Comments by sexingthecherry
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Posted on July 2 at 10:11 p.m.
Yeah, those civil liberties are really dangerous.
Or, you know...integral to democracy. Whichever.
Posted on June 24 at 2:47 p.m.
It's completely safe to have all of those vaccines. What is actually torture is letting your kid get the diseases instead of the immunizations.
Posted on June 4 at 9:40 p.m.
Kstre:
I think I don't really understand what you're getting at. The White House, to me, doesn't really represent anything. It's a building. And vandalism is vandalism. I don't advocate committing crimes, either, and public urination is usually considered a crime, I believe. I know these arguments sound ridiculous, but I'm only making them to point out that I think your analogy is a little off. To me, if you own a flag, you are free to do with it whatever you want because it is your personal property. Also, choosing not to stand or be silent during the anthem doesn't have anything to do with violating someone else's rights. So I think we're comparing apples and oranges here.
Also, I would hope that you have respect for random strangers at the beach because they are human beings and not because of their nationality. I also pray that any random American citizen is NOT a representation of this country, because there are some horrifyingly evil people who are citizens of this country. Citizenship does not determine the level of respect I give people. And you forget--humans simply aren't symbols of things. We are just humans. We have rights, we have feelings, we can feel pain. We are not inanimate objects. Again, I think your analogy just falls flat.
Tacobell:
You are literally advocating violence against someone simply because they disagree with your views. Which of us is truly sadder? If I was really sad about everything in life, why would I be criticizing it in an effort to improve it? I want things to be the best they can possibly be--that's optimistic and joyful. Sorry to disappoint.
Posted on June 4 at 9:32 p.m.
I don't know why so many people construe my post as condoning vandalism. It is wrong to vandalize. Absolutely. But some of the pieces vandals create are works of art that most people cannot fathom being able to make. They involve very real artistic skill. Unfortunately, the criminal act degrades the art. I don't know why so many people are opposed to a public place for art--we have murals all over downtown, why not another kind of art? ESPECIALLY if this public space deters people from vandalizing, thereby ultimately saving the city some money. Sorry I offended so many people by having a new idea.
Posted on June 4 at 3:56 p.m.
That's what I'm saying--it has a time and place. Have you seen some of those pieces? They're phenomenal.
Posted on June 4 at 2:11 p.m.
" do you get offended when you see people over in middle eastern countries burning the U.S. Flag?"
Well yes, but probably not for the same reasons you might. Again, to me, it's just a piece of fabric. They burn it, not because they oppose the things it stands for (like freedom, etc) but because it is a representation of our country. I guess I see it as equivalent of burning a sign that says "USA" on it. Which is certainly not happy. But I don't think that sort of thing occurs in a vacuum. Why would those people be doing that? Often, it's because they are forced to participate in those rallies by a totalitarian government.
"Do you feel no pride whatsoever when say, at the Olympics, the U.S.A. wins a gold medal?"
Sure, I feel pride, but also sadness. Those same athletes are stifled from having any identity beyond their skill. For example, Tommie Smith/John Carlos raised their fists in the air when they won medals in the ‘68 Olympics to show their desire for racial equality. They were banned from the Olympics, and faced death threats at home. Similarly, athletes in the Beijing Olympics must sign contracts agreeing not to speak about political issues. Many issues surrounding the Olympics are a damn shame.
"Or say, at the any given War memorial"
Honestly, when I see these memorials, all I feel is sadness.
"those flags/memorials are meaningless, because they are just symbols?"
See, this is the part where there are subtle nuances. I do NOT believe the flag is meaningless. It has meaning, definitely. But the literal fabric of the flag? Not so much. Again, I don't think anyone really dies for the literal flag--they die because they are defending what those symbols REPRESENT.
Bjnemp:
That’s clever what you did with my name. How about we keep the conversation civil?
I never said I disdain the flag. I just place meaning in what it stands for instead of the flag itself. You don't need to have a knee-jerk reaction--if you'd just read my argument, I think you'd have a clearer understanding.
By the way, a person's individual decision has nothing to do with separation of church and state. An individual is neither the church nor the state. But you are literally claiming that if someone gets to enjoy religious freedom, they should do it in a way you approve of. Enjoying religious freedom means being completely free to practice your religion, assuming it doesn't infringe on anyone else's rights. And for many, many people, religion and patriotism are DEEPLY intertwined. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses don't recite the Pledge of Allegiance because they believe their allegiance should only be with G-d.
Our nation exists to be divided. That's why it was founded: to allow people with different viewpoints to live together peacefully. Our differing viewpoints are what make our country amazing. To condemn all views that don't align with yours is to truly defy what the flag and anthem represent.
Posted on June 4 at 1:52 p.m.
I think a key part of cleaning up graffiti is providing an alternative. There should be graf-friendly spaces for people who want to practice their skill without breaking any laws.
I know this is kind of not the point of most graffiti. People who vandalize are making a statement, legal or not. The most vicious folks aren't going to want to have an allotted space for their paint, but I don't think that's what we see in Emporia most often. Most of the time, I would bet that it's just a bunch of kids who want to play with spray paint. I'd rather they do it someplace safe, than in a tunnel somewhere where they risk inhalation or getting hit by a car. I think it would help if graffiti was recognized as a valid art form--that has a right place and a wrong place to be performed.
Posted on June 3 at 11:13 p.m.
I guess this is the root of our disagreement--I don't believe people really die for fabric.
It almost seems like we really are in agreement, but you place more values in the symbols themselves than I do. I bet we agree on the importance of what those symbols stand for, 100%. I just don't think that the LITERAL symbols are worth making such a fuss over. If my future children demonstrate civic responsibility, progressive-mindedness, desire for social justice, etc, then I will continue myself incredibly blessed, even if they won't settle down and be quiet for the anthem.
I wonder--would anyone here condemn Quakers/Jehovah's Witnesses for their refusal to acknowledge allegiance to anything but G-d, including the flag/anthem?
Posted on June 3 at 9:13 a.m.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsou...
And no, I'm not Jewish.
And, seriously? I'm pretty sure you could've figured out what I was saying.
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Posted on September 15 at 6:04 p.m.
The government already tells you what food you can eat/serve--it must be approved by the FDA, both in content and preparation, etc.
Your private business may also not violate standards set forth by the EPA regarding pollution. Similarly, the vehicles we drive must also meet these standards.
You are also not entitled to completely free speech--you can violate obscenity laws pretty easily. How many times do you hear certain words permitted to be said on TV?
Even if no one dies from secondhand smoke (which I seriously doubt), you cannot contest that secondhand smoke is directly harmful to others. Other peoples' obesity does not harm you. And your proposed unhealthy food ban doesn't work, either, because any food that is approved by the FDA is healthy, when eaten in moderation.
On Opinion: Smoking ban - What’s right?