'The non-negotiable demands of human dignity'

Meanwhile, in the values-battle front...

If you go to CanOFun, you can see an excerpt of Karen Hughes' speech at the swear-in ceremony for her new job as Minister of Propaganda. She lists the Republican version of 'the non-negotiable demands of human dignity':

• the rule of law
  
• limits on the power of the state
  
• respect for women
  
• private property
  
• free speech
  
• equal justice
  
• religious tolerance

And that's it. Human dignity, according to Republican values, has nothing to do with:

• poverty
  
• education
  
• health care
  
• housing
  
• hunger
  
• protection of minorities (other than religious)
  
• safety from harm
  
• equality of opportunity
  
• privacy

And I could go on. But now you know: everything we've seen in New Orleans is compatible with human dignity. Except for those looters threatening private property, who damage the country's reputation abroad, who need to be shot.

A large majority of the people, if they think about it for just a minute beyond the Republican and media pundit rhetoric, agree with Democratic values. The tragedy of New Orleans has made people think about what 'values' really means. Don't let go of it -- while we demand accountability and seek help for the victims, we should also continue talking about values.