I want my country back(HARRY BROWNE BARF ALERT)

World Net Daily ^ | December 5, 2002 | Harry Browne

[cardinal4]

Just kidding with you. My real opinion is this. In the last century, we witnessed barbarism at the hands of governments on a horrific scale; Hitler, Stalin,the Kims, Pol Pot,Pinochet, the list goes on. In an age where you and I discuss current events over a computer from my home office, there is no more room on such a small and civilized planet. Its my firm belief that sadamm Hussein is a monster of the highest order. Atilla, Ho Chi Minh, and a Hutu chieftain have nothing on this devil. Its time the Husseins, Kims, Assads,etc. of the world understood; no more genocide, no more dictatorships. Fantasy? Maybe, but we have to start somewhere, and as result, school age girls in Kabul are learning to read. Are we supposed to be the worlds policeman? Probably not, but again, we have to start somewhere. Did you know that one of Husseins main tools of opression is rape? The thought of one of my family members in the hands of that regime makes my blood run cold. Saddam has to go, and this family backs our leader in his crusade to rid, at least that region, of despots, and those who would harm us. Blind faith? You bet. But consider the alternative; the suicide bomber so prevalent in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, arrives at the Galleria Mall in St Louis. Just my opinion of course, and I was just funnin' you about the gas prices.

[jjm2111]

I am the walrus. Coo-koo catchoo.

Browne is a dope and he is smoking too much of it.

[jjm2111]

Harry was actually spouting this trash on 9/12/2001.

[weikel]

Hitler, Stalin,the Kims, Pol Pot, Pinochet

Its despicable to compare a hero like Pinochet with those monsters.

[Kevin Curry]

I believe that rational individuals seeking their enlightened self interest is a good thing . . .

Few people are solely or even consistently rational. A great many people are emotional, intuitive, and mystical much of the time. And what does "enlightened" mean? It means something entirely different to a religious person than it means to a Randian atheist.

Even the people--perhaps especially the people--who are convinced they are rational and enlightened are generally emotional, pigheaded, and dangerously ignorant in their biases much of the time.

A wise person is a humble person and would never be so smug or proud as to insist he consistently sees and thinks rationally or even that rational thought always yields the best answer. A wise conservative understands that some human institutions that proud "rational" free-thinkers disdain as irrational and unprogressive are actually of fundamental importance to the stability and health of any society. Chief among these are religion and the traditional family. These institutions are not "reasoned" into existence. They grow organically over decades, centuries, and even millennia in response to felt human need. They prove their worth by their staying power.

The worst times in the lives of any people are when these institutions are attacked by intellectual do-gooders (perhaps we should call them "can do it betters") bent on creating a more rational society by excising the "bad" elements of tradition and so-called superstition.

Ayn Rand and her objectivist acolytes are "can do it better" intellectuals. They are far from humble. They are Jocobin-style ideologues who would cheer the elimination of every tradition and institution of time-tested value (e.g., religion, the nuclear mom and pop family, etc) that they adjudge irrational, superstitious, and unenlightened just as quickly as Marx sought to destroy these same institutions in the name of "progressivism."

Wise, careful conservatives honor the balance and the tension between the rational and the intuitive, and always keep a sharp eye on ideologues who are overbalanced to one tendency or the other. In paraphrase of Reagan's oft-repeated dictum I might say the most frightening phrase in the English language is, "I'm a rational and enlightened person and I'm here to help you overhaul your society."

[jjm2111]

Excellent post.

[cardinal4]

Its despicable to compare a hero like Pinochet with those monsters.

Then why wont he come clean about the 1000s of people missing under his regime?

"Senator for Life"?? Gimme a break.

[weikel]

One of the legitimate functions of government is defending the property of its citizens. There is no excuse for not protecting it from militarily weak states like the tribes with flags Saudis. At the very least our government should allow those who lose property in such incidents to raise mercenary forces.

[cardinal4]

We need to make a horrible example of the Saudi ruling class so nobody commits terrorism against America for 500 years.

That statement, I agree 100% with.

[weikel]

Im not consistently rational but I try. I would agree that most people are fundamentally irrational. Family is an organic institution ill agree. Organized religion is ussually a means to part suckers from their money. Religions that don't maintain themselves by force( like Islam) tend to eventually get replaced by the next religion with better marketing.

[weikel]

You mean the 1000s of wannabe NKVD types missing under his regime many who were imported from Cuba and the Soviet block? Yeah my heart bleeds for them( sarcasm).

[jjm2111]

"...btw the Arabs actually liked us when they were Beduin nomads..."

If I may, your Majesty, Arabs and Bedouins are two separate peoples. They are close, but not one in the same. Arabs gave up their nomadic ways centuries ago.

[smpc]

I think you mean you're a 'monarchist' not a 'minarchist'.

[jjm2111]

Over the past two years I have watched as the Bush administration has implemented every statist assault on freedom that Clinton could not have passed in his wildest dreams.

Like what?

[Liberal Classic]

In moral defense of Israel

Some people around here need to read this.

[sheltonmac]

"Somebody please call the WAAMBULANCE."

Why the "Barf Alert"? What did Browne write that was untrue? Do you believe stretching our military resources across the entire globe is actually a smart thing to do? This is so typical. Someone criticizes the government when a Democrat is in office and "conservatives" cheer. Someone criticizes the government when a Republican is in office and "conservatives" jeer. Care to explain?

[cardinal4]

Yes I will agree many of those people were Marxists, but a lot of them werent. Like Argentina, they went overboard. I dont know what your connection to Chile is, but we had friends in Argentina who had a family member disappear while in Santiago. His crime? No one knows, he wasnt subversive in Buenos Aires, he was an airline employee on an overnight in Santiago. Petitioning every possible body for help both in Argentina and in Chile, as well as several world bodies, resulted in nothing but stonewalling from Pinochets Interior people. This would have '83 or early '84. As of '89, my last contact with the family, there had been no word at all from the Chileans, who at the time, were getting ready to oust Augusto.

[jjm2111]

While Browne's foreign policy ideas are wacked, his opposition to the WoD is not. Prohibition II and the REAL governmental abuses that accompany it does not work. Lots of people do drugs. Outlawing drugs is like outlawing guns. It doesn't work.

There are way more government abuses w/ the WoD than all of the imaginary ones in the PATRIOT act and in the Dept. of Homeland Security.

[jjm2111]

What's the Our Lady of Peace Act?

[weikel]

Both actually could see how you would get confused I did mean minarchist where I said and then added in paratheses that I also prefer a monarchy.