Gilligan wrote:
A well thought out reply Doug and you hit why we differ in opinion right on
the head. Tilting at windmills is regarded as meaningless folly. The
question is: "Regarded by whom?"

Good point


... So the question to you is: who decides if one's life is
meaningful and by what standard? I say it is up to the individual. As long
as he does not violate the basic inalienable rights that belong to all
humans, it is the individual's decision and standards that apply to his
life. Only an individual can decide what gives him happiness and meaning.

Agreed!

Look at Goldwater's run for the Presidency. He knew he was going to lose.

I dunno, seems to me he & many of his supporters harbored some slim hope
that maybe it would happen. One of the things I like about Goldwater is
that he thoroughly opposed & detested the Nixon/ratf###-******* wing of
the Republican Party.

... He
still ran and ran as himself. He lost big time, but he opened the door for
the real Conservative movement (not Bush's "conservatism). Tilting at
windmills?


I hope not. Is Kerry's run for the Presidency in the same class, when he
almost won?

BTW there has been a genuine Conservative presence in American politics
since the beginning. Of course, they have to fight for a seat on the
right among the Royalists, and now the outright brownshirts. It just
goes to show you how common sense really is rather uncommon.

DSK