It's a Civil War: What We Do Now

Townhall.com ^ | March 23, 2010 | Dennis Prager

[Kaslin]

A terrible thing happened to America on Sunday, March 21, 2010.

The country took its biggest step ever down a road diametrically opposed to its original intent of keeping the state small so that the individual can be free and great.

Therefore, in this unprecedented crisis of values, this is what needs to be done:

1. Know and teach America's core values.

We got to this point solely because over the past few generations, Americans have forgotten the values that have made America distinctive and great. Even the "Greatest Generation" failed to communicate them.

In a nutshell, they are what I call the American Trinity: "In God we trust," "Liberty" and "E Pluribus Unum." The left has successfully made war on all three -- substituting secularism for God and religion in as much of American life as possible; substituting equality (of result) for liberty; and multiculturalism is the opposite of "E Pluribus Unum."

People who do not understand American ideals -- especially small government -- now dominate our schools, our entertainment media and our news media.

(My own contribution here is a video titled, "The American Trinity" at prageru.com. Please view it and forward it.)

2. Recognize that we are fighting the left, not liberals.

Conservatives and centrists are no longer fighting liberals. We are fighting the left.

Liberalism believed in American exceptionalism; the left not only does not believe in it, the left opposes it. President Obama, when asked if he believes in American exceptionalism, replied, "I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism, and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism."

Liberalism believed in creating wealth; the left is interested in redistributing it.

Liberalism believed in a strong defense. The left believes in cutting defense and a strong United Nations.

3. Democrats should be referred to as Social Democrats. This is not meant to be cute, let alone as a slur. But calling Democrats Social Democrats is an effective way of reminding Americans that there is no longer any difference between what is now known as the Democratic Party and the Social Democratic parties of Europe. When the Democratic Party returns to its roots as a liberal, not a left-wing, party, we will happily resume calling the party by its original name. However, since no Democrat can cite a significant difference between the Democratic Party and the SD parties, there is no good reason not to use the more accurate nomenclature.

4. Work tirelessly to repeal the bill.

We must single-mindedly work to repeal the government health plan. We all know that it is difficult to repeal entitlements because they are like drugs and it is very difficult to wean people off drugs. But it is not impossible. We need to warn our fellow Americans that entitlements will do to America what drugs eventually do to addicts.

All Republicans must run for office on the "repeal" issue. Even when they lose, the difference between right and left, between Republicans and Social Democrats will have been made clear; and clarity is our best friend.

5. Our motto: "The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen."

I used this phrase in addressing the Republican members of Congress. It has become widely used, including by Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif., on the House floor during the Congressional debate on Sunday. It encapsulates this epic battle of American values versus leftist values. Every movement needs a motto. I nominate this.

6. Do not let other matters distract.

Neither Republicans nor conservatives are united on every issue facing America. Immigration is one example. But we are united on the big government vs. free individual issue, which, more than anything else, has defined America. If we allow any other domestic issue to divide us, we will lose.

And here's why: If Americans forget what America stands for, it won't help us if there is not one illegal immigrant here. And if we do remember what it means to be American, we can handle anything.

7. Acknowledge that we are in a non-violent civil war.

I write the words "civil war" with an ache in my heart. But we are in one.

Thank God this civil war is non-violent. But the fact is that the left and the rest of the country share almost no values. The American value system and the leftist value system are irreconcilable. If the left wins, America's values lose. If American values prevail, the left loses.

After Sunday's vote, for the first time in American history, one could no longer confidently believe that the American system will prevail. And if we don't fight for it, we don't deserve it.

[AngryJawa]

But the fact is that the left and the rest of the country share almost no values.

I suppose that would be a function of the Left having no values whatsoever.

Like the fight against radical Islam, the fight against the Left is going to be long, painful, and inconclusive unless we decide to remove the gloves and pound them until they simply can't fight anymore. This is going to require us to be able to say, do, and espouse things that have previously been "over-the-line" for conservatives. We must destroy them politically and do so mercilessly and unapologetically. As in war, fighting in half measures only prolongs the suffering for everyone.

I really don't care anymore whether or not a Leftist sincerely has America's best interests in mind when he backs something as plainly destructive as Obamacare, Cap and Trade, Amnesty, etc. Their policies are just as destructive to this country and harmful to personal liberty, if not more so, than some Islamokaze strapping Semtex and ball bearings to his chest and walking onto a military post somewhere.

My days of respectfully disagreeing with them are over.

[Jack Black]

This requires a willingness to get arrested, not something that comes easily to a conservative. Oh please. A tired leftist tactic of the 1960s. Did you see the founding fathers jumping into the stockades of their British masters? Of course not.

This ain't beanbag, OK. The media isn't going to be running heroic stories about the brave civil disobedience of our side. It will be pure hatred and propaganda, and the overwhelming view of the sheeple will be: good! They belong in jail!! Let them rot there.

And we will.

[narses]

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[Observations]

The younger generation of today (20-30) were brought up by parents who expected the school systems to instill values in their kids and baby-sit them, instead of taking that responsibility on themselves. Without morals and wholesome family upbringings, children will go where they are accepted (gangs) to find worth and self-esteem. And they’ve been submected to the “spare the rod, spoil the child” mentality. The last time I paddled one of my brats (25 years ago) I was accused of child-beating by local authorities. Add to this, that the parents grew up in a society of “Have it your own way”, “Look out for #1”. How many kids do nothing but watch TV and play video games, or are constantly have a cell phone stuck to their ears. In general, people are missing what life is all about. I think “Get a Life” might apply.

[DuncanWaring]

Oh, crap.

It’s the rare “Double CWII Ping”.

[Altura Ct.]

I agree it is a battle against the Left. A battle against Marxism. However we must also make that same distinction on the right. Being a Republican does not mean one is on the right. We must not make the same mistake again. The one the right is always making and helped to put us where we are. That is believing that because one is a Republican means they are in support of that which Prager outlined above.

[Wpin]

This is not going to be a non-violent civil war. The democrats will not end their vicious and evil attack on America, they will not just go away quietly. So, now is the time to prepare...you have maybe a year or two at most. Work hard to elect Republicans at every level of government...

Plan, organize and conduct non-violent civil disobedience. Close liberal media offices with “sit-ins”, close governmental offices with “sit-ins”. Place freedom based posters up, disrupt democrat meetings, and their campaigns.

We need people who can investigate and expose corrupt democrats and their organizations. Look at what happened to a huge corrupt democrat organization like ACORN from the work of two young Americans. We need more of that...so that means taking risk.

Organize with local patriots for these activities, be careful of communications...a lesson from the founding fathers was to meet under a tree (liberty tree) where they could see if someone was spying on them and they could talk privately among themselves.

[GBA]

Ideas and values are the key to America's greatness. In the last few decades, the pace to remove an understanding of our history and of our governing documents and ideals and replace it with PC and muliticuluralism has been accelerated. This must turn around or all is lost.

The progressives have gotten a toehold and then a beachhead in education and labor which lead to acceptance of FDR's takeover, LBJ's and now the demand for obama.

Labor may be a lost cause. Unions are the heart of the problem, but it may be too late. People know that their union is ok, it's those 'other' unions that are bad.

Education has the same trouble with unions, but at least parents have some say over the curriculum and what goes on in their schools.

They've been planning for decades, setting the pieces on the chess board so as to insure America's collapse and transformation. Americans ignored the warnings b/c the progressives made their takeover a go with the flow, non-threatening mass involvement while they undermined our institutions, history and values. When conservative outrage fades, the progressives move forward.

It's working for them. The brakes are almost gone and, other than Reagan, both parties have signed us up for more, bigger and more involved government and the we are really moving now. Take back the schools and labor and get people to think like Americans again or this second civil war will be lost long before a single shot is fired.

[MichiganConservative]

Any body who thinks that you have to fear this government would put people in camps or trains is a kook.

This country is the best in the world. The top of science and the arts. Like Germany in the 20’s and 30’s.

So what if they want you to buy health care? It’s good for you!

Only a kook would think that they would use that control to kill people off. Why would they do that? Population control to save the earth?

What, do they think man is killing the earth? That’s crazy!

[manonCANAL]

oathkeepers.org
join us to defend Americans

[TexasFreeper2009]

The supposed “Greatest Generation” raised the “ME” generation.. I have never seen what was so GREAT about it.

Your primary duty on this earth is to raise your children properly, in this respect the “greatest generation” was the greatest failure in history.

[papertyger]

A couple of points of clarification - 1) when using the force of government, the inherent threat of killing the non-compliant is always there.

Which means any agent of the goverment tasked with "using the force" automatically becomes the enemy...unless they are willing to stand down.

[maine-iac7]

For ourselves. our children and grandchildren, we need to recognize that public schools are now - and will increasingly become - government indoctrination camps.

We know they are not being taught the true history of America and the freedoms our Fore Fathers fought so hard to pass down to us.

We must dedicate one shelf to film documentaries AND printed books on U.S. History, starting with the Pilgrims and their fight/flight from tyranny...to the great documentaries on the Revolution and George Washington and John Adams.

And DVD’s and BOOKS on Ancient Histories to refresh yourself and teach them how other great civilizations rose and FELL - what the steps were - how history repeats itself, and how to see the warning signs in time to stop it.

Burn copies of the DVD’s for every one of your kids families and for your grandkids for their future families - AND get duplicate books for the same.

Remember - it wasn't too long ago that we were watching VCR’s, then CD’s, now DVD.s - but already, newer ‘better’ discs are being developed - Use the DVD’s NOW to teach present generations - BUT stock books that will still be able to tell the stories for generations to come as electronics advance and continue to render today's obsolete...this is a great danger that can wipe out our histories for future generations. Books LAST. (The same with family photos. print out ‘hard copies’ and get them into albums for each family unit. I have photos of my great great grandparents taken well over 100 years ago. Photos LAST. Your DVD’s and CD’s of photos will have been rendered obsolete - useless for generations by the time your grandids are grown. Our incredible technologies of today are a two edged sword. Get BOOKS and print out photos. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water or the enemies will write our ‘histories’ unchallenged.)

Here's a good place to start for DVD’s:
History Channels on American History and Ancient Histories.

http://shop.history.com/?pagemax=all&v=history_subject_american-history

And get the books from Amazon - 'new & used saves lots os money - get dups,) and such.

Dedicate one shelf in your house to keep them together. TEACH. At Thanksgiving, show a film on the Pilgrims. Make it a game. Tell everyone there will be a question/answer game after the film with prizes - extra piece of apple pie? - for winners. Reinstate celebration of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington's birthdays with family film fest.

WE preserve and pass on the truth - or our kids and grandkids will never know their birthright freedoms so dearly won by our Fore Fathers - and so dearly kept by our brave military men and women, and patriots, over the generations. They will not get it in school.

My daughter, now in her mid 30’s, was being programmed to believe that power comes from the gov’t down, in her FIRST GRADE books that talked about that upside down concept and continually referred to we Americans as ‘the workers’. Our lives were divided into two segments: Government and ‘the workers.” (which one is dominant over the other?) Sound familiar?

I yanked her out and into Christian school.

Save the real history books now before they are forever out of print. If we don't save them in great numbers - the true histories will be forever lost...

Think of how far civilization was set back after the burning of the libraries like in Alexandria, for one. The world was plunged into the Dark Ages. People learned only what the ruling powers allowed.

It CAN happen again.

This is OUR fight today - to win or lose. We are in a pivotal time in our history. WE are in a paradigm shift in history. How will it be written/recorded and read 100 years from now?

[PIF]

“substituting equality (of result) for liberty”

I think Dennis would serve his argument better by saying substituting license for the phrase “equity of result”

Men have Liberty to do the right thing and God's will accepting the consequences, other men have License to do as they please by their own will regardless of consequences.

See here to draw on a more famous argument from John Locke abut this subject: http://www.cooperativeindividualism.org/locke_liberty_vs_licence.html

“None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license.” — John Milton

“When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near” — Will Durant

“Liberty has no crueler enemy than license.” — French Proverb

These are interesting but off topic:
“A leader in the Democratic Party is a boss, in the Republican Party he is a leader.” — Harry S. Truman

“Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don't vote.” —William E. Simon

“Conservative, n: A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal who wishes to replace them with others.” — Ambrose Bierce

[central_va]

Yawn, somebody give me a kick and wake me up when the states start forming regiments....

[maine-iac7]

It's only non violent because our side isn't using violence. I don't know what confiscation of liberty and property at the point of a gun is if not violence.

Amen.

[MrB]

The “Bowman Strategy” would be to take out the agent, then go after who sent him. I don’t think this is a good tactic, as you’d be engaging the agents on their timing and with their tactics and backup.

The Modified “Bowman Strategy”
would be to AVOID confrontation with the agents
and then go after who sent them.

[panthermom]

Here is a perfect example of the children of liberals. On FB yesterday we, the adults got into a discussion about Obamacare, I stated that I would feel like a failure as a parent if my sons needed me to pay for their healthcare until they are 26, give me a break. A woman, a lib who I don't know, responded that I insulted her for my opinion. Her 15 year old son jumped in: here is what he wrote to me, btw, I wasn't the only one he insulted:

alright, fine, you asked for it. So for your stupid little sons, was it military or jail? Were their grades so poor that they couldn't do anything but go kill some people? Yes? Or were you too much of a poor loser to pay for a decent education for the little stupids? Want some more, you white trash idiot?

Needless to say I became unglued as did my son who then responded and gave this little punk the smack down on respect. His momma then replied that she and her husband are oh, so proud of him and it is me with the problem. Her son even told my 19 yr. old to F-off. Nice, don't you think. This is what we have to look forward to.

[Cymbaline]

Thomas Jefferson would not be happy with Sunday’s actions. WWTJD?

I think he'd weep.

You could power New York for a year if you connected a generator to the founding fathers spinning in their graves.

[MichiganConservative]

Tom Brokaw wrote a book and called it “The Greatest Generation”, thus the name stuck. The so-called “Greatest Generation” also worshipped FDR, one of the worst presidents ever. FDR had communists in his administration.

FDR, Hitler and Mussolini had a mutual admiration society going in the 30’s. And members of the “Greatest Generation” bought his lies and took the socialism hook, line, and sinker.