The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.
Flannery O'Connor
Jerry Lewis and the MDA Telethon: A Mini-Tribute
I think one of the ongoing mysteries is the reason why Jerry Lewis, in my view America's greatest comedian, hosts an annual telethon on behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. But whatever the motivation, Jerry Lewis has created a holiday tradition through pure determination and persistence; even during times when he was suffering from serious health problems, he was determined that the show would go on--the consummate professional. I honor him for putting a human face to those afflicted with this terrible medical condition, providing researchers with a public forum to discuss how they are working for, God willing, a cure, and for having faith in the response of fellow Americans. There is an abiding conviction in the fundamental dignity and worthiness of our fellow citizens, and I believe that our society will be ultimately judged on how we respond to the unalienable rights of the disabled--not necessarily by leaving things to an ineffectual, impersonal government bureaucracy (saying, I've done my part: I've paid my taxes), but in responding empathetically and voluntarily with our time, patience, resources, support and prayers. For those whom wish to contribute: click here.
One of my personal traditions is to watch at least some of the telecast. As I watched in the early hours this morning, I saw a report on a family's Dad whom has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)--sometimes known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Any resident in the Baltimore area is well-aware of the Hall of Fame shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr., whom became the all-time consecutive game streak starting from the end of May 1982 to the end of the 1998 season--some 2632 games, shattering the previous high of 2130 by just over 500 games. The previous holder? Lou Gehrig, the "Iron Horse", the immortal New York Yankees first baseman. The 1927 Yankees are considered by many, including myself, as the best baseball team ever; most people remember his teammate, fellow ex-pitcher Babe Ruth, whom hit an astonishing 60 home runs, more than many team totals just by himself, untainted by steroids and in a shorter major league season. Over half the hits reflected in Gehrig's .373 season batting average went for extra bases, and he drove in a then record 175 RBI's. He still remains the all-time leader in grand slam home runs (23) and the all-time American League single season RBI total (184).
What made this supremely gifted athlete even more compelling was his humility, his sheer love for the game, his sportsmanship, and his uncomplaining style. Some X-rays done in the mid-1930's showed that Gehrig had suffered a number of fractures during his streak, but nobody even knew about it: he played through pain. Lou Gehrig around the middle of the 1938 season started feeling more fatigued than usual, and his legendary batting average, speed and power significantly dropped from a year earlier; he failed to hit a single extra-base hit during the World Series. His deteriorating condition become more apparent through the start of 1939 season, and he finally benched himself on May 2. He went to the Mayo Clinic the next month, where he was diagnosed with ALS on his 39th birthday, and died less than 2 years later.
Let us never forget Lou Gehrig's address on Independence Day, 1939:
Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.
Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? .....When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies — that’s something...When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body — it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed — that's the finest I know.
So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for. Thank you.
Obama Administration Confounds Human Rights With a Progressive Political Agenda
We need a political spin checker in any serious critique of the American self-assessment on human rights for the UN--which essentially links human rights to the Obama Administration's domestic agenda.
Let's start with the discussion of workers' rights. The fact that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are knowingly inserting this into the document means that they consider the status quo--which has resulted in unionization in many contexts--a material violation of human rights:
Currently there are several bills in our Congress that seek to strengthen workers’ rights—ensuring that workers can continue to associate freely, organize, and practice collective bargaining as the U.S. economy continues to change.The fact is that unions are effectively trying to do away with secret ballots for union certification--the same privacy right that keeps American voters from an intimidating, hostile environment, not to mention intrinsic corruption. Why shouldn't the American worker want to keep more of his own compensation, based on the merit of his own efforts, versus involuntarily contribute to the perpetuation of an unresponsive, politically motivated union bureaucracy which binds management's hands from effectively competing in an increasingly competitive global economy?
Here is yet another implicit smear: allegations of minority voting rights. Now, of course, let us forget for the time being the fact that a double-digit number of states in the 2008 election season had charged ACORN with voter registration fraud, and the Justice Department looked the other way, despite compelling video evidence, of the intimidating, unlawful presence of new Black Panthers at certain Philadelphia area polling places. This, in fact, is what the Obama Administration reports:
In recent months, the Department of Justice has worked to strengthen enforcement of federal voting rights laws. The Department recently obtained consent decrees against some jurisdictions and concluded a settlement with another, and it is preparing to review thousands of redistricting plans that will be submitted after release of the 2010 Census results to ensure that voting districts are not drawn with the purpose or effect of marginalizing minority voters.Now, let's not forget identity politics:
We are not satisfied with a situation where the unemployment rate for African Americans is 15.8%, for Hispanics 12.4%, and for whites 8.8%, as it was in February 2010. We are not satisfied that a person with disabilities is only one fourth as likely to be employed as a person without disabilities. We are not satisfied when fewer than half of African-American and Hispanic families own homes while three quarters of white families do. We are not satisfied that whites are twice as likely as Native Americans to have a college degree. The United States continues to address such disparities by working to ensure that equal opportunity is not only guaranteed in law but experienced in fact by all Americans.This is so ideological one hardly knows where to start. First, take the issue of college. I believe that there are a number of people attending college unnecessarily and unsuitably, driving up the college cost bubble with generous, possibly unrecoverable federal loans. I've known a number of people in data processing without college degrees (including the high-profile example of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates--no, we've never met). My own maternal grandfather and his father were businessman without college degrees. I have a couple of relatives whom are making a good living in the Civil Service without college degrees. There are a number of honorable occupations which may require skills not requiring college degrees, including many skilled tradesmen.
I haven't studied Native American economies and relevant cultural criteria (I did meet a Native American from Oklahoma in one of Jane Carey's human factors in MIS symposia), but I can guarantee that the solution is not "more of the same" failed progressive policies. Let's say, for instance, there is a quality issue with relevant local education. The answer is not to put students in a competitive environment where success is unlikely. There may be innovative educational approaches, e.g., virtual classrooms and self-paced education via the Internet (satellite technologies, depending on location).
There are intrinsic issues in terms of the disabled: certain types of work (e.g., construction, orderly, manual labor or dexterity, etc.) may not be viable. Certainly recently retired Professor Stephen Hawking, who suffers from ALS, is an inspiration. I'm hopeful that advances in medical technology and telecommunications infrastructure, and more of an incentive-based (versus punitive) public policy approach will improve utilization rates. Of course, the Obama Administration has obsessed over immigration of undocumented Latinos versus, say, the immigration of technically-competent and entrepreneurial professionals which would bolster the US high tech industry. Where is an Obama Administration initiative to automatically offer green card status to graduating foreign students with advanced degrees in sciences, technology and medicine?
Higher unemployment rates for African Americans and Hispanics? Let us suppose, for the sake of argument, that higher proportions of African Americans and Hispanics work at lower-skilled/minimum-wage occupations. Progressives, of course, love to increase the minimum wage, often phrased in the context of an "economically fair" living wage. This is counter-productive; it's the old supply/demand curve: you raise the cost of labor, business pays for the mount of labor it can afford. That often comes down to reducing the number of workers and/or worker hours, none of which helps prospective income for low-skilled workers. Is it any wonder we are seeing some of the highest teen unemployment rates ever under Obama? Many Republicans advocated allowing more flexibility on minimum wage--which organized labor opposes. So is the Obama Administration going to offer the UN an apology for its own misguided economic policies? Yeah, right....
Home ownership? This may reflect a number of factors, including household income and/or (e.g., urban) location. I've never owned a house (but I've never been married). Home ownership is an incentive for many people to better their economic lot, e.g., by working towards a college degree on nights and weekends. There is all sorts of moral hazard in saying to lower-income people: we guarantee you getting a house, even if you don't save a dime towards a down payment or don't do anything proactive to contribute more to society.
Not only "guaranteed" but "experienced in fact"? This seems like code words for "equality of outcome", which is, at its core, un-American. If progressives want to emulate the social policies of low-growth, high-unemployment Europe, move to Europe and leave the American dream for the rest of us...
This self-congratulatory progressive political posturing to a dysfunctional UN, which has done little to end genocide across the world (e.g., Darfur), looks the other way as Iran's theocracy fixes elections, tolerates cold-blooded murder of patriotic dissidents, and wants to stone a widow to death for alleged adultery, seems like the cherry on top of Obama's international apology tour.
Maybe we conservatives should file a human rights grievance against the Obama Administration for failing to respond to higher criminal violence across the Mexican border, refusing to enforce immigration laws involving most undocumented Latinos, violating the rights of future generations whom have to pay those bills without informed consent, and stripping our traditional right to pay for medical services as we prefer...
Political Humor
An airline in Sweden plans to host the first-ever in-flight gay wedding in December. The entire flight crew is excited about the event, although the right wing isn't too happy about it. - Jimmy Fallon
[Now, Jimmy, everyone knows the right side of the plane is the groom's side...And you thought female brides spend too much time on their hair, flowers, and clothes... Do gays really want airline food for their reception? Everyone knows why the bride has to get married, but how do they get the shotgun through airport security?Watch that beverage cart going down the aisle. How do guests position themselves for the traditional tossing of the jock strap? The bachelor or patron of honor has morning stubble. The bride is angry at his groom and has locked himself in the plane's restroom. And if the bride has cold feet, he'll cold-cock the groom, grab a couple of beers from the beverage cart, pop open the aircraft door, jump down the inflatable slide, and escape from the plane... Call me when the airline holds its first gay marriage baby shower flight...]
A South Carolina man was sentenced to three years in prison for having sex with a horse. I'd give anything to see the look on his cellmate's face when he answers; "So what are you in for?"
- Alex Kaseberg
[Let's hope that the cellmate doesn't introduce himself by bragging about being hung like a stallion...]
Musical Interlude: The American Songbook Series
Cliff Edwards, "When You Wish Upon a Star"
