Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Burn flags or burn vets?
Just as with the homosexual marriage amendment, this flag-burning thing is purely cynical. If there is in fact a problem, it's a problem of bad judges, not bad text in the Constitution. Adding more text just gives the bad judges more material to create bad decisions. If Congress really wanted to solve the problem, it would find ways to fire most of the existing judges and hire randomly selected - preferably uneducated - people to replace them.
In this case, I'll take it one step further. If Congress really wants to serve veterans, it could find ways to - ahem - SERVE VETERANS, not ways to create a meaningless election-year issue.
Classic example here in Spokane. A Vietnam vet named Doug Dawson fell into long-term drunkenness and ended up as a street bum. Last week, two young evil dickheads found Dawson asleep next to a building. (The local homeless shelters had apparently rejected him for persistent drunkenness.) The two evil dickheads robbed Dawson of his few dollars and possessions, then SET HIM ON FIRE. He lingered several days in horrible pain, then died yesterday. Fortunately the two evil dickheads were caught, and fortunately they did their unspeakable deed in a place like Spokane where they won't get off easy.
I've talked before about the question of crazy folks having the 'right' to be out of asylums. A similar question arises with bums. The old fashioned poorhouse sounds just as mean-spirited as the insane asylum, but I'll guarantee you that an unfortunate veteran like Dawson would not have been SET ON FIRE in a poorhouse.
Story here, including interview with one of the evil dickheads. ¶ 6:28 AM
In this case, I'll take it one step further. If Congress really wants to serve veterans, it could find ways to - ahem - SERVE VETERANS, not ways to create a meaningless election-year issue.
Classic example here in Spokane. A Vietnam vet named Doug Dawson fell into long-term drunkenness and ended up as a street bum. Last week, two young evil dickheads found Dawson asleep next to a building. (The local homeless shelters had apparently rejected him for persistent drunkenness.) The two evil dickheads robbed Dawson of his few dollars and possessions, then SET HIM ON FIRE. He lingered several days in horrible pain, then died yesterday. Fortunately the two evil dickheads were caught, and fortunately they did their unspeakable deed in a place like Spokane where they won't get off easy.
I've talked before about the question of crazy folks having the 'right' to be out of asylums. A similar question arises with bums. The old fashioned poorhouse sounds just as mean-spirited as the insane asylum, but I'll guarantee you that an unfortunate veteran like Dawson would not have been SET ON FIRE in a poorhouse.
Story here, including interview with one of the evil dickheads. ¶ 6:28 AM
