The Bottom of the "Slippery Slope"

9/27/01 | Pakrman

[Pakrman]

I don't post here often, but I have enjoyed reading the thoughts of a great many smart (and some not so smart) people. Most of the time I agree, at least in principle, with most of what is said here. I feel it is time for me to put in my 2 cents worth and get a few things off my chest. I suspect I will be flamed to high heaven, called petty names and branded a commie, pinko rat fink...well then so be it.

I feel that our nation has become a nation of hollow, shallow emotions. We bellow for justice and beg our President to strike our enemies down with all our military might, we wave our flags and sing our songs when we claim to be a nation of solidarity...but I believe we are further removed from justice than ever before.

We claim to be a nation of goodness and prosperity, but goodness cannot be something we show only when a tradedy occurs, goodness must go on and on, each and every day there is not a calamity. Prosperity must apply to all in our nation or it really applies to no one. I have been in the working world for some 25 years now, and I have the same dishonesty, greed and pettiness rise to the top of the corporate ladder, time and time again. A company gets profitable...cut some jobs, make it more profitable.

We are shallow nation, a nation of weak commitment. Bill Mahr of Politically Incorrect was essentially correct, we are a cowardly nation, hiding behind our robotic bombs to do the work we dare not do, lest we shed some of OUR blood. We rattle our sabre and drop a few bombs, then call out for the bar tender, get some hollywood bimbos to bare themselves on the deck our our largest aircraft carrier and call it a victory. Our enemy is willing to take the time to learn to fly an aircraft into a building. How many of YOU would do that?

We will lose this fight against terrorism, for we only practice our own form of terror. We are trying to kill what we have become, we just have better weapons and better looking whores. We are not willing to shed our blood for the cause of right, we don't have a clue what right is anymore. We have become a nation that demands others respect us because of our fancy home appliances, and jazzy television commercials, not because we are doing any good in the world anymore.

We are not a nation of right or justice any longer. We are mired in the filth we helped to create and no amount of violence will every get us clean, no amount of killing can ever make us just. I make no distinctions between Republican and Democrat, we are all just part of the larger machine, the goal is the same, we just take a slightly different approach.

So now we find ourselves at the bottom of the slippery slope we started sliding down many years ago. We will have military units at our airports, our cars, bags, and persons will be searched at random and whenever it suits the government, our speech will be curtailed, our mail, phone and private coversations will be monitored all the time, and it won't make any of us any safer, it won't make the world any safer.

So I have said my piece, some of it at least..so go ahead, tear in to me now, ask me how I would like a long weekend in Kabul or a .9mm sandwich, or some other ugly comment, it won't make any difference, the bombs are gonna fall, kids are gonna die and in the end we won't be a better or safer country.
Thanks

[Storm Orphan]

Equality before the law is the only guarantee you get.

If you don't succeed in life, that is your fault.

[Long Cut]

I will never understand how so many people got suckered by this "peace" crap. Get over it. It has never existed. The way of the world is conflict. Sorry to burst your balloon, but how else save competition can anything develop strength and stamina? It is simply a fact of existence that the Peace Pansies (PP's) prefer to wish away, and in the process of fantasising, endanger others.

[Pakrman]

I would fight if called upon to do so, but I do believe that it is an endless fight - a fight that no one wins - we are not going to blow up the entire middle east and the more we kill, the more folks will step up to take us on.

And since this is still a free country, for a while at least, So yes I will stay, and I will enjoy the blessings that this country has to offer, but just because I am different that you are, does not make me a coward, nor a hypocrite - it just makes me different, a person with different concerns, different dreams, different plans for the future.

[MHGinTN]

God said, 'Thou shalt not murder' ... you need to read more deeply and broader if you're gonna use up bandwidth like this.

[Pakrman]

I'm not depressed..not at all - in fact I am quite enjoying myself. Thanks for your concern though

[Pakrman]

I believe that word on my church wall is kill.
But I suppose you can read a lot into that if you want.

[Pakrman]

"Equality before the law is the only guarantee you get. "
and you honestly think that EVERYONE who goes before a court gets equal treatment?

[Long Cut]

Those blessings you refer to were bought with blood, in war. By people who loved this nation more than you obviously do. So you'll serve if called? Don't do us any favors. Like I said, we'll protect you despite your opinions. Enjoy wrapping yourself in that "blanket of liberty", sport.

[Long Cut]

And sorry, but you are indeed a coward and hypocrite. You do have a right to your opinions, but they define you as well.

[Pakrman]

"making others wealthier by upping the stock price. "
and enlarging the divides in this country.
I'm not saying Capitalism is wrong, not at all, I am saying that there a lot of folks who do, and are real unhappy with the system

We can't just say to heck with them, let them find another country, we have to deal with that issue at some point.

[Pakrman]

Say it over and over, repeat it a thousand times, but it still does not make it true - I'm not a coward, and all we have is a difference in opinion, which you just cannot tolerate, your world has just one lane and it is your way or nothing.
The world just is not built that way, lots of folks agree with you, but a lot do not.

[Storm Orphan]

"We are not willing to shed our blood for the cause of right, we don't have a clue what right is anymore. Do not project your own inadequencies on others. "

What inadequencies would those be? Is my difference of opion an inadequency to you?

Your inadequacy is your unwillingness to shed blood for right, and a lack of knowledge of right and wrong.

Those are your words. I and most others do not share this inadequacy.

[Long Cut]

I really do pity you. You live in fear of victory over evil. Of a good, righteous fight. This is something I cannot understand. If this one isn't right, for the love of God what WOULD BE???

[Storm Orphan]

and you honestly think that EVERYONE who goes before a court gets equal treatment?

Despite notable aberrations that prove the rule, yes.

But this is not about going to court.

You have the same protection and rights under the law as anyone else. If you were not born a son of Bill Gates, tough cookies. Bill Gates wasn't born rich, either. Nor was Oprah. Nor were 90% of millionaires in America.

The system has a flaw or two, but you complain about a lack of equality of outcome.

Again, tough cookies. Get to work.

[Pakrman]

"So you'll serve if called? Don't do us any favors. Like I said, we'll protect you despite your opinions. Enjoy wrapping yourself in that "blanket of liberty", sport. "
Some how I don't believe you would ever let me do you any favors - and as for protecting me despite my opinions...would you really want a world where everyone thought exactly like you...who would you despise?
would I get to share a fox hole with you? We could have fantastic discussions like this each day, provided we didn't wacked

[Storm Orphan]

I'm not saying Capitalism is wrong...a lot of folks who do, and are real unhappy with the system. We ... have to deal with that issue at some point.

Which is why I own guns. Capitalism is the only economic system consistent with liberty and individual rights.

All else is theft. And thieves are to be shot.

[Pakrman]

"I really do pity you. You live in fear of victory over evil. Of a good, righteous fight. This is something I cannot understand. If this one isn't right, for the love of God what WOULD BE??? "

HOW ARE WE GOING TO WIN?
What are the victory conditions in this war?
Are the terrorists going to issue a statement saying they are sorry?
How many are we going to have to kill? We are never going to be able to kill them all, someone will always hate us for the killing, or the prosperity, or the way we live, or the car we drive, or the shoes we wear, are we really prepared to "kill them all and let God sort them out?"

[Pakrman]

"And thieves are to be shot. "
Last time I checked we didn't shoot theives.
Suppose someone stole some bread because their children were going hungry...just suppose...would you shoot them?"

[Pakrman]

"Despite notable aberrations that prove the rule, yes. "
You watch too much television. You think that just the ones you see on tv are the only ones who are not treated equally.
Our system of justice is good, but I bet we would all be surprised by the lack of equality in our justice system.

[NewLand]

Your self indulgence (your entire post) is actually describing how you see yourself...replace the references to America and this nation, replace it with your own name, and you can read your own bio.

Can you honestly say that you currently practice and achieve all those characteristics that you accuse us of not being or doing...i.e. "goodness must go on and on, each and every day there is not a calamity". If you do not, then how can you so easily blame all others around you?

You need help. Turn to God...he will be there for you.