"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
~~~~~ The late Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931 - 2005 ~~~~~
(three-time past president of the Southern Baptist Convention)
If you just don't understand the above passage after reading it, go back and read it again. And again. Until you get it.
CP
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
MLK Day, 2009
I dare say this day has taken on much more meaning, much greater consequence this year than all the others.
With the first black president set to be sworn in to office tomorrow, it is hailed as --- and certainly is --- the fulfillment of Dr. King's dream.
Surely, that President-Elect Obama was able to be elected by a sizable majority of the electorate, disproves the myth that America is (still) a racist nation. Certainly, there are racist individuals yet among our citizens. But the country is not racist itself, if it ever was.
As George Will points out, Obama received a higher percentage of the white vote than did either Al Gore or John Kerry in the previous two elections. And Mississippi has more black elected officials than any other state. Clearly, white America can be color-blind in its selection of whom to vote for.
Surely, we can now end the divisive and unconstitutional treatment known as "Affirmative Action". What possible reason could there still be to not judge everyone on merit alone? Isn't this, after all, what Dr. King really marched for? Equal treatment under the law, not preferences and quotas?
Yet, more black Americans voted for Obama (by percentage and by volume) than had voted for the Democratic ticket in recent elections. All too many, it seems, did so for one reason: to elect "one of their own". Elect a man with scant experience to arguably the most important office on earth, based solely on that man's race. A racist vote... just not one in the terms of the word we normally associate it with.
So, maybe Dr. King's dream isn't yet fully realized*. There are still sizable segments of our society that are blatantly racist, that will vote for someone based solely on the color of their skin. But it isn't the segment of society that Dr. King once railed against.
CP
* Many who today praise the work of Dr. King in the Civil Rights struggles of the 1950's and 1960's, likely have not heard or read the full "I have a dream" speech he made on 28 August 1963, and are thus speaking from ignorance. As a public service to those who have not, here is the link. Please note, throughout the speech he talks about equality, not preferences and quotas.
With the first black president set to be sworn in to office tomorrow, it is hailed as --- and certainly is --- the fulfillment of Dr. King's dream.
Surely, that President-Elect Obama was able to be elected by a sizable majority of the electorate, disproves the myth that America is (still) a racist nation. Certainly, there are racist individuals yet among our citizens. But the country is not racist itself, if it ever was.
As George Will points out, Obama received a higher percentage of the white vote than did either Al Gore or John Kerry in the previous two elections. And Mississippi has more black elected officials than any other state. Clearly, white America can be color-blind in its selection of whom to vote for.
Surely, we can now end the divisive and unconstitutional treatment known as "Affirmative Action". What possible reason could there still be to not judge everyone on merit alone? Isn't this, after all, what Dr. King really marched for? Equal treatment under the law, not preferences and quotas?
Yet, more black Americans voted for Obama (by percentage and by volume) than had voted for the Democratic ticket in recent elections. All too many, it seems, did so for one reason: to elect "one of their own". Elect a man with scant experience to arguably the most important office on earth, based solely on that man's race. A racist vote... just not one in the terms of the word we normally associate it with.
So, maybe Dr. King's dream isn't yet fully realized*. There are still sizable segments of our society that are blatantly racist, that will vote for someone based solely on the color of their skin. But it isn't the segment of society that Dr. King once railed against.
CP
* Many who today praise the work of Dr. King in the Civil Rights struggles of the 1950's and 1960's, likely have not heard or read the full "I have a dream" speech he made on 28 August 1963, and are thus speaking from ignorance. As a public service to those who have not, here is the link. Please note, throughout the speech he talks about equality, not preferences and quotas.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year
It is hard to believe a year has gone by already. But, I think most adults say that this time of year.
My New Year's wishes for our world are simple:
1. I wish for our President Elect to govern with the skill, intelligence, character, integrity and humility of the greatest of our Presidents. He has many challenges he is facing right off the bat.
2. Increasing numbers of scientists are openly questioning the supposedly "settled" theory of Global Warming... so much so that the promoters of the notion now call it "Climate Change". Well, yeah... the climate is constantly in change. I wish for our people, and our government, to awaken to the reality of this hoax, and not try to fix things that are not truly broken.
3. I wish for our government to stop spending our money to prop up failing business models. Let the bankruptcy courts do their jobs. It is called "destructive creation". Yes, it will hurt many people a lot... but one cause of this was government meddling (the home-finance market meltdown was caused by the government forcing sub-prime lending to people who should never have gotten loans), so why would anyone believe that government will make it better? Yes, we need regulations, but they should be few and fair. America works best when the government gets out of the way (and gets its hands out of our pockets).
4. I wish for our media to stop being a propaganda arm, and get back to its charter of unbiased, objective reporting. Bias is not only found in what is said, but in what is not said, and how often something is reported or ignored. The machinery of democracy works best with copious lubrication from journalism. If it is only oiling some of the gears and not others, the machine will seize and fail.
5. I wish for accountability. I long for the time when the people who cause problems, vote for things that later turn our poorly, and say things that are blatantly not true (we call them lies) are held accountable for their actions and words. Especially our elected officials. When one who has sworn an oath to follow our Constitution votes for legislation that goes against that constitution, I want them to be held accountable by all concerned, but mostly by those that next vote for that person.
6. For my friends, family, associates and colleagues; I wish a full and healthy year of the things that matter most to each of you. May your days be warm, and your nights restful. Have faith in yourselves, in your co-workers, in your God, and in your tasks.
Now, buckle up and hold on tight.... this is going to be a rough ride.
CP
My New Year's wishes for our world are simple:
1. I wish for our President Elect to govern with the skill, intelligence, character, integrity and humility of the greatest of our Presidents. He has many challenges he is facing right off the bat.
2. Increasing numbers of scientists are openly questioning the supposedly "settled" theory of Global Warming... so much so that the promoters of the notion now call it "Climate Change". Well, yeah... the climate is constantly in change. I wish for our people, and our government, to awaken to the reality of this hoax, and not try to fix things that are not truly broken.
3. I wish for our government to stop spending our money to prop up failing business models. Let the bankruptcy courts do their jobs. It is called "destructive creation". Yes, it will hurt many people a lot... but one cause of this was government meddling (the home-finance market meltdown was caused by the government forcing sub-prime lending to people who should never have gotten loans), so why would anyone believe that government will make it better? Yes, we need regulations, but they should be few and fair. America works best when the government gets out of the way (and gets its hands out of our pockets).
4. I wish for our media to stop being a propaganda arm, and get back to its charter of unbiased, objective reporting. Bias is not only found in what is said, but in what is not said, and how often something is reported or ignored. The machinery of democracy works best with copious lubrication from journalism. If it is only oiling some of the gears and not others, the machine will seize and fail.
5. I wish for accountability. I long for the time when the people who cause problems, vote for things that later turn our poorly, and say things that are blatantly not true (we call them lies) are held accountable for their actions and words. Especially our elected officials. When one who has sworn an oath to follow our Constitution votes for legislation that goes against that constitution, I want them to be held accountable by all concerned, but mostly by those that next vote for that person.
6. For my friends, family, associates and colleagues; I wish a full and healthy year of the things that matter most to each of you. May your days be warm, and your nights restful. Have faith in yourselves, in your co-workers, in your God, and in your tasks.
Now, buckle up and hold on tight.... this is going to be a rough ride.
CP
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