Politics Thoughts, Theories and Ponderables

CygnusX1 · Post by **CygnusX1** » Mon May 11, 2009 6:13 am

awip2062 wrote:On one hand I love it! Creative and simple!

On the other...how many would be able to retire, buy a car, and pay off
their mortgage on a million? Seen some of the "McMansion" prices
out there? LOL

FTFY.

CygnusX1 · Post by **CygnusX1** » Mon May 11, 2009 7:18 am

The Destruction of Miss California

by Bill O'Reilly

Checked on your freedom of speech lately?

If not, consider the plight of 21-year-old Carrie Prejean, a student at San
Diego Christian College who was selected first runner-up in the Miss USA
pageant last month.

During the question and answer part of the competition, Prejean was
asked whether every state should legalize gay marriage. Smiling
brightly, the young woman said:

"I think that I believe a marriage should be between a man and a woman.
No offense to anyone out there."

Most polls show that the majority of Americans agree with Prejean,
including the President of the United States.

Yet since she made that statement as Miss California, the woman has
been persecuted in the media.

MSNBC allowed a guest to call her vile names, and the far-left cast of
characters on that cable network has delighted in mocking and
demeaning Prejean almost nightly.

The left-wing blogs have been especially vicious, and now, even her own
pageant is turning against her:

She's being investigated for possibly violating pageant rules by giving
unapproved interviews.

Of course, she gave those interviews trying to defend herself against
media assaults.

This is a disgraceful exposition with wide implications for all of us.

Here we have an American citizen answering a direct question respectfully
and honestly and being punished for it.

You don't get more un-American than that.

Where is the American Civil Liberties Union on this?

That "great defender of free speech" has been totally silent. Once
again, the ACLU displays its biased hypocrisy like a giant float-balloon in
the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

And where is the National Organization for Women?

A young woman is being victimized by hate speech, actually being called
a "b*tch" on a variety of television programs, and NOW has no
comment?

Again, the hypocrisy is breathtaking.

Finally, where is the homosexual community? Do they not respect
freedom of speech? They don't want to be punished for their expression,
right?

It would be incredibly smart for a gay leader to pull a Voltaire and publicly
state, "I don't agree with what you say, but I defend your right to say it."

So, who's going to be courageous and step up on this one?

Gay marriage has been defined by some of its supporters as a civil rights
issue.

Isn't freedom of speech a civil rights issue?

Therefore, let's call this Miss California deal exactly what it is -- a gross
violation of the spirit of America.

If a 21-year-old pageant contestant can be persecuted for uttering an
opinion based upon a sincere belief, then all of us are at risk, as well.

Walkinghairball · Post by **Walkinghairball** » Mon May 11, 2009 7:46 am

The only hate crime in her case is the one AGAINST Her.

She only spoke what she believes, and she did it without being all shitty about it.

It's like if I say, "I like cookies, no offence to the potato chip people out there", should I be attacked for it???

CygnusX1 · Post by **CygnusX1** » Mon May 11, 2009 7:57 am

Walkinghairball wrote:The only hate crime in her case is the one AGAINST Her.

She only spoke what she believes, and she did it without being all shitty about it.

It's like if I say, "I like cookies, no offence to the potato chip people out there", should I be attacked for it???

You spoke too soon Bro - now they've got YOU in their sights too.

This just came in to the By-tor mail room:

Mr. Hairball,

You're a stupid bitch for liking cookies.

Signed,

Guido "Spuds" Garducci,
Chief Propaganda Officer,
Layz Potato Chip Co.

Walkinghairball · Post by **Walkinghairball** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:04 am

Sounds like they all need a good "LAY!"

LOL

Fugg em all!!!!!!!!!!!

CygnusX1 · Post by **CygnusX1** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:14 am

LMAOROFL

MY thoughts exactly.

Big Blue Owl · Post by **Big Blue Owl** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:15 am

Yeah, that is pretty disgusting. It's like Wanda Sykes. The other night at the Whitehouse Correspondence Dinner she was doing some comedy and mentioned Limbaugh and junk.
She took a couple of shots at Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. She speculated that Limbaugh was actually the 20th hijacker on 9/11 and derided Hannity for not living up to his pledge to be waterboarded for the troops.

She said:
"You?ve had your fair share of critics, Mr. President. ? Rush Limbaugh said he hopes that this administration fails. ? He just wants the country to fail. To me that?s treason. He?s not saying anything different than what Osama Bin Laden is saying. You might want to look into this, sir, because I think Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker but he was just so strung out on Oxycontin he missed his flight. ? Rush Limbaugh says, "I hope the country fails." I hope his kidneys fail, how about that? He needs a good waterboarding, that?s what he needs."

And now, after exercising her American right to free speech, she is being lambasted by conservatives and Republicans alike.

"How can someone say those things about a fellow human being?"
"She has no right to speak that way publicly about Rush, Hannity or anybody else."

Oh yeah? I think they are wrong. You can't bring the beauty queen down for her comments on gay marriage, we must shut up about Rush's desire to see Obama fail and Wanda, and any other comedian can say anything they want to about anybody alive or dead. We all just have to be adult and American enough to process it all correctly and not let it get all "literal and upsetty."

CygnusX1 · Post by **CygnusX1** » Mon May 11, 2009 8:21 am

You make good points Owlie. I'm down with that.

awip2062 · Post by **awip2062** » Mon May 11, 2009 9:56 am

As I see it it's all in how she said it. As a comedian she can say stuff like that and whether I like the jokes or not, whatever.
If she is really accusing Limbaugh of treason that could be slander and if she is really calling for waterboarding, well, I don't go for that even for terrorists.
I think it was comedy, though.

awip2062 · Post by **awip2062** » Mon May 11, 2009 10:53 pm

I found an excerpt from Atlas Shrugged that I wanted to post. It comes from a part when D'aconia is talking to a man about a business venture that D'aconia had begun which ended up turning out horridly and many other people lost big in it along with him.

"I don't know why you should
call my behavior rotten. I thought you would recognize it as an honest
effort to practice what the whole world is preaching. Doesn't everyone
believe that it is evil to be selfish? I was totally selfless in regard to the
San Sebasti?n project. Isn't it evil to pursue a personal interest? I had no
personal interest in it whatever. Isn't it evil to work for profit? I did
not work for profit-I took a loss. Doesn't everyone agree that the pur-
pose and justification of an industrial enterprise are not production, but
the livelihood of its employees? The San Sebasti?n Mines were the most
eminently successful venture in industrial history: they produced no
copper, but they provided a livelihood for thousands of men who
could not have achieved, in a lifetime, the equivalent of what they got
for one day's work, which they could not do. Isn't it generally agreed
that an owner is a parasite and an exploiter, that it is the employees
who do all the work and make the product possible? I did not exploit
anyone. I did not burden the San Sebasti?n Mines with my useless
presence; I left them in the hands of the men who count. I did not
pass judgment on the value of that property. I turned it over to a min-
ing specialist. He was not a very good specialist, but he needed the
job very badly. Isn't it generally conceded that when you hire a man for
a job, it is his need that counts, not his ability? Doesn't everyone believe
that in order to get the goods, all you have to do is need them? I have
carried out every moral precept of our age. I expected gratitude and a
citation of honor. I do not understand why I am being damned."

The parts I boldened are ones that made me think of what we are hearing from many today about those who own companies and about corporations and also some about the thoughts people have about what they should "get" for themselves.

Sir Myghin · Post by **Sir Myghin** » Tue May 12, 2009 4:17 am

I ripped a few stitches reading that one the first time T. excellent choice of excerpt.

awip2062 · Post by **awip2062** » Tue May 12, 2009 9:44 am

Thanks. There are others I'd like to post but the book isn't in the public domain so excerpts are hard to find and I have it on audiobook which makes it hatder to put here.

Big Blue Owl · Post by **Big Blue Owl** » Tue May 12, 2009 10:01 am

Here is the ebook just for you, Dawn. Free to download. Open rar file with a program like Izark. It's free too.

Click on link. Click on "Free User." Download zipped file. Extract with Izark or winrar.

http://rapidshare.com/files/130623644/A ... n_Rand.rar

Izark - http://www.izarc.org/download.html

awip2062 · Post by **awip2062** » Tue May 12, 2009 1:21 pm

I guess you want more Rand quotes lol

Watch out cuz you just might ged them!

awip2062 · Post by **awip2062** » Tue May 12, 2009 8:56 pm

A few quotes from Atlas Shrugged to consider:

"My purpose," said Orren Boyle, "is the preservation of a free economy. It's generally conceded that
free economy is now on trial. Unless it proves its social value and assumes its social responsibilities, the people won't stand for it. If it doesn't develop a public spirit, it's done for, make no mistake about that."

"The only justification of private property," said Orren Boyle, "is public service."

"The public has a vital stake in natural resources, Jim, such as iron ore. The public can't remain
indifferent to reckless, selfish waste by an anti-social individual. After all, private property is a trusteeship
held for the benefit of society as a whole."

A bit of conversation with a chilling foresight

"Consider the picture in the iron-ore business. The national output seems to be falling at an ungodly rate.
It threatens the existence of the whole steel industry. Steel mills are shutting down all over the country.
There's only one mining company that's lucky enough not to be affected by the general conditions. Its
output seems to be plentiful and always available on schedule. But who gets the benefit of it? Nobody
except its owner. Would you say that that's fair?"
"No," said Taggart, "it isn't fair."
"Most of us don't own iron mines. How can we compete with a man who's got a corner on God's
natural resources? Is it any wonder that he can always deliver steel, while we have to struggle and wait
and lose our customers and go out of business? Is it in the public interest to let one man destroy an entire
industry?"
"No," said Taggart, "it isn't."
"It seems to me that the national policy ought to be aimed at the objective of giving everybody a chance
at his fair share of iron ore, with a view toward the preservation of the industry as a whole. Don't you
think so?"

"Speaking of progressive policies, Orren," said Taggart, "you might ask yourself whether at a time of
transportation shortages, when so many railroads are going bankrupt and large areas are left without rail
service, whether it is in the public interest to tolerate wasteful duplication of services and the destructive,
dog-eat-dog competition of newcomers in territories where established companies have historical
priority."

The editorial said that at a time of dwindling production, shrinking markets and vanishing opportunities to
make a living, it was unfair to let one man hoard several business enterprises, while others had none; it
was destructive to let a few corner all the resources, leaving others no chance; competition was essential
to society, and it was society's duty to see that no competitor ever rose beyond the range of anybody
who wanted to compete with him. The editorial predicted the passage of a bill which had been proposed,
a bill forbidding any person or corporation to own more than one business concern.

Another bit of conversation that lines up with the worldview of many today

"Man's metaphysical pretensions," he said, "are preposterous. A miserable bit of protoplasm, full of ugly
little concepts and mean little emotions?and it imagines itself important! Really, you know, that is the
root of all the troubles in the world."
"But which concepts are not ugly or mean, Professor?" asked an earnest matron whose husband owned
an automobile factory.
"None," said Dr. Pritchett, "None within the range of man's capacity."
A young man asked hesitantly, "But if we haven't any good concepts, how do we know that the ones
we've got are ugly? I mean, by what standard?"
"There aren't any standards."
This silenced his audience.
"The philosophers of the past were superficial," Dr. Pritchett went on. "It remained for our century to
redefine the purpose of philosophy.
The purpose of philosophy is not to help men find the meaning of life, but to prove to them that there isn't
any."