THE DEATH OF CONVERSATION

CAPITAL DEATH

The followin' ramble, replete with thought-provokin' questions and comparisons, spun out of a short discussion I had recently with a long-time friend.  I have continued to turn the topic over in my head for for several weeks, which was probably a little too long.  

This is not an examination of Current Law, or our Judicial, Legal, or Prison Systems, but only a purely Philosophical Reflection.  

My apologies in advance- this one circles way, way out and back...

I expect most of us would agree that there are acts so horrific, so unconscionable, that they warrant death for the perpetrator.  Actions so heinous, that only with the Extermination of the Guilty can Justice truly be served. 

It also seems obvious that We have a  Moral Obligation to remove the Predatory Among Us in order to halt their victimization of others.  

But, I still feel somewhat conflicted when it comes to Society decidin' to serve up the Ultimate Punishment.  The Takin' of Life is still just that- the Takin' of Life, regardless of the Justification we apply.  

Not sure it's our place. 

(Wait!  Joe Walsh on the radio...)

"Pow!  Right between the eyes..."

Now, where was I...?

Right!  

So, please don't misinterpret or miss my point.  It's just that this seems like one of those things that doesn't quite fall within Our Scope of Responsibility.

Y'know how certain people, and certain groups of people, favor More Extreme Forms of Punishment in the Name of Justice (or, in the Name of X or Y...) more often, more zealously  than others?  You know 'em- the ones that are quickest to call for Blood, more the Old Testament types of thinkers when it comes to some things.  

I can't help but be curious about that thing, that mechanism, that drives this particular desire.  It can't be simple.  Surely it must be spun out when of a number of things come together: Nuanced, Learned Concepts such as Morality, Justice, Fairness, as well as more Inherent, Primal Concepts like Revenge, Compulsion, even Bloodlust.

At what point does Righteous Indignation turn into Self-Righteous Indignation? Are these two concepts similar, but separate?  Does a point of blending, an overlap, exist between the two?  Or, is there a specific definin' point, a Shared Border, so to speak, where Right and Wrong press solid against one another?  "The Greater Good", "the End justified by the Means", "the Lesser of Two Evils"- is this Gray Area the birthplace of these types of Ambiguous, Self-Serving, Pseudo-Moralistic Concepts?

And, if from a Moral Standpoint, the forfeiture of one's own life is considered at once both just and appropriate payment for the takin' of the life of another, then shouldn't it also be the Responsibility of a Civilized People to punish those who are found guilty of inflictin' Wholesale Injury upon large groups of others as a means to achieve Selfish Goals?  Logic would seem to rule in the affirmative.  

But, in this country, it would appear that we have allowed some kinda Bizarre System to be constructed.  A System in which individuals who intentionally destroy the Health, Livelihood, or even the Lives of Thousands as a result of their relentless, unscrupulous Quest for Personal Gain are all-but-immune from Prosecution, and are sometimes even rewarded for their Crimes, while We, The Masses, clamor incessantly to see the Hand of Justice applied to those Reckless of Action, the Murderous Scorned, the Pathological, and the Mentally and Emotionally Deficient.   A Separate Set of Rules for a Particular Caste of American Citizens.  And yet, we continue to hunger to add Executioner to our List of Duties when it comes to the Obviously Sociopathic.  Just so long as they're not wearin' gold cuff links or sportin' a Rolex.

I reckon we more easily identify with a single or small number of victims plucked from among the Innocent, rather than a group of thousands, or even tens of thousands, that may have fell victim to the Mega-Con of a Master Criminal Investment Banker or Super Villan CEO.  It's just so much more easily processed and personalized.  Easier to put a face on it.  

And we are all just human, and errors in judgement sometimes impact others unintentionally.  Should we develop an algorithm to quantify the impact an individual's misdeeds placed on Society as a Whole?  Should Emotional Distress be quantified, then included as a factor in such a decision?  Is this where we're goin'? Can we just turn victims into statistics?

And, who among us could be considered qualified to assume that responsibility?  Perhaps the same folks that are comfortable Flippin' the Switch, or Settin' the Needle.  Or Tyin' the Noose...?  

A Special Kinda Person, that...

I don't profess to have an answer.  But, if we could all stop for just minute, just a minute, and shut out all the Bullshit and think for ourselves, with minds clear of pre-conceived notions and bias, we might undergo a Change in Perception, and perhaps have a better understandin' of our responsibilities as the Children of Men and realize that with the takin' of Human Life, regardless of our rationale, we are venturin' into the Realm of Responsibility that belongs only to the God we claim  to follow, and have deemed ourselves worthy to make certain decisions in His stead.

Has a select group been designated?  Was there a Grand Decree?  Did I miss it?  In what part of the Book are we granted the Power to Judge, considered wise enough to pass the Ultimate Judgement?

In the World of Man that has spawned the ice-cold phrase "Collateral Damage", I think our Wisdom is wantin'.

Fish~

KING OF AMERICA?

 Well, well, well!  It would seem that Mr. Rand Paul, Diminutive Warrior in the Battle for Smaller Government, (and one-time unofficial spokesperson for a popular water bong), has apparently decided to do everything possible to ensure that, if/when the size of Government begins to shrink, HE be situated in such a way so as to retain some kind of Government position.  

(I reckon the Senator has decided that the short hours, great perks, special attention, and the big salary are too much to his likin' to risk losin', so he's pressed for the rules of the game to be changed.  Somethin' about some cake and eatin' it keeps comin' to mind...)

After Paul recently pressed a group of Fellow Republicans to align themselves with him in respect to this, (after all, he is the designated Straw Poll Savior of the Right, right?), the office of State Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, Republican from Georgetown, was contacted by Paul's office regardin' the introduction of a bill that would change Kentucky State Law and effectively allow Randy to run for President of the United States, while simultaneously runnin' for reelection to his current office.  I'm sure that Mr. Thayer was as giddy as a school girl, havin' been selected as the vessel to introduce the bill that might allow Paul to keep his current gig, should any higher aspirations fail to materialize.  (I can't help but wonder what form the Junior Senator's  "gratitude" towards Mr. Thayer might take...)

http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/3/rand-paul-looking-to-hedge-bet-in-2016-election/

Today, the Spoiled Little Senator from Kentucky is one step closer to realizin' his Dream(s), be it the Big Dream or the Fallback Dream:

http://www.kentucky.com/2014/03/12/3135523/changes-made-to-bill-allowing.html

(Or maybe what Little Rand actually means by Smaller Government is Smaller Politicians, physically and philosophically!)

(Okay!  Okay!  Sorry.  That  one was just too easy...)

Ya know what?  Perhaps the Law in Kentucky should be changed even more drastically, and allow Rand to be automatically added to every ballot and run for every elected position come election time, regardless of overlap or issues of conflict.  He clearly believes a man of his calibre deservin', entitled, to have the Law tailored, customized, to suit his lofty, egomaniacal aspirations, regardless of the realities and eventualities that might work to stifle his Potential Greatness.  Why, that just wouldn't be fair to to America, not to mention the Extreme Fringe Minority of Paul's Party, (that group of oft-distracted, easily controlled buffoons who look to Randy as their Ticket Back to an America That Never Was or Never Should Have Been) or to Paul, their Chosen One, for whom they squeal and clamor with all the Zeal and Fervor of a Fanatical Religious Cult.  Oh, no...  Wait...  Ugh!

Or, should the Kentucky State Lawmakers go even further?  Why should a man, a Patriot, such as Rand Paul be expected to divide his time, energy, and special interest money between two campaigns?  Or, for that matter, even one campaign?  Why not just let 'em pick from the list of State and Federal Government positions?  Who could possibly be more deservin' than he?  He has obviously proven himself to be the Consummate Politician- concerned only with his own Agenda, his own Future, willin' to pander and connive to alter Standin' Law, all in order to ensure his own continued self-promotion.  When can we expect this Absurdity to end?  Can we expect it to end at all?

Are ya catchin' my Sarcasm here?  What about my Disgust?  My Disdain?  Or my Dread?

If you're not pleased with the Potential Outcome of the Game Mr. Paul, then just change the friggin' rules.  After all...  You deserve it.

This is Absolute and Utter Bullshit.  Just like Mr. Paul himself- Absolute and Utter Bullshit.  And I'm not sure if this Circus is ever gonna end.

Maybe we should call our Representatives.  Or maybe we should just run a tub full of nice, warm water and stick our heads in it.  Either way, we're probably sunk.

~Fish

DEAD FLOWERS (with apologies to Townes Van Zandt)

ICE

Is It Hot In Here, or Is It Me?

Damnit!  

Ya know, there are a buncha folks who use every drop in temperature and every snowfall as an opportunity to shout from the rooftops, proclaimin' that these incidents are proof positive that Global Warming is a Hoax.  (Usually, a "Liberal" Hoax.)

This extreme oversimplification of an extremely complex subject is really sad and doesn't serve the American Public at all.  In fact, this misinformation has proven to be incredibly damagin', as it has allowed Ignorance of the Big Picture to propagate, then be used as a Weapon of Deception by Those Who Have Somethin' to Gain by Maintainin' the Dumbass Portion of our Status Quo.  

Here's a distilled explanation of what's goin' on, courtesy of a high school graduate- that would be me.  I don't expect anyone to just "take my word for it".  In fact, I don't want you to.  I would hope this observation and examination of basic legitimacies might prompt you to have a look at this on your own.  You know: find some reliable sources, more than one or a couple, and decide for yourself.  For yourself.  First , identify, then tune out, all that proves to be Obvious Bullshit.  (This can be a Major Task- there are those that would use Deceit and Distraction as Weapons in a New Form of War.)  Look at the genuine information available,  ponder over it, and draw your own conclusion.  Your very own.  A decision you can defend on your own because you did the diggin', you did the thinkin'.

Here:

The term "Global Warming" refers to the increase in the overall average temperature of the entire planet.  For a variety of reasons, (and backed up by decades of research), the effects of this overall warming, of even a few degrees, manifests itself in the form of intense weather events that can be more frequent, more extreme- storms can be stronger, heat waves hotter, cold periods colder, droughts dryer, the loss of polar ice, reduction of seasonal snow pack, floods more devastatin', etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

"Global Climate Change" is the result of "Global Warming".

That's it.

Thanks, my Friends.  I truly hope this has "provoked" you and made you want to learn more.

Fish~

1/10/2014...

I spent my entire work day today workin' with a fella from AT&T, workin' on three T1 circuits for US Customs.

Charlie.  Seemed like a pretty good guy.  We got to talkin', (Me.  Talkin'.  How crazy is that?) and he said he started in residential installation when he was just sixteen.  He talked of his plans to retire in a few months.  When he does, he'll be sixty-two years old and have forty-five years with the company.  I thought that was damn amazin'.

Then, I got to thinkin' about my own work history, and then about Life in General. 

The only thing I could think of that I've done consistently for forty-five years was to breath.

 

And that was involuntary.

~Fish