Freedom

On abortion and freedom

/ hsoi

I was reading this article this morning that motivated me to finally write on this matter. But it’s a matter that’s been on my mind for some time. I’m not writing on this being a moral or religious issue for me, but rather an issue of freedom.

You see, I used to believe in being “pro-choice,” and in some regards I still do. There is no eliminating abortion from society, so keeping it safe is better than letting it go illegal. Of course, perhaps if it was illegal it might stave things off, but look at how our “War Against Drugs” is working and you’ll realize that being illegal doesn’t really stop things and instead can create a whole host of other problems. But whereas someone consuming drugs ultimately only affects themselves, abortion does directly affect someone else: that unborn child, even if at the time of the abortion it’s little more than a clump of cells. And thus, I still have a lot of inner debate about the issue. There’s moral conflicts, Libertarian conflicts, legal issues, ideal issues, practical issues….

But one thing I can see clearly is infringement upon freedom: this so-called “Freedom of Choice Act”. I fail to see where there’s any freedom of choice. If a doctor is forced to give an abortion on-demand, where is there any freedom of choice for that doctor? If a hospital is forced to provide services that go against their moral and religious backing (many hospitals have religious affiliation) and if they refuse to provide abortion services they lose Federal money and thus can no longer operate and serve the greater community… where is the freedom of choice in that, not only for the hospital but for the larger community now without a hospital? If you as a taxpayer now must fund an activity you find wrong, because you cannot choose to not pay your taxes nor how your tax money is spent, where is the freedom of choice in that?

Freedom is something we must give to others if we wish it for ourselves.

To take freedom from one to allow freedom for another, that is not true freedom. To force one against their moral grain for the benefit of another, that is not true freedom. To force one to subsidize another, that is not freedom. To use the force of law to inflict your beliefs upon the entire nation, that is not freedom. To grow the power of government, to allow it more control over my body, my conscience, my life, that is not freedom.

Folks, if you really want freedom of choice, make sure that what you work for will truly provide that. No, it won’t be easy, no it won’t be something quick to come up with, and yes we must come to accept that the choices of some may not be the same choices we would make for ourselves but those choices are theirs to make and they will receive the consequences (good or bad) of their choices. Freedom does require you to think and act self-less-ly, not selfishly. If you really want to live in world where you are free to choose in whatever you think, say, or do, make sure your efforts ensure others — especially those that stand in opposition to you — remain free as well. Anything less is not true freedom.

Keepin’ on

/ hsoi

I’ve always found Xavier’s blog to be filled with good stuff… one of the better blogs overall out there.

Yesterday he writes about “On Keeping On Keeping On” and I have to agree with him. One reason I became an NRA Certified Instructor was to help people learn about firearms. I changed, I know others can too. It’s difficult to preach change to a large group and expect change to happen, but working one-on-one with folks you can speak directly to their needs, address their concerns. I won’t lie, I don’t bullshit; honesty is the only way to go about things. I’ll do my best to avoid politics, but there’s inheriently a political component to this. Still, by going one-on-one you can gauge the audience and tailor the message best (e.g. you can avoid politics unless asked; if they’re for sport, you can go that route; if they’re for self-defense you can go that route; etc.). If at the end of it all they’re not going to “see it my way” that’s ok… at least if they were willing to engage in the conversation, and that’s something. That they were willing to let a seed be sown, even if it doesn’t sprout today, maybe it will sometime later.

We cannot hold a grudge. We cannot let our anger be our driving force, especially if it closes us off. Not only does that make us look bad, but it won’t help bring new people into the fold. Think about it. If a sheep sees an angry dog bearing big teeth, it doesn’t matter if that angry dog is a wolf or a sheepdog — it’s still a big predator with teeth that the sheep is going to be afraid of and avoid. So you sheepdogs, think about how to win the trust of those sheep. How to better present yourself, how to better and honestly gain their trust and realize that we’re The Good Guys. And perhaps, just perhaps, be able to teach those sheep how to show some teeth as well.

And so it begins

/ hsoi / 5 Comments

The chOsen One claimed he wasn’t going to take our guns, that he wasn’t going to tread on our Second Amendment guaranteed but God-given freedom. I knew he lied then, his “change.gov” policies made it clear he lied, and now they’re trying to gain momentum by claiming it’s for the good of stoping drugs and violence in Mexico. Read about it here, and here, and here, and here.

This is dangerous waters Mr. Obama and the Democrat-controlled Congress are treading into. With history of the previous AWB, basically the Congress got a major housecleaning after 1994. Bill Clinton even acknowledges losses were due to the passing of the AWB. If Mr. Obama wishes to have a long legacy, this is not the route to take.

 

Updated: and here. and good stuff here. and more here.

Updated 2: Seems Pelosi is saying no. (h/t to SayUncle). Sounds like someone knows she’ll be looking for a new job if she even thinks about going there. Still, it’s quite evident such things are on the mind of this President, Adminstration, and Congress… we must remain vigilant.

Weird ending to the Apple Shareholders Meeting

/ hsoi

I’ve been using Apple computers since I was a kid, so I’ve a bit of a soft spot for the company. I just read about their shareholder meeting and the interesting ending to the meeting.

Ah, the Parent’s Television Council. Y’know, I don’t necessarily have fault with what they do because they’ve got every right to do so — they’re welcome to speak their mind, they’re welcome to busy themselves however they see fit. What gets me about them is if they’re all about helping parents well… why aren’t they helping the parents actually be parents? And can we trust their information is objective?

If you don’t like what you’re kids are watching on TV, be the parent and turn the TV off.

If you don’t know what you’re kids are watching, you should sit down and preview it before you allow them to watch it or at least watch it with them. Discuss it with your kids. If it doesn’t mesh, it’s off limits. If it does mesh, still revisit the program now and again because 1 episode may not be enough to get a proper picture and/or the show can evolve over time.

If you don’t know what your kids are watching, why don’t you get a little more involved in their lives and find out? If it’s because they’ve got a TV in their room, why do they have the TV in their room? Take it out.

Who is in control here? the parents? or the kids? Far too often problems are because the kids are in control and the parent gives up their control. Parents, you are not your child’s friend, you are their parent. Act like it.

Always turning to someone else for opinion about what you should do. Can you not think for yourself? Is your moral compass in lock step with these others? What else can they start to feed you that you’ll blindly accept?

Look… the world is filled with people of all ages, mostly adults. Do I think television (and the world) needs to be sanitized for children? Nope. All the things we’re supposed to be doing for our children is preparing them for “the real world”, for being an adult, for learning how to deal and cope and survive and thrive on their own. To sanitize everything to “keep them safe” does them no long-term good. Better to give them the skills to cope, the morals to know right from wrong, the ability and courage to say “hey, this isn’t the sort of show I should be watching… I’ll change the channel or turn the TV off”. The world is full of ugly things, and while there’s something to be said for trying to rid ugly things from the world, you still need to give your children the skills and ability to deal with those ugly things. I’d say that’s even better, since it not only let’s them deal with the ugly, but is putting some beauty into the world as well because a well-adjusted kid is a beautiful thing.

Obama’s speech

/ hsoi

Anthony G. Martin said it well enough about the interesting reasoning within Obama’s speech last night. So, I’ll just let him say it. Click and read.

Updated: Ok, I changed my mind. I’m going through my morning webroll and read this article. It kinda set me off.

He says the economic crisis is one he inherited from Bush. Now I’m no fan of Bush, but last I checked the Presidency had no control over economic matters. That’s the job for Congress, which of course Obama was a part of during the Bush administration. And Obama is on record as voting for all those damn bailouts. So uh…. who helped to create the mess, Mr. Obama? You helped to create that inherited mess.  But maybe this is just showing Obama’s ignorance for the Constitution he’s supposed to be sworn to upholding. I mean, he also believes that government has a role in solving our problems… don’t know where that is in the Constitution, but I guess since he apparently believes it to be the case, then it must be Fact and Truth, right?

Y’know, for all the American families that are having to tighten their belts, most of them are not only reducing their spending but many are also reducing their income. So why is it that the folks in Washington give lip service to reducing their spending, but at the same time just voted to jack up their “income” at the taxpayer expense? If you really want to eliminate all those problems, Mr. Obama, you probably shouldn’t have signed that trillion dollar “stimulus” (go read Anthony Martin’s article above).

Now he’s saying the bank bailout is going to cost more (surprise surprise). So we have to cut spending, but now if Congress has to “do whatever proves necessary”, which just means increase more spending (huh?? which is it?? reduce spending or increase spending?)… which means more borrowing against our grandchildren’s future… which means further tanking the US’s standing in global markets, which means further dollar weakening…. yeah, do whatever’s necessary. Keep flushing the country down the toilet, and continue to use the Constitution as your toilet paper.

*sigh*

People don’t write bullshit, computer’s do.

/ hsoi

Because we all know, inanimate objects do things all by themselves.

We need a ban on computers… it’s the only way to keep our children and Interwebtubes safe, dontchaknow.

Firearm Refresher Course

/ hsoi / 4 Comments

I was sent this today.

“Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not.” — Thomas Jefferson

  1. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.
  2. A gun in the hand is better than a cop on the phone.
  3. Colt: the original point and click interface.
  4. Gun control is not about guns; it’s about control.
  5. If guns are outlawed, can we use swords?
  6. If guns cause crime, then pencils cause misspelled words.
  7. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.
  8. If you don’t know your rights, you don’t have any.
  9. Those who trade liberty for security have neither.
  10. The United States Constitution, ©1791. All Rights Reserved.
  11. What part of “shall not be infringed” do you not understand?
  12. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.
  13. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.
  14. Guns only have two enemies: rust and politicians.
  15. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.
  16. You don’t shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.
  17. 911: government sponsored Dial-A-Prayer.
  18. Assault is a behavior, not a device.
  19. Criminals love gun control; it makes their jobs safer.
  20. If guns cause crime, then matches cause arson.
  21. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.
  22. You have only the rights you are willing to fight for.
  23. Enforce the gun control laws we already have; don’t make more.
  24. When you remove the people’s right to bear arms, you create slaves.
  25. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.

Liberator Online Vol. 14, No. 3 Posted

/ hsoi

The Advocates for Self-Government have posted the February 20, 2009 issue of The Liberator Online.

In this issue you can read about:

  • How the stimulus bill passed with no one reading it.
  • How President Obama broke campaign promises.
  • How House Speaker Nancy Pelosi broke promises.
  • How the ACLU and Amnesty International slam Obama over his policies.
  • How President Obama is raising taxes on the working class.

Once again politicians break promises, once again politicians demonstrate corruptness. And once again the American populace demonstrates their apathy to the situation, accepting that such is how things are. Why should you accept bad things, when with a little work you can have good things?

How to succeed at working from home

/ hsoi / 3 Comments

As a software engineer, I’m fortunate that my job lends to telecommuting. I’ve been doing so in a formal capacity for almost 9 years and dealing with telecommuting in some manner or other for my entire professional career.

Often when people hear I telecommute I get two responses: 1. Wow that’s so cool, I wish I could do that, 2. But I couldn’t do that because of distractions. Do you want to know what I’ve found to be the keys to successful work at home?

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