"The Left, after laboring for thirty years to show that human life is not sacred, is confronted with a foe that has learned well its lessons in cynicism and utilitarian treatment of human beings."

Our political class, even the conservatives among them, have been as immersed in the same malign utilitarian fog as the rest of us. It takes great strength completely to resist such an all-permeating spirit. Sad to say, they've failed on torture, having been broken on the cynic's rack.
Kevin Jones | Homepage | 09.29.06 - 1:38 pm | #

Do you know who it was on the radio?

I listen to Air America quite a lot actually. I disagree with their shows quite often -- and nearly always when it comes to abortion.

There are some good voices in the Democratic Party these days. We should be encouraging them. The Democratic Party got hijacked by the pro-abortion camp. We can take it back.

But until the Republicans purge the neo-cons from their midst, they've lost me.
Mark S. (not for Shea) | 09.29.06 - 1:41 pm | #

But isn't thinking it takes nine months rather than an instant to create life exactly what makes liberals think that the morning after pill wouldn't be murder even if it worked by preventing implantation?
Katherine | 09.29.06 - 2:40 pm | #

Josef Pieper, in "Leisure, the Basis of Culture" pointed out (in the 50s!) that Western culture was in the process of losing the ability to distinguish between Good and Utility. He focused on the idea that some things are are good but not necessarily utilitarian, like contemplation, prayer, etc.

Another distinction is that not all utilitarian things are good. Torture, even were it found to be useful in certain situations, is just simply evil.
Noah Nehm | 09.29.06 - 2:48 pm | #

Katherine:

And shouldn't we use those fine shades of distinction so that we can likewise tiptoe right up to the line of torturing people without quite stepping over? If we can do it with murdering people (It's not murder if the baby's head is still in the birth canal..... oops! Now it's murder), why not do it with torture ("If we cold cell them, but don't waterboard them first, is that or is that not torture? Golly! What a moral conundrum!").

Welcome to the wild world of post-Judeo-Christian moral reasoning, sister!
Mark Shea | Homepage | 09.29.06 - 5:55 pm | #

I think the idea that it happens in an instant in the birth canal is worse than the idea that it happens the instant sperm meets egg (I am NOT a NARAL fan).
I don't really want to argue abortion with you, anyway, though. My point was, what you construe as agreement, others would not.
Katherine | 09.29.06 - 6:23 pm | #

Also in 1984 where Winston Smith hears his own recorded voice, saying he would throw acid in the face of a child (or whatever it was) if it could help work against Big Brother.
Rhys | Homepage | 09.29.06 - 7:45 pm | #

There are many democrats who are pro-life. That's like saying there are no democrats who are Christians. What a stupid comment. Just how pro-life do you think Bush & Co are?
tim | 09.30.06 - 5:08 pm | #