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?
If people want to know what Larry is up to, all they have to do is go to JW's fantastic website and get onto JW's infonet list.
Mud, they're calling.
My husband had those and in a round about way, they might be dubya's fault. You see, he started getting them around November 2000 and they didn't stop until about Feb 2001. Yep, now that I think about it, they're definitely Bush's fault. 'Course Gore played a part too.
I agree...
"I have to say...this whole thing saddens me very much"
We'll get over it...I'm on the East Coast and it's Friday and Happy Hour's only three hours away...LOL!!
FReegards...MUD
Makes choosing sides easier.
good point
It seems to be a "EITHER YOU ARE WITH US OR AGAINST US" mentality on FR these days. The memories of FReepers are hardly any better than the collective memories of Americans at large. We have a common goal and a common purpose. The contempt ones feels in some posts is discouraging and I too miss the comaraderie of which Joe speaks.
&;-)A retentive memory is a good thing ... but the ability to forget is the true token of GREATNESS.
History also repeats itself...as it is doing on this very thread.
Deja vu.
I pulled it since you indicated you wanted it down. Thanks, AM
Bear repeating.
Perhaps one day it will sink in among those who cannot seem to stop antagonizing the AF-ers, perpetuating the conflict by proxy with 'Conniesaliar' style stunts on other sites or -- worst of all -- enticing disgruntled former FReeprs into the fray by continuing to disparage them and track their "apparent" AF-er activity on this site, even, long after they've been banned from speaking in their own defense.
Boggles the mind how much good will, good money and good people have been wasted thus.
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