Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Apr 25, 2010, at 10:15 PM, Marie McHarry wrote:

> My point is that pasting on a progressive label doesn't really tell
> you anything about a person. This recent craze of labeling people
> merely obscures what each individual really believes.
> 
> Marie, who may have just blurred the whole issue being discussed

but said things worth saying. I strongly dislike the modern habit of labeling 
people. Among other sins, it makes us antagonistic. I suspect we have become 
sucked into it by the mainstream media. By modern standards I am, depending 
on the issue: conservative, liberal, progressive, regressive, libertarian and 
a curmudgeonly codger. Like each of you, I am unique.

The issue at hand is not at all blurry to me; it is crystal clear: if a man's 
word is no good, then he is no good.

We spend substantial parts of our lives decrying the character of those we 
elect and reelect to high office and those who act badly in their personal 
and professional lives. We cannot control them. We can control ourselves. We 
can show what we believe by how we act. If we associate with those of low 
character we degrade ourselves.