TIME FOR A REVOLUTION

January 21, 2007 | John C. Dowell

[beyond the sea]

I just wanted to tell you that up through this post # 46 it has been great to see how even-tempered and rational your replies have been to each poster, no matter how variant the posters were.

That is refreshing.

One of the biggest problems, and I wish I could put a short name to it, is that people are talking "at" each other and not "with" each other. We all see and hear it all the time on these television and radio talk/debate shows. Guests of "opposing" positions are brought on. They are not given enough time to say anything but their self-interested talking points with which they came to the shows. They seldom reply to what is said to them, they just put forth their own preconceived ideas and positions. There is little or no dialog. It really is a sick society when people don't listen to the other person ..... THEN reply to what they have heard, and if they have something to add, add it.

I see this each and every day. I see it every day on FR over and over again. Posters take the time to reply to another poster, yet generally never directly reply to what they supposedly are replying.

Sorry, I'm not saying this too well, I'm a terrible typist and my back is killing me.

Anyhow, good luck with this effort, Semper.

Your efforts are appreciated.

[when the time is right]

Madison, Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Polk all bought newspaper companies when they were running for office so they could get their views out to the public.

Everyone knew that they and their opponents owned these papers and bought them for that reason. The public then wanted to read both views so they could make an informed opinion.

How times have changed.

[beyond the sea]

Yes they have changed.

I'll be 60 years old in a few days...... Ugh. But my, my ........ have things gone down hill quickly since around 1965.

[beyond the sea]

I do not believe the elite are in Congress--they are not part of that group

Yes.

Congresscritters are at the bottom ends of the strings......... and their strings can be snipped if they do not behave.

Bad situation.

[nygoose]

My point about the third party is that I believe the Republicans may be out of power for 20 years. Starting a "Constitutional" Political party now gives us 20 years to be successful with nothing to lose except a Republican party that did not use the power that the People gave them for the past 12 years. They failed us and all evidence since November '06 indicates they will fail us again if we give them their power back. So, what's the point of trusting them any more than we already have. They've played us for fools.

[oneolcop]

I love it too. I carried it on a laminated card in my officer's notebook for most of my law enforcement career, then passed it on to my daughter upon her graduation from the academy.

Sometimes, the occasion causes someone to emerge from the crowd to take the lead. Is this one of those occasions?

[oneolcop]

With regard to your comments about Sempre:

Being against the invasion of Iraq does not make one anti-war. It MAY be that Sempre, and others, view the invasion as a distraction from other means of accomplishing the goal of wiping out alqueda, Islamic fundamentalists, terrorists, despotic governments, theocracies, thugocracies, etc.

I wrote a white paper for the US Department of State and the US Department of Justice after my work in the Balkans. In it I opined that the military option is not the best solution to all our international problems.

Now before you go off on me, let me state that I am a veteran of five years active duty with the US Army, a combat veteran. My son who is currently serving as an Infantryman with the 3rd Infantry Division due to be deployed back to Iraq for his second tour of duty. I support the military with every fiber of my body and soul.

Nevertheless, there are times when they are the wrong tool for the job. Does that make me anti-war? Anti-military? Hardly!

I agree that splitting the conservative vote at this time is assuring we'll have a liberal democrat president. I don't think any of us want that. We can start a dialogue about what to do about the problems we, as conservatives have. We can recognize that while there may be differences on some issues, we can agree about most. Why don't we start there?

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

Once again, dim-bulb, George Bush handed the presidency to Bill Clinton. Nobody else. And he is still doing it!

[AmeriBrit]

If you'd care to read the beginning of Semper's #232 post in this thread, he starts off by stating as follows:

"Yes, I am ANTI-WAR".

If you still have any doubt about where his loyalty lies, one only has to read his previous posts and threads by clicking on his name and I do believe any doubt you may have will quickly disappear. They all sound like a combination of kerry and murtha and although he never uses the actual words they are full of "Cut and Run" statements. He's still in denial about there being any connection between Saddam, OBL and al-Qaeda regardless of all the proof that's been discovered and posted here on FR by jveritas and so many others.

Anyone thinking we should sit down and have cookies and tea and talk to these evil terrorists to bring about a solution to the war we're engaged in, is living in a fantasy world. The only thing they understand is brute force.

That said, please thank your son for his service and dedication to his country and may he return to your fold safe and sound.

[oneolcop]

I certainly will consider what you've averred. I do however think that there is room under the conservative tent for differences as to the methods used to crush our sworn enemies. war, to me is a necessary evil, not to be undertaken lightly. In the event we go to war, the gloves MUST be off. I have very strong feelings about our country spending the lives of the very best of our young people without being TOTALLY committed to winning.

I also think that in this case as well as others in our history, our generals, who are appointed by presidents (Clintonites), may not be up to the task before them.

I often wonder what the president knows and cannot reveal about the reasons for the Iraq war.

[jveritas]

Anyone thinking we should sit down and have cookies and tea and talk to these evil terrorists to bring about a solution to the war we're engaged in, is living in a fantasy world. The only thing they understand is brute force.

Amen to that.

[philetus]

The Free Republic Party would not be against any other party"

I guarantee you the other parties would be against the "Free Republic Party".

[sonic109]

How will you get the MSM on our side? They are %100 solid brainwashed. I recently was in a situation where I have nothing else to do but watch TV for an afternoon . I was shocked beyond words, what propaganda . Most of the morons who live in the US believe this leftist crap. We're in serious trouble.

[Semper]

We're in serious trouble.

Well then, it is time to do something about that. I am prepared to do whatever it takes to get us back on the right track. All I need is a little help from my friends (I know, the Beatles said that).

[Semper]

Anyone thinking we should sit down and have cookies and tea and talk to these evil terrorists to bring about a solution to the war we're engaged in, is living in a fantasy world. The only thing they understand is brute force.

Amen to that.

It can be a fatal mistake is to underestimate your enemy/opponent. I can tell you from first hand experience that they do indeed understand brute force (U.S. military might) and they fight on anyway. We give our highest accolade, the Medal of Honor, to some of those who knowingly give their lives to our cause. Our opponent does not make such a big deal of that but they have more than we who do that. As you may know, I have just returned from almost a year in a remote region of Afghanistan - near where Osama Bin Laden was located when he conceived and planned the attack of 9/11. It is serious Taliban country; it is hard living there. The people who live there deal with difficulties that the average U.S. citizen can not imagine. These are not soft people - they have substance.

Have I been living in a fantasy for 10 months (while in Afghanistan)? Maybe, but it has been an eye-opening experience.

What have you done to help win the war on terrorism?

[Semper]

I guarantee you the other parties would be against the "Free Republic Party"

That would depend upon how we pursued our politics. It would be my desire and goal to get as many other party members to ALSO be a member of the Free Republic Party.

[Semper]

Good idea. But why not both? We could become an official party AND establish a radio station dedicated to that party and to our forum. For now it seems more practical to focus on the political party aspect but your idea will have its time.

[eeriegeno]

destroyed by the press

That's the problem!!!

Suppose that members of the press were subject to fines and jailtime for reporting lies, half truths, and deceit rather than being protected by 'freedom of the press'? How different would this country be if the press didn't have any affect on what people thought?????

Some didn't vote for GW Bush because Dan Rather convinced them with falsified records that GW was AWOL decades ago? Yet Dan Rather enjoys his retirement from his living room rather than behind bars.......

[KenmcG414]

First, conservatives must purchase a major network (besides FOX) and the old gray lady, the NYT. MSM, not the RATS (the puppets) are in control of the country.

[Graymatter]

I was very involved in the Libertarian Party in the early '70s so I have a different take on the practicality of third parties. :(