A Blogger’s Free and Responsible Search for Truth and Meaning

Being a UU, I know that Unitarian Universalists do not have a creed, but UU communities affirm and promote Seven Principles. The Fourth one, “a free and responsible search for truth and meaning,” is the one that concerns us for this post. I am examining how that principle applies to the body of work that I have produced for this blog, which is a Personal blog. WordPress, which hosts more than 60 million websites including this one, says Personal “is the broadest category and includes blogs about personal topics like politics, music, family, travel, health, you name it.”

Since I started this blog in 2008, there have been 690 posts. There is no way we can examine each one, so let’s take a look at the one that has gotten and continues to get the most hits. The August 19, 2009 post AN EMOTIONAL WILLIAM CALLEY SAYS HE IS SORRY not only continues to get a lot of hits, but continues to get comments from readers.

Former Army Lt. William Calley, the only person convicted of participating in the massacre of hundreds of Vietnamese civilians during the Vietnam War, including a lot of  women and children,  used the occasion of speaking to the Kiwanis Club of Greater Columbus (Georgia), to apologize for his  role in the war crime.  My report was picked up by the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, carried by all McClatchey newspapers , and fed by the L-E to the Associated Press,  causing it to be reported around the world.

I can’t speak  for others, so I’ll just concentrate on what I  see to be true in the report.  One significant truth to me is that some human beings of any nationallity are capable of unspeakable acts. Another one is that not only are some people incapaable of that, but they will actively oppose those who are.    

 What’s the meaning of the story?  For one thing, to me, it again raises the point that  war is an insane way for nations to resolve conflicts.  For another,  it shows that political leaders can get a lot of people killed unnecessarily and can be disingenuous about justifying their lethal actions.    

I realize that it may have an entirely different truth and meaning for you. Please feel  free to click on the comment button and let me know how you feel about the subject.  I do request that comments be civil, not too profane, and sans name calling. 

 

Profound for Monday

It’s Monday, so I guess I need to come up with something to say. Then again, I don’t want to say something just to be saying something. I need to come up with something profound.

My coughs getting better. That’s only profound for me and my friends and family.

What can I say that is profound for everyone?

We need more ethical, just, and moral government, and not for just a few, but for everyone. Thankfully, some of Georgia’s state legislators also believe that, or, at least say they do. State Senator Josh McKoon says he believes that and is willing to  stand up for it. Let’s hope he gets support, and let’s hope we get more than window dressing in the bill that gets passed, if one gets passed. 

What else can I say that is profound? I didn’t say original, just profound. 

We have term limits for president of the United States, and we have term limits for governor of Georgia and Alabama, and probably other states. But, what we don’t have  and what we need most is term limits for national and state legislators. Something really needs to be done to encourage lawmakers to do the right thing for all of us, instead of just pandering to those who pour money into their campaigns.

Let’s see if I can come up with one more profound statement. How about this: we need news media who seriously do investigative reporting by reporting the stuff that somebody doesn’t want you to know. The internet showed promise in providing a platform for reporting stories that the mainstream media either ignored or was afraid to report. It turned out a lot of  misinformation and some out-and-out lies, were being posted on the web. You really have to check out sources to make sure what you are reading  is true.

Okay, now we can stop the profound parade and get ready for the really big story, one that will no doubt win the rating wars tonight: Alabama and Notre Dame playing for the national college football title. I have connections with Alabama so I’ll be pulling for the Crimson Tide.  

 

 

 

 

It’s Not What You Say; It’s How You Say It

When incivility pays off – and sometimes it does very well, think Rush Limbaugh – it’s hard to curb it. But, it has gotten so bad that some places are actually initiating public programs to combat it.  There is one in Oshkosh, Wisconsin  called the Oshkosh Civility Project.  You can check it out at this link.

PODCAST: Personally

ANOTHER BLOGGER HAS DESCRIBED DICK’S WORLD AS A PERSONAL BLOG. LET’S DISCUSS IT.  CHECK OUT THE CLOSING INTERLUDE AT THE END. IT’S ORIGINAL MUSIC FOR THIS BLOG COMPOSED AND PLAYED BY MY STEPSON, RICHARD CHAMPION OF ATHENS, GEORGIA.