common sense and passing judgment

[Douglas <dougwils@moscow.com>]

Dear visionaries,

Morning, everybody. How do?

Just a quick comment on John Davis' comment that a "local private
college system" has been in essence removed from the tax rolls. It
is not true. If he is referring to the college I think he is, part
of the reason we organized as a trust instead of a tax-exempt corporation
has been demonstrated on this list time and again. When the government
allows an entity to keep its own money, this is not a gift from the
government -- unless there is an a priori assumption that the
government owns everything, and we are all just renters. Is that your
assumption? But people who pay taxes are in a different category than
those who are not currently being taxed (for whatever reason). If I am
being taxed at a rate of thirty percent, is the government giving a
gift to me of the remaining seventy percent? This simple
distinction is beyond most progressives (who like coercion and who
therefore tend to public service), and because we wanted to remain as
free of government interference and entanglements as we could, we took
the route we did.

Roger Hayes echoed John Davis' encomium on democracy and America, saying
that "education" that was "free, open, public" and
which provides "equal opportunity instruction." is "not
something we should criticize." Shut up with the criticism, for this
is an open and free democracy! Where everyone has the right to express
their opinion! And criticize whatever they wan.. . wait a
minute.

On our sidebar topless debate, Carl Westburg admonishes me for saying
that behind every topless woman this last summer stood an abdicating,
unloving father. He then reminds me that Jesus said, "Judge not,
lest ye be judged." The quotation is from Matthew 7, and Jesus goes
on to say that the reason for this is that you will be judged by the same
standard you apply to others. He is teaching against hypocrisy and double
standards. Do not judge others for stealing when you are a thief, for
example, for the judgment with which you judge others you shall be
judged. That He is not prohibiting discernment is plain from His teaching
a few verses down when He warns against false prophets, which come in
sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves. By their fruits you
will know them, He says (v. 16). When a topless young women is insecure
enough to behave in this way, I do not place the primary responsibility
on the city council -- why did we not have a law? The primary
responsibility is with the parents, who obviously (by their fruits you
will know them) did not love and care for their daughter enough to bring
her up to respect herself and others.