Well, what about that Tuesday evening? Wasn't sure what to expect but it was a true spectacle, a Roman Colosseum, throw ‘em to the lions, good ol’ public event.
- You're a clown.
- You haven't done anything in 47 years.
- You're the worst there can be.
And the colosseum’s watching crowd roared over social media. Sadly, much of the crowd was spewing forth what can only be called “hatred”: I hate his hair. I hate that position. I hate that group. I hate that man.
Whoa.
Now, there are certain foods I tend to say I hate… I mean when you have to hand-massage with olive oil a weed called kale just to make it edible … well, to me, that’s just ridiculous!
And I’ve been known to say I hate various forms of exercise … and now you know, why I look the way I do …
But hatred for another person or group of people? Not just disagreeing, ever so strongly, with their position. But hatred? A hatred so strong that we have to profess it publicly, on social media? Is this what the lion’s den of our government officials has inspired us to?
I did not last very long with Tuesday’s debacle, I mean debate. And I quickly left social media for the immediate sake of my own health.
Instead, I decided a quiet Bourbon and a good cigar would be far less of a threat to my health than either of those going-ons.
As the evening drifted by,
- Thoreau’s words came to mind “government is best which governs not at all”
- and then Churchill’s “democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those others that have been tried”
Those thoughts led me to reaffirming that I only want 3 core things from my Government:
- First, I want my Government to provide for a national defense - that’s ready when we’re attacked (militarily, riotously or virally)
- We do not need to be the world’s “police” force
- We should only go on the offense when it’s defensively required
- We should recognize that threats emanate from internal as well as external sources
- Secondly, I want my Government to provide for the protection of the lives and properties of all citizens
- The concept of property rights is the foundation for every right we have. Every right is either a defensive claim to keep what you are holding, or an offensive claim to take something some else is holding.
- This is really about recognizing that property rights and human rights go hand in hand. They can not by definition be separated.
- I have the right to breathe, therefore I need good air
- Thirdly, I want my Government to provide for a system of arbitrating contractual disputes among citizens when they arise
- Don’t covet thy neighbor’s goods
- Don’t covet thy neighbor’s partner
- Don’t bear false witness
- Don’t steal
- Don’t commit adultery
- Don’t kill
- Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain
- And we know disputes will arise as there is something in our nature that always seems to desire what we don’t have and thus threatens discord that needs to be resolved.
- This is tendency to take each others’ property and therefore get into disputes with one another, is such a core human problem that 7 of the 10 Commandments speak directly to it:
So, there you have it. I don’t want more public spectacles that fuel hate spewing social media outcries from all political corners. Our leaders and the media appear hellbent on turning us against each other. We can’t let that happen.
I just want these 3 simple things. 3 things that are powerful enough to form the foundation of real freedom for all. It’s not about a free lunch or for that matter, a free anything.
- It’s about a strong, capable defense against valid internal and external attacks.
- It’s about protection for property and therefore human rights.
- And lastly, it’s a system to arbitrate when we citizens go astray as we know we will.
If you’re with me thus far, you may be saying, OK Greg. How do we do all that?
Well, I’ll welcome you to join me for another bourbon and a good cigar.
