Tuesday, May 22, 2007

I believe

I believe.

I believe that government should be minimal, not maximal, that the less invasive it is, the better. I believe that it is the role of the government to protect its citizenry from enemies without (terrorists, invasions) and enemies within (murderers, rapists, pedophiles, psychopaths), using lethal measures if necessary. I think bureaucracies are dangerous.

I think that a nation is strongest when it abides by certain basic moral principles (the 10 commandments is a good start). I think that the basic building block of society is the family, which, at its best and most complete form centres around a husband and wife and their children. Financially, I think that society as a whole is best served when families are one-income, not two, and socially, when one parent stays home.

I strongly suspect that the root of almost all modern alliances and axes, wars and rumours of wars, boil down to two things: population shift (demographics) and the struggle for oil.

I am pro-baby, anti-abortion, and pro-breastfeeding, with serious reservations about the majority of caesareans and other natal medical interventions (epidurals, narcotics, inductions, etc.). I question the standard orthodoxy of vaccinations.

I believe that usury is wrong, that allowing multi-national corporations into a country is irresponsible, if not dangerous, to everyone from the small business owner to the nation that admits them. I am against globalization and I think the concept of a locavore a great one.

I want my food natural, without preservatives, without pasteurization, without pesticides. I think genetically-modified foods are an abomination.

I believe pollution to be a great wrong, whether we are talking air pollution, sea pollution, the proliferation of land fills, or the ubiquitous but humble plastic bag (1, 2). I believe humans are stewards of Creation, not masters, and that we are sowing dangerous seeds the poisoned fruit of which we may never fully know. That said, I am no believer in global warming (1, 2) as it is promulgated in the media, although I do believe in the existence of climate change.

I think that it is the right - perhaps the duty - of the citizenry to bear arms, although I think the selling of semi-automatics (let alone fully automatics) to be irresponsible.

I think that public schools do our children a great disservice, that the best pedagogy is found in the classical academy, and that home-schooling is a fantastic second choice.

I believe in freedom of speech, subject to the bounds of common decency.

And lastly, I think this will be a controversial post, and I wouldn't mind if it brought some dialogue to Vox clamanti.

- V.

5 comments:

Ochlophobist said...

We must be kindred spirits. On every point you mention (even the small points like semi-auto firearms - I am a wheel gun man myself) I am in agreement with only one minor caveat, and that is education. My wife and I have not decided whether to home school or to send our kids to the local classical education school run by friendly conservative Presbyterians who are very good to the Orthodox kids who go to the school. Both options are good options and far, far, far better than the public school abyss.

Good post.

Anonymous said...

If you were expecting controversy I am sorry also that I cannot provide it. Point by point I find it hard to disagree.
What I was trying to imagine is a world without usury, by the original definition of that term. Wow! It is hard to even imagine. We are so tied into interest and compound interest, high interest, low interest, etc., etc.
I feel like John Lennon here. Imagine . . . everyone having to actually produce something of value to the rest, or provide some service of value to the rest. Wouldn't that put a lot of those bureaucrats out of work?

LifeSpark said...

After 2 days of musing I've found something to disagree with!!!
No point too small for a godfather to cavil upon!
Genetically modified foods. What do you mean by them and what do you dislike about that? I realize that my disagreement may well evaporate upon your explanation but I can't let you go unchallenged...

elizabeth said...

then there is me. you know i should talk with you sometime about a facet of this.

as in i am working again for government and they seem to be going right for globalization; encouraging it even.

it will take me a while to figure all of this out...

i think u should read the book _crunchy cons_ by r dreher ... esp as i want to discuss this with you both too!!! :)

V and E said...

Thank you for your comments, Ochlophobist, Les, Lifespark, and Elizabeth.

Ochlophobist, I already respected your writings. It delights me to be considered a kindred spirit. And I agree that home schooling is a viable alternative to a classical education, although home schooling depends on the skills of the parent teaching, while classical education depends on the strength of the curriculum.

Les, perhaps the world would be better without bureaucrats. Or even [gasp] bureaucracies.

Lifespark, your continued clinging to the purported benefits of genetically modified foods horrifies me still.

Elizabeth, you have my whole-hearted sympathy.

- V.