Disclosure

[Midnight Marauder]

In my short time here, there have been a few fellow forumites who have made some erroneous assumptions about me. This post should clear any of that up, and also leave me with a handy-dandy little reference link for those who don't see this.

Please feel free to ask questions or ask me to elucidate further on any of these points.

Let's start with the most common assumption:

POLITICAL AFFILIATION

Myth: Right-Wing nutjob republican
Fact: NO party affiliation, never registered for any political party, ever. Never voted straight ticket, ever. I align myself with no party or ideology. Example: Didn't vote for either McCain or Obama. I vote for people whom I believe will do the best job and who will represent me well, regardless of their stripe. It gets harder every cycle.

Myth: Conservative nutjob
Fact: I'm a fiscal conservative, I believe in self-reliance and personal responsibility, in small government with extremely limited power and believe it should always be adversarial between the branches. But I am a liberal-leaning moderate on social issues. I am no Christian, nor have any other religious beliefs. I don't quite fit in with atheists because I respect all religious beliefs, although I believe them all to be man-made. We create God in our own image, not the other way around. I guess secular humanist almost fits. But I am a practitioner of no religion. I believe abortion should be legal, but that we the taxpayer shouldn't be footing the bill for elective abortions (this does not count cases of rape or incest) more than once per patient. I believe in Gay rights, but not in the "right" for them to marry. I'm full of contradictions. Feel free to question me on them.

Myth: Hates Obama
Fact: It's well known in many other message board communities that this isn't true. I'm often the first to defend the man if I think he's right. I don't want him to "fail" as is often assumed, my reasoning is I don't want the country to fail. I don't believe Obama, even with a Democrat controlled Congress, can do any lasting damage to anything except the Democrat party. He can't and won't "destroy the country." In fact, his policies may indeed work. I believe in giving him time to see what he does. Right now, we don't really know him. I believe he's an intelligent guy and want to be fair as we go along. I believe every President is criticized far too much when things are looking bad, and given far too much credit when things go right. The POTUS has very little power so to me it's not fair to lay it all on him/her. But I do understand that's a natural tendency folks have.

Myth: Anti-science
Fact: I believe in evolution, specifically natural selection. I don't believe some all-powerful deity created life as we know it. However I do not replace religion in my life with blind faith in science. Anthropomorphic global warming (AGW) is such an example. I have been studying this intensively, daily since 1990. I am convinced this is a religion based on, at best, questionable science. And the fact that folks who do question it are savaged by the religious devotees merely strengthens my resolve that it's false. It's a lie. It's the best and most effective propaganda campaign since Goebbels himself. He's proud of it, wherever he is.

Myth: Blind Bush backer
Not at all. The fact that I know and have worked with the man in real life and often defend alot of his actions doesn't mean there isn't alot he did that I disagreed with. There's a hell of alot of these and I never hesitate to point them out. Like with Obama, I attempt to be fair on Bush and also like all Presidents, I recognize they have very little actual power and therefore try not to play the blame game or the too much credit game.

Ok, this post is long enough. But there's clearly alot more to cover. Let the questions/comments begin.

 

[dilloduck]

Boxers or briefs--?

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Boxers or briefs--?

Commando.

Next question.

 

[Gunny]

Boxers or briefs--?

What kind of question is that? Superheroes wear tights (you know -- like the ones you ordered?) Everybody knows boxer would bunch up and make him nonphotogenic whilst saving the day.

 

[dilloduck]

Boxers or briefs--?

What kind of question is that? Superheroes wear tights (you know -- like the ones you ordered?) Everybody knows boxer would bunch up and make him nonphotogenic whilst saving the day.

Said pays me to ask questions that she is too embarassed to ask.

 

[xotoxi]

In my short time here, there have been a few fellow forumites who have made some erroneous assumptions about me. This post should clear any of that up, and also leave me with a handy-dandy little reference link for those who don't see this.

Thank you for your update.

It was very interesting to note that alot of what you wrote described me...I'd be interested in engaging in discussion on specific issues in the future.

Where do you fall on the Polical Compass?

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Thank you for your update.

It was very interesting to note that alot of what you wrote described me...I'd be interested in engaging in discussion on specific issues in the future.

Where do you fall on the Polical Compass?

I've never fallen on a polical compass, I've heard getting poled hurts. I keep my colon a one-way street.

 

[xsited1]

So you don't believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior which means you will burn in HELL FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!

BTW, are you a South Park fan?

 

[Midnight Marauder]

So you don't believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior which means you will burn in HELL FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!

Intelligent enough not to believe in God means also knows there isn't any "hell" except right here on earth. They're both man-made concepts.

BTW, are you a South Park fan?

No.

 

[xotoxi]

Thank you for your update.

It was very interesting to note that alot of what you wrote described me...I'd be interested in engaging in discussion on specific issues in the future.

Where do you fall on the Polical Compass?

I've never fallen on a polical compass, I've heard getting poled hurts. I keep my colon a one-way street.

My colon is also a one way street...

...until I reach 50, after which time I will allow someone to insert their lubed and gloved index finger once a year, and will allow a 6 foot long flexible tube to be inserted once every 10 years.

 

[xotoxi]

So you don't believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior which means you will burn in HELL FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!

Intelligent enough not to believe in God means also knows there isn't any "hell" except right here on earth. They're both man-made concepts.

"Hell" is where you go in living people's minds after you die. "Heaven" is the same.

If you have lived a good life, those remaining will have good memories of you, and thus you will be in "heaven".

If you were a serial rapist/murderer, you will be in "hell" in the minds of those that are left.

But even that person may have had someone that loved them (a mother, a child), and although they may not condone the vicious acts, they still will remember their good qualities...and thus, their good soul will be in "heaven".

 

[Midnight Marauder]

So you don't believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior which means you will burn in HELL FOR ALL OF ETERNITY!

Intelligent enough not to believe in God means also knows there isn't any "hell" except right here on earth. They're both man-made concepts.

"Hell" is where you go in living people's minds after you die. "Heaven" is the same.

If you have lived a good life, those remaining will have good memories of you, and thus you will be in "heaven".

If you were a serial rapist/murderer, you will be in "hell" in the minds of those that are left.

But even that person may have had someone that loved them (a mother, a child), and although they may not condone the vicious acts, they still will remember their good qualities...and thus, their good soul will be in "heaven".

The problem with this concept is, I don't now, nor have ever given two red rat's asses what anyone thinks of me, or of their definition of "a good life." I have never considered my purpose here to be to please my fellow man. When more people wake up and realize that, they'll find it's very liberating.

 

[twofour]

Hi. Each time I think about politics I am required to have my keepers tighten my strait jacket a little tighter and put a new strip of duck tape on my mouth. Most people help with these tasks when I expound on politics. I hope there's more out there like this. I hate to think my fashions are out of date.

 

[xotoxi]

Intelligent enough not to believe in God means also knows there isn't any "hell" except right here on earth. They're both man-made concepts.

"Hell" is where you go in living people's minds after you die. "Heaven" is the same.

If you have lived a good life, those remaining will have good memories of you, and thus you will be in "heaven".

If you were a serial rapist/murderer, you will be in "hell" in the minds of those that are left.

But even that person may have had someone that loved them (a mother, a child), and although they may not condone the vicious acts, they still will remember their good qualities...and thus, their good soul will be in "heaven".

The problem with this concept is, I don't now, nor have ever given two red rat's asses what anyone thinks of me, or of their definition of "a good life." I have never considered my purpose here to be to please my fellow man. When more people wake up and realize that, they'll find it's very liberating.

Well, to 99.99% of the population, you don't really exist, so you'll be in purgatory to them.

As for the "good life" thing...I suppose a "good life" would be defined as living a life not having done anything bad. If you are just someone that does your thing, and doesn't bother anyone or hurt anyone, then you've lived a good life.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Well, to 99.99% of the population, you don't really exist, so you'll be in purgatory to them.

We continue to juggle these man-made concepts.

As for the "good life" thing...I suppose a "good life" would be defined as living a life not having done anything bad. If you are just someone that does your thing, and doesn't bother anyone or hurt anyone, then you've lived a good life.

I quite imagine none homo sapient qualifies by this definition.

 

[twofour]

I agree with most of your end results Midnight Marauder but have sometimes arrived there for other reasons. Maybe life experiences cause this. I am at a loss when someone discusses our origins. I have read theory after theory and none satisfies me. I've finally gave up and have decided that as one of our well know comic characters quotes, "I am what I am." He should have went on and stated very loudly, "and I don't care where I came from."

Abortion: What a dangerous issue. Some people have killed to prevent doctors from doing them. I am like you except that I am not in favor of abortions, but they are a necessary evil. Were they outlawed they would still take place in very unsafe conditions as they did before they were legal and many young women would suffer and in many cases die. So, keep them legal and I don't want my tax dollars involved.

Political affiliation: Do real Americans follow a certain party? I like to think not.

Once elected do I support a politician? What is a politician? The very definition causes me to fail to rally to his/her support. Now if I can for the moment forget that an elected official is first and foremost a politician I can follow his stands and agree or disagree with them. It's a little like a line veto. If I like a particular thing he does I support him in that. It's too bad we as voters don't have the ability to line veto those things that hurt us. That pen would be required to contain a lot of ink and more than likely government would replace that ink with the invisible kind.

Lastly I noticed you state you do not believe in God. I'm afraid not too.

One of the areas I'm quite interested in is laws that control our morals. Government has attempted to control our morals through laws against so called, "immoral acts." These attempts usually end up outlawing a particular thing or a particular act. Many of these things or acts are things or acts that many people in our population want or do. A lot of times people act out or do strange things when they have this item or do these things. Sometimes people are hurt when these people do these strange things. The reach has now been made that the original item or the original act has now caused harm to people. Armed with this unproven evidence our lawmakers outlaw the original item or act. Suddenly the price of the outlawed item or act multiplies. Once this happens the item is in demand and can now be mass produced. People get rich manufacturing, distributing and marketing the product or the act. They even kill to protect their marketing area. Items have been outlawed in the past and the price of those items multiplied and the items were mass produced, distributed and marketed until people forced their lawmakers to repeal the outlawing of those items. I'm sure that by now all of you have determined what I'm referring too. Please help me and others to repeal such laws. Let's go back to the basics. Repeal these laws and once the law is repealed if a person uses this item and hurts someone while using it punish him for hurting that person not for using the item. I like basic law. If I hurt you or steal from you I should be punished. Back to the strait Jacket for that type of thinking.

Well here comes my caretaker. He's going to tighten the straps to my jacket so that I can't reach the keyboard. He may have noticed that I removed the duct tape form my mouth and replace it as well. Gosh, it hurts when I tear it off.

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Abortion: What a dangerous issue. Some people have killed to prevent doctors from doing them. I am like you except that I am not in favor of abortions, but they are a necessary evil. Were they outlawed they would still take place in very unsafe conditions as they did before they were legal and many young women would suffer and in many cases die. So, keep them legal and I don't want my tax dollars involved.

This is my abortion solution:

Yes, it is and should be legal. It should only be done by qualified professionals. Yes, we should fund the first one, if necessary. The first one.

Because abortion is no substitute for birth control, so this is the plan: If you want an elective abortion, one that is not due to health risk to you, and is not due to rape or incest, and you want the taxpayer to foot the bill, fine. Caveat is, if you want another one, it comes free of charge too but with a little something extra: free tubal ligation. End of problem.

Now, the tubal ligation is reversible, so that later in life when you're off the crack, or are now responsible, we'll reverse it for you so you can procreate. No more abortion on demand where women, one of which I know, has 12 abortions because she's not responsible. We can cut the 3 million annual abortion figure down to 1.5 or so, and still protect right to choose.

Yes, a woman does have the right to choose to have unprotected sex, and if she wants to fund 12 abortions herself, that's fine. It's the taxpayer funded ones, that come with the caveat and the free stuff.

Sounds callous but so is taking money out of my pocket to fund your sleep-around lifestyle in your little world with no consequences.

 

[xotoxi]

Abortion: What a dangerous issue. Some people have killed to prevent doctors from doing them. I am like you except that I am not in favor of abortions, but they are a necessary evil. Were they outlawed they would still take place in very unsafe conditions as they did before they were legal and many young women would suffer and in many cases die. So, keep them legal and I don't want my tax dollars involved.

This is my abortion solution:

Yes, it is and should be legal. It should only be done by qualified professionals. Yes, we should fund the first one, if necessary. The first one.

Because abortion is no substitute for birth control, so this is the plan: If you want an elective abortion, one that is not due to health risk to you, and is not due to rape or incest, and you want the taxpayer to foot the bill, fine. Caveat is, if you want another one, it comes free of charge too but with a little something extra: free tubal ligation. End of problem.

Now, the tubal ligation is reversible, so that later in life when you're off the crack, or are now responsible, we'll reverse it for you so you can procreate. No more abortion on demand where women, one of which I know, has 12 abortions because she's not responsible. We can cut the 3 million annual abortion figure down to 1.5 or so, and still protect right to choose.

Yes, a woman does have the right to choose to have unprotected sex, and if she wants to fund 12 abortions herself, that's fine. It's the taxpayer funded ones, that come with the caveat and the free stuff.

Sounds callous but so is taking money out of my pocket to fund your sleep-around lifestyle in your little world with no consequences.

Interesting ideas...

I am also pro-choice, but it is not one of my hot topics, so I don't have a very well formed opinion and debate strategy. In general, I avoid discussing the topic on message boards because usually the person that I would be debating with would be far more prepared that I would be.

Medical reimbursement, on the other hand, is of great interest to me, as I am a doctor. This issue effects both my patients and me - by making it difficult or very expensive for my patients to get proper medical care, and by effecting my income and overhead.