Anyone for court?

Is anybody else worried? I guess that I am, in the deepest sense of the word, a lot more conservative and anti large government then I thought I was. Not that I plan on going and buying guns and stockading myself. First off, I don't have any crazy girlfriends, so I would be lonely, and second off, I think my dad would be mad if I made the government blow holes in his newly constructed garage.

Plus, I'd get hungry. Yay for the nobility of laziness!

Anyway, I say that I'm worried, in this case not so much because of the government as a whole. I'm thrilled to welcome, along with the entire society of the nation ( I hope) our newest president, who has the promising aspect of having the impossible expected of him to look forward to for at least the next four years, maybe eight. My worry comes, rather, from some human rights progress that has been made by our court systems.

It seems that this past June, the supreme court made a ruling on a petition that directly affects how states are able to prosecute people. Specifically, in the case of Kennedy vs. Louisiana, our highest interpreting power decided that it is cruel and unusual punishment to inflict the death penalty on any person who has committed an individual crime that did not intend the death of the victim or that did not result in the death of the victim. In other words, unless someone died, the death penalty is now a no no for the entire nation. Which could be seen as either a triumph for human rights world wide (I'm told that most developed countries don't even have the death penalty) or a blow to state rights. I'm not sure how I feel about this particular issue, so I will desist.

However, I am a wee bit concerned about how the court has legalized morality. I'm worried about how they interpret it. According to the sylibus of the Kennedy vs. Louisiana case, the Amendment’s Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause “draw[s] its meaning from the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.” Trop v. Dulles, 356 U. S.
86, 101. The standard for extreme cruelty “itself remains the same, but its applicability must change as the basic mores of society change.”

My dad says that societies must change how they enact laws, and that it's actually healthy. I admit, I find it just a wee bit creepy that our morality, especially as it relates to our judiciary system, where it is so vital that it be clear, is defined by the progress of a maturing society.

Perhaps, though, I'm just overreacting.

Working under the influence. . .

I'm writing this at work (shame!) and under the influence of music. Horrid, I know, because not only will I be prone to making frequent stops so as to assuage my guilty conscience, but I will also be making periodic, rather nonsensical insertions of music lyrics.

Such as this: When marimba music starts to play, hold me close, make me sway.

Which actually has something to do with what I wanted to say. Which is, simply, make me sway. Well, music does that, as does dancing in general, because I love dancing. I was at an institute function on Friday where there was dancing. I was entirely set on going home as soon as the music started, having had a couple of bad experiences with the type of music (it's just hard to dance to, it's not bad) that is often played at those types of circumstances. However, after the music had started, there was a spirit of frivolity and enjoyment that I just could not neglect. And so I merrily joined in with those people who were shaking themselves about in a wee little jig, and I discovered that I still love dancing. Almost to the passionately stage, but not quite. It's a little bit before passionate and a little past indifferent interest. It's an indifferent passion. I love oxymorons!

The holding of members of the opposite sex, no matter how contrived or practically meaningless it may be, is something of delight. I mean, of course, that hugs, snuggling, cuddling, massage giving, hand holding, etc, are all wonderful experiences. Dancing definitely is included in this list. Yep, definitely.

I've reached an interesting stage of life. I think most people go through stages, and I find myself on the brink of a new one. One of my friends (actually two of them) stated in quite a state of vexation that they were ready to be engaged. I refrained from pointing out that they're not in a serious relationship at the moment because, well, I didn't want to get my eyes poked out, I value their friendship, and let's face it, we live in Utah, and when has not being in a serious relationship stopped anyone from getting engaged within a month? Life is crazy.

Don't think for a moment that I'm saying that I'm ready to be engaged. Because, when I think about that, I most definitely am not. First off, I wouldn't have any idea how to ask the question, I have no experience with not flirting (I have been referred to many times as a constant flirt, I have become somewhat consigned to it), and more importantly the idea of me being engaged is just weird.

The thing is this: I feel open to the possibility of a more dedicated relationship. I think I've been afraid of girls in general for most of my life, so this is a big step for me, just being open to the idea. Having observed my friends and such, now is the time when lost of problems will arise, I will be in a constant stage of vexation, either because things are going poorly in the relationship sector or because they are going well.

Humans are so weird.

And, now, see, I have posted, and can get back to my guilt free monotonous work. Viva Vexation!