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?
Sweet Lord of Mercy! My wife used to frequent those idiot boards shortly after we broke down, bought our first computer, and foolishly signed on with AOL.
Shortly thereafter, I was regaled with stories of brutal cat-fights and introduced to the acronym "TOS". Ah, the memories.
Keep on going folks...perhaps you can hit 1500 before I check in this evening!!
I think we've stumbled upon another oxymoron.
Awwww man! Can I enter more than once. I'll even get 'em in the right order with a beer...8 * )
Was she a DISI board poster? I posted there about 6-7 years ago. The posters used to keep track of how long others were online from the times on their posts, and then accuse them of neglecting their children. It was unreal.
But I do have the distinction of being one of the original group who left and colonised on the ACLU boards so we could tell them exactly how screwed up they were.
I am sponsoring a contest in this thread. Person who wins gets me to mail to them Ann Coulter's new book, "Slander" (signed and none of the pages stick together)!!
Here's the contest: Come up with your own top ten list (and be sure to ping me with it) of...
TOP TEN REASONS WHY (and here you have an option of themes)
(1) I'm Still Posting in This Thread
(2) I'm Still A Happy Freeper
(3) This Thread Scares Me
Contest closes at 5 p.m. EST Saturday, winner to be announced by 10 p.m. I am the dual judges, FTH & MUD...
Remember, this is a top ten list contest. Humor counts.
Alright, I'll bite...MUD
There are enough bare-knucks brawls at any given time on Usenet alone to keep a websurfer busy for the rest of his or her life.
The invention of the personal computer will one day be considered as important as the invention of the telephone in history. I firmly believe that.
Grow up and git used to disappointment and you crossin' paths durin' yer Life, V_H_a_W!!!
SHAHH-WEEESH...MUD
Yeah, and we really NEEDED another catfight thread to bring us all together, didn't we? /sarcasm
Here's a thought: maybe it's not the moderators, and maybe it's not the people who are trying to get those who are most conservative, yet electable, in office.
Maybe it's people who have vested interests in other websites and want to make this one look bad so people will leave and go to their websites instead.
Sorry if someone else has already made the same points. Some of us had to work today.
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