Act Your Age, Not Your Shoe Size!

With the health care debate and the fight for personal liberty becoming more contentious, I've noticed many conservatives throughout the world of twitter and the blogosphere recently use the word "libtard". While I think many liberals are not acting intelligently, the use of the such a term is unacceptable. While informed, respectful debate is necessary, juvenile and disrespectful name calling is uncalled for. In fact, it goes against two of the core platforms of conservatism: sanctity of life and equality.

One ideal that was largely overlooked in Governor Palin's now famous "death panels" Facebook post was that of the sanctity of life.

The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.

Health care by definition involves life and death decisions. Human rights and human dignity must be at the center of any health care discussion.

While much of this post focused on the rationing and bureaucratization of health care, it also emphasized sanctity of life. Notice that Governor Palin doesn't mention abortion, which is most commonly mentioned when sanctity of life is discussed. She does, however, mention the elderly and those with special needs. Respecting human dignity means respecting the vulnerable and defenseless. This does not only apply to legislation; it applies to our interactions in day-to-day life.

Calling out those who are acting irrationally, irresponsibly, and unintelligently is good. However, disrespecting and offending those who are vulnerable is immature and disrespectful.

I'm not in the position to lecture anyone. God knows I have plenty of things I need to work on, but I think we should all remember the admonition that my mom gave to my sister and me growing up: "act your age, not your shoe size".