| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Dr. Tom Snyder" |
| Date: |
07 Sep 2005 06:01:00 AM |
| Object: |
Shoring Up Moral Levees |
As some of our Founding Fathers remarked, a republican form of government
(which is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) requires self-government
among the people. Yesterday, the Democratic Party in California tried to
destroy one of America's basic moral traditions -- the sanctity of marriage.
The innocence of children in California is now subject to the political and
moral courage of one man -- the governor of the state. Will he take a stand
against the barbarians in the Democratic Party?
ts
Rebuilding New Orleans -- and America
By Thomas Sowell
September 6, 2005
The physical devastation caused by hurricane Katrina has painfully revealed
the moral devastation of our times that has led to mass looting in New
Orleans, assaults on people in shelters, the raping of girls, and shots
being fired at helicopters that are trying to rescue people.
Forty years ago, an electric grid failure plunged New York and other
northeastern cities into a long blackout. But law and order prevailed.
Ordinary citizens went to intersections to direct traffic. People helped
each other. After the blackout was over, this experience left many people
with an upbeat spirit about their fellow human beings.
Another blackout in New York, years later, was much uglier. And what has
been happening now in New Orleans is uglier still. Is there a trend here?
Fear, grief, desperation or despair would be understandable in people whose
lives have been devastated by events beyond their control. Regret might be
understandable among those who were warned to evacuate before the hurricane
hit but who chose to stay. Yet the word being heard from those on the scene
is "angry."
That may be a clue, not only to the breakdown of decency in New Orleans, but
to a wider degeneration in American society in recent decades.
Why are people angry? And at whom?
Apparently they are angry at government officials for not having rescued
them sooner, or taken care of them better, or for letting law and order
break down.
No doubt the inevitable post mortems on this tragic episode will turn up
many cases where things could have been done better. But who can look back
honestly at his own life without seeing many things that could have been
done better?
Just thinking about all the mistakes you have made over a lifetime can be an
experience that is humbling, if not humiliating.
When all is said and done, government is ultimately just human beings --
politicians, judges, bureaucrats. Maybe the reason we are so often
disappointed with them is that they have over-promised and we have been
gullible enough to believe them.
Government cannot solve all our problems, even in normal times, much less
during a catastrophe of nature that reminds man how little he is, despite
all his big talk.
The most basic function of government, maintaining law and order, breaks
down when floods or blackouts paralyze the system.
During good times or bad, the police cannot police everybody. They can at
best control a small segment of society. The vast majority of people have to
control themselves.
That is where the great moral traditions of a society come in -- those moral
traditions that it is so hip to sneer at, so cute to violate, and that our
very schools undermine among the young, telling them that they have to
evolve their own standards, rather than following what old fuddy duddies
like their parents tell them.
Now we see what those do-it-yourself standards amount to in the ugliness and
anarchy of New Orleans.
In a world where people flaunt their "independence," their "right" to
disregard moral authority, and sometimes legal authority as well, the
tragedy of New Orleans reminds us how utterly dependent each one of us is
for our very lives on millions of other people we don't even see.
Thousands of people in New Orleans will be saved because millions of other
people they don't even know are moved by moral obligations to come to their
rescue from all corners of this country. The things our clever sophisticates
sneer at are ultimately all that stand between any of us and utter
devastation.
Any of us could have been in New Orleans. And what could we have depended on
to save us? Situational ethics? Postmodern philosophy? The media? The
lawyers? The rhetoric of the intelligentsia?
No, what we would have to depend on are the very things that are going to
save the survivors of hurricane Katrina, the very things that clever people
are undermining.
New Orleans can be rebuilt and the levees around it shored up. But can the
moral levees be shored up, not only in New Orleans but across America?
©2005 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
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| User: "Woden" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 09:29:13 AM |
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"Dr. Tom Snyder" <titus213@adelphia.net> wrote in
news:VYGdnSWCGIarWoPeRVn-jw@adelphia.com:
As some of our Founding Fathers remarked, a republican form of
government (which is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) requires
self-government among the people. Yesterday, the Democratic Party in
California tried to destroy one of America's basic moral traditions --
the sanctity of marriage. The innocence of children in California is
now subject to the political and moral courage of one man -- the
governor of the state. Will he take a stand against the barbarians in
the Democratic Party?
ROTFL. The "moral courage" of Arnie! Bwaaaahaaahaaa.
(nip remainer of xian based hatred & intolerance)
--
Woden
"religion is a socio-political system for controlling people's thoughts,
lives and actions based on ancient myths and superstitions, perpetrated
through generations of subtle yet pervasive brainwashing."
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| User: "Rob Brown" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 12:38:12 PM |
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"Woden" <woden@charter.net> wrote in message
news:Xns96CA6B518777Awodencharternet@69.28.186.121...
"Dr. Tom Snyder" <titus213@adelphia.net> wrote in
news:VYGdnSWCGIarWoPeRVn-jw@adelphia.com:
As some of our Founding Fathers remarked, a republican form of
government (which is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) requires
self-government among the people. Yesterday, the Democratic Party in
California tried to destroy one of America's basic moral traditions --
the sanctity of marriage. The innocence of children in California is
Ah, the time honored and tested "Children" game piece. There isn't an issue
where the "children" card hasn't been played.
If you really want to protect children pass a law limiting Catholic priests
unsupervised access to children.
Rob Brown
now subject to the political and moral courage of one man -- the
governor of the state. Will he take a stand against the barbarians in
the Democratic Party?
ROTFL. The "moral courage" of Arnie! Bwaaaahaaahaaa.
(nip remainer of xian based hatred & intolerance)
--
Woden
"religion is a socio-political system for controlling people's thoughts,
lives and actions based on ancient myths and superstitions, perpetrated
through generations of subtle yet pervasive brainwashing."
.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 08:23:29 PM |
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In <Xns96CA6B518777Awodencharternet@69.28.186.121>, Woden
<woden@charter.net> wrote:
"Dr. Tom Snyder" <titus213@adelphia.net> wrote in
news:VYGdnSWCGIarWoPeRVn-jw@adelphia.com:
As some of our Founding Fathers remarked, a republican form of
government (which is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) requires
self-government among the people. Yesterday, the Democratic Party in
California tried to destroy one of America's basic moral traditions --
the sanctity of marriage. The innocence of children in California is now
subject to the political and moral courage of one man -- the governor of
the state. Will he take a stand against the barbarians in the Democratic
Party?
ROTFL. The "moral courage" of Arnie! Bwaaaahaaahaaa.
(nip remainer of xian based hatred & intolerance)
Yeah, the "gropenator" is going to show us the way to morality...
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"We're angry, Mr. President, and we'll be angry long
after our beloved city and surrounding parishes have
been pumped dry. Our people deserved rescuing.
Many who could have been were not. That's to the
government's shame."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?F2D511CBB
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| User: "Parsifal" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 04:34:31 PM |
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*Yesterday, the Democratic Party in California tried to
*destroy one of America's basic moral traditions -- the sanctity of
marriage.
Yeah, sure, I've always thought that people who got married in Las
Vegas were so respectful of "the sanctity of marriage".
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| User: "maf1029 ©2001-2008" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 04:48:22 PM |
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On 7 Sep 2005 14:34:31 -0700, "Parsifal" <jeanpascalvachon@gmail.com>
wrote:
*Yesterday, the Democratic Party in California tried to
*destroy one of America's basic moral traditions -- the sanctity of
marriage.
Yeah, sure, I've always thought that people who got married in Las
Vegas were so respectful of "the sanctity of marriage".
Well, that's kind of harsh, there, pal. I mean, Zsa Zsa
Gabor-Belge-Hilton-Sanders-Hunter-Cosden-Ryan-O'Hara-de
Alba-von Anhalt was a good Catholic girl, and I'm sure she had at
least 4 of her nine marriages in a church.
But my favorite is Vivian Jones-Danneck-Koch-Ober-Dodds, d/b/a Vivian
Vance. Ethel Mertz -- married four times -- who knew?!?
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 04:29:32 PM |
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In <VYGdnSWCGIarWoPeRVn-jw@adelphia.com>, "Dr. Tom Snyder"
<titus213@adelphia.net> wrote:
New Orleans can be rebuilt and the levees around it shored up. But can the
moral levees be shored up, not only in New Orleans but across America?
So says the people who support the administration that let people in the
middle of a disaster go without food and water for *days.
Yeah, *that's moral...
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"We're angry, Mr. President, and we'll be angry long
after our beloved city and surrounding parishes have
been pumped dry. Our people deserved rescuing.
Many who could have been were not. That's to the
government's shame."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?F2D511CBB
.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 08:20:41 PM |
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In <VYGdnSWCGIarWoPeRVn-jw@adelphia.com>, "Dr. Tom Snyder"
<titus213@adelphia.net> wrote:
Regret
might be understandable among those who were warned to evacuate before the
hurricane hit but who chose to stay.
There they go again, trying to claim those people "chose" to stay.
Speaking of morality, is it moral to lie?
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"We're angry, Mr. President, and we'll be angry long
after our beloved city and surrounding parishes have
been pumped dry. Our people deserved rescuing.
Many who could have been were not. That's to the
government's shame."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?F2D511CBB
.
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| User: "Fred Stone" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 09:27:25 PM |
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"Mark K. Bilbo" <alt-atheism@org.webmaster> wrote in
news:QMWdncltJpx5DILeRVn-qA@megapath.net:
In <VYGdnSWCGIarWoPeRVn-jw@adelphia.com>, "Dr. Tom Snyder"
<titus213@adelphia.net> wrote:
Regret
might be understandable among those who were warned to evacuate
before the hurricane hit but who chose to stay.
There they go again, trying to claim those people "chose" to stay.
Speaking of morality, is it moral to lie?
There were a number of people who chose to stay. Some of them are
*still* choosing to stay, for various reasons. The city authorities were
debating whether to evacuate them by force.
--
Fred Stone
aa# 1369
I think if we had a three-word message right now it’d be, ‘We can do
better.’
- Howard Dean
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| User: "thomas p" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 12:28:43 PM |
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On Wed, 7 Sep 2005 04:01:00 -0700, "Dr. Tom Snyder"
<titus213@adelphia.net> wrote:
As some of our Founding Fathers remarked, a republican form of government
(which is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) requires self-government
among the people. Yesterday, the Democratic Party in California tried to
destroy one of America's basic moral traditions -- the sanctity of marriage.
Nonsense.
The innocence of children in California
Has nothing to do with legalising same-sex marrieage.
is now subject to the political and
moral courage of one man -- the governor of the state. Will he take a stand
against the barbarians in the Democratic Party?
Will you ever make sense?
snip
Thomas P.
"Life must be lived forwards but understood backwards"
(Kierkegaard)
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| User: "Uncle Vic" |
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| Title: Re: Shoring Up Moral Levees |
07 Sep 2005 03:26:27 PM |
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on 07 Sep 2005 in alt.atheism, dear sweet Dr. Tom Snyder
(titus213@adelphia.net) made the light shine upon us with this:
As some of our Founding Fathers remarked, a republican form of
government (which is guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution) requires
self-government among the people. Yesterday, the Democratic Party in
California tried to destroy one of America's basic moral traditions
-- the sanctity of marriage.
Marriage is sacred? Where did you get that idea? Marriage predates most
religion, and non-religious people get married all the time. Are you
saying it doesn't count without the approval of your imaginary friend?
The innocence of children in California
is now subject to the political and moral courage of one man -- the
governor of the state.
Non-sequitur.
Will he take a stand against the barbarians in
the Democratic Party?
Barbarians are bi-partisan, Dr. Bigot.
--
Uncle Vic
aa#2011
Supervisor, EAC Department of little adhesive-backed "L" shaped
chrome-plastic doo-dads to add feet to Jesus fish department
http://home.comcast.net/~vickman/
Plonked by Raytard
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