30 November 2011

Coming to the Rescue

I was brushing my teeth and I heard one of my neighbors calling out to another one in a way that sounded almost panicked.

It got me thinking: if one of my neighbors were to come pounding on my door in a panic, begging me to open up, I might actually think about it. I might not open the door, because who knows what might be chasing the neighbor. Whatever it might be wold then know there's more than what it's chasing within.

It might divert additional energy to get in to kill us both.

Self-preservation or selfishness? Hard-heartedness?

11 June 2011

CNN Breaking News: 11 June 2011, 14:01

From: "CNN Breaking News"
Date: June 11, 2011 14:01:08
Subject: CNN Breaking News
The head of the Democratic National Committee is calling for the resignation of U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, who has been under fire after admitting to inappropriate communications with women online.
"It is with great disappointment that I call on Representative Anthony Weiner to resign," DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement Saturday. "The behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner's continued service in Congress is untenable.
This sordid affair has become an unacceptable distraction for Representative Weiner, his family, his constituents and the House -- and for the good of all, he should step aside and address those things that should be most important -- his and his family's well-being."
And House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Steve Israel have told Weiner he should resign, a Democratic source with k nowledge of the conversations told CNN. Both released statements also demanding his resignation Saturday.’

Ferchrissakes, I don't get this country most of the time. They speak of personal freedom, of individuality. They want people to be themselves and to err as humans do. I suppose I'm continuing the cycle by opining on this myself, and even forwarding this on, but people should just leave him alone on this. Whatever: he erred!

I suppose this is one of the many shreds of idealism I still have remaining, but I find it stupid that people who work in politics expect everyone "representing the people" to be perfect and to never err. I find it further stupid that people base their electoral decisions on things like this, and whether the candidate is a Christian, or was ever divorced, or even if the candidate is a he.

Do people expect that every politician/people-representative step down every time the err in their personal lives? I had in mind Japan, which has had a prime minister every year for the last five, when it's supposed to be one for at least err four. The prime ministers decided they erred in their decisions as prime minister (with two, I think, stepping down because of personal scandals) and decided they should no longer be prime minister.

Silvio Berlusconi has his teenage dancer scandal, but is he giving up his seat? No! Vladimir Putin may have been maritally infidel multiple times, but he's probably going to run for president again. These men have a separation of the "mistakes" they make in their personal lives from what they do in their offices as world leaders.

Their personal decisions - Weiner, Berlusconi, Putin - have not cost people their lives. They have not done things others have not done ever, and people shouldn't base hiring and firing of leaders based on personal mistakes that have no influence on their official capacities.

Judge them as humans on the human court. Don't judge them in official courts and question their official capacities based on personal mistakes. If they've made official errors, that's up to debate, not "oooh, he texted!"

Whatever.