The Coming Totalitarianism

http://www.lewrockwell.com ^ | 5/6/03 | Lew Rockwell

[JohnGalt]

Apologizing for the government's incompetence may fill you with a warm sense of security but it does nothing for me.

The hijackers were stupid and gave the game away on multiple occcasions and there is a paper trail to boot filled with FBI warnings that were burried. Centralized government incompetence is to blame and no one seems to care.

[Psycho_Bunny]

What's your point?  Every once in a while, Dowd accidentally comes up with a good point also.  Answering it requires taking her seriously - which is, of course, impossible.

It's years of Rockwell raving like a lunatic that's reduced me to the point of not being able to take anything he says seriously.

If this were a Mark Steyn or Wendy McElroy article, I would have responded to it giving it the credibility that it deserves.

I'm curious, did you respond to Jim the same way you responded to me?  Or am I a less threatening target?

[Sgt Hulka 123]

INCOMING!!

[tpaine]

It's a waste of postage.

This government fears its armed citizens, as has been evident since the first gun control act in 1934.

[just me]

Don't forget the bonus Brigade.
World War I. On July 28

Marshals and police tried to evict on group encamped near the Capitol. a riot with some blood shed occurred.
President Hover called upon the Army to intervene. A force of infantrymen with a few tanks advanced to the scene.
The troops cleaned up the situation near the Capitol without firing a shot, but the use of military force against civilians most of them veterans, tarnished the Army's public image and helped to defeat the administration in the forthcoming election

[Dead Corpse]

So? What are we going to do about it? Sit around and b!tch? That's all this screed from Lew was about. Aren't we getting sick of talking about it? If you aren't going to lobby your representitives, then run for office yourself.

[pupdog]

What's your point?

My last message pretty much was my point. I see Rockwell columns often forwarded here, and the amount of "nut job" responses almost always far outweighs the rational responses. It's one of the reasons I give articles from that site more credence: few people here seem to be able to respond to them without name-calling, if they even bother to append an actual argument to their insults.

Every once in a while, Dowd accidentally comes up with a good point also. Answering it requires taking her seriously - which is, of course, impossible

So if having good ideas/questions isn't a reason to take someone seriously, what is?

If this were a Mark Steyn or Wendy McElroy article, I would have responded to it giving it the credibility that it deserves.

So if two different people ask you what 2+2 is, you'll give a different answer depending on who is asking it? If someone makes an argument I want to respond to, I'll respond to it whether it's McElory, Noonan, or Michael Moore.

I'm curious, did you respond to Jim the same way you responded to me? Or am I a less threatening target?

It was addressed to everyone who simply answered with a non-answer insult and then walked away. That I chose your post was more or less random. Feel free to CC your reply to Mr. Robinson if you feel I'm ducking him.

[tpaine]

Local organization is the key, imo.

I'm starting at home. I just bought my old lady a streetsweeper 12, with a case of #4 buck. I stand ~way~ in back when she cranks off a few.

[JohnGalt]

'illiterate' was not the word I was looking for; 'incompetent' was what I meant to use. I apoligize for the confusion.

[Dead Corpse]

My little woman is "in the family way" right now so shooting sports are verboten until sometime after september. However, I'm still looking out for a Kimber CCII in .40 flavor for her. If I can find one, then maybe she'll gimme back my S&W .357. ;-)

[Centurion2000]

Is this true? I was under the impression that local militias were organized under the authority of local government, not private citizens. Am I wrong?

The militia can be organized by private citizens, but typically it is the sheriff or governor's job to "call them up".

[tpaine]

The bonus march was arguably one of the reasons for the gun control act of '34.. Scared the hell out of the socialists.

[Psycho_Bunny]

If you consider 95% of someone's opinions ravings of a person who's not rationally considering a subject why would you waste the time addressing the other 5?  Because it is a waste of your time.

Nothing you say, in addressing the 5% will sway anyone who agrees with the other 95% - nothing.

I am an equal opportunity poker - I have no problem name-calling the right or left.  It just so happens that I'm normally calling leftists whack-jobs because....well....I hate them.  

Rockwell affords me the opportunity to live up to my self-promise of bipartisan poking.  

Buchanan does too.....although, in Pat's case, I once held him and his opinions in esteem: unlike Pat, Rockwell never earned my respect.

[tpaine]

So 'poke' Lew apart.. Pick one of his points, and attack it.

[pupdog]

If you consider 95% of someone's opinions ravings of a person who's not rationally considering a subject why would you waste the time addressing the other 5? Because it is a waste of your time

But you have plenty of time to post insults? And then to spend more time defending them than it would have taken for you to make a real argument in the first place?

Nothing you say, in addressing the 5% will sway anyone who agrees with the other 95% - nothing.

If that's what you want to believe, go right ahead. But myself, I'll listen to anything someone has to say, even if it's from someone I normally disagree with and to someone I normally agree with. Listening to new ideas is how we learn, you see. Someone who only listens to ideas that they already agree with is essentially done thinking.

So in reality, if you wanted to post a counter-argument, I would have listened. That you think it's a "waste of time" and can only respond with insults does more to validate Rockwell's ideas than anything else. So keep doing so if you think that it's right: just know that your own belief of "nothing will change their minds, so I'll just say nothing" is simply a self-fulfilling prophecy, nothing more.

[Psycho_Bunny]

lol

[mrsmith]

Lew's article, as usual, is too idiotic to respond to.
But as to your point: "Sure, but seeing the threat is this serious, what is the role of our militia?
I see no effort to organize or to equip, as per the Israli or Swiss model. "

14 states have militias called State Guards who are being involved in anti-terror defense. After the Pentagon attack our governor called up the Virginia Defense Force and gave them police and military duties.
Their training, which is not paid though they are paid when called up, includes anti-terror functions but not especially aggressive ones.

These are NOT federalized units like the National Guard. They are volunteers subject only to the governor.

Look into the Virginia Defense Force, or the Texas Defense Force.

[dljordan]

Just put your head back in the sand and it'll be ok.

[tpaine]

Interesting... Why don't you post a thread on it? -- Or is there one?

[archy]

The troops cleaned up the situation near the Capitol without firing a shot

Bayonets and sabers was all they needed against the unarmed veterans and the women and children whio had accompanied them. And the Washington police did some shooting of their own, killing several veterans.

Not only did Roosevelt use the incident in the 1932 campaign, but Democratic orators also continued to use it for twenty years after, despite all the refutations and proof to the contrary. I was portrayed as a murderer and an enemy of veterans.

--Herbert Hoover, The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover