Generally speaking, a truth needs only be told once. A lie needs repeating. 
Posted on 10/13/2003 9:41:44 PM PDT by kattracks
Whatever your politics, you have to be oblivious to reality to deny that America today is torn by ideological divisions as deep as those of the Civil War era. We are, in fact, in the midst of the Second American Civil War.
Of course, one obvious difference between the two is that this Second Civil War is (thus far) non-violent. On the other hand, there is probably more hatred between the opposing sides today than there was during the First Civil War. And I am not talking about extremists. A senior editor of the respected center-left New Republic just wrote an article titled, "The Case for Bush Hatred," an article that could have been written by writers at most major American newspapers, by most Hollywood celebrities, and almost anyone else left of center. And the conservative hatred of former President Bill Clinton was equally deep.
In general, however, the similarities are greater than the differences. Once again the North and the South are at odds (though many individuals on each side identify with the other). And once again, the fate of the nation hangs in the balance. The two sides' values and visions of America are as incompatible as they were in the 1860s.
For those Americans who do not know what side they are on or who are not certain about what the Second American Civil War is being fought over, I offer a list of the most important areas of conflict.
While the views of many, probably even most, Americans do not fall entirely on either side, the two competing camps are quite distinguishable. On one side are those on the Left -- liberals, leftists and Greens -- who tend to agree with one another on almost all major issues. On the other side are those on the Right -- conservatives, rightists and libertarians -- who agree on stopping the Left, but differ with one another more often than those on the Left do.
Here, then, is Part One of the list of the major differences that are tearing America apart:
The Left believes in removing America's Judeo-Christian identity, e.g., removing "under God" from the Pledge, "In God we trust" from the currency, the oath to God and country from the Boy Scouts Pledge, etc. The Right believes that destroying these symbols and this identity is tantamount to destroying America.
The Left regards America as morally inferior to many European societies with their abolition of the death penalty, cradle-to-grave welfare and religion-free life; and it does not believe that there are distinctive American values worth preserving. The Right regards America as the last best hope for humanity and believes that there are distinctive American values -- the unique combination of a religious (Judeo-Christian) society, a secular government, personal liberty and capitalism -- worth fighting and dying for.
The Left believes that impersonal companies, multinational and otherwise, with their insatiable drive for profits, have a profoundly destructive effect on the country. The Right believes that the legal system, particularly trial lawyers, lawsuits and judges who make laws, is the greater threat to American society.
The Left believes multiculturalism should be the ideal for American schools and for government policy. The Right believes that the Americanization of all its citizens is indispensable to the survival of the United States.
The Left believes that the Boy Scouts as currently constituted pose a moral threat to society. The Right believes the Boy Scouts continue to be one of the greatest moral institutions in the country.
The Left believes in equality more than in liberty. The Right believes more in liberty. For example, the Left believes that for the equality's sake, men's clubs must accept women. The Right believes that for liberty's sake, associations must be free to choose their own members.
The Left believes that when schools give out condoms to teenagers, they are promoting safe sex. The Right believes that when schools give out condoms, they are promoting more sex.
The Left believes that poverty, racism and psychopathology cause violent crime. The Right believes a lack of self-control, lack of religious practice and lack of good values are the primary causes of violent crime.
The Left believes that "war is not the answer." The Right believes that war is often the only answer to governmental evil.
Any one of these differences is enough to create an entirely different America. Added together, the differences suggest people who live in different worlds that are on a collision course.
And I have only listed some of the conflicting views.
Next week, in Part Two, I will discuss the other major conflicts making for the Second American Civil War.
©2003 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/999117/posts
There is even a civil war on Free Republic. Read the last 2000 posts for enlightenment.
Generally speaking, a truth needs only be told once. A lie needs repeating.
Fersher. I've heard from mostly "conspiracy" types that the non-violent, druggies and the like, in the prisons would be fertile soil for mining "recruits". A way to work off their debt to society? No irony here.
FGS
Proceed with rigor(mortis).
Good point. I think Jefferson says it about as well as anyone:
What country before ever existed a century & a half without a rebellion? & what country can preserve it's liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon & pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants. It is it's natural manure.
FGS
They can all wear the "Counter Terrorist Strike Force" uniform.
When I see tattooed, face-pierced purple haired angry nihilist kids, who think "Kill Bill" is high art, I see a fertile recruiting ground for
"Special Action Commandoa of the Counter-Terrorist Death's Head Corp."
The immigrant-unemployment issue is just a symptom of the overall problem. The Federal government is paralyzed by political infighting, corruption, immorality, and lack of vision. Our government, institutions, and educational systems have been infested by those who are enemies of the principals on which this country was founded. Those enemies are bent on destroying, by any means possible, our way of life. Sowing discord, disharmony and attempting to destroy the principals that have enabled this country to achieve its greatness is their basic game plan. The attacks on religion, morality, the family and any organization that supports those institutions is evidence of their activity. The tactics of racial, sexual, age, religious, ideological polarisation, and greed are the enemy's tools.
We are over-taxed, over-regulated, lied to, and abused by our collective local, state, and federal governments.
At this point I have to ask myself is it worth recovering or do we need to just start over? Will the coming revolution be peaceful or violent?
Make no mistake. There will be a revolution. It's just a question of when, how, and what type. Either that or we can just sink into the mass of other socialist states and the coming gloom of one worldwide tyrannical superstate and resultant total loss of individualism.
Depressing, isn't it? But we need to face the truth.
Sometimes, being surrounded is a good place to be...
Kalifornicate is a target rich environment, close at hand and within reach of us old farts with bad wheels...
There is an unbelievable excess of attractive radical left wing assholes - almost too attractive!
Semper Fi
The truth needs to be told: The Democratic Party is EVIL. It's primary planks - killing babies, destroying the traditional family, socialist wealth distribution (and its unspoken one - erasing Christianity from American public view) are right on track with the planks and methods of the Nazi and Communist Parties. Can someone tell me the moral difference between dehmunizing babies and dehumanizing jews?
Republicans are better, but is fast succumbing to liberal cultural forces as well. The Republicans ignore the U.S. Constitution and are becoming more liberal every day.. This isn't a war between Democrats and Republicans. It's between right and wrong, good vs. evil, secular humanism vs. judeo-christianity. Behind the human forces, there is a spiritual battle raging. As Francis Schaeffer said, "All of life is spiritual."
The Civil War Prager speaks of is presently being waged only in rhetoric (so let's not overstate it) - no one has sacrificed anything yet (our founders put the lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor on the line!). I will tell you the one sign that will mean that the war has started: When Americans start defying the liberal courts EN MASSE! Open, brazen, civil disobedience on a large scale!!
You best hustle before we seal off the borders ;^) You won't need to bring your own weapons or ammo. The Brady Bunch allows there's ample here to go around. So much so that it's almost impossible to walk around this great state without tripping over various and sundry assault weapons or slipping on shell casings; used or otherwise. The cleanup could take years, but I digress.
FGS
"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and he carries his banners openly. But the traitor moves among those within the gates freely...his sly whispers heard in the very halls of government itself.
For the traitor appears to be no traitor; he speaks in the accents familar to his victims...and he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation; he works secretly and unknown in the night...to infect the body politic so that it can no longer resist..." - Marcus Tullius Cicero ( 42 B.C. )
Make no mistake. There will be a revolution. It's just a question of when, how, and what type. Either that or we can just sink into the mass of other socialist states and the coming gloom of one worldwide tyrannical superstate and resultant total loss of individualism.
A contradiction, no? Observant tyrants(history) must have noted that yer average Joe is not all that interested in accumulating wealth and power; hence is generally content to provide for his family and to otherwise mind his own business. "Leave me alone" is his/our battle cry. At some point, if freedom is to survive, the battle cry must morph into "Don't tread on me!".
Depressing, isn't it?
Not really. Actually it makes me want to chew nails and $hit razor blades. But that's just me.
But we need to face the truth.
The sticky wicket as the Brits would say. Our enemy would have us believe there is no absolute truth. The truth is, there will always be evil people in high places who, blessed with a mental illness or some other form of character defect, must control everything within their power. Consolidating that power is not just a desire, it it a deeply held need that must be satisfied for them to obtain the unobtainable. Their nirvana.
So, who's running their railroad, the evil one himself? His minions are our earthly enemy.
FGS
I agree, but why is it happening. From an earlier post of mine:
FWIW, I see the Dims skipping gleefully into their utopian paradise while the Pubbies have been drawn(by the media?), kicking and screaming, at a slower pace, in the same direction. I think Pubbies have had enough, and with the apparent awakening of many Americans to the manipulation of the media; the Pubbies are trying to reverse course, or at least maintain position. The shrill cries from the utopian dreamers in the media are, more and more, falling on deaf ears. The Dims/utopians can't stand it. They lost their cheerleaders; not from lack of trying, but because people have started paying more attention to the game.
You've probably guessed I'm not a fan of the free press. That would be an understatement. I think the media is our mortal enemy; nothing more, nothing less. They are the the point of the attack on our republic. Without them the Gramsciian invasion would have been nipped in the bud. Without their complicity, we would have had a much better chance of getting at the truth. For good measure, throw Hollyweird in the mix too ;^)
FGS
I believe both parties are involved in the secularization of America and the marginalization of our Christian heritage. The pubbies stand by and DO NOTHING while the courts make illegal ruling after illegal ruling! If you can give me the names of more than 2 Congressmen who follow the Constitution, I'll eat my hat!
However, I agree with you about the press - they are propagandists along the lines of Joseph Goebbels.
That didn't come out quite right. Actually I'm a big fan of the free press, it's just that our press is, well, not free. Agenda driven or otherwise, the result is the same. For decades(forever?), they have been the idealogical front for the utopian air heads amongst us. The "Big" in the Big Lie. The assault weapon of choice for the benevolent elitists who know best what is good for us; the owner of the plantaiton...
FGS
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