Saturday, July 24, 2010

EQUAL WITH LIFE, LIBERTY, HAPPINESS, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL

I was over at Political Pistachio where the subject was the racial idiocy perpetrated by the left over the comments of Shirley Sherrod.

Something blogger, Douglas V. Gibbs wrote attracted my attention.

He wrote: "True freedom is having opportunity to go for it. And if you fail, you pull yourself up and go for it again."

That's the essence of America, and her greatness over the years.

Opportunity.

Every person in America has the opportunity to be or do whatever he or she wants to be or do if, and only if, he or she is willing to do what it takes to achieve whatever it is he or she wants to do.

Our liberal "friend," XO, commented: "I believe that people who cling to the ridiculous idea that there is a huge population of lazy, unambitious (possibly in the coutry illegaly) people whose only goal is to sit around benefitting from the hard work of others are delusional."

Well, he's wrong. (Notwithstanding that his spelling lacks some polishing...that was a cut-and-paste).

I went to grammar school on the U.S. Army base at Fountainbleau, France, where my father was stationed at the time.

Our school was integrated...long before schools in the USA were. (This was in the early 50s).

We had "African-Americans," Asians, Hispanics, Christians, Jews, kids of enlisted personnel and officers' kids all in the same classrooms...we simply didn't know any different.

When the teacher taught us that the square root of 16 is 4, every child in the room had the exact same opportunity to learn that truth...every one.

Some chose not to learn, but most learned the lesson well.

All of them went on to high school, some graduated, some did not. It was their choice to study or not to study that made the difference.

But every one of them had the opportunity to study, learn and graduate. Every one.

Some then went on to get jobs, some low paying, some high paying. Others chose not to work, but went on to avail themselves of the "public dole."

There were some who went on to college, some who went directly into the work force and some who did neither.

Some contributed to the advancement of society while others leeched off of it.

Stand around at a parking lot at the local U-Save supermarket located in a poor area of town, pay attention to the people around you and see how many can't formulate a coherent sentence, check the price of their groceries or find something productive to do that day.

I submit that XO is dead wrong. He seems to think that of those who are on the "public dole," are all there because they have "lost life's lottery" and did not have the same opportunities that others had.

That's wrong.

Except for the disabled, mentally and/or physically, there is no excuse for a person in the U.S. to be without adequate food, shelter and clothing on the strength of their own merit and willingness to apply themselves.

Is there racism making it difficult for some?

Yep.

But Oprah, for instance, overcame racism. She worked through it and made a success of herself. (Those exploited by Maury Povich, on the other hand, represent the dregs of society; always fighting, bringing each other down and otherwise demonstrating the wrong way to go about life).

Oprah took advantage of the opportunities offered her by America. Good for her.

She was not the winner of life's lottery, she worked hard, pushed ahead with her dream and made it to the top.

I don't like much of what Oprah stands for, but I am thrilled that she demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that anybody who wants to can make it big in America.

I'm also thrilled by the achievements of Clarence Thomas, Thomas Sowell, Condoleezza Rice, and other "African-Americans" who have worked through the system to succeed.

When liberals like XO try to convince us that the majority of people receiving benefits from the government are helpless to help themselves, they are displaying a form of ignorance from which there is no escape, and which forms the foundation of what will be the demise of America.

We should be structuring our society such that opportunities to better oneself improve, through education and hard work, not providing opportunities for people to become dependent on the government for their sustenance.

I agree with XO that we are the greatest country on earth. I do not agree that our greatness is measured in any way by whether we work in order to provide others with "free government induced health care," etc.

We are great because we provide opportunity for anybody, even those on welfare, who are able, to get off of welfare and learn to feel good about themselves because they have become educated and willing to work hard to succeed.

We need to teach them how to do that so they, too, can taste of the American Dream.

The American dream is not a house for every American, it is the opportunity to work hard to afford a house, if a house is what you want.

We are a land of life, liberty, the persuit of happiness, justice for all and, most of all, opportunity.

16 comments:

ablur said...

As more and more government programs are put in place, it becomes harder for people to take those steps. Why take a risk? As long as people are comfortable, there is no reason to stretch or reach. These vast government programs squash innovation and creativity.
Need and pain is the mother of invention. Potentially, some of the greatest inventions will never be invented.
Less Government means more success.

Joe said...

ablur: Incentive decreases in directo proportion to the increase of "welfare."

Mark said...

There are some, Joe, who are forced to avail themselves of the welfare system, who are hard working, self respecting, conscientious people. I was one of them.

The difference is this:

Those are the people who use Welfare for the purpose that it is intended: To be a hand up, not a hand out.

In the 1990's, I lost my house. I had two choices at the time. Live under a bridge somewhere, or sign up for public housing. I signed up for public housing...until I got back on my feet and got out of there.

Most of my former neighbors there in public housing are not only still there, but they still complain that the Government isn't providing them with enough. But they refuse to get out and get education or jobs.

And, they are all Democrats, and they all voted for Obama.

Go figure.

Mark said...

ablur, I must correct you on one part of your statement: "As long as people are comfortable, there is no reason to stretch or reach."

These people are not comfortable. Far from it. Welfare is not a "comfortable" system. They merely settle for what scraps and crumbs they can get, and would rather complain than help themselves.

Mark said...

I never took money from the government. I refused it, although it was offered. I only accepted public housing, which was humiliating enough.

Believe me, anyone with any pride would never be happy with the way the government handles things for them.

Joe said...

Mark: I agree that the welfare system must be in place to help those who need help while they need the help. And the few who CANNOT help themselves.

Fo the life of me, though, I can't see why, if Steven Hawkings can overcome his handicap and become a productive member of society, they can't, too.

Once upon a time I needed help with food for a season. But I did not stay on food stamps. I re-educated myself, changed vocations and stayed with the new one for 27 years.

What fries my grits is the thousands of people whom I SEE, MYSELF, who make their living off of, and never intend to rid themselves of, the welfare system.

They not only refused to study and graduate from high school when they were young, they never went back for their GED, never learned a trade (except drug dealing), never made any attempt at all to better themselves and rise above their lot, but believe they are OWED a living by the rest of us.

But XO and his friends are happy for me to support them.

Well, I'm not happy to support them.

So how does his happiness superscede mine?

Xavier Onassis said...

You know Joe, you've burned a lot of blog posts trying to support your contention that America is, in fact, a Christian nation founded on Christian principals by Christian founders.

Yet you seem to be very firm in your belief that Anerica should conduct itself in the most un-Christlike manner imaginable.

Would Jesus blame the poor for being poor?

Would he blame the sick for being sick?

Would Jesus tell a leper "You were born with the same opportunity as any other Jew under Roman Rule to avoid diesase and game the system to become as wealthy as a money lender. The fact that you chose not to is no concern of mine."

I feel compelled to remind you that you yourself are a direct recipient of medical care provided by us taxpayers.

Let me say once again that I am happy to be providing that for you! I'm glad you're alive and I'm happy to help.

I have a good job. I have good health benefits. I live in a nice townhome. I have a jeep that's paid for. I have cable TV, broadband internet, unlimited 3G cell phone access, a home WiFi network and I can pay all my bills and have money left over AFTER TAXES.

I'm thrilled that my tax dollars are helping people who aren't as fortunate as me and I would gladly pay MORE in taxes to help even MORE people.

I don't begrudge those Americans who are not as well off as me the pittance of my earnings that help give them a bit of dignity.

I'm not greedy or selfish. I have enough in life. I don't need to own my own company, migrate between multi mega mansions in private jets. I'm quite content to live a quiet, honorable life with time enough to spend with the people I love.

I'm not among those who think they must greedily grab and keep every single thing they can wrap their arms around and protect it with paranoid deadly force against anyone who glances in their direction.

That's no way to live life. That is not the path to happiness. That is not what Jesus would do.

Mark said...

XO, I can't believe that you and your fellow Liberals still don't understand the difference between voluntarily charity and government mandated charity, after all the times it's been painstakingly explained to you.

Jesus was talking to each of us, individually, XO. He wasn't referring to governments when he urged us to help the poor. He was speaking to his followers, and He didn't tell us we have to help the poor or face fines or jail time. He made it clear that we have a choice to give to charity or not give, whichever we feel led to do according to His will.

I challenge you to find me any scripture, any scripture at all, where Jesus teaches that it is the government's responsibility to take care of the poor and disadvantaged, and/or that whatever aid is distributed to the poor from said government should be taken without permission from the responsible and handed over to the irresponsible.

Go.

Joe said...

XO: Would Jesus blame the poor for being poor?

Nope. Jesus said, "the poor you will always have with you."

Would he blame the sick for being sick?

Jesus healed the sick...the people did not heal them.

Would Jesus tell a leper "You were born with the same opportunity as any other Jew under Roman Rule to avoid diesase and game the system to become as wealthy as a money lender. The fact that you chose not to is no concern of mine."

Nope. He healed lepers. We should, too. Not the government, you and me...voluntarily. But those who WILL NOT work, the Bible says, "are worse than infidels."

As I said in my post, I have NO objection to helping those who cannot help themselves. NONE. I object to helping those who could, with a little effort, take care of themselves and improve their lot.

You should read my posts once in a while. You'd find out what they REALLY say.

"I don't begrudge those Americans who are not as well off as me the pittance of my earnings that help give them a bit of dignity."

OK. But why do you require everybody else to be satisfied where they are and not reach for more, if that's what they want?

See, I'm actually with you on this point: I am satisfied with the station in life I have made for myself. But unlike you, I don't begrudge others their right to reach "higher" than I have reached.

YOU are satisfied where YOU are. Seems like its all about YOU and YOUR feelings.

Mark said...

Jesus did not blame anything on anybody. Remember the woman who was caught in the act of adultery? He didn't blame anyone. He told the crowd, "Those of you without sin throw the first stone". He let them judge themselves. And to the woman He said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more".

Of course, Jesus had moral authority, a luxury not afforded to us mere mortals.

Xavier Onassis said...

Mark - You said "...I can't believe that you and your fellow Liberals still don't understand the difference between voluntarily charity and government mandated charity, after all the times it's been painstakingly explained to you.

Jesus was talking to each of us, individually, XO. He wasn't referring to governments when he urged us to help the poor. He was speaking to his followers..."

You seem to separate The Government from The People.

That is exactly the opposite of what the United States is.

As I recall, the United States Constitution, our founding document, begins with the words

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

You cannot separate the taxpaying public from the government. We are one in the same. The Government is US! That is why we have elections.

I'll draw your attention to some other salient points in that opening statement:

1: "...in Order to form a more perfect Union..."

2: "...establish Justice..."

3: "...insure domestic Tranquility..."

4: "...provide for the common defence..."

5: "...promote the general Welfare..."

6: "...secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..."

Any Right Wing, Conservative Pundit worth his Fox News time slot would consider these individual statements to be liberal, progressive, socialist declarations.

Unfunded Mandates! Big Government Gone Wild! Entitlements!

"...Justice...Tranquility...Welfare..."?

Who will pay for it all?

Xavier Onassis said...

Joe - "See, I'm actually with you on this point: I am satisfied with the station in life I have made for myself. But unlike you, I don't begrudge others their right to reach "higher" than I have reached."

I don't begrudge others their right to reach "higher" than I have reached.

I just question their priorities when their ambition requires them to work 24/7/365 and sacrifice their relationships with their spouses and children in pursuit of the "higher".

I question their ability, fueled by such ambition, to walk the path of moral integrity and not trample those of less ambition into the dust of their greed.

I seriously doubt their ability to self-regulate themselves when their quarterly profits take precedent over every other measure of success.

Your headline is "Equal With Life, Liberty, Happiness, And Justice For All."

Do you seriously believe that those ambitious individuals reaching for the "higher" give a hoot about "Life, Liberty, Happiness, And Justice" for anyone other than themselves?

If they could make a boat payment by destroying your livelyhood and driving you into bankruptcy they wouldn't bat an eye or lose a moment of sleep over it.

Is that your vision of America?

Is that what the Founding Fathers had in mind?

Lone Ranger said...

I see Xavier employs the "crap-storm" method of debating. He throws so much crap at you that it makes you tired just to look at it, much less dispute all the nonsense, misinformation and lies.

I would tackle it, but SQUIRREL!

Joe said...

XO: "If they could make a boat payment by destroying your livelyhood and driving you into bankruptcy they wouldn't bat an eye or lose a moment of sleep over it."

I've lived in this area since 1964. I know a lot of successful business persons. I don't know one who would take this approach. I'm sure there are some, but they are in the minority, not the majority.

In fact, they are responsible for the overall wealth of the area by providing jobs so others can buy their Jeeps and Hondas.

Not one person I know, or have ever known, who has a decent job works for a poor person. They all work for people who have used their resources to pay others.

I recently had a new central air conditioning system put in.

The owner of the company bought my unit and its peripherals at wholesale, sold it to me at "retail," paid four workers for three days, came back to adjust and check on the unit himself and called me to confirm that all was well.

I trust that he made a decent, but not obscene, profit from the venture so that he can do the same for someone else.

There are far fewer "greedy" people in this country than you imagine.

Joe said...

LR: He is pretty much incorrigible, politically speaking.

Joe said...

XO: "I have a good job. I have good health benefits. I live in a nice townhome."

Do you work for the government or for someone who has the private resources to pay you your decent living?