Excerpts from Our Title of Liberty: Latter-Day Politics for Latter-Day Saints
Author: Michael J. Snider
Beware of Attacks on Motives as Opposed to Actions
As we observe the political discourse of our day we need to hear both sides of every issue. American democracy is founded upon the concept of 'the loyal opposition.' Our history is sprinkled with great debates on the important issues of the day. Disagreement is to be expected, as it is perfectly reasonable that good and well-meaning people will disagree on any number of topics. However, it's vital that we are able to distinguish a reasoned argument from one designed to direct attention away from the specifics of the opposition's point of view by attacking the opponent.
Snider goes on to quote Reagan (bbhn): 'Any time you and I question the schemes of the do-gooders, we're donounced as being opposed to their humanitarian goals. It seems impossible to legitimately debate their solutions with the assumption that all of us share the desire to help the less fortunate.' Reagan, 1964.
And so it goes. Is it human nature to degrade those with other opinions than ones' own? It appears so. My opinion here is that the so-called do-gooders either have ulterior motives for their words or they don't have a foundation for their arguments except their low self-opinion. The U.S. Constitution allows the most freedoms for individuals in the world. However, I feel (my opinion, based on observation) the country is slowly slipping away from the intent of the Constitution. I agree with certain statements of certain 'do-gooders', in that the U.S. should stop meddling in other countries. Let us become more self-sufficient, let us build up our borders and take care of the house before we fix the neighborhood. In so doing, let's take away our foreign aid and funnel that in-house. Let's demolish the U.N. center in New York, call the whole experience a failure in a nobel experiment, and make it a National Center for Constitutional Studies. Let's create a third party, call it the Constitutionalists, and abolish incumbency in all Branches of government. Those are my answers. All people will be made happy. Excepting maybe the foreigners who will realize they are not so well off as they were before we readopted isolationism. This is my finger to the world.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12
Beware of Attacks on Motives as Opposed to Actions
As we observe the political discourse of our day we need to hear both sides of every issue. American democracy is founded upon the concept of 'the loyal opposition.' Our history is sprinkled with great debates on the important issues of the day. Disagreement is to be expected, as it is perfectly reasonable that good and well-meaning people will disagree on any number of topics. However, it's vital that we are able to distinguish a reasoned argument from one designed to direct attention away from the specifics of the opposition's point of view by attacking the opponent.
Snider goes on to quote Reagan (bbhn): 'Any time you and I question the schemes of the do-gooders, we're donounced as being opposed to their humanitarian goals. It seems impossible to legitimately debate their solutions with the assumption that all of us share the desire to help the less fortunate.' Reagan, 1964.
And so it goes. Is it human nature to degrade those with other opinions than ones' own? It appears so. My opinion here is that the so-called do-gooders either have ulterior motives for their words or they don't have a foundation for their arguments except their low self-opinion. The U.S. Constitution allows the most freedoms for individuals in the world. However, I feel (my opinion, based on observation) the country is slowly slipping away from the intent of the Constitution. I agree with certain statements of certain 'do-gooders', in that the U.S. should stop meddling in other countries. Let us become more self-sufficient, let us build up our borders and take care of the house before we fix the neighborhood. In so doing, let's take away our foreign aid and funnel that in-house. Let's demolish the U.N. center in New York, call the whole experience a failure in a nobel experiment, and make it a National Center for Constitutional Studies. Let's create a third party, call it the Constitutionalists, and abolish incumbency in all Branches of government. Those are my answers. All people will be made happy. Excepting maybe the foreigners who will realize they are not so well off as they were before we readopted isolationism. This is my finger to the world.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12
posted by White Man Retarded at 5:48 AM
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