Busy

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Busy

Sorry for the lack of posting, but since I’ve got someone to actually, you know, respond to a debate invitation, I feel obligated to put out extra effort. Mr. James Kelly noted in his reply post that one reason he was reluctant to engage was to do so “at the very least would be extremely time-consuming”.

Don’t I know it.

Hopefully tomorrow. We’ll see.

Quote of the Day: Prophecy

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Quote of the Day: Prophecy

From the Geekwitha.45, the eve of Election Day, 2008:

Entire Societies Can and Have Gone Stark Raving Batshit Fucking Insane.

—

We, The People are the ramparts that guard Locke. Tomorrow, we will take another in a series of what has become increasingly dire exams. The outcome will be a reality check on the grasp of our nation’s psyche and sanity.

The malevolent spirit that infests the Democrats has offered up a candidate whose barely hidden goal is to change the core substance of America, to redirect our basis from the values of self determination to a coercive utopianism that will will bring to full flower the seeds of self destruction planted nearly a century ago.

We know the stakes: it is nothing less than the soul of the Republic itself.

Right now, the Gods of the Copybook Headings are inking up the rubber stamp that says “Epic Fail” and at some point on Wednesday morning, that stamp will come down on either Barack Obama’s head, or on We The People as a whole.

If our inner thirst for the false promises of a Philosopher King has finally weighed heavier than our memory of freedom, we will well and truly get what we deserve.

Good and hard. And our children and grandchildren and . . .

Violent & Predatory vs. Violent but Protective

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Rachel Lucas has a post with 259 comments (at the time of this posting) on the topic of British compelled helplessness, the loss of their aggressive edge, and their inability to distinguish violent-and-predatory from violent-but-protective. Many of the comments are, of course, infuriating.

Example:

I’m one of those idiots who think we’d all be a lot safer without so many knives around. And it seems the police in the UK (not a bunch of woolly liberals on the whole) agree with me, as they’ve fairly regularly held knife amnesties with the intention of making the streets safer.
At the end of the day, it’s a legitimate philosophical difference – am I safer with there being far fewer guns around to shoot me with, or is the proliferation of guns a price worth paying as long as one of those guns is in my hand and I’m trained to use it? I prefer the former option, and I suspect I always will.

I understand a little better each day Samuel Adams:

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, — go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!

UPDATE: And here’s the clincher, from the source of the initial quote:

I think this is another crucial aspect of the cultural difference between the US and countries like Britain with strict gun controls. You see, I believe in liberty as well – and the cornerstone of that is the freedom to live and the freedom from fear. Freedom that can only be safeguarded by a gun in my hand and the sharpness of my physical reflexes is a very poor quality, one-dimensional freedom. The widespread possession of deadly weapons by others is therefore a severe infringement of my personal liberty. And, yes, I am being utterly serious.

“Freedom from fear.” And where have we heard that before?

Another commenter answered that plea as well if not better than I could:

OvertheCliff Says:

Scotgo: I think this is another crucial aspect of the cultural difference between the US and countries like Britain with strict gun controls. You see, I believe in liberty as well – and the cornerstone of that is the freedom to live and the freedom from fear.

This might be the whole reason this thread is as long as it is. Thank you, Scotgo, for pointing out that liberty, to you, means “freedom from fear.”

Now if I can ask you to please take a moment and think that through.

Freedom that can only be safeguarded by a gun in my hand and the sharpness of my physical reflexes is a very poor quality, one-dimensional freedom.

As opposed to “freedom” that can only be safeguarded by the state, you mean?

Again … please think this through. You seem like a very intelligent person. I’m confident that you can work your way through this. Furthermore, I’m confident that when you do, your eyes will open like Paul on the proverbial road to Damascus.

The widespread possession of deadly weapons by others is therefore a severe infringement of my personal liberty. And, yes, I am being utterly serious.

I feel very sure this cognitive dissonance you’re experiencing is the result of you not applying your considerable intellect to this issue.

Scotgo, we’re not smarter than you. But we’re more free. In fact, we’re more free than you have ever imagined being, considering what you just said.

Not only more free that he’s ever imagined, more free than he can ever possibly understand.

And I note that the UK isn’t particularly “free of fear” even in its (*cough*) “disarmed” state.

If Ten Percent is Good Enough for Jesus . . .

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(It Oughta Be Enough For Uncle Sam)

Ray Stevens, 1993:

Now, I’d just like to say a few words right here about taxes

I pay another man to do my taxes
On account of it’s just one more deduction I can take
But the postman brought my W2 this mornin’
And this year they’re claimin’ a third of all I make

Now I’m just as patriotic as the next man
And you know I love that Red, White, and Blue
So, I’ll help to pay this risin’ “cost of freedom”
But I’ll be danged if I’m gonna change my point of view

Because every time the bureaucrats run out of money
Well Congress socks it to the workin’ man
And I don’t think it’s one bit funny
When they take so much of my money
And do things with it I don’t understand

I don’t know why they feel they gotta squeeze us
But I’ll tell you just exactly where I stand
I believe if ten percent is good enough for Jesus
Well, it ought to be enough for Uncle Sam

Now, some of them folks that we’ve been sendin’ off to Congress
Think that all they’ve got to do is spend and spend
But, you know, you can’t run a family, much less a country,
with more money goin’ out than comin’ in

And that ole debt just keeps on gettin’ bigger
And we’re all gonna have to pay, so don’t you laugh
‘Cause one day soon you might just look down at your paycheck
And figure out that they done started takin’ half

Because every time the bureaucrats run out of money
Well Congress socks it to the workin’ man
And I don’t think it’s one bit funny
When they take so much of my money
And do things with it I don’t understand

I don’t know why they feel they gotta squeeze us
But I’ll tell you just exactly where I stand
I believe if ten percent is good enough for Jesus
Well, it ought to be enough for Uncle Sam

I said if ten percent is good enough for Jesus
Well, it ought to be enough for Uncle Sam
Seemed appropriate.