Archive for the ‘Society’ Category
The healthcare agenda
Why is the government continuing to push healthcare reform, ignoring, dismissing and disparaging anyone who disagrees? Why have so many members of Congress refused to have town hall meetings during the August recess? Why are they afraid to face us, their employers?
Claiming racism be racist
Four police officers and two men; one black, a noted Harvard professor, and one Jewish, a famous singer –each with a recent police encounter.
Is it too late?
Is it too late for the United States of America? Are we doomed to follow the timetable Sir John Glubb outlined in “The Fate of Empires,” surviving about 250 years? Or, are we different from the failed empires he studied? The outcome is our choice.
“…equal protection of the laws”
New Haven, Connecticut, discarded a fire department promotion exam when white firefighters outscored minority firefighters. The city did so because it feared lawsuits, not because the exam was unfair. The United States Supreme Court ruled against the city, with Chief Justice John Roberts suggesting that had the scores been reversed the city would not have discarded the exam.
“Give me the youth…”
What do a group of like-minded people do when they cannot convince society to agree with them? How do they persuade society to not only acknowledge their values, but in the end to agree with those values?
The intolerant demand tolerance
During the Miss Universe pageant, judge Perez Hilton asked Miss California, Carrie Prejean, if all states should legalize same sex marriage. She responded that people should have the right to live as they choose but she personally believes marriage should be between a man and a woman. She lost the crown, followed by a degrading, childish personal attack from Hilton.
Who decides right and wrong?
Recently, my wife and I went to Mexico with some friends who have a timeshare in Los Cabos, arriving the day the community started celebrating its annual Fiesta. It was much like our state fair, with carnival rides, food areas, and booths with items for sale. But, one “attraction” was decidedly different. Each evening they had cockfighting.
What are blue laws?
The Founding Fathers built our nation with a religious foundation. I believe they wanted religion in government; but did they want government in religion?
Should gay marriage be legal?
On November 4th three more states passed constitutional amendments refusing to legalize gay marriage, raising the total to thirty states with similar amendments. Gays were outraged at the outcome and at those who did not support legalizing gay marriage.
Who should pay to rebuild following natural disasters?
Did our Founding Fathers intend for the government to take care of us when a disaster strikes? Is the federal government the correct resource for disasters? Is managing the aftermath of disasters a Constitutional responsibility of the federal government? Do individuals or local communities have any responsibility? Is the government the most efficient and cost effective entity to offer aid to communities and help them rebuild?
Capital punishment – reprehensible or responsible?
Society continues debating the morality and sensibility of capital punishment, both sides of the issue persuasively arguing their position. What is the goal of capital punishment; punishment, deterrence, or both? Are there crimes that deserve the death penalty? Is life in prison without parole a reasonable alternative? What do we owe the victims and their families? What do we owe society to protect them from the release of these criminals back into society?
Sarah Palin and the feminist movement?
The feminist movement must be rejoicing. After four decades of advocating equality for women, we are witnessing the real possibility of a female Vice-President of the United States. The National Organization for Women (NOW) should be congratulated for the doors they opened for women, the doors opened to equality. Their advocacy for women’s rights started in 1966 with a statement of purpose to “take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society, exercising all the privileges and responsibilities thereof, in truly equal partnership with men.” Wasn’t that a reasonable expectation? Women had been too often second-class citizens in far too many ways. NOW continued to admire the stay-at-home moms; they just wanted it to be by choice rather than by expectation and convention. They simply wanted women to have equal opportunities and treatment. If women chose to work, they asked they be treated equally. They wanted simple civil rights and simple fairness.
Use as intended and die
Imagine selling a product that kills the consumer if they use it as intended. Then imagine convincing our government to allow it to remain legal. It is a one of a kind product, legal and if used appropriately, lethal. It is cigarettes. We have other products available to us that would kill us if we abused them. But cigarettes alone are the only product with government sanctioning to kill. Does it seem a bit absurd something this dangerous is legal? The validity of the medical data is beyond debate, unless you are a tobacco company executive testifying before Congress; then the data are highly questionable.
Who takes the risk and pays for our choices?
On June 6, 2006, a tragic accident occurred during a little league baseball game. The 14-year-old pitcher was hit in the chest by a line drive off a metal bat. Unbelievably, when the ball struck the young man’s chest, his heart went into ventricular fibrillation, a rhythm incompatible with life. He remained in this rhythm until the paramedics arrived and “shocked” him back into a normal rhythm. Unfortunately, he suffered permanent brain injury and will live with significant disabilities the rest of his life. The family’s attorney estimates this young man’s future care will cost millions of dollars.
Human beings all
Last week I wrote an article on homosexuality. To suggest this is a volatile subject is a gross understatement. The number of responses, the intensity of those responses, and the speed of those responses was overwhelming. This could mean the topic should be off limits, it could mean dissenting opinions should not be printed, or it could mean this topic is so important, so volatile, so emotionally charged that more discussion is needed rather than less. I would suggest making any topic off-limits is inappropriate. I would further suggest deciding which opinions can and cannot be advanced is equally inappropriate. Last, I would suggest these responses suggest this subject needs much more public discussion and debate.
Gay rights and employee benefits
Gay activist groups targeted Wal-Mart claiming they discriminate against gays because they deny them workers’ benefits and they gave Wal-Mart a “do not buy” rating. Gays disagree with Wal-Mart’s continued refusal to grant benefits to the partners of cohabitating gay workers, unless the store is in one of the few states that legally recognize domestic partners.
Was comment about Tiger Woods racist?
Last month during a golf tournament, anchor Kelly Tilghman was joking with her co-host that young golfers have no chance of winning because Tiger Woods is just too good. Her co-host said, “To take Tiger on, maybe (the young players) should just gang up for a while.” To which she responded their only chance would be to “lynch him in a back alley.”
Interrogation or torture?
The debate continues. What is interrogation and what is torture? Are there situations in which interrogation is inadequate, situations requiring something more? In the abstract, it seems rather easy to determine what is or is not morally acceptable, what is or is not torture. But, how easy is the decision when it’s personal; when the lives at risk are American, when our national security is in jeopardy? How far do we go to get information? What would you be willing to do to a terrorist if the information they had could prevent another 9/11? If you had a family member in the World Trade Towers and you were interrogating a terrorist before the destruction, would you still find waterboarding heinous? If summarily executing a terrorist could save the life of an American soldier would you hesitate? The urgency of these situations, according to Professor Darius Rejali of Reed College in Oregon, is “morally the only way a democratic society is able to justify torture.”
Affirmative action: working as intended?
According to a recent USA Today article, five states may have proposals on their ballots this year to end affirmative action. Is it time to end affirmative action? What was its original purpose? Has it helped reduce discrimination? Has it been applied as intended?
Birth control for eleven-year-olds?
The Portland, Maine school board is allowing school personnel to dispense birth control to girls as young as eleven without the knowledge or consent of their parents. Is this reasonable or unacceptable? Would you want your eleven year old daughter using birth control without your knowledge? Does availability of birth control promote sexual activity in teenagers? Does the school system have the right to get involved in this issue or are they interfering with the family?
