Friday, March 25, 2005
"We Democrats care deeply about Oregon, and Republicans don't," said Senate President Peter Courtney. "This bonfire will prove once and for all that we are the party of benevolence and humanity, whereas Republicans are heartless and cruel."
Members of both parties have long implicitly agreed that a lawmaker's level of interest in solving a problem can be measured by how much money they are willing to spend on that problem. This new program makes that relationship explicit, said Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown. "By ceremonially burning taxpayer dollars in this bonfire, we will show all Oregonians how much we care. The more we burn, the deeper our passion for nurturing progressive change."
Prior to the bonfire, Democrats had a harder time demonstrating their love for vulnerable people. Previously, expensive and symbolic spending binges were tied to projects and programs, some of which didn't manage to spend all of their money. This sometimes resulted in embarrassing cash balances at the end of the budget cycle, leaving Democrats feeling that their caring had been short-changed.
"When DHS [the Department of Human Services] managed to find over $150 million last year, after swearing they were broke, it really made us feel like we'd failed," said Majority Leader Brown.
Such unexpected non-spending will be a thing of the past with the new Bonfire of Compassion. "We'll burn that money ourselves," vowed Senator Courtney. "No more leftovers. Oregon taxpayers will witness first hand the profound extent of our kindness and generosity."
A Republican amendment to use only Monopoly or "play" money in the bonfire was defeated in a party-line vote. Senator Brown said the failed amendment demonstrated that Republicans are "soft" on social spending. "It's not what you accomplish that matters," said Brown, "it's how much money you burn."
Left-wing Liberal Democrats are creating a new kind of racism in
For racism to exist, one must have two or three players: the oppressed minority, and the oppressive majority, and optionally an enlightened individual or group who identifies and condemns the problem. The oppressed minority must be oppressed on the basis of race. (Rarely, one finds an oppressing minority, as in
American history is stained with racism, and is adorned with the bravery of those who fought to end it.
Today, it seems that the Liberal Democrats, after opposing and even filibustering the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and then redeeming themselves by fighting for equality for many decades, are about to head down a very dangerous path.
Their problem is, having won the war, they want to keep fighting it.
There can be little doubt that the war against anti-black racism is largely won. In entertainment, sports, and every other merit based activity, blacks compete and succeed on a level playing field against whites. Nowhere is there a law that singles out blacks for disadvantageous treatment. Nowhere can a company afford a perception of disparate treatment.
As proof, note that newly arrived black immigrants -- despite the disadvantages of not knowing the language and culture -- succeed economically in
Those who seek out evidence of racism must continually lower the bar. Recently, the taunts of the crowd at a
How can a racist act not be motivated by race? When the racism exists only in the heads of white liberals. To the colorblind students who taunted, they were merely giving as good as they had gotten; the other side had taunted similarly. To the guilt-ridden white liberal, however, blacks can never be equal -- they must always and forever be lesser, be fragile, be needy and protected by brave white liberals.
That is why the liberal white reverse-racists have invented "unintended" racism -- thought crime without the thought -- in order to maintain their own position as saviors of the oppressed.
This is more dangerous than it appears. It keeps a liberal boot on blacks, institutionalizing them as perpetual victims whose rise to equality (and thus independence) cannot be allowed. And it teaches previously colorblind youth that a double standard exists, and that colorblindness will not be tolerated. Dr. King would be appalled.
[1]
Thursday, November 07, 2002
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Thursday, September 05, 2002
(this is the question I answered that got me admitted. deja vu)
Wednesday, September 04, 2002
(1) A parent, guardian or other person entrusted with the care and supervision of a minor or an incompetent person may use reasonable physical force upon such minor or incompetent person when and to the extent the person reasonably believes it necessary to maintain discipline or to promote the welfare of the minor or incompetent person. A teacher may use reasonable physical force upon a student when and to the extent the teacher reasonably believes it necessary to maintain order in the school or classroom or at a school activity or event, whether or not it is held on school property.
(2) An authorized official of a jail, prison or correctional facility may use physical force when and to the extent that the official reasonably believes it necessary to maintain order and discipline or as is authorized by law.
(3) A person responsible for the maintenance of order in a common carrier of passengers, or a person acting under the direction of the person, may use physical force when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes it necessary to maintain order, but the person may use deadly physical force only when the person reasonably believes it necessary to prevent death or serious physical injury.
(4) A person acting under a reasonable belief that another person