ACLU Continues Expanding the Frontiers of Wrongness

Liberalism is a bizarre melange, combining totalitarianism in some areas of life with mindless anarchy in others. I guess, then, it makes sense that liberal California is in hot water for threatening to check its existing DNA database against crime scene samples, to see if they can find relatives of unknown criminals. And Moxie is in favor of it. Naturally, because it involves common sense and the possibility of jailing violent criminals, the ACLU is considering opposing it.

I don’t see what the fuss is all about. The idea works like this. California already has a database. They’re not going to force random citizens to become part of it. When they have DNA belonging to a person involved in a crime, and they don’t know who that person is, they plan to compare it to the database DNA to see if they can locate relatives. They hope information on relatives can point them in the direction of the unknown persons. I don’t say “criminals,” because I suppose it’s possible to find DNA from an unknown victim or witness.

To simplify, it looks like California is planning to look at information it already has, in order to solve crimes. Is that considered draconian now? Are they supposed to pretend they don’t have the information? I know I’m getting forgetful, but we do want to solve crimes, right?

This is kind of like the way we solved the world’s energy problems with safe, cheap, clean nuclear power, and then went on to mope about how we had no solution to the energy crisis.

I don’t have much sympathy for the folks whose DNA is already in the machine. I’ve been fingerprinted over and over, even though I’ve never been charged with a crime, and you can bet the government will use my records against me if they ever get the chance. I have a few government-issued licenses which required me to submit fingerprints. If I have no right to complain, why should I listen to people whose information entered the system because they’re burglars and rapists?

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners has forced me and everyone else who has taken the bar exam to leave a thumbprint on the test papers. That’s much more degrading than having your fluids tested after you leave them on a bedspread belonging to a twelve-year-old.

If the ACLU wants to sue to get my fingerprints deleted from the government’s computers, maybe I’ll listen. Until then, shaddup.

Yesterday’s sabbath or Lord’s Day or whatever was great. I read the books of Colossians and Thessalonians I, and I got through Genesis up to the point where they loaded up the truck and moved to Egypt, and I read about the Jewish holidays in Rabbi Eckstein’s book, How Firm a Foundation.

I’ve been trying to figure out how strict the sabbath should be. For Jews, there is a list of 39 types of activity which are totally forbidden, starting, of course, with “rolling on shabbos.” But Paul cautioned about forced observance of the sabbath. The theory behind Christianity is that the Holy Spirit writes God’s laws on your heart, helping you to decide what is right or wrong. However, that doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t make you infallible, and it doesn’t mean you do whatever you want. And you’re expected to read the Bible a lot, to draw guidance. And it’s obvious that a good Christian will observe a fair amount of the law, regardless of whether he is considered totally bound by it. You can’t murder. You can’t commit adultery. And those are commandments; parts of the law. At the very least, I would expect a Christian to observe the Noachide Laws, which are so clearly correct, it would be impossible for a person who believes in God to dispute their validity.

I figure it’s okay to deal with an earthly need once in a while, as long as it’s not a significant distraction. Or if you just need a break. At one point I picked up some groceries, and I also took a few minutes to blast my sick mamey tree with copper spray. I think that’s all right. You’ll go cross-eyed if you just sit and stare at the Bible all day.

Let me recommend The Spirit-Filled Bible once again. The explanatory material is like a built-in Talmud, helping you figure out what’s going on.

I also wonder if it’s okay, on the sabbath, to give alms and offerings and so on. I assume it is, since every church in America passes the collection plate on Sundays. Jews don’t handle money on the sabbath. I read somewhere that they may give offerings the day before, prior to sundown. But that doesn’t work too good on a schedule in which days begin in the morning. You’d make an offering and then eat dinner and go to bed, and then like sixteen hours later, the sabbath would begin, pretty well breaking the connection between sabbath and offering.

Speaking of Rabbi Eckstein, he is letting Jimmy Carter have it. Highlights follow. Hat tip to Stand for Israel.

After his meetings with Hamas, Carter immediately began trumpeting his accomplishments. At a press conference in Jerusalem, he assured the world that “There’s no doubt that both the Arab world and Hamas will accept Israel’s right to exist in peace within 1967 borders.”

Khaled Mashaal, who Carter met with just days before, immediately contradicted Carter. “We agree to a (Palestinian) state on pre-67 borders,” he said, “with Jerusalem as its capital with genuine sovereignty without settlements but without recognizing Israel.”

Behind all of this, of course, lies a larger reality that Carter seems determined to ignore. Hamas is a terrorist organization. The primary reason for its existence is the elimination of Israel. As long as Hamas holds this position, any efforts at peacemaking are doomed to failure.

Read the rest yourself.

This guy is starting to look like Emperor Palpatine. I don’t know how anyone can look at his record and not come away with the conclusion that he has something against the Jews. It’s a very sad way to end a life of public service. He could have redeemed his failings as President by doing something truly worthwhile in his autumn years. Instead, he is doing everything he can to assure that history views him as an unusually prominent anti-Semite. Were I already past the life expectancy of an American male, I would have my day of judgment on my mind, and I would be very hesitant to persecute God’s people and obstruct the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham.

By the way, am I the only one who has noticed that there seems to be a trend of natural disasters striking places associated with sin? Now Reno is getting hit by earthquakes. I’m sure glad I don’t live in South Beach.

Let’s see what’s happening in the Blogosphere.

First off, something that didn’t actually happen. I had a crazy dream last night. I was at a gathering of bloggers at a university somewhere, and a bunch of us were in a big room, talking. And the actress Michelle Trachtenberg yelled for everyone to be quiet and then asked me to be her prom date. Naturally, I was pretty confused. Then her older sister, Sondra K., said she had no idea what was wrong with her.

This makes Sondra Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Funny, I see her as more like Glorificus.

We did not go to the prom.

Hmm…Agent Bedhead has the hots for the Rock. I love this guy’s work. It really upsets me that his movies have generally crapped out. How is it that Vince McMahon can get better work out of him than a professional movie director?

But I think Agent B. likes him for other reasons.

Beth is upset with Jeremiah Wright. Who can blame her? He’s helping HILLARY CLINTON.

Here’s upsetting news. Michael Bane was in a pistol match, and he shot badly, partly due to a habit of snatching the trigger. I sort of had this hope that with practice, I would quit doing that forever. It’s a bummer, seeing a seasoned shooter do it.

Mr. Minority has a controversial theory as to why terrorists are rude and hostile. I dunno. There may be something to it.

Finally, Kathy Shaidle has encountered a problem which may drain her entire defense fund. However, given that she is being attacked for opposing the Religion of Peace and Terrorism, I kind of like the nature of the items she is considering buying. They would definitely make her yard safer from Muslim kooks.