None of the Above

Democracy and the Death of Choice: Why the liberal struggle for a better world will fail. Part 2 of 6

 

My concern is that the world seems to be moving in both of these directions at once, and my worry is that it is inevitable. It’s a very subtle movement, almost imperceptible to those who are not paying attention. It happens daily, sometimes in secret and sometimes publically touted as “for our own good”. Unfortunately we’re all so busy living our daily lives that these changes go unnoticed, or at least uncontested, and in our own defense corporations and the government are skilled at using the media to distract us with “other stuff”.

 

When concerned citizens do notice what’s going on and challenge the system they are labeled as activists or trouble makers, or worse yet terrorists. These challenges and concerns eventually go away and the government or corporations go back to “business as usual”. The choices that we are losing are not just the right to choose “one of the above” or “all of the above”; it’s also the right to choose “none of the above”.

 

How you feel about the issues isn’t as important as the fact you no longer have any choice about the issues. We’re losing the option to say, “I don’t agree and will not comply with this requirement to fill in the blank”. We’re being forced to comply with laws that limit our actions (like the right to keep and bear arms) while at the same time we’re being forced to comply with laws that require our actions (like the acceptance of abortion). Notice how you feel about either or both of these issues, and what you’re willing to do or give up to make it right.

The Answer

It's scary how often the past tries to repeat itself.

 

SciFi Favorites

Democracy and the Death of Choice: Why the liberal struggle for a better world will fail. Part 1 of 6

 

One of my favorite science fiction TV shows was called Firefly. Imagine a high tech cowboy show set in the future without the Indians, although there were recognizable challenges and bad guys to contend with. Later, a full length movie was produced to satisfy the cult following this show spawned. The movie was centered around a group of really bad guys known as the Reevers, who were out there hunting anyone and everyone.

 

These guys were feared by all, including the government and military powers trying to control the various inhabitants of the settled planets. The problem was that the Reevers had no fear of death, and no civilized structure to control their behavior, so everything was permitted without exception. They were REALLY bad guys, living only to please themselves and cause havoc across the known universe. They were genuinely scary!

 

A more popular science fiction TV show called Star Trek introduced another scary group called the Borg. Initially they too were unstoppable and feared by almost everyone, but they operated in a very strict organizational structure. The Borg functioned as a collective, controlling behavior by suppressing individual thought and action. They considered “resistance to be futile” and everything was accomplished for the good of the collective.

 

Today, in the United States we seem to be caught in a similar struggle for limits. On the one hand we have groups (like the Borg) that want to limit choice by creating more control over the people, enforcing group behavior standards. Their push for public surveillance, secret courts, and subtle “adjustments” regarding the freedom of speech and privacy (among others) are moving us towards absolute control. We also have groups (like the Reevers) that want to remove the limits on choice and control of the people, permitting any and all behavior standards. Their push for acceptance of gay marriage, drugs, abortion, and unrestrained forms of behavior (among others) are moving us towards absolute chaos.

Merry Christmas

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word.

Newtown Remembered

I stand with the millions of people around the world in remembering the horrific shooting in the Newton Connecticut school two years ago today. I am saddened by the tragic loss of life, and by the struggle of those who survived. It was a terrible event, but I am also saddened by this nation's reaction to that event.

 

I agree that the one injured or killed by violence is not the only victim of the crime, and that it naturally inspires in us the desire to do what is possible to prevent any kind of violence. To do that we need to understand the cause of violence, and we need to recognize that guns are not the problem.
 

The recent knife attack in China and the bombing at the marathon should suggest to the most casual observer that violence is not a gun issue. Violence comes from the heart, not the barrel of a gun; guns are just the tool.

 

Since the Newtown School shooting almost everyone is still making the same mistake, focusing their anger on the tool instead of the problem. When a deranged bomber kills people we blame the bomber, when a drunk driver kills people we blame the driver, but when a disturbed shooter kills people we blame the gun. It doesn't make sense.

 

Some go so far as to insist that a world with exactly zero guns in it would be a safer place, even though that’s never going to happen, and although it seems intuitive I seriously doubt that it’s true. Before you ask me what I’m afraid of, let me say that what I fear most are people who are willing to give up their rights and take away the rights of others, because they have been convinced by someone else that it’s for the greater good.

 

Restricting the rights of citizens will not reduce gun violence and I believe it will increase crime. How successful has the Government been at keeping drugs off the street? How successful has the Government been at stopping human trafficking? What makes anyone think that the Government can take guns out of the hands of criminals?

My Dad was my Hero

A Memorial to My Dad

I am thankful for the gentle passing of my father, on November 10, 2014 at 2:10 in the afternoon. He was my hero as I was growing up, and although I never told him that I loved him I think he always knew that.

 

There was something about my Dad that people really like in a person. He grew up on a farm, worked hard all of his life, and taught me to do the best that I could at all times. Of course his way was always best, which made life difficult at times, but I don’t think it was about being better than anyone else, he was simply doing the best that he could.

 

As I was growing up my Dad seemed almost perfect and I wanted to be “just like him” in a lot of ways. He took me hunting even before I could carry a gun, and fishing even though I often snagged my line. He taught me to ride a bike, drive a car, run a boat, and fly a plane. I’ve often said that if I could have been half the pilot that he was, I would be one of the best pilots ever.

 

He let me hang out in the garage and watch what he was doing. He taught me how things work, how to build things, and how to fix things. I grew up with the confidence that there didn’t seem to be anything that my Dad couldn’t do, and do well.

 

After I left home I realized that my Dad wasn’t perfect and he wasn’t always the best example. He often called me a knucklehead while I was growing up, which always hurt my feelings; I learned to not call people names! He sometimes spanked me with a wooden hanger; I learned to deal with problems in a gentler manner! He was narrow-minded and opinionated; I learned to tolerate the ideas of others!

 

Many of you will recall that he wasn’t afraid to ask a high price when he sold you something, and he wasn’t afraid to tell you the price was too high if he wanted to buy something from you; I learned that money was not a good measure of value!

 

As an adult we didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, like politics, religion, or money, but somehow that didn’t stop him from being one of my hero’s. I will always remember him as a hard-nosed kind of guy, with a good side and a less than good side, but I will always remember him with respect and honor.

What I learned from my Dad, I condensed into my own personal mission statement, which is “To leave the world a better place than I found it, by being a positive influence to others, and by doing the best that I can in all things”. I think my Dad lived up to that mission statement too. He was certainly a positive influence on my life, and I expect the lives of many of you here today.

You’re still one of my hero’s Dad, I am grateful for what you shared with me, and I will always love you. But then, I’m sure you’ve always known that.