"You are a contentious person....and probably a Liberal," started a recent response to a speech I gave on abortion rights.
Contentious? Possibly.
Liberal? Absolutely.
Seems these days Conservatives have convinced themselves, and some of the American public, that being a Liberal is akin to being a card-carrying member of the Communist Party. While this may be a great smear tactic for an election year, to believe such a notion proves that the believer is uneducated in the fundamentals of the American political system. Our nation was founded on Liberalism. Embodied in the Declaration of Independence are its three tenets: "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The very term, itself, is taken from the same root as the second of these precepts. To be a Liberal is to defend the freedom - the Liberty - of all people who make up our great nation. To be a Liberal is to trust individuals and families to run their own lives as they see fit. To be a Liberal is to create a nation where anyone can excel if they are willing to do the work.
In order to understand the true nature of Liberalism, and to dispel the misconceptions fomented by those whose agenda is counter to our freedom, I will detail the tenets of Liberal thought and dispel the misconceptions so often put forth by Conservative rhetoric.
Liberalism is "Life." It is freedom from physical dangers that can kill or disable us. The Liberal believes it is a nation's job to protect its citizens from physical harm, whether from external sources, such as hostile nations, or internal ones, like crime, disease, or hunger. Without the solid ground of physical wellbeing, our nation and its citizens cannot enjoy the benefits of being free. Liberals believe in a strong military, well suited to defend the nation. Liberals believe in good laws, hard-working police, and a just legal system to protect its citizens from crime. Liberals believe in affordable health care for everyone, to keep our people strong. And Liberals believe in the availability of food and shelter for its needy, not as a hand out but as a reasonable step in moving all Americans toward self-reliance and the freedom that comes with it.
Liberalism is "Liberty." It is the freedom to do as your conscience dictates without impeding another's rights. Fleeing oppression in mother Europe, our founders established a nation where personal belief and self-determination are protected, not persecuted, where hard work is rewarded, not demanded, and where each person is bestowed with the ability to better his or her life because of citizenship, not class. Liberals believe in freedom of speech to protect us from political oppression. Liberals believe in sound regulations to protect us from economic oppression. Liberals believe in just laws to protect us from social oppression. And Liberals believe in quality education to protect us from the oppression of ignorance.
Liberalism is "The Pursuit of Happiness." It is the freedom to create an environment where the individual can excel. What is freedom if it cannot be used to better our lives? A truly free society must be one where its members can rise above their limitations and expand their futures. We call it "The American Dream," and it's alive and well in the heart of the Liberal. Liberals believe in equal opportunities for all to rise above our means. Liberals believe in equal opportunities to rise above our education levels. Liberals believe in equal opportunities to rise above our social status. And Liberals believe each and every family should have an equal opportunity to make this world better for their children.
Based on these tenets, we can see that Liberalism is not the monster it's made out to be by the opposition. It is pro individual and pro family. It is pro community and pro country. Liberalism is, by its very definition, the heart and soul of what it means to be an American. It stands against tyranny of any kind, whether international or domestic. It works to remove abuse and fight crime. And it strives to eliminate the idea of a wasted life by not wasting resources and opportunities.
By this time someone might ask, "if that is a Liberal, then what is a Conservative?"
Liberals and Conservatives received their names for good reasons. Just as Liberals get their label by standing for Liberty, Conservatives get their label from the desire to "conserve" a style of living. They, too, claim they are fighting to conserve our personal rights and our economic opportunities, but they do it with a different ideal than the Liberal. The term they use for the difference is "values." Values are norms or codes by which people live their lives. While most Americans share some common values, such as the right to own property and the right to protect our families, we also have many divergent values with which we raise our children. So if we try to impose values into the political framework of the nation, we are forced to ask, "whose values?" And in the search for such absolutes, we must also ask, "which generation's values?"
As the nation ages and new generations take over leadership, the values of its population change. Where once a woman was valued for how well she cooked, cleaned and entertained, today's women are gaining recognition that they offer as much, if not more, to the work force than men. Where once African Americans were forced to live as second-class citizens, now they have a legal status equal to that of whites, even if we still have a ways to go in actual practice. Changing values brings confusing times for many - especially for those who believe that America was better with an older set of values. These people want to "conserve" a style of American living they believe once existed, what they call, "traditional family values." They want to conserve the system that they believe made America wealthy and strong. Unfortunately that also means they want to force all of us to live according to their values.
Conservatives don't really fight for our rights - they fight for what they think our rights should be - putting limits on our freedom of speech in order to "conserve" an older, more traditional norm of what should be said. Conservatives don't really fight for our family values - they fight for what they believe our family values should be - putting limits on our behavior, even behavior between consenting adults, in order to "conserve" an older, more traditional view of acceptable personal activity. Conservatives don't really fight for our income - they fight for little or no regulations - putting limits on our ability to be treated fairly by large companies, who if left without restriction, can form monopolies that choke out competition and drive down wages.
Conservatives are willing to curb our freedom of speech if it clashes with their interpretation of "traditional" values, values from an older time where woman were in domestic servitude to men, where child abuse, sexual abuse, wife abuse, and homosexuality were all kept locked in closets, where minorities were second-class citizens and discrimination was free from incrimination, and where the inability to plan a family's growth meant an explosion of mouths to feed - a population explosion that today threatens to bankrupt our nation's retirement funds. The Conservative position, therefore, is inherently contradictory. You cannot be for legislating away freedom in the name of "family values" and also claim you are protecting individual and family rights.
As new generations have placed their own values into the laws that govern our land, Conservatives have sought to fight back by limiting the size and power of the government. Conservatives are willing to give away the very power needed to protect our liberties in the work place. Their idea of a smaller, less-intrusive government means a return to the days where business decisions and profits were more important than clean air and clean water, where a business could abuse its employees without incrimination, and where minorities and women could be passed over for jobs or paid less then white males for the same jobs. Again the Conservative position is at odds with itself. You cannot claim you are fighting for families at the same time that you allow the family bread winner to be overworked and underpaid and allow neighborhoods to be overrun by non-regulated big business. The Conservative would effectively shift power away from the people, who can elect public officials to fight for their rights, and into the hands of private businesses, who need not answer to the public when making decisions that affect us all.
Because Liberals fight to protect every citizen from having other people's values imposed on them, Conservatives like to label Liberals as being evil. The following list shows what Conservatives like to say against Liberals, and then goes on to show why such assertions are false:
1. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-family.
However . . . 2. Conservatives want to define what your family should be Whereas . . . 3. Liberals put you in charge of your family 4. Liberals support your right to define what your family will be 5. Liberals fight for your family's rights against economic and political oppression
6. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-business.
However . . . 7. Conservatives are pro-money, but that often translates into monopolies, which hurt small business and competition, which hurts us all Whereas . . . 8. Liberals protect small businesses by regulating the larger ones and by breaking up monopolies 9. Liberals protect workers in order to create a healthy workforce that will help businesses grow
10. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-religion.
However . . . 11. Conservatives are often for one dominant religion, and are, therefore, against others Whereas . . . 12. Liberals support complete freedom of religion and from religion so that all citizen are free to choose the manner in which faith is a part of their lives 13. Liberals strive to keep government completely out of a family's religious choices
14. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-freedom.
However . . . 15. Conservatives want to stop homosexuals, stop abortions, stop the women's movement, and stop freedom of expression through the use of censorship Whereas . . . 16. Liberals leave it up to the parents to teach such values to their children 17. Liberals believe each person or family should be free to choose how to behave as long as it does not interfere with another's rights
18. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-morality.
However . . . 19. Conservatives are for one specific kind of morality Whereas . . . 20. Liberals are for the morality of free choice, where each person or family decides their own values 21. Liberals want the government to protect our freedom to choose what is important to us rather than to impose the laws and codes of another's morality
22. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-military.
However . . . 23. Conservatives see the military as a means to impose their values and standards on others Whereas . . . 24. Liberals see the military as a vital protection of our freedoms and our liberties, giving us a space in which to pursue happiness
Liberalism's Stance on Specific Issues
With the desire to promote Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness as the central motivation, the Liberal always defends these tenets when deciding how to stand on a particular issue. The following will show why Liberals often take the stance they do:
Abortion/Contraception - Liberty means the freedom to control your body, your reproductive system, and your future.
Affirmative Action - Liberty means having fair opportunities for those in society who are discriminated against.
Education - Liberty means the freedom to learn in order to build a better future for yourself, your family, your community, and your country.
Environment - Liberty means the fair use of our nation's natural resources for all citizens. Where possible, without unreasonable restriction to private enterprise, the government should strive to protect our natural environment so all can enjoy its bounty.
Gun Control - Liberty means the freedom to protect yourself, your family, and your property, with deadly force if necessary. People have a right to keep guns for such a purpose. People also have a right to use guns in sporting activities and in the event that citizens should be called on to form a citizen militia. We do not, however, have a right to own all the latest people-killing technology. The People, through the government, can restrict some of the more deadly weapons being sold today.
Health - Liberty means the freedom to overcome physical limitations in order to better yourself, your family, your community, and your country.
Regulations - Liberty means the freedom to live and work in an environment that best allows individuals and families to grow in the pursuit of happiness. Bad air, bad water, bad living and working conditions only stifle that liberty.
Sexuality - Liberty means the freedom to share mutual intimate affection with the person of your choice, regardless of gender.
Substance Abuse - Liberty means the freedom to decide what you put in your body. Unless the use of a substance is a danger to unwilling victims, its use should be kept legal. In situations where use of a substance may or may not effect bystanders, regulations - such as in the case with tobacco - should be enacted to protect the bystander without denying the individual's choice to use the substance. Smoking and non-smoking areas in public places are a prime example of this.
Taxation - Liberty is found within a system. That system does not happen by itself. It is created and supported by us, the People, and it is funded by our labors. The money we pay in taxes is what allows us to thrive in Liberty and work in fairness. Reasonable taxation is necessary because without it, many of us would find it difficult to get paid even a fraction of what we are paid now. And those who benefit more from the system should expect to pay more to help support it.
Women's/Minority Rights - Liberty means the freedom to be valued and judged on talent and work, not on the physical characteristics over which we have no control.
In closing let me state that freedom sometimes brings situations we don't like. Some people will choose to use their freedom to engage in activities that go against our personal values. It is a great temptation to use our democratic rights to try and enshrine our own personal values - whether they come from religious or humanistic origins - in the laws of the nation. The inherent problem with this is that when Liberty is restrained by any one group's values, even if that group represents the majority of the population at the time, it can easily be changed from one generation to the next, meaning that you could be forced to live under someone else's values as easily as you might force someone to live under yours.
The only true defense of our values is the defense of our liberties.
If you don't want to be forced to live under a foreign set of values, don't force others to live under yours. Instead, fight for the freedom to believe as you want while others believe as they want. Freedom of choice, as long as it does not infringe on another's rights, is the foundation upon which this nation was built. Liberalism is the ideology that strives to defend that freedom for everyone. And for that reason it pleases me to no end to state that I am proud to be Liberal.
My name is: the one and only, Clark Hollin Tucker I may seem: like a rich, stuck up asshole But I'm really: cocky, rich, and CHARMING.... Sometimes I feel: depressed.... In the morning I: get up and go to class I like to sleep: when i am tired If I could be doing anything right now I would be: graduating from ETSU as a CJ major, going to the Police academy, graduating, and getting my badge and 9mm! Money: never has been a problem in my family. i enjoy having a pocket full One thing I wish I had is: a Ninja 250 R & a Glock 9mm One thing I have that I wish I didn't is: a can of Skoal All I need: A NORMAL LIFE, a fast car, a pretty wife, and my future career! If I had one wish it would be: more wishes.... (LOL)
.FIRSTS. First best friend: Nick Brakebill (dad is a TBI agent) First car: 1989 Toyota pick-up - one bad ass truck!!! i miss it. First date: so mnay since whenever the 1st was, i cant remember. First real kiss: Katie Williams First break-up: Katie Williams First screen name: klank469 First self purchased album: the best cd in the world, still my all time favorite - Goo Goo Dolls' "Dizzy Up The Girl" First funeral: Pa-Paw Tucker First pets: Buffy - my dog that is more than likely, dead now. First piercings/tattoos: ears, nipples First credit card: uh, when i went to college First true love: Katie Williams First enemy: Katie Williams First musician you remember hearing in your house: a christian cd that my mom played probably...
.LASTS. Last cigarette: @ aimgos with jordan, gene, & brisco on monday. i dont smoke though. Last car ride: earlier today Last kiss: almost 2 weeks ago Last good cry: yesterday - i balled my eyes out. and i dont know why. Last library book checked out: i'd rather not say...b/c i dont check books out like i should. i cant remember Last movie seen: Farenheit 9-11 (classic movie!!!) Last beverage drank: coke Last food consumed: shitty McDonalds food. i hate that place too. Last crush: Cara Hartquist Last phone call: Kim Lane Last time showered: last night Last shoes worn: the ones on my feet now, Dr. Martens! (air bouncing soles) Last cd played: Goo Goo Dolls - Gutterflower Last item bought: no idea, prolly gum or food. i am cheap b/c i dont live with my mom and dad now. and it SUCKS! Last annoyance: arguing with kim Last disappointment: Cara Last time wanting to die: yesterday Last time scolded: last night Last shirt worn: Kerry/Edwards T-shirt! got that bad boy on now!!!! Last website visited: the one your on right now! mine! Last word you said: Police Last song you sang: 'Whore' by smalltown sleeper What is in your cd player?: Goo Goo Dolls' "Gutterflower" What color socks are you wearing?: white and wool green What color of underwear are you wearing?: white What's under your bed?: suitcases and memories in a box What time did you wake up today?: 10:16am
.FUTURE. Where do you want to go for college?: where i go now - ETSU!!!! Go Bucs! What is your career going to be?: State Police Officer/State Trooper Where are you going to live?: maybe Virginia if i get on with the Virginia State Police, or Tennessee somewhere following my Police career. How many kids do you want?: 5 or 6 What kind of car(s): mercedes & a Honda Accord
.CURRENT. Current mood: chillin... nothign really. no mood. Current music: alternative rock Current taste: skoal wintergreen - i need to quit. and i am going to. Current hair: dirty blonde, shaggy... Current longing: true love, belongingness. Current desktop picture: a snake on the skillet cd cover Current favorite artist: Goo Goo Dolls & July For Kings Current book(s): Police textbooks Current color of toenails: i don't color them you faggots Current hate: liars, cheaters, thiefs & people who give up Current crush: none
well folks, John Kerry is 3 for 3 against Bush in the debates! he has shown that he is presidential and ready to lead this country. i pray that he is elected this year! the US of A needs John Kerry and John Edwards now to lead this country now more than ever! with under 3 weeks left in the campaigns, God be with Senator Kerry and Senator Edwards. God bless them and help them convey their messages to the American people. John Kerry, we need him. We want him. We admire him for standing up for what he is convicted on, whether its considered right or wrong, conservative or liberal. This man is patriotic and stands for the epitome of what the US of A really is. God bless John Kerry and the USA! Vote for John Kerry in November people!
you know what - i hate people who say things and they are like nothing can come between us, etc.. and then when something hard happens they just say well i dont think we should do it.... cmon, i mean when u love someone, or say u do, dont u go thru the hard ans bad times as well as the good? maybe i am wrong but that is just what i think. you know, i just sit here or lay in bed or stay in my room and listen to tonic and i have realized something. that band's music soothes the soul. literally. the lyrics and way the songs collaborate are 100% beautiful and believe it or not, they offer hope. i am not depressed, i guess its more just feeling sorry for what i did to kim while trying to go for something else. but i just since that people are basically evil - i dont care what anyone tells you. ("people are, at their true nature, wicked." -clark tucker) that is sooo true. people sugar coat things and then when those sugar coatings or concessions become sour or tiresome, they just say oh well theres no hope. and then they feed you the classic line, are you ready for this one... ok here goes, "IF IT'S MEANT TO BE THEN IT WILL WORK OUT." omg - have you ever heard anything so cliche(ish)? i have NOT! that is the ultimate! its a nicer way of saying hey - i dont wanna be anything with you right now... well u know what - fine. thats just fine. i am sorry that there are bumps in the road, some larger than others, but shit - when you talk a big game and make it sound like you are legit in your cause, then just forfeit ALL OF IT b/c of something that is inevitable and happens to everyone, i think its a sad exchange of time for such a heavy and dramtic letdown. i atlked to kim last night and its amazing that she always makes me feel better and know that i always have her to lean on when things are hard. i am thankful to God for her. though we disagree probably more than we agree, i am completely blessed through all of the bad times and fights we have to know that she cares about me and wants what is best for me. no, more and more, the things she speaks of are becoming more and more evident to me. maybe i didnt give her enough credit in life.. well, now i do give her credit. and recognize that she is more than correct in her sayings and lifestyle. this past week has been hell for me. school, life, drama, emotions, etc... and i am amazed at how sorry human beings really are. i am amazed at how shitty and lying they can really be. worthless, 2 faced, stuck-up, snotty, back-stabbing, selfish pricks. something needs to happen to the people of the world. you know, theres this song on the passion of the christ soundtrack by an incredible band called big dismal called 'rainy day.' and its meaning and lyrics couldnt fit better than they do today, and in our time. "Lord, wont you come and save the world on a rainy day... I can see your face in the clouds, on a rainy day..." such true lyrics. the world needs God and Jesus Christ more than it ever has before. and the sad thing is this, the world doesnt admit or see and recognize how empty, jaded, and cynical this world really is, completely due to its inhabitants, until bad times or hard times hit. then its becomes clear to us all or maybe just me, that God is needed and the world is due for a miracle straight from heaven... now more than ever. God be with us and never began to stop blessing the US of A.
here is what vice presidential candidate John Edwards said on Leno last night about the man leading this country... its quite hilarious!!!!
Edwards, who said he jogged about five miles Tuesday, reminded the audience he played football as a student. Bush, he noted, was on a cheering squad. Bush "was on the side, with his pompoms," the North Carolina senator said. "I don't know, can you run fast with those cheerleading outfits on?"
"If they were true to their principles, moderate Republicans and consistent conservatives would be supporting John Kerry. Instead, their acquiescence to the reckless whims of George W. Bush marks a descent into that political abyss of opportunism where partisanship is everything and principle nothing."
i got up this am and it was dreary but the sun was slowly rising on a late fall's horizon. the weather was somewhat cool but nothing of cold... i woke up @ like 8:23am (roughly), and got ready and hit the door. i rode the bus down to the Culp Center - and went on up to Main Meal and had breakfast and read a little bit of the paper. i swung by the post office as well this morning on my way to breakfast and had a little bit of mail. i had something from ETSU so i opened it. and it was a progress report. i still cant figure out why the hell that i am still getting these damn things... i mean after 30 hours, respectively, you dont get them anymore. but they have been mailing them to me and i have 83. i dont know, i actualyl like getting them so its all good. but that piece of mail really brightened my, more than likely, shitty day. i have a 3.5 this semester as a GPA. and a 3.19 or 3.2 GPA cumulative. so i am happy about my GPA! that made my day! i did so well this summer in summer classes that those 13 hours really brought my GPA up hellabigtime. anyways, i will post later probably. no, i will for sure. more then, none now. one love, thats cara (though she could be dead for all that i know)
i feel like i am in love with a dead person... i have never felt so alone in my life. but the good part is, i know after the fall, i get to spend forever with my babygurl. and thats all that truly matters.
you may be wondering, "what is a soma holiday?" well it's really a pigment in my imagination that is comprised of 2 polarized definitions that come together to paint a picturesque thought image... the best way to inform you of what a 'soma holiday' is is inevitably to define both words and then consolidate them and their integral meanings...
so·ma An intoxicating or hallucinogenic beverage, used as an offering to the Hindu gods and consumed by participants in Vedic ritual sacrifices.
&
hol·i·day 1. A day free from work that one may spend at leisure, especially a day on which custom or the law dictates a halting of general business activity to commemorate or celebrate a particular event. 2. A religious feast day; a holy day.
***so technically, depending on which definition you use of 'holiday,' this term can be defined in 2 ways. as for me, i theorize this term, 'soma holiday,' to be resemblent of a great day in my life; 5.27.2004. this day was one of the greatest days in my life, though the meaning of that day was not religious or part of any ritual sacrafice. i used the word, soma, to define this day b/c of the meaning or aftershock such a hallucinogenic drink would bring and the ecstasy following the intake of such a drink to describe the feeling i had on this day all from being in the presence of the one i love. though no drugs or hallucinogens were present, it was almost like a natural euphoria. then, 'holiday.' websters dictionary defines this as a 'day of leisure or a holy day.' now, one may find it contradicting to imagine the intake of a hallucingenic drink on a 'holy day.' however, its the feeling i had (that was similar to such a drink's effect on the mind) on a normal day that made that day holy to me. so, in my life, when you take an ecstatic, euphoric feeling and consolidate it on a perfect day never to be forgotten, you have a soma holiday... i had the greatest of soma holiday's on May 27th, 2004. a day never to be forgotten.
God only knows What you mean to me And every minute that goes by I think of you endlessly, Yeah And time can only tell How this is gonna end I don't wanna believe that it's just pretend Cause it's the way you look The way you smile Makes everything Makes it all worthwhile So if you'll give me a chance, I'll show you You take me away, and I'll grow with you And at the end of the day When no one else will listen to you I will be there to show you And When the world gets too crazy And you need a place to run Put your head on my shoulder And all your problems will be gone Take a look in my eyes and tell me What you think I want you to know that this love Is for real Cause it's the way you look The way you smile Makes everything Makes it all worthwhile So if you'll give me a chance, I'll show you You take me away, and I'll grow with you And at the end of the day When no one else will listen to you I will be there to show you Oh baby, I will be there to show you You know I'll come running Home to you So if you'll give me a chance, I'll show you You take me away, and I'll grow with you And at the end of the day When no one else will listen to you I will be there to show you And at the end of the day When no one else will listen to you I will be there to show you Oh baby, I will be there to show you I will be there...
Abraham Lincoln once said, "I know that God is always on the side of right; my concern is not whether God is on our side but whether or not we are on God's side." Most who believe in God -- and even many of those who see Him as being just a symbol -- like to think that they are marching hand in hand with Him when promoting that for which they have passion. But Lincoln's point is well taken, for I have noticed that this group of people can be divided into two sub-groups: those who want to be on God's side, and those who want God on theirs. This is brought to mind when I hear the not too uncommon and very contemporary claim that Jesus was a "liberal," a claim that has been made quite recently in a book written by a very mediocre social commentator of questionable faith. Of course, most of the people who embrace this idea don't really believe that Jesus is divine. But since others do, they know that convincing Jesus to register as a Democrat or join the ACLU could possibly bring them a whole new constituency. C.S. Lewis, the great fantasy writer, philosopher and Christian apologist, once wrote a very interesting book titled "The Screwtape Letters." This work is quite unique in that it is written from the point of view of a demon [which, incidentally, gives it something in common with the book I mentioned above -- wink] named Screwtape, who counsels an underling named Wormwood on how to best undermine human civilization. Among his many Machiavellian prescriptions is the following [I'm paraphrasing]: man must be convinced to attach worldly labels to Jesus. People can call him the "first communist" or the "first liberal" or the first this or that -- anything at all, as long as they don't think about Him first and foremost as being God. It's great advice if you aim to destroy people's faith and tear down the walls of Christendom. After all, when you define Jesus as anything other than God you have diminished Him. Simply put, a person who thinks of Him as something other than God isn't thinking of Him as God. Jesus said "I am the Alpha and the Omega" [the first and the last]; this tells us that He transcends time and that He is eternal, and then it certainly follows that he transcends an ideology or philosophy. He also said "I am the Way, the TRUTH and the Life," and as the Truth He gives us the template that we should use to shape our ideology; we should not use our ideology as the template and endeavor to fit the Lord into it. God puts us in boxes based on what He allows us to do and what roles He ordains for us. It is not our place to put Him in a box. Interestingly, I have never heard conservatives proclaim Jesus to be a "conservative." Of course, liberals would counter that this is because Jesus didn't seem to advocate principles that we now regard as conservative. But I beg to differ. The real reason is twofold: firstly and sadly, the media and popular culture usually present us with what could be called "Jesus light," but in reality is not Jesus at all. Rather, he is an imposter who is the embodiment of a secular/liberal agenda and filtered Gospels. Secondly and most significantly, conservatives are much more likely to actually believe that Christ is God. Consequently, they quite naturally don't think of Him as anything else. What this brings to light is the fact that people who seek to box and package Jesus betray their own lack of faith. And this group of people can also be divided into two sub-groups: political operators and social activists of various stripes who seek to use Jesus for propaganda purposes, and those who quite innocently think of Jesus as something other than God because their faith in Him is non-existent or lacking. Of course, the latter group comprises a very large number of people, most of whom are just good everyday folks. However, since many of them would make no bones about the fact that they don't believe in Jesus' divinity and therefore do regard Him to be merely a worldly figure, they are very susceptible to specious arguments designed to box Him in a way that accords with the spirit of the age. So, let's investigate the issue. I want to preface my remarks by saying that I, as should be obvious, would not attempt to name Jesus after an ideology or philosophy that I might consider to be my baby. I would be far more likely to name the baby after Him. I often rally under the banner of conservatism, but only because I believe that what we now call conservatism is the mainstream ideology that most closely reflects Christian values. Moreover, I would only embrace an ideology insofar as it was congruent with God's will as it relates to governance, and that ideology makes an opponent of me when it opposes His will. I want to be on God's side -- I know I can't, nor would I seek to get Him on mine. Liberals will sometimes buttress their argument that Jesus is one of them by labeling conservatives as being the modern day version of those who conspired against Jesus: the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a group of Jewish religious leaders who believed in strict adherence to Judaic law. Jesus chastised them for being hypocrites and for acting only on the letter of the law while completely ignoring its spirit. For, these leaders would faithfully perform their rituals, make a great show of their religiosity and admonish others to exhibit a formulaic devotion to the faith, while at the same time deviating from it when it was convenient for them to do so. Liberals' contention that conservatives are the inheritors of this group's modus operandi seems to be based on the notion that conservatives share their lack of compassion, their hypocrisy and "do as I say but not as I do" approach. However, I think this begs the question: what group in our time seems to be enamored of the practice of rule-making and rule-breaking? In reality, it is the liberals who propose a rule in the form of a law as a solution to every perceived problem. And like the Pharisees they will violate their own rules when it pleases them. Why, these are the people who tell us that there are no absolutes, ergo all standards are negotiable. This belief is what enables them to tell us with a straight face that judges can interpret our Constitution to suit the times because it is a "living document." Liberals' contempt for standards is a corollary of the moral-relativism that is so often espoused by them, and the latter is completely antithetical to what Christ propounded. After all, Jesus did emphasize the spirit of the law, but He never said that this spirit was negotiable. If it were, Jesus wouldn't have ridiculed the Pharisees, but rather would have said, "This is the spirit that I live by, but hey, whatever works for you." No, Jesus was speaking of something real and specific, something immutable and eternal when He spoke of the spirit. It's the unchanging spirit of the real thing called the LAW, not the mercurial spirit of a different real thing called an individual's emotional realm. Also, as I pointed out before, Christ said "I am the Way, [and] THE Truth . . . "; He didn't say A Truth. Contrast this with the oft-uttered liberal sentiments, "That is your truth, someone else's might be different," "Truth is relative" and "What is Truth?" By the way, do you know who else posed this question? Pontius Pilate did -- right before he condemned Jesus to death. And what of the nature of Jesus' teachings? Well, liberals like to point out that Jesus preached love, charity, compassion and forgiveness, implying that their ideology has a monopoly on those qualities. It's as if they believe that conservatives are opposed to these virtues. But, correct me if I'm wrong, I never heard a conservative say that love is a bad thing. "Yeah, we really need less love in this world." In reality, conservatives only differ on what they believe love dictates -- on what they believe constitutes genuine love. For instance, they tend to recognize that true love means giving your fellow man what he needs, not necessarily what he wants. Conservatives also believe in charity, only, we know that it doesn't mean giving a person the shirt off someone else's back. We know that anyone with a good heart has compassion, but we don't believe that telling someone who's hurtling down a road toward Perdition that he should stay the course if he enjoys the scenery qualifies as such. And we cherish forgiveness as much as anyone, but we know that it doesn't obviate worldly punishment. If it did, we'd have to empty out the prisons. In fact, I suspect that forgiveness must be characteristic of conservatives -- how else could they tolerate liberals? Now, from the general to the specific: let's investigate this further by examining a few elements of Scripture. Two Bible quotations that have found favor with liberals are "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" and "Do not judge lest you be judged." Both of these statements are often used by liberals to discourage people from rendering value judgements they find unpalatable. Now, Jesus said the former when he happened upon an angry mob that was about to administer to a woman the prescribed punishment for adultery: stoning. But what is seldom mentioned is that after deterring the would be executioners from visiting that horrible fate on the victim, Jesus said, "Go in peace, woman, and sin no more." This tells us very clearly that judgement comes into play, because labeling something as a sin is a judgement. The latter quotation is a prohibition against judging hypocritically and unjustly. This is why elsewhere in the New Testament we are counseled to "Judge righteously." Another favorite of liberals is "Turn the other cheek," which is often used to discredit the idea of just war and is misunderstood to be an endorsement of pacifism. What this dictate actually refers to is that we shouldn't act out of a spirit of vindictiveness. In other words, use proportionate force to thwart evil if and when necessary, but proceed out of a sense of justice and a desire to protect the innocent and preserve the good -- don't do it to simply get even. Another mistake that liberals make is that they read these stories and quotations, notice that Jesus prescribed leniency and then assume He is one of them because they do the same. What eludes them is context; they lack perspective because they only view things through the prism of our age. In the times in which Jesus walked this Earth draconian punishments were the order of the day. He prescribed leniency because man was too harsh, but in an age characterized by permissiveness He would do just the opposite. This is because since Jesus is Truth He is the true center, so when society veers too far off the mark in any direction He beckons us to come back into the light. To use today's political terminology [which didn't exist in Biblical times], when we gravitate too far toward the right He is to the left of us and asks us to move left; when society veers too far left He is to the right of us and asks us to move right. Of course, since most liberals don't believe that Absolute Truth exists, they don't believe that there could be such a true center. They might say that Jesus is just a "wise man." But even then, since different ages are characterized by different moral failings -- different characteristic spiritual diseases, if you will -- would a sage prescribe the same cures in every age? Lastly, I don't know of any conservative who has proposed a "Stoning for Adultery Act." The fact of the matter is that we all agree that the kinds of punishments that were administered in the days of yore were disproportionate, to say the least. The difference is that conservatives understand that Jesus probably wouldn't support a system that bestows upon convicts the right to sue the government because they got creamy peanut butter instead of crunchy, or to have a sex-change operation at taxpayers' expense. Then there's the issue that dovetails with this, which is that liberals sometimes consider Jesus to be one of their kindred spirits because they labor under the illusion that He always sought to move people's hearts in what we now call the liberal direction. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. For example, consider the issue of human sexuality. More than most anything else, liberals are characterized by their very libertine sexual mores, and they constantly endeavor to widen the parameters that govern sexuality. This lies in stark contrast to what Jesus said, for every solitary word that He uttered about sexuality served to narrow the parameters governing it. It is a fact: Jesus did absolutely nothing to inure people to sexual behaviors that were considered to be untoward. And this lies in stark contrast to the behavior of liberals, who now have even gone so far as to advocate the governmental sanction of homosexual unions. Of course, they are often quick to point out that while homosexual behavior is condemned in the Old Testament, Jesus had nary a word to say about it. However, Jesus never meant for the default standard to be that Old Testament moral law would be considered to be null and void unless He said otherwise. Rather, He meant for us to assume that such law was completely valid and that we were enjoined to abide by it unless He said otherwise. This is why Jesus said, "I have not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it." And as I just said, not only did Jesus not rescind such prohibitions, He actually expanded them. For one thing, He said that a man could only have one wife and that you could not get a divorce, unless your spouse had committed adultery. He said, "A man who divorces his wife makes an adulterer out of her." And then there is what should be the stake through the heart of the liberals' argument -- the thing that Jesus said that could not be outdone even by a Puritan straight from 1650's Massachusetts. To whit: not only did Jesus tell us that we had to be chaste in deed and word, but also in thought He told us that even entertaining lustful ideas was wrong. He said, "You have heard the Commandment, 'you shall not commit adultery.' But what I say to you is: anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts." Any questions? The desire to justify one's behavior and passions is human nature, and there are many groups that try to press God into service for their cause. Some of these people are convinced that God wants them to destroy the western world, while others simply believe that God wants them to destroy the values that created that western world. Many of these people reduce God to just a vehicle through which they can promote their agenda, and religion to just a game that "enlightened" folks like themselves can compete in for control of the masses. As for the sincere among us, we would do well to ask ourselves a question: would I want to be on God's side, or, would I want Him on mine? T'is a point to ponder.
11:03 darling why can't you be here with me? 11:04 i hear your knock at my door. 11:05 in your face i take such an intimate dive. 11:06 we're playing that cd of our perfect mix. 11:07 with you i am shown heaven. 11:08 you're never late. 11:09 my time with you is so benign. 11:10 i am the luckiest of all men. 11:11 you take me back to 11:07 11:30 in my bed we are so dirty. 11:59 its one minute from tomorrow, from this second on, i know no thing called sorrow. -blue cavity (10.12.04)
Do not waste this evening, baby I'm begging you Your big imagination's playing its tricks on you You think my up and leave is something I'm gonna do Feel my chest when I look at you... Baby you, you've got my only heart Yeah, you've got my only heart Yeah, you've got my only, only, heart So hard to be so far out living our separate lives You phone must really broken - I tried your number twice And if you need confirmation, baby I understand It's alright if you want me to tell you... You, you've got my only heart Yeah, you've got my only heart Yeah, you've got my only, only, heart You live like you hedge on the whole thing I adore you but, there's a hole in the cup that should hold my love (hold my love) If you let, if you let, if you let me leave I swear, I never will Oh remember now you... You've got my only heart Yeah, you've got my only heart Yeah, you've got my only heart Yeah, you've got my only heart
i never thought that i would ever post lyrics from a john mayer song but this song really has found a home in my heart in recent days with the way things are lately... its called 'something's missing' and its a completely beautiful song that i love to play as i drift off to sleep... take it for what its worth....
~SOMETHING'S MISSING~ I'm not alone I wish I was Cause then I'd know I was down because I couldn't find a friend around To love me like they do right now They do right now I'm dizzy from the shopping mall I searched for joy but I bought it all It doesn't help the hunger pains And a thirst I'd have to drown first to ever satiate Something's missing And I don't know how to fix it Something's missing And I don't know what it is At all When autumn comes It doesn't ask It just walks in where it left you last You never know when it starts Until there's fog inside the glass around your summer heart Something's missing And I don't know how to fix it Something's missing And I don't know what it is At all I can't be sure that this state of mine Is not of my own design I wish there was an over-the-counter test For loneliness For loneliness like this Something's missing And I don't know how to fix it Something's missing And I don't know what it is No I don't know what it is Something's different And I don't know what it is No I don't know what it is -john mayer
i have been thinking alot lately and i think that i want to create a pen name type of thing and use it to write songs, propose thoughts, write poems, and share my thoughts with the world via blue cavity. i know you are prolly wondering how the hell did i come up with that, well, its really kind of odd.. i was laying in bed the other night and thinking about cara and the situation we are in, etc... and as i laid there i thought of our favorite color, blue. its a fact of science that your sensory neurons that detect pain and pleasure can only detect one or the other at the same time. with that in mind, it kind of relates to what i was feeling. i was thinking of something beautiful like what we both used to love, the color blue. (among many other things) and at the same time i had an incredible inner turmoil brewing and i couldnt bring myself to feel right... i related this feeling to the annoying, nagging feeling of having a cavity because whenever you have a cavity, its not like u cant live or anything but its that still small nagging pain that keeps you from enjoying life and being feeling truly 'alive.' i felt like that the other night and laid in bed and those 2 words came to me.. "blue cavity" I just said them over and over and loved the way they rolled off my tongue and were so oxymoronish (sp) at the same time. but in the future i look to produce a wealth of writings and possibly some music if i can come up with some of the required fields to get the production taken care of. i almost feel like trent reznor in a way... sitting here at my computer, inspired, and beginning something liek he did, by giving himself a little pen name called "Nine Inch Nails." given, my name wont ever be world-reknown like NIN is but shit, its how trent reznor started off... and i was inspired like he was so i am following through and i think that i have a killer name too.... stay tuned because i will produce some killer, mad dank thought-provoking, heart-wrenching, maddening work - my mind is sedate... one love. -bluecavity
what a day it has been thus far. i would bet that i have spent the past 5 hours sitting here working on my site. i have searched and started about 7465873465873465635763543 2429 blog sites and this one i like the best. some of them just dont offer you shit - str8 up, shit! i mean hell, unless you are a premium member or w/e they give you the shaft. but this one seems to be pretty tight so i am going to go with it and see how i like it. more profound things are sure to be posted on this site, i guarantee it but right now i am dreading going to class tonite (terrorism) and i cant really think str8. my mind should be back in gear after 9pm tonite when class gets out down on campus... more then. -blue cavity
