Coincidentally, Netflix just happened to deliver "V for Vendetta" to me yesterday. Being as I was busy, I was unable to watch it until tonight and I am intrigued at the message that it gave about oppressive government and tyrants.
The story is based on a real person, by the name of Guy Fawkes, who in the early 1600's conspired to blow up the House of Parliament along with the King in Great Britain. This was known as the Gunpowder Plot. This movie took me by surprise by taking place in a time after the United States had a Civil war and Great Britain was ruled under an oppressive Hitleresque government. Oddly enough, some of the things said by the "government" in that movie seemed so close to home..
The second coincidence I had today was finding a pocket Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Amendments to the Constitution. I picked it up and decided to read the Declaration of Independence in its entirety and was refreshed at the spirit of freedom in those words. In particular:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness- That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."--United States Declaration of Independence
Tell me, how can a country based on these principles seriously expect to looks its citizens in the eyes and convince fellow Americans that they should voluntarily surrender their labor for others? What does my healthcare have to do with another human in Texas? Hawaii? Maryland? Absolutely nothing.
Is this what life really is about? Is this really freedom? Hefty taxation/economic servitude at the expense of people's labor who will most likely never even meet. Let's step back from political parties and affiliations and challenge the premise at its core.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
United States Debt
Clicking on to Drudge today, I see that the United States is topping about 95% of GDP in debt. 95%! The irresponsible behavior of our elected officials is literally spending any savings we may have, taking out loans, and maxing out every credit card. At what point is anyone going to get serious about America's checkbook and realize that no matter how many welfare recipients we have, how much of a safety cushion some people need to sit at home and collect their benefits? When are the American public going to wake up?
I found this except on CNN of all places.
Cafferty rightly states the condition of our debt levels and uses a stern tone to describe our current situation. Rightly so, and I applaud someone on CNN, of all places, putting our debt situation in important terms.
How did we get to this point? May I venture to say entitlements, transfer payments, fighting two wars, we are in the middle of a recession, a harsh regulatory business environment, and we are on the precipice of sky rocketing taxes, et al.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is only so much that a government can squeeze out of the economy, no matter how they rationalize taking your money. At some point, our government will run out of other people's money to spend. But the more important indicator in this whole mess is the government's brazen attacks on the people of this country vis a vis economic freedom. Does the government really have the power to function like an oligarchy to take control in the name of doing what is right or what they feel is, "good," for the American people? Or should the people decide how they are going to resolve their own situation and allow this hardship to pass?
This country is on the brink of answering this question. We will either walk down the road of completely blatant socialism; which will destroy hundreds of years of work and run afoul of our founding principles or some bold person will stand up and dismantle the alter of government that it has set for itself...
I found this except on CNN of all places.
Cafferty rightly states the condition of our debt levels and uses a stern tone to describe our current situation. Rightly so, and I applaud someone on CNN, of all places, putting our debt situation in important terms.
How did we get to this point? May I venture to say entitlements, transfer payments, fighting two wars, we are in the middle of a recession, a harsh regulatory business environment, and we are on the precipice of sky rocketing taxes, et al.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is only so much that a government can squeeze out of the economy, no matter how they rationalize taking your money. At some point, our government will run out of other people's money to spend. But the more important indicator in this whole mess is the government's brazen attacks on the people of this country vis a vis economic freedom. Does the government really have the power to function like an oligarchy to take control in the name of doing what is right or what they feel is, "good," for the American people? Or should the people decide how they are going to resolve their own situation and allow this hardship to pass?
This country is on the brink of answering this question. We will either walk down the road of completely blatant socialism; which will destroy hundreds of years of work and run afoul of our founding principles or some bold person will stand up and dismantle the alter of government that it has set for itself...
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Israel
Call me an apologist. Call me skeptical. But do not call me a Republican Party reptile.
The recent events with Israel has been making a lot of headlines lately when they raided a Turkish flotilla and a couple of activists ended up getting killed. Essentially, these activists have been blocked from Gaza since Israel shut down the border to prevent any terrorists being able to funnel any type of contraband into the country. Duly noted. I understand the reasoning why they have done this and the logic behind the raid. What may be an impossible feat for me is to prove a negative; that is, if Israel would not be so heavy handed with its neighbors, would there be a need for all of this military action? Interesting question, but impossible to ever know for sure.
Riding to work, I'm quietly spatting the local talk show host cheering all things Israel. He is in full swing into his circular reasoning and logic as to answering the question "Why does the United States support Israel?" "Well," he goes on to say, "The United States is a friend and ally with Israel and always has been. Friends stick up for each other. The neighbors of Israel want its destruction and has the same intentions for the United States." I'm very ambivalent to someone's decision to support something controversial with little or no thought behind what drove them to make the decision. Then when questioned about the contention, they shift the premise in a circular fashion that leaves one begging the question as they respond to each premise they are questioned about.
Look guys, let's be honest here.
(a)The Jews have had a very difficult history throughout the period of the world- lest people forget how Christians were also persecuted for their faith for hundreds of years.
(b)The state of Israel is not a democracy, they are a socialist and racist country. Again, let's be honest here! Just because a country has democratic elections, does not make the government as it functions from day to day, democratic. 93% of the land in Israel is owned by the government, has a healthful and generous welfare state among other things.
(c) The state of Israel has taken it upon themselves to create enemies they never would have otherwise have due to their reckless retribution. A good example is Lebanon. Israel leveled that country by destroying property and killing innocents. But they did get a few of the terrorists that were firing RPG's at them...
What all of these examples are boiling down to is the ability to ask yourself had this been another country doing this, would we have tolerated it? Probably not. Every day that I read another story about more shenanigans pulled by Israel, the more I am of the mind to let them stick up for themselves and sleep in the bed that they are making.
Now to be objective, I do need to admit that Israel has had it tough from the start. They have had to deal with murder of their people and fanatical Muslims who would do anything to inflict pain and horror onto the Israeli people. At times, they have tried to be humane by allowing the free flow of people into and out of Israel only for some coffee shop to go up in flames somewhere in Tel Aviv. Unsuspecting regular people being murdered simply because they were in the midst of a regional issue larger than themselves.
I am very skeptical of the actions of Israel and I am of the belief that every day they continue with these heavy handed, reckless responses to true threats, they are making more enemies in the region. They believe this will deter the enemy. My belief is that it emboldens the enemy into more extreme fanaticism; that is, the radicals are validated by what they have told their young, impressionable people looking to join a movement based on scripture. In the mind of a terrorist, they think of themselves as pious because of the fact that they are doing God's will.
From all of the experiences from the past, I can say with confidence that ultimately killing begets more killing and it doesn't stop until someone is eradicated. Let us just be honest and admit this simple fact to ourselves. It will be at this point that we can answer "Why do we support Israel?" with reason and logic.
The recent events with Israel has been making a lot of headlines lately when they raided a Turkish flotilla and a couple of activists ended up getting killed. Essentially, these activists have been blocked from Gaza since Israel shut down the border to prevent any terrorists being able to funnel any type of contraband into the country. Duly noted. I understand the reasoning why they have done this and the logic behind the raid. What may be an impossible feat for me is to prove a negative; that is, if Israel would not be so heavy handed with its neighbors, would there be a need for all of this military action? Interesting question, but impossible to ever know for sure.
Riding to work, I'm quietly spatting the local talk show host cheering all things Israel. He is in full swing into his circular reasoning and logic as to answering the question "Why does the United States support Israel?" "Well," he goes on to say, "The United States is a friend and ally with Israel and always has been. Friends stick up for each other. The neighbors of Israel want its destruction and has the same intentions for the United States." I'm very ambivalent to someone's decision to support something controversial with little or no thought behind what drove them to make the decision. Then when questioned about the contention, they shift the premise in a circular fashion that leaves one begging the question as they respond to each premise they are questioned about.
Look guys, let's be honest here.
(a)The Jews have had a very difficult history throughout the period of the world- lest people forget how Christians were also persecuted for their faith for hundreds of years.
(b)The state of Israel is not a democracy, they are a socialist and racist country. Again, let's be honest here! Just because a country has democratic elections, does not make the government as it functions from day to day, democratic. 93% of the land in Israel is owned by the government, has a healthful and generous welfare state among other things.
(c) The state of Israel has taken it upon themselves to create enemies they never would have otherwise have due to their reckless retribution. A good example is Lebanon. Israel leveled that country by destroying property and killing innocents. But they did get a few of the terrorists that were firing RPG's at them...
What all of these examples are boiling down to is the ability to ask yourself had this been another country doing this, would we have tolerated it? Probably not. Every day that I read another story about more shenanigans pulled by Israel, the more I am of the mind to let them stick up for themselves and sleep in the bed that they are making.
Now to be objective, I do need to admit that Israel has had it tough from the start. They have had to deal with murder of their people and fanatical Muslims who would do anything to inflict pain and horror onto the Israeli people. At times, they have tried to be humane by allowing the free flow of people into and out of Israel only for some coffee shop to go up in flames somewhere in Tel Aviv. Unsuspecting regular people being murdered simply because they were in the midst of a regional issue larger than themselves.
I am very skeptical of the actions of Israel and I am of the belief that every day they continue with these heavy handed, reckless responses to true threats, they are making more enemies in the region. They believe this will deter the enemy. My belief is that it emboldens the enemy into more extreme fanaticism; that is, the radicals are validated by what they have told their young, impressionable people looking to join a movement based on scripture. In the mind of a terrorist, they think of themselves as pious because of the fact that they are doing God's will.
From all of the experiences from the past, I can say with confidence that ultimately killing begets more killing and it doesn't stop until someone is eradicated. Let us just be honest and admit this simple fact to ourselves. It will be at this point that we can answer "Why do we support Israel?" with reason and logic.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Been a long time!!
Through the many changes that I have been through in the last few years, I have not been posting here. Rummaging through all of my excerpts on the web, I ran across my account here and was recanting what I was doing at that time and some of the views that I had at that time.
I'd like to assume that I was correct in my thinking in my previous posts; however, I do conclude at this point that I was still a bit misguided. These days, I tend to align myself as more of a conservative Libertarian- not that I had some revelation due to someone convincing me to have some different views. Rather, it was the result of a learning process that ultimately brought me closer to understanding myself and the world around me and how I interpret it.
Much has changed these past couple of years. I have gotten married, I have had changes in jobs, and a few other social things that I prefer not to mention. A good friend of mine that lived in Stillwater died in a car accident shortly after returning home. He was 24 years old. Of course, this hit me like a train wreck and I still think that I'm a bit pissed at God right now for that one. But what remains are old pictures of him and him on my "friends" list on facebook. This is the only thing that I have of him; that he added me at a point when he was alive and we were still friends and I was able to communicate with him. Reflecting on this and having reverence for what little I still have, I thought about my own situation. Perhaps, it may be a good move to write things down at some point in the case that something happened with me. This would leave a small trail of who I am and who I was for people sometime down the line to get to know me, should they choose.
To this day, I miss my friend Rankie and think of him quite often. I even post things on his profile explaining my feelings.. how ironic. But nonetheless, I feel as somehow he gets the message and is able to understand my gratitude and his impact on my life.
In the coming months, I am going to get serious about this again and put my thoughts down. In the case that something unfortunate happens to me.. My sons will be able to get to know who I was.
I'd like to assume that I was correct in my thinking in my previous posts; however, I do conclude at this point that I was still a bit misguided. These days, I tend to align myself as more of a conservative Libertarian- not that I had some revelation due to someone convincing me to have some different views. Rather, it was the result of a learning process that ultimately brought me closer to understanding myself and the world around me and how I interpret it.
Much has changed these past couple of years. I have gotten married, I have had changes in jobs, and a few other social things that I prefer not to mention. A good friend of mine that lived in Stillwater died in a car accident shortly after returning home. He was 24 years old. Of course, this hit me like a train wreck and I still think that I'm a bit pissed at God right now for that one. But what remains are old pictures of him and him on my "friends" list on facebook. This is the only thing that I have of him; that he added me at a point when he was alive and we were still friends and I was able to communicate with him. Reflecting on this and having reverence for what little I still have, I thought about my own situation. Perhaps, it may be a good move to write things down at some point in the case that something happened with me. This would leave a small trail of who I am and who I was for people sometime down the line to get to know me, should they choose.
To this day, I miss my friend Rankie and think of him quite often. I even post things on his profile explaining my feelings.. how ironic. But nonetheless, I feel as somehow he gets the message and is able to understand my gratitude and his impact on my life.
In the coming months, I am going to get serious about this again and put my thoughts down. In the case that something unfortunate happens to me.. My sons will be able to get to know who I was.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Mr. Washington, we're sorry that we are all democrats!
Ah this fine country of America; what is to become of it? If you all have not heard, we are fighting a war over in the Middle East protecting the freedom of Americans; fighting for the good arrogant will of our nation. Exactly what freedoms are we protecting? Well, who knows. I forgot, let me get back to you on that. I would venture to believe that we are actually LOSING freedoms with this war on Iraq, although that would depend on your perspective. If trampling on privacy rights for the good of the objectives of our fearless leader is not an encroachment to your rights, I suppose nothing is wrong.
Fundamentally, the problem lies in the way America has evolved through the years. If you take a look at the CIA factbook you will see that the United States of America is a Federal Republic with strong democratic roots (so handsomely interjected, by the way), it does not say that it is a democracy purely, it states REPUBLIC.
Funny how people can actually believe the more taxes will make government programs more effective. Little do most Americans know that the 16th Amendment that was passed in 1913, was the essential green light to impose taxes although income taxes were not fully instituted until about 1945. Now that sixty one years has flown by since the imposition of this taxation, and this country is headed for a time bomb just as soon as the baby boomers start to come of age. This government makes promises that is not keeping with Social Security, robbing the livelihood of its citizens to pay for mindless endeavors that go no where and achieve nothing; yes, similar to the war in Iraq.
Fundamentally, the problem lies in the way America has evolved through the years. If you take a look at the CIA factbook you will see that the United States of America is a Federal Republic with strong democratic roots (so handsomely interjected, by the way), it does not say that it is a democracy purely, it states REPUBLIC.
Funny how people can actually believe the more taxes will make government programs more effective. Little do most Americans know that the 16th Amendment that was passed in 1913, was the essential green light to impose taxes although income taxes were not fully instituted until about 1945. Now that sixty one years has flown by since the imposition of this taxation, and this country is headed for a time bomb just as soon as the baby boomers start to come of age. This government makes promises that is not keeping with Social Security, robbing the livelihood of its citizens to pay for mindless endeavors that go no where and achieve nothing; yes, similar to the war in Iraq.
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