Mr. T Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 the problems and misery of the American people during their struggles will rise to fill the supply of federal hand-outs. Winston Churchill said: …a socialist policy is abhorrent to the British ideas of freedom. Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the object worship of the state. It will prescribe for every one where they are to work, what they are to work at, where they may go and what they may say. You Cannot Embrace Socialism and Still Be American http://westernfrontamerica.com/2008/11/18/...alism-american/ What is the spirit of America, and what does it mean to be an “American.” Perhaps I am old fashioned, but I think the American spirit exists in the blood, sweat, and tears of hard work, effort and the desire to achieve on the strength of self, with as little government interference as possible. It is rugged individualism, yet it is also community. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but I’ll explain it. An American is an individual. He is responsible for himself, and for his family. He works hard, uses his head and becomes a success, however he defines it. If he finds himself in some rough times, he turns to the community. Family, churches and charities are there to offer support, whether it be food, a place to rest his head, or simple reassurance that this too shall pass. They don’t have to. They want to. And he accepts their charity thankfully and puts it to use. He continues to move forward until he becomes a success. Once a success, he begins to give back to the community. There was a man whose father was a traveling salesman. The father “expended considerable energy on tricks and schemes to avoid plain hard work.” The son, however, took a job at 16 as an assistant bookkeeper and vowed to give 10% of his wealth to charity upon retiring. His name was John D. Rockefeller and he ended up giving away $550 million. But no one forced him to help. No one forced him to surrender property to another because a third party thought it was “fair.” That would be unAmerican. Property rights are sacred. Consider the words of one of our Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson: To take from one because it is thought that his own industry and that of his father’s has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association–’the guarantee to every one of a free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.’” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mz. Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Relax, T. Nobody's gonna take your 40 acres and a mule away from you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Relax, T. Nobody's gonna take your 40 acres and a mule away from you... Dang! The mule died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicopee John Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 People embrace freedom, Mr. T, not Socialism. In virtually all instances, Socialism, as a way of life, has been forced upon people and has benefited the very few at the top of the socio-economic pyramid. Oh sure, college students laud the exploits of Castro and Che but fail to look at the practical results of the type of life forced on their citizens. At least from where I sit, I don't see many people embracing Socialism. Maybe a lunatic fringe but not any group of consequence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Oh sure, college students laud the exploits of Castro and Che but fail to look at the practical results of the type of life forced on their citizens. I've always wondered where these mythical Castro-supporting college students are. I've never met any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 People embrace freedom, Mr. T, not Socialism. In virtually all instances, Socialism, as a way of life, has been forced upon people and has benefited the very few at the top of the socio-economic pyramid. Oh sure, college students laud the exploits of Castro and Che but fail to look at the practical results of the type of life forced on their citizens. At least from where I sit, I don't see many people embracing Socialism. Maybe a lunatic fringe but not any group of consequence. Small "s" John. Let us ask which benefits are "rights" today. Food? Shelter? Medical care? Transportation? Heat? Are some citizens forced by law to provide those things? WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicopee John Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I've always wondered where these mythical Castro-supporting college students are. I've never met any of them. Maybe it is the 'forest for the trees' thingy, Al. On the other hand, I am probably a year or two older than you are. Maybe substitute another 'socialist' hero and you will get the point of my remark. But - then again - people embrace freedom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Maybe it is the 'forest for the trees' thingy, Al. On the other hand, I am probably a year or two older than you are. Maybe substitute another 'socialist' hero and you will get the point of my remark. But - then again - people embrace freedom. Try doing a google search for Castro Hero. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I've always wondered where these mythical Castro-supporting college students are. I've never met any of them. I have met a few pro-socialist college students in my years, there are quite a few that live here in Wil, NC. Not so much of the Castro Loving, that is usally what you find with some of the old hippies that live here. And there are plenty to go around. I prefer mid-western christian family values. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Try doing a google search for Castro Hero. WSS You get 3.82 million links. But if you search "Hitler""Hero", you get 5.25 million. There are plenty of crazies online worshiping bad people. But those are the crazies - all the college kids are busy editing their Facebook profiles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Al, thats because most of them dont have a clue of what it takes to earn gainful employment yet. there still caught up into fads like facebook and myspace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicopee John Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Small "s" John. Let us ask which benefits are "rights" today. Food? Shelter? Medical care? Transportation? Heat? Are some citizens forced by law to provide those things? WSS Excellent points, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 You get 3.82 million links. But if you search "Hitler""Hero", you get 5.25 million. There are plenty of crazies online worshiping bad people. But those are the crazies - all the college kids are busy editing their Facebook profiles. I say you're wrong in that (who knows the percentages) a large group of Americans want to open up relations with Castro. I'd bet it's a lot less with Hitler. I also see that a new two part film on Che as a heroic figure hits the theaters. I wouldn't expect to see any Hiler as a good guy flicks. So if I'm to be the Devil's advocate, tell me why Castro is as bad as Hitler and whgy supporting him is on par? WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Oh, I'm for opening up trade with Cuba. But that's because free trade is one of the best ways to open up an undemocratic society - it doesn't always work, but it's not like what we're doing right now is working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mz. Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I've always wondered where these mythical Castro-supporting college students are. I've never met any of them. They reside on TV and in movies, alongside all of the other bullshit archetypes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Oh, I'm for opening up trade with Cuba. But that's because free trade is one of the best ways to open up an undemocratic society - it doesn't always work, but it's not like what we're doing right now is working. So the Hitler exaple is off base. Again do you see Castro as a hero of the people? Che? Do you think it was a noble victory over Batista? WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 No. I just said that I want to sell them stuff & hope that an infusion of capitalism opens things up there. Basically, I'm this guy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. T Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 No. I just said that I want to sell them stuff & hope that an infusion of capitalism opens things up there. Basically, I'm this guy: That was good Al, I like this one also Mad As Hell ... please dont yell out your window Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Alo... If you aren't being facetious I wouldn't have pegged you for a free trader. Or Obama. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I am a free trader, for the most part. That's something the economics course I took in college ingrained in me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pumpkin Eater Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Americans have seen more freedoms vanish under the Bush administration than any other regime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Americans have seen more freedoms vanish under the Bush administration than any other regime. What freedoms might those be? WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Americans have seen more freedoms vanish under the Bush administration than any other regime. What freedom have you lost? I assume you are referring to the Patriot Act? If you are not a criminal or terrorist, you have nothing to worry about. Can you still travel? Buy property? Work where you chose? You just throw out a blanket statement and don't back it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB&J Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 Well, the government can look at what you checked out of the library, read your e-mails and even listen in on your phone calls without a warrant. The government should not be able to do that. It doesn't matter that they said it was only being used on suspected terrorists. We don't know what qualifies a suspected terrorist, for all you know they could be monitoring you. This isn't 1984, we all have a right to privacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Well, the government can look at what you checked out of the library, read your e-mails and even listen in on your phone calls without a warrant. The government should not be able to do that. It doesn't matter that they said it was only being used on suspected terrorists. We don't know what qualifies a suspected terrorist, for all you know they could be monitoring you. This isn't 1984, we all have a right to privacy. We never did kid. Did you think there was a time when someone could NOT go see what books you checked out? So what? Do you think that your emails have not been monitored since there have been emails? If so you're dreaming. As to monitoring the calls to suspected terrorists I don't give a shit. You don't either except to whine about it. Shall we say that after another attack (well had it been on Bush's watch) you'd be crying about how he failed to keep you safe. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiperBowl Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 "There is scarcely a king (or would-be-king) in a hundred who would not, if he could, follow the example of Pharaoh—get first all the people’s money, then all their lands, and then make them and all their children slaves forever." — Thomas Jefferson Writings of Thomas Jefferson good quote Bunker, the more we understand the writings of our founding fathers we will understand their warnings they were speaking of to the american people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoorta Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Excellent points, Steve. It can be summed up in a couple of words John- "government entitlement". a concept not in the vocabulary of our founding fathers. Though I think he's an abject socialist, Komrade Krugman- he of the Nobel prize in economics, did make one valid point in his recent Rolling Stone article- if unemployment gets to 9% or so, it's going to start sinking the ship- and the reason will be federal and state mandated entitlements- there won't be enough working stiffs to pay the taxes that supply benefits to those who aren't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 It can be summed up in a couple of words John- "government entitlement". a concept not in the vocabulary of our founding fathers. Though I think he's an abject socialist, Komrade Krugman- he of the Nobel prize in economics, did make one valid point in his recent Rolling Stone article- if unemployment gets to 9% or so, it's going to start sinking the ship- and the reason will be federal and state mandated entitlements- there won't be enough working stiffs to pay the taxes that supply benefits to those who aren't. Wasn't it Plato's Republic that figures that sooner or later a democracy will vote itself more than those who actually produce can provide? WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB&J Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 Nah, the republic is all about the perfect government and that democracy is a degenerate polity. Plato was more into his republic because it involved having all of the people who were qualified to lead (philosopher kings, smart people) lead and everyone else had their place. Democracy was a method to allow the common folk run the whole thing into the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aloysius Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 For Plato/Socrates, democracy leads to tyranny because democratic societies are luxuriant and greedy, leading to one person wanting all & convincing people he can provide them what they desire. And if you think it's cute to make an Obama comment in response to this, trust me: it's already been done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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