29 thoughts on “The Culture War”

  1. I don’t think they believe that rules are only for the little people so much as they think that rules are only for the other side, which, as it happens, they believe consists primarily of little people.

  2. Do I think the owners of Hobby Lobby are lying about their religious beliefs? Yes, because until the ACA passed, Hobby Lobby’s health insurance offered the exact same coverages that they now find burdensome. If Hobby Lobby wants the tax advantages of offering health coverage to their employees, then that includes birth control.

    Do I think businesses should have to serve all customers equal, whether they are gay, straight, black or white? Yes. “All men are created equal” means exactly what it says. “Equal protection under the law” means you can’t call the cops to kick out some customers but not others.

        1. “i’m not sure why you single out the
          Black members.”

          He isn’t singling out the black members of congress. He is singling out a group that doesn’t allow other people to join based on the color of their skin.

          1. Exactly, I could just as easily put up the NAACP or the KKK. It is just people find it fashionable to oppose the KKK while touting principled morals, but when asked about CBC or NAACP, the morals tend to shift. Or in the case of Bob, simple ad hominem attacks.

            For the record, I oppose the CBC, NAACP, and KKK on equal grounds of being racial organizations with specific goals to advance that race over all others. In case the point isn’t understood, I oppose La Raza too. By oppose, I mean I do not support in any way, except one: I support freedom of association. I don’t oppose their existence, I oppose their purpose and their goals based on their purpose. I don’t think any of those organizations should receive government funds.

    2. So should I pay for Jews or Muslims getting circumcised in my health plan or not? Coz I sure as heck am not circumcised and I think its a pointless procedure.

      1. Dear Dr Godzilla,

        If you review your medical literature, you’ll find that there is a great deal evidence for and against it being a medically beneficial procedure. Since you are a doctor from prehistoric Japan (now living in Europe, if I understand correctly), you might not be aware that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the procedure, as, in its view, the health benefits outweigh the downsides. The American Academy of Pediatrics further recommends that the procedure be covered by insurance. See the following link for more details (and I’m sure there still more details that can be found with a bit of websearching):

        http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/New-Benefits-Point-to-Greater-Benefits-of-Infant-Circumcision-But-Final-Say-is-Still-Up-to-parents-Says-AAP.aspx

        I do understand that you find the procedure useless but, I, for one, would rather listen to the AAP than to a “an incredibly huge, nearly invulnerable, dinosaur-like, radioactive monster with the ability to blow some sort of destructive nuclear plasma mist out of his mouth to ignite, explode, or melt things a considerable distance away”, even one with a medical degree.

        1. Since you are a doctor from prehistoric Japan

          Wow, when Bob’s not making ad hominem attacks, he’s supporting genital mutilation “for the children”.

          2. Time travel?

            Godzilla” first appeared in cinemas across the country in November 1954 but its story line was heavily influenced by an incident eight months earlier at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

            On March 1, 1954, a fishing crew on the Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon 5) was exposed to radiation following a hydrogen bomb test that was conducted by the U.S. Army in the Pacific. The boat’s chief radio operator, Aikichi Kuboyama, died upon return to Tokyo, and the events sparked a fierce anti-nuclear movement across the country, as citizens expressed concern about the unpredictable nature of nuclear weapons and contaminated fish in the food supply.

            Over at Toho Studios, meanwhile, producer Tomoyuki Tanaka was in desperate need of an idea for a film after another project fell through at the last minute.

            Upon reading about the nuclear incident in the Pacific and noting the box-office success of Warner Bros.’ 1953 film “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms,” he came up with a story line that centered on a prehistoric monster that is awakened from a centuries-long sleep in the aftermath of a nuclear test.

            source: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2014/01/11/films/godzilla-returns/

          3. When someone makes a medical observation (eg ” I think its a pointless procedure.”), and the reply is “You’re not a doctor”, the reply is indeed ad hominem (to the man), but it isn’t an ad hominem fallacy. Do you see why?

      2. There are a lot of people who think you not only should you not have to pay but that it shouldn’t be allowed. And because these people are in charge, expect their activist front groups to embark on a “grassroots” campaign to get the HHS to dictate that it happen.

    4. What should worry him more is the “Equip American Workers Against Becoming Unarmed Victims” bill, which will be the number on priority when the Republicans take the Senate. The bill requires all for-profit and non-profit companies to give their non-temporary employees an assault rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition, despite any moral, ethical, religious, or financial objections the company may have.

      The bill was amended to require all companies with on-site cafeterias to serve either pulled-pork BBQ or port baby-back ribs at least once a week, something the American pork lobby slipped in, despite any objections from companies owned or run by vegans, Jews, or Muslims.

    5. This wouldn’t be a problem if some jerkhole didn’t decide it would be a good idea for the government to mandate not only that businesses provide health insurance but also that it meets Democrat’s ideological requirements.

      Remember, Obamacare isn’t about providing health insurance. Hobby Lobby already provided health insurance. Obamacare is about bossing people around and forcing Democrat’s whimsical ideology on the populace.

      1. Indeed. I have no issue with a person wanting a circumcision anymore than plastic surgery, but oppose mandating they I pay for it, so it is cheaper for everyone. I’m no more interested in keeping the price cheap than getting the procedure. Should we mandate coverage of tattoos to be inclusive of Fijians?

    2. Pretty sure the concept of cultural war predate Pat Buchanan. Why are you singling him out? Is it because he is old, white, and has a belly? Isn’t that the racist attack du jour? Then you describe any number of accusations and as evidence you say they are an Old Fat White Man and you know how they are.

    3. You didn’t do much research to form your belief, but the for you; that’s a consistent issue. I’m no fan of Wikipedia, but it might help here. So like Wodun, why do you single out Pat Buchanan? As Rand puts it, we don’t care what he thinks. So why bring him up in a statement that is easy to refute? Or is that your honest belief built on ignorance?

      2. Ack. “but then for you”. With a tablet screen, proof reading is that much more of a chore. Still, that error is far less embarrassing then giving credit to Pat Buchanan for the notion of culture wars.

  4. It’s fitting that in a post dealing with the Left as secular religion, Christian “liberal” (and by “liberal” I mean of course “tax-happy coercion-addicted State-humper”) theocrat Gerrib and lockstep brainless State-cultist Douchenozzle Guy should weigh in.

    1. Note that when called out on a potential hypocrisy, the best argument is just ad hominem attacks. It sort of proves the thesis that Rand linked.

  5. When outcome is the goal rather than truth there is no possibility of reconciliation. This makes argument pointless. When they are stronger you get the red button. When they are weaker they demand fairness. Recognizing this should change actions but instead argument continues.

    Culture then, is just another red herring.

  6. Here is my favorite passage from the Geraghty article:

    A lot of people formulate their worldview in a particular order. From what they’re taught as children, and what they observe as they age, they come up with a series of principles. Then they assess others around them, concluding that the ones who live by those principles are the good people and the ones who don’t are the bad people.

    …

    Many progressives organize their worldview in the reverse order: They pick the good people — themselves — and everything else is negotiable.

Comments are closed.