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?
Ok .. I'll bite .. What would you do??
-- JR's 'old way' has been tried, and has failed, since Goldwater's days.
So you didn't like Reagan as President??
I'm here to discuss how we can restore respect for the constitution into our political lives.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
-- You two & your cohorts seem to like politics as usual.
I never said that .. what I said was I am sick and tired of The Party of Bill Clinton continually being elected .. it kind of makes it hard to go after the Rino Republicans like Spector when the third party doesn't help in getting rid of the Democrats first
Come cry on my shoulder again come November. - This time it'll be clear, & you won't be able to blame third parties for Rino failures.
Ok I'll bite again .. and what clear message are they going to send this time??
Yeah, you're just a weeping machine. How sad you must be that these two officers committed suicide-by-nutjob. Zito was just a poor, cornered pussy cat; he lashed out unknowingly, innocently--by instinct, as it were.
Excuse me now, Mr. Crocodile, but your great gushing of tears is making the floor slippery and wet. I must make for higher ground.
ArneFurkin did threaten Abundy several months ago about passing Abundy' s comments to the local FOP. Privacy is a cardinal right on FR for those who wish such, and Abundy has good reason to be hesitant about providing personal information on this site. In the end, you have to look at posters over time and decide if they are trustworthy. Abundy, even though he gets a bit combative over time, has NEVER given me reason to doubt his word - he is a straight shooter. And I notice you haven't really bothered trying to refute his arguments, but instead try to attack his motives and character - a rather Clintonistic approach to debate, if you ask me.
Where's Pete Seeger when you need a good song to lament an American libertarian folk anti-hero?
Sigh, sigh, and sigh again.
His arguments are self-refuting. All that is left is to point out their inherent silliness.
This is my final entry. It is, really, I swear. And I'm gonna get the countdown right this time too!
TOP 10 REASONS I'M STILL A HAPPY FREEPER...
10. The 'old timers' don't intimidate me anymore.
9. I learn more big words here than I do at Pogo playin' 'Word Whomp.'
8. It beats watchin' Rocky movies with my husband.
7. Sometimes I just wanna be where everybody knows my [screen] name.
6. I haven't yet developed 'unhappy freeper syndrome.'
5.I've learned so much that I feel cleaning dust bunnies is beneath me.
4. I have a mental 'ignore' button.
3. I know I'm right, I don't care what anybody else thinks.
2. I don't think Jimrob owes me anything.
and the number 1 reason I'm still a happy freeper is...
I could never hope to meet a more intelligent, eclectic, colorful group of people and with common sense to boot, than I've run across on FR!
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I dropped you off my hit list!
ps...you're all a tease---you knew I couldn't write this
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You know Joe .. I have worked with you on the fundraisers over the past year here on FR and I have a lot of respect for you and all the work you do .. you worked your butt off and whenever I was attacked by the same people you are defending now .. you came to my aid and told them to back off .. and I am grateful for that
I have found you to be a good honorable man .. but I will be honest .. I have no idea what the purpose of what this thread is all about.
I admit I don't know all the behind the scenes stuff that goes on which is why even though I didn't understand the last fallout I tried to keep an open mind about it all..
After all the blood shed that went on, I thought things were ironed out. What I saw was Jim Rob put his pride aside and apologize and agree to work things out for the better good of Free Republic
And now this thread .. I just don't get it
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