Childhood Heroes Collide
In Ohio, my home state, a critical senate electoral crusade has taken shape between Mike DeWine and Sherrod Brown. On the sidelines, two of my childhood heroes – Bernie Kosar and Michael J. Fox – were endorsing the candidates.
Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar, a future Hall of Famer, has endorsed Mike DeWine. Kosar is one of the most beloved athletes in the history of Cleveland. DeWine’s efforts to keep the Browns in Cleveland was the highlight of his radio ad, which applauded DeWine’s bipartisanship. While DeWine is a strong social conservative on key issues, he has crossed party lines on gun control, guest worker programs, and border security.
According to News Meat, Kosar has a record of making contributions to help elect Republicans. The source indicates that he’s given $82,200 towards Republican campaigns. Needless to say, Kosar “swings both ways.” Kosar joined an odd pack of Democrat Ron Klein’s contributors, which included Rosie O'Donnell, Barbra Streisand, and Andrew Tobias.
Sherrod Brown has campaigned on "safe" issues, like health care, and has portrayed the DeWine campaign as desparate, smeary, and distortive. It was nice to see this ad for a change, regarding DeWine's campaign, which has also relied on negative advertising for the most part.
Not surprisingly, actor Michael J. Fox has advocated for embryonic stem-cell research, which has been suggested to treat Parkinson’s disease. He has been a vocal supporter for Sherrod Brown. Headlines were made after Fox made an ad in support for Claire McCaskill in Missouri. Rush Limbaugh was quick to suggest that Fox’s evident symptoms were a result of avoiding his medication.
Fox's condition is devastating for a lifetime Back to the Future fan to watch.
Rush could have focused on this potentially misleading comment instead – “Unfortunately, Sen. Jim Talent opposes expanding stem cell research… Senator Talent even wanted to criminalize the science that gives us a chance for hope.” Even a “progressive” columnist agrees that the remark was misleading. The columnist admits, “…it is true that James Talent has never actively attempted to criminalize stem cell research.”
In an interview with Katie Couric, Fox said, "The irony is that I was too medicated. I was dyskinesic." Fox has also crossed party lines, endorsing Republicans like Arlen Specter and Mike Castle, who have supported embryonic stem-cell research. If I was suffering from Parkinson's to the point where I couldn't talk without my medication, I too, would do anything to get a cure.
In response to Fox's ad, a handful of celebrities - Jim Caviezel, Jeff Suppan, Patricia Heaton, Kurt Warner, and Mike Sweeney made an ad opposing Missouri's Amendment 2.
Mike DeWine has long advocated on a pro-life platform, while Sherrod Brown, while less vocal on life and death issues, had attempted to block a ban on partial-birth abortion. DeWine is also opposed to federal funding in support for embryonic stem-cell research. "I am against taking federal dollars to destroy human life," he contends.
The question raised over the stem-cell issue is whether it demeans the pro-life cause more than it promotes it. In principle, most conservatives believe that life begins at conception, making the stem-cell debate valid amongst fellow conservatives. However, if there is potential after all to cure Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries, it could very well be the pro-life thing to do.
"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict," Martin Luther King, Jr. has suggested. At the risk of abandoning the reasoning behind this quote I endorse on many issues, I consider myself "cautiously neutral" on embryonic stem-cell research. While a well-informed population should always take sides, we often do so long before the facts come out.
Senator Chuck Schumer is also campaigning for Sherrod Brown, although they have divergent views on our national security. Schumer has supported the Patriot Act, while Brown has opposed it. Anyways, Schumer had this to say about the opponents of embryonic stem-cell research:
“The trouble with this group, which I call the theocrats, is they want their faith to dictate what the government does. That, in a word, is un-American. That is exactly what the Founding Fathers put down their plows and took up muskets to fight.”
Schumer isn’t the most persuasive campaigner, but he may have a point. Filter out his trash-talk, like “theocrats” and “un-American” as he frequently describes anyone who even smells conservative. Those terms serve as a distraction to the real issue at hand. We can admire the fact that faith-based politicians have a sense of accountability, and still contend that faith-based policies deserve the same skepticism that any other policy should face.
I agree that we must use our conscience in the field of scientific advancement, which has crossed the line in the cases of Josef Mengele’s experiments with exterminated Jews in Nazi Germany, the horrific procedure of partial-birth abortion, and San Francisco’s tax-funded sex-change operations. It is fool-hearted to assume that modern science is somehow infallible, and that no ethical boundaries should exist. We have an obligation, if not to God, than to each other, to draw a line.
A line is crossed when human beings are treated like laboratory rats, while some would still consider it immoral to conduct scientific experiments on animals. In Vogue magazine, Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA proclaimed, “Even if animal research resulted in a cure for AIDS, we’d be against it.” They aren’t nicknamed “People for the Unethical Treatment of Humans” for nothing.
Yet, I find the opponents of embryonic stem-cell research to be a losing issue for many reasons. They have tried time and again to turn the subject into an abortion debate. While the subject of frozen embryos is rightfully a disturbing topic, you have to wonder exactly when a fertilized human being can feel pain, especially if they are frozen.
Lack of evidence in support for theoretical cures is another grave concern. Would it make sense to pursue embryonic stem-cell research without hard evidence, proving embryonic stem-cells to deliver on its promises? Many countries in Asia and Europe have contributed federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, and have delivered no promises from it so far.
Sometimes, the best solution isn’t the most sensitive solution. I say that because this will sound radical at first glance. I find it hard to support the idea of in vitro fertilization to begin with, due to the fact that child abuse, neglect, and abandonment tend to escape the minds of infertile couples. In other words, couples incapable of having children on their own should be encouraged to adopt an unwanted child who has already been born.
In a perfect world, there would be no infertility, or child abandonment. But to make ends meet, people will have to compromise their own self-interests and contribute something to society, given the fact that they want to raise children. While it may force you to compromise, it’s a far more compassionate effort to make every child a wanted child.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Top Down Government
This guide is a circular map to emphasize on the size of government, and mainstream left-right dichotomy done right. Most maps are flawed in one way or another. The World's Smallest Political Quiz emphasizes on socio-economic viewpoints, but doesn't touch much on foreign policy. It's not bad if you have never taken a political quiz before, and will give you a rough idea of where you stand.
Politopia is deeply flawed because "left-wing" is determined by "more personal freedoms", which would make gun control, eminent domain, affirmative action, and hate-crime legislation conservative principles, when in fact, they are the opposite.
Anyways, I spent way too much time on this guide. At least it's seasonally appropriate.
1. The Individualist
Michael Badnarik
The government’s sole purpose is to protect private citizens. You oppose the government’s involvement when it comes to social and fiscal policies. While you believe in the capitalist system, civil liberties are the solution to overcoming social inequality. You oppose world government, and believe that the United States should withdrawal from the UN. Free speech is threatened both by hate crime legislation and the FCC. As a strong advocate for individual freedoms, you oppose the state’s involvement on alternative lifestyles, gun control and affirmative action, while you support abortion and private property rights. You want to legalize prostitution, gambling, and recreational drug use. The influence of religion should not belong in government.
You would enjoy reading:
Why Government Doesn't Work
By Harry Browne
2. The Civil Libertarian
Howard Dean
You stand out because you speak your mind. Basic civil rights are still being fought against the government’s legislation on individual rights. You favor unlimited free speech, the right to bear arms, and the absolute right to individual privacy. You are the NRA’s favorite left-winger. Religion is permissible, but religious groups should not influence government. To appease your base, you may participate in a little bit of "class warfare," although you are moderately pro-business. You believe that the expansions in homeland security have resulted in abuses of power that threaten our civil liberties. We are in Iraq right now because Democrats did what they thought was popular, by authorizing it. The ACLU is necessary in order to protect the constitutional rights of private citizens.
You would enjoy reading:
Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
by Michelle Goldberg
3. The Capitalist
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Cutting taxes and reducing government spending is the top priority. An individualist at heart, you believe civil liberties should be celebrated. However, you are willing to appease your base by permitting capital punishment and moderately legislating against socially liberal policies, like partial-birth abortion. You believe that illegal immigration hurts the economy, and that high taxes cause unemployment. To solve our addiction to foreign oil, you favor the expansion of oil refineries and drilling within the United States. You believe in free-market environmentalism. Since there is no easy solution to poverty, you believe in the free distribution of wealth.
You would enjoy reading:
Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity
By John Stossel
4. The Anarchist
Michael Albert
As an opponent of authority, you want to overthrow as much government as possible. Concerned about abuses of power, your primary cause is suppressing the government’s institutions of death, be it war or capital punishment. Gun violence can be a hot button issue, but you believe that gun control is generally ineffective. You oppose world government, but you are also skeptical of organized religion.
The Anarcho-capitalist
While capitalism has its evils, you believe that the good outweighs the bad. Unlike the majority on the left, you believe the economy works best in a low-tax environment.
The Anarcho-socialist
Because capitalism is exploitive, you are a market abolitionist, and believe that workers, not entrepreneurs, should manage the economy.
You would enjoy reading:
Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance
By Noam Chomsky
5. The Compassionate Conservative
Mitt Romney
Although you hold socially conservative values near and dear to your heart, you seek to find common ground and compromise. You believe that abortion usually has two victims - mother and child. While you won’t flaunt your religious denomination, you will make efforts to maintain your appeal to the conservative base. There's no compromise on rights for terrorists. Therefore, you support most interrogation methods that are being used on enemy combatants. Illegal immigration is a national security issue. You believe that liberal economics have hurt the poor more than they have helped them.
You would enjoy reading:
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America
By Bernard Goldberg
6. The Egalitarian
Ted Kennedy
Your policies drive the progressive base more often then they drive you. Whether it’s judicial nominees, tax cuts, or the invasion of Iraq, you’re the first to speak out. Although you benefit from both, you would rather be caught hugging a tree than a barrel of oil. Without you, senatorial term limits would be a less partisan issue. You are a warrior for the working class, favoring higher wages and safer working conditions. You are committed to bridge the gap between the rich and poor. All people should be treated equally, even those who are accused of heinous crimes. Open immigration is a civil rights issue. You believe that government intervention is necessary to overcome social inequality.
You would enjoy reading:
The Truth: With Jokes
By Al Franken
7. The Majoritarian
Bill Clinton
Most of your positions are based on your core political philosophy, while others are based on public opinion. You won’t compromise on corporate welfare or women’s rights, but you support the death penalty and school choice. It is fundamentally important that we cooperate with the rest of the world. Fair trade will help totalitarian nations become more democratic. While the polls help you position yourself to represent the majority, you might appoint a strong abortion rights advocate from the ACLU on the Supreme Court. While gay rights are a favored cause, you may endorse a Defense of Marriage Act. You are more hawkish than your average progressive, but you believe that the UN is obligated to prevent wars, and should not be overruled.
You would enjoy reading:
The Two Americas: Our Current Political Deadlock And How To Break It
By Stanley B. Greenberg
8. The Fiscal Conservative
Rudy Giuliani
Free enterprise and strong national defense define your loyalty to the conservative movement. You won’t shy away from endorsing strong conservatives as long as they have experience with fiscal policy. To a fair degree, you bridge the gap with thoughtful rhetoric towards those on either side of the aisle, and shy away from mudslinging. Your positions on social issues potentially abandon your conservative base. Favoring gun control, abortion rights, welfare assistance for illegal immigrants, and a Kerry-esque stance on the definition of marriage, you appear as an ardent social liberal. You may not get the endorsement from the NRA or the Christian Coalition. But to those who value national unity over social policy, you win their hearts.
You would enjoy reading:
Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons
By Tim Russert
9. The Traditionalist
Rick Santorum
As a social conservative, you hold nothing back in your political dialogue. While you favor tax cuts, you want to block legislation that promotes the recognition of the sexually unorthodox. Opponents raise their eyebrows when you define state-sponsored Jihad as you see it – Islamic fascism. Because you speak your mind, your favor for debt relief to third world countries goes widely unnoticed by your political rivals. You are driven by your conservative base to increase border security.
You would enjoy reading:
Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism
By Ann Coulter
10. The Environmentalist
Al Gore
Global warming is the hot-button issue. As a defender of Mother Earth, you are the last person who would buy paper plates at Wal-Mart. You believe that because mankind is careless in nature, it should be governed on all aspects of government, from individual matters to fiscal responsibility. Tax cuts for the wealthy are unjust to the working class. A New Dealer at heart, you have great faith in the power of government. Whether it’s obscenity, gun ownership, or sexually unorthodox behavior, you have an obligation to intervene. You appeal to social conservatives and religious minorities because you support capital punishment and the definition of marriage. You have also opposed partial-birth abortion. While such policies haven’t been predominately adopted by the environmental movement, you are a friend to the ecosystem first and foremost.
You would enjoy reading:
The Revenge of Gaia: Earth's Climate Crisis and the Fate of Humanity
By James Lovelock
11. The Theoconservative
Jerry Falwell
Everywhere you look, religious freedom is being attacked. Hate crime legislation, chaotic homosexual activists, and the removal of God from the political arena have called you to take a stand for what you believe in. You are threatened by Islamic terrorism, as you cite Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 to justify your support for the war in Iraq. Fiscal policy is hardly an issue. You endorse the Defense of Marriage Act and lobby against Roe v. Wade religiously. You believe the ACLU is a threat to the nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage.
You would enjoy reading:
Above All Earthly Pow'rs: Christ In A Postmodern World
by David F. Wells
12. The Marxist
Susan Sontag
Throughout history, the dominant white race has destroyed Mother Nature and evoked poverty through imperialist injustices. Because Americans had originally taken land through senseless violence, you believe that 9/11 was not an act of cowardice. Religion should be removed from public life. Because marriage is considered a religious institution, you want it abolished. There has never been a true communist nation, because present-day China, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union have turned to state capitalism, nationalism, militant domination rather than distributing goods and services for the common good.
You would enjoy reading:
Phony Communism Is Dead... Long Live Real Communism!
by Bob Avakian
13. The Isolationist
Pat Buchanan
Although you side with the right most of the time, you find yourself in your own world. The neoconservative movement has failed to represent conservatism in the tradition of Theodore Roosevelt, Barry Goldwater, and Richard Nixon.
The Crunchy Conservative
While you believe the sexual revolution is destroying the moral fabric of society, you believe that modern conservatism is corrupted by a “capitalism first, conservatism second” mentality. Free markets are productive for society, but they are an imperfect art form, and therefore you favor beauty over efficiency. In other words, government intervention is necessary at times. You might call out GOP-brand conservatives for stereotypes on liberals who promote frugal living and conservation. True conservatism should benefit all forms of life, whether it’s human life, plant life, or animal life.
The Lookout
The two-party system deserves criticism for playing politics more often than they solve our problems. Capital punishment would not be necessary if we took away privileges for prisoners. While you support gun ownership, you also support gun control. You believe the mainstream media has a secular left-wing agenda. Affirmative action should be based on income level, rather than race. Tax cuts are generally good for the economy, and do not discriminate against the working class. There is evidence of support for global warming, although fossil fuels may not be the cause. You appeal to social conservatives and some New Dealer democrats.
The Paleoconservative
While you believe in a low-tax environment, you feel that the patriotic economy is dying because of outsourcing jobs overseas, and “insourcing” – such as guest worker programs. The Republican Party as we know it has given in to world government and open borders. The troops should be patrolling the borders as a measure of national security, rather than fighting in Iraq. At this point in time, we need to reinstate Teddy Roosevelt's "Americanization" policy in order to assimilate immigrants to American culture. At the risk of being perceived as a racist, you often cite how demographics have shaped domestic policy, for better or worse. You believe the “race card” is used as a form of left-wing racism. Native American tribes treated each other much the same way as the European settlers treated them. Occasionally, you favor environmental regulations.
You would enjoy reading:
Liberalism is a Mental Disorder
by Michael Savage
14. The Fascist
Seth Tyrssen
The government should dictate all matters of public and private life with an iron fist. Adolf Hitler was not a real fascist. Authoritarianism, nationalism, and environmental protection are the foundations of modern fascist political theory. Religion is a business, and therefore should be stripped of its tax-free status. The best foreign policy is to stay at home. The War in Iraq was fought in the name of corporate interests. It is essential to protect our borders, as well as our natural resources. Immediate deportation for illegal immigrants is necessary to halt the problem. Support for Israel is a religious institution, and is therefore inapt. World government is acting as a monopoly, and the US needs to get out of the UN. First class universal health care is achievable in the long term by cutting foreign aid. To build a robust military, you oppose cuts on military spending.
You would enjoy reading:
One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism
by William Greider
This guide is a circular map to emphasize on the size of government, and mainstream left-right dichotomy done right. Most maps are flawed in one way or another. The World's Smallest Political Quiz emphasizes on socio-economic viewpoints, but doesn't touch much on foreign policy. It's not bad if you have never taken a political quiz before, and will give you a rough idea of where you stand.
Politopia is deeply flawed because "left-wing" is determined by "more personal freedoms", which would make gun control, eminent domain, affirmative action, and hate-crime legislation conservative principles, when in fact, they are the opposite.
Anyways, I spent way too much time on this guide. At least it's seasonally appropriate.
1. The Individualist
Michael Badnarik
The government’s sole purpose is to protect private citizens. You oppose the government’s involvement when it comes to social and fiscal policies. While you believe in the capitalist system, civil liberties are the solution to overcoming social inequality. You oppose world government, and believe that the United States should withdrawal from the UN. Free speech is threatened both by hate crime legislation and the FCC. As a strong advocate for individual freedoms, you oppose the state’s involvement on alternative lifestyles, gun control and affirmative action, while you support abortion and private property rights. You want to legalize prostitution, gambling, and recreational drug use. The influence of religion should not belong in government.
You would enjoy reading:
Why Government Doesn't Work
By Harry Browne
2. The Civil Libertarian
Howard Dean
You stand out because you speak your mind. Basic civil rights are still being fought against the government’s legislation on individual rights. You favor unlimited free speech, the right to bear arms, and the absolute right to individual privacy. You are the NRA’s favorite left-winger. Religion is permissible, but religious groups should not influence government. To appease your base, you may participate in a little bit of "class warfare," although you are moderately pro-business. You believe that the expansions in homeland security have resulted in abuses of power that threaten our civil liberties. We are in Iraq right now because Democrats did what they thought was popular, by authorizing it. The ACLU is necessary in order to protect the constitutional rights of private citizens.
You would enjoy reading:
Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
by Michelle Goldberg
3. The Capitalist
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Cutting taxes and reducing government spending is the top priority. An individualist at heart, you believe civil liberties should be celebrated. However, you are willing to appease your base by permitting capital punishment and moderately legislating against socially liberal policies, like partial-birth abortion. You believe that illegal immigration hurts the economy, and that high taxes cause unemployment. To solve our addiction to foreign oil, you favor the expansion of oil refineries and drilling within the United States. You believe in free-market environmentalism. Since there is no easy solution to poverty, you believe in the free distribution of wealth.
You would enjoy reading:
Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity
By John Stossel
4. The Anarchist
Michael Albert
As an opponent of authority, you want to overthrow as much government as possible. Concerned about abuses of power, your primary cause is suppressing the government’s institutions of death, be it war or capital punishment. Gun violence can be a hot button issue, but you believe that gun control is generally ineffective. You oppose world government, but you are also skeptical of organized religion.
The Anarcho-capitalist
While capitalism has its evils, you believe that the good outweighs the bad. Unlike the majority on the left, you believe the economy works best in a low-tax environment.
The Anarcho-socialist
Because capitalism is exploitive, you are a market abolitionist, and believe that workers, not entrepreneurs, should manage the economy.
You would enjoy reading:
Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance
By Noam Chomsky
5. The Compassionate Conservative
Mitt Romney
Although you hold socially conservative values near and dear to your heart, you seek to find common ground and compromise. You believe that abortion usually has two victims - mother and child. While you won’t flaunt your religious denomination, you will make efforts to maintain your appeal to the conservative base. There's no compromise on rights for terrorists. Therefore, you support most interrogation methods that are being used on enemy combatants. Illegal immigration is a national security issue. You believe that liberal economics have hurt the poor more than they have helped them.
You would enjoy reading:
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America
By Bernard Goldberg
6. The Egalitarian
Ted Kennedy
Your policies drive the progressive base more often then they drive you. Whether it’s judicial nominees, tax cuts, or the invasion of Iraq, you’re the first to speak out. Although you benefit from both, you would rather be caught hugging a tree than a barrel of oil. Without you, senatorial term limits would be a less partisan issue. You are a warrior for the working class, favoring higher wages and safer working conditions. You are committed to bridge the gap between the rich and poor. All people should be treated equally, even those who are accused of heinous crimes. Open immigration is a civil rights issue. You believe that government intervention is necessary to overcome social inequality.
You would enjoy reading:
The Truth: With Jokes
By Al Franken
7. The Majoritarian
Bill Clinton
Most of your positions are based on your core political philosophy, while others are based on public opinion. You won’t compromise on corporate welfare or women’s rights, but you support the death penalty and school choice. It is fundamentally important that we cooperate with the rest of the world. Fair trade will help totalitarian nations become more democratic. While the polls help you position yourself to represent the majority, you might appoint a strong abortion rights advocate from the ACLU on the Supreme Court. While gay rights are a favored cause, you may endorse a Defense of Marriage Act. You are more hawkish than your average progressive, but you believe that the UN is obligated to prevent wars, and should not be overruled.
You would enjoy reading:
The Two Americas: Our Current Political Deadlock And How To Break It
By Stanley B. Greenberg
8. The Fiscal Conservative
Rudy Giuliani
Free enterprise and strong national defense define your loyalty to the conservative movement. You won’t shy away from endorsing strong conservatives as long as they have experience with fiscal policy. To a fair degree, you bridge the gap with thoughtful rhetoric towards those on either side of the aisle, and shy away from mudslinging. Your positions on social issues potentially abandon your conservative base. Favoring gun control, abortion rights, welfare assistance for illegal immigrants, and a Kerry-esque stance on the definition of marriage, you appear as an ardent social liberal. You may not get the endorsement from the NRA or the Christian Coalition. But to those who value national unity over social policy, you win their hearts.
You would enjoy reading:
Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons
By Tim Russert
9. The Traditionalist
Rick Santorum
As a social conservative, you hold nothing back in your political dialogue. While you favor tax cuts, you want to block legislation that promotes the recognition of the sexually unorthodox. Opponents raise their eyebrows when you define state-sponsored Jihad as you see it – Islamic fascism. Because you speak your mind, your favor for debt relief to third world countries goes widely unnoticed by your political rivals. You are driven by your conservative base to increase border security.
You would enjoy reading:
Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism
By Ann Coulter
10. The Environmentalist
Al Gore
Global warming is the hot-button issue. As a defender of Mother Earth, you are the last person who would buy paper plates at Wal-Mart. You believe that because mankind is careless in nature, it should be governed on all aspects of government, from individual matters to fiscal responsibility. Tax cuts for the wealthy are unjust to the working class. A New Dealer at heart, you have great faith in the power of government. Whether it’s obscenity, gun ownership, or sexually unorthodox behavior, you have an obligation to intervene. You appeal to social conservatives and religious minorities because you support capital punishment and the definition of marriage. You have also opposed partial-birth abortion. While such policies haven’t been predominately adopted by the environmental movement, you are a friend to the ecosystem first and foremost.
You would enjoy reading:
The Revenge of Gaia: Earth's Climate Crisis and the Fate of Humanity
By James Lovelock
11. The Theoconservative
Jerry Falwell
Everywhere you look, religious freedom is being attacked. Hate crime legislation, chaotic homosexual activists, and the removal of God from the political arena have called you to take a stand for what you believe in. You are threatened by Islamic terrorism, as you cite Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 to justify your support for the war in Iraq. Fiscal policy is hardly an issue. You endorse the Defense of Marriage Act and lobby against Roe v. Wade religiously. You believe the ACLU is a threat to the nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage.
You would enjoy reading:
Above All Earthly Pow'rs: Christ In A Postmodern World
by David F. Wells
12. The Marxist
Susan Sontag
Throughout history, the dominant white race has destroyed Mother Nature and evoked poverty through imperialist injustices. Because Americans had originally taken land through senseless violence, you believe that 9/11 was not an act of cowardice. Religion should be removed from public life. Because marriage is considered a religious institution, you want it abolished. There has never been a true communist nation, because present-day China, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union have turned to state capitalism, nationalism, militant domination rather than distributing goods and services for the common good.
You would enjoy reading:
Phony Communism Is Dead... Long Live Real Communism!
by Bob Avakian
13. The Isolationist
Pat Buchanan
Although you side with the right most of the time, you find yourself in your own world. The neoconservative movement has failed to represent conservatism in the tradition of Theodore Roosevelt, Barry Goldwater, and Richard Nixon.
The Crunchy Conservative
While you believe the sexual revolution is destroying the moral fabric of society, you believe that modern conservatism is corrupted by a “capitalism first, conservatism second” mentality. Free markets are productive for society, but they are an imperfect art form, and therefore you favor beauty over efficiency. In other words, government intervention is necessary at times. You might call out GOP-brand conservatives for stereotypes on liberals who promote frugal living and conservation. True conservatism should benefit all forms of life, whether it’s human life, plant life, or animal life.
The Lookout
The two-party system deserves criticism for playing politics more often than they solve our problems. Capital punishment would not be necessary if we took away privileges for prisoners. While you support gun ownership, you also support gun control. You believe the mainstream media has a secular left-wing agenda. Affirmative action should be based on income level, rather than race. Tax cuts are generally good for the economy, and do not discriminate against the working class. There is evidence of support for global warming, although fossil fuels may not be the cause. You appeal to social conservatives and some New Dealer democrats.
The Paleoconservative
While you believe in a low-tax environment, you feel that the patriotic economy is dying because of outsourcing jobs overseas, and “insourcing” – such as guest worker programs. The Republican Party as we know it has given in to world government and open borders. The troops should be patrolling the borders as a measure of national security, rather than fighting in Iraq. At this point in time, we need to reinstate Teddy Roosevelt's "Americanization" policy in order to assimilate immigrants to American culture. At the risk of being perceived as a racist, you often cite how demographics have shaped domestic policy, for better or worse. You believe the “race card” is used as a form of left-wing racism. Native American tribes treated each other much the same way as the European settlers treated them. Occasionally, you favor environmental regulations.
You would enjoy reading:
Liberalism is a Mental Disorder
by Michael Savage
14. The Fascist
Seth Tyrssen
The government should dictate all matters of public and private life with an iron fist. Adolf Hitler was not a real fascist. Authoritarianism, nationalism, and environmental protection are the foundations of modern fascist political theory. Religion is a business, and therefore should be stripped of its tax-free status. The best foreign policy is to stay at home. The War in Iraq was fought in the name of corporate interests. It is essential to protect our borders, as well as our natural resources. Immediate deportation for illegal immigrants is necessary to halt the problem. Support for Israel is a religious institution, and is therefore inapt. World government is acting as a monopoly, and the US needs to get out of the UN. First class universal health care is achievable in the long term by cutting foreign aid. To build a robust military, you oppose cuts on military spending.
You would enjoy reading:
One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism
by William Greider
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Trust the Art, Not the Artist
On December 8, with the release of Apocalypto, ticket sales will judge how damaging Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic outburst this past summer was for his reputation as an actor, a filmmaker, and yes, a self-professed Christian.
As someone who values safety, it doesn't sound far-fetched to believe that his drunk driving could have been far more catastrophic to society than any anti-Semitic rant. Is it possible that we are missing the big picture?
Hollywood doesn't have a great reputation to begin with. But Shannen Doherty, Keanu Reeves, and (most notably) Andy Dick have all been convicted of a DUI. I could go on all day naming celebrities who have been convicted of DUI if I really wanted to. Rather than face the seriousness of the crime itself, we allowed media satire to get the best of us.
According to the Center for Disease Control, 16,694 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes in 2004. That same year, 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. Legalizing marijuana won't improve these statistics, nor will ignoring them help.
Now that I have addressed the real problem, it grants me permission to critique Mel's personal and professional life.
Abraham H. Foxman, the National Director for the Anti-Defamation League had "serious concerns" about Mel Gibson's film depicting the crucifixion that would become The Passion of the Christ. He went public with his worries that anti-Semitism would breed as a result of a high-profile director portraying first-century Orthodox Jews as barbarians. He even wrote Mel a personal letter, begging him either to modify the film, or to halt the project altogether.
"Passion plays have an infamous history of leading to hatred, violence and even death of Jews," he writes. "Given your talent and celebrity, how you depict the death of Jesus will have widespread influence on people's ideas, attitudes and behavior towards Jews today."
Mel did very little to fine-tune the bloodbath. His most notable act of self-censorship was taking the subtitles - but not the Aramaic dialogue - out of the "Blood Curse," in reference to Matthew 27:24-25.
To quote the NIV of The Bible, Matthew 27:24-25,
"When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he [Pontius Pilate] said. 'It is your responsibility!' All the people answered, 'Let his blood be on us and on our children!'"
Some believe the "Blood Curse" should be taken literally as an explanation as to why Jews in particular have suffered from the longest hatred known to man - anti-Semitism.
With that said, does citing Matthew 27:24-25 make Mel Gibson an anti-Semite? No. But it does not exonerate him from the charges, either.
Most reasonable people would agree that the media frenzy over The Passion of the Christ helped Mel more than it hurt him. While much of the Jewish community showed resentment, Rabbi Daniel Lapin and Michael Medved - both Orthoddox Jews - backed the film.
Pope John Paul II offered few words, but needn't elaborate - "It is as it was."
In 2004, The Passion became the eighth highest-grossing film in history, grossing $611,899,420 worldwide. Not bad for a movie that endured endless attacks from the press. Mel owes much of his success to the Christian community, many of whom had not been to a theater in years.
Mel had the world in the palm of his hands. Until recently, millions would not only defend the film, but Mel from apparent character assassinations. That all changed when he spouted out on his anti-Semitic outburst. Would the DUI alone hurt his career? Sure. But the charges of anti-Semitism had been given credibility at last. Mel wasn't your ordinary "sinner."
But should Mel's outrageous behavior tie in with his work? Not exactly.
The Passion of the Christ should continue to have a special place in the heart of its audience. The film changed lives, hearts, and minds, but not as Mr. Foxman predicted. What critics like David Denby and Lou Lumenick fail to acknowledge is that there were Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the cast. Egyptians were not lynched as a result of The Ten Commandments, and neither were Jews as a result of The Passion.
Through the art of film, Christians received a deeper understanding of their spiritual beliefs - more specifically, how brutal was the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. In a secular perspective, the film is a hellish bloodbath, when religions are supposed to teach us to love one another. In a Christian perspective, the entire film is about a man who loved us enough to endure every beating to save mankind from its sin.
The very title of this piece is based on a quote from Bruce Springsteen - "Trust the art, not the artist." While it may be naive to defend Mel's tirade, the film should not be reduced to a nuisance as a result. Rather, Mel might want to turn back to what inspired the film in the first place.
On December 8, with the release of Apocalypto, ticket sales will judge how damaging Mel Gibson's anti-Semitic outburst this past summer was for his reputation as an actor, a filmmaker, and yes, a self-professed Christian.
As someone who values safety, it doesn't sound far-fetched to believe that his drunk driving could have been far more catastrophic to society than any anti-Semitic rant. Is it possible that we are missing the big picture?
Hollywood doesn't have a great reputation to begin with. But Shannen Doherty, Keanu Reeves, and (most notably) Andy Dick have all been convicted of a DUI. I could go on all day naming celebrities who have been convicted of DUI if I really wanted to. Rather than face the seriousness of the crime itself, we allowed media satire to get the best of us.
According to the Center for Disease Control, 16,694 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes in 2004. That same year, 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. Legalizing marijuana won't improve these statistics, nor will ignoring them help.
Now that I have addressed the real problem, it grants me permission to critique Mel's personal and professional life.
Abraham H. Foxman, the National Director for the Anti-Defamation League had "serious concerns" about Mel Gibson's film depicting the crucifixion that would become The Passion of the Christ. He went public with his worries that anti-Semitism would breed as a result of a high-profile director portraying first-century Orthodox Jews as barbarians. He even wrote Mel a personal letter, begging him either to modify the film, or to halt the project altogether.
"Passion plays have an infamous history of leading to hatred, violence and even death of Jews," he writes. "Given your talent and celebrity, how you depict the death of Jesus will have widespread influence on people's ideas, attitudes and behavior towards Jews today."
Mel did very little to fine-tune the bloodbath. His most notable act of self-censorship was taking the subtitles - but not the Aramaic dialogue - out of the "Blood Curse," in reference to Matthew 27:24-25.
To quote the NIV of The Bible, Matthew 27:24-25,
"When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he [Pontius Pilate] said. 'It is your responsibility!' All the people answered, 'Let his blood be on us and on our children!'"
Some believe the "Blood Curse" should be taken literally as an explanation as to why Jews in particular have suffered from the longest hatred known to man - anti-Semitism.
With that said, does citing Matthew 27:24-25 make Mel Gibson an anti-Semite? No. But it does not exonerate him from the charges, either.
Most reasonable people would agree that the media frenzy over The Passion of the Christ helped Mel more than it hurt him. While much of the Jewish community showed resentment, Rabbi Daniel Lapin and Michael Medved - both Orthoddox Jews - backed the film.
Pope John Paul II offered few words, but needn't elaborate - "It is as it was."
In 2004, The Passion became the eighth highest-grossing film in history, grossing $611,899,420 worldwide. Not bad for a movie that endured endless attacks from the press. Mel owes much of his success to the Christian community, many of whom had not been to a theater in years.
Mel had the world in the palm of his hands. Until recently, millions would not only defend the film, but Mel from apparent character assassinations. That all changed when he spouted out on his anti-Semitic outburst. Would the DUI alone hurt his career? Sure. But the charges of anti-Semitism had been given credibility at last. Mel wasn't your ordinary "sinner."
But should Mel's outrageous behavior tie in with his work? Not exactly.
The Passion of the Christ should continue to have a special place in the heart of its audience. The film changed lives, hearts, and minds, but not as Mr. Foxman predicted. What critics like David Denby and Lou Lumenick fail to acknowledge is that there were Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the cast. Egyptians were not lynched as a result of The Ten Commandments, and neither were Jews as a result of The Passion.
Through the art of film, Christians received a deeper understanding of their spiritual beliefs - more specifically, how brutal was the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. In a secular perspective, the film is a hellish bloodbath, when religions are supposed to teach us to love one another. In a Christian perspective, the entire film is about a man who loved us enough to endure every beating to save mankind from its sin.
The very title of this piece is based on a quote from Bruce Springsteen - "Trust the art, not the artist." While it may be naive to defend Mel's tirade, the film should not be reduced to a nuisance as a result. Rather, Mel might want to turn back to what inspired the film in the first place.
Monday, October 23, 2006
The Emergency Room
Recently, The New York Times went out of its way to bash Pat Buchanan for his book, State of Emergency, which was written about the struggle to face illegal immigration. Before I bash the Sulzberger Sewerpipe, I do want to clarify that I haven't read the book myself, although I've been reading Buchanan's blog.
I can't endorse everything Buchanan advocates for. It puzzles me that he fears whites will obtain minority status in the United States, but he has the ability to think outside of the mainstream. One thing I don't get - why do we want to change the world, but yet we have so much animosity towards those who take on the "extremist" label? It takes an extremist to change the world, for better or worse.
Anyways, here's what the Sulzberger Sewerpipe had to say about this right-wing extremist:
"The doomsayer's torch has lately been grabbed by cultural sentinels like Pat Buchanan, whose new book warns the United States is being reconquered by disease-carrying Latinos. Unless Americans of white European descent can Ziploc the borders and start churning out babies, he says, their age of civilizing domination is done for."
Thankfully, Bill O'Reilly interviewed Buchanan about these menacing accusations. Was it a "fair and balanced" interview? No less than the New York Times article. If O'Reilly did not lean to the right, he would have asked Pat Buchanan why minority status matters.
In any event, Buchanan spoke out in favor of everyone who advocates border security.
"These terms — racist or xenophobe or nativist — that are used on folks that want to secure the border, these are the cusswords of the establishment that has lost the country."
Pat is dead-on. It's gotten to the point where we are distracted from any true form of racism, because we are conditioned to dismiss any cry of "racism," whether it's real or not.
For example, Steny Hoyer used the word "slavishly" to describe Michael Steele's loyalty to conservatism. This is equally as scandalous as George Allen's "mukaka" comment, and equally as inflammatory. Both have apologized, and just like that, we move on.
Memorably, John McCain made headlines within the alternative media for attacking "nativist" elements within the Republican Party, citing Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs and Michael Savage as the root cause for the demand for border security.
If the "Turncoat Mole" is right, then give the alternative media credit. Talk radio's impact on the handling of illegal immigration should be applauded, rather than scorned.
Recently, The New York Times went out of its way to bash Pat Buchanan for his book, State of Emergency, which was written about the struggle to face illegal immigration. Before I bash the Sulzberger Sewerpipe, I do want to clarify that I haven't read the book myself, although I've been reading Buchanan's blog.
I can't endorse everything Buchanan advocates for. It puzzles me that he fears whites will obtain minority status in the United States, but he has the ability to think outside of the mainstream. One thing I don't get - why do we want to change the world, but yet we have so much animosity towards those who take on the "extremist" label? It takes an extremist to change the world, for better or worse.
Anyways, here's what the Sulzberger Sewerpipe had to say about this right-wing extremist:
"The doomsayer's torch has lately been grabbed by cultural sentinels like Pat Buchanan, whose new book warns the United States is being reconquered by disease-carrying Latinos. Unless Americans of white European descent can Ziploc the borders and start churning out babies, he says, their age of civilizing domination is done for."
Thankfully, Bill O'Reilly interviewed Buchanan about these menacing accusations. Was it a "fair and balanced" interview? No less than the New York Times article. If O'Reilly did not lean to the right, he would have asked Pat Buchanan why minority status matters.
In any event, Buchanan spoke out in favor of everyone who advocates border security.
"These terms — racist or xenophobe or nativist — that are used on folks that want to secure the border, these are the cusswords of the establishment that has lost the country."
Pat is dead-on. It's gotten to the point where we are distracted from any true form of racism, because we are conditioned to dismiss any cry of "racism," whether it's real or not.
For example, Steny Hoyer used the word "slavishly" to describe Michael Steele's loyalty to conservatism. This is equally as scandalous as George Allen's "mukaka" comment, and equally as inflammatory. Both have apologized, and just like that, we move on.
Memorably, John McCain made headlines within the alternative media for attacking "nativist" elements within the Republican Party, citing Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs and Michael Savage as the root cause for the demand for border security.
If the "Turncoat Mole" is right, then give the alternative media credit. Talk radio's impact on the handling of illegal immigration should be applauded, rather than scorned.
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