I’ve been mulling for some time a statement made by a friend. In an article about accusations
of bias against the media by both the right and the left, John Fleck wrote “they can’t both be right.” Sorry, John, but I disagree
and I’m surprised by your naivete. In matters of human belief, thought and behavior, it actually is possible for everyone in any
grouping from one to the entire world, to all be right or wrong at exactly the same time. Two conflicting views can both be right; a
billion conflicting views can all be wrong. Again: in matters of human belief, thought and behavior. Call it the Human Uncertainty
Principle. I’m not saying that there is no objective truth or fact. I’m saying that for all that can be measured in matters of human
belief, thought and behavior, there is a huge black box we don’t see because everyone of us depends on it.
You surely witness
this countless times a week. One person describes something one way, another in a completely different way, and yet they’re both right.
This room is cold (to me); no it’s not, it’s warm (to me). Don’t get out the thermometer — it can’t say what’s cold or warm — or
who is correct — just what’s colder or warmer than something else.
Someone who reads my blog surely must think I’m among the
lowest of communistic socialistic homosexual ecofeminist extremists. (If you don’t, read my “antagagnosticism” entry — that should make
95% shun me.) I think of myself as rather liberal and progressive. But a friend says most white people are more conservative than they
realize. Who’s correct? We all are.
So, you and I read an article. You come away feeling it is biased to the left, I come away
believing it is biased to the right. I honestly believe that even if the whole thing consists of a single word, we might both be
correct.
LCohen say something lovely in its poetry: one of us cannot be wrong. But he was. mjh
Monthly Archives: October 2005
Happy Wolf Awareness Week
Demagogue Domenici
When did Saint Pete become such a demagogue? This is the
frequently used, shameless tactic of the Radical Right, to make such inflammatory and patently false accusations. Now that they have all
the power, they go so far as to create the situations and then lie about the role of their opponents. This is the behavior of a
scoundrel. mjh
Domenici Wants N.M. Tree in D.C., BY HELEN GAUSSOIN For the Journal
“I refuse to let environmental extremists and a federal judge play Scrooge with our holiday tree,” the New
Mexico Republican said in comments prepared for Friday’s opening reception of the Capitol Holiday Tree Art Extravaganza.
A
Forest Service spokeswoman said the federal agency has received no objections to the holiday tree cutting but said that
does not mean it won’t before the end of a 30-day comment period that began Oct. 4. …
Domenici … has likened those who
challenged the Forest Service rule to “the grinch who stole Christmas,” as well as Scrooge…
Environmentalists
with the Forest Guardians in New Mexico and the national office of the Sierra Club have said the Forest Service has extended the impact
of the ruling to situations, like the holiday tree project, never intended in the lawsuit. They argue the administration is
manufacturing a controversy to draw opposition to the ruling.
Misplaced Moralizing
A friend told me this disquieting tale. A friend of hers was pregnant and looking forward to having
the baby. Sadly, for some reason, the fetus died in utero. In such a case, the mother’s life is in danger if the dead fetus isn’t
expelled quickly. So, her doctor wrote a prescription for a drug that does this.
At a Walgreen’s, the pharmacist refused to fill
this prescription. The customer, her mother, her doctor, all explained the circumstances. This was not an abortion, this was the end of a
miscarriage. The pharmacist was unmoved.
I tell you this tale not because I want you to boycott Walgreens, though I understand why
my friend now does. At first, I felt a little sympathy for the pharmacist — we never know when we will be faced with a decision that
challenges our deepest commitments. On further reflection, I believe the pharmacist is a selfish coward and sadist who should lose
his/her license. In fact, if this person believes s/he has principles, that should be reason enough to resign.
All across our
country, people are achieving things in life with help from all the rest of us. Some have come to believe their achievements are all
their own and that they own nothing to the community. If you went to school, we all paid taxes for that. If you got scholarship money
from any source, you have more than a financial debt. You can refuse to perform any service — I refuse to join the military — but you
can’t have it both ways. You can’t be a doctor and refuse to care for those you disagree with. You can’t be a policeman and refuse to
help those you don’t like. You can’t claim morality and act so indecently. mjh
Safe Under the Watchful Eye
Of
course, spying cameras will help cut down on crime. So, why not install them in every room in America — crime is everywhere, isn’t it?
Don’t you want to feel safe in your living room, with that nice camera watching all the time? mjh
ABQjournal: Police Consider Crime Cameras By Jeff
Proctor, Journal Staff Writer
Authorities are kicking around the idea of installing more cameras in
Albuquerque — but this time to stop crime, not catch motorists running red lights.
For starters, cameras would be set
up Downtown along Central Avenue, possibly at First and Fifth streets. The goal would be to spot dangerous and criminal
activity, particularly on weekends when Downtown can get a little rowdy.
For god’s sake — STOP!
I believe in a wide range of freedom. I believe in
diversity. I think there is too much moralizing going on in the US. Still, I think this is absolutely disgusting. The lord has given
these people more children than sense. Haven’t they heard of adoption? Someone tell Michelle it’s not the lord’s prick. mjh
Children May Have More
LITTLE ROCK, AR (AP) — An Arkansas woman who has just given birth to her 16th child is ready
for number 17.
Michelle Duggar had her first child when she was 21, four years after she and Jim Bob Duggar, a former
state lawmaker, were married. She’s now 39 and apparently has gotten the hang of it.
Arkansas Mother Gives Birth to 16th
Child
Jim Bob Duggar, 40, said he and Michelle, 39, want more children.
“We both just love children
and we consider each a blessing from the Lord. I have asked Michelle if she wants more and she said yes, if the Lord wants to
give us some she will accept them,” he said in a telephone interview.
Rail Runner commuter stop groundbreaking set soon
Rail Runner commuter stop groundbreaking set soon by Jane
Moorman News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jmoorman@news-bulletin.com
Groundbreaking for the Rail Runner commuter train stops in
Los Lunas and Belen will be very soon, according to Lawrence Rael, executive director of the Mid-Region Council of Government.
During an update to the Valencia County Commission on Friday, Rael said Twin Mountain Construction will be doing the work on the
nine rail stations between Belen and Bernalillo.
“All will be started soon,” he said. “Except the one planned for Isleta, which
was just agreed upon by the pueblo and will be located near Isleta Lake. Details are being worked out with the Bureau of Indians
Affairs.”
Eight of the passenger cars have arrived at the Albuquerque rail yard and the first locomotive is on its way, Rael said
told the Valencia County Commission during its meeting Friday. “By Dec. 15, we will have 10 cars and five locomotives. A typical
train will be two cars with the locomotive.”
While the goal is to have the commuter train running by the end of the year,
Rael said it might be early January. …
Rael said initially the train will run only Monday through
Friday…. [mjh: no train to volleyball on Sunday :-( ]
“Northbound trains will leave Belen early in the morning. There
will be trains in both directions mid-day and one from Albuquerque to Belen in the late afternoon,” he said.
“We will be looking
to see if there is a demand for late evening trains and Saturday. There will be service for special events at both ends of the route.”
Regarding the price for riding the train, Rael said the fare structure will be set by the end of October or early November.
“We will be using a focus group of people in Valencia County during the next few weeks to see what they will be willing to pay,” Rael
said.