Posted on 09/30/2014 11:57:56 AM PDT by Jan_Sobieski
"And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, polkers, or whatever else was at hand? After all, you knew ahead of time that those bluecaps were out at night for no good purpose. And you could be sure ahead of time that you'd be cracking the skull of a cutthroat. Or what about the Black Maria sitting out there on the street with one lonely chauffeur -- what if it had been driven off or its tires spiked. The Organs would very quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin's thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt! - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
If… if… We didn't love freedom enough. And even more -- we had no awareness of the real situation. We spent ourselves in one unrestrained outburst in 1917, and then we hurried to submit. We submitted with pleasure! We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward." - Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago: 1918-1956
(Excerpt) Read more at thechristianidentityforum.net ...
One of the best set pieces in the book is where Solzhenitsyn describes how the Bolsheviks wrecked the previously excellent Moscow water supply system. It’s all communist economics in a nutshell.
When the Gulag was published here, I was reading it and mentioned it to a co worker.
She had no idea what I was talking about. She said ‘I read too... I am reading ‘The Thornbirds!’
Look up two names in European History and note that they both were famous for defeating Muslims.
Charles Martel (732) and Jan Sobieski (1683)
I remember that story better than any other in the book. That poor bastard who kept that system running despite those idiots.
Greetings BatGuano! Thank you for your famous predecessor who stood up to Islam!! We need guys like Jan & John today! Semper Fidelis!
~If… if… We didn’t love freedom enough. And even more — we had no awareness of the real situation. We spent ourselves in one unrestrained outburst in 1917, and then we hurried to submit. We submitted with pleasure! We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward.”~
Some of local neocon-leaning ‘conservatives’ need to repeat it about 1000 times.
Yet, they are more interested in abuses allegedly committed in foreign lands.
CWII Spark Ping List!
“And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, polkers, or whatever else was at hand? After all, you knew ahead of time that those bluecaps were out at night for no good purpose. And you could be sure ahead of time that you’d be cracking the skull of a cutthroat. Or what about the Black Maria sitting out there on the street with one lonely chauffeur — what if it had been driven off or its tires spiked. The Organs would very quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin’s thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt! - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
If… if… We didn’t love freedom enough. And even more — we had no awareness of the real situation. We spent ourselves in one unrestrained outburst in 1917, and then we hurried to submit. We submitted with pleasure! We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward.” - Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn, The Gulag Archipelago: 1918-1956
Thank you, yorkiemom.
In Regard to Solzhenitsyn, I am reading the third volume of “The Gulag Archipelago” at the time, the “Zeks” are finding it hard to adjust to their freedom. A sobering work that reminds us that we too can become victims of “The State” if we let our guard down and allow the Constitution to be trampled by Progressives/Liberals/Communists.
As you probably know, when Stalin died, some in the Gulags wept. That says a lot.
You’re welcome!
Are you having fall now? We are in the high 90’s! I am so done with these summers - and glad this will be my last ;)
Yes, the leaves down here are starting to change and the leaves in the high country are at their peak. I saw some new snow on some peaks the other day. Beautiful weather in the low 70’s.
That’s right, you won’t be there next summer. You must be really excited. :) Good for you.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.