February 27, 2012

Class Warfare

Credit: Rmbyoung
This weekend, speaking before a Tea Party group, Santorum made assertions that were not only unfounded, but highly revealing of his own philosophy -- which he seems increasingly comfortable displaying. The salient quotes are
President Obama once said he wants everybody in America to go to college. What a snob.
and
Oh, I understand why he wants you to go to college. He wants to remake you in his image.
The idea that wanting everyone to have the same opportunity to succeed is snobbery sounds non-sensical on its face until you realize what Santorum is really doing -- he is imputing to Obama the attitude that people with college degrees are inherently better than those without. I am aware of nothing the President has ever said that indicates such an attitude. What I think Santorum is appealing to here is a reverse snobbery among some non-college graduates (which I have seen) because they feel inadequate (which they shouldn't).

The idea that the educational system in the United States is a system of Liberal indoctrination is a standard song in Santorum's repertoire and isn't news. Linking this all up together, though, shows that Santorum is the master of class warfare, just one based on education rather than income.

February 15, 2012

Hypocrisy Matters

Credit: Gage Skidmore
Thankfully, we don't yet live in a country where statements such as "All animals are equal" can be overtly modified to read "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." But the sentiment is seeming to become more pervasive, if still covert. Examples such as Rick Santorum's hypocrisy, are all too common in today's politics. They are manifestations of what I believe are nationalistic/tribal philosophies that un-spokenly but pervasively inform the judgments of some politicians. Generally speaking, in this mindset almost everything is acceptable if "we" do it, but many things may be unacceptable if "they" do it. The only challenge in such a moral/legal system is to define who "we" are. I would propose that this mindset has unavoidably underlain almost every society where stratification is supported by written law or unwritten public policy.

When we see hypocrisy like Santorum's, we need to call it out, condemn it, and clarify to anyone who will listen how malignant it is.

February 09, 2012

The Divine Wisdom of Peace


Source: Wired
According to this article in Wired, some species seem to be 'self-domesticating,' eschewing competition and aggression in favor of cooperation and conciliation. I can't help but be reminded of the scripture:
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them....The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock...
Perhaps these 'domesticating' forces are indeed an inexorable push towards a Godly peacefulness.