God Bless You, Phyllis Diller, 1917-2012

Ownership

There is nothing innate about ownership. It is a learned concept. Some societies have it. Others don't. "Theft" begins with a model of unconditional individual ownership. I see nothing wrong with limited ownership. However, the question needs to be asked, "What gives people the right to own something?" Ultimately, societies make those decisions, not individuals. The fact that we pay taxes indicates that limitations are already placed on individual ownership. As a socialist, I believe that those limitations need to be increased. For instance, some people have argued against aspects of the Welfare State on the grounds that it deprives them of their freedom. Where justice and freedom conflict, precedence should, IMO, be given to justice.

The Rednecking of America

The violent incident in Wisconsin today is further evidence of the rednecking of America. This country has a gun fetish. Of course, Sikhs are not Muslims, However, IMO, the politicians who have been recently attacking Muslims, including Secretary Clinton's aid, are especially culpable.