Re: your messages #84 & #87
It’s true, word usage naturally evolves over time, but not to the extent that ‘to keep and bear’ now means ‘not only may you not carry, you aren’t even allowed to own’ or that free speech now means only what college presidents, US Senators, and a majority of nine black robes say it means. So, it turns out that ‘OW!’ and ‘G’on!’ (and a dirty face) are not guilty of the cold-blooded murder of the English Tongue. Rather it’s ‘Newspeak’ and ‘Group Think’ who are the guilty parties. Front & Center, Mr. Orwell; you called it. Fade to black, ‘Enry ‘Iggins (GB Shaw); not even close.
Marxists/Socialists know this. When they canÂ’t have everything at once, always they first seize the Ministry of Information (news & education) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (the national police). In our own country, the America-Haters run news & entertainment, the public schools, and most of higher education, and have turned them all into socialist government indoctrination centers. Of late, News has taken some severe hits and seems almost to be declining into oblivion (may it depart unsung, unmourned). Regrettably, not so the fate of the rest, all which are bound in a seemingly unshakable socialist grip. In higher ed, even the Masters of the Universe themselves seem incapable of working up the nerve to challenge the America-Haters who run their institutions.
And, recent events must give us pause to wonder what transpires in our Federal security agencies.
“To the extent that "average," "everyday," "real" people (hopefully of common sense), the common man, whatever you want to call generic humanity, don't object to this schema, then it proceeds.”
"State a moral case to a ploughman and a professor. The former will decide it as well, and often better than the latter, because he has not been led astray by artificial rules. In this branch, therefore, read good books, because they will encourage, as well as direct your feelings."
. . . . . Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787. (The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, ME, Vol 5, pg 257)
I donÂ’t think Mr. Jefferson had in mind the books that Oprah carries on her list.
"But if our children are to be brot up in ignorance, we cannot expect that they will understand the nature of true liberty.”
. . . . . Rev. Hezekiah Balch, then of Philadelphia, December 18, 1795 to President Washington
Ever it has been an American axiom our liberties can never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves, “and that too, of the people with a certain degree of instruction,” as Mr. Jefferson was given to observe. To say that we have been betrayed is to put the case mildly.
“the extinction of Man”
The extinction of Western Civilization would certainly bring the extinction of Man as we know the species. It is truly astounding that our intellectual and cultural leaders are so fearful of liberty that they would risk consigning their wives and daughters (and husbands & sons) to the tender mercies of Islamic lunatics rather than submit to libertyÂ’s benefits.
“wisdom trumps knowledge any day, when it comes to essential human well being.”
Yes. And finally, kindly allow me to observe that although wisdom is not possible without knowledge, knowledge without wisdom is worse than merely useless; it is deadly.
Thank you for your engaging posts!