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Apr. 2nd, 2006 01:35 amRemember that e-mail that set me off?
That particular aunt's daughter, my cousin Val (who is married to a minister, I might mention), wrote to me to tell me that my response was incredibly articulate and well done. She praised me especially on my ability to communicate the message of the Christian God we both ascribe to, the message that was in no way in harmony with the hateful language of that e-mail. It means a lot to me that she wrote, being her mother's daughter and more devoutly religious than I shall ever be. I'm flattered she thinks I was well written in my reply, amused to find that she rolled her eyes as much as I did over my uncle's response (not the one married to my aunt, and his response was "well, it's easier to criticize than create, so why not tell us how you would do it then?"), and that we aren't so different in our estimation of what our God wants of us with respect to love, charity, and trust.
We may disagree to what degree God wants us to adhere to the law as writ in the Bible, but there's a genuine respect for our differences that is so sorely lacking in the current political discourse. I was refreshed, really, and moved. I asked her to make any apologies if I offended her mum, and stressed that there was no offense meant to her, only some ridicule directed at the author of such a hateful diatribe.
At any rate, no matter how much teasing I get over my e-mails, I'll feel I made a solid connection there at least.
Oh, and my brother-in-law had a genius response to my uncle's line as well. He manages to say a lot in a few words and carry his sarcasm infinitely better than myself.
What I would do in the US if I had control, or a big enough nuke.
Force a universal Electronic Health Record system through based on VISTA, the V.A. EHR. Offer universal health care at a reduced price. Figure out more realistic guidelines when we can let people die.
Support McCain's reform of campaign finance laws. Money is not free speech.
Raise gas taxes and drop the revenues directly into Solar research. The efficiency of solar cells is not good enough or cheap enough for common use. Other solutions (wind, water, etc) are only useful in certain areas and have environmental impact in their own right.
Start a draft up to age 40 and drop another half-million americans into Iraq. Put me in Iraq and I'll either figure out the solutions or put a bullet in some politician's head. That is just about the last place in the world I want to be. Get a president who has actually been in a war. Sometimes, experience does matter.
Mandatory military service. Americans need the discipline and to blur the lines between our military and citizens. If we're going to play the role of world policeman, we need to learn a blend of practicality and restraint.
Make a critical thinking course a mandatory part of middle school and high school.
Work with the russian military to secure nukes (except mine). Pay bounty hunters $1,000,000 per nuke they can find.
Figure out a formula that puts the price of recycling into durable goods. Tax companies based on that formula. You sell a computer with $50 of recycling load, you get billed $50. You get the money back when it is recycled properly with 80% reuse and 20% safe disposal.
Start enforcing smog tests more stringently. Offer tax breaks and free disposal for cars that can't pass smog tests. No exclusions for trucks, etc.
Accept all able bodied immigrants and make them citizens within a year. Then send them their first tax bill.
Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow I'll work on curing cancer. So far I have found one cure but the mortality rate is 100%.
That particular aunt's daughter, my cousin Val (who is married to a minister, I might mention), wrote to me to tell me that my response was incredibly articulate and well done. She praised me especially on my ability to communicate the message of the Christian God we both ascribe to, the message that was in no way in harmony with the hateful language of that e-mail. It means a lot to me that she wrote, being her mother's daughter and more devoutly religious than I shall ever be. I'm flattered she thinks I was well written in my reply, amused to find that she rolled her eyes as much as I did over my uncle's response (not the one married to my aunt, and his response was "well, it's easier to criticize than create, so why not tell us how you would do it then?"), and that we aren't so different in our estimation of what our God wants of us with respect to love, charity, and trust.
We may disagree to what degree God wants us to adhere to the law as writ in the Bible, but there's a genuine respect for our differences that is so sorely lacking in the current political discourse. I was refreshed, really, and moved. I asked her to make any apologies if I offended her mum, and stressed that there was no offense meant to her, only some ridicule directed at the author of such a hateful diatribe.
At any rate, no matter how much teasing I get over my e-mails, I'll feel I made a solid connection there at least.
Oh, and my brother-in-law had a genius response to my uncle's line as well. He manages to say a lot in a few words and carry his sarcasm infinitely better than myself.
What I would do in the US if I had control, or a big enough nuke.
Force a universal Electronic Health Record system through based on VISTA, the V.A. EHR. Offer universal health care at a reduced price. Figure out more realistic guidelines when we can let people die.
Support McCain's reform of campaign finance laws. Money is not free speech.
Raise gas taxes and drop the revenues directly into Solar research. The efficiency of solar cells is not good enough or cheap enough for common use. Other solutions (wind, water, etc) are only useful in certain areas and have environmental impact in their own right.
Start a draft up to age 40 and drop another half-million americans into Iraq. Put me in Iraq and I'll either figure out the solutions or put a bullet in some politician's head. That is just about the last place in the world I want to be. Get a president who has actually been in a war. Sometimes, experience does matter.
Mandatory military service. Americans need the discipline and to blur the lines between our military and citizens. If we're going to play the role of world policeman, we need to learn a blend of practicality and restraint.
Make a critical thinking course a mandatory part of middle school and high school.
Work with the russian military to secure nukes (except mine). Pay bounty hunters $1,000,000 per nuke they can find.
Figure out a formula that puts the price of recycling into durable goods. Tax companies based on that formula. You sell a computer with $50 of recycling load, you get billed $50. You get the money back when it is recycled properly with 80% reuse and 20% safe disposal.
Start enforcing smog tests more stringently. Offer tax breaks and free disposal for cars that can't pass smog tests. No exclusions for trucks, etc.
Accept all able bodied immigrants and make them citizens within a year. Then send them their first tax bill.
Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow I'll work on curing cancer. So far I have found one cure but the mortality rate is 100%.
