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.