Words are only words...
Jun. 28th, 2005 10:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
prolixfootleLast week, I was thinking of writing something charming and humorous – perhaps something like the day-in-the-life thing that ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
morganaus suggested.
However, last Thursday changed all that. Since then, I’ve been thinking about sheep, and lemmings, and the rise of fascism in America. This isn’t the first time I’ve thought about that subject… I’ve actually been thinking about it since the mid '80s. You know, the Reagan-era and all of its incumbent political weirdness.
You see, last Thursday my friendbaronmind, in a post about the indoctrination of the population with the new American credo of Freedom From All Rational Thought (a topic that he returned to today), included a link to an article about The Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Another of my good friends, fearsclave, picked up the torch and made a few… ah… colorful comments about it in his journal. For his pains, he was besieged with animosity, being told, among other things, that American politics were none of his concern, given that he is Canadian. This – which made as much sense to me as your next-door neighbor saying, “Don’t mind me, I’m just burning down my house. It’s no concern of yours, the flames will never reach your house!” – along with other rather scathing commentary, led me to comment that I understood what he was trying to say. Then, when called upon to expand my views I was called, in turn, paranoid, delusional, lame and stupid. I was also told that I needed to, “learn about the real problems of the world”.
Fortunately, I’m a firm believer in that adage ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’ (something with which the makers of the list apparently disagree). However, the insinuations did get me to thinking that I’ve never really voiced my views on the current state of America, on what I see happening in the country. So I started thinking about that instead – and naturally started composing a post on the subject. It’s now five days later and still counting…
Before I start fanning the flames of conservative hatred though, let me say that I’m not a historian. History frightens me, or at least political history does. This is because I tend to see… patterns… correlations and similarities between past and present. (Allegedly this pattern recognition is typical of INTJs, for whatever that’s worth.)
I’m also, contrary to most expectations, decidedly not a bleeding-heart liberal. I know, I know… hard to believe, but it’s true. For the most part I believe in capital punishment, and certainly corporal punishment. I believe that those capable of it should work for their welfare checks. I believe that scholastic standards should be raised, not lowered. I believe in personal freedoms and personal choice, but not necessarily at the cost of common sense. There are a multitude of other personal beliefs that move me quite a distance away from the far left.
(To be fair, I also believe that it’s strictly your business with whom you enter into a domestic partnership, and that your choice should be legally recognized; that America was founded on separation of church and state and religion should be as far removed from government as possible – ‘under God’ wasn’t added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954 for cryin’ out loud, and should be removed; that a national healthcare program is social necessity; and that the tax code would be better as a flat rate.)
Also I realize that, yes, my views do tend toward the pessimistic – some might even say paranoid, although I prefer ‘realistically possible’(and you cannot imagine how fervently I hope that ‘they’ are right). But I still have those worries, still pick up on those little cues that make me lose sleep over the possibility that things are headed straight for the toilet.
So, anyway, America. Land of the free, home of the brave.
I, believe it or not, am a fairly patriotic person. I believe that this nation is the land of opportunity. I also believe that it’s the pinnacle of social evolution thus far achieved by mankind. And, unlike some people (*cough*montecristo*cough*), I don’t believe that the experiment is finished, doomed from this point forward to accelerating decay and eventual decline into anarchy. I believe Old Glory still has waving left to do, if it is properly mended and watched over.
But… only if people of good conscious maintain vigilance, if they… if we… step up and make ourselves heard, let it be known that we will stand for what we feel is in the best interest of our country. And that’s something that I don’t think is happening. The average person, they typical American, whether out of fear or horror, apathy or ignorance, is sitting there slackjawed as the extremist minorities hack away at each other, at everyone else and at that which has been the basis of our society for over two hundred years: the Constitution. These groups are clamoring to change, to regulate, to strangle or legislate everything from free speech to personal choice to scientific research.
And that is what scares me. That hands-off, ‘what can I do?’ mentality that the politically moderate have adopted. Because that mentality, that fear of action, gave rise to the greatest political horror the world has know. At least so far…
How can I say that? How could I possibly intimate that the land of the free may be traveling down the road to… fascism?!?
Yes, I used the ‘F’ word.
*GASP*SHOCK*HORROR* Tar and feather the blasphemer!
Like I said, I see parallels. They really aren’t all that subtle – and I’m not the only one who’s noticed them:
1. A national tragedy occurs which brings a nation together, full of patriotism and righteous anger: The Reichstag burns – The Twin Towers fall
2. Internment camps are established: Dachau – Guantanamo Bay
3. The government is granted emergency powers: The Enabling Act – The Patriot Act
4. A sovereign country is invaded under dubious rational: Czechoslovakia – Iraq
These are just the most obvious similarities. Other things, like a leadership willing to lie and mislead to further their agenda, a minority population to ostracize (Muslims) and the spread of that ostracism to other minorities (most notably homosexuals), the continued erosion of civil liberties, the flagrant disregard for international opinion and law and flirtations with near-censorship, both governmental and in the private sector, also have correlations to the past. When you add in avowed followers of this mindset making lists of ‘harmful’ literature, is it any wonder I get a bit worried?
Those are some of the little indicators that make me want to start building the fortifications and laying in supplies. Exacerbating problem is the very thing which is being attacked: the Constitution. You can’t not allow them to speak, or to try and persuade others to their cause. You can only try and make them adhere to the established guidelines and obey the law – not an easy task when they’re willing tocheat circumvent the procedures and you’re not…
Sadly, about all you can do is point and say, “Look what they’re doing!” to which they reply, “We’re not doing anything, now just shut up.” “But, you are too doing things, bad things!” “No, we’re not.” “Are too! People, look!” “Are not. Arenotarenotarenot!” until they change the law so you can’t point anymore and it’s illegal to speak.
I don’t have the answers. I can only point out (while it’s still legal) what I believe are the symptoms. And I admit that I may be wrong. In fact, I hope I am wrong. All I’m doing is asking that people look, and decide the facts for themselves.
That, or electbaronmind to lead the sheep.
morganaus suggested.However, last Thursday changed all that. Since then, I’ve been thinking about sheep, and lemmings, and the rise of fascism in America. This isn’t the first time I’ve thought about that subject… I’ve actually been thinking about it since the mid '80s. You know, the Reagan-era and all of its incumbent political weirdness.
You see, last Thursday my friend
baronmind, in a post about the indoctrination of the population with the new American credo of Freedom From All Rational Thought (a topic that he returned to today), included a link to an article about The Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Another of my good friends, fearsclave, picked up the torch and made a few… ah… colorful comments about it in his journal. For his pains, he was besieged with animosity, being told, among other things, that American politics were none of his concern, given that he is Canadian. This – which made as much sense to me as your next-door neighbor saying, “Don’t mind me, I’m just burning down my house. It’s no concern of yours, the flames will never reach your house!” – along with other rather scathing commentary, led me to comment that I understood what he was trying to say. Then, when called upon to expand my views I was called, in turn, paranoid, delusional, lame and stupid. I was also told that I needed to, “learn about the real problems of the world”.Fortunately, I’m a firm believer in that adage ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me’ (something with which the makers of the list apparently disagree). However, the insinuations did get me to thinking that I’ve never really voiced my views on the current state of America, on what I see happening in the country. So I started thinking about that instead – and naturally started composing a post on the subject. It’s now five days later and still counting…
Before I start fanning the flames of conservative hatred though, let me say that I’m not a historian. History frightens me, or at least political history does. This is because I tend to see… patterns… correlations and similarities between past and present. (Allegedly this pattern recognition is typical of INTJs, for whatever that’s worth.)
I’m also, contrary to most expectations, decidedly not a bleeding-heart liberal. I know, I know… hard to believe, but it’s true. For the most part I believe in capital punishment, and certainly corporal punishment. I believe that those capable of it should work for their welfare checks. I believe that scholastic standards should be raised, not lowered. I believe in personal freedoms and personal choice, but not necessarily at the cost of common sense. There are a multitude of other personal beliefs that move me quite a distance away from the far left.
(To be fair, I also believe that it’s strictly your business with whom you enter into a domestic partnership, and that your choice should be legally recognized; that America was founded on separation of church and state and religion should be as far removed from government as possible – ‘under God’ wasn’t added to the Pledge of Allegiance until 1954 for cryin’ out loud, and should be removed; that a national healthcare program is social necessity; and that the tax code would be better as a flat rate.)
Also I realize that, yes, my views do tend toward the pessimistic – some might even say paranoid, although I prefer ‘realistically possible’(and you cannot imagine how fervently I hope that ‘they’ are right). But I still have those worries, still pick up on those little cues that make me lose sleep over the possibility that things are headed straight for the toilet.
So, anyway, America. Land of the free, home of the brave.
I, believe it or not, am a fairly patriotic person. I believe that this nation is the land of opportunity. I also believe that it’s the pinnacle of social evolution thus far achieved by mankind. And, unlike some people (*cough*
montecristo*cough*), I don’t believe that the experiment is finished, doomed from this point forward to accelerating decay and eventual decline into anarchy. I believe Old Glory still has waving left to do, if it is properly mended and watched over.But… only if people of good conscious maintain vigilance, if they… if we… step up and make ourselves heard, let it be known that we will stand for what we feel is in the best interest of our country. And that’s something that I don’t think is happening. The average person, they typical American, whether out of fear or horror, apathy or ignorance, is sitting there slackjawed as the extremist minorities hack away at each other, at everyone else and at that which has been the basis of our society for over two hundred years: the Constitution. These groups are clamoring to change, to regulate, to strangle or legislate everything from free speech to personal choice to scientific research.
And that is what scares me. That hands-off, ‘what can I do?’ mentality that the politically moderate have adopted. Because that mentality, that fear of action, gave rise to the greatest political horror the world has know. At least so far…
How can I say that? How could I possibly intimate that the land of the free may be traveling down the road to… fascism?!?
Yes, I used the ‘F’ word.
*GASP*SHOCK*HORROR* Tar and feather the blasphemer!
Like I said, I see parallels. They really aren’t all that subtle – and I’m not the only one who’s noticed them:
1. A national tragedy occurs which brings a nation together, full of patriotism and righteous anger: The Reichstag burns – The Twin Towers fall
2. Internment camps are established: Dachau – Guantanamo Bay
3. The government is granted emergency powers: The Enabling Act – The Patriot Act
4. A sovereign country is invaded under dubious rational: Czechoslovakia – Iraq
These are just the most obvious similarities. Other things, like a leadership willing to lie and mislead to further their agenda, a minority population to ostracize (Muslims) and the spread of that ostracism to other minorities (most notably homosexuals), the continued erosion of civil liberties, the flagrant disregard for international opinion and law and flirtations with near-censorship, both governmental and in the private sector, also have correlations to the past. When you add in avowed followers of this mindset making lists of ‘harmful’ literature, is it any wonder I get a bit worried?
Those are some of the little indicators that make me want to start building the fortifications and laying in supplies. Exacerbating problem is the very thing which is being attacked: the Constitution. You can’t not allow them to speak, or to try and persuade others to their cause. You can only try and make them adhere to the established guidelines and obey the law – not an easy task when they’re willing to
Sadly, about all you can do is point and say, “Look what they’re doing!” to which they reply, “We’re not doing anything, now just shut up.” “But, you are too doing things, bad things!” “No, we’re not.” “Are too! People, look!” “Are not. Arenotarenotarenot!” until they change the law so you can’t point anymore and it’s illegal to speak.
I don’t have the answers. I can only point out (while it’s still legal) what I believe are the symptoms. And I admit that I may be wrong. In fact, I hope I am wrong. All I’m doing is asking that people look, and decide the facts for themselves.
That, or elect
baronmind to lead the sheep.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Fascism is only ONE of the collectivist hobgoblins bedeviling the Republic
Date: 2005-06-28 12:42 pm (UTC)In order to fight the progression of empire from the inside, you have to acquire more political power than your opponents. Once you have it, the only way to dismantle the authority bomb is to remove authority from the government. The area where you will be most sucessful doing this is the area which you most fully control yourself, i.e. your own power-base. Once you start dismantling that, you make yourself politically weaker than your opponents, who then get back into office and vote themselves more power than you. Authority and collectivism ratchet upwards and cannot be dismantled from within. This was the fatal error of the Jedi in the recent Star Wars movie. At best, the system collapses relatively peacefully, like the former Soviet Union.
Re: Fascism is only ONE of the collectivist hobgoblins bedeviling the Republic
Date: 2005-06-28 04:36 pm (UTC)The end of the Empire is not the end of the world.
Date: 2005-06-28 05:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-28 12:43 pm (UTC)As for your viewpoints, I have also noticed a decided correlation between recent events and the history that we seem doomed to repeat.
And in regards to the response your comments received? Keep in mind that one of those people had something on the userinfo page that said, "If you're French, I don't like you." That and the person in question has been dumped by a few people on my friends list for being a fucking loon. So take it with a grain of salt, Dear. I think you made some very valid points and responded to (sometimes vicious) dissenters diplomatically, respectfully, and with grace. Well done.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-28 04:35 pm (UTC)You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 01:00 pm (UTC)Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 01:26 pm (UTC)Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 01:32 pm (UTC)Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 01:54 pm (UTC)Good post, BTW. (Even if I didn't comment on it directly, your's is one of the fifteen or so journals on my read-everything-including-comments friends-list filter. This post is one of the reasons why.)
Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 04:31 pm (UTC)Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 04:33 pm (UTC)Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 05:33 pm (UTC)Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 08:37 pm (UTC)Insurgency
Date: 2005-06-28 11:13 pm (UTC)Re: You're an INTJ too, huh?
Date: 2005-06-28 08:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-28 01:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-28 04:32 pm (UTC)It wasn't so much the tea, per se, but the taxes.
Date: 2005-06-28 05:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-06-28 08:55 pm (UTC)I can only point out (while it's still legal) what I believe are the symptoms.
I know the feeling, and I respect you for continuing to point out the symptoms in the face of anger and denial.