Posted on 09/06/2002 8:17:16 AM PDT by BADJOE
History teaches some very good lessons. They are hard to learn but our forefathers did a great job.
From the beginning of time man has overthrown one form of centralized government only to re-establish another one in its place. Our forefathers understood this far better than anyone ever had. They said governments are the eternal enemy of free men. They said that in order for man to remain free it would take a bloody revolution every other generation, unless you bound down (bastard) government with the chains of the constitution.
On another site this week a poster asked if anyone else hated government as much as he did. I replied to him
"Hell !! I thought you were not a good American if you didn't love our country and hate our government.
At least that is how I have always felt about it"
I think our forefathers had the same attitude that I have now. And I think it is inherent in the average Americans attitude to distrust and have disdain for any government, including ours. One of the hardest conclusions I had to arrive at as a young man, after having been a product of the public school system, was that our government was not on our side. As James Forrestahl, former secretary of the Navy, who suffered a mysterious death, once said about our State Department's foreign policy, " Stupidity is never a mark of consistancy. If they were merely stupid, they would occasionally make a mistake in our favor".
Newt Gringrich put it in a humourous manner when talking about the attitude of Europeans. He related the following story. If you go to Europe and drive on the Autobahn, you feel pretty good cruising down the highway at 100 mph when some some German passes you doing 140 mph. Now he said if the Bundestag passed the 55mph speed limit law, every German would dutifully obey that law, untill the next election. They would vote the 55 mph crowd out of office and the no speed limit crowd in. In America Newt said "A speed limit sign is a benchmark of opportunity.
It is obvious that Yankees and Euros have entirely different attitudes about government's edicts. There are darn few Americans who do not break the speed limit laws everyday.
Now we come to the Free Republic. Once a free wheeling, joyful site for news and discussion of politics, economics, philosophy, ethics and morals. I could not understand the transformation that has taken place in the last six months. Camaraderie, the sense of family, and cooperation seems to have disappeared. Are the Freepers exhibiting the same disdain for the new FR as Americans have for our government?
Jim Robinson has a message for you. See Here.
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;0)
TOP 10 REASONS I'M STILL A HAPPY FREEPER...
10. The 'old timers' don't intimidate me anymore.
9. I learn more big words here than I do at Pogo playin' 'Word Whomp.'
8. It beats watchin' Rocky movies with my husband.
7. Sometimes I just wanna be where everybody knows my [screen] name.
6. I haven't yet developed 'unhappy freeper syndrome.'
5.I've learned so much that I feel cleaning dust bunnies is beneath me.
4. I have a mental 'ignore' button.
3. I know I'm right, I don't care what anybody else thinks.
2. I don't think Jimrob owes me anything.
and the number 1 reason I'm still a happy freeper is...
I could never hope to meet a more intelligent, eclectic, colorful group of people and with common sense to boot, than I've run across on FR!
Top Ten reasons "I'm Still Posting in This Thread"
1) Because I can
2) Because I've laughed and it is fun
3) Because I'm bored (and obviously cannot win, as I'm not a good writer of humor, but again, its fun!)
4) Because it iritates certain people (My personal fav!! :o)
5) Because it is working better than ex-lax on those people I don't agree with (I loved the constipation poopy post.. can't remember the words, something about a person needing a colostomy or an enema.. but very funny!!)
5) Because I'm the FREEPARIAN IDOL, (not my suggestion, but another freepers earlier in this thread :o)
6) Because I found it less stressful to post humor than to be so dog gone serious every dog gone second
7) Because I dont' take life so serious as to LOSE sleep over things like this thread was about
8) Because I'm desperate and want the Lynn Cheney book
9) Because, even though I'm not a fan, I'd like to have an autographed Ann Coulter book saying "To my Friend MUDBOY SLIM" "LOVE ANN COULTER". ;o)
10)........ Because as the winner of this game, I can once again hold my head up high, endeavor to fulfill my dreams, and yes,.. BE PRESIDENT one day!!!
11) BECAUSE THERE IS A BIG AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE TWO PEOPLE WHO WOULD VOTE FOR ME TO WIN (I know, I'm being so Clintonesque!!)
*FOOTNOTE, with me you got more for your money.. I posted ELEVEN!!! Cheating is such a liberal concept, so as you can see, I have the ability to be Bi-partisan!!
Everyone, please vote for me. I would consider being #1 in that poll as a badge of homor!!
AND, it will tick those people off, BIG TIME!!!
Maybe we need to apply Libertarian principles here. How about a harvest bud silent auction? Or a betting office for gladiatorial combat?
With all due respect(?), since you didn't even make the Top 10, what advice could you possibly offer Howlin?
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