DADvocate

During my teens and twenties, I looked to songs and music to help find some sense of life. Looking back, I wonder why it took me so long to realize that, in general, lyricists and musicians had no greater insight into life's mysteries than myself or anyone else.

Still, lately, the words to one of my old favorites, “Monster” by Steppenwolf, keeps coming to mind. The first half of the song covers the settling (conquering) of America by Europeans and then moves on to current circumstances. Although the song was released 40 years ago, it speaks quite will to today's situation.

The last half of the song is what speaks to us now.



And though the past has it's share of injustice
Kind was the spirit in many a way
But it's protectors and friends have been sleeping
Now it's a monster and will not obey

The spirit was freedom and justice
And it's keepers seem generous and kind

Isn't this why Obama was elected? He seemed generous and kind. He was going to give us “universal” health care. He and his Democratic cohorts were going to be so much better than those nasty, cold-hearted Rethuglicans.

It's leaders were supposed to serve the country
But now they won't pay it no mind;

As much as any previous administration, Obama is greasing the palms of the wealthy and his supporters. Screw the commoners.'

Cause the people grew fat and got lazy
And now their vote is a meaningless joke

They babble about law and order
But it's all just an echo of what they've been told
Yeah, there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watchin'

Our cities have turned into jungles
And corruption is stranglin' the land
The police force is watching the people
And the people just can't understand
We don't know how to mind our own business
'Cause the whole worlds got to be just like us
Now we are fighting a war over there
No matter who's the winner
We can't pay the cost
'Cause there's a monster on the loose
It's got our heads into a noose
And it just sits there watching

So much for hope and change, it's 1969 all over again.

This Halloween the monsters are especially scary.

Reading this post, Health care–right or privilege?, I had a thought. (Horrors!) One of the arguments for health care reform and single payer health care is that health care is a right.

My question is: If health care is a right, does this mean that taxpayers are obligated to pay for health care for everyone? I can think of no other right that works this way. In the criminal court system, if you can't afford an attorney for your defense, the state provides you one. If you've got the money, you pay. (And, the cut off is pretty low.)In the civil court system, you're screwed.

We have a right to bear arms. Does the government pay for your gun should you decide you want one? Of course not. Indeed, if you want to conceal carry, you end up paying the government. Sounds a lot like the old poll tax where you had to pay to exercise your right to vote.

Does the government give you money to practice freedom of religion by building a church, synagogue, mosque or pentagram? Does the government give you pen, pencil, paper, computer, Internet access, or whatever so you can practice your freedom of speech and of the press?

How do you go from health care is a right to we must pay for every one's health care? When are you going to buy me a Colt Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911?

Going into this week, my son's football team, the Mason County Royals (KY), held the number one spot in the AP Kentucky Class 3A rankings for the sixth week in a row. Last night they played the Russell Red Devils who have dominated Mason County overall.

Last year, in the first game my son started on varsity (defensive tackle in that game), Mason County beat Russell for the first time ever on Russell's field. An accomplishment my son and his teammates can be proud of. Last night they set another milestone. They beat Russell 34-21 to become the first Mason County team to beat Russell in back to back meetings.

Mason County jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first half and then held on the rest of the way. The victory brings them to 7-0 for the season. Three games to go.

It's funny how this team has lived up to their expectations. My son's class, juniors now, has been labeled one of the most talented football classes ever for his school since the 6th or 7th grade. The class ahead of them is also quite talented. The starting running back, who may be the best ever before it's all over, comes from class behind them.

Seeing this talent in middle school, people were saying this year would be the year for them to shine because of the sum of the talent in those three classes. It's still to be seen how far they can go, but the assessment was right and it sure is fun to watch.

BTW - In my completely biased opinion, my son is playing quite well at offensive left tackle. Opposing teams have yet to produce someone he can't block. When the team needs a few yards for a first down, they almost always run behind him because he goes where he wants. In one game, the opposing defensive end tried to speed rush the quarterback on a passing play. My son blocked him as he should have by running the guy back and out of the play. The opposing player complimented my son with, "You're fast!"

Feeling inundated with information and events, at times I find it hard to decide about what to write. Maybe, it's a type of writer's block. Primarily, I've wanted to write about the Roman Polanski affair. Wisconsin law professor Ann Althouse covered this subject as well as anyone. Also, lgazissax at Alexandria wrote an insightful post relating this to the Catholic church, as did Marci Hamilton at FindLaw.

Every thought I've had on Polanski and his supporters dwells somewhere in those links. Whoopi Goldberg's Polanski didn't commit "rape-rape" comments aggravated and astounded me as much as any one's. Whoopi follows up with the wonderfully insightful, "We're a different kind of society, we see things differently ... would I want my 14-year-old having sex with somebody? Not necessarily, no." Not necessarily? Hell, no, I wouldn't want my 14 year old having sex. I wonder if I should get some "roofies" and beer and take Whoopi on a date. (Ugh.) Does Whoopi have any kids? I hope not.

Tiny Cat Pants, a liberal blog, points out feminists that don't get it. She quotes Peg Yorkin founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation,

It’s bad a person was raped. But that was so many years ago. The guy has been through so much in his life. It’s crazy to arrest him now. Let it go. The government could spend its money on other things.

Geez.

I happen to have a daughter, age 13, as of this writing. Naturally, she is tall, beautiful, witty and intelligent. Should someone do to her what Polanski did to that 13 year old girl, I'd be royally pissed. Going to jail would be the least of his problems.

As an example, Nicholas Neff, Jr., age 23, was arrested in Cincinnati for having consensual sex with a 15 year old. He had met her on the Internet and traveled from Florida to hook up with her. From radio reports, the girl's father got a hold of Neff before the police.


Notice the black eye. It would have been hard to stop at just one. Neff would be a better case for leniency than Polanski but I doubt he'll find many supporters.

There is truly a social strata that believes they are above the commoners and don't answer to the same rules. We're back in the times when the nobles weren't so noble.

Sometimes one's choices in candidates seems not so great. Voters in Washington Township in Clermont County, OH faces this dilemma. Dix or Peters. Not much of a choice.