guilt, like a carp in the face

Hypothetical scenarios are kind of tough because they can never quite frame the issue that you want them to, and you never know when the person is going to take them too literally.  How about in the Bliss Fest one you didn't find out that you had been awarded the prize because the jurors didn't like Shelbyville, until after you had been on the tour, and had lived in the cabin for a few years?  Would you feel guilty then?

Of course this represents our youth, growing up in Gage Park (the cabin) and having access to jobs (the tour) that the political powers (the jury) awarded us that they wouldn't give to Shelbyvillers (blacks). 

How about if I were visiting Cheboygan and went to the contest and later found out that it was rigged?  I would think it was wrong, of course, but I wouldn't feel any guilt, because I wasn't part of the Cheboygan elite, and it wasn't me who got to go on the tour (let's go along with the finding out later scenario).

Of course we should be against all wrongs, but maybe we should be even more against the wrongs that we have profited from.  I am not sure that that is logical, but I will go with that because you were wondering where liberal guilt comes from.  What one should do because of that guilt is a matter for later posts.


Asian carp.  That is an issue here, not a pressing one for me, but I see where the city is thinking of spending 18 billion to keep them from getting from the river into the lake.  I'm not sure where that money is coming from, but probably out of my pocket, for something that doesn't make any difference to me.  But then the city recently put in this nice riverwalk on the other side of the river which I enjoy immensely, but some people never go downtown. 

Anyway what is the problem here?  From what I know they are not a problem for commercial fisherman, and I don't think they endanger any species.  From what little I know, and correct me if I'm wrong, the problem is that they jump out of the water and if you are cruising in your speedboat they can hit you splat in the face.  Well couldn't you just drive your speedboat slower?  Aren't you fishing after all, do you need a speedboat to fish?

But let's say that the spread of these Asian carp is some kind of evil.  I certainly didn't bring them here, I didn't invent the survival of the fittest.  On the other hand, is it not incumbent on all us great lake states (and of all humanity in general) to be good neighbors?  As a democrat I am pretty good about paying my taxes.  I don't get irate everytime they go up or vote for some jerk who promises that he will never ever, even if widows and orphans are in need, raise taxes.  So when I pay my taxes aren't some of those going towards that 18 billion?  So am I then not helping take care of the problem?  So shouldn't that make me guilt free?

But maybe 18 billion isn't enough.  Maybe I should be marching in the streets demanding that we spend a hundred billion to keep those speedboating fisherman from getting a carp in the face.  I would feel a little guilty about that.  Another thing about liberal guilt is that in addition to feeling guilty about profiting from ill-gotten gains, we always have a general feeling of guilt that we are not doing enough to make the world a better place.

I don't know about that leaders without followers thing.  You seem to be saying that you tried to lead people to the path of righteousness, but you looked over your shoulder and they were gone, probably in some tavern, maybe they got hit in the face by a land Asian carp that those cheap Chicagoans didn't spend enough money to keep out of Michigan, but whatever, they were gone, and so you shrugged your shoulders and detached. 

I suppose that works fine for you sinless libertarians, but we liberals think you can never give up, you have to keep on trying until you are laying in your grave and your tombstone reads 'Joe Liberal, he never did enough,' and you writhe beneath it in your guilt-soaked shroud, just the way we liberals are.