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How Democracies Become Tyrannies
americanthinker.com ^ | February 16, 2009 | Ed Kaitz

Posted on 02/16/2009 9:46:22 AM PST by Tolik

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1 posted on 02/16/2009 9:46:22 AM PST by Tolik
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To: Lando Lincoln; neverdem; quidnunc; .cnI redruM; Valin; King Prout; SJackson; dennisw; ...


Interesting!

This ping list is not author-specific for articles I'd like to share. Some for the perfect moral clarity, some for provocative thoughts; or simply interesting articles I'd hate to miss myself. (I don't have to agree with the author all 100% to feel the need to share an article.)

I will try not to abuse the ping list and not to annoy you too much, but on some days there is more of the good stuff that is worthy of attention.

You are welcome to browse the list of of truly exceptional articles I pinged to lately. Updated on February 10, 2009.  on  my page.
You are welcome in or out, just freepmail me (and note which PING list you are talking about).

Besides this one, I keep 2 separate PING lists for my favorite authors Victor Davis Hanson and Orson Scott Card.  

2 posted on 02/16/2009 9:47:42 AM PST by Tolik
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To: marron

You might be interested to see this one


3 posted on 02/16/2009 9:48:39 AM PST by Tolik
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To: Tolik

Good post.


4 posted on 02/16/2009 9:49:35 AM PST by sauropod (An expression of deep worry and concern failed to cross either of Zaphod's faces - hitchhiker's guid)
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To: Tolik
Short and sweet.

5 posted on 02/16/2009 9:50:15 AM PST by I see my hands (_8(|)
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To: Tolik
"In short, the boys begin to realize that justice and happiness in a community rests upon the moral condition of its citizens...Adeimantus comes to discover a dark and ominous secret: without proper moral conditioning a regime's "defining principle" will be the source of its ultimate destruction. "

And that is exactly what has happened to the USA, all of western society actually. Scarier still, is that vaccums do not stay vaccums for long. Islam is fast filling that void.

6 posted on 02/16/2009 9:52:22 AM PST by Nathan Zachary
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To: Tolik

How Democrats Become Tyrants.


7 posted on 02/16/2009 9:55:37 AM PST by deannadurbin
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To: Tolik
Best thing I've read in a long time.

We have allowed the liberal left to plant the seeds of our own destruction, especially the public "education" system.

8 posted on 02/16/2009 10:03:37 AM PST by smokingfrog (Is it just my imagination, or is the water in this pot getting a little too hot?)
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To: Tolik

Re The Right To Be Left Alone....

http://gunnyg.wordpress.com/2007/09/22/the-right-to-be-left-alone/


9 posted on 02/16/2009 10:04:59 AM PST by gunnyg
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To: Tolik

“Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.”

- Ben Franklin

10 posted on 02/16/2009 10:07:48 AM PST by Texas Fossil
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To: Tolik

Great post. The only problem I have with the author’s take is that it doesn’t go far enough in its explanation. The U.S. had a ‘hard Left’ for a long time. Two major things happened in the 1960’s, and one in 1989-91, that put us on the path to where we are today.

The first has many causes and many perspectives, but the fact that it happened and it’s effect on voting patterns and public policy are clear: the permanent radicalization of the black minority. Whether used consciously or not, overtly talked about or nervously hushed-up, race is now a huge dividing line in American politics and the Republican party is largely the White party. Again, opinions on how, why, and what to do about it are many - but it is the situation.

Second, beginning in the 60’s the nation’s culture, much of its press and its academia were taken over by Marxist and anti-capitalist, anti-traditionalist, anti-Christian and anti-white groupthink. Even then, there were times when the majority of americans could revolt against that, notably in Reagan’s era. The rallying point seemed to be the patriotism and moral clarity of the Cold War and the evil spectre of the USSR.

Third, the fall of the Soviet Union. We all thought that was a signal of victory and the end of Marxism as legitimate political theory and practice. I think it seems to have removed the example we all could point to of the utter failure and utter evil of Marxism. It also removed the term ‘communist’ and even ‘Marxist’ as effective ridicule. Somehow being an actual Nazi, or at least being thought of as one, is instant death to someone’s political, academic or cultural career (and for good reason.) But being a communist/Marxist is both able to be fashionable and somehow shielded from receiving an accurate label. Those, like us here at FR, who call people Marxists are seen as ‘nuts’ or ‘divisive’ while actual Marxists are seen as cool and ‘progressive.’ Because there’s no USSR for them to claim allegiance to or publicly back (and reveal their anti-Americanness) they are never called out as hating America in the general public.

Just my three cents worth...


11 posted on 02/16/2009 10:15:01 AM PST by Cap74 (You can disagree with me. You can attack me. Do not lie to me.)
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To: I see my hands

Very good, thanks!


12 posted on 02/16/2009 10:16:56 AM PST by Tolik
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To: Tolik
Thank you, for this excellent article. It all seems so familiar doesn't it?

Our house of cards has collapsed; and no one wants to make any changes, that makes them change too.

It is a reality that every generation must learn from history; and for the current one, it seems that is too much trouble. So they/we are lemmings.

13 posted on 02/16/2009 10:17:18 AM PST by geologist (The only answer to the troubles of this life is Jesus. A decision we all must make.)
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To: Tolik

When is it too late to turn around? Does Plato say anything about that?

It seems like it is way past that tipping point to me; most conservatives seem to be old codgers, like me and most others on FR, while nearly all youth are libs.


14 posted on 02/16/2009 10:20:29 AM PST by LibWhacker
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To: Tolik

Wow! Terrific homepage. Loads of great back articles, etc.,

I intend to return to it often.

Thank you.


15 posted on 02/16/2009 10:36:41 AM PST by geologist (The only answer to the troubles of this life is Jesus. A decision we all must make.)
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To: Tolik

The problem will be that certain classes of people with have their freedoms limited by the iron hand of the government. We see it already. Liberals want a retirn of the “Fairness Doctrine”. of course what this will mean is that they will go after people like Rush and Hannity while NPR and the rest are expanded.

We saw articles posted last week from Daily Kos(saks) how they believe it’s time to do away with the Republican Party. That’s how we get to dictatorship. One segment of society gets power and uses that power to surpress the other segment of society and that circle of power tightens as oppressions expands to more and more.

It is a pattern that has been oft repeated and appears to be repeating again, right here at home.


16 posted on 02/16/2009 10:39:58 AM PST by Obadiah (Party - my house - on December 22, 2012!)
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To: LibWhacker
You need to get out more. My youngsters and their peer group are conservative christian youth, home schooled mostly, and aware of what lies at the end of the leftist multi - culti road. Take heart. There is always a remnent...

Now, the tipping point question is valid. The USA as it stands is probably too far gone at this point from transforming itself into a workers paradise without drastic action that we cannot discuss on this forum. But that does not mean the concept of self - government is over. Far from it.

17 posted on 02/16/2009 10:44:08 AM PST by L,TOWM (Liberals, The Other White Meat)
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To: Tolik

Thanks for the ping. Yes, the guy is singing my song.

Sustainable freedom is self-government, and self-government is always a moral quality. Only people who are capable of governing themselves are capable of being free. All the rest will be, must be, governed by others.

When the numbers of people within a society who are incapable of ruling themselves reaches critical mass, the society itself ceases to be free.

And how are the moral underpinnings of a free society, any society for that matter, passed from generation to generation? They are passed first and formost by the family, by the church, and in the schools. Its not necessary that everyone internalize the principles in the same way, but it is necessary that enough people internalize them by whatever means so as to keep the society on track.

The break-up of families strikes right at the heart of this. The corruption of churches does too. And the corruption of the schools is the final nail in the coffin. When only a few people still understand the guiding moral principles that allow men to govern themselves and to live free the society itself will reject freedom as a burden that they can no longer bear. They will reject it as an illusion, a fraud that some men use to make other men do their will. They will gladly throw their freedom away in an unholy alliance between the ones who want to be cared for and the ones who think they are uniquely qualified to rule the masses.

And there will never be peace, because there are always many more resentful souls who think they are uniquely qualified to rule than there are openings for rulers. And the people who expect to be cared for are never going to be satisfied with the quality of the crumbs that fall within their reach. So the result is not only slavery but endless violence and repression.


18 posted on 02/16/2009 10:44:35 AM PST by marron
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To: Tolik

marker


19 posted on 02/16/2009 10:48:27 AM PST by JDoutrider
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To: LibWhacker

I am more optimistic.

Kids almost always are more lib and rebellious. Until they grow up and get kids of their own and HAVE TO become more responsible. Some never do, of course.

I see 2 trends in different directions.

One is that taxation moves in direction of more than 50% of population paying NO federal income tax (they still pay FICA, sale taxes, gas, etc). Its dangerous because creates a situation when you can vote somebody else “for dinner”.

An opposite trend is that Internet generation get used to more choices. Tyranny limits choices. The Internet generation is conservatives’ ally in fight for liberty.

Also, its not mentioned enough, but in personal life, raising kids, etc lots of people who vote habitually Dem are more conservative than they themselves realize. A Reagan-type communication is needed to win them over. We badly losing info-war, but Reagan did not have help of Internet freedom, and he was able to win over so many people!


20 posted on 02/16/2009 10:51:20 AM PST by Tolik
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