Consider The Source

Rod Dreher initiates a train wreck with this post that is a little bit about a ghastly home invasion and murder in a small Texas town and more about a comment made by one of the victims.  This is from the Dallas Morning News:

[Terry and Penny Caffey] were married eight months later.

Erin came along the next year, followed three years later by Matthew, who they called Bubba, and Tyler, who was born in 1999.

Penny home-schooled the children soon after the family moved from Celeste, population 800, to Emory, population 1,200, about three years ago.

The transition to a larger school district was bumpy.

"I guess you'd call it culture shock," Caffey said. "Emory has a lot of bisexual kids; it's like it was almost cool to be bisexual. One of the first things that happened was some girl wanted to be Erin's little girlfriend. And I was like, 'That ain't happenin'.' " [Emphasis mine -- RD]

Let's see - a very conservative Christian moves to a small town and concludes that there are a lot of bisexual kids.  Rod Dreher goes on:

This is a tiny East Texas town -- and there's a bisexual culture in one of them, among the teenagers? WTF? What do I not get about teenage life these days? What do I not get about the cultural air kids breathe?

Beats me.  But how credible a witness is Mr. Caffey?  My guess is that his source was his own daughter, who apparently initiated the home invasion and may have had her own reasons for talking up a bisexual culture (she subsequently had a string of problem boyfriends, but thank heaven they weren't girls!).  Oh, well - I blame movies, television, the intertubes, and MTV (if they still show music videos...).  Kids these days!

Here are Part Two and Part Three of the Dallas Morning News story.

GOOD QUESTION:  How did I get sucked into this?  I blame Memeorandum.

[END OF CIVILIZATION]

Comments

[kim]

You're just noticing? Hey, it's cool to vote for a black man, too. Never mind he's a flim flam man, note his skin color. Way cool.
=====================================

[Sue]

Okay, first of all, Emory is almost as small a town as Celeste. The population in 2007 was http://www.city-data.com/city/Emory-Texas.html>1,241 and it hasn't grown that much since then. I'm not saying the story is untrue, but cultural shock? http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=celeste+texas&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=KBa1SfjGGJzuNO-epfYE&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=image>Both are located on TX Hwy 69 and both use Greenville as their "larger" city to shop in. If I were to guess, I'd say their cultures are pretty much the same.

[Sue]

How did I miss the population of Emory in TM's post? Sheesh. Sorry, but still, cultural shock?

[hit and run]

Sue:
Both are located on TX Hwy 69

I blame sexually suggestive highways for this whole mess.

[Sue]

Hit,

::groan::

[vinman]

I blame Apple's App Store and Showtime.

Oh, and "stimulus packages"

[bad]

GOOD QUESTION: How did I get sucked into this?

I blame Andrew Sullivan. Dreher's post has him all excited.

I hope he doesn't clue in on Hit's references... funny as they are.

[bad]

Jeez, Vinman!! Stimulating packages?

[Sue]

I am trying to wrap my head around the cultural shock this man saw. Emory is the county seat of Rains County. Their school district is made up from the entire county. Celeste is in Hunt County, Greenville being the county seat. Celeste has its own school district, so yes it is smaller than Rains ISD but simply because one is not part of a larger county district. I'm befuddled how this man saw such a cultural shock. Celeste is just north of Greenville, population approximately 26000 (just the city, the county is about 90,000).

I live close enough to both of these towns that it made headlines in our local paper daily. It was a shock that it happened, doubly so that his daughter was involved. The trials were held in my county.

[Sue]

Okay, one more and then I'm through...the entire population of Rains County is approximately 11,000. Lake Fork is located almost entirely in Rains County. If you are an avid fisherman, you will have heard of Lake Fork.

[Old Lurker]

Subject matter on this thread seems to be going down.

[hit and run]

Sue:
::groan::

Oh, now that's just taking the imagery a little too far, don't you think?

[kim]

OK, I can't resist it. For 75 cents in the gas station bathroom you can get a stimulus package as effective as Obama's.
=========================================

[kim]

As effective, and far safer.
============================

[kim]

This is being sold for the prevention of eeevil capitalism only.
=========================================

[hit and run]

TM:
GOOD QUESTION: How did I get sucked into this? I blame Memeorandum.

And memeorandum reciprocates with a link to this post over there in the "Currently on memeorandum" box on the left...

[Old Lurker]

Kim!

Can get the same thing for free at the public school.

[hit and run]

(well, it was there for a moment, but now Dreher's post is there...)

[bad]

Thou art wise, Old Lurker.

[bad]

Seriously, the story referenced is horrifying. How does a human being get to that point?

On second thought, I don't want to know.

[Old Lurker]

me neither, Bad

[Jane]

I just skimmed part two so I missed what the bisexual part has to do with it since she committed the murders with her boyfriend.

FTR I asked Amy if it was cool to be bisexual around here - she said she is too old and her kids are too young to know.

[lonetown]

Where's Carol Herman when you need her?

[MayBee]

I think what the poor dad and Dreher might not understand is girls who are trouble when it comes to boys can't be trusted on what they say about other girls.

[Sue]

You know, at one point, in the last decade interracial dating was the "cool" thing. It is so common now that even in small town East Texas, no one even bats an eye (well, I'm sure some do, but the shock factor is gone). So, what next to shock your parents? Bi-sexuality? Maybe. I don't have any children in high school but I do have friends that teach in middle/high school. I am curious what the shock factor is nowadays. I know at one time in the recent past, oral sex was all the rage, even in middle school. Teachers were catching them all over the place. Not sure where that issue is now either. I'm just glad I don't have teenagers anymore and I don't teach for a living. Parents everywhere are glad of that too. ::grin::

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Sigh.

You know, I have a number of young female friends. (Legal, but young.) A result of doing Pilates, and of falling off the recovery wagon and taking up acting again. And yes, there seems to be some more openness about making out with your girlfriends.

But, you know, I remember when I was young, and girls talked about how, in their early teens, they "practiced kissing" with their girlfriends because they thought they might be kissing boys soon.

Of course, it's also well known that there is a certain amount of homosexual experimentation going on among pre-teen and early teen age boys, and was even back in the 50's.

Moral: lie down on the floor and keep calm.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I'd heard that the oral sex thing became popular because they had it on good authority that oral and anal sex weren't really sex.

[Pat Curley]

Yeah, Dreher's comment seems clueless. Not shocked that a 16-year-old girl plotted her family's murder but shocked that there were some bisexuals in town?

I agree too; the daughter's word on that doesn't tell us anything. Reading the second article she comes off as a manipulative liar.

[MayBee]

My kids kind of chuckle at the constant stories of the moral downfall of the American teen. They think adults hear one or two shocking stories and begin to imagine all kids are doing such things.
They also like to torture me by telling me they are going over to a friend's house to work on earning some jelly bracelets.

Pretty much I think kids are the same as they've been for years, even if they now have more venues to publicize their poor choices when they make them.

[bad]

The feedback I get from my kids is that the bisexual thing is sometimes from kids who are gay but aren't ready to acknowledge that yet so they go with the bi thing. Post high school, they usually slide over to gay.

They say others are into the shock factor because it raises the drama level between teen and parent. Sorta of the philosophy that any attention is good attention.

[pagar]

So, what next to shock your parents?
In the early 50s, my parents were terrified when they found out I was dating a Catholic. It got even worse when I married one.

[Sue]

pagar,

My dear mother, god rest her soul, would have fell over in a dead faint if I had brought a Catholic home to marry. A black she could have dealt with but not a Catholic. Thankfully, in the 20+ years between myself and my daughter marrying a Catholic, my mother got over her bias and welcomed my son in law into the fold without reservation. I guess by then she decided a Catholic was better than nothing since that seems to be what she got with her own children and most of her grandchildren.

[Soylent Red]

If I ever had a daughter I guess I'd have to put her in convent school starting at the age of about 2 or so. Because if I didn't, I'm afraid they'd be putting me in the rubber room or maximum security prison for doing in some rotten little bastard who touched her. At least from about age 12 to when she was 50.

Every day I find a new reason to never have children. Every. Single. Day.

[Stephanie]

My parents thought it strange that I dated and married my High School Sex Ed Teacher.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Of course, we didn't start dating til I was 23... the class reunion was funny, too. All the whispers and "look" "look"....

Shocker value. I's haz it.

[Soylent Red]

Nothing like hiring someone who has read the manual, huh, Stephanie?

[Jane]

Soylent,

I think convent schools do more to encourage that sort of thing than prevent it. I was raised on pure unmitigated fear - "you screw up and the consequences will be more than you can bear" - which is why I decided I never wanted children.

Now in my 50's I have absolutely no regrets but I do hope I get to come back again so I can be a little more courageous next time.

[DebinNC]

I'm happy homeschooling wasn't blamed this time. Could it be hs is now widely accepted, despite the best efforts of the NEA?

[Soylent Red]

DebinNC:

I'd guess that homeschooling is now widely accepted because of the best efforts of the NEA.

[clarice]

Too bad, Jane and Soylent. I loved (almost)every minute of raising my son and love being with my grand daughter, although the absence of an off switch on that dynamo has left me absolutely exhausted after just one weekend.

[Stephanie]

Soylent... you know what they say about teachers...

Those who can do... Those who can't teach.

Just a joke!!!

My husband is the awesomest....

Holes.... I haz big one... Want my shovel??

[MayBee]

I'm listening to Gibbs.
Axelrod has obviously told him to push the fact they've only been in office 6 weeks and 6 days.

[Soylent Red]

Parenting tip from Soylent:

In the absence of an off switch, add more bourbon to the Ovaltine.

[MayBee]

I'm also noticing they've moved from "legs of a stool" to "pillars".

[Jane]

Clarice,

It is too bad. But I do have my nieces and nephews, 2 of which have actually lived with me and I am incredibly close to them. SO I didn't miss out entirely.

[bob]

who gives a shit? jesus fucking christ, don't you simpleton-dipshits have anything better to obsess over?

[RichatUF]

Maybee-

Axelrod has obviously told him to push the fact they've only been in office 6 weeks and 6 days.

Curious-

Obama-Ready on Day One

Obama-Probably not ready for a 3AM phone call though.

People's perceptions that he is weak, unsteady, inexperienced must be shifting who people think is more to blame for the economic crisis. (And I wonder where people could have gotten a sense that he was weak, unsteady, and inexperienced...)

[DrJ]

don't you ... have anything better to obsess over?

No. So go away.

[Stephanie]

MS NBC is running a poll to grade Obama... go vote!!!!

Based on this grade so far, he's in big trouble.

LUN

[Stephanie]

Poll at MS NBC go vote....do it now!!!

LUN

(it ain't showing up as a post so I'm reposting)

[RichatUF]

Maybee-

Those sorts of descriptors form the basis of Obama's base-superstructure argument for "change".

[DebinNC]

33% A v. 44% F at the moment. And that's with conservatives unlikely to visit MSNBC in great numbers.

[ben]

56-43 approval rating???...low for a Messiah...

"The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 38% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President.

Thirty-two percent (32%) now Strongly Disapprove of the President’s performance, the highest level of disapproval measured to date. The rising negative is driven by Republicans, 58% of who Strongly Disapprove of Obama’s performance. Since Inauguration Day, Republican opposition has doubled.

These figures give Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of +6, his lowest rating to date.

Overall, 56% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance so far while 43% disapprove. Those figures have remain unchanged for three straight days."

[DebinNC]

Porkulous is and will continue to be an albatross around BO's scrawny neck.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Holes.... I haz big one...

Oh, Lord, please give me the strength to resist that straight line.

[sbw]

Oh, now bob has gone and done it. Now I'm going to obsess over figuring out what it is he thinks I'm obsessing over.

[hit and run]

MayBee:
Axelrod has obviously told him to push the fact they've only been in office 6 weeks and 6 days

"And listen, even God rested after six days of work."

[verner]

He gets an A 33%

He gets a B 6.8%

He gets a C 4.9%

He gets a D 11%

He gets an F 45%

HaHaHa. Natch, I gave him a big fat F.

[Matt]

you let the sewers run open in a society, and this is what you get.

[Matt]

bob must be another dimocrat.....

[hit and run]

sbw:
Now I'm going to obsess over figuring out what it is he thinks I'm obsessing over.

And I am going to obsess over why he obsesses over what we're obsessing about?

[ben]

"He gets an A 33%"

Strong Kool-aid...

[ben]

Yes Bob, us nitwits are obsessed about a 50% drop in the country's wealth and a government intent on grabbing the remaining 50%. Silly of us to dwell on such trivialities. So what do you think of Michelle's latest fashion statement?

[bad]

I'm also noticing they've moved from "legs of a stool" to "pillars".

When all of your policy is shitty it's best not to remind folks by constantly talking of "stools."

[rains highschooler]

i go to rains high school. i think we have like 4 bisexuals in the entire school. this is a complete exaggeration!

[bad]

Geragthy:

Five Ways Obama’s Economic Stimulus Is Already Working

LUN

[Charlie (Colorado)]

who gives a shit? jesus fucking christ, don't you simpleton-dipshits have anything better to obsess over?

Sayeth the voice of literate reason and new politics.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Too bad the Obama poll doesn't have a grade of "truant".

[Soylent Red]

Sayeth the voice of literate reason and new politics.

I personally am obsessing over how youthful and vigorous our new Messiah is, his glistening pecs, and the firm tone of the First Consort's arms.

Oh! And how everything bad is Bush's fault.

[hit and run]

Soylent:
I personally am obsessing over how youthful and vigorous our new Messiah is, his glistening pecs, and the firm tone of the First Consort's arms.

Pillars.

[clarice]

I think it's a good thing Geithner has no deputies yet..I think things will turn around if we can keep Turbo and Zero out of it.

[Soylent Red]

I wonder if they are made of Styrofoam.

You know hit, Islam has its pillars as well. Almost might make you wonder if Obama is a...

Naw. Couldn't be.

[Thomas Jackson]

I guess where Dreher lives it normal for people to kill their parents and to be bi sexual.

But I was shocked to find out from his daughter that Dreher juggles kitty cats.

Now thats perverse!

[pagar]

Bad, I can't find what you posted in the LUN on Geragthy:
Thanks

[DebinNC]

I bet Geraghty's right about CNBC post Santelli.

[pagar]

Thanks DebinNC.

[bad]

Her it is pagar:

After further review, I have found five key signs of economic growth, all of which I attribute entirely, or almost entirely, to President Obama.

1. Gun sales. The FBI reports background checks on the sale of firearms jumped 23 percent nationwide last month compared to February 2008. That follows a 28 percent rise in January and a 24 percent increase in December.

2. Advertising revenues on Rush Limbaugh's program. Rush Limbaugh’s audience is doubled and in January, his program had booked 80 percent of all 2008 revenue and "we'll be over 2008 by the end of this month."

3. Attendance at conservative political conventions. Turnout at CPAC was 9,000 this year, up from 7,000 last year, when the president and vice president and major presidential candidates were in attendance.

4. Ratings and advertising on CNBC: In the first two months of 2009, CNBC averaged 282,000 home viewers at any given time, up from 264,000 in the same period in 2008 and 233,000 in the same period in 2007. (CNBC says the Nielsen ratings undercounts its audience, as they do not measure out-of-home viewership on trading floors and offices.)

5. (ahem) Close to Home. "Circulation for the last issue of NR came in at a hair over 200,000. Our historic baseline for circulation is about 150,000, which is where it was at the beginning of 2007."

[pagar]

Thanks, Bad.

[Ann]

It is official, David Frum has gone over to the dark side: Frum, Agrees Rush Has ‘Race Problems

THE LIMBAUGH LETTER has a fascinating interview with Bernard Goldberg. (Subscribe to the letter and buy Goldberg's book) Here is an answer by Goldberg on the topic above:

Goldberg: Liberals, by the way...certainly elite liberals..don't see black conservatives as black at all. They only see them as conservative. They don't see conservative women as women. They only see them as conservative. This is one of the interesting pieces of bigotry about liberalism: that if you're a black conservative, well, that doesn't count. When Lynn Swann lost the gubernatorial race in Pennsylvania--black man; when Ken Blackwell lost the gubernatorial race in Ohio--black man; when Michael Steele lost the Senatorial race in Maryland--black man; I didn't hear one bit of crying from liberal reporters about the historical moment that was lost, the historical opportunity that was lost. But they told us if we didn't vote for Barack Obama , there would only be one reason for it, only one, and that was racism.

[Rick Ballard]

I sure hope Snerdley doesn't find out about Rush. He'll be so disappointed.

[Ann]

Rick, How many people would be surprised that the call screener on RUSH's show is a black man, a conservative, and a long time friend of RUSH. Let's tell Chrissy and Frump!

[Ann]

Where is narciso? Because this is for you dear JOMer:

Goldberg: ...They showed this not only with Joe the Plumber, but also with Sarah Palin. Whether you like Sarah Palin's politics or not, let's put that aside for a second. Did she do anything to deserve the viciousness with which she was attacked? In my book, I say a disease broke out in liberal America after Sarah Palin was put on the ticket. The disease was called PDS. Palin Derangement Syndrome. One guy wrote: "What's the difference between Sarah Palin and a Muslim fundamentalist? Lipstick." Ha, ha. Except Muslim fundamentalists will kill you if they disagree with you. Somebody else compared the rise of Sarah Palin to the rise of Nazism in Germany. It's insane.

It isn't simply that she's a conservative who is pro-life . That's only part of it. They hate the fact that she became the most prominent woman in America and it wasn't supposed to be that way. One of theirs was supposed to be that. They hate the fact that she has five kids, they hate the fact that she named her kids Trigg and Track and Willow and Piper. Sophisticated people don't call their kids Trigg and Track. They hated the fact she had a baby with Down Syndrome. Hadn't she ever heard of abortions? You know what they hated most about her? That she was an ordinary American.

[Ann]

I love being an ordinary American and I am proud of it. When I lived on a farm, I had several cats that mostly lived outside but wondered in from time to time. Their names were Catfish, who loved to sit by the pond and nab goldfish, a black cat that nobody wanted called Mealticket, who would come in and scream in front of the refrigerator until I gave him milk, and Possum, who someone dropped on our property as a kitten that thought my dog was his mother and hung on to her just like a possum. Can you imagine if I tried to run for office. :)

I always did get a chuckle when the vet asked me who I was bringing in?? Catfish, Mealticket or Possum always made the office burst out laughing.

[DebinNC]

Ann, thank you for fighting for Truth, which is our best hope.

via Insty: New charges in Palin email hacking case

[Elliott]

Can you imagine if I tried to run for office. :)

Jomerta.

[bad]

From Deb's link:

Among the new charges are claims by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Weddle that Kernell took steps to destroy evidence of his alleged illegal access. The newest indictment also alleges Kernell committed identity theft...

Snowball........dumb kid.

[bad]

Ann, we always had bizarre names for our kitties too.

Will those names show up on the reports?

[bad]

Will those names show up on the reports?

DOH, of course pet names will be on the reports!! That's why MO is so worried about the names her daughters are considering for the as yet imaginary dog.