A letter to a liberal about compassion, by Denis O'Malley

On an email list, we were discussing the attempts to legislate compassion. Below is an email message sent by one of those on the list, Denis O'Malley, whose permission I have to post it here. I created the title.

Charles Tolleson

Lord Acton, “Men cannot be made good by the state, but they can easily be made bad. Morality depends on liberty.”

------------------
A letter to a liberal about compassion
by, Denis O'Malley

How is "morality" legislated? By a Church? By law that says if you steal, your hands will be cut off, in one Country, or you'll be somebody's "bitch" in another? Anti-social behavior is always punished; the law just makes it clear and limits the punishment, so that it is equal within a jurisdiction. I don't think you can say we legislate "morality", and how can you demand " that people "act as if they care". That must have been a slip of the tongue. It's just so subjective to assume that your compassion is best, ignoring whether it produces more anti-social behavior or not. Tough love is probably more effective, and many would say it is the ultimate compassion.

You call it "compassion", and feel good about it. Feeling good is the beginning and end of all Liberal thinking, unfortunately. As rational, scientifically-trained people, we have an obligation to judge the results of our acts and laws. If you can't find an example greater than 1 in 100 of success with "compassion" that "enables" behavior that is self-destructive and injurious to society, how can more of the same be justified? Honest evaluation of the results of your dogma and acts won't always make you "feel good". Once you realize that when your actions produce good and healthy results, you will again "feel good", and justly so.

Compassion of the Left is tolerance to an extreme, which I equate to a mutant suicidal gene within any species. I'm not against compassion, as long as it is voluntary. You, Pete, want to make it mandatory, whether it works or not. That's not real liberal thinking; it is fascist in its nature and effect, IMO. Don't you see that? There is a great deal of arrogance in believing our opinion is so right that it must be forcefully implemented, and anyone who questions that opinion is a bigot or worse. Historically, the Left has preferred and supported fascism until it destroyed or burned them badly. That is my argument against "compassion".

Denis