Day: November 12, 2006

http://www.freestateobserver.com/?p=107

 

secession central (Part 2 of 2)
Posted by Friday on November 12th 2006 to Journals

***Begin Quote***

Those who gathered in Burlington, VT, last weekend discussed this, and many other fascinating issues. I had no idea that so many different groups, in all parts of the U.S., are actively working towards seceding from the de facto U.S. Empire. These are not wild-eyed crazies, either; they are, for the most part, intelligent, educated, thoughtful people who are fed up with federal tyranny, appalled by the current state of U.S. foreign policy, enraged by their tax bills, and are willing to work long and hard to extricate their state or region and become independent.

***End Quote***

Interesting! I remember the scene in the movie Gandhi, where the British General says to Gandhi, “Surely you don’t expect us to just walk away”, and the response is something like “There is simply no way that 100,000 Englishmen can govern 300 Million Indians without their cooperation”. Or something like that. So to, there is no way the very small elite can rule the people without their cooperation. That’s what the dead old white guys meant by “the consent of the governed”. Maybe Gandhi understood that instinctively. We certainly have to learn it. If we don’t consent to their “rules”, (I wouldn’t dignify what they produce as “laws”; the Law of Gravity NOW that’s a LAW!), we have to find ways to express our non-consent!

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/
oped/articles/2006/11/11/a_town_that_doubts_iraq
_but_supports_our_veterans/page=2

http://tinyurl.com/yg6v4m

A town that doubts Iraq, but supports our veterans
By Charles D. Baker | November 11, 2006

***Begin Quote***

Through it all, his mom was gracious and stoic, breaking down only when the honor guard folded the flag that was draped over Jared’s casket and handed it to her after the burial, as she clutched it close to her chest and began to cry.

People have tried, with great success, in my opinion, to separate their feelings about the war from their support and admiration for American soldiers who serve there. This is a good thing. In almost every case, military personnel join the service to honor and protect their country, and they represent some of the finest young men and women this country has to offer. They deserve our gratitude and deep respect, and they seem to be getting it.

***End Quote***

“We” asked the man to go to war for us. He did and died. His Mom now has to live with that loss.

“We” have to DEMAND accountability from out leaders on this sacrifice. At the very least, we should rename the Swampscott town hall to the Jared Raymond Memorial Town Hall.

Politicians need to be reminded that, when they make a mistake, good people die.

Last night’s “movie with Yogi” on the YES network was Hoop Dreams. It follows two young men pursuing their dream of an NBA career from High school basketball to failure.

Along the way, it does give an EXCELLENT view to what it means to be trapped by a welfare system as well as trapped in one’s own thinking or one’s own character flaws.

I don’t have an handy dandy glib advice for those fellows. Perhaps the advice keep it zipped. I think either Sowell, or Williams, or one of the other economists I read, said something like “postpone a family” and “complete school” are the two keys to escaping the welfare system. One reason I support Mercer County Homefront is they are striking at the root of poverty — people’s thinking. I can only envision what life would be like if instead of a government welfare trap that a slew of “Homefronts” across the land.

People would still be poor.

As long as resources are scarce, there will ALWAYS be the “poor”. There’s always a bottom of any bell shaped curve.

But, it doesn’t have to be demeaning, demoralizing, degrading, and demotivating. Remember the immigrant who said “I want to be from the country with fat poor people”. The poor people in this movie had stuff, but not the “smarts” to escape to a better life. Not that they were “dumb”, but that they couldn’t see thru the illusions, delusions, and propaganda. I wonder how much I can see “thru”? And, aren’t we as a society so much worse off when our fellow residents of Planet Earth can’t achieve their potential. Maybe one of these young men was supposed to cure cancer or bring world peace. But, because “we” didn’t have a system in place that allowed them to do it, it didn’t get done. Sad for all of us.

I heard so MANY things in this movie that indict the system.

The best was Spike Lee telling the McDonald’s All Americans at Princeton that “it was all about money”. My opinion of him went up listening to him spell it out.

The executive from Encyclopedia Britannica came off well. One wonders what motivated her, and what was the follow up. Dealing with poverty can be overwhelming from a personal level. One person can’t fix the system.

All in all, an eye opening, but very sad experience, for all involved. Including me!