Look @ 'em Differently

Back in my boy scout dreaming of law enforcement career days, I really had a strong dislike for Anarchists.  Yes, they are rebels, but they represented all that was anti establishment to me.  And, I was very much pro establishment.  They're still rebels, but different.  I guess it's too much of a good thing.  See, I'm a conservative with libertarian leanings.  True, college started me on the road to conservatism even as I was so pro establishment.  I still kind of am.  But, I'm big on civil liberties even as I am pro rule of law.  I'm a paradox, a conundrum.  So, while I believe in small government and personal freedoms, anarchy goes too far.  Under social contract theory, we surrender some of our natural rights to be governed for mutual benefit.  This, I recognize, is necessary.  So, Anarchists are still rebels, but now it seems more like they are anti red tape liberal than just anti establishment.  And, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, no?

I Love This One

There is a fine line between genius and insanity.  And, I have just erased that line and replaced it with a trout.

Ironic

Isn't it ironic, oh so ironic, that city people--who are left leaning--destroy the environment with their cities and push restrictive environmental red tape on us through majority rule while country folk--who are right leaning--who are the actual stewards of nature (living in it) would rather have personal freedom?  Strange, no?  I had this epiphany this morning and the more I think about it, the stupider I realize it actually is.  Have a good day and save the whales.

Let Them Eat Cake

Limousine Liberals who speak out against guns, especially those being escorted in public by armed body guards, are out of touch with the dangers of the world with their let them eat cake attitude toward self defense.

Gun Laws

Chris Rock may have hit the nail on the head in No Sex in the Champagne Room when he talked about metal detectors; disarming people makes them victims.  Disarming the population will ensure that only the law abiding citizen is unarmed.

FB Post on CC Site

I don't think that is the answer. I expected calls for a halt to immigration, but what we need is better intelligence and a legal system what will bring the hammer down. Treat murders as murders. No, I'm not saying it isn't terrorism. However, when it is home grown terrorism, lock them up forever. I want justice, not discrimination. ...just my opinion. P.S. I wouldn't be against immigration reform.

Lamp

Today's reading from The Old Testament was from 1 Samuel 3:1-10.  The lamp part struck me.  Them lamp of God had not gone out yet.  Eli was laying in the house of God.  The lamp had not gone out yet.  The Spirit within him?  The lamp had not gone out yet...

The word lamp is used many times in The Bible.  The 12th chapter of the book of Ecclesiastics, the lamp was dim.  Jesus tells a parable about women trimming lamps while waiting for the groom.  Is their a common theme?

M & Ms

Somebody said, recently on Facebook, regarding radical terrorists that, imagine you have a bowl of M & M candies.  10% of them are poison.  Would you eat a hand full.  It's becoming a hot topic, terrorism.  While I'm in favor of reformed immigration policy and better intelligence, I am also against discrimination and for civil liberties.  Interesting comparison though....

Antisemitism Alive and Well

They, whoever this mysterious they are, say that bigots hide in the conservative parties. To be fair, there are some of course.  There are bad people in every organization.  However, antisemitism has found a welcoming home in Islamophillia.

Baby/Bathwater

Wonder at the old things.

What Was Going On?

The Gospel reading today was the three wise men visiting baby Jesus. This got me thinking.  There are a lot of unanswered questions here.  Who were they and where were they from?  How did they know about the birth of Christ and why was it significant to them being that they were probably not Jews?  Why did they worship Jesus and why did they already know that he was the Lord?  Why was it important that they find Jesus and why was there a star pointing to the baby Jesus?  There's so much we don't know, and yet we just skim over this well know passage.  Some believe they were probably  from the East.  Why did they see this trip as important and what did they know?  You could devote a master thesis to the subject. 

Equality Part IV

Sure, women bear children and miss time at work and that isn't fair. Sure, and men die younger and live shorter lives.  So, we should be given promotions and pay raises sooner then, right?

Equality Part III

If 51% of the population are female, and we live in a democracy, how are women either in the minority or oppressed? It seems like the Calvary has overran it's target and kept galloping on.

Equality Part II

Let me give you a scenario before I make my point:  John and Sue both graduate with a MBA, finishing in the ninetieth percentile.  They both have the same birthday, month and year.  They are both hired by Mega Corp. the same day, again same year.  They are both paid the same salary.  They both do the same job and they both do the same quality of work.  Two years in, Sue goes on maternity leave.  She stays on leave for two years.  42 months in, John is rewarded with a pay raise and a small promotion for time served and good work.  Sue returns to work at the four year mark.  She is doing the same job as John.  She is working the same hours, more or less--sometimes there are unexpected family emergencies.  She has the same education and started the same day.  Now, she is making 20% less than her male counterpart.  A government inspector comes in and asks some questions of employees regarding work place equality standards.  She is shocked at the draconian practice of paying female workers with the same credentials 80 cents on the dollar when compared to their male counterparts.  They started the same day.  They have the same education.  They've been with the company the same length of time.  They do the same work.  No other questions are asked or digging is done.  The company is issued corrective action orders.  What is missing?  Actually, I think I have made my point.

Also, what about if Sue chooses to be a nurse and John chooses to be an engineer--those professions are both heavily imbalanced?  When a census is taken, the numbers aren't explained here either, John just makes more and he is a man.  Should the government's role be to force--through legislation--the hiring of less qualified men over better qualified women until there is a gender balance in nursing?

Equality Part I

Islamophilia is out of control.  Why do we promote the subjugation of women by Islam, and that's okay.  If it were coming from an evangilecal Christian group or Church, liberals would be in the streets with signs screaming.  I volunteer with a group, lets call that group blue circle, who train us now to talk only to the Muslim men in a family, even if that man is a 15 year old boy.  We are not to address his mother.  Why do liberals--who have invaded education,  media, government bureaucracy, the Church, service clubs--make different rules for different people and not treat everybody the same.  This above mentioned training is sexist, and we wouldn't tolerate it from Christians.  Why does Islam trump women's/gay rights?

Wrong Side

Increasingly, we're being asked to take sides in the debate about keeping Christ in Christmas.  What shocks/surprises/saddens me is how many clergy are supporting the secular celebration of the holiday...Holy Day.  Happy Holidays everybody!