strange couple of weeks

So I take a few days off and the whole world goes nuts. It seems like that some days.

We elected a new president or is he really new? Thankfully there was no huge outbreak of rioting and discontent and that is a good thing. I wonder what would have happened had the election gone the other way. Would the losers have been as understanding if McCain had won the election or would there be rioting and calls of an illegal election and the attempt to overturn the election in the courts?

There is the one accusation of an illegal candidate that has yet to be played out but it looks like it will be buried rather quickly, and that question may remain with us long term, “Is Obama an American born citizen, or was he just a few days late on arrival?” What will the reactions be if he is or if he isn’t? Some things can be interesting to ask and watch and learn as long as the implications aren’t too personally costly.

One of those interesting things to watch has been the vote on Proposition 8 in California, the defining of marriage as being between a man and a woman. It isn’t often that churches will come out and actively take a stand on an issue; they usually just let their doctrine stand on its own merit. If you have faith in the doctrines that your church proclaims then you generally know what your position will be on any given issue. You either accept it as your own or you don’t. Many people did just that.

But there were several churches that thought that this issue was important enough to take a public stand in protecting a moral position as well as a sacred and respected institution, that of marriage. It brought together several churches that would normally be at odds for their varying points of doctrine but were united in their efforts to protect the sanctity of marriage.

That is right, I said protect. These churches were in a defensive position. They were defending the very nature of marriage and that which makes it holy and sacred, a gift from God. It was they who were in danger of losing something precious. They are the ones who were under attack. And the tactics the homosexual community used were most definitely attacks, vicious, cruel and hateful.

And now because Proposition 8 passed by the voters of California and marriage is once again defined as it should be, the churches and their followers are under attack again. Vandalism, graffiti, protest and violence are all coming from the homosexual community and all under their banner of love. So where is their tolerance for people different than them? Where is there acceptance of people that are heterosexual? Where is their respect for people that have faith and believe in God? Where was the media in pointing out these travesties of fairness? Who was there to point out the hypocrisy?

I am unaware of any arguments for Proposition 8 that banned any homosexual from continuing to practice their beliefs. In fact, they didn’t try to change anyone in the homosexual community at all. In a world that is continually injecting the homosexual lifestyle into everything around us, be it music, book, or screen, proponents of Prop 8 managed to leave at least one institution intact. At least for now.

The world of finance however is a whole other world all together. On one side you have the downtrodden millionaire and on the other the taxpayer. Guess who is going to win this contest?

On the other hand, everyone is sticking their hand out, waiting for a handout. I am still thinking that this whole bailout thing is one of the worst knee jerk reactions America has made in a long time. It wasn’t well thought out, it isn’t equitable, and it doesn’t play well to the ideals of capitalism that this world was designed around. If a merchant has bad inventory, he marks it down real low, moves it out and then replaces it with good inventory, and moves on. Most items can be either bought or sold if the price is right. It is just a matter of getting the price to be right.

Same goes for the producer of goods. If you provide for your customer what he wants at a price that he wants and you do it at least as good as the next guy, you will have a business. But if you are unable to deliver on any of those points you customer will go elsewhere, especially if there is an elsewhere to go too. Why is that so hard to understand? And why do we think it is necessary to assist through a bailout those that don’t understand it? We are not doing anyone any favors here. Especially not the taxpayer.

But it is more than just the taxpayer that is harmed by these bailouts. What are the messages that we are sending out? Is it really all right to fail? Are there really any risks if all my mistakes are taken care of by Uncle Sam? Are there really different standards for the elite versus the common man? Will I be looked after as well as the next guy, and if so do I no longer have a responsibility to make wise decisions concerning my welfare? Or that of those around me? Can I take credit for (or will I even get credit for) all this generosity even though it did not come directly from me? Has our quiet acceptance been considered a vote of approval for our leaders to continue doing what they have been doing? Will we ever be granted the status of individuals and adults again?

I believe it is possible to be counted as a grown up and as an individual. It won’t be easy, in fact it is going to get a whole lot harder be your own person, but I am willing to make that effort. I believe it is worth it. I believe I am worth it, and I believe my family is worth it. Freedom does not come from group think but rather from a group of individuals that think. That is where I want my voice. I wish for you to be as I would wish you to let me be.

Does that mean we stand alone? No, far from it, for it means we stand together. We do not stand over, nor are we stood upon. And that makes all the difference. For none should be more equal than others. No, not one. To have it any other way destroys equality.

This is Ed Nef with a view from the Farr West.