I wrote on Wednesday about a 16-year-old drug dealer who wanted to find a day job to quit his "night job."
I spoke with him today. He took my column to his mother and they discussed it and his life's choices. He has since been staying in all night -- even if in his boring room -- instead of going out and selling drugs like he has been.
How many more quarters of consecutive economic growth must we have before more people admit that many of the things the government put in place -- primarily under Obama, but a few important ones under Bush as well -- have been effective even if not perfect? The job market even created 162,000 jobs in March -- a huge turnaround from the almost 800,000 jobs lost during the month Obama took office, and next week's job's report is projected to show another expansion of the badly-bruised job market. We have to get past the simply political games to figure out which of the policies worked best, and which we should avoid if we are faced with such a severe downturn again.
I got another response from the folks at Westboro Baptist Church. After getting it, here's my suggestion for everyone who is trying to figure out the best way to respond to their pending visit: Don't ignore them, but don't waste time trying to engage them either. It would be like trying to discuss the finer points of quantum physics with a two-year-old or holding a conversation when the parties involved speak totally different languages. A commenter on a previous post suggested a counter protest in which donations for worthy causes -- the kind Westboro would frown upon -- would be collected and donated in the church's name. That's the best suggestion I've heard so far.
Here's a little taste of what to expect next month (the much fuller response from Westboro is below and includes numerous Bible verses and what they believe they mean, if you are interested in that):
"I can tell you without any reservation at all, the lying false prophets of SC will say the exact same that the lying false prophets in the rest of Doomed amerca will say," Shirley Phelps-Roper told me. "I will tell you and you can check me on it. They will say that Christ is not about hate. They may sprinkle in a little John 3:16, the verse the rebels love to pervert, like as if John 3:16 ends after that first clause."
I got a quick response to a question I had for the Westboro Baptist folks. I simply wanted to know why they chose our area to bring their pickets. Anything in particular about Myrtle Beach? About the particular high schools or churches they chose? As best I can tell (I've put the full initial response below, without edit) the answer is no. If you read their response, you will see why I say, "the best I can tell." They simply plan to spread their message and we showed up on the list. Still trying to find out more, but unfortunately we aren't special, just another region of sinners that desperately needs to hear their message.
I think the community should come up with a pre-emptive plan to deal with these folks, to not give them the pleasure of making us respond with ugliness in kind. Any suggestions? Oh, by the way, look for my Sunday column to deal with that piece of it a bit further.
Wanna know if you are going to Hell? The infamous Westboro Baptist Church, which has gained notierity for picketing at the funeral of soldiers and claiming their deaths are the result of America's embrace of homosexuals, will be in our town on their weird picket tour. Below I've listed all the Grand Strand stops on their schedule, and there are plenty, both on the North and South ends. Should we ignore them? Or do something else?
I usually don't respond to letters to the editor referencing me. I want people to have their say, especially when they disagree with me. But I am going to respond to the one that ran in this morning's paper, titled "Bailey Wrongly Diverts Fear."
It completely distorts who I am, what I stand for, the class discussion I referenced and the column to which he was referring, "Freedom Conquers Our Fear."
One, the class is about journalism, not politics, though we discuss politics through the lens of how best to think through complicated issues then present them properly in news articles and opinion pieces.
