BARREL OF MONKEYS: "GENESIS" in Reverse


I consider myself a Democrat. Been called a Socialist. Definitely a bleeding heart liberal.


As a child from a traditional southern family, playing Barrel of Monkeys on the floor, church every Sunday, doing well in public school, learning a trade; in every sense privileged .........


Comfortable in middle age, an avid news reader, on learning the tragic story of a full grown chimpanzee destroying the face of a woman who offered a toy, only trying to help it's owner coax her surrogate child back into his cage......


Today being confrontational, ribald, offensive, restless, rebellious.......


How did I get here from there?


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Monday, December 13, 2010

7/7 inquest: London bombings were 'unimaginable wave of horror' - Telegraph

“We must all attempt to avoid the ease of judgment with hindsight,” he added."



"He said many rescuers had descended into the tunnels of the London Underground “in some cases without regard for their own personal safety” where they had been greeted by “hellish scenes.”

“Those that responded should not be criticised for decisions they made in circumstances of fear, danger and the presence of death and a very fast moving situation,” he added. “Those that assisted were met by scenes of unimaginable horror.”


*****

I would like to believe:
 you won't find a single person on this whole fucking planet disagreeing with the notion that "judgement in hindsight"  is far too easily biased, flawed, to be of any practical usefulness when trying to understand/prevent  tragedies such as New York's 9/11,  London's 7/7,  Madrid's 3/11, and now Stockholm's, slowly unfolding now as the details come to light.


From my perspective, tragedy also, no less than any of the lives lost because of his own crime, would be another judgement made too easily:
The Execution of Timothy McVeigh 

The later I know will be impossible to argue/win because my argument defending that statement runs against traditional reasoning/convention .  And I justify my doing so by realizing, where's the proof that we, the human race as a species, is any more capable of building a civilized society than any other living creature on this planet Conclusion #1

Timothy McVeigh's execution was nothing more than a useless consensus of "just my opinions" objecting to another man's faith  / conviction in '"just his opinions".  Said differently,  being disrespectful of his right to have "just his opinions"  ....TOO late.  Said differently yet another way, becoming the  "most opinionated person ever" by default,  upon removal from contention of an opposing opinion.


What's the number one reason people give for voting Pro-Capital Punishment?  Repeat....number one reason given why people vote.... not why you would vote..... Pro-Capital Punishment? 

Not going to say "DETERRENCE" ranks number one, but that's the impression I'm getting for voting Pro-Capital Punishment based on the arguments presented. Doesn't really matter what the number one answer is as far as I'm concerned.  Coming to believe you are not going to find the real reason for the persistence of  Capital Punishment as an option listed on any poll taken. 


"We maintain that abolition of the death penalty would promote values that are important to us as citizens and as Christians. First, abolition sends a message that we can break the cycle of violence, that we need not take life for life, that we can envisage more humane and more hopeful and effective responses to the growth of violent crime. Second, abolition of capital punishment is also a manifestation of our belief in the unique worth and dignity of each person from the moment of conception, a creature made in the image and likeness of God. Third, abolition of the death penalty is further testimony to our conviction, a conviction which we share with the Judaic and Islamic traditions, that God is indeed the Lord of life. Fourth, we believe that abolition of the death penalty is most consonant with the example of Jesus, who both taught and practiced the forgiveness of injustice." U.S. Bishops. Statement on Capital Punishment (1980) 10-13.

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"One thing I like about the Digital age: having the dictionary at my fingertips, how easy it is to look up unfamiliar words as I go along reading." "At least....... until, I played my first game of SCRABBLE on the internet. Wow! I had no idea you could spell so many words with seven letters every time." "Now I feel pressured to catch up!"