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The principles that rule this blog

Principles that will govern my thoughts as I express them here (from my opening statement):


  • Freedom of the individual should be as total as possible, limited only by the fact that nobody should be free to cause physical injury to another, or to deprive another person of his freedoms.
  • Government is necessary primarily to provide those services that private enterprise won't, or won't at a price that people can afford.
  • No person has a right to have his own beliefs on religious, moral, political, or other controversial issues imposed on others who do not share those beliefs.

I believe that Abraham Lincoln expressed it very well:

“The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do, at all, or cannot
so well do, for themselves — in their separate, individual capacities.”


Comments will be invited, and I will attempt to reply to any comments that are offered in a serious and non-abusive manner. However, I will not tolerate abusive or profane language (my reasoning is that this is my blog, and so I can control it; I wouldn't interfere with your using such language on your own!)

If anyone finds an opinion that I express to be contrary to my principles, they are welcome to point this out. I hope that I can make a rational case for my comments. Because, in fact, one label I'll happily accept is rationalist.

Friday, May 04, 2012

What will the Obama administration do about Chen Guangcheng?

We have been reading about the blind Chinese political activist, Chen Guangcheng, who recently escaped from house arrest and sought asylum in the embassy in Beijing. The Obama administration is now on the spot. Will he somehow stay in China under US protection? (He'd have to stay in our embassy; otherwise he'd be under Chinese sovereignty and they could do whatever they wanted to him.) Or will he be taken to the U. S.? (He apparently repudiated the earlier quote that he wanted to stay in China, though the Obama administration still claims that it was genuine.)

The Obama administration will have to make up its mind, as to what matters more to it: good relationships with the Communist regime in Beijing, or the U. S.'s reputation as a place where the politically persecuted can get a safe haven. I await the outcome.

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