I believe that you can tell a boaster, a braggart - a puffed up wanna-be, if you watch them for a while. Over time you get a sense of a person's character. Even in cyberspace.
I believe that most of the people I've seen make mention of their intention to stand against threats to their liberty are telling the unvarnished truth. Most of these statements come unbidden, and are very personal. I've seen few that caused me to think they were anything but genuine.
This has happened before in many places. People in those times and places thought it couldn’t happen. The reasoning was that it just couldn’t. We know that it did.
The Germans were not cowards, nor were they stupid. They were not given a flashpoint. The time when the flag was raised and someone yelled ‘rally round me boys’ never came. So they watched as their freedoms and their decency were compromised bit by bit.
No, the Germans didn't have a flashpoint, to call them to arms. By the time the Nazi flag was raised, they'd been disarmed, and had no way to effectively resist. But, they were warned. Hitler spent years working his way up in national politics, with his Nazi party following close behind.
Germans shouldn't have feared to loudly criticize Hitler and the Nazis when they were still a small band of wacko zealots. In fact, I believe some did. Hitler even spent time in prison during the early days of the Nazi party. He wrote Mein Kampf there.
However, not enough Germans made a real effort to oppose the Nazis when it was apparent that they had grown in stature, and were becoming a real force in German politics.
It was quite obvious that they were militaristic thugs. They mocked themselves up like a para-military organization, and distributed wildly inflammatory leaflets, booklets and such across the country. The Nazis had already become what the Obots fuzzily dream of, long before they actually gained complete power over the German government.
People in Germany witnessed the rise of the Nazis and did nothing effective to stop them.
This is a bit different than what we've witnessed with Obama, though there are certainly parallels that can be drawn between the infiltration of the left in our society, and the rise of similar radical anti-establishment groups elsewhere.
I think my point is that we've all seen enough of the decline in our culture, and the concurrent rise of left-liberalism, to conclude that we'd better change our operating basis if we want to keep our country.
Since the Democrats took control of Congress in 2006, it's been clear that our side has wandered off the reservation, but with the introduction of Obama to the Presidency, and the left-wing radical agenda he brings, the urgency for us to swiftly change our modus operandi has increased to red alert stage.
When it comes it will come softly in the night and you will wake to a country you do not know. To act. To do something then, will require you to do something that many cannot do.
I don't think so. Obama is our "flashpoint". The Democrat/Socialists have overreached by running him for office. He is without doubt, the most radical candidate they could have chosen, and his brand of governance is far too steep a change for America to make without major fractures and upheavals.
No, it didn't come softly in the night. The radical Socialists might have won, had they played it that way.
America has been lazily snoozing for a very long time - only briefly awakened from its slumber by the events of 9/11. Through the 8 years of Bush, America even fell back into dreams, but Obama has awakened us with a crash. People who never cared about politics or current events before, are suddenly very concerned and interested in this transition to ---- what?
And because America is awakened, they are paying close attention. Much closer than normal. Due to Obama's radical agenda, it's unlikely that we'll snooze again anytime soon.
Obama and the Socialist Democrats have already blown it. They're under full surveillance, and have stupidly allowed their standard bearer to tip their hand. Now there is no way for them to covertly steal the last of our freedoms while we sleep. The coup is way off script and far ahead of schedule. Too bad. It's not going to happen now.
You said — “I think my point is that we’ve all seen enough of the decline in our culture, and the concurrent rise of left-liberalism, to conclude that we’d better change our operating basis if we want to keep our country.”
The fact that you may have not noticed or have willfully ignored is that the Germans who did see the problem *did not* have the power to effect the change that was needed. AND, likewise, you may very well find that you and others of like-mind, *may not* have the power to effect the needed changes you say have to be done in order to “save the Republic”.
The election showed, clearly that people who are of the mindset of most in this forum of Free Republic *do not consist of the majority* — and that’s why Obama won the election.
If that remains true — you will simply *not* have the ability or means to *effect* the necessary change.
—
Now, this says nothing about not trying, as will typically be the “comeback” on this. But, you’ll notice that I said none of that. What I said is that you may be ignoring the fact that you can do all that you can do — and it’s *not enough* to effect the changes that are needed....
—
There’s another element in this, too. It’s that God has determined, already, how things in the world are going to pan out, in order to bring about His conclusion for Israel and the *judgement of the nations* in the world, as it says in the Bible.
It’s *highly likely* — that if we fail to *effect the necessary changes* — that this reflects the “judgement of God” upon the nation for the majority choosing things which are going to be *detrimental* to our Republic and well-being as a nation...
And as I see it, the judgement of God is coming upon this nation, regardless of what you think or try to do.
Remember, the founding fathers said that they couldn’t found this nation absent the help of Almighty God — and likewise — you’re not going to stop the judgement of God, upon this nation, no matter how good your intentions are, if the majority are against you and the judgement of God comes because of that.