Good Man or Bad Man?

The Virginian ^ | 11/11/2008 | The Virginian

[moneyrunner]

A debate is raging between the forces of “can’t we all get along” and the “hell no” crowd. It was started by Patterico who said (in recounting a discussion with his daughter):

Anyway, I have told her that Obama will probably win, and she was sad. “I don’t want Obama to be my President!” she said. I told her that McCain and Obama are both good men — and although I disagree with Obama, if he wins, we have to say: “Oh well, we tried. But he will still be my President.”

She’s still not very happy. Nor am I. But I want her to learn that no matter who wins, he’s a good man trying to do what he thinks is right for the country.

And Jeff Goldberg at Protein Wisdom who responded:

Precisely the kind of self-righteous civility that fried McCain. Want to be clapped on the back for your decorum? Fine. Just say so.

But let’s not pretend you are being honest or principled. Graciousness is one thing; praise is another.

This “good man” was involved in ACORN blackmail schemes. With an attempt to fraudulently undermine the Second Amendment by gaming court rulings. He got rich off of schemes that led to the mortgage crisis — then stood by and let others fix it in order to keep his hands clean during the final stages of an election. He has thrown in with race hustlers,”reformers” who believe that domestic terrorism was a valid form of expression, odious foreign potentates –

There is nothing at all noble about praising a man and a party who reviles you simply because in doing so you appear noble. Jews have tried that. And it’s often ended with skeletons and ash, or the twisted wreckage of a bus in Tel Aviv.

[mlocher]

If you’re like me, your family responds to your deep thoughts by saying, “Uh-huh, sure. Is my blue running shirt out of the wash yet? And where’d all the chips go?”

LOL!!! -- I've seen the glazed over eyes on more than one ocassion! Have a great day!

[Tax-chick]

You, too.

[ThomasMore]

If we have the same cultural values, and are true to them, we should have the same virtues.

Actually this is backwards. If we hold the same virtues as individuals then we will surely hold most if not all of the same cultural values. Why? Because of exactly what you state three sentences later:

but virtues define the person and cultural values define the group/nation.

What you need to add in between these two statements is a third premise: Virtues or vices define the person, persons define cultural values; cultural values define the nation. Notice that the moral absolutes, virtue and vice, are the foundation.

To be a moral relativist is to ignore those preceding absolutes, virtue and vice. Obama is a moral relativist and a cafeteria moralist, like most other liberals; they redefine what is good and bad as the foundation to their mores, create cultural values by these standards and define our nation as such.

In his case: ObamaNation.

[mlocher]

Thanks again for your thoughtful comments. I think we are splitting hairs; we both agree that Obama is a moral relativist, doing whatever is convenient at any given point in time.

I thank you again for your challenging thoughts and words!

[Tax-chick]

Good analysis. I was reaching for the same concept, I think, but didn’t put it together as clearly.