Is There Such a Thing as Too Moderate?
I don’t think I’m a bleeding heart. I think we are far too prone to see everyone as a victim these days, every weakness as a disease. For most of us, life is hard. Get over it and get to work. On the other hand, I have no doubt that some people are mentally ill or dealing with circumstances and disabilities that require decent human beings to reach out with a little compassion and what help they can offer.
I don’t believe in capital punishment. This was a debate topic one year, and at the time, I supported it. By the time I had thoroughly researched it with the kids (both sides, as is required by competitive debate), I had done a complete 180. All the evidence showed that, as a system, it has been unquestionably racist. It is not a deterrent, and may even be a cause of violence. It is not cheaper than life imprisonment, but I have to say that I don’t think that cost should be a factor in the decision anyway. Our strongest argument in favor of it was the idea that revenge is a justifiable element of justice. I just didn’t feel good about making my personal decision about capital punishment based on this. Others may certainly disagree; that’s just where I am with it.
At the same time, I believe that people are accountable for their actions (barring the truly criminally insane or mentally retarded people who have committed crimes). I realize that murderers probably have some horrific experiences of their own in their backgrounds, but that isn’t just cause for taking another’s life. Get therapy. Take your meds. Do whatever you have to to get a grip. Every time someone talks about bullying “causing” Eric and Dylan to murder 13 people, I have to squelch the urge to flatten him. Bullshit. Deal with it. Otherwise, you go to jail, and if you are the kind of person who is going to be an on-going threat, you stay in jail.
I believe in marriage. It’s not that I think everyone should get married, but I believe in it as an institution. My marriage is a huge asset in my life, and yes, I think the covenant my husband and I have made deepens our relationship. Legally, it’s very handy-dandy. It makes filing taxes as a household convenient. If I get bonked on the head and sent to the hospital, my DH automatically gets all the info about me. If my brain stops working, no one has to rely solely upon a living will that may or may not make my wishes clear under the given circumstances. Everyone knows that my DH gets to make the decisions, and I am perfectly comfortable with that. We’ve been together over 28 years; he knows me better than anyone. If the kids need something, a permission slip signed or medical attention, either one of us can take care of it. I think gay couples can need and should have access to all of these advantages. I do not think that gay marriage undermines my marriage. I don’t think that anybody else’s marriage (or choice not to marry) has any impact on my marriage.
So am I a weenie? Should I be choosing up sides on the extreme ends of the spectrum as the media would have us believe that we are all doing these days, or are you a closet moderate, too?
If you're a weenie, I'm a weenie. And the world, in this case, needs more
weenies.
Most situations have plenty of "gray area" to consider. Universal
qualifiers such as "all" "none" "always" and "never" rarely ring true 100%
of the time.
I absolutely agree that the death penalty should be abolished. I used to
think it was a good idea until I read up on the topic and did some serious
pondering on the subject. And, I agree that that people should be punished
when they commit crimes. It would be better though if an attempt at
rehabilitation occurred while criminals are in prison, regardless of
whether they are ever going to be released.
Bleeding heart or compassionate? It all depends on what you call it, and
the world has seen precious little compassion, which is part of the
problem.
I agree with Pimme on capital punishment, that each case should be taken
into consideration for the evidence of guilt.
Actually, I didn't say anything about tax breaks, only the fact that it's
convenient to file as a household rather than separately. I hear a lot
about it actually being more expensive to file as a couple, but we have a
CPA do our taxes, so I'm not sure exactly what the monetary difference is.
I agree that the commitment part of a marriage is religious/spiritual
(whichever word you prefer), which I why I was saying that I don't worry a
great deal about what other people's marriages should or shouldn't look
like. I think for some major decisions, like life support, you need a
clear "buck stops here" designation.