& please don't say Smaller Government, we all agree on that, but what other things? For me some of my animating principles:
free speech -- I have over the course of time distilled a new (really old) Z-Principle and it is this: In the majority of cases free speech should prevail. Sounds simple enough but much more complicated in practice. Now I know free speech is not absolute but what would happen if we had near total free speech? Well we'd have to Deal With It and so if (a) nappy-headed 'hos didn't cause (b) the planets to spin out of their orbits then there really is no need to lose sleep over it. (a) Pornography may be debasing but if it doesn't lead to (b) cancer than it clearly falls into the zone of protecting freedom is more important than shielding us from bad taste which segues nicely into,
freedom (to not have a police state) -- A few years ago I was in the village of All-White-Dobbs-Ferry-on-the-Hudson going through one of those personal problems/issues phases in my own life kinda mulling things over on the street corner, wasn't bothering anyone, walking around a little and this young woman comes up to me and goes "you can get arrested for that." Now if memory serves my penis wasn't exposed so she must have meant loitering even though I was only there for about 20 minutes tops. Now here's where my animating principle comes in: does this mean Dobbs Ferry NY has a police state? no but if the village adds 50 more laws like this one then you do wind up with one so I am opposed to not only a police state but anything that foreshadows a police state. Beth's Nolan Chart doesn't deal with stuff like this but I'm filling you in anyway which leads up to my third animating principle:
minimal laws -- It's simple logic, the more laws you pass the less freedom you'll enjoy so for me the test is so simple it's astonishing even to me: if the old law or proposed new one doesn't serve some dire need, in short if it's not absolutely necessary to the survival of, to the cohesion of a just Society as we know it then it shouldn't become law or if a law should be repealed instantly. Again if my presence in Dobbs Ferry bothered that young woman that much then Deal With It, this in a village that used to allow later-term abortions where one young Spanish woman even died undergoing the procedure and they covered it up but I'm the problem apparently.
pro-life -- Not even coming at this from a political angle per se but just feel it would be better if Society were pro-life. The opposite leads to all types of things like the time I boarded a bus in White Plains and the driver had to take some time to lower the handicapped ramp so a disabled guy could get on and some young woman in the back started bitching about it. That be an ugly society indeed and again my bar here is very low, despite our political views on abortion why can't we all be personally pro-life?? Doesn't seem much to ask and if we did we could all tell the bitch in the back of the bus to STFU!
spend spend spend -- Don't feel guilty about it, you can't take it with you. If your Mom tells you you spent too much on a carton of ice cream don't worry about it. On a related subject it's also why I'm against dieting, well the more spartan ones anyway. There's an anti-pleasure principle at work here which goes against the fundamental ethos to just enjoy Life (God must be scratching His head). John Tesh is a major spokesman of this approach but he must be driving Connie Selleca nuts. Spend $$$ and enjoy Life, you'd think this would be obvious.
war only as a last resort -- When I was growing up leaned heavily towards the pacifist position, thought two countries fighting each other was the height of human stupidity and folly. Call this the Henry David Thoreau position but as I got older saw the world was far more complicated than this but despite my much more reasonable older self the invasion into Iraq didn't cut it for me. To be willing to give up your own life for your country is the height of bravery imo, takes your moral character to a whole new level but it has to be absolutely necessary not because Dick Cheney thinks it's a good idea.
Just so we're clear.
Say it loud, I'm a conservative and I'm proud! You are the voice in the wilderness. Amen brother.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I am concerned, the Republican Party has proved they are committed to preserving family values. I will always be pro-family above any other issue. I believe the family is the primary mechanism by which God transmits blessing on the Earth. The state of the family is the pulse of this nation. When families are in disarray, a nation goes to chaos
First of all, a Conservative is not one who lacks compassion. A conservative sees compassion as doing what is in the best interest of the individual or corporate body at large, over the long haul. We know that if you give a man a fish he has food for a day, but teaching him how to fish, gives him food for a life time. Both teaching and giving have implications on what true compassion really is about. One who gives, but never instructs, fosters an ugly sort of dependence, which leaves the recipient in the lurch once the giving ends. The teacher, on the other hand, leaves a lasting empowerment and inspiration with his/her charges. Which then is greater compassion long term?
And that's why I am a tea party patriot. ..NO MORE BEING SILENCED! WE'RE HERE, WE'RE CONSERVATIVE, DEAL WITH IT!
Great post and great comment above...I loved them both.
ReplyDelete"we're clear", Z-man...and you're a good thinker. Why can't the LEFT think like that!? (and like American Yankee!?)
The more laws you pass it's only a matter of time before we're no longer a free country. People don't just want to Deal With It and so whatever is annoying or offending them at the moment or concerning them needs to be addressed legislatively. Here's an idea, you're eating too many Doritos put the snack down but don't tell somebody else who paid his dues he can't have a snack or eat at McDonald's every now and then. So we have a nation of tubby kids what better way than to have a Nanny State take care of us. May as well make John Tesh president.
ReplyDeleteWhat animates me is the simple notion of personal responsibility, which I know takes into account many of your issues (too many laws, pro-life). Our founding fathers knew that having freedom did entail responsibility, which is why I feel that leftists would rather not have to take responsibility and just let the nanny state be in charge.
ReplyDeleteThey need some tough love!
I've noticed especially at work people don't want to take personal responsibility and when something goes wrong or they fail to do something they'll try to shift the blame to you. For me going to a sex addiction clinic as Tiger Woods has done does not seem to be taking personal responsibility but rather coming up with a handy excuse for your misbehavior. Personal responsibility animates me too and it's a good one to include.
ReplyDeleteMany might say why include loitering laws in my list of complaints. It's because I see further down the road, I try to stretch my conservative principles to include more situations. Today it's loitering, tomorrow you can't have a birdfeeder and I know of one town where it's against the law to have a clothesline. Cumulatively it's like a mini-fascism but it definitely gets included in my commentary for the control issues alone.
Also the idea of less taxes (which goes along with smaller government of course) but when they take so much of our money they need to spend it and it more likely gets wasted. If you want to redistribute income, let me decide whom I want to give my charity to, for example screw PBS, if its worthy a TV or cable station will produce it, otherwise I don't want my tax dollars funding it.
ReplyDeleteAll the laws they pass and all the money they spend, it goes hand in hand, like they need to justify their existence. No, the Constitution gives you existence, to PROTECT our freedoms, stop all the other crapola!!
What motivates me is pretty much any attempt to stifles man's right to life, liberty, and his property.
ReplyDeleteA question I would like to see answered is what animates the socialist?
ReplyDeleteHow’s that for a definition of transparency?
ReplyDeleteI would say much of what animates me is the freedom concern I noted in my blog (to not become a police state). Free speech ties in with this theme and minimal laws of course because if you have too much suppression of speech and too many laws such a state of affairs becomes inevitable (i.e. the police state).
ReplyDeleteDobbs Ferry, not only did you have that woman die but a young black man about to be married also died in the village as well. Had a parking dispute with a couple of Italian hotheads at a pizzeria and wound up being shot to death but again I'm the problem hanging out at the street corner. What's wrong with your village?