Capital Punishment in the News

Yes, I'm giving this sleepy blog a can of Jolt Cola to wake it up. Anyway, a bunch of Hollywood types and other assorted do-gooders are all upset because California is about to execute some murderous thug. (Whether this execution actually happens remains to be seen. California's death penalty, from what I've seen, is never actually used.) This sensitive, misunderstood soul is someone who was a gang leader and who mocked one of his victims as he died.

What's my opinion on the death penalty? I left a comment explaining it on this post on Mark Shea's blog. I'll just copy and paste it, while correcting typos and adding a relevant link:

Well, I think Prager is right. The death penalty is insurance. It insures that a bloodthirsty killer who either gets a thrill from killing or who will kill whoever he needs to kill to get his way will never take another innocent life. And to me, that is more "pro-life" than putting innocent people at risk so one can feel all morally superior.

Take the Norman Mailer example from the column. To Mailer, the young victim's life was worth nothing compared to whatever writing talent the murderer had. This is a disgusting, anti-life worldview.

I don't think every murderer should be executed. It depends on the situation. But many should be. Anyone who thinks otherwise is living in a dream world. And they make living in the real world a lot more dangerous.

And I mean that for most, if not all, death penalty opponents, whether they be starry-eyed, naive crypto-pacifists, Hollywood elitists or religious leaders. The Hollywood people don't have to live in the world created by people like Tookie Williams. They can hide in their mansions behind state-of-the-art security systems and armed bodyguards. And they don't give two craps about the victims -- they can't make themselves look wonderful, compassionate and open-minded by standing up for the rights of the victims. It just doesn't have that radical chic. But Mumia and Tookie...very chic!

The religious leaders are just as sheltered, if more sincere and less venal. And the starry-eyed, naive people...well, they just like to stick their heads in the sand. They are the same people who think terrorism is caused by the U.S. not giving out enough foreign aid.

So, yes, I'm for the death penalty. I'll leave the comments open on this one, but let me warn those who disagree with me: I am in no mood to "debate" this issue. I won't do it. And if anyone tries the old "How can you be against abortion and support capital punishment?" fallacy, I will dismiss you as an idiot. I made my position very clear above, and if you have trouble understanding it, then you need to brush up on your reading comprehension skills.

Christmas Decorations

I revamped last year's Christmas layout and I set it as the default skin for the Christmas season. I have two Christmas layouts that you can set using the drop-down menu on the sidebar or by going to page 2 of the skins gallery. Or, you can click the handy links below:

Christmas 2003 Layout
Christmas 2005 Layout

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just thought I'd break my silence and wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Pardon the way overused phrase...

...but there's no other way to put it.

This article made me throw up a little in my mouth. While I have many disagreements with the emerging church movement, I have far more of a problem with people like this Proctor guy.

And you've gotta love the part of the article where he takes a small excerpt from Rev. Kyle Lake's last sermon and concludes that the pastor is trying to tell people to worship the world. No, it sounds like he was just telling people to enjoy the life that God gave them and enjoy His creation. I guess Rev. Lake didn't get the memo that Christians aren't supposed to enjoy anything. People similar to Proctor have given me that memo, but I put it in the circular file.

(Via the Thinklings.)

Update: Coincidentally, MVRWC has a nice post about this pastor, who was a man with a family, not some joke or symbol. Whether it's a bunch of Christian-haters making "Darwin Award" jokes or people who are supposed to be Christians saying that God struck the pastor down for being part of the emergent church movement, we are talking about the tragic death of a man who had family and loved ones.

C.S. Lewis Slimed in the NY Times

Remember the way the media came after Mel Gibson before The Passion of the Christ was released? The smearing, the sliming, the lies and half-truths told about him and the film? Well, with the upcoming Narnia film, it's happening again to C.S. Lewis. Bunnie Diehl does a great job picking apart the New York Times article.

I've been listening to the audiobooks of the Narnia series and I don't at all see them the way the writer of the NY Times article and Lewis' critics see them. The writer (Charles McGrath) seems to have a problem with the lack of liberal sensibilities in the books:

And by the standards of political correctness, they commit a host of sins. They're preachy, they're sometimes gratuitously violent and they patronize girls. The villains, moreover - the Calormenes, who dwell in the south - are oily cartoon Muslims who wear turbans and pointy-toed slippers and talk funny.

Oh dear...crimes against political correctness! We can't have that! Actually, the main female characters are, from what I can see, strong and intelligent. And I didn't see the violence as being gratuitous or even explicit.

McGrath also describes the books as having a "stodgy" message. Perhaps the message just flies right over his modern, oh-so-liberal head.

One more thing...much is made of C.S. Lewis' private life in this article -- particularly things that happened before he became a Christian. Like a lot of people, he apparently had some difficult, mixed-up family and personal relationships. Big deal.

Note: Edited for clarity.

Update: Gene Edward Veith posts this take-down of both the NY Times article and Phillip Pullman, one of Lewis' most obsessive critics. (Via Bunnie Diehl.) Here's more about Phillip Pullman from Peter Hitchens. (Via Veith.)

Update 2: I should have known that Get Religion would have a good post on this as well. Also, via the trackbacks in that post, this commentary by Michael Spencer.

Dear Hurricane Season 2005

Come now, don't you think this is a little excessive? I mean, we are in the middle of November here. Please, give it up, won't you?

P.S. (11/18/05): Oh, for heaven's sake...you've got to be kidding!

P.P.S. (11/22/05): Enough already!

P.P.P.S (11/29/05): T.S. Epsilon...and hurricane season ends tomorrow... **shaking head**

Headache Blogging

I've thought about blogging a couple of things lately, but the very thought of writing much of anything makes my head hurt. I've had a tension headache for the past few days...it's a bit better today, although it feels like it may start up again any minute now. Also, my internet connection has been less-than-reliable lately, which adds to my headaches. I think I will just link a few things I have found interesting:

• I'm sure you have heard about how the Islamists are rampaging through France and other places in Europe right now. Of course, the politically correct media -- if they bother to mention the riots at all -- make sure that they studiously ignore the Muslim angle. Anyway, the Anchoress posts an email from a French woman which gives a whole new perspective on this story.
• While on the subject of the riots in France...Discoshaman (who is finally blogging again) refutes the fuzzy logic of a left-wing blogger.
• This post by Steve H. should be used in every sex education or abstinence education class there is. He also has a great follow-up wherein he says something that I've always been reluctant to say, lest people think I'm anti-man: That men are pro-choice not because they respect women but because it makes being promiscuous easier.
• Sean Gleason has come up with The "Bush Lied" Flow Chart. (Via Dustbury.)

Well, I feel that headache coming on again, so I guess that's enough for now...

Pardon the silence...

I just haven't felt like saying much lately. Work is busy right now, and when I get home, I just want to relax my mind. Also, I've got some around-the-house things that have been piling up and I need to quit procrastinating and get them done. So, I'm taking a break for a few days. But I'll be back...