EQUALITY

A FB friend asked: What does equality mean to you?

First, what is inequality? This may be simpler than you may think. 

Too many judgments about our neighbors are made about their bodies and their characteristics thereof.  Are they fat or thin? Female or male?  Red or yellow; black or white? The correct answer is this quote from the song “Jesus Loves the Little Children”:

Jesus loves the little children

All (emphasis added) the children of the       world

Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world

I have heard it said many times, we are ALL God’s children. Or sheep. Or neighbors. 

And then, characteristics are assigned to each group. Fat people are not healthy. Thin people are anorexic. Women are illogical. Men think they are superior. Red people are heathens because they don’t believe in the Christian God. Yellow people, too. Black people aren’t even human and are ignorant. White people are superior. These are generalizations, but I am trying not to bore you. So I will stop here. 

{Important note: I am the son of a former Baptist Minister and call myself religious. I tend to express myself in Christian terms. I am not evangelical, though. Read on.}

A quote: “You don’t have a soul, Doctor. You are a soul. You have a body, temporarily.” by ― Walter M. Miller Jr., A Canticle for Leibowitz Chapter 17.  When I first looked this up, most people attributed it to C.S. Lewis from his book “Mere Orthodoxy.”  I re-read the book, and it is NOT in there. I researched further and found it in A Canticle for Leibowitz, an interesting sci-fi book. I read the book and it IS there, near the end. 

I believe this quote and it is very much a part of me. My sins are when I do not follow this first commandment. 

A Saducee once asked Jesus (in an apparent attempt to trick him) by asking him, “What is the greatest commandment?”

Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He [Jesus] said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." 

My reading of this is: Love God. And how are we to do that? By loving our neighbor. AND our guidelines (law and prophets) must follow these two commandments. If we do that and apply it to EVERYONE the same way, we have equality. The Beatitudes are an example of this. 

Judge not, that ye be not judged. Matthew 7:1. Jesus said it, not me. And yes, I know there is more, but you can read it on your own. More on this another day.

When I came to truly believe this and to incorporate it into my life, I started noticing a weird thing. I started seeing the beauty in obese women. Then I realized where this came from. I was seeing them more as souls than bodies. It helped me deal with race and other issues as well. It got me to think about our bodies and how they were more like a cocoon or a chrysalis. Once we die, we shed these containers and move on to a place where we have no use for them. And that is what WE are. We are ALL souls. We do have a body temporarily. And most of the bad or the evil things we do are because of those bodies. 

So at the end of the US Civil War, no one had the power to GRANT the enslaved equality. They already had it. No one GRANTED women partial equality when they were given the right to vote, etc. They already had it. (and we still have a way to go.) When LGBTQ+ people were given equality and the power to marry, they already had it. No one has the power to grant any of these equalities; IT WAS ALREADY THEIRS. The only thing done was to stop the DENIAL of Equality. Before that, this was a sin.

And our souls are all equal. Not one is more beautiful or less beautiful than another. Not one is more intelligent or less intelligent than another. Not one is more valuable or less valuable than another. We are equal. No amount of your belief, commitment, or validation will change this. It does not matter how much money you do or do not have; you are equal to anyone else and they are equal to you.  It’s like Thomas Jefferson said, “ All men {people} are created equal.” ( I know he was a slave owner. If you are without sin = and no one is - you may now cast the first stone.) Denial of this is the worst form of entitlement. AND sin.

Jesus loves the little children equally.  

 Spectrum v Binary 

My father, a Civil Rights activist, resigned as a Southern Baptist minister in 1969, as it became clear that the Board of Deacons would no longer tolerate his Civil Rights stances. After giving the eulogy at Dr. King’s memorial at the black high school, the BoD said, Preacher, if you do something like this again, we’ll fire you. My daddy found out about a 2-year training program to becoming a Clinical Chaplain - a mental health counselor. So, he resigned as minister, and we moved to Columbia SC, and he entered training at William S. Hall Psychiatric Institute. 

I was a tweenager when we got there. I had always been a big reader and read even more now. One day, I found a book in the house called the Encyclopedia of Psychoanalysis. Like the World Book and the Encyclopedia Britannica, I flipped through this reference book. After a  few months, I told my Daddy what I had been doing and told him I needed to be locked away, “ I (was) the sickest mutherfucker on the face of the planet because I had  EVERYTHING in that book.

And he laughed. Then I learned one of the more valuable lessons of my life. 

He didn’t chortle too long, but it was a surprise. Then came the bigger surprises. He told me he had gone to his mentor at the Hall Institute and said pretty much the same. After his mentor stopped laughing, he said:

“Jim, we ALL have everything in us. It is just to the degree to which we have it that determines which side of the institute’s wall we live in. 

This was my first encounter with the idea of a spectrum, even though the word was never mentioned.

Binary means you only have 2 options: i.e. 0 or 1; black or white; stop or go; right or left; tall or short; child or adult; female or male; rich or poor, etc. There are more examples, I'm sure. Binary works, but not all the time. 

I started thinking about good people vs. bad people. I could think of bad things done by good people and good things done by bad people. I could think of good things I had done and bad things I had done as well. So was I a good person or a bad person? Most people would say I was good, but I didn't think that was accurate. So I started thinking about other people. What about Julius Caesar; Socrates; Plato; Alexander the Great; Christopher Columbus; Pontius Pilate; Kings David and Solomon; Jefferson Davis; Robert E. Lee; Abraham Lincoln; Woodrow Wilson; Teddy Roosevelt; FDR; Dwight Eisenhower: JFK AND RFK; LBJ; J. Edgar Hoover; Herbert Humphrey; Richard Nixon; Jimmy Carter; Ronald Reagan; Hitler and Mussolini. William T. Sherman. Western Heroes. Marvel heroes.

It got very confusing. Even more so when, a couple of years ago, I posted on FB a very condemning statement that the Confederates were traitors to the United States. A dear high school friend disputed that, as some of her relatives (not ancestors) fought for the Confederacy. This really gave me pause.  How do we reconcile that these otherwise good people did bad things?

These are my conclusions: 

1. There is no such thing as good or bad people, as people do good and bad things.

2. Good and bad are not binary but rather on a spectrum. 

Before we move forward, let’s know what a spectrum is. To me, a spectrum is like a number line that stretches infinitely in either direction. There are overlapping items in a continuum stretching in opposite directions. Examples would be:

1. Light was an original spectrum described by Issac Newton. In fact, he discovered such things as: Darkness is just the absence of light; there are many colors of light; and white light is all the colors combined. Later, others discovered infrared and ultraviolet light that is just so far on the spectrum, they are not visible to the human eye. 

2. Think about a color.  Now imagine it darker and lighter. Such as light green or dark blue, and all the shades in between. That is a spectrum.

3. Kiki is my black cat. Now imagine a black panther. Another spectrum.

4. Self esteem v narcissism, Very much a spectrum.

5. The lesser of two evils is a spectrum.

It is this last one that really got me thinking. I have read that some children liked Hitler. This man who murdered people merely because they were Jewish? I no longer believe that Hitler is evil or good. What Hitler DID was evil or good. Yes, he did more bad than good. Yet he was only a person. I find it unimaginable that anyone could find anything positive about this monster. But . . . . They say a broke clock is correct twice a day. 

One thing the American South is infamous for is enslaving Africans. Generations later we are still dealing with the aftermath of this, the American Civil War (and NO, not the War between the States), Reconstruction, Redemption, and the Lost Cause. These generations have generated (pardon the pun) people living today whose ancestors/relatives fought in that war. They want to think of their Great-great (etc) grandparents as being good, not bad. This is one of the things that led me to think of this topic. The South had enslaved Africans for over 100 years before the American Civil War began. Founding fathers, including Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Mason, the Pinkneys, Rutledge, and many others, enslaved Africans. These men, who laid the foundations, fought the American Revolution, and created the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, were men these good or evil? 

After the Civil War, Indian problems arose in the American West. I would argue the facts tell us more bad than good was done by both sides.

The men who started the Soviet Union - Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin, et. al. President Ronald Reagan called it the “evil empire.” Czar Nicholas (Romanov) II was the monarch who these “evil” men unseated and ended the rule of one of the longest monarchal families on Earth. 

And this is true of all of us. All of God’s children, and we all are. We all do good things and we all do bad things. We can never be good people, but thankfully, we can never be bad people. We are just humans. And we all, like Thanos in the Marvel Hero movies, think we know best. We can think we are doing good, and we can be wrong, again, just like Thanos. 

Liberals think they know what’s right for the world and the US. Conservatives think the same. Europeans, Asians, Russians, Brazilians, Africans, etc., all have their opinions also. Who’s right? This is one of the questions we will explore. 

Stay tuned for my next topic: Equality. 

Thank you

Jed Daughtry Palmetto Bug

Why is this blog called the Palmetto Bug?

 Technically, it's a roach, the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana.  According to an article on Wikipedia, due to human activity, the palmetto bug is found around the world and is the largest of the common cockroaches.

The Palmetto Bug has been called the State Bird of South Carolina.

I am a native of South Carolina, born in Baptist Hospital in Columbia, the state's capital. I have lived in Columbia, Darlington, back to Columbia, Greenville, Charleston, and now Piedmont. In being taught the history of South Carolina, I was led to believe I should be proud of our Palmetto State.

Looking at my state's history, some of it is not quite pleasant. Looking at our present, some makes me sad.

I will not dwell on those things that make me sad. You have a list, also. While there may be some overlap, there will be differences. Some things may be specific to our state. Some may have a national reach.

I want change. I want it for me, and my children. I want it for my granddaughter and any other grandchildren.

I am not likely to be elected to office. Even if I were a legislator, governor, president, I would be one person among many. This is my chosen method to promote change. The changes I will suggest will be general and specific, philosophical and concrete. I will begin with the more general and philosophical.

Though I strongly believe in working within the system (that is, in this case government), I have a great respect for those who, in the past, have worked outside the system to "bug" it to change. This includes: Jesus Christ, Martin Luther, MLK, Ghandi, W.E.B Dubois, Lech Walesa, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, the Grimke Sisters, Robert Smalls, Alice Paul, and more. These people have also been called gadflies. Gadflies are: a person who interferes with the status quo of a society or community by posing novel, potentially upsetting questions, usually directed at authorities. This is why I have titled this: “Palmett Bug.”I hope to be a Palmetto Bug. It would make me proud.

Thank you, Palmetto Bug

Welcome and Guidelines

 Welcome and Introduction

Welcome.

I hope to promote ways for us as Americans and as South Carolinians to find solutions and agreement rather than posturing and being diehard ideologues. Our society used to be more “live and let live” and compromise was a goal, not a dirty word.

Though we have some idiots as candidates and politicians in our state, I would rather find ways to improve it than spend time bemoaning the stupidity of some of our elected officials or other leaders. I will not cast the first stone. Someone needs to champion repair of our state and our nation. I, and hopefully others of you, will take up this job.  We have enough people telling us about the things going wrong.

So my focus is on cooperation, compromise, and what is best for citizens of the United States so they can exercise rights endowed by their Creator (if they choose to believe in one) of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. How to do this? We, the PEOPLE, must form a more perfect union. Why? To establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of Liberty (liberty, not freedom. This will be covered in a future blog.)  to ourselves and our posterity.

Our constitution is great. Articles in this blog will be to explain my reasoned beliefs and understandings. I am trying to bring to life a political philosophy of cooperation, mutual respect, and compromise. And rational thinking. 

The following is a speech by Benjamin Franklin urging the passage of the document at the Constitutional Convention. From our founding, our strength must be to find ways to be united in the midst of our diversity. The direction from this speech should be our touchstone or pole star to guide us.

Mr. President

I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them: For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise. It is therefore that the older I grow, the more apt I am to doubt my own judgment, and to pay more respect to the judgment of others. Most men indeed as well as most sects in Religion, think themselves in possession of all truth, and that wherever others differ from them it is so far error. Steele a Protestant in a Dedication tells the Pope, that the only difference between our Churches in their opinions of the certainty of their doctrines is, the Church of Rome is infallible and the Church of England is never in the wrong. But though many private persons think almost as highly of their own infallibility as of that of their sect, few express it so naturally as a certain French lady, who in a dispute with her sister, said "I don't know how it happens, Sister but I meet with no body but myself, that's always in the right — Il n'y a que moi qui a toujours raison."

In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other. I doubt too whether any other Convention we can obtain, may be able to make a better Constitution. For when you assemble a number of men to have the advantage of their joint wisdom, you inevitably assemble with those men, all their prejudices, their passions, their errors of opinion, their local interests, and their selfish views. From such an assembly can a perfect production be expected? It therefore astonishes me, Sir, to find this system approaching so near to perfection as it does; and I think it will astonish our enemies, who are waiting with confidence to hear that our councils are confounded like those of the Builders of Babel; and that our States are on the point of separation, only to meet hereafter for the purpose of cutting one another's throats. Thus I consent, Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best. The opinions I have had of its errors, I sacrifice to the public good. I have never whispered a syllable of them abroad. Within these walls they were born, and here they shall die. If every one of us in returning to our Constituents were to report the objections he has had to it, and endeavor to gain partizans in support of them, we might prevent its being generally received, and thereby lose all the salutary effects & great advantages resulting naturally in our favor among foreign Nations as well as among ourselves, from our real or apparent unanimity. Much of the strength & efficiency of any Government in procuring and securing happiness to the people, depends, on opinion, on the general opinion of the goodness of the Government, as well as of the wisdom and integrity of its Governors. I hope therefore that for our own sakes as a part of the people, and for the sake of posterity, we shall act heartily and unanimously in recommending this Constitution (if approved by Congress & confirmed by the Conventions) wherever our influence may extend, and turn our future thoughts & endeavors to the means of having it well administred.

On the whole, Sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the Convention who may still have objections to it, would with me, on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility, and to make manifest our unanimity, put his name to this instrument.

I hope that in some way conservative or liberal; Republican or Democrat; regardless of race, religion, and the other ways we and others divide us, that we can find a way to come together for the good of us all. For the present and for the future, we need to find a way.

To this end, I insist on the following guidelines:

1.  Civil discourse only. While I am tolerant of disagreement, I am NOT tolerant of the following:

a)      Foul language – I was going to say bad language, but I am not going to correct grammar or spelling.

b)      Ad Hominem attacks – no attacking a person to refute an argument. Besides being mean and useless, this blog is about ideas. Though you may not like a person, even a broken clock is correct twice a day.

2. Logical arguments only – You may not argue using fallacious methodology. The concepts of logic and logical fallacies have been around for about 2500 years, so they have withstood the test of time. If you don’t know what logical fallacies are, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallacies#Irrelevant_Conclusion  for an excellent discussion. I will refer to these when necessary.

3. Arguments based on authority – an appeal to authority, including the Bible, is not a logical argument. I frequently use the Bible as an illustration or introduction, but I do not believe something just because it is in there. Certainly, I don’t believe something because someone on radio said it. Ayn Rand is not an authority on anything.

4. Rants. Be succinct.

5. Unproven facts. If you assert something as fact, be prepared to cite your source. Otherwise, no one must accept it as fact.

6. Attacks on patriotism. Assume that all Americans are patriotic and want the best for our country and its citizens. See below.

7. Accurately restate and understand a differing opinion. Do not restate an opinion in a way that is easy to attack just to make your argument look better. Your argument must stand or fall on its own merit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_charity You must assume the most charitable argument of someone with whom you disagree. Not to do so does not lead to finding grounds of agreement and compromise.

8. No off-topic remarks. All debate must be germane and relevant.

10. No trolls. See:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)

11. Cite whenever possible.  Use primary sources when possible.

12. Fact check. See websites such as www.snopes.com

13. Please read the following: http://www.limbicnutrition.com/blog/resources/a-code-of-conduct-for-effective-rational-discussion for other good guidelines for discussion.

14. Burden of proof is on the person asserting a principle or fact. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophic_burden_of_proof

15. Liberal or conservative is just a label, not a dirty word.

a)      Liberals are not inherently communist or socialist. See 6, 7, and 8. If you have a problem with this, go away.

b)      Conservatives are not inherently evil. See 6, 7, and 8. If you have a problem with this, go away.

16. I have full control over what will appear on this blog. My house, my rules.

I look forward to civil, positive discussions.

Thank you

Jed Daughtry Palmetto Bug