Let's be reasonable!

We might all ask ourselves if we are reasonable. We often define ourselves as liberal or conservative. Emotionally I tend to define myself as liberal although, under more thorough self examination, I find that I am not completely and totally “liberal”. No, some of me is conservative, literally conservative. I am even a little conservative about my liberalism. For example, even though the term “liberal” has become a pejorative I still want to think of myself that way (though it only serves to destroy my individuality to use that term).[To me liberal means a belief in liberty and perhaps technically that’s true; however, the new connotations are quite different.]

So I think it’s better to ask ourselves if we are reasonable, if we use reason to make judgments. Do we give people the benefit of the doubt? Do we avoid applying general terms to specific situations? Do we treat others as we would like to be treated? Do we at least listen to minority opinions?

Reasonablism should be a valid value system. There is liberalism and conservativism that seem to be followed (and feared) by many. There are also those who claim to realists. I think that they are actually pessimists (seems to me that there is little room for optimism in realism).

For me, I just hope that I can be a reasonable reasonablist.

Anti Flag Burning Amendment

Why do we here this argument every couple of years? Oh yeah, political stunts to rally the conservative base. Donald Hoffman has the right idea as he so eloquently states here .

But even if you disagree with him, isn't burning a proper disposal method for a worn out old flag?

So if they aren't really intending to restrict the act of burning, indeed what they are trying to do is restrict the the act of protesting, or speaking against the government. What's next, arrests for insuffecient enthusiasm for glorious victories of the homeland? (reference Tom Tomorrow)

Low end holiday sale slump.

It's been widely reported that low end merchandise sales were outperformed this season by sales at high end retailers . What's up with that?

"Faux" News channel (as well as the chicken_hit members of the SCLM) implied that the most likely cause of this phenomenon is the high pump price of gasoline. The reasoning says low income wage earners were directly affected and were less inclined to spend. Certainly the price of gasoline is a factor but if low wage earners were not already stretched to the limit they would have spent more.

This does not explain why high end items sales were up. All retail items, high and low end are affected by gasoline prices. Apparently high end items don’t increase in price proportionately or perhaps that the consumers of high end products are not concerned (of course they aren’t, this is what’s good about being rich).

One more possibility is that the American economy is doing so well that the low end worker has made so much progress he is buying luxury items and avoiding the discount stores. Has this been reported by any media outlet? I can say that while I am clearly middle class I feel financially compelled to shop at discount stores.

The answer is: The rich are richer and the poor are poorer. Be careful what you ask for America, you may just get it. This is the direct result of corporate empowerment granted by our elected officials.

Who's taking the Christ out of Christmas?

There has been some rhetoric, as of late, on the subject of "season’s greetings". Some seem to think that the use of inclusive terms like “Happy Holidays” is somehow diluting the religious observation of Christmas. Nothing could be further from the truth. The practice of using these generic terms is merely a polite way of including non-Christians in the joy of Christmas and likewise for practitioners of different faiths to include Christians in the joy of their seasonal celebrations.

Now does this mean that you can't use religiously specific terms? Actually, there are probably more occasions than not for which these terms can be used and received warmly. For instance, if you are just so moved by the joyous spirit of the season that you just blurt it out with nothing but good intentions then you should neither be concerned or appologetic. Certainly if you are familiar with the group or individual you are addressing and you know they share your beliefs, then it would be silly to use generic terms.

But what are the true intentions of individuals who oppose using any term but a religious one? Is it their intention to spread joy, peace and love? Is it their intention to invoke the spirit of their religion's teachings and welcome you to share in it? Or is it that they are not concerned with the feelings and beliefs of others or are they are so appalled by “non-believers” that they are actually hoping to offend them?

Perhaps it’s just fear and loathing of “liberals”. I know of one "right leaning" individual who said "I'm going to be politically incorrect and say "Merry Christmas". Now was I offended? Well not really, not by the "Merry Christmas" part. The offensive part is the fact that he was so dead set against being politically correct that he purposely was trying to be politically incorrect.

The right despises “political correctness”. The left, for the most part is not concerned about (obsessed with) it for the simple reason that it is not disempowering to our nature. This has inflamed the right and they have now denounced political correctness to the point that (perhaps you heard it here first) it is now politically correct to be politically incorrect!

There may be a simpler answer to all this. Perhaps Christmas is such a dominant economic force that in a sense it has become a secular holiday. In fact doesn't the retail industry, and for that matter, the American economy depend on Holiday Season sales to fill out the year? Certainly this has very little or nothing to do with Christ! So who is taking the Christ out of Christmas?