Patrick's Place

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Saturday Six

1. Do you first think of "Equality" as opportunity or as an even playing field?

To me, it means everyone starts at the same point and no obstacles are intentionally manufactured for any one person that are not already in place for the others at the beginning.

2. Do you first think of "Freedom" as the absence of restrictive power abuse and inequality or as the chance to achieve or fail?

I think of freedom as lack of restrictions balanced by responsibility.

3. Do you feel generally comfortable with government being able to step in and make changes to society and social lives when necessary, or is this something you think should never happen?

I think the "when necessary" is pretty hard to define. I don't like government fixing everything, but when it makes the mess (i.e., the Iraq War) it should clean up the problems (i.e., disabled veterans and the economy in the dumper).

4. Should children receive more discipline or more nuturing?

These are not opposing ends of a spectrum. I think everyone needs nurturing for all of their lives. I think kids need to learn how to discipline themselves, and they can't do that if their parents (or others) never teach them.

5. What leads to a happier person: being fulfilled or being self-reliant?

Depends wholly on your definition of "fulfilled" here. A lot of people I know are fully self-reliant and very happy about that. I would argue that you can't be happy if you aren't fulfilled.

6. What’s more important with regard to your own rights: that others not interfere with yours or that others must observe yours?

I'm a big believer in the Gadsden Flag motto. I don't really care of others are nice to me, just that they leave me alone if I'm not messing with them.