Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:31 pm
I don't know who is dumber, but I definitely relate to the Jeff Daniels character who got his tongue stuck on a frozen metal pole. "Be curious and try everything once," that's my motto, despite conventional wisdom and fair warnings!
Speaking of wisdom, Wise Yoda, of one true phoenix many parrots follow. When uncertain of a design, just look at the label. As labels infer high style, recitations infer wisdom. Labeling the self as "open minded" ends the search for wisdom, as designating differing opinion as bigoted ends further dialogue. So many fall in love with the idea of "looking at an issue from all sides," but moves no further to a conclusion; for to take a stand is perceived as being rigid and simplistic. For an idea to take life, to be a force of good (or evil), there must be a conviction that is, to be sure -- but only within the context -- absolute. Otherwise, all the observation and analysis of an issue is only an exercise in vanity of one's apparent fair-mindedness.
Just as trees and rocks are incapable of evil, neither are they purveyors of good. They are blameless of inaction if a man falls in the river in danger of drowning; but for fellow men not to take action when fully capable he is already guilty of a moral trespass. I am reminded of a commercial of a group of business people walking through a jungle, and one gets trapped in quicksand. When noted the leader immediately calls for a meeting to discuss the proper protocol and going on and on about the merits of this and that until the poor guy disappeared under the sand. Any rational person would not let this happen, but when it comes to important cultural and political issues that affect real people in real ways, sometimes we fear speaking out for fear of being labeled as judgmental, discriminating or intolerant.
There is a tape of Obama voicing his opposition to the "Born Alive" legislation saying that he didn't want to burden the doctor and mother with another opinion that may be contrary to their original intent of aborting the baby. I found this statement bothersome at the very least on two counts: First, that he assumes or agrees that the primary intent of abortion is to kill the baby and not to free the mother from one; and second, he is neutral on the moral position of whether the baby is allowed to die or be resuscitated. It is apparent that his main concern is not to meddle in other people's business no matter the moral consequence of their action. From what I can gather on his opinions regarding this issue I see no evidence that Obama feels a moral burden of keeping a baby alive even in conflict with his respect for choice. What is worse is if he has a moral problem with such action he apparently felt comfortable not to voice it. The answer to when life begins may be "above his pay grade," but Obama's votes and actions speak to the contrary.
There is a preponderant reliance and enamorment for intelligence in liberalism. I have had a few discussions with liberal minds at the expense of Bush's IQ. Ironically, intelligence is very useful in the fields of science and mathematics where sets of absolute rules are essential in order to built functional theorems. In morality, it is only a tool in support of what is alive in our hearts and the compassion that flows forth, to help us weigh competing interests and find ways to do the most good. Instead, so often we let our intellect get in the way of what is obvious and simple in how we should behave with our fellow men. Absolutes are not the goals when searching for one's moral compass, and mere complexity without wisdom does not equate sophistication. It is when we strive to be well informed, then shut our ears to the noises without, and open our hearts to the voice within that rights and wrongs are revealed. The answer is always there, only we fail to recognize it, to live it.
Ultimately, knowing good is not good enough, but must manifest in action that starts with a belief...do I believe that any baby born alive should be saved? Absolutely! How about you?
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