Thursday, May 20, 2004

The First Pillar - Property Rights

How a society regards private property rights and how they seek to guarantee such rights speaks volumes about that society's regard for the rights of the individual.

Societies that have tried to deny private property rights have a bad history. The pilgrims in this country nearly died from a failed attempt at communal living. So-called "communism" in recent and current times is mostly associated with poverty, repression, famine, and the murder of 100 million people.

Some claim that 'true communism' has never been tried. Well, people have tried to get there, but it seems that communism on any large scale is so contrary to human nature that a society simply can't practice it. Ants and termites, maybe, but not people.

Individual liberty includes the right to assert "This is mine!" in the context of a society that will protect this right.

And if you don't agree with the idea of property rights, don't complain if I bop you on the head and take your wallet and watch. You were just holding them, after all - its not like they were yours.

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

The Three Pillars

I believe that the three fundamental characteristics of a society I would want to live in are found in how it deals with the following three concepts:

I. Property Rights

II. The Rule Of Law

III. Education of the Young

[Yes, derivative of P.j. O'Rourke - don't know where he got it, but he only steals from the best...]

Note that you can have a wide variety of governmental structures that handle all of these admirably - and that no form of government guarantees that any of them will be handled well.

More later...

Sunday, May 16, 2004

Are we at war?

Someone in bible study raised the question of whether we are still at war in Iraq, in a nearly dismissive way.

I think I was able to explain to them that we were indeed still at war, and might well be at war for the next 20 years.

Or, until we surrender to people who think that murdering civilians is viewed favorably by God, and should be rewarded by the state.

All cultures are NOT created equal - this is indeed a cultural conflict, and I want ours to win.

Friday, May 14, 2004

Sometimes I think I'm worth listening to...

Welcome to the new blog - a place for me to comment on what I care about, and a chance to join in the electronic dance.

Conservative or liberal? I like to think my opinions are complex enough that they can't be simulated by a light switch - but feel free to judge for yourself. I do like to joke about being to the right of Ghengis Khan, so that may be a clue...