The Duty of Lying

Sobran's , Griffin Internet Syndicate ^ | 2/28/02 | Joseph Sobran

[ConsistentLibertarian]

"So you have only focused on one third of his activities." It was acts of a sexual nature that led to a four count impeachment in the House of Representatives. He's never been charged with anything else. He's never been convicted of anything. I tried to focus on the facts. Remember, he's a bad man even if he never committed a crime. Just like President Bush is a good man even though he has committed a crime.

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Let's go slowly. (1) According to the story, Santa Claus brings presents to reward virtue, and leaves nothing or perhaps a lump of coal to reward vice. (2) Jewish and Muslim kids tend not to get any presents from Santa Claus. Any halfway intelligent child who believes the Santa Claus story and who knows some Jewish or Muslim kids will be able to draw the obvious conclusion.

[Mopp4]

ref to your post #10
Your response reminds me of the scene from STRIPES where Bill Murray and his buddy are in the Army recruiter's office. The recruiter asks them if they have ever been convicted of any crimes and they look at each other and ask Convicted??? (smiles on their faces) no - never convicted. Of course they both know they have done plenty of "bad things" but they just have never been caught.
I think Clintons response would be the same. The real measure of a man is "can he learn from his past mistakes?" Yea Bush has been convicted of drunk driving but that was in the past and he no longer engages in that type of behaviour. Can Clinton say the same about his behaviour???

[TEXICAN II]

Thank you for your very kind reply! But, lets go even more slowly, please.

Jews ( in my limited experience of business relations with perhaps a few hundred good customers and fellow salesman in the furniture industry, over perhaps 15 years ) are, in my estimation, remarkable for 1, their discipline and integrity 2, their frequent and very regular kindness to children-with or without Santa Claus. They have been somewhat critized in some remarks from interviews I have heard from Israel, for this generous practice, regarded as far too materialistic. You see, your #16 I find to be badly constructed-false-and to be a gratuitous, backhanded slap at Christianity, whether intentional or not! I appreciate you are only attempting some light humor, but its likely I suspect, that even very young children have no serious difficulty discerning the religous significance of Santa Claus & his connection to Christian Christmas. That anyone might invent contrived humor about Americans who happen to be Jewish is not at all offensive. IMHO, they thrive on such attention & they have been so successful as to find it almost impossible to avoid'spoiling' their children. It has become cliched.

Your #16 I still find contrived and hollow.

[TEXICAN II]

You got dat right! But oh what tricks W be up to now?

[NMC EXP]

...sometimes leaders do know better (i.e., more knowledge and/or more brains)...

Mencken said it better than I can:

“The theory behind representative government is that superior men--or at all events, men not inferior to the average in ability and integrity--are chosen to manage the public business, and that they carry on this work with reasonable intelligence and honesty. There is little support for that theory in the known facts.” -- H.L. Mencken

Regards

J.R.

[Pistias]

Bump to that...and if the nature of demokratia ("the people are strong" literally) is something you're interested in, if you've hadn't had the pleasure you'll find this very interesting.

[Pistias]

Sadly, I have no argument. The people are responsible for choosing good leaders, and we have failed time and again.

[NMC EXP]

The people are responsible for choosing good leaders

But who or what is responsible for selecting the candidates? The lesser of two evils is still evil.

Regards

J.R.

[Pistias]

The lesser of two evils is still evil

In the abscence of one good, one less evil is better than nothing. And FTR, I agree with you on this one too. Institutions can't make people just or virtuous, but they can hinder it.

[NMC EXP]

A fellow ward of the state of illinois I see. You have my sympathy.

Regards

J.R.

[TEXICAN II]

Well, you are indeed kind! I have of course read this once, & still have a copy, but your link is equally fascinating-they may have more! Much more!

I seem to recall he actually visited Texas or perhaps it was on a riverboat trip-where he meet with that grand rascal, Sam Houston! You know, that would have been a very interesting conversation. Remember those wonderful programs Steve Allen used to create-a little dinner party with his choice of historical characters?

[strela]

Light your torches & pry up the cobblestones. Its time for the rabble to answer a thinking man, with the only tools they may have at hand.

You really have to wonder why someone would want to associate with "rabble", or even hang around a news forum where "rabble" congregate.

I hear that bartcop has an opening, TEXICAN II (whatever happened to "TEXICAN I" - somebody ban it?). Free Kool-Aid to drink as well.

[Pistias]

Appreciated, and I'm sad to say that Hastert is my rep. Have you talked with BillyBoy about rustling up some O'Malley support down in your parts?

[ConsistentLibertarian]

Maybe you can clarify for me which of the following points you want to deny: (1) According to the story, Santa claus brings presents to virtuous children; (2) Santa Claus doesn't even appear to bring presents to Jewish and Muslim children. (3) A halfway intelligent child who believed the story and was in a position to look around and see that no Jewish or Muslim kids were even appearing to get gifts from Santa Claus would be in a position to draw the obvious conclusion.

[NMC EXP]

The ISRA (Illinois State Rifle Association) is backing O'Malley, so am I. Anyone associated with the statist (lyin) ryan is tainted. Hell, one of the few democrats I've voted for was ryan's opponent (name escapes me). Don't misunderstand, I am not a republican, it's just that I get few chances to vote for someone outside the duopoly so I'm often left with the lesser of two evils/Hobsen's choice. I almost always vote against incumbents, and vote third (actually second) party whenever possible.

Regards

J.R.