Immigrate there, reproduce, get some education, attain political office or vast sums of money and there you are: job done.
Just ask the folks in the southwest United States.
Alternatively: if you don't mind killing, ask a native American Indian.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Change
This is my response to a facebook friend who made a comment with which I agreed: " Excellent point, Eric, as usual. Wouldn't our time be better spent joining some political group(s) and searching within for someone to support for election; local, state, federal? Or teaching our youth the importance of being politically active. Change comes over decades and generations. We didn't get where we are during the Bush admin OR the Obama admin. The infrastructure to allow us to be where we are has taken all of the decades since the country was founded. An drastically long time horizon but the "longest journey" begins with someone getting kicked in the ass, as the saying goes."
One of the obvious things I seem to NEVER hear is that the people who disagree with a more "centrist, libertarian, or conservative" point of view are just downright more effective at getting their legislation enacted at every level of society, local, state and federal.
Rather than huffing and puffing and railing about how the "liberals" are TAKING OVER THE COUNTRY, wouldn't the adult thing to do be to shout out at every opportunity that those who believe differently are GIVING IT TO THEM.
I am NOT politically correct. I'm polite and respectful of other's point of view. But I do NOT mince words or parse every thought I have in the most non offensive language I have at my disposal. Doing so, leads, in my opinion to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. I have a pretty good vocabulary and use it to express myself. You do NOT have to "read between the lines" with me. It will only lead you to the WRONG conclusion.
Because of this, I have been "dressed down", insulted, corrected, and "put in my place". Usually justifiably so. So I accept these outcomes as the price of my behavior. But I am rarely misunderstood.
So, having said all of the above ..... if you aren't satisfied with the world as it is, what (TF) are you doing to change it?
I am politically active, write this blog to myself because nobody else reads it, and keep myself informed of issues important to me my city, county, state and country and take action to support or not support the things that are within my sphere of influence by being on appointed city committees, and occasionally running for political office.
I am open to any reasonable suggestion as what more I can do or how I can be more effective.
One of the obvious things I seem to NEVER hear is that the people who disagree with a more "centrist, libertarian, or conservative" point of view are just downright more effective at getting their legislation enacted at every level of society, local, state and federal.
Rather than huffing and puffing and railing about how the "liberals" are TAKING OVER THE COUNTRY, wouldn't the adult thing to do be to shout out at every opportunity that those who believe differently are GIVING IT TO THEM.
I am NOT politically correct. I'm polite and respectful of other's point of view. But I do NOT mince words or parse every thought I have in the most non offensive language I have at my disposal. Doing so, leads, in my opinion to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. I have a pretty good vocabulary and use it to express myself. You do NOT have to "read between the lines" with me. It will only lead you to the WRONG conclusion.
Because of this, I have been "dressed down", insulted, corrected, and "put in my place". Usually justifiably so. So I accept these outcomes as the price of my behavior. But I am rarely misunderstood.
So, having said all of the above ..... if you aren't satisfied with the world as it is, what (TF) are you doing to change it?
I am politically active, write this blog to myself because nobody else reads it, and keep myself informed of issues important to me my city, county, state and country and take action to support or not support the things that are within my sphere of influence by being on appointed city committees, and occasionally running for political office.
I am open to any reasonable suggestion as what more I can do or how I can be more effective.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Uncommon sense
I was just exposed to an "article" about an appropriations bill that had some very emotive and provocative items in it. I won't list the stuff, it's the usual $500 hammer stuff.
But my reaction is the same as it always is; WE elected the men and women who made these bills into law.
If it upsets you, you know what to do.
PHILOSOPHY:
Here are some of my personal thoughts on things:
I've never actually experienced successful PURE democracy
Democratic Republics (like the United States) work but not with extreme efficiency
Apathy (oh, what the hell) is perhaps our greatest social disease
You can't legislate morality
The Declaration of Independence declares that men (and WOmen of course, and I suppose hermaphrodites, transgender people, and anything else that fogs a mirror) are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among them are the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And when the rights of one of these "endowed" individuals or groups infringes on the rights of another, then we send democracy packing and resort to Biblical justice, THE LAW. Here we ask a judge (surrogate God) or jury of our peers (collective surrogate God)to resolve the issue.
Well, these aren't all of my thoughts on the topic but some. And they are my thoughts and opinions and therefore NOT SUBJECT TO DEBATE. This is America. I'm ENTITLED to my opinion and ENTITLED to express it. Even if it is patently wrong, based on a misreading of facts, uninformed, short sighted, stupid and ridiculous.
And that my dear reader(?) is democracy in action. I'm over 18, and I breath. Therefore I can vote. Scared? You should be. I am.
But my reaction is the same as it always is; WE elected the men and women who made these bills into law.
If it upsets you, you know what to do.
PHILOSOPHY:
Here are some of my personal thoughts on things:
I've never actually experienced successful PURE democracy
Democratic Republics (like the United States) work but not with extreme efficiency
Apathy (oh, what the hell) is perhaps our greatest social disease
You can't legislate morality
The Declaration of Independence declares that men (and WOmen of course, and I suppose hermaphrodites, transgender people, and anything else that fogs a mirror) are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among them are the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And when the rights of one of these "endowed" individuals or groups infringes on the rights of another, then we send democracy packing and resort to Biblical justice, THE LAW. Here we ask a judge (surrogate God) or jury of our peers (collective surrogate God)to resolve the issue.
Well, these aren't all of my thoughts on the topic but some. And they are my thoughts and opinions and therefore NOT SUBJECT TO DEBATE. This is America. I'm ENTITLED to my opinion and ENTITLED to express it. Even if it is patently wrong, based on a misreading of facts, uninformed, short sighted, stupid and ridiculous.
And that my dear reader(?) is democracy in action. I'm over 18, and I breath. Therefore I can vote. Scared? You should be. I am.
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