Summary

Archives of political thoughts posted in 2005.

01-01		A New Year
03-15		Still Here, Barely
03-18		O wise young judge, how I do honour thee!

Note: The url of each heading and (date) below is a permanent link.

Let's try to do something right with this one. One Red Sox victory isn't so much to show for 2004, especially if you're not really a Red Sox fan. (And it is kind of hard to remember that it wasn't the Yankees that they defeated in the World Series, but one of those National League teams.)

If the Democrats are going to lose elections, I would rather have them do it after showing a little bit of backbone, maybe coming up with a consistent message that represents what the majority of social liberals have been demanding all this time. We can't even blame Nader this time around, but perhaps spending 5 minutes trying to figure out what made him so appealing to millions of Americans wouldn't be time wasted.

-- cbu (01/01/2005)

Still disgusted. Not even the start of Spring Training can make me totally forget the political horror show that I am subjected to every day.

The United States is currently and very actively engaged in sending innocent (or at the very least not-proven-guilty) subjects to countries where they are tortured. Just for the record, many of us think that even torture of the not-so-innocent is also morally repugnant. Where oh where has the decency of the American people gone to, did we bury it in some cave in Afghanistan? Or was that notion just a self-serving delusion all along?

Do my fellow Americans really have no moral qualms concerning torture performed in their name in foreign lands? I'm simply appalled that anyone can still support this Republican regime and sleep at night.

If you have ever had the misfortune (or suspect that you might someday) of confronting/engaging a justification for torture, you should read Kieran Healy's brief essay on Needles Under The Nails.

-- cbu (03/15/2005)

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.

-- William Shakespeare (03/18/1596)

(The Merchant Of Venice. Act IV, Scene 1, Portia's speech.)

Copyright (c) 2005  Craig Upright, William Shakespeare,
All Rights Reserved.