Saturday, April 30, 2005

Why we are who we are...

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician,
who has given us the right to vote.

We go, not because we want to, but because we need to!

Wether we believe in the cause or not,
we go uphold the Constitution,
so that EVERYONE will get to keep their freedom.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

Religion...

A religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths.
Sooner or later, such a religion will emerge.

Carl Sagan

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Cats...

They will not go quietly,the cats who've shared our lives.

In subtle ways they let us know their spirit still survives.

Old habits still make us think we hear a meow at the door

Or step back when we drop a tasty morsel on the floor.

Our feet still go around the place the food dish used to be,

And, sometimes, coming home at night we miss them terribly.

And although time may bring new friends and a new food dish to fill,

That one place in our hearts belongs to them...and always will.

--author unknown

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

If a Tree...

If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?

A falling tree creates vibrations in the air (as well as some damage on what it falls on). Vibrations in the carrier medium are not sound. Sound is when someone perceives those vibrations and therefore hears sound.
I hope this makes it perfectly clear and answers the question once and for all. Now on to the chicken or the egg experiment.

Friday, April 01, 2005

A Draft?????

Anyone standing in favor of a draft does not believe in individual rights, or human rights at all, for that matter. A draft, which is brought about because of lack of support for a particular military engagement, requires people who would not normally volunteer for the military to be conscripted. If the person had wanted to be in the military without the draft, and he decided it to be the best option available, that person would already be in the military.
The draft is, by definition, involuntary servitude. Once drafted, should the victim meet all physical requirements, the only way out would be a conscientious objector status – which he must ask permission to receive. This is not a very good argument in favor of the draft being anything other than involuntary, since the ultimate authority on whether a draftee must commit to the fighting machine is not the draftee himself.
Now, suppose we were to start calling a draft by another name for involuntary servitude: slavery. Would all of those writing in favor of the draft be willing to concede that, in order to stop the nation building going on today, we need everyone to pitch in and advocate slavery? With its nationalist appeal and media coverage, the draft is really just slavery all dressed up for the prom. It is nothing more. Involuntary servitude is not consistent with libertarian ideals. It is also not consistent with inviolable human rights to build an army of conscripts. Manufacturing slaves to spread ideals seems like a compromising position.
It would seem that, to advocate a draft, would be to violate any principles one has claiming inviolable human rights.