Posted on 09/06/2002 8:17:16 AM PDT by BADJOE
History teaches some very good lessons. They are hard to learn but our forefathers did a great job.
From the beginning of time man has overthrown one form of centralized government only to re-establish another one in its place. Our forefathers understood this far better than anyone ever had. They said governments are the eternal enemy of free men. They said that in order for man to remain free it would take a bloody revolution every other generation, unless you bound down (bastard) government with the chains of the constitution.
On another site this week a poster asked if anyone else hated government as much as he did. I replied to him
"Hell !! I thought you were not a good American if you didn't love our country and hate our government.
At least that is how I have always felt about it"
I think our forefathers had the same attitude that I have now. And I think it is inherent in the average Americans attitude to distrust and have disdain for any government, including ours. One of the hardest conclusions I had to arrive at as a young man, after having been a product of the public school system, was that our government was not on our side. As James Forrestahl, former secretary of the Navy, who suffered a mysterious death, once said about our State Department's foreign policy, " Stupidity is never a mark of consistancy. If they were merely stupid, they would occasionally make a mistake in our favor".
Newt Gringrich put it in a humourous manner when talking about the attitude of Europeans. He related the following story. If you go to Europe and drive on the Autobahn, you feel pretty good cruising down the highway at 100 mph when some some German passes you doing 140 mph. Now he said if the Bundestag passed the 55mph speed limit law, every German would dutifully obey that law, untill the next election. They would vote the 55 mph crowd out of office and the no speed limit crowd in. In America Newt said "A speed limit sign is a benchmark of opportunity.
It is obvious that Yankees and Euros have entirely different attitudes about government's edicts. There are darn few Americans who do not break the speed limit laws everyday.
Now we come to the Free Republic. Once a free wheeling, joyful site for news and discussion of politics, economics, philosophy, ethics and morals. I could not understand the transformation that has taken place in the last six months. Camaraderie, the sense of family, and cooperation seems to have disappeared. Are the Freepers exhibiting the same disdain for the new FR as Americans have for our government?
Has FR been bought by the GOP behind the scenes? Are the two gung ho GOP moderators the go between to oversee and direct FR to be the power internet arm of GOP politcos?
Is there any other explanation?
Works fer me, especially at the Federal level...MUD
i hope the f*****g thing gets nuked !
PUH-leeeze, BADJOE, do you really believe one iota of what yer implying here?! SHEEEESH!!
"Are the two gung ho GOP moderators the go between to oversee and direct FR to be the power internet arm of GOP politicos? Is there any other explanation?"
I'm sure there are plenty and it's amazing how much JimRob lets you get away with...if it was my site, I reckon you'd be calling me a "Tyrant" or a "Sell-out", too, wouldn't you?!
MUD
Keep smiling,
Philip.
Bump. Kudos to you sir.
I hope not...I'd like to see who actually agrees with this sorta krap!!
FReegards...MUD
Instead of the GOP taking control, over the course of four years at this site I have seen FR go through changes in response to the political environment around it. We used to be defined by our common enemy, Clinton, and I worried what would happen to FR once Clinton was no longer in office. Then, JimRob decided that the conservative movement should fall in behind Bush during August 2000 because that was the only viable decision to make at the time, and he didn't want FR to be used as a platform for political sniping. Then, after 9/11, JimRob has become more supportive of Bush and his efforts to fight terrorism. Wars do that. However, I have at NO TIME felt that I was unable to criticize Bush and/or the GOP on FR without fear of censorship or banishment.
FRegards,
CD
Dittoes, DIRT...MUD
I've been carrying the water for the local Grand Old Party apparatchik for 10 years now (working phone banks, get-out-the-vote phone trees, planting yard signs, playing sound engineer at debates and press conferences, poll watching, etc.), and they've never bought me so much as a cup of coffee. (That's a lie - I did get a free Coke once that somebody couldn't get to fall out of a soda machine). Rotsa ruck finding the cancelled checks for the purchase of FR by THOSE cheapskates.
BUMP
The moderation sucks, but everybody knows that now... what is this thread supposed to accomplish?
Still is.
"I could not understand the transformation that has taken place in the last six months. Camaraderie, the sense of family, and cooperation seems to have disappeared."
Yer hangin' out on the wrong threads, my FRiend.
"Are the Freepers exhibiting the same disdain for the new FR as Americans have for our government?"
Except fer a number of disgruntled AFers on websites that no one reads, what the heck are you talking about.
SHEEEESH, dude, you sure can get cranky in the mornin'...MUD
Huh???? First they're Gestapo twins, now they're gung ho GOP moderator go betweens?? This sounds a little off base, BJ.
Did I come late to the dance or is there still a huge chip on your shoulder?
Hehehehehe...
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