2009.05.30
Weekend open thread
"I wonder how such a degenerated person ever reached a position of authority in the Army Medical Corps."
"He was drafted"
How did you get to the position you find yourself in today.
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Two bailouts later, GM is still going to file for bankruptcy. But America can breathe a sigh of relief because the unions has been taken care of. The UAW sitting fat right now. Another constituent base taken care of; another private sector industry trashed.
Comment by DT — May 30, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
Once again, the ignorance and lack of proper comprehension of the general public is on full display and continues to sadden me.
It seems that nearly ever letter published in the Times on the anti-abortion side has completely missed the true point of Huff's piece. It is not that those who refuse to accept the pro-choice stance are intolerant, it is that they are intolerant of understanding or even acknowledging the nuanced stance of pro-life and that there may be actual validity to the stance. There is an absolute disdain for the acceptance of another's point of view. As if they themselves are the sole holder's of truth.
Yes, abortion is a sad thing, and it the world would be a better place if it did not exist. However, we don't live a world of constant rainbows and unicorns. The world is a complicated place.
Do you force a young mother who very well may not want or may not be able to properly care for and raise a child to do so, even at the permanent detriment to that child's (and eventual adult's) life? One can say to give the child up for adoption, but even that is not a without its pitfalls. There are many children who grow up in a trouble foster-care lifestyle that can sometimes be just as troubling as if raised by unfit and uncaring parents, despite the best efforts by those who operate such adoption agencies.
Letter writers have called the President "anti-life", which is patently absurd and a terrifically disingenuous and loaded term. Yes, Obama is "anti-life." All he wants is death. For everything. After all, he is a secret Muslim. (this is, by the way, sarcasm)
Again, Huff isn't saying that the refusal to be "pro-choice" or that being anti-abortion is intolerant, but that refusing to understand or accept the complicated nuances of abortion and that other may indeed have a valid viewpoint is intolerant.
I realize this is somewhat off-topic from the question in the Open Thread, but there is no page to comment on today's letters and this is something that I feel must be addressed, as so many do not seem to truly understand what Huff was saying.
As to the topic itself: I got to where I am through a lot of heartache, torment, strife, and perseverance. Times have been rough, but they have also been wonderful and joyous. I wouldn't trade a single bad moment, as they have made me appreciate all the good ones so much more.
Comment by George — May 30, 2009 @ 8:56 pm
I just dont understand people.
I have had it.
Lets see,
Govt owns the banking industry, auto industry, wants the
health care industry, has the military.
What gives cant you people wake up and say communism?
This is nuts.
Where is what made america great, free enterprise.
I tell you were its at.
Its at the end of the sleeve of all the cry baby liberals out there
that want more for less.
This country owes you nothing.
When you work for it you get it, if you dont then you die and reduce
the surplus population.
Sound like a scrooge movie, GOOD.
I dont work hard all my life building a good life for my family so it can be taken away.
Remember that tryanny will only be allowed so far before the tree of Justice refreshes itself.
Keep pushing and that day will be upon us sooner the later.
Comment by herb krebs — May 31, 2009 @ 6:50 am
I'm a little stunned by the cover article today on the William Fleming soccer team. Not that there's anything wrong with the team...they're fine and a great team.
But Patrick Henry High School is sending its varsity soccer team to the state championship. ( I say sending, when the first game is actually home at PH on Tuesday at 6:30, a benefit of having the higher seed.) A quick glance at the roster of the PH team makes it immediately evident that PH has its share of immigrants....among them, the mighty Fayanga Keita of the fantastic penalty kicks on Friday night. They are blessed with a coach who has endless time and patience to nurture their development, both athletic and academic, and, along with his darling wife,acts almost as a stand in for the families many of them had to leave behind.
I probably sound a little biased towards the PH team and I am! I hope the great achievements of that team receive as much exposure as has been given to the Fleming team.
Comment by Kristen — May 31, 2009 @ 8:25 am
"Do you force a young mother who very well may not want or may not be able to properly care for and raise a child to do so, even at the permanent detriment to that child's (and eventual adult's) life? "
No. That child should be killed for its own good.
Comment by Henry — May 31, 2009 @ 8:44 am
Herb I don't think "free enterprise" is what has made America great. Aspirations towards equality, liberty, opportunity and freedom I'd say are what have done that. If you read the founding fathers, there's not a lot in there about making money. The phrase "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is a direct rejection to the choice of Adam Smith, the great capitalist..'Life, liberty, and the pursuit of estate".
Comment by Kristen — May 31, 2009 @ 10:08 am
Kristen, What makes you say the pursuit of happiness is antithetical to the pursuit of being all you can be and achieving all you can in a free-market system?
Comment by DT — May 31, 2009 @ 10:55 am
Reports coming out of wichita is that George Tiller the baby killer
has been shot and killed.
Comment by herb krebs — May 31, 2009 @ 2:06 pm
The White House brushes aside that pesky First Amendment
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Update-on-Recovery-Act-Lobbying-Rules-New-Limits-on-Special-Interest-Influence/
Second, we will *** focus the restriction on oral communications *** to target the scenario where concerns about merit-based decision-making are greatest –after competitive grant applications are submitted and before awards are made. Once such applications are on file, the competition should be strictly on the merits. To that end, comments (unless initiated by an agency official) must be in writing and will be posted on the Internet for every American to see.
Comment by Henry — May 31, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
DT..you may personally equate money to happiness. You may personally equate money to "being all you can be".
If that's the case, I can see why you're so disappointed in your investment portfolio.
Comment by Kristen — May 31, 2009 @ 6:34 pm
Kristen,
Reread my post #7. Did you see use of the word "money" anywhere there?
I often have to explain this point to my liberal acquaintances. See, money is but a by-product of capitalistic success that comes through self-determination. You can't be a successful capitalist without giving an awful lot of people what they want. And to give them what they want, you have to be your best self. You have to be honest, diligent, pleasant, organized, and genuinely a good person in order to achieve your potential as a capitalist. And if you are the best most vibrant, energetic, and engaged person you can be, isn't that the essence of "happiness"?
Or do you think its better to just go through the motions in your job and life and complain about the "lucky" people out there?
Comment by DT — May 31, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
DT..perhaps you are not familiar with Smith. His use of the word "estate" in his quotation was a slightly archaic reference to "money". I have no idea if you used the word "money". Smith, whose quotation I was using, did.
In the best of all Panglossian worlds, I actually agree with your happy-face definition of capitalism. I wonder if the workers in the third-world sweatshops that keep our MallWarts, KMarts, etc supplied with cheap plastic garbage would agree with your characterization.
I don't know any lucky people, if you're implying that I live my life griping about the success of others. In a world where 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day or some other horrifying statistic, I'm sure there are those who would consider me lucky. Some days, I would agree.
Comment by Kristen — May 31, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
"The White House brushes aside that pesky First Amendment."
Henry, how does the link you posted brush aside the first amendment?
Comment by allen bunch — May 31, 2009 @ 10:01 pm
Henry, re post #5: It's funny you should mention the "child should be killed for its own good" line. You probably don't have any idea how often I've heard that defense for God* (according to the Bible**) ordering the destruction of an entire people, including the children and the women who are pregnant, on a few different occasions. "It was okay for God to have them all killed, because he could see through the fullness of time that they would be a wicked people. It was better that the children be killed then so that they could go to Heaven."
*I'm not accusing you of defending God in that way; I don't know if you defend God for those actions or not. I just think it's funny how some Jewish and Christian people don't realize that there is biblical justification for the whole "kill them for their own good" argument.
**I don't for a moment believe that any "god" ordered an entire people to be destroyed, of course. But it's a tale in the Bible, and many Jewish and Christian people believe everything in the Bible is 100% true. Again, I don't know if you're one of those Christians or not, I just bring it up for the irony.
Comment by Rob Miles — June 1, 2009 @ 7:07 am