No Sympathy

The front page of today's Daily Telegraph screams

NO SYMPATHY
Their drug operations would have destroyed
thousands of lives - now they'll pay with theirs

This does not apply to the following:

• John Howard's illegal war in Iraq and Afghanistan with at least 100,000 dead and millions of lives destroyed;
• James Hardie and the thousands of workers' lives destroyed through asbestos poisoning;
• The CEOs of companies where their workers work long hours in unsafe conditions;
• The bureaucrates who hound pensioners for overpayment of pensions;
• The bank managers who foreclose on small businesses, farms, and homes thereby increasing the suicide rate;
• The ministers and bureaucrats who imprison refugees in concentration camps thereby destroying their lives;
• The polluters who destroy the health of millions in Australia;
• The capitalist system who consigns thousands of young and old people to grinding unemployment;
• The ministers and bureaucrats who consign Australian Aborigines to the most wretched condition possible so that many are dead or blind by the age of 40;

As Dick Cheney well knows, members of the ruling class can shoot people and get away with it. The criminals run the system. So why are still supporting the Capitalist system?

What values will you pass on?

Last Sunday (12 February 2006), I saw the following outside of a church in Western Sydney. (OK! I admit it! I am Westie!)

What values will you pass on?

A couple of weeks ago, I saw Dr. Ruth Peters write Got bad kids? Time to take a look at yourself. She states correctly that values begin in the family. She lays down the following plan:

Make a list of values, attributes, qualities, and behaviors that you admire. ...

Then, make a list of values, attributes, qualities, and behaviors that you definitely do not wish to see developing in your family. ...

Together pare down both lists to those descriptors that you agree upon. ...

Set a family meeting to present and discuss your lists with the kids. ...

As a family, periodically review the appropriateness of the values listed within your family code.

This is all well and good except when the government and others in high standing behave in a barbaric manner. And other people make excuses for them. (See Jeanne d'Arc's article about Fear itself.)

How can you pass on moral values in an immoral society? With great difficulty, I would imagine.

Here the immorality is committed and excused by those who profess moral values.