alison

Did anyone else feel really sad about Snape's death? I really felt all along that he was good, and after seeing all his memories and how much he loved Lily and tried to protect Harry, I just wish there could have been a moment between Harry and Snape after Harry finally understood all of this. I wish he hadn't died with everyone hating him and thinking he was a Death Eater. When Harry tells Albus Severus that he was named after a headmaster from Slytherin that was "one of the bravest men I've ever known", that was it for me - I was bawling!! Could you have imagined Harry ever saying something like that about Snape? That was one of the best lines in the book, I think.

Actually, the link in his signature line suggested that no one is a good person by God's standards, including Pajarito, regardless of what they may believe.

Hi sinker, I can understand people who have a legitimate need for a larger vehicle driving them. I guess I should have been more specific in that it's the blatant wastefulness of people who really don't need them that bugs me. I know a couple who has one child and live in an urban area and both parents drive SUVs. I realize it's none of my business what other people drive, but when I see people consuming precious resources with no regard for conservation when it is completely unnecessary, it irks me and I can't help it. I can do my part to conserve, but when very few people seem to contribute it gets frustrating.

I can echo most of what billvon said he loves about his Prius... except I don't have the Nav System in mine. As far as actual driving, it's a nice ride, extremely quiet, and the fact that it's a very roomy hatchback makes it convenient for anything I might want to carry along. But mostly I love the fact that with no extra effort on my part, I am able to minimize, to the extent currently commercially possible, the amount of gas that I consume while driving. I am one of those people who believes that we are going to be in desperate need of alternate energy sources sooner rather than later, and I think that the responsible thing to do is conserve what we have as much as possible. I can't stand seeing people drive around town in huge SUVs that get 10 miles to the gallon - personally I think it's extremely wasteful. The fact that I can go 400 miles for only $15 of gas is also definitely a bonus, but not the main reason I bought the car.

I also drive a Prius and can vouch for the high (50+ mpg) gas mileage if you drive efficiently (i.e. accelerate & decelerate gradually, etc). In warmer weather I average about 55 mpg, and that includes both highway and "city" driving. Now in the cold weather I am getting closer to 50 mpg. Still much better than any regular gas engine. I love my Prius!

That is a great example, and one that I always use when people ramble on about "freedom" in the US. I am a US citizen (although I have also spent time living in Mexico) and I would love to visit Cuba. And frankly it really bugs me that I can't (legally) go there. That is a blatant non-freedom. I can understand and sympathize with many of your points about how US citizens (I'll call us "estadounidenses" because I don't call myself American either, for the reasons you mentioned) treat Mexico when they visit. I personally hate when people see poverty and assume "shit hole." These people have obviously not taken the opportunity to look beyond their first impressions. A country is about people, culture, and tradition. Mexico is very rich is these aspects.

I realize this question was not posed to me, but... It is "enforced" only by one's own conscience and desire to do what is right. The idea that morals need to be enforced by some external entity is silly, since the entire concept of morals has to do with what a person believes. If someone doesn't believe that sex is only moral within the confines of marriage, then they will probably have sex outside of marriage. No one can "force" them to do otherwise, but just because I can't control what other people do doesn't mean I have to support it. Even if I could force people to do what I think is right, it would basically be meaningless because they would simply be going through the motions. So, no, I can't force anyone to abstain from homosexual sex or sex outside of marriage. But I can do what little is in my power (e.g. voting against gay marriage) to defend the morals to which I subscribe. Alison

Exactly. This is what many people seem not to understand. I normally don't post but feel like I have to chime in to help clear up some of the misconceptions on here. I, as a Christian, struggle with sin every day. This particular sin (homosexual behavior) does not happen to be one of my struggles, but if it were, that would not mean I am not a Christian. However, the thing that sets Christians apart is that we recognize our sins and repent of them. I'm not talking about going through ritualistic motions, but actually feeling sorry for going against what God intends for us and honestly trying to change. Meaning, if I do something wrong, whether it be lying to someone, causing a person physical harm, or engaging in homosexual behavior, I should be genuinely sorry and do everything within my power not to let it happen again. If I slip up, however, this does not make me less of a Christian; it just means I'm human. Given my beliefs on correcting sinful behavior (to get back on topic), how can I support gay marriage? It is officially legalizing actions that I believe to be wrong - same as legalizing theft or prostitution. Passing laws in favor of engaging in an act that God intends for us not to do is pretty much saying you can sin all you want and not feel bad about it; in fact, we are going to encourage it by giving you a legal entity under which to practice it. And that goes against what I strive for: a life free of sin as intended by Christ. The fact that other people disagree with me or that this issue does not directly affect my life doesn't matter. People say, "why can't you just let them live their lives?", but the fact is that I cannot support something that I disagree with based on principle, even if it never directly influences me in any way. Alison