As the debate on health care reform heats up, a familiar tactic is once again at the forefront. Rather than taking a principled stance against an opponent’s arguments and countering with reason and logic, an attempt is made to marginalize them by accusing them of being kooks, racists, hate mongers or pawns of the special interests.
So it’s a bit amusing to watch republicans/conservatives getting all apoplectic over being labeled in this way as they voice their opposition to the Democrats’ proposals. “Unfair!” they claim, “We’re not all shills for the insurance lobby and big pharma. We don’t oppose the President simply because he’s a Democrat and we want him to fail. We have real, valid concerns that need to be heard”. And in all fairness, their outrage at the Left’s tactics are generally valid. Being the target of demagoguery is never a fun position to be in.
Yet I do love irony… and this situation certainly qualifies. Aren’t these the same people who used these very same tactics against those that opposed the Iraq war, or the Patriot Act, or various other abuses of power by the Bush administration? False claims of anti-Americanism and unpatriotic behavior came fast and loose. They told disenters to shut up and support the President’s policies. They accused them of “giving aid and comfort to the enemy”. And now the shoe is on the other foot. And these folks don’t like it very much. Though I doubt they can see their own hypocrisy. Hypocrites rarely can.
But let’s not let the other players in this political battle off too easy. The democrats/liberals are just as bad. They certainly felt it unfair to be falsely labeled as unpatriotic for questioning the deeds of the Bush White House, yet they seem to have no problem demonizing their opponents this time around. For example, last week on “Hardball,” Chris Matthews painted town hall protesters as racist by opining, “I think some of the people are upset because we have a black president.” One universal truth about hypocrisy is that it’s not the domain of any one group.
So if, let’s say, you’re considering boycotting Whole Foods because you didn’t like the CEO, John Mackey, giving his honest opinion about the best way to reform our health care system, if you think he betrayed his customers because he doesn’t support the Democrats’ plan, try to remember how the Dixie Chicks were treated when they spoke out against George Bush. Try to remember how they were vilified and their concerts boycotted simply because they dared to publicly express their opinion. Try not to be a hypocrite too.
And if you were one of those people who criticized the Dixie Chicks as un-American or felt that those opposed to GW Bush and his policies were just a bunch of left wing wackos, try to remember how it feels to be derided and marginalized simply because you don’t agree with those in power. Try not to be a hypocrite the next time you’re tempted to do the same.
So to anyone who engages in this type of behavior, but then complains when it’s done to them, let me simply say this — a little less hypocrisy, please.
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August 21st, 2009
Posted by
freedomminute |
Miscellaneous |
3 comments
I had meant to get this post up last week, but many other projects got in the way.
Two weeks ago I had jury duty and I thought I’d share some of my perspective on this experience. This was the first time I’ve ever been called to serve, and to tell the truth, I was kind of looking forward to it. That may seem strange, but I’ve always been intrigued by the workings of our legal system and almost chose to attend law school. I also think that serving on a jury is one of the responsibilities we have as citizens. It’s one of the few instances where the government cedes back to the people the power to make important decisions – sometimes life and death decisions. And the alternative – ceding to the government all power to arrest, try, and convict citizens for alleged breaches of the law – is not a pleasant prospect. I therefore didn’t offer any excuses trying to get out of the obligation.
Continue reading “Jury Duty – Part 1″
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March 9th, 2009
Posted by
freedomminute |
Miscellaneous |
2 comments
Just a quick note to let you all know what I have planned for this blog. On the technical side, I’m working on a custom design to use when I migrate over to my personal website. I’m learning how to do this from scratch, so bear with me. When it’s done, these pages will be a little simpler to navigate. Once we’re up on the new site, it will be easy for you to subscribe to the blog (don’t worry, I’ll post an explanation and clear instructions) and to sign up for my newsletter (see below). There will be other improvements as well.
On the content side, I’m going to attempt to post at least once per day when I have something relevant to communicate. I’ll be discussing current events as they relate to the topic of personal freedom on both a local and national level. And since Election Day is fast approaching, I expect I’ll spend a good deal of time discussing the presidential race as well as the often confusing ballot initiatives here in California. In regards to those initiatives, I’ll be explaining the arguments for and against and letting you know which side I come down on and why.
On slow news days, I’ll be blogging about general principles of a free society and will be taking on such hot button topics as gun control, abortion, and environmental protection. Two upcoming posts to look out for: 1. My choice for President and why. You can probably guess the who, but the why is at least as important. 2. An in-depth discussion of why I believe a free market economy is the best and only way to achieve prosperity for the most people. I’ll also take on the criticisms usually leveled at the free market and why many believe those objections are generally not valid.
In the future, I’ll also be keeping an eye out for any attempt by those in power to erode our civil rights or personal freedoms and informing you what you can do about it. This leads me to the newsletter I have planned. You’ll have an opportunity to sign up and when there’s something I think you need to know about and possibly act on, you’ll receive an email with the details. If possible, I’ll also include an easy way for you to find and contact those to whom you can make your opinion known. Together, we will make a difference.
Also on my to-do list is a recommended reading list and links to other blogs or web sites you might be interested in.
Well that’s what I have in store for you if you want to go along for the ride. I hope you’ll join me.
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If you enjoyed this article, please share it with others by clicking on one or more of the icons below. If you wish to be notified each time I put up a new post, you can subscribe through one of the links to the right. (If you don’t know what RSS is, just choose the email option.) Finally, leave some feedback or join the discussion by commenting below. I’d love to know what you think.
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October 4th, 2008
Posted by
freedomminute |
Miscellaneous |
5 comments
by David Boaz or 
by David Bergland, both excellent books on libertarian thought.
