Posted on 05/02/2009 10:22:18 AM PDT by quesney
While reading the following news story:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/motoringAutoNews/idUKTRE5406CF20090501
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I was reminded two very important quotes from John Adams about the American Revolution:
* As to the history of the revolution, my ideas may be peculiar, perhaps singular. What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760 - 1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington. o Letter to Thomas Jefferson (1815-08-24), The Works of John Adams
What do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations... This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution. * Letter to H. Niles (1818-02-13)
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In other words, years before the American Revolution, there had been a revolution in people's minds about the way things were and the way things should be.
Forget the disputes over just how real are Obama's high poll numbers. This is beyond Obama, or even his current followers.
Whether we realize it or not, the US went through another mental revolution of thought over the past few decades -- maybe beginning as far back as the anti-war protests of the 1960s, maybe to Roosevelt's New Deal, maybe to Lincoln forcing a more centralized Union...whatever.
This revolution of thought has slowly eroded the entire mental foundation of the country's founding principles.
The U.S., as it was and as many of us here still think of it, is already gone. Dead. A number of us have not fully caught up to this emerging reality.
Obama, and Bush before him, are only making that obvious. Steele, Arlen Spectre, the feckless GOP, all the rest -- it's all part of bigger picture already drawn and entrenched, maybe even before many of us were born.
Many of us are holding onto a mental artifact that is gone or never existed in the minds of our "fellow Americans." That remains true no matter what happens to Obama, long after he's gone.
Does that mean we give up? No. But that if you're making a personal decision not to give up, you have to start thinking more seriously about follow-up to those Tea Parties and perhaps to secession.
The U.S. is, beyond everything else, an idea. When our "fellow Americans" no longer share the basic elements of that idea -- of even basic standards of mutual respect, logic, reason, civil discourse, respect for others as equals -- our "fellow Americans" are no longer our "fellow Americans."
Plan accordingly.
We arent dead. We just fell asleep at the switch and are now just starting to awaken. Payback will be a b!tch when we eventually get our collective acts together.
“If I’m not dead, then America is not dead.”
Can it be said any better?
Rebellion, a pre-cursor to any revolution, requires a spark. That spark may or may not occur naturally as the progressive experiments carry on.
I introduced my brothers to Yuri Bezmenov a couple of weeks ago, and he is the topic of conversation frequently now.
We have officially entered the “Crises Stage” now, with the Marxists firmly in power.
The people have been demoralized and are acceptant of the fascistic ideology that is now presented to them.
But don’t worry, Obama will now buy you a house, and pay for the gas in your Government Motors car.
I think you misunderstand the post. Read to the end.
Also, I think the big mistake many of us have made is taking for granted that, when all is said and done beyond today’s politics, the U.S. remains intact.
It’s not and by recognizing it’s not, maybe we can get a little more serious about the hard work that needs to be done and the risks that need to be taken to restore it.
“the Swiss canton extreme.” I agree.
Every multicultural “nation” in history has been held together by an authoritarian or totalitarian government except Switzerland with extreme decentralization in a cantonal system abetted by separating mountains.
It’s easy to envision an American future in which a thrust toward the authoritarian alternative ends in collapse and out of the collapse people regroup in some form of federal or confederal arrangement.
Poster recently elsewhere:
(From a Brit) “We’re reaching the end of a socialist nightmare. Obama resembles Blair so much with his slick tongue and faux cool persona. You’re stuck with him for four years. Thankfully our Blair replacement will be gone next year.
It won’t kill you but it will certainly change America for the worse. And you’ll be a lot poorer as millions pour down experimantal swamps never to be seen again.
Batten down. Hold resolve and it’ll soon pass.”
Way to inspire! (lame ass)
“Walk away”...
Never.
The fact that a communist who is publicly surrounding by communists is able to win the office of the presidency in a free election in the U.S. should tell us all we need to know.
Does anyone on this thread believe O and his handlers will not fast track their plans and move aggressively?
“As for whether or not it’s too late, I don’t know. I suspect it may be.”
We may be left with the elections in 2010 and perhaps the those of 2012. Barring “national emergencies” and “civil unrest”, that is.
5.56mm
First it will be institutional oppression against the left’s religious, political and social enemies as Michael Kinsley let loose today in the Washington Post. Then it will be blossom into violence.
Christians have this end times image of them marching quietly like lambs to the slaughter to their deaths...ain’t going to happen in the US.
There will be civil war as the country is already divided in half by culture and region. So it will be one half against the other half. Will the Left fight for socialism and maintain their blood lust in the face of war? Americans, on the other hand, will fight for freedom and they have a long history of facing death, killing and undermining communists in power.
If the Left pushes it too far - beyond the tipping point with doing some Wakos aginst any group they hate, the game will be on and since Republicans have turned into such idiots and wimps, there won’t be appeasment and successful intimidation once it starts. I hope it does not go that far but Obama is showing troubling signs.
“In other words, years before the American Revolution, there had been a revolution in people’s minds about the way things were and the way things should be.”
Well put. Very provocative in context of today’s institutions of 24/7 propaganda that essentially instill the notion of cradle to grave services (including personal income) as an entitlement. But it should also (always) be kept in mind that those same Adams-Jefferson era ‘Founders’ enshrined those ideas in the Declaration and the US Constitution which are to be ‘preserved, protected, and defended’ by office holders (not to mention citizens) who should be held, at their peril, to their oaths.
Secession will be the news of the day a year from now. Mark my words.
America had a great run. I think the founders would be amazed it lasted as long as it did. There’s no point hanging onto the past, so remember it fondly for what it was.
The parasites outnumber the hosts now, and there’s no going back. Splash some cold water in your face and figure out how to grab every government dime you possibly can before the parasites gobble it all up. Every man for himself.
Good luck!
“Way to inspire! (lame ass)”
Go to Obama or some other politician if you want empty inspiration. It’s time to get real about where we are and what needs to be done about it. The first step is to see things as they are, not as you think they are or want them to be.
“Geographic balkanization with a central minimal authority seems to be the next big thing. It’s just the delicate matter of how and not why that needs to be addressed.”
That will never happen without a civil war. The political class will NEVER give up it’s control over more than a trillion dollars a year without a fight. That’s what “minimal central authority” means—the feds don’t get much tax money.
That is really the history of the US since the 1930’s: Continuous aggregation of money and power into the hands of 535 congress critters and the executive branch. Following along has been the growth of the dependent classes (unions, transfer payment recipients and corporate dependents). The political class provides handouts to the dependent classes. In turn, they make sure the political class continues in power.
All elected democrats and a good portion of the Republicans are members of the political class. They answer to the rest of the political class and to the dependent classes. Not to the electorate.
I really don’t see a post-tea-party solution. The political class has been devastatingly effective at destroying or coopting any politician who threatens the political status quo. The political class controls the government, the press, the military, the FBI, ATF etc. There is no credible threat on the horizon to their current power or to their ability to continue increasing their power.
Sorry for the negativity. But I think it’s time to hunker down and try to live a quiet, Christian life—for as long as that is not illegal. Nails that stick up are gonna get hammered good.
I suspect it may not be too late. If you have seen how Obama gets his back up when he doesn't get his way, you have seen the key to making him fail.
Take the Chrysler bankruptcy. Obama was visibly angered that he failed to get the bond holders to sign on to taking a 400% haircut when the unions were getting half the company for free. He was angry! He lashed out at the bond holders. That anger is his weakness.
He doesn't handle "push-back" well. He actually believes he is infallible.
What we need to unhinge him is more structured, well publicized push-back! That should be the sole task of conservatives in the coming months - to strengthen anyone, left or right, that wants to fight Obama's policies. There is no guarantee of success - but without strong, in Obama's face, push-back the Republican Party is doomed.
These current groups trying to restructure the party to broaden its appeal, with McCain as one figurehead for crying out loud, are pathetic. We need fighters - not bipartisan patsies and whipping boys, to win.
Instead of trying to overcome the "Party of No" label, we need to be the "Party of Hell No-Here's Why"
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