Archive for the ‘Society’ Category
The damnpolitician and the farmer
Last week, I proponed the Founding Fathers had only two requirements to be president of the United States because they wanted to protect the people’s power to choose the president. They did not want those writing the Constitution and those later “interpreting” it to be able to limit our choices. They assumed people like you […]
Teaching children to murder
Littleton, Colorado, 1999; Santee, California, 2001; Cold Springs, Minnesota, 2003; Jacksboro, Tennessee, 2005; Cleveland, Ohio, 2007. These are just a few of the 60 school shootings occurring since Columbine in 1999, double previous decades. The propensity to kill is a learned behavior, not something children do naturally. So, where do we learn about teaching people […]
Our children, violence, and murder
What is happening to our children? Children with guns murdering children. Does this support the need for gun control, as advanced by the media and the politically correct, both with a fanciful capacity to not allow facts to interfere with their opinions? But if the data shows guns are not the cause of violence, […]
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? Even if we ignore the United States Constitution and agree that healthcare is […]
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. Returning from a trip, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates found his front door jammed. He tried to force it open and then he and his chauffeur got in through the back […]
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. We are unique among the nations of history. We designed […]
“…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 […]
“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? Look at the process of legalizing abortion. Proponents first appealed to society, exaggerating the number of women dying […]
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 […]
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 […]
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? Let us look at the ‘blue’ laws, created by well-meaning people to enforce moral standards, including keeping Sunday as a day of worship and rest. Most blue laws were passed before […]
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. Gay rights activists are attacking the Mormon Church because it backed the initiative against 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]