Commie, Neo-con, Whatever.

Liberal. Conservative.

Right-wing gun nut.

Hippie.

Tea Partier (at best).

Republican. Democrat. Extremist.

"One of those people."

Are we in third grade?

I know that treating people like individuals is just SO... HAAAAARD... but it's what we need.

Maybe I'm just a contrarian. (Category alert!) But topping off broad, stereotypical, media accusations and derision at political meetings, was a recent conversation sprinkled generously with "you're not one of those people, are you?"

What I said: "Yeah, actually, I am."

What I thought:

Rights, Sociability, and Hate

An article linked from Trying to Grok has opened up a whole (long) line of thinking for me. The statement that particularly caught my attention appeared in the author's original op-ed:

I want Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Marxists, Independents and anyone with a halfway decent idea that doesn't incorporate hate.

"That doesn't incorporate hate."

Here's part of my comment at TTG, as a springboard to further thought:

People can have hate, regardless of their political leanings.

But when it comes to ideology, which seems more "hateful":

a) Regardless of your feelings, you may not violate Person X's rights, nor may you join with others to do so in a collective fashion; or

b) Regardless of your feelings or actions, if you have a material or immaterial advantage over Person X, then Person X may individually or collectively violate your rights to eliminate that inequality ?

"Hate."

In this world, there are a number of things we can't force other people to do - eating, sleeping, and potty training among them.

We can't forcibly change someone's opinion, and we can't force others to feel love - or not to feel hate.

We have to figure those things out inside ourselves.

But as a species, that's been hard for us to accept.

This is Interesting

A Trading Floor revolt?

It's about 5 minutes long, but it certainly is interesting to see someone in business openly voice concern about what "our" government is doing... almost as interesting as seeing the reactions of the anchors!

Oh - forgot: h/t Drudge

Update: Finally, an embeddable YouTube video (h/t: Code Monkey):

W00T!!!

Power to the people, people.

Looks like we've been overburdening the phone lines at the Capitol.

Now, I'm not about being angry on the phone - quite the opposite, in fact - but this sort of "telephone offensive" is EXACTLY what we need to have going on.

Keep calling!!! :-)

And on a different note, I wonder whether the infrastructure in the "stimulus" bill provides for an upgrade to the Capitol's phone bank...

Doing My Part

Just doing my part to help as many people understand media anti-gun hype, as I can!

h/t: The Arsenal

Power to the People, Baby!!!

Shoppers stopped and detained an armed shoplifter today in Idaho.

It makes me all giddy!!! I just LOVE it when people feel like they can do something positive.