Hey Don W,
Sorry about the length of the post--I got rather a bit overzealous with the spirit of the thing
As for #4: as to the qualifiers; I mean "as far as possible" only in the sense that there are some things which require not only external support
systems but also as much personal effort
as the individual is able to contribute. This will vary depending upon the person and situation;
however, Government, in it's capacity of "providing for the common good", should develop support systems designed to ameliorate the degree to which
individuals are unable to help themselves (imho).
This would involve a whole raft of things; from adequate support for mental health/rehab programs, to adequate support for the infirm and elderly, to
programs which actually make it possible for the highest percentage of individuals possible to achieve the education required to build a truly
vibrant, functional society.
One which has a real interest in
assisting people in becoming productive, independant citizens--which is what I believe the overwhelming
majority of people want for themselves.
A society, in other words, which doesn't look the other way as people die under bridges or on park benches, or suffer the indignities of dehumanizing
treatment in shoddy retirement centers (or worse) to name only a couple of things.
Am I a "Bleeding Heart"? Probably. (you didn't ask the question, or assume it...but others will).
As for the "mega-church" thing...I am not a fan of the current mega-church phenomenon but that's beside the point. To inadequately paraphrase The
Man Himself:
What good does it do to tell the poor or those in need "Have a good day" or "I wish you well" without actually seeing to it that those in need
receive real, tangible help. You know, the food, shelter, clothing type of stuff. Prayer is a good thing but it can also be an excuse for
inaction/uninvolvement. Bleh on that, I say...
I do believe in reading books...all kinds...it's one of the few ways to get in depth, nuanced info. I have a library that covers a whole wall of my
home, floor-to-ceiling...and most of it is pretty good stuff. I was a History major in university, so I like to read...a lot
Alright, this is turning into another full-blown article so I better stop.
BTW: The other unit patch is for the 3/2 ACR (3rd Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment). I was deployed with this unit's Howitzer Battery
(M109 A1's) as a Forward Observer.
And to anybody out there who knows that unit:
Toujours Pret!!!
Whew! Man that was long...still awake?
[edit on 21o06e305406e 54 by apocalypticon]
Another Edit

The thing about the military was primarily aimed at cutting out the waste and Pork. My god, man, look at the cash they can't account
for simply from what was doled out of the backs of trucks to contractors in Iraq.
Millions, or even billions, might not seem like much in the face of our national indebtedness, but it could do one heck of a lot for any well run
assistance program.
[edit on 53o06e301006e 10 by apocalypticon]