2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #241 "AN ANTIDOTE TO POLARIZATION"

      Our society is now more polarized than at any time of my life.  Why has that happened?  Two reasons come to mind.  Originally, when cable television news stations began to multiply I thought that it would be great because, with so many choices, all of us would be exposed to many more viewpoints – which would be healthy.  And boy was I wrong!  Instead, each station deciphered what the political leanings were of its target audience, and then expressly catered to what that audience wanted to hear.  So we are the good guys, and people who do not have our beliefs are scoundrels or worse.  A second reason is the gerrymandering of the congressional voting districts.  “I don’t care if you of the opposite party get a politically safe seat as long as I can get one too” has become the position of those drawing up voting districts.  And this has allowed many members of Congress to take some radical positions without being held accountable to the views of more moderate voters.  Both of these situations have allowed polarization to flourish.*

        And there is also a third reason as well.  Thomas Jefferson famously said that our country should have a bloody revolution each generation in an attempt to keep the vested interests at bay.  Fortunately our Constitution keeps the revolution from having to be bloody, but how long has it been?  Probably since the 1860s when the Republicans took over from the Whigs.  And how strong have the vested interests become in that time?  Strong enough for many people to believe that our institutions are no longer working.  “The Presidency doesn’t even try to represent all of the people,” “Congress is working against us,” and even “The Courts are only providing ‘justice’ to the wealthy” are conclusions that many people have reached.  And this situation has resulted in us being so polarized.  So what is the antidote?  Voting Libertarian!  It is not an exaggeration to say that Libertarians are the only mainstream political party in our country today.  We believe in financial and other responsibility at all levels of society, including personal, group, corporate and governmental.  And we are socially accepting with a “Live and Let Live” philosophy.  In addition, Libertarians are the only political party that does not seek to gain by being involved in government.  Thus we would strongly reduce the crony capitalism or corporate welfare that is rampant in our governments today.  So do you want an antidote for polarization, and to be proud of your votes at the same time?  Consider voting Libertarian.  

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*As an anecdote, in my research in composing a musical about our nation’s 1787 Constitutional Convention entitled “Convention: the Birth of America,” I learned that one of the delegates was named Elbridge Gerry, who later became the Governor of Massachusetts and was also the Vice President under James Madison.  But he also was so well known for his politics in drawing the boundaries of voting districts for political purposes that the practice soon took up his name, and it still does to this day.

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Quote for the week: “We should judge our programs by their results, not their good intentions.” 

Please listen to our weekly radio show entitled “All Rise! The Libertarian Way with Judge Jim Gray” as we discuss timely issues, and show how they will be addressed more beneficially by employing Libertarian values and approaches.  You can hear it every Friday morning at 7 Pacific/10 Eastern by going to www.VoiceAmerica.com, clicking on the Variety Channel and then upon the word “live.”  You can also hear past shows on demand as well.  And, by the way, these 2 Paragraph columns are now on my website at www.JudgeJImGray.com, Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray.wordpress.com  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty.  In addition, my new book entitled “2 Paragraphs 4 Liberty: Solutions that are Practical, Effective, Responsible, Libertarian, is now available at Amazon.com.   Please read and discuss it with friends, and send in a review.

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #186 “REASONED SUICIDE: A TOUGH LIBERTY ISSUE”

     Back in the 1960s I saw a movie entitled “They Shoot Horses Don’t They?” which contained a scene in which a horse broke its leg and was “put out of its misery” by being shot to death.  Hard as it was to do, I did virtually the same thing when my dog Lucy was deeply sick and suffering by taking her to the vet, who administered a drug that quickly and painlessly stopped her heart.  So why is this seldom done for human beings?  Because this is a tough issue for us all, and that includes for Liberty.  But there is a movement to change those dynamics.  For example, under recent California law, someone who is diagnosed by two medical doctors to have no more than six months to live and is adjudged by two qualified specialists to be competent is able to be prescribed a set of drugs that, when taken orally, will cease that person’s life.  But this is legal only if that same person voluntarily requests this be done and only if that person self-administers the drugs!  This has come to be called “reasoned suicide.”

      What are the arguments against this practice?  Life is sacred!  Suicide is a violation of natural law!  To die by killing yourself is not dignified!  Suicide is a violent act, no matter how it is done!  Life is a Gift, and old age is a privilege that many millions of our fellow human beings do not get to enjoy.  You are leaving members of your family to grieve because of the selfish act you performed!  And certainly more.  Nevertheless, from my standpoint, this is a matter of Liberty.  No one should be able to persuade another to act in this fashion, which makes the decision of whether or not there is undue influence so difficult under the law.  But, once again I speak for only myself, competent individuals should be able to choose if their own life is still worth living.  Personally, I want to keep my dignity, have my life still contain some positive meaning, and do not want to be a burden upon my family or even society.  So for me, when those situations have deteriorated below personally acceptable levels, having my heart keep beating is not a desirable thing.  Accordingly, under my present thinking and if I were to make that decision, I believe I would gather my family together and announce my plan.  That would allow me to explain how much I love them, but I had concluded that my constructive life was over, and now it would be time for us lovingly to say our goodbyes.  And if that were to be my decision, after consultation with my morality, my mortality and my God, what place is it for the government to order me under penalty of law to do otherwise? 

Judge Jim Gray (Ret.)

2012 Libertarian candidate for Vice President, along with

Governor Gary Johnson as the candidate for President

Quotation for the Week: “And remember the truth that once was spoken: to love another person is to see the face of God.” Les Miserables

By the way, these columns are now on Facebook and LinkedIn at judgejimgray, Twitter at judgejamesgray, and wordpress at judgejimgray@wordpress.com.  Please visit these sites for past editions, and do your part to spread the word about the importance of Liberty!