I hit the abuse button on this, Jim. What happened?
It does appear that certain demeaning language is acceptable.
My concern with a "Homeland Security" cabinet position is that it will morph into a kindler, gentler KGB. Do we really want that? Do we really want to surrender even more of the Constitutional Restrictions on government?
Sure, the adults are in charge now - but what happens after things calm down and the Media goes back to supporting a bunch of Socialists and the next thing you know Hillary and Schumer are President and VP? Do you really think they can be trusted with more power? I don't.
BUMP!
What you said.
By the way, FR seems to be finally back to normal here since Saturday.
And at the risk of seemingly joining the Rockwell conspiracy delusionists, are you really convinced that the DNS lashup was "accidental"?
God protect us when the gov't decides that our free speech criticism of the gov't is treason, that we are not sufficiently supportive of all their "war" efforts. We can be labeled "terrorists" and there will be none left to defend us.
Jim, apply the same skepticism to Federal Government's Foreign Policy that you have so nobly applied to its domestic policies. Why do you trust them now in time of great danger to protect us, when their main goal is always to protect and extend their power at the cost of our liberty?
Watchman, return to your post on the wall!!!
I have noted that most of these "dreamers" only complain and offer no concrete suggestions on how we (America) can effectively deal with a fanatical enemy sworn to the destruction of our way of life (which includes them).
While, the mention, of a director of "Homeland Defense" has ominous tones, the thought of more barbaric acts that could very well lead to the loss of not 7,000 innocent lives, but rather 70,000, 700,000 or 7,000,000 is much more horrific and I for one am not going to argue over the semantics. They claim we will loose freedoms, and yet we already have simply by the act. Many of us have lost the freedom to feel secure in our persons and homes due to the act of "war" visited upon all of us by enemies both foreign and domestic on 911. We have lost the freedom of movement due to the acts of fanatical terrorists and their supporters both in and outside our nations boundaries. We (all of us) will be making some tough choices in the coming days, weeks, months, and perhaps years. But "our common" good has to come first. The time has come perhaps that we may have to choose between our common rights and individual rights and they won't be easy choices in some instances. But this is a new day and it is a day that absolutely requires bold and innovative leadership and I for one am not going to sit back and take pot shots at the decisions of our leadership without presenting a viable alternative.
The act of war perpetrated by militant Islamic Fundamentalists can not go unanswered. I for one am grateful we have some leadership that is embarking upon a course of action. I am buoyed by the fact that this leadership, that took office in a dead heat election, settled by our constitution and ultimate court is not only taking action but to date has the unparalleled support of roughly 90% of our fellow citizens.
The "bomb them with butter" crowd has always been and will always be with us. That is a fact. Their message only gets more attention when we allow it to do so.
As I started, thanks for #34 and I am waiting to see if any of the nay-sayers have any plausible answer to the series of great questions you asked. I doubt they will.
Ain't the freedom and ability to state one's opinions freely grand?
Thank you again for creating this forum that allows us to do so, within your, actually quite liberal posting policies.
If they don't, they better leave my rights alone!
Right-on Jim!!
Pacifism is durable due to its malleability; at the risk of mixing metaphors, the willow bends while the oak thunders to the ground, groaning in its desperate struggle all the while.
America has grown fat since the success of its earlier wars against tyranny and insidious influence; we have embraced nonsensical notions such as multicultural egalitarianism, while slumbering slovenly on our Serta Sleepers purchased on the installment plan, we are now more underbelly than backbone.
Standing on our hind legs will prove difficult enough, shaking off the sleep that clouds our eyes collected over these 50 years in order to focus on the enemy both within and without so as to move against those who've so callously disturbed our rest will take giant steps, we dare not stumble.
Prudence ought always temper passion; but when the way is clear, it is time to press on to the end, we may never rest so easily again.
Some people just do not understand the danger all of us are in!
Thanks, Jim, from all of us.
Good to see you here.
I'm glad that this was posted, and if it wasn't I'd post it.
Its your site, but I thought that Free Republic was to promote freedom, not the State. Our very own CIA is responsible for the Saddam Husseins, and Osam Bin Ladens, not "foreign powers." This is a big gift to the power hungry in Washington, and they'll use it to increase their powers and decrease our liberty. Your site will eventually fall for "the benefit of society" if the homeland security crowd has its way.
You see, they don't need security for the nation - they can't provide it anyway. They want security for the government, and that means eventually shutting down both FreeRepublic and LewRockwell.
I like both sites, but I've been spending my time at LewRockwell more than here, because this place smells strongly of Fascism at the moment. I'll be back more often when the hysteria subsides.
Thanks
The last two weeks have been very trying for everyone not only here at FR but across the country (and in other parts of the world), of course.
My personal observation is that a good deal of the hostility which arises frequently has been due to the belief of many well-meaning conservatives, Republicans in particular, that virtually all of our ills can be laid at the foot of Clinton's two terms. Though FR certainly carries its share of debate on prior events -- most particularly the War Between the States -- there is a genuinely myopic view which is bolstered by the popularity of several other sites that capitalized on strong anti-Clinton sentiment for the last five years or so.
Having met more than a few drug warriors here, I'm quite aware that the traditional wisdom completely fails to acknowledge the part the US and certain allies have played over the last 50+ years in the problems that plague us today. And this includes what we are now calling fanatical fundamental Islamic terrorism.
I have seen some of the most admirable people, JimRob included, who are willing to cut off all sense of history in order to preserve the ideal that we have been unjustly attacked. Of course civilian casualties are a horror. But civilians by the millions have suffered during the last 5 decades and more outside of our shores and all too often because of our policies. Not the least, the manner in which Bolshevik revolution was received and supported up to sometime after WWII -- when a Cold War became the preferable dogma.
To enumerate those who've suffered -- from Asia to the Mid East to the Balkans to South/Central America and more -- would never suffice for the die-hard denier. To reiterate the drug and human trafficking which flourished in tandem with our "allies"; the covert funding, training, supplying of weapons which killed others before being turned on us; to recount the human torture carried out by our "partners"; not to mention the human experiments and psychological operations conducted here within our own boundaries ... well, I perfectly well understand why so few of us want to retrospect and would prefer to genuflect to the flag and the holy offices it apparently represents.
Problem is, that's not only blasphemous but a might big assumption by this time. Yeah, I can see why long ago America appeared to be favored by God. Not sure that's the case anymore. The "shining city on a hill" is a nice appeal but the reality is that there has been a lot of dirty work as well. There is a heck of a lot of unrighteousness here with US, and it has spread tentacles throughout the world.
In simplistic terms, the 9-11 attacks have been characterized as a no-brainer: these guys hate us pure and simple because we're good, we're better, we're world-winners and they're nothing but trashy losers seduced by a religious view that ought to be stamped out. Well, it seems to me that there's a lot to question about that equation, and I'm certainly not pro-Islamic per se. Neither am I in favor of apocalypse (holy war-crusade) that threatens much of the earth's population today in order to magically produce some world order that has its roots in neo-mystical beliefs not all that dissimilar to Hitler's Third Reich. First of all, by this time, I'm not entirely sure the US is favored in this game -- and I do mean, GAME.
Do you understand how many terrorists have been created by the US and Britain (even Paris); harbored by them; funded by them; touted by them; protected by them. What about terrorists and murderers who have fled to Israel, which won't extradite them? Or the Jewish terrorists here in the US that somehow got off on technicalities. (And no, they aren't the *only* ones, but the point is that anti-terrorism has never been a serious goal -- just as the drug war has never been serious or most other "policy" that makes problems bigger than they were). So obviously the pap from D.C. is out of one side of the mouth ... again.
Are we on the verge of the Fourth Reich? Only time will tell. But in the meantime, let's please not Rush to judgment when we don't have all the facts.
Whoever planned and carried out the 9-11 undoubtedly deserves punishment. However, they are still puppets to global agendas. It's amazing how that gets lost in the anger on all sides. If you (generically speaking) aren't interested and willing to discover how we became the Great Satan, then there is a scripture to recall: woe to you. Hubris is always unbecoming, no matter what god it appeals to.
I do agree that loose lips sink ships and have no idea why anyone would post strategic information.
I had always thought of you as a fair man who stood back at a distance to analyze a situation and then come up with a thoughtful and reasoned response. For some reason there are many here who can not separate the Idea of Anti-war from the Idea of being Anti-Socialist. How does this help us win this war against these terrorists ? Sure we can throw away everything FR ever was in the war effort, but what does that do for the country ? In this day and age there is one thing for certain. Once you lose a freedom, or a right...You will not get it back. Not ever! The socialists are licking their lips at what they are going to get accomplished in the name of Protecting us from these terrorists. Few if any of those administrative attacks against our freedoms will make the slightest bit of difference to our safety. They will simply reduce our ability to defend ourselves from those who have no respect for a single word of our founding documents. They will kill the very opposition that FR used to represent.
Being an American military person is a great Honor. Not only do they defend their country, but they defend the greatest and best country to ever exist. They defend our Bill of Rights and our Constitution. With out those documents we never would have been anything special in the world. And without those who fought and gave their life for those documents then we would not even exist. The documents and the defenders go hand in hand. One without the other has little meaning. Surely both can exist together. Surely we should defend not only from invasion of foreign army's, but also from those that would invade the documents that make us great. I do not believe that the fight against socialism detracts from the activity's of our troops. I do not believe that anyone who is fighting socialism for the good of their country would not support our troops with even more of their hearts. I do not think that we have in our hearts what those in the 60's had in their hearts. They were the socialists that we now fight. May God not only protect our borders, but also the documents that made us great.