Where’s the Outrage?

Loyalty is an important quality.

What are possible grounds for loyalty? Who merits loyalty and for what reasons?

I see loyalty as coming from personal circumstance and experiences and ,also, from the broader context of shared values.

Loyalty also requires acceptance of people’s faults as you see them. This because, if for no other reason, so that others will accept you and your faults as well.

Here are some possible grounds for loyalty—

1. A Shared Past— I give some stock to people who were in the some of the same places I was at certain points in life. For example, people who hung out in the same punk rock clubs and bars as I did in college.

I feel these people felt many of the same things I did at that age, and that they may now be people I can trust as an adult.  Also, more personally, I want my past to matter and to be recalled. I value the people who comprise my past.

Here is a line of John Kennedy’s Inaugural address that expresses this feeling—

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share: we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends.

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Tags: General by Texas Liberal
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The Ebenezer Baptist Church is a special place. A very special place. Barack Obama was there yesterday. He continues to deliver his message of hope.

For Obama to win he will have to convince more women that he is the agent of change.

I will have more on this later on today.

Tags: Election 2008 by ecthompson
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I have had a terrible playoff run.  Teams that I thought were ready to go the distance didn’t make it out of the starting gates (Dallas Cowboys).  Teams that I had written off (San Diego Charges) went deep into the playoffs.

A couple of comments on yesterday’s games.  To the Green Bay Packers - What was that?  The game was yours.  I’m not sure what happened.  Did Brett Farve’s fingers freeze up?  No seriously.  It was seriously cold out there.  Farve was terrible in the second half.  He wasn’t throwing the ball well at all.  The interception in overtime was an excellent example.  I’m not saying the New York Giants didn’t bring the defense because they did but Farve hits wide open receivers.

Congratulations to the New York Giants.  No turnovers throughout the playoffs equaled a trip to the SuperBowl.  I’m not buying the Eli Manning has come of age story.  We saw plenty of the old Eli yesterday with him back pedaling and throwing wounded ducks.

The New England Patriots have survived the last 4 or 5 games without losing.  It hasn’t been because they were playing all that well.  They just made plays in the clutch.  Junior Seau’s tackle for a 2 yard loss on 3rd and 2 was huge.  Tom (first round hall of famer) Brady was the second best quarterback on the field yesterday and Phillip Rivers wasn’t that good.  Tom terrific was Tom ordinary.  Brady was 22 of 33 for 209 and 3 interceptions.  3!!!  How did the Chargers lose?  I saw the game and I don’t know.  Well, yes, I do.  Field goals instead of touchdowns.  The Chargers could have put this game away in the first half if they had gotten touchdowns.

Anyway, congratulations of the Patriots.

In 2 weeks - The New England Patriots will travel to Phoenix to play the New York Giants.

Tags: Sports by ecthompson
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