I’m a human, dangit

So I put in my resignation a few days ago.  And as expected, it was a total shock to a lot of people.

I heard, secondhand, that one of the project managers I work with was discussing this with another, and all he could say was “wow. We’re losing a great resource.”  I replied that I’m a human being, not a coal mine or a library.

That’s the corporate mentality.  We are all just “resources” to be drawn upon as needed.  When one is no longer available, it just means its time to find another one somewhere.  If one is no longer needed, we get rid of it.

Is it any wonder the pro-life movement has so many roadblocks?  If we can’t even recognize an adult worker as a human being, how are we going to recognize an unborn child as the same?

 

If I-ran the Country

Hearing bits and pieces about what all is going on in Iran right now with the presidential ballot problems, and various journalists and pundits discussing what the U.S. response is, should be, or should have been, I thought I’d let my imagination run wild and determine what kind of response some recent Presidents (and wannabe presidents) would have.

Reagan:  If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for Iran and for the Middle East, then, Mr. Supreme Leader, recount those votes!

Bush (41):  Read my lips: no new political or military actions.

Clinton:  Now I want you to listen to me.  I’m not going to say this again: I did NOT have political relations with that country, Iran.  I never told anybody to protest, not a single time.  Never.  These allegations are false.

Bush (43):  What?  Trouble in Iran?  Nuke them.  I don’t care what it takes.  Get every gun, every plane, every piece of artillery and get them over that country. America is threatened by these yahoos, and we’re gonna protect ourselves by wiping out everyone else.  Just let me  at ‘em, they’re going to regret messin’ with George Dubya.

Obama:  Well, we’re going to have to have a dialogue here.  And mark my words, I’ll be adding to the agenda this whole election counting issue.  I definitely think we need to chat about this.  And after some dialogue, we can talk a little more and see if it gets anywhere.  And if that doesn’t work, we’ll send over a few billion dollars in stimulus money in an attempt to continue our efforts at dialogue.

A few others:

Al Gore:  At first I wasn’t going to comment because I’m not sure I can link this issue in Iran to global warming.  And after reading all about this on the Internet (which I helped invent), I really can’t make any statements.  I mean, I have no experience whatsoever of losing an election and then raising a giant stink by alleging voter fraud and miscounting and conspiracies.

John Kerry:  I don’t have much to comment on.  But I served in Vietnam.

 

Wet sock

This afternoon while walking outside through a rain-soaked parking lot, I felt a strange wet sensation on the bottom of my foot.  Further inspection showed that the bottom of my left shoe had worn down to the point that there was now a crack in it, allowing water to seep through.  And hence, my wet foot.

So, this weekend will bring with it a new adventure in shoe shopping.  Joy.

Meanwhile, I think I need to clarify my prayers a bit.  Someone up there got a little confused when I was praying for a holy soul.  Instead, I got a holey sole.

 

TV Commercial Rant

The other day I happened across a commercial that was attempting to sell reusable metal containers for people to tote water around instead of buying plastic bottles.  They made all kinds of pitches to induce you into buying such a container:

• Plastic bottles clog up landfills for eternity
• Ounce for ounce you pay so much more for bottled water than if you just drank from the tap
• Most bottled water is, in face, just glorified tap water anyway
• Recycling plastic bottles releases toxic chemicals which are apparently just as bad for the environment as having them occupy landfils
• Plastic bottles have been known to leach a synthetic estrogen, which can cause breast and other cancers.

Hmmmmm.  So a plastic bottle can cause the body to absorb synthetic estrogen.  The absorption of estrogen is, according to this source, a bad thing, because it can cause cancer.

But, ya know, there’s all those contraceptive “birth control” pills out there that are chock full of synthetic estrogen, and other hormones.  But it’s okay, there’s no cancer risk there.

Am I missing something?

 

A Nation in Need of a Civics Lesson

This morning, the radio station did an informal, unscientific “heard in the street” segment wherein they asked random people if they could name two Supreme Court Justices.  Then they asked if they could name two American Idol judges.

Not surprisingly, 7 of the 8 people polled could not name two of the Supremes.  I think all but two could name some subset of American Idol judges.

I think that’s pathetic.  I seem to recall a few years ago, there was a similar segment with the question being “can you name the current Vice-President” and most people could not.  Equally pathetic.  Wake up, America!  These are some of the most powerful people in the country right now.  You should, at the very least, know their names. 

Maybe it’s time we have a prime-time series covering basic civics.

 

Heros?

Of recent news in Philadelphia is the story of a brutal child rape earlier this week, followed by the primary “person of interest” being captured by local residents.  The group of locals who caught said person of interest were rather violent in their apprehension, and this individual ended up hospitalized with some injuries as a result.  Words are being tossed around in the media like “citizen’s arrest,” “vigilantes,” and “street justice.”  I wish they wouldn’t use such terms as it clouds objectivity.

The mayor has issued a finely worded statement about how violence is not to be condoned and let the police determine what is the right course of action in dealing with the group of captors.  The police commissioner has  subsequently stated that they cannot condone violence and this group  probably acted more forcefully than a trained police officer would, but ultimately there were to be no charges filed.

On the radio this morning, there was some banter among the DJ’s who were virtually ecstatic that there would be no charges filed against the citizens, and that these guys are heroes given how heinous the crime (child rape) was.

I disagree.

First off, the man has rights.  As far as I know, no warrant was issued for the guy’s arrest.  I don’t even think they had labeled him a “suspect” yet.  In other words, regardless of whether or not he actually committed the crime, he is innocent until proven guilty.  Just because someone is wanted for questioning does not mean he is guilty, and he has the same rights of being secure in his person, house, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seisures.  I’m not sure if there’s a legal difference, but I think there would be a theoretical difference if the guy were an escaped convict who had been eluding authorities for days.

Second, the concept of citizen’s arrest does not give the general public the authority to round up anyone who may have a warrant out for their arrest, or who may be suspected of a crime.  A citizen’s arrest may only be effected if the private citizen witnesses the arrestee in the commission of a felony.  (Not even a misdemeanor or summary offence.)  No citizen gets to hunt down people and haul them in just because the police are looking for them.  Even when alerts are issued, people are told to call 911 if they come across such a person to let law enforcement handle it.  Perhaps there are exceptions if one is appropriately deputized by a legitimate law enforcement officer, but that certainly didn’t seem to apply here.

Third, the use of force did not seem justifiable.  One might be able to excuse the over-exuberrence of the neighbors in catching and holding the guy even if they had no legal authority to do so, but there is no excuse for beating the daylights out of him.  If it were a one-on-one contest and both sustained injuries, one could argue self-defence, but we’re talking what seemed to be a mob here.

Yes, it was noble of them to try and aid the police in bringing this man in for questioning.  No, it was not proper for them to form their own mob in an attempt to subdue him and hold him.  I think the group acted strongly out of emotion.  This guy might have been the one that brutalized a little girl.  If so, he deserves to pay for his crimes.  But not before he is given the same rights to due process as the rest of us.  And not at the hands of a group of neighborhood folks.

They don’t deserve the title “hero.”  I don’t think they necessarily deserve to be locked up either.  But a stern warning to them, and to the population at large, that this is unacceptable behavior, even if with the best of intentions, does not seem inappropriate.  Maybe even charging them with assault, and then offering a suspended sentence after they strike a plea deal.  Otherwise, you’re sending a message that we’re going to look the other way when people take the law into their own hands.

And that could lead to some scary consequences.  I’m sure andy number of African Americans who grew up in Mississippi or some other southern state during the first half of the 20th century would be able to explain far better than me what the results could be.

 

Reality Imitates Parody?

I wrote the post below several days ago but saved it till now to post.  Meanwhile, on that very topic of governmental interference into private family matters comes this story about a judge who ordered the parents of a 13 year old with cancer to have the child undergo chemo against their initial objections.

I freely admit that I don’t know much about this matter, and I feel bad for the judge who has to make such a decision and for the parents for having to deal with such a heavy issue.  To say nothing of the 13 year old.  Please God, may I or anyone I know ever have to be in such a situation.

But, here’s a perfect example the government intervening in a private family matter.  Which, according to Mr. Obama’s interpretation of Roe v. Wade, is a violation of a fundamental American principle.

Funny how I come up with a bunch of crazy scenarios for my post, and meanwhile, a real-life issue materializes at the same time.

 

This is the guy Notre Dame just gave an honorary law degree to.

I stumbled upon this quote earlier this week.  Shortly after taking office, the chosen one made the following comment on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade.  He said that Roe  “stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters.”

At face value, it would appear that there is a fundamental principle to avoid government interference in family matters.  So let’s think of the following hypotheticals:

• Why is education of children compulsory?  How I choose to educate or not educate my children is a private family matter. Why does the government get to interfere by setting curriculum standards and require certain testing to make sure I’m meeting their standards?
• How I choose to discipline my children is also a private family matter.  How dare someone call child protective services simply because I think the way to raise them is to lock them in dark cages without food or water for days when they misbehave!  Whether I choose to whip my kids severely for backtalking is a private family matter.
• My spouse was killed by a hit and run drunk driver and I’m a single parent of 4 kids.  I was making a fine living until I got laid off from my job and haven’t been able to find a new one.  We were getting by on savings just fine for a while, but now it’s getting a little tough to pay the bills and get food on the table, and the kids have outgrown their shoes.  This is a private family matter, so I suppose the government shouldn’t interfere and provide things like unemployment compensation, food stamps, or Medicaid.  Survival of the fittest!
• I have a wife and a couple kids.  I’m not too fond of the lady anymore so I’ve been spending most of my evenings getting hammered at various bars, and I’ve been having affairs with 2 other women.  Now the old lady wants a divorce and is suing for custody of the kids.  Why does the judge get to decide where the kids go? This is a private matter; the government should keep out.
• I know that most people have better chances of survival if they wear a seatbelt, but I find it uncomfortable.  I also think that I can hold my baby better in my lap than if he was in a carseat, and it’s more comfortable that way for me and baby.  Therefore we have made a private family decision to never buckle up.  The police have no business issuing us citations.

Okay, the above are somewhat preposterous, but you could make a case for each of the above based on Obama’s statement. 

Mr. President, if you truly believe what you wrote, then watch out.  Because all kinds of government regulations that you favor would quickly become obsolete.  No more child protective services to get abused kids out of homes.  No more government run/funded battered women shelters.  No more social welfare programs. No more family courts. No more oversight of private and home-schools.

In other words, by claiming this stupid idea, you’re going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.  That’s not what you want.  You just want to throw the baby out with the medical waste. 

And yet somehow, this guy is found deserving of an honorary law degree by a[n ostensibly] Catholic university.

 

Here Comes Everybody

I had the pleasure of attending an overnighter at the seminary on the eve of ordination day.  The event consisted of participating in some of Friday night’s activities, and then going to the ordination Mass on Saturday at the cathedral.  There were about a dozen of us participating; five of us were already accepted and planning to enter in August.  Several of the rest were in various stages of formal discernment and application as well.

The event consisted of dinner, which was a casual (i.e. civilian attire on everyone, including all the priests) indoor barbecue and “roast” of the deacons to be ordained priests.  After that our little group took a rosary walk around the grounds, and then we watched a video of an ordination Mass to become familiar with what’ll take place.  Around 9:00 we participated in a Holy Hour/Compline (which was formal), and then they had a clap-out ceremony for the ordinandi.  Then it was bedtime.  Saturday consisted of breakfast and then heading over to the cathedral for the Mass.  After Mass, we made our way back to the seminary for lunch and the day was done.

As one would expect, the ordination Mass was superb.  I’m not good at estimating crows size, but I’d say there were probably 100 concelebrating priests, plus most of the other bishops of the archdiocese.  Seminarians handled all the serving duties.  The music was appropriate.  There was a nice mix of Latin chant and more modern music.  Nothing hokey.  I believe they had instituted lector seminarians do the readings.  The cardinal preached a typical-for-him homily.  Those of you who’ve heard him preach will understand.  Excellent content, but delivered in such a monotone that an entire orchestra could probably tune their instruments while listening to him preach.  The actual Rite of Ordination was a beautiful site to behold.  The Liturgy of the Eucharist was reverent, and Communion was distributed primarily by the new priests and the bishops — awesome!  After the Mass, the new priests were getting photos taken and giving blessings.  In other words all that good liturgical stuff that makes me drool.

Someone once made a quote in reference to the Catholic Church: “here comes everybody.” 

That quote came to mind multiple times during the weekend when seeing the seminarians and the priests.  They’re all unique individuals.  They all have different upbringings, ages, hobbies, food preferences, styles of dress, hairstyles, tastes in music, shoe sizes, etc.   In other words, they’re human.  Just like the rest of us.  You can see it quite clearly when they’re all hanging around in their civvies enjoying burgers and hot dogs and chatting about all kinds of random things.

Yet, a few hours later, that same group was dressed to the nines in cassocks and surplices and chanting Night Prayer in front of the exposed Blessed Sacrament.  That individuality seems to fade in the sea of black and white, and you start to see what they all have in common: a deep love for Christ and His Church. 

And then, after that, back to the individuality as cassocks give way to shorts and collars are shed in favor of pajamas.

I think many Catholics today don’t realize that their priests are regular human beings, because most of us only see them when they’re “on the job.”  But “off the job,” they have lives too.  We see our clergy on Sundays at Mass, but there’s more to their lives than just Sunday Mass, and just because a man is a priest doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy some fun in his life.

Taking things a bit further, the same could apply to all the faithful.  Every one of the 1.1 billion or so Catholics in the world is a unique individual.  Yet, we come together to show our love of God in our public worship.  Together, that individuality fades, and Christ replaces it.

We come into church with our varied lives.  We unite.  And then we head out and go back, hopefully a little better than when we came in.  A poor man might sit next to a rich woman.  There is no black and white and Hispanic and Asian.  A heavily tattooed and pierced person receives the same Eucharist as the prim and proper southern belle.

Dare I say, it’s possible that in the Church, the wolf really has become a guest of the lamb, the leopard does lie down with the kid, the calf and the young lion are browsing together.  Cows and bears truly are neighbors, here in the Church.

Maybe not the most profound of thoughts.  But an interesting reflection to take away from what was already a splendid weekend.

 

Dear Lector

Wanted to drop you a quck note to mention that Samaria is NOT pronounced “Sa-muh-RYE-uh.”  It is pronounced “Suh-MEHR-ih-uh.”  You know, just in case you ever have to read that word again on a Sunday.

P.S. There’s a great little booklet out there called “Lector’s Guide to Biblical Pronunciations Updated” published by Our Sunday Visitor.  It can really help you pronounce things consistently and correctly.