“The Future is not set. There is NO FATE except what we make for ourselves.” If you sat through the 2 hours 17 minutes of “Terminator 2: Judgement Day,” then you probably recognize this little bit of Conservative advice from the movie that brought us a “Kinder, Gentler Terminator.” (No, seriously: they actually promoted the [...]
As I’ve explained before, the First Principle of Conservatism is PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, the simple concept that I am free to make my own choices, and, therefore, must face the consequences of those choices. I stepped in a hole in a grassy median. Nobody made me walk through the grass. I could have gone around through the parking lot and stayed on the flat pavement. It was MY CHOICE, and, because I didn’t watch where I was stepping, I got hurt.
Discrimination, in and of itself, is not wrong. We discriminate every single day. We choose which route to take to work because it is either faster, fewer miles, or less stressful. We choose which store to shop at because of what they have to sell, their prices and quality, or the convenience of their location. We choose what shows and movies to watch based upon what we enjoy watching, both at the specific time and in general. And the Discrimination of the consumer influence what products are available, what stores stay in business and what shows stay on television.
I’ve been thinking about what makes a person successful. To that end, I’ve come up with 12 Lessons that I believe we should be teaching kids…and ADULTS today, and they are all connected to the Five Principles of Conservatism. Do you have any suggestions or additions?
The strength of any family is founded in the lessons taught by its Parents. What a child learns at a young age is carried with them until they are adults, and then they pass that knowledge on to their children as well. But the most important lessons are not about math, science or history. The most important lessons are those taught in the realm of philosophy, and faith, and honor. These aren’t lessons that can or should be limited to the teachers in a school, but should be emphasized by those role models who should have the greatest influence on a child’s life: their PARENTS.
About a month ago, I published the Five-Part Series on the Principles of Conservatism, an overview of exactly WHAT makes a person a Conservative, but what are the alternatives? If being a Conservative is a Lifestyle Choice, as I contend that it is, what makes it different from being, say, a Progressive? That’s a great question, and one I’m going to try to answer today.
Welcome to the Nanny State, a reality where the Government, at every level, tells you what is good for you, how to live, and what to do. You can get an abortion, but it’s illegal to commit suicide. You can smoke pot if you get a prescription, but you can’t take Ibuprofen if you’re a teenage girl having menstrual cramps. If you shoot someone for breaking into your house and don’t kill them, they can sue you for their injuries, and if you miss a stop sign or go through a red light, Big Brother is watching, and the ticket is in the mail!
Samuel Adams said, “He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all regard for his country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections.” Our HONEST Beliefs form the foundations of our Morality and our Ethics, and, in many ways, define how we treat one another.
