I believe it was Governor Adlai Stevenson who remarked, "It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them." He was, of course, correct, as I have learned tonight from my interpersonal experiences. A principle I believe in is friendship. However, tonight, I have failed to live up to that principle, even after promising a friend that I would be there for them, whenever they needed me- yet I was not. This contradiction... this hypocrisy, saddens me, and I'm regretful. Though my words conveyed genuine concern, my contradictory actions only sent the message to my friends that they are second to my priorities. Second to my wishes... and this, causes me great cognitive dissonance, as I do believe that friendship should have come first... yet I failed to act. Words only go so far... the rest of the message has to be carried by the actions that accompany them. Tonight, I gave only words of assurance, but no action to manifest them. I'm sorry.
I believe it was Saint Paul who said, "Faith without works is dead." How true does words seem now. Not only in my interpersonal relationships, but in my role in the community, which, though it does have action, is lacking enough action... it needs more. Even in my interpersonal relationships... more action, to live up those principles that I claim to hold in a personal ethos. Tonight, I've only proven myself a hypocrite. In the Gospels, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. Am I to be like they?
I'm sorry for my lack of action... my hypocrisy that ran deeper than my words. I feel that I have cheated not only my friends, but myself... I have betrayed the principle of friendship... a principle set in my own ethos. Thus, I have betrayed my friends and myself.
Perhaps if I begin to consider the context of the day, I can begin to understand how this came about. Recently, especially in the last few days, I have become so super-focused on my work... that, now that I think about it, I have placed my friendships second... which I shouldn't have. Work comes and goes, remember... but friends... they're people, with real emotional needs. I say this now, but I wonder if I will live up to those words.
I felt the need to blog this; to reflect on my hypocrisy and ponder what to do about it tomorrow. Perhaps I need to find a way to make it up. To reverse the message of "You're second to my interests" and make it, "I do care about you- I'm here for you." I can say it in words... but the challenge is devoting the energy to make those words, and their meaning, manifest.
To whoever reads this, value your friendships and remember that "Faith without works is dead," so make manifest your ethos in your actions. As Ghandi would say, "Be the change you wish to see in the world" - do more than speak your vision... live it!

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

If we truly believe that all persons are entitled to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," then that principle must apply to all persons, at all stages of their development, from conception to death.
Below, US Congressman Ron Paul, outlines a libertarian perspective on the issue, offering a valuable insight, linking life and liberty and calling for the prevention of tyranny:

"Libertarians believe, along with the Founding Fathers, that every individual has inalienable rights, among which are the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Neither the State, nor any other person, can violate those rights without committing an injustice. But, just as important as the power claimed by the State to decide what rights we have, is the power to decide which of us has rights.

Today, we are seeing a piecemeal destruction of individual freedom. And in abortion, the statists have found a most effective method of obliterating freedom: obliterating the individual. Abortion on demand is the ultimate State tyranny; the State simply declares that certain classes of human beings are not persons, and therefore not entitled to the protection of the law. The State protects the "right" of some people to kill others, just as the courts protected the "property rights" of slave masters in their slaves. Moreover, by this method the State achieves a goal common to all totalitarian regimes: it sets us against each other, so that our energies are spent in the struggle between State-created classes, rather than in freeing all individuals from the State. Unlike Nazi Germany, which forcibly sent millions to the gas chambers (as well as forcing abortion and sterilization upon many more), the new regime has enlisted the assistance of millions of people to act as its agents in carrying out a program of mass murder.
. . .

We must promote a consistent vision of liberty because freedom is whole and cannot be alienated, although it can be abridged by the unjust action of the State or those who are powerful enough to obtain their own demands. Our lives, also, are a whole from the beginning at fertilization until death. To deny any part of liberty, or to deny liberty to any particular class of individuals, diminishes the freedom of all. For libertarians to support such an abridgement of the right to live free is unconscionable." - Ron Paul

9/11 Truth

I feel the need to reiterate my feelings on 9/11 Truth and to reaffirm my stance towards the issue. I believe, firmly, and advocate for, a new truly independent and fully transparent investigation, that without bias, looks at all the evidence and explores a wide range of relevant hypotheses, to determine which theory is most substantial. Does that make me a conspiracy theorist? Does that make a 'tin-foil hatter?' I get so sick of hearing all these stereotypes... it's so easy to label, but really, what credence is there in such labeling? None what-so-ever. Anyway... don't want to turn this into a rant post, just wanted to reaffirm my stance.