It has been my feeling for weeks that the courts had no intention of reversing the early decision to remove Schiavo's tube for political reasons. They seemed bound and determined not to be pushed around by Jeb Bush, Congress, or the President. Even if they wanted to alter the ruling, they would show no signs of weakness towards the other two branches of government. It is not due process, it's personal.

Checks and balances be cursed, the courts must be prepotent, even with such high stakes.

Here is an excellent post by Captain Ed regarding the comments made by Justice Stanley Birch of the 11th Circuit.

Labels: David C. Price

According to the new American ethical standard (judicially speaking), Pope John Paul II is now being kept alive by artificial means through a feeding tube. I suppose that makes him a candidate for euthenasia, doesn't it?

After all, It doesn't appear he can do much any more...he can't talk and can barely even get up in front of his window. Truth be known, he's probably got a couple of cardinals back there holding him up. So, they might as well just yank that tube right back out and let him go.

Why should he be maintained by artificial means and not be allowed to die with dignity since he can no longer feed himself? Chances are, he's had help feeding himself for some time so maybe he's technically already crossed that line.

Of course, he apparently is fully conscious so I suppose he's still within the realm of "personhood", but he better make sure he tells people around him he's just napping if he nods off...never know.

Fortunate for him, he's not in America or any one of the other countries that have taken a fascination for killing off the old, the unwanted, and the mentally disabled. But, Pope, if you're reading this blog (as I'm sure you are), you better watch your back.

Labels: David C. Price

If some of the leading ethicist are to be believed, Terri Schiavo is not even a person anymore. World Magazine's blog points out the analysis of one medical ethicist by the name of Bill Allen who, when asked if Terri Schiavo is a person, answered that she is not and that, "someone ought to go ahead and harvest [her] organs."

That mentality is rather hard to comprehend. Sadly, when worth and value are reduced to nothing more than self-awareness/consciousness, these are the types of responses we can expect. Unfortunately, these are also the voices that seem to be winning the debates between life and death.

The National Review article cited by World Mag is a must-read.

Related: I appreciate those who have weighed in on the discussion about human value and worldviews here. This is an ongoing forum, so if you've not made your voice heard and would like to, it's not too late.

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Pope John Paul II may have to return to the hospital to have a feeding tube inserted, an Italian news agency reported Tuesday.

How ironic is that?

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In light of yesterday being a day of celebration for millions of Christians around the world regarding the resurrection of Christ, this article by Dr. Daniel Akin is appropriate for those interested in considering evidence for the historicity of the event.

Hat Tip: Alex Forrest

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Off to Nashville for the weekend. I hope you have a wonderful, safe and blessed Easter!

¹At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. ²They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, ³so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the Master Jesus.

⁴They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. ⁵The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? ⁶He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee ⁷that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up?" ⁸Then they remembered Jesus' words.
From The Message

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From the Sofia News Agency: Parents Picking Gender of Kids

Parents can be soon able to pick the gender of their babies under plans proposed by a group of British MPs.

The proposals, outlined in a controversial report, call for personal fertility decisions to be taken out of the hands of regulators. Instead, future-to-be parents in consultation with their doctors should generally have the last word on embryo screening and selection.

Most controversially, the proposals go some way towards the creation of so-called "designer" babies. If accepted, they will give parents greater freedom to determine the sex of their children and ensure they are genetically sound.

The report calls for the current regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), to be disbanded. In its place would be a new Regulatory Agency for Fertility and Tissues, which would have much more limited powers.

Related commentary on Espresso Roast: Custom Kids

Labels: David C. Price

When the face and story of a single individual is before you all day long, it is hard not to become haunted by it; it is hard not to think about what is going on in her room even now. What is going through her mind? Many say absolutely nothing...she's not really there. She's a vegetable. Seems far from proven, but it's a lot easier to throw out a vegetable than it is a human being, isn't it?

I'm haunted because it sounds as though there is much more going on in Terri Schiavo's brain than many have let on; as though there is a human being who may not understand all that is going on, but is perhaps more aware than some would like us to believe. Perhaps child-like. Perhaps she is lying in her bed wondering what is happening to her...wondering why she is in so much pain...wondering why someone will not take care of her...just maybe. Funny, I'm wondering the same thing and I have all my faculties.

I just don't get it.

I'm haunted by the face of Terri Schiavo because this is not supposed to happen in America. Land of the free and home of the brave. The place where everybody has a shot, right? Apparently not. We're just like everybody else...we're a culture of convenience. Whether it's unwanted pregnancies or unwanted wives, if life isn't convenient, it's optional.

I'm haunted because Terri Schiavo lies in a bed like so many people across this country and around the world. She's in the same state that probably millions are in, suffering from brain injury, dependent on others to take care of them. She's not alone in her type of suffering. So what's the difference? She's alone in her suffering...abandoned by some of the very people who are supposed to have dedicated their lives to taking care of others. Abandoned by a legal system that is supposed to protect and defend life and liberty; to be a voice for the voiceless. The only difference between Terri and all these other brain-injured people is that they seem to still be wanted; they seem to be valued. Yet, in spite of it all, I know she still has value and I know that she is still valued and loved and cared for by the One who made her. I'm haunted because she is a person of infinite value who is being treated worse than an animal.

I'm haunted because some would say that the reason for all of this is that Terri told her "husband" that she wanted to die with dignity. Dignity? Please! There is no dignity in the way she is dying. There is dignity in the way she was living, being loved and valued and cared for by parents and other family members who still saw her as a person...as a whole person. Now, she wastes away like a thrown away piece of garbage. Dignity? There is no dignity in the way she is dying and there is no dignity for those who are torturing her...who are killing her.

I'm haunted because Terri Schiavo is dying for exactly the same reason any one of us who have perfectly good brains would die if we were artificially withheld food and water. Do this to a dog and you can be fined thousands of dollars and spend years in prison. But this kind of sheer cruelty and torture has been issued by people who have the title "honorable" before their names. Do this to a dog and you would have Peta all over you, yet all those wonderful defenders of the individual and civil liberties, like the ACLU and N.O.W., are nowhere to be found.

So, has justice been done for Terri Schiavo? Is she mercifully being granted her wish to die with dignity? If you happen to be one of those people who are currently under the delusion that she is, perhaps a little experiment is in order: refrain from eating or drinkig for about a week or two and then let's talk...if you still can. We'll see how dignified you feel. I'm haunted because there is someone lying in a bed right now without food or water who has not been given the option to do otherwise.

I'm haunted by the fact that the United States of America is a country that claims to value life, yet systematically kills off unwanted unborn children and is now starting down that road to a new category of "undesirables". Slippery Slope? No. It's only slippery if it's a slope you don't want to go down but can't stop. America is willingly walking down that hill.

What society can possibly survive that legally and intentionally starves human beings to death?

God, help us.

Labels: David C. Price

I have been thinking a great deal about the Terri Schiavo case as have many people across the Country and, perhaps, around the world. There are voices coming from every side expressing opinions and ideas and asking some very important questions.

I believe the underlying issue related to this case is that of human value. For some people, perhaps there is no real value to human life. To others, perhaps there is some feeling or some sense of intrinsic value or worth, but they're not really sure what it's based on or where it comes from. Still, others, grounding for human value is found in some religious perspective. I believe there is great value in listening to the views of others so that, perhaps, we can understand the basis for our own views better.

In that spirit, I would like to pose the following question and ask you to respond with your answer:

According to your worldview (the values upon which you base your life), is human life intrinsically valuable? To what extent and upon what do you base that opinion? (i.e. what is the grounding, warrant, or basis for it? What reason do you have for attributing value to human life?).

I assure you, this is no gimmick to try and get traffic or anything of the sort. It is an honest attempt to hear from various worldview perspectives. My field is worldview studies and I would really like to hear from you regardless of your point of view, religious background (or lack thereof), etc.

The only ground rule is that if someone comments and you would like to respond, please do so respectfully. I will not comment on any individual post but, depending on the level of response, I may summarize and offer commentary which, of course, you are welcome to respond to. I believe that, with good participation, this can be a interesting exercise in critical thinking and discovering the basis upon which we base our opinions and, by extension, our lives. Of course, it will only work if you participate, so please speak up and be heard. This is the only time that I will allow anonymous posts on this blog, so if you're hesitant to identify yourself, that's fine. Thanks for participating.

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MICHIGANTOWN, Ind — The owner of a turtle that was the only survivor of a pet shop fire says he sees an image of Satan's face on its shell.

"The marking on the shell was like the devil wanted us to know he was down there," Bryan Dora said. "To me, it's too coincidental that the only thing to come out unscathed would have this image on it." More of this fascinating tale here.

The only strange thing to me is this guy thinks Satan is trying to communicate with him through a turtle.

Labels: David C. Price

Nick Queen has pointed out a huge discrepancy in Michael Schiavo's comments. Of course, I think most people of moderate intelligence have been able to see through his rhetoric to his motives for quite some time. Nick points out that on Larry King, Schiavo made this statement:

I won't give it up. Terri is my life. I'm going to carry out her wishes to the very end. This is what she wanted. It's not about the Schindlers, it's not about me, not about Congress, it's about Terri.

However, just a few minutes later, in response to King's asking him whether or not he understands how Terri's family feels, he states:

Yes, I do. But this is not about them, it's about Terri. And I've also said that in court. We didn't know what Terri wanted, but this is what we want...

What was that? You didn't what? Wait, for a minute there I thought you said you didn't know what Terri wanted. I thought I actually heard the truth...surely not.

Just goes to show you--keep 'em talking long enough and the truth always comes out. As Andrew McCarthy pointed out in a recent article, it is highly unlikely that Terri Schiavo, at the age of 26 and in seemingly good health, would have expressed her wishes regarding this kind of scenario:

The facts of the Schiavo case are repugnant. — Notwithstanding the Post’s insistence, it is not clear that Terri is in a persistent vegetative state (merely watching the video footage strongly suggests otherwise, and even the Post’s editorial does not endeavor to defend the manifestly inadequate medical examinations that purport to underpin the PVS diagnosis); nor is there convincing evidence that Terri, when she was stricken at 26 years of age, had even given much thought to whether she’d want to continue living in her current condition, much less expressly asserted that she would not.

Now, from Michael Schiavo's own trap, we get an admission that McCarthy's deduction is, in fact, truth. Will it matter in this case? I'd like to think so, except the determination to kill Terri Schiavo has been so strong on the part of Michael Schiavo, his well-fed attorneys (i.e. well-paid), and the radical judicial system, I'm not all that optimistic. The value of life isn't what it used to be.

Labels: David C. Price

From FoxNews:

WASHINGTON — The feeding tube that has kept a severely brain-damaged woman alive for the past 15 years has been removed, FOX News has confirmed.

Terri Schiavo, who is in a persistent vegetative state, will now likely starve to death. No person has ever come out of a persistent vegetative state.

The action capped a day of legal wrangling that went all the way up to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Labels: David C. Price

Russian-Chinese Exercises
An interesting development is taking place as Russia and China prepare for joint military exercises which are being called a "Rehearse Invasion of Taiwan."

According to reports, "The initial plans were to practice operational teamwork in combating terrorism during the exercise. However, Beijing, skillfully changing the format of the exercise, has tried to re-orient the two countries' armies to practicing an invasion of Taiwan."

Obviously, tensions are already high over the Chinese-Taiwanese relationship. Now with Russia entering the fray, it could get really ugly. Should the Baltic States be nervous, too?
HT: Drudge

Big Bush Blunder?
I am a big supporter of the President, though I've said all along that it doesn't mean I support everything he does. His immigration and border policies are case in point. Giving illegal aliens legal status is, in my opinion, a tremendous mistake as is leaving our borders so meagerly protected (not to take anything away from our Border Patrol...it simply appears they are terribly under-manned and ill-equipped to do the job as well as I'm sure they're capable). LaShawn Barber has a very interesting and scathing post regarding the current policies. Worth a read.

Baretta for hire
Recently acquitted actor Robert Blake has apparently began holding up the proverbial cardboard sign, "will work for food."

Work wanted: 71-year-old actor recently acquitted of killing his wife seeks job in entertainment industry.

Moments after his trial ended, Robert Blake was making a pitch to Hollywood.
"I'm broke. I need a job," he told reporters Wednesday after the verdict.

Industry types said Thursday the legal battle could revitalize the career of the tough-guy actor best known for starring in the 1970s detective drama "Baretta" with a cockatoo named Fred.

Pop psychologist Joyce Brothers called Blake a likable guy who should have no trouble getting work after being embraced by America.

My prediction: He may get a bit-part here or there (not that he was doing much before he ki...uh...was accused of killing his wife), but even as skewed as American values are, I don't foresee a warm, fuzzy hug in Blake's future.

Eleventh-hour Efforts for Terri Schiavo
It's coming down to the last chance of intervention for Terri Schiavo, whose husband is fighting to have her feeding tube removed. Schiavo's parents have carried on a valiant fight to prevent this action. Andrew McCarthy has written a must-read article about the case for NRO.
(HT: Captain's Quarters)

Wittenberg Gate has a good summary of the most recent actions in the Florida case along with all the links. Also, check out ProLifeBlogs and, of course, BlogsforTerri as well as the Schindler family site, TerrisFight.org. Read the President's statement on the Terri Schiavo case here.

UPDATE: 7:46 AM - "The Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee, Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming) has requested Terri Schiavo to testify before his congressional committee, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. In so doing it triggers legal or statutory protections for the witness, among those protections is that nothing can be done to cause harm or death to this individual." (Drudge)

Christianity and Science
For those interested, Allthings2all has put together a "Science and Christianity Showcase," highlighting posts from various blogs on the subject. "Some of the contributors are scientists and some are Christians interested in the issue of science and the Christian faith."
(HT: World)

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I am in need of a second sidebar. I was able to create the sidebar, but unable to place it on the other side of my page. For some reason, it ends up at the bottom (a bottom-bar?). If there is some html savvy reader out there who can lend a little help, I'd be most appreciative if you will email me with a some advice. Thanks.

Labels: David C. Price

Thanks to GotDesign for pointing out an outrageous story and evidence that morality, absent an objective, absolute standard, is subject to little more than the prevailing attitude of the day.

Before someone jumps on me about my word-choice, show me evidence of how any other formulation of morality within a society can be anything more than majority rules or pragmatism, both of which are little more than subjective opinion. For my part, the following story of an abortion performed in Great Britain on a 24 week old fetus (unborn child) with a cleft palate supports my case pretty well:

Doctors and health officials will consider whether more guidance on abortions is needed following the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute two doctors who authorised a late abortion on a foetus with a cleft lip and palate.

Jim England, the chief crown prosecutor for West Mercia, said the doctors believed, in good faith, that there was a substantial risk the child would be seriously handicapped. "In these circumstances, I decided that there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and that there should be no charges against either of the doctors," he said.

The inquiry began after a legal challenge over a previous decision by police not to charge the doctors involved in the abortion carried out, in 2001, on an unnamed woman from Herefordshire who was more than 24 weeks pregnant.

There was no prosecution because the doctors performed the abortion "in good faith" that there were problems associated with the child. However, lay aside for the moment that the worth of a human life is beyond the value-judgments of any individual, no other evidence of serious problems was mentioned (as a matter of fact, the concluding remarks in the article suggested that, in fact, there were no other problems found). That's actually a very strange sounding statement to me as I think about it. Exactly what problem crosses the line into the realm of rising to the level of rendering a child unworthy of life and what standards are followed in order for that judgment to be made? Who is really qualified to make that kind of judgment call? I know that many do make it, but who is really qualified to render an innocent life unworthy of living?

This goes well passed mere medical issues into the realm of placing levels of value upon an autonomous, if you will, innocent human life. By that, I mean an innocent life that is not the property of a human being, including the mother and father of that child. If you happen to be under the illusion that a child is, in some way, property, watch what happens when a father or mother is found to be abusive.

The fact is, with every passing day, we are confronted with more absurd practices than we heard before. Now, it's a cleft palate, tomorrow perhaps abortions will be performed on kids with a finger or a toe missing, with evidence that eyes are not developing properly, or if there is a chance the child will be born deaf...or brown hair instead of red. Sounds absurd doesn't it? I agree. But yesterday I would have thought it absurd to suggest that an abortion would be performed on a child with something as easily reparable as a cleft palate.

Related Espresso Roast posts:
Eyes Too Blind to See
No More Double-talk, Please
A World of Contradictions

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click photo for a larger image
(Don't believe the pic is legit? Click here and scroll to the bottom.)

Labels: David C. Price

Boston's Big Dig A Big Mess:
The Boston Globe reports, "Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly has opened a fraud investigation of Big Dig contractors Bechtel/Parsons Brinckerhoff and Modern Continental Construction Co., focusing on what Reilly called poor oversight and shoddy work that left the tunnels plagued with leaks, defective walls, and damaged fireproofing.

"Reilly disclosed the probe on a day of intense reaction to yesterday's Boston Globe story in which highly regarded tunnel engineer Jack K. Lemley, who led the investigation of the project's leaks, said he can no longer say with confidence that the Big Dig is safe to drive in."

So after 12 years and $14.6 Billion and unlimited problems and headaches, a major portion of the project may already be condemned. Your tax-dollars hard at work...and you probably don't even live in Boston.

Stanley Grenz Dies
Author and theologian Stanley Grenz died early Saturday morning from a massive brain hemorrhage. Grenz was well-known as a voice for the postmodern/Emergent Church movement. Read more about Grenz here and here.
HT: Evangelical Outpost

Texas Euthanasia
Captain's Quarters writes about a Texas court that allowed doctors to override a mother's wishes and euthanize a severely afflicted five-month-old baby from a withdrawal of medical care. This has the potential of setting a dangerous precedent that even exceeds that of the Groningen Protocol. This is a tragic story on several levels. Read a related Espresso Roast post on the Groningen Protocol here.

Terri Schiavo
ProLifeBlogs is doing a great job following the developments of the Terri Schiavo case. The latest post deals with Terri's current capabilities: "[Nurse] Iyer witnessed Terri consuming pudding and milkshakes every night and has previously testified that she fed Terri Jello. She witnessed Terri responding to her name, following others with her eyes and head and even moving her body with purpose." You can also follow developments at BlogsforTerri.

Western cultures move to relativism
Al Mohler addresses the way in which Western culture has moved to reject the very notion of truth and to embrace relativism, nihilism, and radical subjectivism.

Greenspan supports Americans working longer
Alan Greenspan has voiced support of the President's proposal of personal savings accounts. Now, he is suggesting that an increase in the retirement age may also be necessary.

While liberals have looked to the overwhelming success of the "pay as you go" program, other people have rightly pointed out that the philosophy behind Social Security amounts to nothing more than a massive "death tax" since all of the money that has been put into the federal program by workers is forfeited at the time of death. Now, the return-on-investment is poised to be divested even further.

"The Fed chairman again offered qualified support for President Bush's proposal to allow younger workers to divert some of their payroll taxes to personal retirement accounts that invest in stocks and bonds. Such accounts could boost national savings, which would help finance investment and economic growth."

Labels: David C. Price

Dr. Al Mohler also weighs in on the issues surrounding recent Supreme Court decisions in his post for today. Read it here.

Related posts on Espresso Roast:
Living Constitution Theory Kills the Democratic Process
International Law Interprets the U.S. Constitution?

Labels: David C. Price

Ever heard of the living constitution theory? If not, you have definitely seen it in action. Almost every other day, we are faced with another court case where a judge somewhere has declared some long-standing law unconstitutional. Why? Because of the application of this theory. It is practiced by those many have come to call activist judges. Many problems and ambiguities facing society today have resulted from this living constitution theory.

According to Attorney David Dieteman, the living constitution theory means that "rather than having the meaning of the words on the paper, the federal constitution means whatever it ought to mean at a given time. It necessarily follows from this that it will not mean the same thing at different times." Sound like a good idea to you? If not, Dieteman agrees. He maintains that "a 'living' constitution is no constitution at all--it is in fact nothing." He illustrates this claim using a speed limit, pointing out what would happen if it were, in fact, a "living" speed limit:

Imagine for a moment that the speed limit was a "living" speed limit. Rather than be bound by the posted 65 (in Pennsylvania) or 70 (in Michigan), you could tell the officer who pulls you over that the traffic law is "a living thing," and that for your high-performance car, on this flat, straight, dry road, such a law drawn up by dead white males (who probably smoked tobacco and were heterosexuals, and were at least related by skin color to persons who might have owned slaves) can have no application to you."

As absurd as this sounds, the point is clear. If there is no objective standard, there is no fair and consistent rule of law. Dieteman goes on to say that when this same idea is applied to rape, for instance (as it actually is along with many other important issues), the "game is no longer funny."

It is this idea of a living constitution that is behind the problems I noted in the post entitled, "International Law Interprets the U.S. Constitution?" from yesterday. Rather than strictly interpreting the Constitution as it is written, judges have adopted the practice of projecting meaning onto the text, rendering the writers original intent void of substance or significance.

It is not to say that the Constitution is an infallible document, but if there are to be changes, they should be according to the will of the people who have to live day to day according to these laws, not individual judges with a god-complex. In reference to the decision of the Supreme Court to strike down the juvenile death penalty, Fox reports Antonin Scalia's criticism against the living constitution theory:

Justice Antonin Scalia criticized the Supreme Court's recent decision to strike down the juvenile death penalty, calling it the latest example of politics on the court that has made judicial nominations an increasingly bitter process.

In a 35-minute speech Monday, Scalia said unelected judges have no place deciding issues such as abortion and the death penalty. The court's 5-4 ruling March 1 to outlaw the juvenile death penalty based on 'evolving notions of decency' was simply a mask for the personal policy preferences of the five-member majority, he said.

'If you think aficionados of a living Constitution want to bring you flexibility, think again,' Scalia told an audience at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a Washington think tank. 'You think the death penalty is a good idea? Persuade your fellow citizens to adopt it. You want a right to abortion? Persuade your fellow citizens and enact it. That's flexibility.'

'Why in the world would you have it interpreted by nine lawyers?' he said."

Good question. Anybody have a good answer? Unfortunately, now that judges have gotten the taste of power in their mouths (a Superior Court judge ruled just yesterday that denying same sex marriage is unconstitutional in the state of California), prying it away from them may be a job tougher than anyone can handle. We cannot have a rule of law based upon the tenuous foundation of situational ethics. I applaud Scalia's judicial attitude and hope that it will not remain the exception to the rule.

Labels: David C. Price

The ol' blog here got a bit of a facelift. I hope you like the results.

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This is an amazing story:

"ATLANTA — For hours, Ashley Smith gently talked to the armed suspect in Atlanta's courthouse slayings, turning from hostage to confidant as they discussed God, family, pancakes and the massive manhunt going on outside her apartment.

'I believe God brought him to my door,' Smith said Sunday, only hours after her 911 call ended a manhunt for Brian Nichols, who is accused of shooting four people since Friday.

Over the course of the night, Nichols untied Smith, and some of the fear lessened as they talked. Nichols told Smith he felt like 'he was already dead,' but Smith urged him to consider the fact that he was still alive a 'miracle.'

'You're here in my apartment for some reason,' she told him, saying he might be destined to be caught and to spread the word of God to fellow prisoners. She told him his escape from authorities had been a 'miracle.'

Smith, 33, later called 911 after she was freed, and police soon surrounded her suburban apartment complex. Nichols gave up peacefully, waving a white towel in surrender.

'I honestly think when I looked at him that he didn't want to do it anymore,' Smith said. If he did not give up, she told him, 'Lots more people are probably going get hurt and you're probably going to die.'"

I don't know what is going to come of Nichols in the future (I hope Smith is right), but I know that there is only one source for the kind of peace and courage exhibited by Ashley Smith. It's something real inside when you lose your husband in a stabbing incident and still remain strong in your faith in God, especially in these kinds of circumstances. Read the entire story here.

Clarification: I won't go so far as Smith did (though I don't think she meant this) and say that God miraculously caused Nichols to escape. It is certainly astonishing that he did escape, but I think perhaps more in line, theologically, is that God can certainly bring about His purposes through even the worst circumstances. It must certainly be said that God allowed it to happen for reasons that are unknown to us, but that we may (or may not) at some point be able to discern what those reasons were.

Labels: David C. Price

A couple of days ago, I was sent a letter from a watchdog organization citing concerns over the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down Texas anti-sodomy laws. While there is much concern that is raised over the outcome of the decision, it was the basis upon which the decision was reached that is both odd and extremely troubling.

According to the newsletter, "Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority of the court saying it took into consideration the laws of other nations in reaching their decision: 'The laws of Northern Ireland forbade him (a homosexual defendant) that right (to practice sodomy).' Kennedy also referenced the European Court of Human Rights and wrote: 'Other nations have taken action consistent with an affirmation of the protected right of homosexual adults to engage in intimate, consensual conduct.'"

If this develops into a trend, there are serious consequences that can arise when the Justices of the Supreme Court, sworn to strictly interpret the Constitution of the United States are relying on the constitutions and laws of other countries to arrive at decisions for U.S. cases. For many U.S. citizens this is of great concern as many of the beliefs, values and practices of other countries run contrary to the beliefs and values upon which this country was founded.

Is this just one isolated case unworthy of such concern and attention? Apparently not. Justice Kennedy has now referenced international law on at least one other occasion:

In the recent case involving capital punishment for those under age 18, Justice Kennedy continued this trend. Again writing for the majority of the court, he wrote: "It is proper that we acknowledge the overwhelming weight of international opinion against the juvenile death penalty." The point here is not the ruling, but the fact that the Supreme Court looked not solely to the U.S. Constitution, but also to the laws of other nations.

This trend by the Supreme Court is very frightening. It moves toward having the laws of other nations supersede the U.S. Constitution. In the eyes of the Supreme Court, they are no longer bound by our constitution, but are free to use the laws of any country to reach the ruling they want.

Once any nominee is confirmed by the Senate, they are free to rule however they desire—including basing their decisions on the laws of other countries—without the people having any practical recourse.

This is a serious development for all Americans regardless of one's political affiliation or personal beliefs. It would be just as abhorrent had international law been cited as a basis for upholding the sodomy laws. What protects American freedoms is the United States Constitution. When that is eroded under the trickle of foreign law and subjective interpretation, any or all of our freedoms can be in jeopardy.

Labels: David C. Price

"A sign hanging over Kate Adamson's hospital bed read,'THIS IS A HUMAN BEING LYING HERE, PLEASE TREAT HER AS A PERSON. SHE UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING YOU SAY.' The sign spoke volumes about frustration, a tenacious will for survival, of love, and of hope."

At a time when the debate over the value of human life and the right to die has grown to a feverous pitch and when someone like Terry Schiavo lay unable to speak for herself while countless voices emerge to speak on her behalf, this is an important story to hear. I hope you'll read it. Thanks to Wittenberg Gate for posting it.

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'Bush Rage' Driver Charged in Florida

TAMPA, Fla. — A man apparently enraged by a Bush-Cheney sticker on a woman's sport utility vehicle chased her for miles and tried to run her off the road while holding up an anti-Bush sign, police said.

"He told our officers that he just got mad at her, so he went after her," said police spokesman Joe Durkin.

Nathan Alan Winkler, 31, was freed on $2,000 bail early Wednesday on a charge of aggravated stalking, which carries up to five years in prison.

Oh, brother.

Labels: David C. Price

Interesting column from the Wall Street Journal...here's an excerpt.

There's been a lot of talk since Sept. 11 about how President Bush's war-lovin' ways have galvanized terrorists, recruiting jihadis to the ranks. What's increasingly evident, however, is that the character suffering the real blowback is Osama bin Laden, who, as it turns out, jolted the U.S. into a global recruiting drive for democrats. Faced with an unprecedented attack on American shores, Mr. Bush smashed the mold for Middle-East policy, and with the invasion of Iraq lit a beacon for freedom-lovers in a part of the world that until quite recently was widely seen as having none.

Read the whole article here.

HT: World

Labels: David C. Price

The New York Times News Analysis: For Bush, No Boasts, but a Taste of Vindication

I had to read this twice to be convinced it was true. The NYTimes really seems to be acknowledging the President maybe, kinda, sorta knew what he was talking about regarding the Middle East situation.

Now, nobody is saying the road ahead isn't going to be tough and, certainly, many things can always go wrong, but the fact that there are so many positive developments that are undeniably a result of the leadership of George Bush is amazing to witness. Even the New York Times can't deny it:

[Mr. Bush] has gone out of his way not to crow, or even to take direct credit. But not quite two years after he began the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, and not quite two months after a second inaugural address in which he spoke of "ending tyranny," President Bush seems entitled to claim as he did on Tuesday that a "thaw has begun" in the broader Middle East.

At the very least, Mr. Bush is feeling the glow of the recent flurry of impulses toward democracy in Iraq, the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and even Egypt and Saudi Arabia, where events have put him on a bit of a roll and some of his sharpest critics on the defensive. It now seems just possible that Mr. Bush and aides like Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz were not wrong to argue that the "status quo of despotism cannot be ignored or appeased, kept in a box or cut off," as the president put it in a speech at the National Defense University here.

You know something significant is happening when even Teddy Bear Kennedy is crediting Bush (this had to be painful for him):

...even as sharp and consistent a critic of Mr. Bush's foreign policy as Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat, gives Mr. Bush some credit for the latest stirrings of liberty along the eastern Mediterranean.

"What's taken place in a number of those countries is enormously constructive," Mr. Kennedy said on Sunday on the ABC News program "This Week." "It's a reflection the president has been involved."

Yes, it is a reflection the president has been involved. I may not agree with every position he takes, but, 1) he's not as dumb as everyone thinks he is (in fact, he's pretty darn smart), 2) his political opponents aren't as smart as they think they are and 3) the thugs in the middle east aren't as tough as they think they are. There's plenty more work to do and, again, as the President and others in authority keep saying, things can get uglier, but we've come a long way.

George W. Bush may not be the most articulate President we've ever had, but he's a heckuva leader, and his accomplishments as a leader, in my opinion, bring even more honor to those soldiers who serve and who have died in service to this country.

So, to the Times, I salute you for having the guts to go against your heart and your nature. Here's to hoping for a more balanced perspective for the future...

...but you're still not gettin' my money.

Labels: David C. Price

[chirp, chirp]

Labels: David C. Price

ABC News: Human Ancestor Remains Found in Ethiopia

Why is it that regardless of the evidence that is presented in favor of Divine intervention, the scientific community dismisses it outright as impossible but part of a skeleton is found and it is immediately judged to be a human ancestor? Never mind, don't answer that. It was rhetorical and I know the answer.

There is a predisposition to naturalism that will not allow the possibility that there is actually more than man. It doesn't make much sense, however, that man has ultimate knowledge when that same worldview does not allow or explain the origin of absolute knowledge to start with. How do you know you can trust what you know? It certainly doesn't come from naturalism.

This leads to the most ridiculous quote I've read in a while. According to Bruce Latimer, director of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in Ohio, "Right now we can say this is the world's oldest bipedal (an animal walking on two feet) and what makes this significant is because what makes us human is walking upright."

Really. That is what makes us human? Walking upright? I guess I need to work harder at getting my dog to walk on its hind legs...then she can be human, too.

Latimer fails to see that what makes us human is a great deal more than the way we walk. Among other things that make us human is the ability to reason, though comments like those of Latimer bring that into real question. Nevertheless, humans exhibit the ability to rationalize that is unsurpassed in all of creation. We think things through. We understand there is a difference in "right" and "wrong".

We know, even when we wish to deny it, there is often a disparity between what is and what ought to be. We understand that eating our young or the kids of our neighbors is not acceptable...fortunately, we don't share that characteristic with much of the animal kingdom.

The point is simply that there is much greater reason that we are human than simply the way we walk. I have recognized that what makes me different is the relationship I have with my Creator. That is something animals do not possess. There is the ability to wonder and explore and desire and to curb my desire and to hope and to wish and to love...sacrificially...to weigh the consequences and make a determined choice to give up something...even ones life...for the love and life and another. That is something I've personally never experienced or heard of in the animal kingdom.

Yes, walking upright is a characteristic of humans, but it is certainly not the only or the most important one.

Labels: David C. Price

I really like John Gibson's word on Bush. Like the Prez or not, he's getting things done....now he's able to speak softly because he carries a big stick.

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I have a terrible case of spring fever. I came down with it a few weeks ago. The severity depends on the weather, sort of like an arthritic joint. After finishing my paper, I'm dying to get OUT for a while...just about anywhere outdoors will suffice. I'm finding myself spending a lot of time online looking at camping websites and planning for our family camping trip in May.

The teasers we keep getting are almost too much to take. Yesterday, sunny and about 55...today, cloudy and 45. Tomorrow, sunny and 60 followed by a week of rain and a return to winter. Same old thing...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I think I need a vacation...somewhere warm and sunny...beaches are optional but a definite plus.

I think I better go take my temperature...I'm definitely feeling feverish.

Labels: David C. Price

Ok, that was corny, but cut me a little slack, I've been away for a while. It is certainly good to back in the blogosphere. After about a three week hiatus, I've finished my research and breathing a huge sigh of relief. I hope there's somebody out there still interested in coming by.

I do want to mention this story about the guitarist and co-founder of Korn recently becoming a Christian. It's a pretty cool story and James Montgomery of MTV did a good job with it. Read it the whole story here.

In the article, Welch explains that he got tired of chasing after money and wanted to live a life that his six year old daughter can respect. MTV reports that "after a weekend of soul-searching, coupled with reading from a Bible his friend had leant him, Welch decided it was time to go."

Though Korn's management company tried to write off this move as "just another step on his path of self-discovery," they underestimated the change that occurs when Christ is involved. Having experienced it myself, this is not just a change in interest, like a hobby. It's a change in life, sometimes leading to a whole new set of opportunities that provides peace and purpose and fulfillment like never before experienced.

Welch explains the confusion of former band members including Jonathan [Davis], "'I don't get it, man, you're all happy and we're sitting here grieving because our band is breaking up. And I wanted to tell him, 'Well, for years, you guys were out partying while I was sitting on the tour bus wanting to die.'"

As for Welch's immediate future:

Welch's solo material — which will be released under the name "Head" — will not be Christian music. Rather, he said, he wants it to be an "extension of the Korn family."

"I always loved that Korn's music helped kids let out aggression. But with my new music, I want kids to know that there's more out there," he said. "I want to show them there's a light at the end of the pain tunnel. That there's more out there than just aggression. I want to say to them, 'Hey kids, come over here. Let's bounce back and forth and have fun.' "

And yes, Welch does plan on speaking on Sunday at the Valley Bible Fellowship. He's just not certain what he's going to say. He's just going to speak from the heart. And he wants his fans to know that even if they can't make it out to Bakersfield, California, to hear him speak, they can check out his message on his new Web site —www.HeadToChrist.com — which launches Friday (February 25).

"Man, when I get up there onstage, it's going to be me just letting things flow. I have no idea what I'm going to say, it's just going to come out," he said. "I mean, I'm going to be like a kid up there. Because that's really what I am now. I'm a baby Christian."

Quick update: During my absence, the Philadelphia five were released and all charges were dropped. This is not too much of a surprise as it was clear there was little merit to the charges. Read a related story here.

Labels: David C. Price