A brief rant on politics...

[Captain Blackout]

This started in a marijuana thread so I will instantly capitulate that I'm on weak ground to begin with. However the basic concept applies to any number of issues and I feel a deep need to rant here before I just go ahead and "take it to the streets."

Most people vote based on their personal opinions. Sometimes those opinions are researched, sometimes they aren't. Either way I'm finding such a method of voting to be complete and utter crap. I can't get good education in my country, my friends can't get married, if only a few people change their minds we'll have abortion as illegal but the hell with taking care of children who are already here. It seems as if no one votes based on the common good. WTF? Are we all so f'ing self-centered that in the end it's about the world we personally want and our own pocketbooks rather than what will make the world better for all of us? Apparently so. Both right and left in this country pull this BS. I would love to see gay marriage but not at the cost of religious organizations being forced to perform ceremonies against their beliefs. Yet this is the way the wind is blowing. I hate Christian fundamentalism when it decides to make me a criminal. On the other hand I've heard of a document that wants to make "religious indoctrination" a form of child abuse for all religions. Never mind that many families find unity and strength through healthy beliefs. So what is it going to take for humanity to honestly start looking out for each other and to set their personal opinions aside when dealing with one another? This is why I fully support the nuns taking over the Catholic Church. Long live the Bene Gesserit, we are clearly too f'ed up to try and help take care of each other.

I'm going to go and hunt some green down now, break a law or two, and contemplate whether or not to mock those who don't agree because while I will vote for the next guy in a heartbeat, I refuse to play nice on forums.

 

[NeutralDrow]

K.

 

[GodsOneMistake]

People are selfish greedy bastards that only care about something when it effects them on a personal level. My vast majority of political opinions are based on the common good of man, because thats just what kind of person i am.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Okay were to start.

Maybe some peoples opinion on the common good is different than yours

Some poeople might belive gay marrige is not good. They may belive that gays are immoral and it would be better if we didnt have gays

Unfortunatly thats how they feel so don't be mad at them


Also, steal me a new tv, if you have time that is

 

[Captain Blackout]

Okay were to start.

Maybe some peoples opinion on the common good is different than yours

Some poeople might belive gay marrige is not good. They may belive that gays are immoral and it would be better if we didnt have gays

Unfortunatly thats how they feel so don't be mad at them


Also, steal me a new tv, if you have time that is

Christian politics in this country center on the following premise: Only Christians deserve to live peaceful prosperous lives, the hell with everyone else. Brilliant, except that isn't what Jesus taught at all. The whole concept started on an imperial level with Constantine. Basically after years of oppression Christianity rose to power in Rome and started oppressing everyone else. In early America slaves were not allowed their own religions. The very people who came here to escape religious persecution began practicing it against everyone else. Native tribes lost their practices to the past because in some cases they got stomped out. So here we are today where close to half this country believes they have the right to dictate to everyone else how to live and the hell with the consequences. It doesn't matter if one thinks we'd be better without gays. They exist, always have existed, always will exist. Rather than looking to their own idol for real guidance they fall back onto the very rules he preached against. This isn't looking out for the common good, it's co-opting Jesus' name to support a narrow view of how to live. I'm calling BS on it and I'm mad as hell.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Okay were to start.

Maybe some peoples opinion on the common good is different than yours

Some poeople might belive gay marrige is not good. They may belive that gays are immoral and it would be better if we didnt have gays

Unfortunatly thats how they feel so don't be mad at them


Also, steal me a new tv, if you have time that is

Christian politics in this country center on the following premise: Only Christians deserve to live peaceful prosperous lives, the hell with everyone else. Brilliant, except that isn't what Jesus taught at all. The whole concept started on an imperial level with Constantine. Basically after years of oppression Christianity rose to power in Rome and started oppressing everyone else. In early America slaves were not allowed their own religions. The very people who came here to escape religious persecution began practicing it against everyone else. Native tribes lost their practices to the past because in some cases they got stomped out. So here we are today where close to half this country believes they have the right to dictate to everyone else how to live and the hell with the consequences. It doesn't matter if one thinks we'd be better without gays. They exist, always have existed, always will exist. Rather than looking to their own idol for real guidance they fall back onto the very rules he preached against. This isn't looking out for the common good, it's co-opting Jesus' name to support a narrow view of how to live. I'm calling BS on it and I'm mad as hell.

Yea but its not like every christian does this, just like you cant blame the American people for its goverments actions you shouldn't be allowed to blame christians for decissions made by those who there used to listening too

 

[Captain Blackout]

When the "moral majority" takes over a major party and begins running as much of the politics to their own benefit as possible I can blame Christians in general. The government is supposed to be a government of the people - all the people. I can certainly blame the populace for the actions of the government. We have one party that has moved so far to the right as to institutionalize corruption. We have another party that in an attempt to gather as many followers as possible that it has become riddled with open corruption and incompetence. All in the name of winning the next election. As Obama put it in his speech/press conference tonight: Why can't we put aside the political games for just one year and focus on the problems at hand. The answer: Because almost no one really wants to. The vast majority are only interested in pushing ahead their own often misbegotten agendas to the detriment of the whole. Christians are supposed to be the servants of the greater community. That simply doesn't exist. Certainly they have their charities and whatnot. It's a scattershot approach and does not to solve the underlying challenges. So, on one side of me are atheists calling me a fool for believing in God and on the other side are Christians calling me a heretic for being a Taoist Christian. At this point I find myself flying a middle finger in one direction and the other in the opposite direction saying the hell with all of you. I've been a pirate of one sort or another for a long time and I'm thoroughly convinced I need to continue being one in order to take care of those I can to the best of my ability.

For the record I recently started attending church again, this time Universalist Unitarian. I plan on using the opportunities there to build and refine my own philosophies in an attempt to begin creating a consensus based on real compassion. I may be a misanthrope but I'm a moral one who is motivated by his beliefs for the common good.

 

[jim_doki]

and who, prey, are you to determine the Greater Good? People who do things under the guise of the greater good:
Hitler
Dr Doom.

Now while I agree with you in a lot of the issues you brought up and would vote in many of the ways you suggested, one of the problems with Democracy is that Majority Rules. Whatever people think will help them the most, people vote for. This is why better education about the issues is needed

 

[DalekJaas]

I take it your talking about US. Yes it is a ridiculous place.

 

[Alex_P]

I would love to see gay marriage but not at the cost of religious organizations being forced to perform ceremonies against their beliefs.

In that case, you're worried about nothing [http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2009/04/one-cheer-for-fred-phelps.html].

-- Alex

 

[Captain Blackout]

/facepalm

That ad by NOM was horrible. As in horribly stupid. I can make their case better for them.

On the other hand, threats have been made by same-sex couples to sue churches who refuse to perform ceremonies. WTF? How stupid of a threat is that? For the most part same-sex couples strike me as the most sane groups around but even they aren't exempt from agenda pushing crapola. I also now want to shoot whoever wrote the following article. I never wanted to have a reason for the existence of Westboro Baptist Church. AIGH!

@Jim Doki:
Dr. Doom is one of my heroes. I'm not talking about putting forth a dictator to determine greater good. I asking people to look beyond their own interests when they vote. Yes, that would require education about issues. That requires education. That requires voting for better education in this country. Oops plan fell apart. Back to piracy for me.

 

[SeleneRose]

the common good is a myth
you're living in a capitalist liberal democracy, and you're expecting common good?
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO
This ain't sweden

 

[Fightgarr]

I always find it funny when people say: "I can't get a good education" because its effectively synonymous to "I'm stupid". Honestly, if you can't "get a good education" from your government, do fucking research and become educated. Why should your government have to shove every fact down your throat instead of you just taking some fucking initiative. Stop whining, everything is based on personal opinions. Would you rather we all worked as mindless drones for the overlord so he can make decisions based on what's good for all? People look out for themselves. Its called survival, its been happening since life began and it damn sure will continue to happen. You also realize that this rant is personal opinion and may not be for the 'common good' of out community right?
Frankly the only thing that would be for the 'common good' right now would be to eliminate about half the population of the world. Most problems are inherent to over-population.

 

[Yegargeburble]

I would love to see gay marriage but not at the cost of religious organizations being forced to perform ceremonies against their beliefs.

In that case, you're worried about nothing [http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2009/04/one-cheer-for-fred-phelps.html].

-- Alex

That video hurts my brain...how exactly does gay marriage change these people's way of life? I know it wouldn't change mine, or the lives of anyone I know. I do love their choice of words on their website, though..."legal same-sex marriage regimes."

If this organization is a joke, please tell me...I cannot tell if it is.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

I think your original post might represent the realization after years of indoctrination that Democracy is the enemy of Liberty. It's why we once had a Republic.

 

[SeleneRose]

we still kinda do

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

I always find it funny when people say: "I can't get a good education" because its effectively synonymous to "I'm stupid". Honestly, if you can't "get a good education" from your government, do fucking research and become educated. Why should your government have to shove every fact down your throat instead of you just taking some fucking initiative. Stop whining, everything is based on personal opinions. Would you rather we all worked as mindless drones for the overlord so he can make decisions based on what's good for all? People look out for themselves. Its called survival, its been happening since life began and it damn sure will continue to happen. You also realize that this rant is personal opinion and may not be for the 'common good' of out community right?
Frankly the only thing that would be for the 'common good' right now would be to eliminate about half the population of the world. Most problems are inherent to over-population.

I suppose a strong case could be made for that.
On the other hand, we must be careful to distinguish academic recognition from education. If the two are ever related, I feel sure it must be by complete incident.

 

[Captain Blackout]

I always find it funny when people say: "I can't get a good education" because its effectively synonymous to "I'm stupid". Honestly, if you can't "get a good education" from your government, do fucking research and become educated. Why should your government have to shove every fact down your throat instead of you just taking some fucking initiative. Stop whining, everything is based on personal opinions. Would you rather we all worked as mindless drones for the overlord so he can make decisions based on what's good for all? People look out for themselves. Its called survival, its been happening since life began and it damn sure will continue to happen. You also realize that this rant is personal opinion and may not be for the 'common good' of out community right? Frankly the only thing that would be for the 'common good' right now would be to eliminate about half the population of the world. Most problems are inherent to over-population.

I didn't say "I can't get a good education," I said "I can't get good education in my country..." Learn to read before you call someone else stupid. I am very well educated, much of it gained on my own. I have two children in the public school system. My wife and I had to home school one for a while because public education was going to let this kid fall through the cracks completely. What country decides it's a good idea to NOT fully educate it's citizens? That's how you get mindless drones. I'm asking for people to think of the next guy over when they vote and look beyond their own opinions. I guess asking you to think of anyone other than yourself would be a bit much since you advocate mass murder in the part of your post you whited out.

I hate to be some kind of a riot inciter, but blame religion. Seriously. And I don't mean the nice quiet types. They're part of the problem on the bigger picture, but the loud extremists are the worst.

If you go back and read all of my posts on this thread, you'll see where and how I precisely put the blame on Christians in my country. Not just them but as a Christian I'm deeply offended by what most of them have done in the last 1500 years.

*snip*

Well that was quite the handful of trolling. I'll keep my response much shorter:
It's not about my education, it's about the education of everyone around me. I've got my education already. I'd like to others get theirs and I know for certain public schools in my country can do far better than they do.
Marriage sucks if you aren't willing to work to make it not suck.
What I think is good is one thing. What I'm willing to vote for is another. Why? Because I vote for the community and not myself.
I put me in charge of judging humanity. I've seen what we're capable of and what we're currently doing. The difference is vast.
Yes I am a cynical misanthrope and vocal about it. It keeps me sane (relatively speaking.) On the other hand I still do my best to make a difference. I've taken on numerous kids to help them by tutoring them in school, helping them learn how to take care of themselves, just listening to them, etc. etc. etc. There are other things but I feel no need to list anything more than a little bit. I will add I just had one kid call me today. He's not my biological or adoptive son but he considers me his father because I was there when no one else was. He's now working very hard on his own future and consider me and what I did for him an integral reason why his life is working out the way he wants it to.
I had some things to say about pot but this thread isn't about pot. In order to keep this from getting any longer I'll just say you have no clue what you're talking about given you don't know anything about my habit, my reasons for it, and how I deal with it so that I don't support violence. I will say I won't be seeing the inside of a jail anytime soon because as an aging pirate I've gotten damn good at my job.

 

[jasoncyrus]

See this is what happens when you let religious fanatics rule your country. I honestly don't see how anyone can be a christian these days. The whole religion just has such a massive bad reputation right now.

 

[Captain Blackout]

See this is what happens when you let religious fanatics rule your country. I honestly don't see how anyone can be a christian these days. The whole religion just has such a massive bad reputation right now.

I wish it was just them. I could deal with that. Unfortunately the democratic non-religious governor of the state I live in completely destroyed the state budget and then tried to balance it by making massive cuts to education and healthcare in order to protect said governor's pet projects. F'ing brilliant.