Everyone, at All Times

Having Rand Paul as a candidate won’t be boring. You would think by now everyone would be over stuff like the Civil Rights Act (passed during my childhood) and Women’s Suffrage (before my time), but Paul seems to believe that federal laws protecting the rights of all Americans somehow trample on the rights of someone or something else (I’m sort of fuzzy on exactly what he is thinking; Pal over at White Coat Underground has a better handle on the views).

I must admit there are times when I feel out-of-sorts with “others.” Usually this happens when I am in clinic and I have multiple Spanish-speaking parents and too few translators. Or I am trying to schedule a meeting and I have to work around a whole bunch of religious holidays. I curse those who are not like me, although I do feel bad about it later.

It would never occur to me to insist that those who are different from me cannot learn, eat, work, or seek medical assistance alongside me. Like those on Avenue Q, I misjudge some people based on external factors. When push comes to shove, we are ALL in this together.

Rand Paul’s views go beyond the “little bit” standard. His legal viewpoint could return us to “separate but equal.”  Should a private restaurant really not be required to adhere to the Civil Rights Act?

Now that would be a little bit stupid.