Brushfire of Freedom
Ram Rants
Ok folks, a bit more insight into ol‘ Ram here. I spend a great deal of time doing analysis and auditing performance. I know, sounds exciting, but someone has to do it. Since this is my trade, I am familiar with the concept of a standard. The basic, out-of-the-book definition is, “ an idea or thing used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations i.e. the wages are low by today's standards. Also, principles of conduct informed by notions of honor and decency : a decline in moral standards.”
Basically, a standard is, well, standard. It is the same, consistent, no matter the circumstances, environment, time of day, phase of the moon, or whatever other variable may surround the standard. A standard is the opposite of a variable. An inch is part of a standard of measurement. An inch is always an inch, it never changes, it does not vary, not even on the moon. Thus all additional measurements derived from that standard are related to that inch such as feet (12 inches), or a mile (63,360 inches).
So, we’re clear on standards, let’s take a look now at some recent applications and mis-applications of standards by our friends on the left. Recently a major manufacturer of cribs stopped sale of their products because the distance between the slats in their product had managed to trap and kill 32 children. First, please note, each of those deaths is a tragedy. The loss of the life of a child is dreadful, a loss for society and a horrible loss for the family. As has been stated many times, no parent should have to bury their child. So, 32 children in ten years - sorry, forgot that part - is a tragedy, and the manufacturer made the right choice.
So, how many children have been killed in the past 10 years by abortion? The estimate, I believe, is in the tens of millions. A child’s death is a tragedy. It is a loss to society, and a terrible loss to the family. No parent should have to bury their child, right?
Ok, maybe too touchy a correlation, so let’s go in a different direction. Let’s accept the standard of most “pro-deathers” that an abortion is simply a woman exercising the right of “choice” over her own body. Please note that this right includes the fate of the fetus / child in her womb. She can exercise her right and decide whether or not that child will live. Assuming this woman continues to have the right to choice after the child is born, shouldn’t she be able to choose the school where she will send that child? If we apply the standard of “choice” consistently, then yes, of course. Yet our government, at the behest of the education unions, demands that they be able to determine where a child will go to school, not the parent of that child. The Obama Regime has supported that position and overseen the elimination of a school choice program in Washington D.C.
Let’s get away from children for a moment. Touchy subject, too much emotion involved, and really somewhat polarizing. Let’s talk “whistleblowers”. The “standard” definition of “whistleblower” is, “A person who informs on someone engaged in an illicit activity.” Easy enough. So, the young Corporal who stole classified documents around US military activity and gave them to “Wikileaks” is a “whistleblower”. Please ignore he is also a spy, thief, traitor, and I’m certain some other “standard” things.
So, someone who steals emails from the Climate Research Unit and posts them openly so that the public can be aware of their “illicit” activities of skewing data, badgering opponents, and manipulating policy for their benefit is a “whistleblower”.
No? That person is a thief and should be arrested? But, according to the standard, this person should be lauded, praised as a hero for saving society from the embarrassment of being duped by an apparent hoax. He (or she) could be saving lives that would be otherwise lost or destroyed by poor policy, bad decisions, or poorly-conceived products. The emails were not even classified and, in all honesty, the property of the university and not the hoaxers. So why is the traitor a hero and the person who acquired the emails a thief?
In fairness, Bradley Manning, the young man charged with stealing the classified war documents, is in fact in prison awaiting court martial. You can find out more on his support page. Apparently there are some people who believe Brad is getting a bum rap.
“Grassroots Campaign for Accused WikiLeaks Whistleblower Activates International Support From September 16-19, supporters of Bradley Manning held public rallies and vigils for the accused WikiLeaks whistleblower, currently imprisoned in Quantico.”
Could we expect the same treatment for the person who posted the CRU emails? Anyone want to wager on that?
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