Things in the News

It is time to take a break from my long series of autobiographical posts.  A lot has happened in the last six months, and there are many topics to examine.

 

Robin Williams’ suicide has sparked a very interesting debate about the role of mental illness in our lives.  It has given tangible shape to a debate that has been going on for a long time.  Are people responsible for their actions?  Some claim that his suicide “happened to him” as a result of his chronic depression, while others focus on the fact that each step, including the last one, is a conscious choice.  And people are responsible for the choices that they make?

Taking responsibility for one’s self and their actions is fundamental to having a free society, so it should be clear where my perspective falls.  If people are no longer responsible for the results of their own decisions, they are no longer free.  Among other reasons, this is why you can’t have socialized healthcare in a free country.  It automatically ceases to be free.  Once government controls your health, what else do they need to control you?  If they control you, where is the freedom?

 

In another government control related story, the Ferguson issue seems to be winding down, but got a lot of press over the last few weeks.  The lasting effects I am most interested in, are the impact that it has on the over arming of our police forces.  I have been concerned for a while about the fact that Homeland Security has been providing all sorts of high-end military weapons and armored vehicles to police forces across the country.  Hopefully the outrage over the recent misuse of that equipment will be strong enough to cause a review and change in those policies.  "When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."

 

It is fortunate that the conflict in Gaza seems to be calming down as well.  There was no clear winner, although all sides walk away unhappy, but claiming a limited victory.  The inhabitants of Gaza were killed by the thousands, while it cost Israel many resources and weapons, and the sense of security among its citizens.  Hamas lost hundreds of soldiers, but doesn't value human life, so that is openly of no consequence with them.  "We know this: without victory, there can be no peace."  Well since the world will not allow victory, there will be no peace there.  The only reason the fighting stopped was because of outside international pressure.  Neither side wanted to stop fighting, but at great cost to civilian life.  There is a reason for this.  "Israel uses its weapons to protect its people, while Hamas uses it people to protect its weapons."  It should be clear who is responsible for civilian deaths in Gaza, and also who benefits from them.

 

So that is not a pretty picture of what has been going on in the world over the last few months, and I haven’t even touched on the biggest issue, ISIS.