OT: Jibjab, Politics, the Big Bang and more!

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
Your statement here is a textbook slippery slope fallacy.

You say that, but it's still true: Every time some politician tacks some more crap onto your tax bill, they're hoping you won't notice, or will shrug it off as minor. It never ends. The fact of the matter remains is that everytime something like this is added, yet more of your money is siphoned away, not to support a public service that everyone can benefit from, like roads, the army, or libraries, but to support some worthless slacker who can't be bothered to support his own bloated carcass: Somebody who everyone would be better off without.

What's wrong with it is that whether the person is lazy or not is irrelevant. They still deserve a standard of living that is better than the poverty line. They deserve this because they are _human_.

What are you, a Communist? Nobody *DESERVES* anything. If you want something, you have to *EARN* it. There's no free lunch, pal. If you can't afford something, you get a nice lesson in "learning to do without". I mean, hell, look at me: I spent many years living out of a used Army-surplus jeep. Why? Because houses cost money! I didn't HAVE that money yet, so guess what? I LEARNED TO DO WITHOUT. When I couldn't afford an extended hospital bill and stay to treat an injury incurred in the field, I patched it with duct tape! It's all about LEARNING TO DO WITHOUT. If you can't afford it, that's what you gotta do, not go piss and moan a handout from total strangers. Can't you at least panhandle honestly, rather than try to get the government to do your panhandling for you? Sheesh.

Today, I have lots of money. I can now afford things. So when I feel like I really want them, I do so. I have no pity for somebody who expects a free handout because they CAN'T AFFORD IT. Cry me a river. Boo frickety hoo.

You ALSO forget that trying to give everyone a standard of living ABOVE the poverty line simply redefines the poverty line! No matter what you do, there will always be people who are sufficiently "below average" to constitute poverty.

The U.S. is hardly overpopulated.

I disagree with this assertion. You merely need to try to go through a supermarket checkout to see that there are clearly too many people.

Like I said, you are willing to throw up any amount of red herrings and smokescreens to disguise the fact that you don't care about those people simply because you don't personally know them.

Disguise? Where have I tried to disguise this?

I think the only thing to say here is: May you live in interesting times.

Amen. Boredom is a horrible way to die.

[ July 28, 2004, 21:11: Message edited by: Norfleet ]

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by NTJedi:
I believe it's important to give a voice to the child which will exist. Once conception has occurred only God truly knows when the entity/organism has a soul... lets play it safe and stay away from abortion.

I have no evidence that supports the existence of God, or souls. Assuming that God exists, there's no reason why I should place any real value in what he says, given that he has a known record of hypocrisy. Certainly he makes no effort to actually enforce any of this, and even if he did, he'd be nothing more than a bully. As for souls, well, as you said yourself, only God truly knows when an entity or organism has a soul, right? Let's stay away from eating animals, too, right? Yeah. I love animals. They taste great.

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
What are you, a Communist? Nobody *DESERVES* anything.

I was wondering when the standard American insults were going to start showing up.

I suggest you read your own constitution. People have a right to _life_ in the U.S.

I've snipped the rest of your pointless tirade.

I disagree with this assertion. You merely need to try to go through a supermarket checkout to see that there are clearly too many people.

Another meaningless anecdote demonstrating the uselessness of your arguments.

Disguise? Where have I tried to disguise this?

You freely admit that you don't care about people that you don't know personally? Good. It's nice to see that you're demonstrating just why you're a social parasite.

[Arryn]

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
What's wrong with it is that whether the person is lazy or not is irrelevant. They still deserve a standard of living that is better than the poverty line. They deserve this because they are _human_.

Why? It removes the important concept of personal responsibility.

What humans deserve is "the chance for a better life", not the better life itself. The latter should be earned. You and I have the right to have the opportunity to become wealthy. We do not have a right to be wealthy. Note the distinction. In the former, you can work towards your goals. In the latter, you are given what you seek without having earned it. I have the right to try to become a U.S. senator. I do not have a right to be one. Society owes me the opportunity to succeed, not the success itself. Society owes me the right to be able to find good medical care, not the care itself.

If humans have an innate right to be taken care of by our society, then why must we pay for rent, food, or anything else we might want in our ordained right to happiness? Please recall the United States Declaration of Independence says "pursuit of happiness", not "happiness".

[Arryn]

Originally posted by NTJedi:
lets play it safe and stay away from abortion.

Let's, instead, not inflict one's beliefs on others.

"Judge not ..."

[Norfleet]

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
I suggest you read your own constitution. People have a right to _life_ in the U.S.

That just means it's illegal to kill them. Not that I'm required to help them if they can't be bothered to help themselves and obviously seem to enjoy being poor, as they can't be bothered to make the effort to end this. America is supposed to be the land of opportunity: If you can't be bothered to do something about it, you deserve to be poor. Somebody's gotta be.

You freely admit that you don't care about people that you don't know personally? Good. It's nice to see that you're demonstrating just why you're a social parasite.

Parasite? I happen to be a taxpaying citizen who owes no money. I'm quite self-supporting, thank-you-very-much.

[PrinzMegaherz]

Originally posted by Norfleet:
That just means it's illegal to kill them. Not that I'm required to help them if they can't be bothered to help themselves and obviously seem to enjoy being poor, as they can't be bothered to make the effort to end this. America is supposed to be the land of opportunity: If you can't be bothered to do something about it, you deserve to be poor. Somebody's gotta be.

Indeed, this is how the animal world works. The unfitting die, the suited replicate. However, I assumed that you are a human and not an animal. Maybe I was wrong here.

[ July 28, 2004, 21:25: Message edited by: PrinzMegaherz ]