CommentsDisplaying The Gooch's 10 most recent comments.

• Do Americans Know More About Religious Freedom Or American Idol?

  May 26, 2012 at 4:09pm

  In reply to The Gooch.

  My problem with any prohibition & busybody interventionism is A) such moves tend to lead to further problems, including the criminalization of irrepressible human behavior & B) busybodies tend not to know when to stop.
  I believe people can choose to be stupid & self-destructive… & that goes beyond drugs to eating habits, hobbies & entertainment choices. If & when your choices put others in jeopardy (sans govt. authoritarianism & restriction to begin with), that’s when the state should step in.
  It’s odd how people are so hung up on drugs, but believe it’s okay to disobey speed limits & general car safety. A junky left to his or her own devices does me no harm. An impatient, dangerous turd behind the wheel of a car is more dangerous to me & the people I care about.
  Rot your brain, your body, your soul… I don’t care. As long as you do me or others no harm. The jig is up on the dangers of tobacco, alcohol, fatty foods, driving w/cell phone in hand, texting while driving & bathtub crank. Educate, legislate to address harm, but never kid yourself into thinking you’re gonna save the world from itself. That’s as foolish & ignorant as paying more attention to pop TV than current events.
  I believe we may be on the same page: Responsibility for and to self is valued by some. Others don‘t care and can’t or won’t restrain themselves. I say let them own their choices a step on them when necessary, not for the sake of feeling better about one’s self.

• Democratic Rep. Claims Victimizing Women is ‘as American as Apple Pie’

  May 26, 2012 at 3:25pm

  In reply to SurhanSurhan.

  The pay discrepancy argument has been debunked on numerous occasions… even by members of NOW. Only thru manipulation of data (i.e., using math to get the result you want) can the pay argument be generated. As Obi Wan Kenobi states, truth is a matter of perspective. Or it can be a matter of a logic argument: “Hmm, that sounds like it COULD be true, so it MUST be true.”
  This so-called war is also not about “rights”; it’s a slickly re-packaged ploy for government handouts. It’s also a diversion from the battle between the govt. and religion occurring in the U.S. This should be a uniting moment for people of faith.
  As for putting forth Maddow as an unbiased and expert source on this fracas… well, that’s like asserting a drug dealer is a good source to approach on the benefits and worry free use of crack cocaine meth.

• Will DNA Analysis of Hair Samples Confirm the Existence of Bigfoot?

  May 26, 2012 at 3:05pm

  In reply to reconmarine.

  Zing!

• Texas Judge Sentences Honors Student to Jail for Missing School

  May 26, 2012 at 3:01pm

  Um… I’m not familiar with Texa law on this matter, but don’t most states go after the parent(s) and/or custodian(s)? Judges can’t just make up law as they see fit. Yes, I read the parents moved away. So who is the adult here (other than the honor student)? Was the girl emancipated? Details are lacking…

• Do Americans Know More About Religious Freedom Or American Idol?

  May 26, 2012 at 1:49pm

  In reply to abbygirl1994.

  And yet you hold onto your computers and/or Internet gadgets….

• Do Americans Know More About Religious Freedom Or American Idol?

  May 26, 2012 at 1:47pm

  Clearly, ALL escapism and indulgence is bad. In addition to a war on drugs, I’m proposing a war on food, TV, the Internet and recreational reading. That way we can all be told what to think, do, eat, say and read… for our own good, of course. Prohibition is the only logical answer to building a better, brighter tomorrow. Surrender all electronic devices and reading material to the govt. authority that will be coming to your home.
  Being ignorant and lazy is not “cool”… but it’s not illegal. Hell, it could be argued some cultures and age groups do find ignorance and brazen stupidity cool… or at least attention worthy. You can juggle the morality of such all you want. I do love me some ‘man on the street’ interviews. Bread and circuses, folks. This has happened before and will happen again.

• Democratic Rep. Claims Victimizing Women is ‘as American as Apple Pie’

  May 26, 2012 at 1:25pm

  In reply to cmonnow.

  I’m not defending Zimmerman so much as expecting FL law to be acknowledged & honored. You raise a good point & the story you mention flew under my radar. I read a couple of articles & it appears (Surprise!) there are different rules for different people.
  From what I read, Alexander was expected to remain secreted away in the garage (where the door that would allow her to leave in her car allegedly wouldn’t open). Now, some versions assert she didn’t have her keys or cell phone (which were allegedly still in the home), but at this time, she did have the handgun. Details appear to vary depending on the source. What appears to be fact is she & the spouse met in the kitchen, he had his two boys with him, & she fired a shot into the ceiling after allegedly being threatened.
  It appears the determining factor in this case (per the judge & prosecutor) is Alexander’s state of mind. Her unforgivable sin is that she may have been angry. Ya think?!? And she was married to the guy which allows the court to put a motive spin on this case. It probably doesn’t help the two boys were present.
  I loathe different rules for different people & this appears to be what we have here. I believe what Zimmerman did is likely legal under FL law, &, as a parent, I am sympathetic to his parents’ loss. Alexander didn’t even kill the guy. Go figure.
  We live in a country where a guy in TX can pursue & shoot TV thieves, but this gal must be locked up? Something smells….

• Democratic Rep. Claims Victimizing Women is ‘as American as Apple Pie’

  May 26, 2012 at 12:59pm

  Okay, ladies, what SPECIFICALLY is your beef? I hear the D rep state extolling the virtues of the CURRENT law (which is, by report, up for reauthorization) and then state the House bill (which is reauthorizing the law… without getting into identity politics) is bad. Um, WTF? I have no clue what the concern or complaint is other than partisan sniping. “It came from the House; the House is majority R, ergo the bill is bad.”
  Hey, here’s a thought: When you want to contest something on its value or content, how about you share what you’re specific concerns or complaints are? Oh, and you might wanna consider not confusing people by singing the praises of the law and then say, “… but it’s bad.”
  There was absolutely nothing of value printed in this article or revealed in that video. This is a partisan attempt to keep this alleged war on women alive. Except there appears to be no battle in this instance… just a bizarre call to arms with no explanation as to why other then the bill has the stink of the Rs on it.
  Once again, what the hell is the specific concern or complaint beyond the source?

• Obama Justice Department Threatens University With Lawsuit Because Transgendered Man Can‘t Use Women’s Bathrooms

  May 26, 2012 at 12:39pm

  In reply to dadsrootbeer.

  This has nothing to do with rights… unless you accept the progressive definition of a “right”. Progressives seem to equate “rights” to emotion/feelings. Forced conformity, redefining culture… all is acceptable when feelings are considered. Funny how tolerance and dissent can only be defined by them… you either agree (or at least keep your mouth shut) or you get labeled with a new age disorder. What a racket….. They can do the very thing to others that they were p!ssing and moaning about in the first place. It’s good to be king….

• Obama Justice Department Threatens University With Lawsuit Because Transgendered Man Can‘t Use Women’s Bathrooms

  May 26, 2012 at 12:31pm

  I don’t normally do this, but I stopped reading this descent into insanity when it started with the neologisms for transgendered pronouns. Games of semantics aside (and barring the tragic and rare cases of hermaphrodites), there are two sexes: Male and female. You will die as what you were born, regardless of any surgical or chemical mutilation to which you subject your body. Your skeletal structure will tell the tale.
  This is a govt. mandated celebration of hedonism and narcissism which of course will be readily embraced by the ever so enlightened nihilists. Nothing matters… except the all powerful feeling of the fringe and freakish. Govt. isn’t here to protect you from oddballs thieves and opportunists; it exists to act as a sledge so that anomalous behavior is shoved down your throat. This is so far removed from my understanding of what govt. is SUPPOSED to do for the collective as to be delusional. When one person‘s or small goup’s “rights” (READ: feelings) call for redefining of language and culture, it is clear govt. has overstepped its bounds and is now dabbling in social restructuring. Um… THAT’S NOT THE PURPOSE OF GOVT.!!!
  If this is the culture some want, consider me an untamed voice of dissent. And I recommend keeping your pejorative labels to yourself. I have every right to retain my sanity and not be scolded for it. I have a right not to go crazy with the collective.