We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Famous words from The Declaration of Independence, but how much weight do they really carry today?
The attack on these rights begins at conception. While created equal, many men's lives are snuffed out while still in the womb. Equal opportunity doesn't exist for the millions of aborted babies each year. They are all equal in value, and inherent worth as humans, but many never have the chance to recognize the potential that beats inside their tiny chests. Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies in America are aborted! If a child is fortunate enough to actually be born in America, they will find from their first breath on, that environment and personal decisions will be the main factors in how equal we actually are.
The rallying call of late seems to be equality. Folks are marching in the streets under the banner of equality. The disturbing facet of the chant is that most are chanting for equal results, and not equal opportunity. The only way to guarantee equal results is to take away from the high end of the spectrum and redistribute to the low end of the spectrum, leaving the result as a wash somewhere in the middle. So the equal results equation necessitates subtraction. Subtraction. Taking away from. There is a curious condition in the human makeup, that we don't like things being taken away from us. From a two year old's toys to a Union Member's Collective Bargaining Right's, we don't respond well to subtraction. In the economic sense it will punish those at the successful end of the spectrum, taking away from their motivation. Giving freebies to those at the low end of the spectrum does them no favors either. It steals their sense of accomplishment, the thrill of the hunt, and the satisfaction of success, that is so necessary in finding fulfillment.
Equal Opportunity or Equal Results?
The rights addressed in the Declaration of Independence are of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Liberals of today have attacked the right to life, with abortion, and they have misunderstood the pursuit of happiness. It is the PURSUIT of happiness. Your government does not have to guarantee your happiness. The right of Liberty, should open the door for you to pursue your own happiness.
Equal Opportunity?
If the left truly believed in equal opportunity, then they would support school choice programs. There are millions of kids held hostage by teacher's unions in terrible schools. They have no opportunity. They are hardly equal. Give them opportunity, give them choice. This really isn't complicated, freedom of choice when it comes to schools, right to life when it comes to babies. It's all about equality.
All Men Created Equal?
Not hardly. There are men that work much harder than I do. There are men that invested more time and energy into an education than I did. There are men that are much brighter than me, and have business savvy that I'll never possess. There are men that received fortunate breaks, that didn't fall my way. Are we all equal? Not by a long shot. Should I have a claim on the wealth that their lives have afforded them? Not at all. We are not guaranteed equal results. Parity in possessions is not a fundamental right under The Constitution or The Bill of Rights. I prefer a Government that guarantees me an opportunity, but doesn't take it away from me if I manage to succeed. If our government just gives us a chance, the ingenuity, hard work, and perseverance of the American people will shine out to the rest of the world. Just give us opportunity, not equality.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, you nailed it.
Equality, my friend, accords equal opportunity to all. First of all, that would mean that all people have EQUAL access to EQUALLY GOOD educational opportunities in neighborhoods free of crime and not rife with the inequality that you "tsk" away. School choice? What, precisely, do you mean by that?
ReplyDeleteEquality of results is not guaranteed. But could it not be to a degree? Shouldn't we all have access to the things that give us quality of life? Shouldn't we all have a right to health care, good schools, the opportunity to decent work?
ReplyDeleteBy "school choice" I'm referring to parents controlling which schools their children attend. I like the idea of the voucher system. Competition to the public school system will raise the bar in education. It will afford all students, even poor ones, equal opportunity.
ReplyDeletePaul, equal opportunity does not guarantee equal results. Taking away from opportunity guarantees equal results, at a sub-par level. Throw all kids into a failing public school system, and you'll get equal results. Afford them all the same opportunity that a private school education would provide, and you won't end up with equal results, but you will end up with some kids excelling that wouldn't have previously.
ReplyDeleteThank you Hardnox.
ReplyDeleteMr. Stupidity,
ReplyDeleteI am impressed with your writing, and you make some excellent points, all of which seemed to have hit high and right on Mr. Barry. The phrase "all men are CREATED equal" means just that. But from the moment of your first breath, you begin the journey to un-equalness. Some of us are blessed with better influences in life - I find that adults who were whipped for infractions in their youth tend to advance further than those whose abusive parents allowed them to get away with murder. Those who are expected to excel, and are raised to excel, generally excel. Those who are allowed to wallow, tend to be the ones who demand that the "government" make them equal.
Another excellent post!!
ReplyDeleteA heartfelt "Thank you" to both Tenth and Faye!
ReplyDeleteGiven the track record of any government to pick winners and losers I am astounded that anyone can argue the logic of your position LS. Get the government out of the way and everyone wins. Get the unions out of the way and the economy will take off like a rocket.
ReplyDeleteCS, to be fair unions hold a very important role in our country's history. They did a great work in affording the working man fair labor conditions and wages. They were important when dealing with overbearing and unjust employers.
ReplyDeletePublic Sector Unions however, are employed by the Tax-payer, most of whom make less money than the union members, so it can hardly be argued that the employer is overbearing and unjust. I believe we should treat our civil servants justly. I don't believe that a Union Thug should be able to hold the taxpayer hostage.
As a former member of the Retail Clerks Union of the AFL-CIO I can tell you that in most areas Unions have more than run their course. Certainly the conventional wisdom was that they filled a good role at one point. I'm not sure that was the only way. My beef is that they shouldn't be protected, subsidized, or supported by the government. Their mortal enemy - American business is not for the most part. I want a level playing field that's all. I was a union member and I hated the union - still do.
ReplyDeleteCS, some of the loudest voices of opposition to unions come from those that have had their money confiscated by unions, and used to support candidates that they didn't support. Thanks for the insiders voice.
ReplyDeleteJust to lighten up a bit. Here's what I mean:
ReplyDeleteA dedicated Teamsters union worker was attending a convention in Las Vegas and decided to check out the local brothels.
When he got to the first one, he asked the Madam, "Is this a union house?"
"No," she replied, "I'm sorry it isn't."
"Well, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"
"The house gets $80 and the girls get $20," she answered.
Offended at such unfair dealings, the union man stomped off down the street in search of a more equitable, hopefully unionized shop. His search continued until finally he reached a brothel where the Madam responded, "Why yes sir, this is a union house. We observe all union rules."
The man asked, "And, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"
"The girls get $80 and the house gets $20."
"That's more like it!" the union man said.
He handed the Madam $100, looked around the room, and pointed to a stunningly attractive green-eyed blonde.
“I'd like her," he said.
"I'm sure you would, sir," said the Madam. Then she gestured to a 92-year old woman in the corner, "but Ethel here has 67 years seniority and according to union rules, she's next.'"
Well that about sums it up CS!
ReplyDeleteLS Great blog you have here. I will most definitely be coming back for more of your humor and wisdom. thank you and keep up the good fight.
ReplyDeleteYou cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.- John Henry Boetcke
LS - saw this today on Patriot Post (http://patriotpost.us/) and recalled this post of yours. A little reinforcement from John Adams:
ReplyDelete"[A]ll are subject by nature to equal laws of morality, and in society have a right to equal laws for their government, yet no two men are perfectly equal in person, property, understanding, activity, and virtue, or ever can be made so by any power less than that which created them … all are subject by nature to equal laws of morality, and in society have a right to equal laws for their government." --John Adams, Discourse on Davila—XV, 1776
Thank you both Hugh and CS!! Wow! Two powerful quotes!
ReplyDeleteHere's one more for ya LS. One of my favorites. From one of the greatest men in world history.
ReplyDelete“Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”
–George Washington