Posted on 06/24/2015 6:56:19 AM PDT by Lazamataz
I have come to the conclusion that the disease that is called 'humanity' must not be allowed to infect the rest of the galaxy.
We are an incredibly-flawed species, filled with lust and avarice and anger and greed, given to revenge and gossip and violence and hate. That God still loves us is something that demonstrates something about HIM, not us.
Most humans yearn for freedom and to be left alone, but others want to control and censor and manipulate and rule over us.
There have been four great experiments in having a nation that has, as its primary focus, freedom for the individual citizen: Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, post-revolutionary France, and America.... and even of those, three still allowed slaves (America being one)! The most modern example of this experiment is America.
But American freedom is mostly gone, soon to be completely gone... all in the name of 'suppressing hate speech' and 'combating global warming' and 'controlling gun violence' and 'making outcomes equal' and 'forcing citizens to provide for the poor'.
'Making outcomes equal' is the core of communism, and communism has always been the most brutal and oppressive economic and political system on the planet. 'Forcing citizens to provide for the poor' is just a watered-down version of the same, and prevents people and institutions from being able to give of free will.
Since we always seem to trend towards the destruction of individual liberty -- since we almost always, in human history, exist under some tyrant or monarch or king, or some panel or committee or politburo ....
.... I have changed my view from the Star Trek Utopian vision I used to have.
Mankind must be erased from the universe as the disease that it is.
Because we don't want the responsibility that comes with it. Instead, we want everyone else or, in some cases, FedGov to take the responsibility that is incumbent upon us to take. And then we are left scratching our heads, and proposing even more dangerous "solutions" to the problem at hand.
I'll give an example: Article V. As you know, Article V was given to us by the Founders as just one tool to combat Federal overreach. But I have to question, how did we allow that overreach in the first place? That's an easy answer: We got comfortable. We got complacent. We amassed our toys and our homes & properties and cars and big screen TV's and we celebrated as we moved up the corporate ladder and, as life began to get more comfortable, we began to get more complacent, slowly giving up so many smaller freedoms, all in the name of 'security', or rather, the ability to secure all those "things" we amassed and which make us comfortable and "happy" in life.
There's a saying that we all know very well: "Freedom isn't free." The problem is, when we hear that phrase, we instinctively think of the brave men & women in uniform. But the fact is, that phrase applies to us - average civilians - just as much as it applies to the military. We are REQUIRED, as participants in the "Great American Experiment", to make many different sacrifices every day.
Now, I'm not talking about sacrificing a cup of Starbucks to drop a few bucks in the donation bucket for the latest cancer-ALS-MS-Savethebabies fundraising drive. I'm talking real sacrifices, that honor the legacy of the Founders, like not being so concerned about getting the next iPhone or the latest tablet. Sacrifices such as realizing that the more you are in debt, the more you susceptible you are to being enslaved, and understanding that the more property and toys and 'things' you own, the more can be taken away from you, should you step outside the lines set by the "powers that be".
I'm reminded of Stephen Hopkins, a signer of the Declaration from Rhode Island. If you look at his signature on the Declaration, you'll see that his hand was shaking fairly bad as he signed it. The story goes that, after signing and seeing his signature in such rough shape, Hopkins turned to his cohorts and stated, "My hand trembles, but my heart does not." What an example of courage he set for all of us! And yet, what have we done with it? Today, our hands tremble with excitement as we sign the latest mortgage or loan documents for the latest toys or the newest car or the new, bigger, better curved big screen TV! All the while, we are signing away our freedom, little by little.
One of the main points by Article V supporters today is that we need term limits, and we MUST HAVE them written into law! Once again, another prime example of giving up our personal responsibility to ourselves and our posterity, and expecting FedGov to take over that responsibility. The fact is, however, that instituting legal term limits not only transfers more responsibility to Government, but it also has the unintended (at least I believe it is unintended) consequence of stifling free speech. We, as voters, already have the ability to institute term limits. We have that ability every single election day, when we get to step into that booth and exercise our own rights to free speech by voting. Of course, others also have that ability, and their speech very well may override ours and a candidate not of our liking may very get elected. Look at obola! Just because we don't like it, doesn't mean we have the right to stifle other voter's rights to free speech. And yet, here we are (the so-called freedom loving patriot Conservatives), calling to do that very thing. Seems to me we might as well be fighting to end the 1st Amendment, while we're at it!
The same could also be said about campaign contributions. Dinesh D'souza had every right to give as much money as he wanted to any candidate he so chooses. Most of us here were outraged when he was arrested for so-called crimes under campaign finance laws, and yet, here we are, attempting to further restrict the free speech of those whose political values are vastly different from our own. As I've said in the past, the worst double standard in the "Conservative" movement is the one that illustrates that Conservatives ARE, in fact, supporters of big government, so long as it's THEIR big government.
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
The statement above holds the secret to freedom: "Governments are instituted...deriving their just powers from the CONSENT of the governed." How powerful is that, and what, exactly, does it mean?
I remember many moons ago, a family member of mine sued his employer for withholding his taxes from his paycheck every couple weeks. His basis was that, because paying taxes, according to the tax law itself, was voluntary, he should be able to 'opt out' of withholding. The court ruled against him, stating that, because he chose to participate in the employment system, he CONSENTED to a 'voluntary' withholding. If he did not like having taxes withheld, he was free to excuse himself from the system - he was free to "Go Galt", if you like. And so he did. He paid off his debt, downsized his own personal holdings and went mostly off grid, supporting himself with a cash based home business.
Of course, that didn't happen overnight, and it required a great deal of sacrifice on his part. For instance, his family was accustomed to having good money, news cars, a gorgeous and slightly obnoxious home and all the toys and goodies, most of which went away when he decided to 'opt out'. Was it worth it? "I'd do it all over again, given the chance." he tells me, when we get to talking. "Freedom isn't free, dware."
I've said it many, many times here on FR: When it comes right down to it, the ills we face as a Country today are not obola's fault. They are not the Democrat's fault. They are not the Republican's fault. In truth, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We CONSENT to a corrupt tax system each time we file our taxes. We CONSENT to a bankrupt financial system every time we spend or accept an FRN. We CONSENT to the destruction of our 2nd Amendment rights every time we walk into a gun store and submit to an Unconstitutional background check.
So, does this mean I am advocating that everyone quit their jobs and live off the public dole? Absolutely not. I AM, however, advocating that the more people who "Go Galt", the more impact it will have on these corrupt, criminal enterprises operating under the guise of "government". To 'Go Galt', however, requires great sacrifice that, due to our current levels of comfort & complacency, we are entirely UNWILLING to make those sacrifices. And yet somehow, we are the "patriots" of today's freedom movement. Wigger please.
Freedom isn't free and, in the words of another uncle, albeit it fictional in this case: "With great power comes great responsibility".
The sooner we start living up to our own responsibilities to freedom, to liberty and to our posterity, the sooner we will find our way back to the America that once was. Well, that, along with a little prayer and belief (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Freegards!
If all I get off this thread was your post, it was worth it.
[We got comfortable. We got complacent.]
Add to that moral decay and you have what defeated the Roman Empire from within.
Seriously guys. I put FNV up for a while. I am on Rome 2. I can't quite get to 100BC quite right, as the House of Junia in Rome, but I keep replaying trying different approaches. Obviously I have to fight the Estrucians right away, but attacking Syracuse too soon didn't work, same with attacking Venetia.
I heard it was bugged out the A$$. Almost unplayable.
(But New Vegas was too, and New Vegas is the Best Game I have played in the past 10 years and the most buggiest).
Now, my Favorite game of all time.
Of all of them. Ever.
Is The Original Rome: Total War
It is a game that never ends.
The experience was nothing short of amazing. I gave my Legions names and history and wrote them down on paper, long before you could do that officially in-game.
I was so disappointed to hear about Rome II's Problems.
I’ve watched people play it live stream on Twitch. The frustration level is pretty high dealing with all the bugs.
Amazing how that works, huh?
Zero Population Growth folks are onboard.
So are the Bilderbergs, the One Worlders, The Flat Earthners, the DNC and RNC ..
Fortunately for the universe, and unfortunately for us,, celestial events happen that reset clocks and civilizations literally.
While some would say how could you wish the end to tiny little flowers and baby goats and free wifi.. but Hey..
sometimes,, a God has to judge and chastise his works.
Not to worry, A few hundred millions years and the next wave of liberals will crawl out of a puddle and start all over again. The EPA will make sure the puddles are protected, that you can bet on. ;-)
Good Luck, see ya next time around.
Today is Hump Day and also my Birthday :)
Happy, happy birthday, KC!!
One of the things I’m glad I got used to in gaming was finding a good game/games and playing them to death. But as Bethesda proves, that doesn’t cure the bug issue, just gets you fixes faster.
I get that games are complex beasts. I get that bugs happen, especially when coding for multiple platforms. But if you have the whole userbase in an uproar, someone needs to look at who is running the company and why they are unresponsive. That kind of F’up is systemic.
Old creeps up on you a year at a time ;)
I have found that Rome 2 is pretty good. On occasion I do get the ‘Application Not Responding’ thing, but on fully 50% of those times, it’s because it’s cranking through some stuff. If I wait, I get my game back.
Rome 2 is nice because I can alt-tab to other stuff, and if I tab back (and am patient) I get my game back where I left off.
It’s not been that buggy, but I did have to upgrade my graphics card. The old one couldn’t deal.
I’m enjoying the hell out of TW: Rome 2
You're old. Congratulations.
(((HUGS!)))
Buy and play TW: Rome 2. You will not be disappointed.
It takes some serious investment to learn HOW to play, and then more investment to learn how to play WELL.
But right now, work and sleep are the things that I must do between gaming sessions.
Even my cats are pissed I’m ignoring them lately.
Who wants to start a Freeper Gamer ping list?
Maybe I will.
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