A "Teaching Moment"

Small acts and omissions. These define us.

What we say about others when we think they cannot hear.

("Clinging to guns and religion...")

How we treat our social inferiors.

("Hold up sweetie...")

What we say to one person about another so to ingratiate ourselves with the first.

("....and, did I mention he's black?")

Now, back to the opening snap-shot. One of the people on the steps has class. One does not.

Abortion -- The Right Answer

Contrary to those who live in the fuzzy logic of the gray, there are some life questions which demand a "right" and "wrong" answer. Whether to support or to oppose abortion is one of these questions.

And, contrary to Justice Blackmun's refusal to "resolve the difficult question of when life begins" each of us must, individually, resolve that very question. Indeed, it is the only question which needs resolution as every other question involved in the abortion controversy logically flows from its resolution.

We know that human beings give birth to human beings (and "persons" within the meaning of the 14th Amendment). A belief in any other reality is insanity.

It, therefore, follows that a pregnant human female has in her womb either that which is a human being or that which will become a human being. There are no other available choices.

Thus, when confronted with the choice whether to support or to oppose abortion, a moral person must first answer for himself whether that which would be killed is or is not a human being.

The failure to directly confront this question is the act of a moral coward.

There are three choices: 1) The unborn child is a human being; 2) The unborn child is not a human being; and 3) We don't know whether it is or it is not.

The first two choices require proof. Unfortunately, there is no definitive proof as to when a human being becomes a human being -- except at the moment of birth.

So, we don't know. It's "above our pay grade."

Therefore, if you support abortion, you support killing what might be human beings. (This is akin to a hunter shooting at a rustle in the bushes -- uncaring whether what he shoots at is a person or a deer. He doesn't know, and he doesn't care.) If you oppose abortion, then you oppose killing what might be human beings.

Of these two positions, only one has any moral authority and is the right answer.

Opened a new web store

I have finally opened an actual web store in addition to my Ebay store.

Right now, I'm concentrating on Books (Used) and Magic, the Gathering cards. I think that getting it stocked with those two areas will eat up much of the rest of the year. After that, I'll start in on Comic Books.

Right now, I've listed my Conflux set of Magic, the Gathering Cards.


Visit it here.

Canaries in the Mineshaft

Miners long ago learned the usefulness of canaries. By keeling over, those hapless caged birds would warn miners of toxic gasses or of too little oxygen before humans could detect (or be harmed by) their presence or lack.

In politics, canaries abound. No matter what political action is pursued, there are some who attempt to warn against it, some who "squawk" their warnings to all. It doesn't matter what political objective is pursued, there are some who attempt to warn the rest of us that the proposed governmental action is detrimental to the nation.

But, political animals are particular beasts -- they only hear the squawking of like-minded canaries and are genetically incapable of hearing the warnings of any canary who isn't politically in tune with them. Thus, it isn't until liberals begin to hear the squawks of liberal canaries that their ears perk up and they begin to take notice, if not heed, of the warnings. (Of course, the same is true of conservatives and conservative canaries. This makes perfect sense as that which is deadly to a conservative is the natural environment of liberals and vice versa...)

Some liberals are squawking, signaling to the rest of the more politically obtuse liberals that the Obama mineshaft is entering territory which may be deadly to liberals.

Robert Byrd, that self-styled defender of the U.S. Constitution, squawks of the dangers Obama's many Czars pose to that beloved document.

When they saw the price tag individual states would have to pay when the federal government stopped paying the bill for the expanded Medicaid under Obama's health care plan, Governors Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, Christine Gregoire of Washington, and Bill Richardson of New Mexico (Liberals all) squawked their shrill cries of warning, perhaps understanding for the first time the dangers of unfunded mandates.

Forty-four liberal canaries squawked (albeit faintly and safely) about cap and tax. Eight Republicans decided that the air in the liberal mineshaft was more to their liking. It remains to be seen whether they will survive their choice.

Mrs. Boxer (who, according to her, is and should be called "Senator" if you happen to be in the military) accidentally became a canary while questioning a witness. Seeing that the witness was black, she mistook the air they shared to be liberal air and sucked in several lungfuls of conservative air. It is likely that she will survive this mistake if she is able to make it back to her natural habitat where the rarified liberal air is likely to revive her.

Even Congressman Grayson, a particularly liberal liberal, is squawking, wanting to know where the money went.

Now, admittedly, these are slight warning to committed liberals, but the number and intensity of warnings is growing. And, while the political class can almost always survive in an environment which would render the ordinary human senseless, the warnings seem to have been sufficient to steer some liberals away from the mineshaft Obama is intent upon leading them into.

Palin Resigns! Pundits Ponder Purpose.

Sarah Palin resigned today, delivering what appeared to be a noteless and impassioned speech in which she outlined her reasons.

Pundits did what pundits always do -- viewed it through the prism of their own political minds.

They ask: "Political suicide or brilliant move?" or "What could her "real" reason be?" or "How does this affect her chance at a 2012 Presidential run?"

These questions are useful when asked about the motivations of a politician. You can never believe what a politician says, as, of course, they're politicians and lie for a living.

Sarah Palin is not a politician. She never has been.

Sarah Palin entered politics to effect change. And, until she wandered into the arena of national politics, she was doing just that.

But, ever since she dared to be a strong, competent woman who didn't toe the NOW line, she has been subjected to attack after attack -- the "politics of personal destruction" on a scale I haven't seen of any other national figure.

Not John Edwards. Not Barney Frank. Not Chris Dodd. NO other political figure -- not those who took bribes, not those under criminal indictment, not those behind bars -- has been under such unrelenting attack as had Sarah Palin.

So, Sarah Palin resigned. She told us why she resigned.

Yet the pundits continue to probe, continue to try to impose their world-view upon her -- even though the former governor has established beyond all doubt that she does not share their world-view.

Sarah Palin told us why she resigned. She resigned because she can't do her job. Most of her time is spent defending herself from frivolous ethics charges (15 currently investigated and dismissed) which eat her time and Alaskan taxpayers' money (over two million thus far).

That isn't what the people of Alaska hired her to do. They hired her to govern -- not to spend all of her time defending herself.

There is no further political calculation beyond this simple one. She, in good conscience, can't continue to be a part-time governor when the people of Alaska deserve a full-time one.

Further, she believes that she will be able to pursue the greater good by bringing her message conservatism to the rest of the country, unencumbered by the duties of office.

She told us this.

Why do the pundits not believe her?

They seem to believe politicians such as Obama when all evidence is that he simply cannot be believed but try to ferret out hidden meaning from Palin when all evidence shows that she speaks plainly.

Pundits.