Posted by Sir Four at 10:27am Feb 9 '05A common sentiment is that liberals don't have the proper values. Well allow me, as a liberal, to share mine and we'll see what you think.
First, I value freedom. I value the right for each individual to pursue his/her own happiness so long as it does not harm another person. And we must always remember that freedom means the right for people to do things that we might not agree with. For instance, I would never marry another man, but I believe gays should have the freedom to marry. That is their pursuit of happiness, and it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. For another instance, I find many religious beliefs and practices silly, but I support the freedom for people to engage in their faith the way they see fit, so long as it does not intrude on the rights of others.
I value good stewardship of the environment. It is important that we take care of the earth so that the generations after us can enjoy it. For this reason, I support the preservation of land in its natural state, and I support efforts to reduce pollution and keep our air, water, and soil clean. Human beings are the caretakers of the earth and it is important that we do not take that responsibility lightly.
I value the lessons of the Bible when it comes to helping the poor. Proverbs 22:16 warns against giving gifts to the rich, yet I see this happening all the time in Washington. Jesus warned in Matthew 6:24 that no one can serve both God and money, yet all I see from many politicians is a lot of empty pandering about God and a lot of serving toward money. Jesus also said, in Matthew 25:41-45, that what we did not do for the least among us, we did not do for him. He wants us to help the needy, the sick, the incarcerated. We do not do that by slashing welfare programs, failing to provide basic healthcare, disenfranchising felons, allowing terrible prison conditions, and so on. Proverbs 31:8 states the same, commanding: "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." And 1 Timothy 6:9:10 warns that money is the root of all evil.
When it comes to our nation, I support the good Christian views of the great FDR, who said, "The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough to those who have little." Furthermore, I value money earned from work over money earned from money, which is why I would rather see working class Americans get a tax cut rather than cut taxes on inherited estates or stock dividends, which serves the rich.
I value equal opportunity for the next generation. What this means is that all Americans should have access to the tools to succeed, not just the rich.
I value peace over war. As Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." As it says in 1 Timothy 2:22, pursue peace along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Because of this value, war must always and only be a last resort. And if we do send troops into battle, we must provide them with the tools they need and have a clear exit strategy so that they can return safely.
I value the advancement of knowledge, so that we may better understand our universe, so that we may solve the problems that plague us, so that we may improve the health of the suffering. For this reason, I support funding of the sciences, including stem cell research which may have the potential to end the suffering of millions of people.
I value the concept of "the commons", the public domain which we all own collectively. This is the parks system, the water supply, the transportation infrastructure, the airwaves, the "marketplace", and the government itself. It belongs to We the People, not the moneyed interests. You may have heard that the free market is God and can solve all our problems without any intervention, but this is false. The free market is an economic construct that is merely part of the commons, which relies on government to set regulations, to enforce contracts, to police lawbreakers, and so on. I believe in the social contract, to which we all agree by virtue of being an American citizen. I oppose social Darwinism.
So I've listed some of my values. Maybe you can comment on what I've said, or share your own values.
First, I value freedom. I value the right for each individual to pursue his/her own happiness so long as it does not harm another person. And we must always remember that freedom means the right for people to do things that we might not agree with. For instance, I would never marry another man, but I believe gays should have the freedom to marry. That is their pursuit of happiness, and it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. For another instance, I find many religious beliefs and practices silly, but I support the freedom for people to engage in their faith the way they see fit, so long as it does not intrude on the rights of others.
I value good stewardship of the environment. It is important that we take care of the earth so that the generations after us can enjoy it. For this reason, I support the preservation of land in its natural state, and I support efforts to reduce pollution and keep our air, water, and soil clean. Human beings are the caretakers of the earth and it is important that we do not take that responsibility lightly.
I value the lessons of the Bible when it comes to helping the poor. Proverbs 22:16 warns against giving gifts to the rich, yet I see this happening all the time in Washington. Jesus warned in Matthew 6:24 that no one can serve both God and money, yet all I see from many politicians is a lot of empty pandering about God and a lot of serving toward money. Jesus also said, in Matthew 25:41-45, that what we did not do for the least among us, we did not do for him. He wants us to help the needy, the sick, the incarcerated. We do not do that by slashing welfare programs, failing to provide basic healthcare, disenfranchising felons, allowing terrible prison conditions, and so on. Proverbs 31:8 states the same, commanding: "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." And 1 Timothy 6:9:10 warns that money is the root of all evil.
When it comes to our nation, I support the good Christian views of the great FDR, who said, "The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough to those who have little." Furthermore, I value money earned from work over money earned from money, which is why I would rather see working class Americans get a tax cut rather than cut taxes on inherited estates or stock dividends, which serves the rich.
I value equal opportunity for the next generation. What this means is that all Americans should have access to the tools to succeed, not just the rich.
I value peace over war. As Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." As it says in 1 Timothy 2:22, pursue peace along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Because of this value, war must always and only be a last resort. And if we do send troops into battle, we must provide them with the tools they need and have a clear exit strategy so that they can return safely.
I value the advancement of knowledge, so that we may better understand our universe, so that we may solve the problems that plague us, so that we may improve the health of the suffering. For this reason, I support funding of the sciences, including stem cell research which may have the potential to end the suffering of millions of people.
I value the concept of "the commons", the public domain which we all own collectively. This is the parks system, the water supply, the transportation infrastructure, the airwaves, the "marketplace", and the government itself. It belongs to We the People, not the moneyed interests. You may have heard that the free market is God and can solve all our problems without any intervention, but this is false. The free market is an economic construct that is merely part of the commons, which relies on government to set regulations, to enforce contracts, to police lawbreakers, and so on. I believe in the social contract, to which we all agree by virtue of being an American citizen. I oppose social Darwinism.
So I've listed some of my values. Maybe you can comment on what I've said, or share your own values.
My Values - Sir Four