Constitutionality

Today Supreme Court Justices ruled in a 5-4 decision that the Bill of Rights applies to all Americans. Yes, as odd as it sounds, the Second Amendment has long been disputed as whether it is intended for the common citizenry. A common anti-gun (and they might say, pro-life) standpoint is that the Founding Fathers meant the amendment to keep a "well regulated militia" in possession of the means of defense. I will admit that the wording of the amendment is ambiguous, but the intent, I believe, is not.

Retaining the right to bear arms keeps a vital check in place- the power of the masses. Almost never would a person decide to revolt against his government if it stayed within its bounds, and this adds deterrent to gross corruption if politician's conscience or duty fail them (well, conscience has been thrown out for a while. How do we stand on duty?).

The dissent position of the Supreme Court stated that the issue is not specified within the Constitution or its Amendments, and should remain a state or local decision. I stand with the majority ruling that the issue is in print and needed explanation (the usual word interpretation frightens me). The issue at hand was not so much whether guns are a fundamental right of Americans, but whether the Federal Government has in its make-up a provision which supercedes any State's right. For being about 145 years after the Civil War, it isn't very comforting to see that the same issue keeps rearing its ugly head.

The Amazing in Film

The film critic is in. Sort of. Driving to the airport, I began to think about why movies draw in the crowds they do. I had heard and parroted such explanations as "Movies allow us to escape reality" since high school. Tonight, I suggest that, while the statement is still true, more may be said as to why we want to escape reality.

It seems that most modern films can be placed into one of two categories: the average, and the surreal. The average is epitomized by the indie film revolution. Average people with average lives with average problems. What happens to them is amazing, and usually internal (reconciliation, love, etc). These are appealing to a wide audience for, I think, the audience is widely average. Not much more drama and tension exist in their lives if it be not at home.

The surreal twists the circumstances- supernatural (or at least super-talented) characters perform amazing feats which are external. Be it in a cape or a military uniform, the strength or courage is amazing. The escape from reality is most obvious in this category, as most audience members cannot, say, fly a plane (Top Gun) or fly to save a plane (Superman Returns).

As the audience watches these films, a silent part of them (or at least of me) connects to the idea of amazing. Perhaps some are infatuated with their reflection and equate themselves to the Man of Steel. Most, I think, when viewing the surreal view themselves a little above the common man, in talent, potential, or right. A driver in front of us may drift into another lane before noticing and we think, "How stupid"; yet if we had done that the day before, there certainly were circumstances which accounted for it. Few would consider one's self as distinctly separate from society as a superhero, yet the desire is to keep one above the sea of average (if only in one's mind).

The average also appeals to us at least because we all feel average (if not below average) often enough. And if average characters with no particular skills or advantages can have amazing things happen, why can't we hope likewise? The amazing, be it from inside or outside, causes us to hope, to wait on hope and think that we deserve the amazing. We want to be amazing, or think that if we are not, that something amazing will happen to us. I stop short of calling this an entitlement conspiracy, but I wonder what effects the films we watch have on society as a whole.

(I have left the realm of horror and grisly massacre to a third category for those who prefer to sup on the dredges of humanity- if you can call it that)

When the old pills don't work...

I wallowed in self-pity not too long ago, frustrated with situations a little beyond my control. I grabbed the ice cream and chocolate-covered cookies from the freezer and applied liberally to my damaged emotions. The effect did not mask the lurking suspicion that I should be breaking some law. While healthy I was not being, the FDA had not (yet) ruled on whether to make hot fudge sundaes and the like available only by a prescription.

The Associated Press recorded Fred Eckel, a teacher of pharmacy at UNC, as saying, "There tends to be a reliance on drugs as the first option." When I get done with a difficult day at work, I will put in a movie and watch without thinking- perhaps for an hour or two- and wait until I have covered wounds with a new dressing. While not technically drugs, my medications do not treat the root of my insecurities; I suppose that self-medicating by today's distractions will work for no one.

A curious part of the AP article is that it found more than an estimated 125,000 people die from drug reactions and mistakes each year (in the US). That makes it the fourth most common cause of death. I wonder if we may not, through our self-medication, cause other kinds of death: there is the death of a relationship by neglect; death of love by cheap imitations; death of true and full happiness from the quick rush of happiness. The quick route to appeasement may kill all that is good and best in life. And I worry that too often I seek the bandage to sooth rather than seeking a cure.

(Information procured from newsmax.com http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2005/4/18/94035.shtml)

Old News: Pushing the Constitution Out

Mid-March saw a stunning scene: what both sides of the isle of Congress called "pushing through" healthcare reform. I do agree that reform is necessary (this is not the post for that topic), yet the Machiavellian politics- the end justifying the means- has gone too far now.

The Senate bill, passed only barely with pork dangling off it, was handed to the House for consideration, modification, and a vote. This (minus the pork) is a part of the Constitutional process in Article I Section VII: "Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States... " Fearing backlash if they approved of the special-interest bribes on the Senate bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi used a loophole in this apparently strait forward process. If revisions alone to the bill are approved by the House, then House Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter could deem this as approval of the entire bill without a formal vote. This they did, and carted the bill to the President to be signed into law.

The loophole was instated to provide efficiency in moving bills through both sides when agreement was reached on the bill itself, allowing only the revisions to be the refinement. Key proponents of the bill, including President Obama and Nancy Pelosi were urgent to get the bill passed. When the Senator's had not gone through/read the full bill (it being rather lengthy), Obama said, "This issue is too important to be stalled by Senate protocol."

Any delay would allow for proper inspection of the bill and appropriate opposition. Regardless of the necessity of the reform, subverting constitutional articles is a far graver offense than would be delaying reform. Without the system of checks in its proper place as forwarded in The Federalist Papers, the ruling party has power to push its agenda freely through the opposition as if it were not there. If the Constitution is to be affronted, as in this case, let it be amended or altered, but do not put on a show of honest and fair passage. The American people have a right to some transparency in government dealings.

(Information for this was procured from the Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703909804575123512773070080.html

and Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&refer=columnist_mccaughey&sid=aLzfDxfbwhzs&)