First Past The Post But Last Through The Gate

Surely, a new low in hatred against Sarah Palin, as a stand-up comedian antes up $25,000 as the starting bribe for Governor Palin's pregnant daughter to abort her baby:

Please consider my offer as time is of the essence. You don't want this child, the father certainly doesn't want this child and the world doesn't need another wailing mouth to feed.

He tempts her with the siren song of personal experience; he once had a girlfriend who aborted their child, adding a tragic cost to the old expression of "free time" and a ghoulish nuance to the term "disposable income":

We made the right choice and rather than end up bitter rivals in court battles over custody or support, we are great friends who high-five over our decision and have all the free time and disposable income that young mothers never know.

The comedian rallies like-minded troops at his blog with what must be an alluring hook for his fellow-believers:

If you really care about the environment, one abortion does more than any hybrid car or a lifetime of recycling. ... Do the right thing... Empty the chamber.

The comedian is so dedicated to his beliefs that he plans on continuing to spread his message from beyond the grave:

... in my will, I shall have a good portion of my estate turned into the Sarah J Palin Abortion Fund that will help girls from all walks of life from destroying their lives and our natural resources by having children.

The comedian frames his website's offer around a photoshoped image of Palin's daughter cradling a bag of money instead of a baby, and what better revelation could there be for how this materialistic comedian sees his fellow human beings: as things, not people, bearing only costs, without accruing benefits.

Again and again, his statements reveal his obsession with, and ultimately his love of, money; in his view, for there to be one more person seated at the table means amounts only to a smaller serving for himself. I say love of money, rather than love of self; for if he really loved himself, is this truly the position that he would take on bringing new life into the world... and what he would do with his beloved money?

Once upon a time, there was a young child who shared this comedian's starkly limited vision of the world and its potential riches. After six glorious years as the center of his family's attention, the youngster suddenly found himself sharing the spotlight with a young sister. Starting that winter, Christmas would see two groups of presents under the tree, one for him and one for the sister; sadly, his limited mind, a mind closed by limited experiences, saw much less than what was really going on around him. The new arrival needed more, and so received more, while with him needing less he consequently received his due as well. Justice was done to both, but his self-serving point of view, narrowed by his youth, made it seem as if one was being rewarded at the expense of the other.

Thankfully, little by little, as the young fellow grew in age, his perception grew as well. There were many burdens that he began to shoulder, from developing sufficiently sharp eyes and quick reflexes so that he could prevent his sister from eating dirt while both played in the backyard, to learning the patience involved in helping her learn to tie her shoes, then later lessening her fears by explaining what's involved in attending school, and more... so much more, that through these tests even his simple mind began to see the sense in filling more seats around the family's table: through helping her it was really him who was being helped.

The more that was asked of him, the more of him there seemed to give. And most importantly, the greater the sacrifices he seemed to make, the more he saw himself receiving, in his turn: a single smile of gratitude did much to repay an afternoon's expenditure of time and attention, more than he ever would have imagined possible, back at that first shocking Christmas. Such smiles, he recognized, brought more joy to him than any Christmas present ever did. Even though he was the oldest, the younger sister was the true teacher. He arrived first, but acquired wisdom last.

He may have started off as one blind to the feast that was to come, but eventually he couldn't avoid observing that the more he served others, the more he felt that he was the one truly being served.

It took the young chap many years to escape his limited world view, to finally see the blessings brought to his world by the presence of a younger sister. With each breath she brought to life physical proof of the infinite resources available for that most precious of riches: love. It took too long for him to learn that living life with his sibling revealed he was not loved half as much, but equally, meaning that his parents' capacity for sacrificial love had been doubled, not divided.

Today, as the not-so-young brother's hair shows spots of grey, the niece and nephews his sister brought into the world teach him the lesson anew... seeing the oldest take care of the youngest, taking pride in the new responsibilities and expectations thrust upon him, and learning how in great giving there can be great gains. His faith in the existence of this paradox is renewed, through the new generation of "wailing mouths to feed".

If such important lessons can be learned from one sibling to another, how much greater can the education be between parent and child? For in that relationship there are demands for even greater sacrifices... and through the greater service, the chance to witness even greater love.

For the comedian who tries to deny others a seat at the table, falsely believing that in so doing his own slim portions may increase, the joke is ultimately on him: in the long run he'll lose far more than he'd ever have gotten.

For the last will be first and the first will be last.

[Hat Tip to Dave Hartline of the Catholic Report]