[Rhodes22-list] You can believe it, Ed (political)

[Robert Skinner]

Surprised me too, Ben, when I figured it out a while ago.
A whole new world of ideas and questions opened up.  It
made my brain hurt, sort of like a workout at the gym
makes the muscles ache.

/Robert

Ben Schultz wrote:
> 
> Wait a second Robert.  You mean it's possible for one to think for
> oneself?  You don't have to pick a team and stick with them no matter
> how much you disagree their thoughts on a particular topic?  Amazing!
> 
> TN Rhodey wrote:
> >
> > Robert,
> >
> > Well said sir!
> >
> > Wally
> >
> >> From: Robert Skinner <robert at squirrelhaven.com>
> >> Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> >> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] You can believe it, Ed (political)
> >> Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:20:30 -0400
> >>
> >> Now, Ed, don't run off the end of the field with the ball.
> >>
> >> While I may be constitutionally and fiscally conservative,
> >> I remain concerned with the less fortunate of my neighbors
> >> and am an advocate of effective social support programs,
> >> ones that do not perpetuate the poverty cycle.
> >>
> >> I proudly support some initiatives that some would call
> >> "liberal", but also advocate a barbed wire necklace for
> >> our elected officials, something we can jerk when they
> >> try to spend our money to buy themselves another term.
> >>
> >> But I also support effective response to threats and
> >> attacks, and by effective I mean closely directed and
> >> clearly defined action with good intelligence behind it.
> >>
> >> I do not support a cowboy-with-a-shotgun-shooting-from-the-hip
> >> approach to international affairs, and I remain mindful
> >> of Eisenhauer's warning about the "military-industrial
> >> complex."
> >>
> >> So it is not correct to assume that I buy all the rhetoric
> >> that you expouse.  I try to recognize and understand what
> >> works woth my ethical structure and avoid that which seems
> >> ill-founded, ineffective, or unjustified.
> >>
> >> Emmerson states: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of
> >> little minds."  I interpret that to mean that someone who
> >> buys the whole Republican (or Democratic) line is not
> >> really exercising their grey cells or moral muscle.
> >>
> >> The mischievous aspect of consistancy is that it tricks one
> >> into thinking that one is thinking.
> >>
> >> In any case, Ed, it seems to me that those who live near
> >> terrorists or other delinquents know that their neighbors
> >> are up to no good.  If they also know that the wrath of the
> >> attacked will be visited on them 100-fold, they are likely
> >> to encourage the miscreants to move elsewhere -- or rat
> >> them out.
> >>
> >> /Robert, not in a box.
> >>
> >> Britanica:
> >>
> >> Main Entry: hob·gob·lin  Pronunciation: 'häb-"gäb-l&n
> >> Function: noun: a mischievous goblin
> >>
> >> Main Entry: gob·lin  Pronunciation: 'gäb-l&n
> >> Function: noun:   an ugly or grotesque sprite that is
> >> mischievous and sometimes evil and malicious
> >> -----------------------------------------------------------
> >>
> >> Tootle wrote:
> >> >
> >> > Brad,
> >> >      The last few years, at least since he moved north, Bob has
> >> been aligned
> >> > with the liberals.  Now he makes this reply.  Simply amazing.  Who
> >> would
> >> > have ever imagined.  It must no longer be a haven.
> >> >
> >> > Ed K
> >> > Greenville, SC, USA
> >> >
> >> > Robert Skinner wrote:
> >> > >
> >> > > Brad Haslett wrote:
> >> > >> Philip,
> >> > >> You are getting very close to the real issue...
> >> > >> Let's say out of a billion Muslims (to keep the math simple) 990
> >> million
> >> > >> are
> >> > >> more interested in getting a decent meal, housing, and education
> >> for
> >> > >> their
> >> > >> kids...
> >> > > -------------------------------------------------------
> >> > >
> >> > > Unfortunately, that leaves 10 million whackos.
> >> > > Blowing them to perdition is the only education
> >> > > that would be effective.
> >> > >
> >> > > But 10M deaths could also be regarded as genocide.
> >> > >
> >> > > Hmmm...  Is it genocide to wipe out 0.1% of all the
> >> > > cockroaches in the world?
> >> > >
> >> > > As an enlightened former Marine, I have no trouble
> >> > > with this, but there aren't a lot of us around,
> >> > > and somehow, I don't expect the UN to take action.
> >> > >
> >> > > The proper response may be to inflict 100 times as
> >> > > many casualties as we have suffered in any specific
> >> > > incident on the most obvious supporters of
> >> > > terrorist activity, immediately, wherever we find
> >> > > them.  We'd have a hit list handy.  90% collateral
> >> > > damage would be acceptable.
> >> > >
> >> > > Now, who wants to be anywhere near a terrorist
> >> > > cell?  Would terrorist leaders want to sacrifice
> >> > > themselves to promote their program?  Seems that
> >> > > they send boys and girls to do their dirty work.
> >> > >
> >> > > Just an idea...
> >> > >
> >> > > /Robert Skinner