The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

A friend of mine posted this on her Facebook page (https://www.gofundme.com/buya5us4). It's a link to a GoFundMe fundraiser page, asking for donations to help "Jessica." The write-up was authored by Danielle Andersen-Jeppesen, and reads as follows: "Jessica is a beautiful young woman facing a tremendous battle. She came to my family at 8 years old after many years of foster care. Her adoptive dad, Scott, had cancer as a child and the treatments he received damaged his heart, liver, and kidneys. He died one year after her adoption. She continued to be the best daughter and sister she could as we all grieved his loss. Health issues continued to plague our family and she was so strong for all of us.  Fast forward to a month ago and she got the terrifying news that her young (21 year old) body is facing a cancer battle of her own. She has breast cancer. She's already underwent surgery to remove the tumor and is needing genetic testing to determine her future. P...

If there's one word most people associate with the NRA, it's "classy." How could we not? A little over a week ago, a 9-year-old girl in Arizona accidentally shot and killed a gun range instructor whom was attempting to show her how to shoot an Uzi. Not even two days after that tragedy unfolded, NRA Women tweeted the following message: "'7 Ways Children Can Have Fun at the Shooting Range' via @TeamWON. READ: womensoutdoornews.com/2014/08/7-ways..." In light of the tragedy and the NRA's response to it, I thought I'd help the organization think of some catchy new slogans. You're welcome, NRA... - "Guns don't kill people; little girls with Uzis kill people!" - "Guns make us safer! Unless you get shot by one!" - "It's not the gun; it's the 9-year-old girl holding the gun!" - "More unloaded guns, less crime!" - "The only way you stop a little girl with a gun is an instructor sho...

With every passing day, I'm asked less about why I've separated myself from organized religion. This is due to an ever-increasing quantity of stories like the one I'm about to share with you. Even some extremely religious individuals, after reading such stories, shake their heads, and give me a look as if to say, "Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know..." Not long ago, 8-year-old Sunnie Kahle was informed via a letter written by administrators of a Virginia Christian elementary school (Timberlake) that she wouldn't be granted admittance to the school unless she changed a few things. A portion of the letter read as follows: "We believe that unless Sunnie as well as her family clearly understand that God has made her female and her dress and behavior need to follow suit with her God-ordained identity, that TCS is not the best place for her future education." You see, Sunnie has short hair and is kind of a "tomboy," as the description goes. I guess...