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?
As a matter of fact, I had not.
Do folks call me such names behind my back when I harp on hypocritical posts and/or posters on this site and elsewhere ... as if I were limited to taking exception with only the One Side OR the Other concerning the yin yang of perpetual conflict between the Cults of Personality which sprang up around FReepers of yore and JimRob?
Beats me. I was just rereading The Two Towers, and the tone seemed hauntingly familiar...
'But come now,' said the soft voice. 'Two at least of you I know by name. Gandalf I know too well to have hope that he seeks help or counsel here. But you, Theoden Lord of the Mark of Rohan, are declared by your noble devices, and still more by the fair countenance of the house of Eorl. O worthy son of Thengel the Thrice-renowned! Why have you not come before, and as a friend? Much have I desired to see you, mightiest king of western lands, and especially in these latter years, to save you from the unwise and evil counsels that beset you! Is it yet too late? Despite the injuries that have been done to me, in which the men of Rohan, alas! have had some part, still I would save you, and deliver you from the ruin that draws nigh inevitably, if you ride upon this road which you have taken. Indeed I alone can aid you now.'
-- Grima Wormtongue, Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers
It also occurs to me that the two names 'Grima' and 'Askel' share certain mathematical properties. For example:
It's probably just a coincidence, though...
FReegards...MUD
BTW...I'm predicting we hit 500 posts by 4:08 EST.
things have gotten completely outta hand anyway ...
And it is obvious now it was for purely selfish reasons.
Agreed.
Joe, I thought you and Jim had worked things out. I post at LP as well, and still seem to be flea-less myself. I want FR to be successful and a good tool for education.
It appears that your thread implies that the agreement in place is no longer in place? Is that the case? Then who broke their word?
At some point, you must make a very painful decision and abide by it. May you walk the best path for you.
Plastic pie, plastic pie,
Shot a spastic in the eye.
Jesus heal'd that spastic's eye !
Pretty, pretty plastic pie.
Still being,
Huh?!? What?!? Maybe I haven't been around that long, but can you provide me with any substantive to this assertion? It sounds really off the wall.
Not me, I would cut the phone line :-)
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