm still fairly new to probing the depths of SW fluff so forgive me if some of what I say is wrong.

1. Species?

This would really depend on what species Jango Fett was. Mandalorians were a fierce warrior race with a strong sense of "national" pride (despite having a fractured home world). At the same time Jango could be very solitary. I love border collies, but they really don't fit that profile. The obvious choice I suppose would be a wolf, due to the pack mentality and the whole "lone wolf" cliche. Honestly, I hate cliches though.

I really don't have a problem with him just being a normal human. I know that's a sin in the furry community, but I find it most appealing for this.

2. Armor?

Definitely Phase 1 armor, but I hate how troopers are portrayed with absolutely no customization or gear. I'll definitely want the kind of detail that went into Spartans in Halo: Reach.

3. Class/Rank?

No ARCs or Commandos. Probably just a plain ole grunt.


Yep... everyone wants to be the Jedi hero. I want to be the faceless clone.

Wes and I got to hang out with the local SCA today.

Look what he learned how to do:

I love a good horror movie and we watched a good one the other night.

It was called The Possession Of Michael King.

Rotten Tomatoes gives it a pretty low score, but I have to completely disagree. The actor was great and the story flowed along nicely. Some complained that the movie uses a lot of the same old found footage camera tricks but, while that may be the case, I thoroughly enjoyed them. Good scares and a good plot. I definitely recommend this movie as we get closer to Halloween.

~Spartan

This may be the funniest thing I've seen (and heard) in a long time. NSFW

So today I had my first official meeting with the local SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism) chapter.

It was a lot of fun and everyone seemed really nice. The Baronial Hospitaller is going to help me work my way into the society. I had no idea how extensive and complicated the whole organization is, but I'm super excited to be a part of it.

As of now I'm checking on the validity of my society name: Benjamin Martin. So far I think it's reasonably accurate for the time period, but we'll see.

Yep. Today I celebrate a quarter of a century of life.

Doesn't feel like much of an accomplishment. :-P

This weekend I got to go to Tampa Bay Comic Con with  roaringlion and  kalahari . I think it's safe to say that we all had an absolute blast! :)

In truth, we all agreed we would be more in our element at a furry con, but we still had lots of fun. Maybe next FWA Wes and I will repay the favor to Kalahari and drive up to see him.

Heya everyone!

I just signed a petition to help end the ban on blood donation for gay and bisexual men. Given recent events in my life this really hits home.

Please consider signing this petition and sharing about it in a journal on your personal page. There isn't much time left and the number of signatures is nowhere near what it needs to be.

From the petition:

The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) bans gay & bisexual men from donating blood. The current lifetime deferral focuses on sexual orientation & we are calling on the FDA to change its policy so that it focuses on sexual behavior & individual risk instead.

In 2010, HHS agreed that the ban on MSM blood donations was “suboptimal”, but kept it in place pending additional research to “create a road map forward”.

The American Medical Association opposes the ban saying it isn’t based on sound science. The blood donation organizations believe the rule should be modified to reflect the deferrals for other similar high-risk sexual behavior. 85 members of Congress have written to HHS to encourage its end.

Changing this policy is long overdue - it is time to end this ban.

Link to the petition: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/pe.....onors/7mcCpPxl

~Spartan

I'm getting a tattoo on Wednesday!

It'll be my first one and I'm so excited. :)

I love it!

Hopefully I'll be getting my fursuit sometime next week!

I can hardly wait ^^

Hey everyone!

I was just talking with  wielder and she had this amazing idea to raise money for the 11 year old brony who tried to take his own life due to bullying.

I won't give too much detail just yet, but essentially you'll have the opportunity to not only support a great cause and maybe see your OC come to life.

Stay tuned within the next few days for details!

~Spartan

Okay, so I'm happy to report that the story I shared yesterday about the boy who attempted suicide is a little on the old side.

Late last month Michael actually woke up and is slowly recovering.

That said he still has a long way to go and I feel we should still continue sending him the tokens of love and support I mentioned before.

I recently learned of a terrible story about an 11 year old young man who attempted suicide after being bullied for being a brony.

He is currently in a vegetative state after trying to hang himself.

So here's what I'm trying to do. I'm calling all bronies and pegasisters to send tokens of their love and friendship to this young man and his family.

Can you draw? Maybe consider sending him a picture!

Got a ton of MLP plushies? Consider sending him one!

Neither of those work for you? How about sending him a card or toy? And there's always the option of donating to his family to help cover their medical expenses.

Please search your hearts and consider helping this poor boy and his family. Can't do any of the above? Then spread the word! Put it on your FB timeline, post it in a journal, tweet it, do whatever it takes!

Here's Michael's story: http://www.clarionledger.com/story/.....demic/7661405/

And here's the webpage set up in his honor that contains his family's contact information and the paypal set up for their expenses: http://www.michaelmorones.org/

~Spartan

I had a great idea for a picture but I would like it done in Calvin and Hobbes style.

Does anyone know an artist who excels at that kind of style?

Hey guys!

Did you know that  openarms is doing a charity auction?

Well we are!

Go check it out!!!!

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5593226/

Heya everyone,

I'm looking for an artist to commission. I want someone to illustrate this scene:

I find myself lost and alone in the chaos. Before me stands one of Xerxes’ Syrakusan mercenaries. He is a monster of a hoplite, six and a half feet tall, easily a match for two men and a horse. He has already broken his spear off in a Spartan warrior and stands before me dismasted, he is so possessed with bloodlust he doesn’t have the presence of mind to go for his sword. I know I’d better get some iron into this bastard fast, before he remembers that daisy-chopper on his hip.

I charge him. He meets me with his shield as a weapon, swinging it, edge-on like an axe. His powerful first blow shatters my shield into useless splinters. Reacting quickly, my paw brings my eight-footer to bear in an attempt to uppercut him. He twists away from my seeking blade and splinters my spear shaft with a second mighty blow from his shield. Now I am bronze-naked in front of this demon. With frightening speed, he swings his shield like a relish plate and catches me square above the eye sockets.

I can feel the crown of my helmet tear up and off, taking half of my skull with it. The bottom lip of my helmet’s eyehole tears open the muscles of my brow, sheeting my left eye with blood.

I am suddenly overcome with the helpless feeling you get when you know you are wounded. I know it’s bad but I don’t know how bad, I fear I am already dead but I can’t be sure. Everything seems to be happening slowly, like a dream. Lying on my belly, I know the Syrakusan giant is over me, aiming a blow to send me to hell.

Suddenly Iatrokles is at my side. My greatest friend has never seemed more beautiful in my eyes.
Taking a step to gain momentum, Iatrokles slings his xiphos like a throwing knife. The spinning blade hits this Syrakusan beast right below his ugly nose; the razor-sharp iron smashes through the man’s teeth, ripping right through the bone of his jaw and into his throat, lodging there with the gripping sticking out of his face.

It didn’t even slow the foe down. Roaring, he squares his shoulders and comes right back at Iatrokles, with bare hands and the xiphos still buried square in his jaw. Thinking quickly, I lunge for his legs and Iatrokles tackles him about his chest. We drop him like a wrestler. My questing paw finds the blade end of my eight-footer, now a one-footer, which I drive into the Syrakusan’s guts. Iatrokles seizes the discarded butt-spike of someone’s spear and lays all his weight into it, right through the man’s groin all the way into the ground, nailing him there. But Iatrokles isn’t done yet. He rips the Syrakusan’s forgotten sword from its sheath and, snarling like a feral animal, hacks through the top half of the man’s head, the blade easily cleaving through the bronze of his helmet.

The giant refuses to die. Howling like a banshee he hurls the two of us from his body and staggers to his feet.

“Zeus Almighty!” Iatrokles cries. It is not a curse but a prayer, a piss-down-your-leg prayer.


Anyone know any artists who are open? Or is anyone interested? I've got money to spend (within reason).

~Spartan

This is quite possibly the funniest thing I've seen in awhile.



http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6.....re-super-gross



~Spartan