Selective Discrimination

On Monday's show I had a "steamed" caller, upset at me over my comments about the two Lesbians -- one of which was not given a family discount -- at Lava Hot Springs a few weeks ago.

The caller said the Constitution does not define a family. I also said the Constitution didn't tell us what 2+2 equals. The point being that the Constitution doesn't tell us a lot of things.

Anyway, apparently not a whole lot of people are too upset over the "discrimination" at Lava's pool. Fewer than a dozen folks showed up to protest last Saturday, and I know why. It's because nobody cares, because it's not discrimination against anyone. It's simply preference for traditional families. And, it's the right of a business to have a preference for traditional families.

When I go into a restaurant and see that people over 65 get a discount, I could get a lesbian-like loud-and-proud attitude and run off whining to the local newspaper that age discrimination is going on. But I don't. You know why? I'm not old enough to get the discount.

People in wheelchairs, or with diabetes, or who are deaf get better parking spaces. I'm not going to throw up an obscene gesture as I leave that place of business because I didn't get that parking space. Why? Because I'm not deaf, nor am I in a wheelchair, and I don't have diabetes.

Back when I was going to college there were plenty of scholarships available if I had been black, hispanic, a woman, or an environmentalist. I could have set a bad example to my kids by using off-color language at the scholarship office. But guess what... I didn't. Why? Because I'm not black, hispanic, nor am I a woman or environmentalist.

There's lots of "discrimination" going on, I guess, if you must call it that.

I find it interesting that the status of "family" is so coveted that any group of people who want to bond and congregate want to hijack the concept and claim it as their own. While I have no doubt that there are some similarities between a family, and a group of people who nurture, bond with, and care for each other -- there's no substitute for an attentive father, nurturing mother, and precious children.

Why fault the Lava Hot Springs pool for recognizing that?

To all those who feel discriminated against: Get over yourselves.

New Blog Look

OK, so the site's back again. I had to take a little time-out to revamp a few things on it.... Hope you like it!

Busy Tuesday

On Tuesday's Neal Larson Show, we're going to be very busy. We'll be talking with David Cuoio from the Simplot Company to discuss yesterday's announced layoffs. I'm also hoping to hear back from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition -- who is dismissing Simplot's explanation for the layoffs.

Plus we'll be talking with Congressman Mike Simpson and Senator Mike Crapo.... don't miss a guest-packed day on the NLS!

Economic Terrorism

Yesterday, the JR Simplot Company announced that they were letting 114 workers go from Pocatello's Don Plant and the Smoky Canyon Mine.

The displaced workers, their worried spouses, and now unsettled children can thank environmentalism. Groups like (and including) the Greater Yellowstone Coalition filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against a much-needed expansion of the Smoky Canyon Mine. The Don Plant needs more phosphate ore, and the current mining site is nearly depleted.

The notoriously liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has effectively banned, for now, expansion of the mine.

Simplot says that if they aren't able to expand the mine they'll be shutting down the operation completely later this year.

Thanks, GYC. Glad you're looking out for us.