Our Republic and Our Free Republic

9-6-02 | Joe Phillips

[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?

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Awesome,.. YES!!! Thanks for the reminder. JR and FR are the best!!

[MJY1288]

I'll second that Arne.

tpaine is a stain

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I'll go take a peek at that "other" site. :o)

I'll come back and serve some cheese to go with their whine :o)

[gcruse]

 I believe they do a terrific job in light of the personalities
they must contend with.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

[Texasforever]

Criticizing the drug war won't shine the brass any, either.

Completely dishonest. Advocating drug legalization will not "shine the brass".

[Cold Heat]

LOL! OCs are 12 hours of grief if you forget and OD. Perks are less scary.IMHO

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

If someone chooses to post personal photos on the open forum, he or she better be big enough to live with whatever response it gets.

Spare us the lecture, Niki Vanderbilt.

[justshe]

I do like texasforever's analysis though.

He is a reminder of what NOT to become.

A wicked, hateful, angry, nasty, vile, withered soul.

We should ACTUALLY be praying for him, I guess.

I'll put that on my to-do list.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

This notion that people are being seized from their beds like Nazis grabbing Hungarian gypsies is bogus.

ROTFL - I know it is, and this is such a fine way of expressing it. Very good. (And I'm not just sucking up because you're a judge.)

[Chad Fairbanks]

Wear gloves... and wash your hands before you come back ;0)

[Ragin1]

I thought the Ashcroft Death Camp one went over very well.

[ArneFufkin]

Don't waste your effort on him justshe. Pray for MsLady's health, Chief Negotiatiors wife and family, 1Johns wife and family, etc. Your loved ones and those in your community with health or other challenges. Use you positive energy for positive people.

[strela]

Vicodin, baby.

Pfagh! Vicodin are like Pez to me. Give me a couple of codeine though and its beddie-bye time for me.

[William Terrell]

No such thing as a blue apple. And you might refer me to the thread you're talking about. And maybe what you're talking aobut, too.

[Texasforever]

I thought the Ashcroft Death Camp one went over very well.

Yeah that one really elevated the level of discourse didn't it?

[niki]

If someone chooses to post personal photos on the open forum, he or she better be big enough to live with whatever response it gets.

Typical. That response from the likes of you doesn't surprise me. Run along and go play with the clique, little racist.

[justshe]

Understood.

[Howlin]

I see you showed back up here, just in time to try to be the 1500 posters, didn't you? :-)

[harrowup]

...tpaine needs a slapping, he's the worst of the worst people I've ever encountered. He adds nothing to the brew, he's a destroyer and ingrate.

tpaine is simply one of the most straight talking principled libertarians around. He and I are probably very close in age and neither of us tolerates blowhards. I suspect if you've run crossways with tom, he probably gave you a good licking. Never-the-less, he still hasn't taught you to choke on your own hypocrisy...yet...