10 September 2017
Thought of the day
It is sometimes impossible to stay within a box, no matter how comfortable one is.
09 September 2017
The fear mongering, the death threats, it needs to stop NOW!
The internet is at it again, a few things have happened in recent events, where we need some perspective.
a. The DACA repeal
First things first, this was an executive order, not a law that was passed via legislation. So it should come as zero surprise that someone would decide that this order wouldn't need a renewal.
I really don't want to hear from either side. There have been times where there have been liberal majorities. They have had plenty of opportunities to change the laws on immigration to make for better fluidity, via the law to allow for more people to come in, or what not. There have been plenty of opportunities to tighten up the laws as well, yet, once again, nothing is done about it. (In short, the political class is using people to obtain power)
I'm not going to sit here and tell you the immigration situation is totally black and white and that there's an easy solution to this. It's kind of a catch 22 because we don't want a situation where people get rewarded for breaking the law (aka amnesty), nor do we want a situation where children who through no fault of their own broke the law are punished either.
Let's be perfectly honest here, some of us do know illegal immigrants, we would not have the audacity within us to call ICE on th em, although we know they are breaking the law by being here. Why? For rather obvious reasons, we don't want anything bad to happen to our friends, I tend to think this is a rather normal reaction, and most of us aren't complete jerks about this.
There are two balancing acts, the person that is moving does have the obligation to follow the laws of wherever they are going, and also the state does have a right to defend itself, and regulate who comes in, and who doesn't come in. (One of the few jobs that is actually allotted to the government to deal with)...It seems to me, that a principle of subsidiarity would work here. Perhaps the local governments should be the ones to deal with these situations. (Well, seeing the competency that is California's government, God help us :p)
There is not going to be a mass deportation of people (we're 20 trillion in the hole, good luck being able to afford anything). Though I'm sure there are abuses of power, in general, these people that are here illegally will be back in limbo. Perhaps there should be a way to fine them a substantial amount, instead of sending them to prison, perhaps there should be a way to create a way for them to work their way in. But those things should be decided by the actual legislative process we have, and not just on presidential fiat (or lack there of).
To those that want the immigration laws changed, great, lovely, go do something about it, encourage congress to do their jobs, for either direction one wants the immigration laws changed.
I'd love to be able to trust the Bishops' on this cause, but I'm afraid their credibility has been far u ndermined by pretty much parroting various liberal talking points over the decades. (That, and this issue is a matter of prudential judgement and does not require our assent)
I'm of the mind that we have processes to get things done, let's get them done instead of throwing around fear like a bunch of nutcases.
b. Assassination threats against Trump
I'm not necessarily Trump's biggest fan, nor am I actively saying I hate the guy either. He's the president, and it is what it is. Just because he says something doesn't make it the root of all evil, nore just because he does something I don't like mean that we have to wish him death either.
It's rather embarrassing that people think that the president actually has a ton of power. Some of Trump's executive orders were put on a stay, or an injunction. If he was a dictator, these things wouldn't happen. Congress has more power than the president (as they actually write the laws), let's get to the heart of the matter, shall we...
Would any of you appreciate a death threat against anyone you love or care about? Of course not! Death threats against Obama were just as wrong as they are against Trump. 2020 is the chance to vote anew. (And the first year I'll be eligible for president by the way ;))....It's fine to disagree with the president, it's fine to think he's the devil incarnate (though I've met the devil incarnate, and I must say, she's down right evil ;)), but it's not okay to wish him dead. I don't care whether you're joking about it, stop, no more, Vote in congressmen that will support your agenda (whatever it is.....or better yet, get involved)....They say if we want a job done well, we should do it ourselves, I hardly disagree....I'm not even going to sit here and say that I've been perfect, and haven't wished certain things to happen to certain people.....but I often say, sometimes when there are threats of this nature, it's because of a severe pain that a person caused. Force is proportional to inverse square of the distance. A guy in Washington DC should not be able to cause one life destroying trauma.
It is, however, legit to pray that his time be short and another take his office (Ps 108, 9), but I probably feel more that way towards certain bishops, rather than the president. Perhaps it's better to pray for an early retirement :p....
c. Hurricane Irma
May everyone stay safe, regardless of who one voted for, and I pray that there be no casualties at all.
Now that I've said that, enough wishing damage on people's homes and things like that, seriously, have a heart and pray for their safety. It'd be like effectively wishing a 10.0 earthquake strike right smack dab in the middle of Sacramento because the California government is absolutely nuts. They're nuts, I don't say otherwise, but I'd say that everyone needs pink slips in the government, and term limits need to be installed as soon as possible.
Call me a strange soul, but I don't think that we should be praying people's lives get up ended by a natural disaster.
d. A culture of jealousy, envy, and victimhood
Why do we want other peoples' stuff? Why do we act so envious and what people have worked hard to get? Who do we wish to steal from those who have worked hard to obtain what they have? Is it not a commandment not to covet thy neighbours goods? Any charity that is done by coercion is no longer charity, but rather theft. There are many that don't want people to know of the things that they do for charity in private. A gift should be exactly that, a gift, not forced from someone else's hands. It's almost as if we're a culture of victims that woe is me, Oh my goodness, life has dealt me a bad hand, must be person x's fault, must be the *insert buzzword here*. I'll straight out say that life hasn't been very kind to me in many different ways, but that doesn't mean I go run to blame others, make every one guilty for the sins of a few people, absolutely not! This isn't to say bad things don't happen, but we can't let the things that have gone wrong for us, define who we are, or rather define everything else. I'm not going to sit and say we can't let these things affect us\ because these kinds of things change us permanently, but we can't drown in our own sorrows or the failures of others.
I pray for mercy, because, boy oh boy do we need it.
a. The DACA repeal
First things first, this was an executive order, not a law that was passed via legislation. So it should come as zero surprise that someone would decide that this order wouldn't need a renewal.
I really don't want to hear from either side. There have been times where there have been liberal majorities. They have had plenty of opportunities to change the laws on immigration to make for better fluidity, via the law to allow for more people to come in, or what not. There have been plenty of opportunities to tighten up the laws as well, yet, once again, nothing is done about it. (In short, the political class is using people to obtain power)
I'm not going to sit here and tell you the immigration situation is totally black and white and that there's an easy solution to this. It's kind of a catch 22 because we don't want a situation where people get rewarded for breaking the law (aka amnesty), nor do we want a situation where children who through no fault of their own broke the law are punished either.
Let's be perfectly honest here, some of us do know illegal immigrants, we would not have the audacity within us to call ICE on th em, although we know they are breaking the law by being here. Why? For rather obvious reasons, we don't want anything bad to happen to our friends, I tend to think this is a rather normal reaction, and most of us aren't complete jerks about this.
There are two balancing acts, the person that is moving does have the obligation to follow the laws of wherever they are going, and also the state does have a right to defend itself, and regulate who comes in, and who doesn't come in. (One of the few jobs that is actually allotted to the government to deal with)...It seems to me, that a principle of subsidiarity would work here. Perhaps the local governments should be the ones to deal with these situations. (Well, seeing the competency that is California's government, God help us :p)
There is not going to be a mass deportation of people (we're 20 trillion in the hole, good luck being able to afford anything). Though I'm sure there are abuses of power, in general, these people that are here illegally will be back in limbo. Perhaps there should be a way to fine them a substantial amount, instead of sending them to prison, perhaps there should be a way to create a way for them to work their way in. But those things should be decided by the actual legislative process we have, and not just on presidential fiat (or lack there of).
To those that want the immigration laws changed, great, lovely, go do something about it, encourage congress to do their jobs, for either direction one wants the immigration laws changed.
I'd love to be able to trust the Bishops' on this cause, but I'm afraid their credibility has been far u ndermined by pretty much parroting various liberal talking points over the decades. (That, and this issue is a matter of prudential judgement and does not require our assent)
I'm of the mind that we have processes to get things done, let's get them done instead of throwing around fear like a bunch of nutcases.
b. Assassination threats against Trump
I'm not necessarily Trump's biggest fan, nor am I actively saying I hate the guy either. He's the president, and it is what it is. Just because he says something doesn't make it the root of all evil, nore just because he does something I don't like mean that we have to wish him death either.
It's rather embarrassing that people think that the president actually has a ton of power. Some of Trump's executive orders were put on a stay, or an injunction. If he was a dictator, these things wouldn't happen. Congress has more power than the president (as they actually write the laws), let's get to the heart of the matter, shall we...
Would any of you appreciate a death threat against anyone you love or care about? Of course not! Death threats against Obama were just as wrong as they are against Trump. 2020 is the chance to vote anew. (And the first year I'll be eligible for president by the way ;))....It's fine to disagree with the president, it's fine to think he's the devil incarnate (though I've met the devil incarnate, and I must say, she's down right evil ;)), but it's not okay to wish him dead. I don't care whether you're joking about it, stop, no more, Vote in congressmen that will support your agenda (whatever it is.....or better yet, get involved)....They say if we want a job done well, we should do it ourselves, I hardly disagree....I'm not even going to sit here and say that I've been perfect, and haven't wished certain things to happen to certain people.....but I often say, sometimes when there are threats of this nature, it's because of a severe pain that a person caused. Force is proportional to inverse square of the distance. A guy in Washington DC should not be able to cause one life destroying trauma.
It is, however, legit to pray that his time be short and another take his office (Ps 108, 9), but I probably feel more that way towards certain bishops, rather than the president. Perhaps it's better to pray for an early retirement :p....
c. Hurricane Irma
May everyone stay safe, regardless of who one voted for, and I pray that there be no casualties at all.
Now that I've said that, enough wishing damage on people's homes and things like that, seriously, have a heart and pray for their safety. It'd be like effectively wishing a 10.0 earthquake strike right smack dab in the middle of Sacramento because the California government is absolutely nuts. They're nuts, I don't say otherwise, but I'd say that everyone needs pink slips in the government, and term limits need to be installed as soon as possible.
Call me a strange soul, but I don't think that we should be praying people's lives get up ended by a natural disaster.
d. A culture of jealousy, envy, and victimhood
Why do we want other peoples' stuff? Why do we act so envious and what people have worked hard to get? Who do we wish to steal from those who have worked hard to obtain what they have? Is it not a commandment not to covet thy neighbours goods? Any charity that is done by coercion is no longer charity, but rather theft. There are many that don't want people to know of the things that they do for charity in private. A gift should be exactly that, a gift, not forced from someone else's hands. It's almost as if we're a culture of victims that woe is me, Oh my goodness, life has dealt me a bad hand, must be person x's fault, must be the *insert buzzword here*. I'll straight out say that life hasn't been very kind to me in many different ways, but that doesn't mean I go run to blame others, make every one guilty for the sins of a few people, absolutely not! This isn't to say bad things don't happen, but we can't let the things that have gone wrong for us, define who we are, or rather define everything else. I'm not going to sit and say we can't let these things affect us\ because these kinds of things change us permanently, but we can't drown in our own sorrows or the failures of others.
I pray for mercy, because, boy oh boy do we need it.
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