"Elevate your guns a little lower"

I have been thinking about how to approach this topic, it has been much in the news and, unfortunately for those of us who spend any amount of time in the car, much on the radio. The current voter referendum question about school vouchers has seemingly taken over any and all political talk in the state of Utah. Millions of dollars are being spent on both sides to convince people through 30 seconds of, at best, half-truths and misleading statements. No ones hands are clean, no one on either side will come away from this fight with their integrity fully intact.

Now, I'm not making this post about vouchers themselves, I frankly don't care that much. I don't see it as a big deal on either side, and believe it to mostly be about getting voters to think something is being done, but that is a different argument. No, this post is about political discourse itself. The title is a quote from Andrew Jackson as he led the defenders in the Battle of New Orleans, but it was used in a talk by Elder Robert S Wood in the April '06 general conference. For anyone who doesn't remember this talk, you can catch yourself up here.

The main theme of the talk can be summarized in his statement:

Have we who have taken upon us the name of Christ slipped unknowingly into patterns of slander, evil speaking, and bitter stereotyping? Have personal or partisan or business or religious differences been translated into a kind of demonizing of those of different views? Do we pause to understand the seemingly different positions of others and seek, where possible, common ground?

We hear on the news all the time how the "people of America" are sick of politicians fighting and slinging mud. Do you believe that? I don't. If it were true there would be some sort of consequence for such activities. If it were true that we as a people truly were incensed by the use of insulting rhetoric and blankent generalizations then we wouldn't use them ourselves.

Why do we assume the worst motives and intentions from those who disagree with us? Why is it that we feel that we can have our political opinions, and our religious opinions, and its okay if the way we conduct ourselves in those two lives is completely inconsistent? Why is it that we can become so quickly offended when someone else spells out what our opinions or stances are without asking us, but we are very quick to say, "He must believe _____ because he's a democrat, or he must be corrupt because he's a republican."

As members of the Church, do we assume that people who believe differnt religiously from us are evil or stupid or the avatar of all things dark and unholy? Usually not, we have a desire to share with them what we think is true, to try to show them truth so they can discover it and change. But, if we disagree with someone politically, how often do we try to have a calm, in depth, reasoned discussion of the differences, in an attempt to find truth?

Elder Wood goes on to say this:

On the other hand, we need to raise the level of private and public discourse. We should avoid caricaturing the positions of others, constructing “straw men,” if you will, and casting unwarranted aspersions on their motivations and character. We need, as the Lord counseled, to uphold honest, wise, and good men and women wherever they are found and to recognize that there are “among all sects, parties, and denominations” those who are “kept from the truth [of the gospel] because they know not where to find it.” 11 Would we hide that light because we have entered into the culture of slander, of stereotyping, of giving and seeking offense?

This talk was one of the most enlightening and personally touching talks of this conference, rarely do I remember very specific aspects of conference talks for long periods of time, but this one is still burned into my mind. Its probably because its something I have such a hard time with, I'm stubborn, and more than a little pompous.

It is, however, also one of the things that most bothers me. I have found in the last few years that my interest in all things political has waned quite a bit. I still like discussing political views and current events, but I don't have the drive or desire to follow them as closely as I used to.

I would think, that as you have read this, it has been very easy to see how others really need to follow this counsel and better follow the ideas contained herein, but thats the easy part. Now I would challenge you to actually look at how quick you are to judge others political stances. How often you judge the motives or intentions or righteousness of others political stances.

Remember, both the Dems and the Repugs think that they are the ones who engage in meaningful discourse, while the other resorts to name calling and obstructionism.

Its easy to see it in others, but harder to temper your own responses, especially since so often political things come near closely held beliefs.

This is why the current voucher debate has so sickened me. There is little to no discussion about the actual issue. There are 30 second soundbites about the evils of the idea, or the evils of those supporting the other side. There is condescencion and pandering. Lots of rhetoric and little to no information or attmepts at convincing. Its a sad state.

Love, in word and deed

I feel the urge to post about this subject today. I have, recently, seen so many examples of this profound principle.

As I type, I am sitting listening to General Conference, and Elder Worthlin just finished speaking. His talk was about love, the power that comes through it, the example we recieve from the life of Christ. As he spoke, the ravages of age, and deteriorating health began to take their toll. He began to shake, both in voice and physically. He was struggling to get the words that he had prepared across to those listening. Like a perfectly planned object lesson, from out of the shadow behind the pulpit came Elder Nelson. Standing like a much taller brother, he laid one hand reassuringly on Elder Wirthlin's arm, and placed the other supportively on his back. Tears came to my eyes, as thoughts ran through my head. Here was a doctor, standing behind Elder Wirthlin, a colleague, and an apostle, but perhaps most importantly, this was a man, supporting, reassuring his brother out of love. He remained there, silent, unmoving, until Elder Wirthlin finished his remarks, then helped him to his seat.

What a message it was. The powerful words of Elder Wirthlin resounding that much more with the visual message of love that was displayed. I couldn't help but think of all of the loved ones in my life.

Friends, family, those who mean so much, and make my life so wonderful. I see others displaying and offering love through support of their siblings, willingness to go and do, to help at the drop of a hat. I see the love displayed by men willing to leave their easy life to go enter the hard life of a soldier.

I am a lucky man.

Victim: a word that has lost all meaning.

This will be a longer post. It encompasses current events, politics, and pet peeves.

I wonder if you have all heard about the Jena 6. This should catch you up a bit, in case you have heard nothing. To sum up, seven high school kids jumped another from behind, knocked him unconscious, and beat him while he lay on the ground unconcious. Those facts are not in dispute by anyone. I'd like you to keep that in mind, if you read up other places about this story. The boy that was beaten, and taken to the ER had personally done nothing to any one of the attackers, that is also not in dispute. The seven boys were arrested and charged, the lead instigator was charged as an adult, and charged with attempted murder. A higher court ruled that the boy shouldn't have been tried as an adult, the prosecutor says the reasoning for it was that he had a violent criminal background.

Now, with those facts, note I said facts, I haven't given one ounce of opinion, all above things are fact, and not disputed by anyone, I would love to know why these high schoolers are the new civil rights poster children. Why are Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson marching, proclaiming that this is the new era of civil rights. Now, of course, the easy answer is because those two scumbags have become largely irrelevant and to stay in the public eye, they must stir any pots they come to.

Now, this is not to say that there aren't inequalities in the justice system, they are fairly well documented through studies, even though those studies leave many possible variables for why the disparity is there that isn't racism. I also can't argue that there isn't still racism rampant in the South. I lived there for two years, I saw it first hand. I lived in a town that had a current KKK group. I was 30-40 miles away when James Byrd Jr. was drug to his death behind a truck, sparking one of the biggest KKK rallies in the modern era. I know its there. But this isn't about that.

Stories like this might lead one to believe that this is a story of oppression. Or that it is a fight to free the wrongly accused, or the racially persecuted. One comment at that rally in San Francisco I found particularly telling.

We need to band together, and work together and free the people that are being enslaved in this country,” Keaton said. “Not physical slavery, but the slavery that the system gives us every single day as people of color.

I added the bold. I thought it was interesting, coming from a woman who is currently majoring in psychology, at a state college/university. I guess the system kept her out of Berkely, that must be what she means.

Victimhood has become a disease, a spreading miasma of putrid complacency. Oddly enough, Mother Jones (I know, seriously), had some great insights on this problem here. I particularly liked this here.

The 1960s Civil Rights Movement had to be about what whites were doing to us. Any modern movement needs to be focused inward, on what blacks are doing to themselves or what we're failing to pragmatically respond to.

If you want to stick it to the man, let's police our own neighborhoods. Let's snitch. A lot. Let's make our schools so good they're suing us to get in. Let's take care of ourselves and outlive the bastards. Let's stop using corporal punishment as our primary means of child discipline, limit their TV time and read to them every night. Any one of these will do more for us than a thousand Jenas.

I liked this quote, not because its like, "yeah, you guys fix your own problems", but because almost all of the advice is good for everyone. On the other hand I also saw in this quote proof of the problem. Continued division, and continued hatred. I mean really, it doesn't say take care of ourselves, so we can live long lives and enjoy our families, no, it says, take care, so we can 'outlive the bastards'. Its sad, in its own denunciation of victimhood, it perpetuates the idea.

Should people be involved to get rid of racism in themselves, and in the society as a whole? Absolutely. Should people be involved, and decry injustice when they see it? Without a doubt, and without a doubt, it is there, in many forms. However, lets be very, very clear on the 'Jena 6'. There was only one victim in that entire story, he wasn't a victim because of his color, he wasn't a victim because of society, he wasn't a victim for any other reason than 7 guys decided to beat the crap out of him, jumped him from behind, beat him into unconsiousness, and kicked him as he lay on the ground.

Those actions aren't anything but criminal, and if justice truly prevails in this case, Mychal Bell will, at the least, spend the next 5 years in juvenile custody.

"Studies Show"....whatever

I am sick of all the stuff that "studies show". First off, I don't buy that most of those studies have ever been done. Secondly, a lot of those studies have zero chance of having used good substantiatable scientific method. Case in point.

SIDS. Clearly this is a serious problem, 500 deaths per year, and no one has any idea what causes it. However, this has not stopped lots of people from making claims, and putting out very forceful warnings about what responsible parents should do. Many are very common sense, one is a huge pet peeve of mine. I'll quote from a SIDS website,

Always place babies on their BACK at nap and nighttime. Side and tummy sleep positions are not safe choices.

Sounds very definitive doesn't it. I am sure there is verifiable evidence that this is a true statement, after all, the association of pediatrics endorses this position, right? Yeah, try finding one piece of backing for this argument. Here's one gem, from the same website, that explains why they should sleep on their back.

As human beings, when we exhale we exhale carbon dioxide or“bad air.” This is normal – we all do it! But when a baby sleeps on its tummy, or there is soft, fluffy or loose bedding or other objects in their sleep area, that carbon dioxide can build up around their head and face.

Okay, so lets put some common sense to this. The fluffy, loose bedding thing makes sense, as it could trap carbon dioxide, totally believable. Now, take away any obstructions, no fluffy, loose, or soft bedding. How in the world will sleeping on the tummy cause carbon dioxide to pool around the face? How does that even make sense?

This page I found particularly ironic. It not only lists several big problems associated with back sleeping (which it tries to downplay as very unimportant), AND it lists benefits of what it calls "tummy time". Health benefits the baby needs, since it can't develop those muscles and abilities because the baby never sleeps on its tummy.

So, why is SIDs such a pet peeve of mine. Because it is a health risk, that no one understands, no one can put any ACTUAL finger on what causes it, or why it happens. Theories are constantly being debunked (like toxic gases from flame retardent mattresses). And yet, if you go to a pediatrician in this day and age, you are grilled and guilted about the loving responsible parent puts their baby on its back.

Well, guess what. My mom had seven kids, belly sleepers, my mother-in-law had seven kids, belly sleepers. We are on our third, belly sleepers. They sleep better, the are less fussy, they sleep through the night quicker, they don't have to wear the football helmets because their head is flattened, etc.

Fake science, perpetuated by scare tactics, that have no relation to common sense, shouldn't be pawned off as responsible parenting.

Hiro is Back

So, last night was the season premiere of Heroes. I love that show. Its one that both Alisa and I can watch, and agree that it is cool. If you haven't seen it, you should really watch it, or you should get last season on DVD and watch that, plus start watching this season. Mondays at 8, channel 5.

Oh, and on a side note, I put Rebecca (our new baby) on her stomach to sleep last night, slept for six hours straight without waking up screaming, thus Alisa got a lot more sleep. Its great.

Death of an artist

Sadly, yesterday, I heard of the death of my favorite author Robert Jordan. While, I am sure, he will never be discussed by the intelligentsia in any graduate level literature class, he was a master at storytelling. His words made a world rich with detail come alive. Unfortunately for his adoring fans, his final book, the culmination of a huge series, has not been completed.

There are of course rumors about its completion, etc., but for now, all I know, is that the world of literature has lost a genius. A man who was better able to fill a world with intense detail than anyone since Tolkien.

As anyone who knows me well has seen, I adore his books (owning them in both hardback and paperback). His death is quite a loss.

The Maiden Voyage

So, I have read blogs for years now, mostly following the exciting adventures of a buddy in D.C. (the adventures weren't so exciting, but it was something to read). I post constantly on the blogs I read, but have only ever been a part of a blog once, for a very short time.

I like the idea of putting down my thoughts and opinions, but for various reasons haven't ever started a blog myself. Whether thats because I want discussion, and think no one will post, or care, or whether its because I'm lazy, I can't decide.

Anyway. I have decided I don't care, I don't have a great outlet to rant about political things right now. The office isn't a good idea, and a lot of people just aren't into politics that much. But its not just politics I plan on writing about, frankly my own interest wanes now and again. Anything that catches my attention, that I have something to say on. Things I find neat, or annoying. Stuff I like, or dislike.

Oh, and as for the title. I am a self-professed geek. I like online gaming, I love fantasy novels, if I had an opportunity, and the group wasn't too wierd, I would be totally down with playing D&D.

So, there you go. Not the most auspicious beginning, but, my point is not to impress.