Marie Antoinette and John Edwards

John Edwards' staffer's hilarious gaffe in asking the Raleigh Wal-Mart for an early PS3 for the Edwards family brought us all a good laugh, but I really don't think it means all that much. Having a housefull of young staffers, I know they can go off half-cocked in an effort to get the job done. What really gets me is Edwards' response:

In the call, he repeated a story about his son Jack disapproving of a classmate buying sneakers at Wal-Mart. "If a 6-year-old can figure it out, America can definitely figure this out," Edwards said.

Well, well, well. The child of a millionaire mocks a classmate for wearing shoes bought at Wal-Mart. Did that little six year old make an informed decision to shop at the despised store? Or did his mother try to make the family's hard-earned dollars go a little farther and buy her little one Wal-Mart shoes? If John Edwards wants to teach the morality of caring for the less fortunate, let him start with his own children: Polite, kind people do not mock or criticize the clothing of those less fortunate than they. No doubt John Edwards' son thought the little boy ought to wear D&G instead -- on sale for only $109!

John Edwards reminds me of Marie Antoinette. When told the peasants had no bread to eat, she proved her complete lack of understanding of the lives of her subjects: like an early John Edwards, she replied "Let them eat cake!"

Election Prognostication

Well, I've finally had it enough to creep out of my corner and state it publically: I don't think the Republicans are going to lose on Tuesday. The mainstream media is just so certain this will be a bloodbath for the Republicans that I'm starting to get suspicious. This is beginning to look like one of those liberal attempts to create a reality by reporting that it already is. We'll see.

A Proper Apology

After watching John Kerry flounder around all week pretending to apologize, I thought he and others could use a short course in apologizing. First, do not: blame others for being offended, pretend you didn't really do it, say it's not all that important, say you were misunderstood, or any other weaselly attempt to sing and dance your way out of trouble.

You see, a real apology is a wonderful thing. It is an almost foolproof way to restore a broken relationship and that is an incredibly valuable thing. A proper apology begins with the hardest thing of all: acceptance of responsibility and guilt, "I was wrong to do _____." It continues by communicating repentance. Now, repentance is not merely being sorry, but being sorry enough to change your course of action, "I should have done _____ and I will do that in the future." Finally, it ends only one proper way, a request not for understanding or for forbearance, but "Will you forgive me?"

These three simple steps are very seldom completed and it's a shame. I've found that being quick to forgive and even quicker to ask forgiveness will keep you at peace with most men. Give it a try.

Nailed!

We woke this morning to find a wonderful bit of vandalism to our front door. In the night, some wag posted the Ninety-Five Theses to our door -- with a note saying, "You've been nailed! Happy Reformation Day!" and some treats. Thankfully, they used tape not nails, but what a delightful reminder that we are not alone, that others are remembering the great debate and rediscovery of the gospel, too. Thanks, friend!