Comments for Social Comment

Comment on Ron Paul vs Noam Chomsky by Joe Kelley

Joe Kelley — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:18:34 +0000

I realize that this web page is dated, but the subject bears, or even begs, to be ironed out factually. Any one up for it?

Comment on Predatory Spiritualism by spiritual guidance

spiritual guidance — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:05:39 +0000

Interesting.
Sometimes ironic things in life just keep the life moving on in the smooth track.
I love it

Comment on Ron Paul vs Noam Chomsky by natalia

natalia — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 10:01:22 +0000

good one sir

Comment on American Hypocrisy in Egypt by Preston Benson

Preston Benson — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:39:43 +0000

Obama’s call for an immediate transition of power to begin in Egypt won’t be good enough. Earlier I’d advocated a “hands-off” approach, fearing that the US would involve itself intrusively as it has with many countries in order to secure it’s own interests. It certainly was important for the US to end it’s long term alliance with the Mubarak Regime. Yet the US is still culpable, since we’ve armed and trained the very government that is violently breaking up the popular uprising. Mubarak has since hired violent thugs to form mobs in Tahrir square in order intimate the peaceful demonstrators. He’s also dressed his central security offices in civilian clothing to join these mobs armed with guns, knives and Molotov cocktails. The US cannot just wash its hands and walk away, we’ve helped create this mess, and now it’s up to us to put as much pressure as we can on Mubarak to step down, and support the will of the Egyptian people, thereby win an alliance of the Egyptian people’s new democratic government. If we don’t do everything we can to atone for three decades propping up a dictator, the Egyptian people are likely to hold the US largely responsible for their plight. I know I would.

Comment on Illuminating the Inane Discourse on Suicide by Preston Benson

Preston Benson — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 06:22:12 +0000

Hey Sherwin JTB. You’re right, “everyone has their own life to live.” There are those, however, throughout the various and innumerable situations a person may find themselves who find precisely the opposite: that their life is NOT their’s to live. We can take a lesson from history: When the Spaniards subjugated the peaceful Arawak Indian Tribes of the West Indies and subsequently paid them a “fair wage” to mine gold for the Queen, mass suicides began occurring throughout the tribes. Why? Because their life was no longer their’s to live. My roommate, who’s first suicide attempt was mentioned above, took his own life in April 2009, six months after I wrote this post. It was precisely the stifling fact that he could not live his own life that sent him down that road. He was an incredibly intelligent, idealistic and inspired young man. I understood his yearning for freedom from the corrupt system of power which seems to be inescapable and his desire to find a sincere social environment in the form of meaningful community. And I’m sad to say that I’ve lost an ally. I contend that a poor social environment contributes greatly to suicide, I have a boiling contempt for the repressive and distant parents of suicide victims, and I do think people need to start feeling more responsible, but my point here is not to place blame on other individuals. An individual does not make up a society, and individual does not create a community. My goal is to stop people from ignoring the lessons to be learned through these tragedies, and to make people take something serious from it: Suicide is the ultimate protest against a society that stifles the free will of the individual.

Comment on Illuminating the Inane Discourse on Suicide by SherwinJTB

SherwinJTB — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:14:04 +0000

I could almost agree with you, but putting blame on others is just wrong. Everyone has their own life to live. Knowing if someone is going to commit suicide is more difficult than predicting who the next Australian Idol will be. At least an Idol knows they want to win. Someone who is suicidal can choose not to be open about it and stay silent. You can be angry all you want. It’s not going to make things easier.
Suicide Prevention in Your Life

Comment on Holiday Discrimination by Maple

Maple — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:46:26 +0000

Thanks for the article, very helpful.

Comment on Holiday Discrimination by Kassidy

Kassidy — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:16:35 +0000

I never expected you would have such an attachment to the “arbitrary” holiday greeting Merry Christmas. However, I understand your reasoning and agree that in general our language has become extremely politically correct. In an attempt to be more excepting of diversity, we have to some degree lost freedom of express.

Comment on “But Mom, we have the money.” by malex

malex — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:33:10 +0000

Yup. You’re right. What matters to children future is how they going to live. weaker?stronger? steel heart?brave heart? .. its all under parents guidance. Parents shows the way, guide them, not instructing them to follow parent’s way.

Comment on Illuminating the Inane Discourse on Suicide by Kassidy Benson

Kassidy Benson — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:32:30 +0000

Did you know that suicide is illegal in Malaysia?? I just heard a very interesting news report on NPR on the topic. The governemnt is currently “cracking-down” on suicide attempters. In the majority Muslim country, suicide attemters can face a year in prison if caught. If you want to talk about a social taboo, just look at the suicide statistics for Malaysia; For 2008, the official suicide count is 27 (how accurate do you think that number is?).