The refugees in Darfur had been hoping the hybrid UN/AU force would change the situation on the ground in Sudan, but it isn’t having much effect.
Part of the reason is the laggard response time of those member nations involved. Part of it is simply what every peace-keeping mission seems to suffer from on the international scene: completely idiotic mandates, lack of backing by their governments, no self-sufficiency, and a lack of spine.
I mean, it is fine and well for Kosovo to break away from Serbia, but if Americans at some point get dissatisfied with their government, even voicing that opinion and stirring up anti-government sentiment will be an act of terrorism? That will be the case just as soon as H.R. 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (HR 1955/S 1959 collectively) ratified in by our Senate.
Talk about your flagrant hypocrisies!
Here we are as a nation encouraging Kosovar independence because the believe as a people that they should have their own separate nation, right? What if next week a few million Americans decide they would rather secede from the Union—as the Confederated States of America once did?
Are we saying that secession is now acceptable? If so, perhaps a lot of Americans might start thinking fondly on our history and decide it is time to do so again…since this time, the US government will be all for it, right?
Perhaps it is time for Americans to recall such sound advice as Major Robert Rogers left us during the Revolutionary War? Today, Rangers are reminded with a condensed version of his “standing order” to be prepared thus:
“2. Have your musket clean as a whistle, hatchet scoured, sixty rounds powder and ball, and be ready to march at a minute’s warning.”
I figured I might as well remind my countrymen of anything remotely resembling anti-government sentiment as as much as possible before I become labeled a terrorist after all.
That is the contention of author and professor, Eric G. Wilson, in his book Against Happiness: In Praise of Melancholy. I tend to agree. The author does a great job of explaining just why he thinks that melancholy is underrated and that modern medicine tends to over-medicate for mild depression that are merely forms of sadness.
Why Do We Need Melancholy?
Simply put, the human race needs people who are dissatisfied with the status quo. That is one of the reasons people feel melancholy, among the many possibilities. Artists, musicians, dreamers, inventors, authors—anyone might experience a bit of feeling blue. It helps us, as a race, to progress.
How? It inspires, causes people to dream, to brood and turn things over in their mind. Wilson poses the question whether or not we as a society really ought to be medicating people for those very mild forms of depression and eliminating an agent of evolution and progress that has been a vital part of humanity since the dawn of humankind.
He isn’t suggesting that clinical depression shouldn’t be treated. Merely that there is a tendency today for too many people to rush out for mind altering medication that is unnecessary…
There has been a near media blackout on this Bill, and it is hard to even find its status before the Senate. I have heard that it already passed and is awaiting the President’s signature, but I also have heard it has not yet passed the Senate.
What will it do that is so important? It will make dissenting opinion a crime. Under this Bill, if you post an a video advocating anti-government views on YouTube (to use just one example), you will be a terrorist. But not just anti-government rhetoric will do the job. The Bill leaves far too many gray areas and gives the government far too much latitude. And it targets the Internet too.
Think about that.
If you don’t agree with the government, you will be labeled a terrorist—just as happens in North Korea and many other oppressive regimes. America, your freedoms and liberties are disappearing before your very eyes. Thought crimes have had their way paved under the notion of “hate crimes” in this country. As if a crime is worse because you hate someone. Since when did criminals ever perpetrate a crime on someone because they loved them?
Now that Americans have become used to the idea that your thoughts can constitute crimes, the government seeks to build on that and make anti-government thoughts and protest into thought crimes that constitute terrorism. As I have written on this blog about the need for stirring up the national political dialog with discussion about secession and revolution as a means to make political leaders wake up to the dissatisfaction among a large portion of the population, is it possible I will be labeled a terrorist? Very much so. Probably likely.
How long will Anonymous’ war last when they get labeled terrorists? How long will it be before we start seeing Americans who once exercised their Constitutional right of free speech labeled terrorists and imprisoned?
What happens when The War on Terror becomes The War on the US Constitution and American People?
I am completely ashamed of Oklahoma’s five member’s of Congress that voted for it. See if your Congressman did, and then give them hell about it. Senator Coburn of Oklahoma has at least expressed reservations about the Bill, but what does it say when the House overwhelmingly supported this horrible legislation?
America is in trouble, for so many reasons, and it is only getting worse.
When pulled taught, it would have been able to decapitate Border Patrol agents patrolling the border road on ATV’s. Thankfully it was discovered and the plan was not able to be put into action.
This is why I am angered at the Republican party. Instead of choosing a candidate who would do something about this, Republicans are flocking around McCain and his amnesty policies because they’re scared of losing the White House to Clinton or Obama. Business as usual wins out over real change every time.
Democrats all want amnesty and porous borders. I’m always angry at them.
Perhaps We the People need to convene an Article V convention under the Constitution? Did you know, that Constitutional Amendments can be passed under the Constitution if the legislatures of three-fourths of the states in the Union vote for them (or passed by conventions in three-fourths of the states), regardless of what Congress wants?
Did you know that Congress has, in direct violation of the US Constitution, denied the states an Article V convention, even though every state in the union has applied for one—more than once? All three branches of the US are operating now as a rogue government in the views of many. I tend to agree.
Nothing will change in America due to politics. We are too far gone in the wrong direction. Unless we force Congress to grant an Article V convention, the only options left for any significant change in America are those of revolution, rebellion, secession—all those things we would rather not see, but that our nation’s founders knew we might one day have to embrace again.
President Abraham Lincoln, had this to say on our right to overthrow the government, and how he would rather see our right to amend it used:
“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it. I can not be ignorant of the fact that many worthy and patriotic citizens are desirous to have the National Constitution amended. While I make no recommendation of amendments, I fully recognize the rightful authority of the people over the whole subject, to be exercised in either of the modes prescribed in the instrument itself; and I should, under existing circumstances, favor rather than oppose a fair opportunity being afforded the people to act upon it. I will venture to add that to me the convention mode seems preferable, in that it allows amendments to originate with the people themselves, instead of only permitting them to take or reject propositions originated by others, not especially chosen for the purpose, and which might not be precisely such as they would wish to either accept of refuse.”
If Congress and the President won’t fix our nation and secure it, perhaps We the People need to begin thinking about the issue of—and discussing the possibilities of–taking matters into our own hands? If we are to apply any meaningful pressure upon political leaders to do so, the national dialog must turn to that which scares any government most—its overthrow by its own people.
It is our government and our nation, after all. It does not belong to political parties, Congressmen, Presidents, the media, special-interests and lobbyists, nor to illegal immigrants, drug dealers or foreign oil-producing governments.
My last post might leave you thinking I don’t find much humor in life. That would be untrue.
In fact, I invite everyone to visit the Dissident Voice blog and see just what I find funny. I was over there making a point about how one liberal Grand Ayatollah in Lebanon does not a peaceful religion make, and that history suggests that Islam is in fact a religion of violence by pointing out a few things.
Such as Muslim scholars have no defense for the following: Show me historical records that show the Mongols were conquering and invading other nations before enduring two centuries of Islamic brutality, invasion, forced conversion, pillaging and looting?
History shows that Islam has been a violent religion since 650 AD, and has never been a religion of peace.
Hell, even the Muslim apologists are violent! One of the moonbats flew out of the blogwork, called me an “ignorant bastard” and said “I sincerely hope you fall off a cliff…“
I nearly snarfed my coffee reading it.
I am overwhelmed by the love emanating from the peaceful religion and its defenders.
I was catching up on some boxing news over on DoghouseBoxing.com when I came across an article that seemed oddly out of place. It mentioned how rapper 50 Cent brought boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. up on stage with him during one of his performances, but how he later told another sort of celebrity to “Get the fuck of the stage!” during a pre-Superbowl concert.
Since they just recently discovered how to create embryos from the genes of multiple persons, this is convenient. Now, politicians can start making future votes. I guess they could donate a portion of campaign funds to some organization created just for the purpose, like the Conservative Heritage Foundation of the Republican National Convention or Democrats for Universal Health Care Trust?
Those organizations could in turn use the funds to bring new life into their party. Literally.
How cool would it be to genetically alter embryos of those who would like to predetermine their offspring’s political leanings…but can’t afford to pay for the procedure?
Parents would no longer need to fear their children might grow up to have liberal socialist yearnings, thereby eliminating the need for pointless trips abroad by high school students who are more likely to end up donating kidneys against their will after a night of debauchery in some foreign dive than learn anything. You won’t have to worry about your ultra-conservative daughter getting high on dope and murdered in Aruba.
While they wouldn’t get the immediate benefit, it would ensure each candidate of a political ideology is keeping the party alive and growing. Ah, science. You have to love the endless possibilities it presents us to destroy the simple beauty and balances in life, right?
Might genetically engineered elections be looming on the horizon?
What Does This Suggest About People, Culture, Race And The Human Condition?
You should at least have a sense of humor and curiosity about it all. Keep that in mind as you read on…
It does not matter which candidate you voted for. Delegates don’t all have to vote for the person the people expect them to. This is what many people (including myself) are tired of.
An article on Yahoo! explains part of the problem for those who aren’t aware issues with the electoral process. It’s basic government, but you would be surprised at the number of college graduates unaware of it. While many might understand the electoral college exists, there are just as many that don’t understand how it works. It is the same with the primaries and securing delegates for party nominations.
Most people mistakenly think their vote has to be honored. It doesn’t.
Another reason why we need reform is the purposeful, concerted lack of effort by members of Congress.
Individually, they might put on the appearance of taking a tough stand on illegal immigration, for example. But then, they turn around and throw their support behind a party nominee who wants to offer amnesty. This is how individual members of the House and Senate pass the buck and manage to play the constituency game—whereby they pretend to listen to you and tell you they are working on the issue but turn around and support leadership in Senate and House committees (and a President) that works precisely against the very issues the people think are important.
The sad truth is that the Democratic and Republican parties stole democracy from the American people long ago and have no intention of ever giving it back…
Are we getting to that place Hitler once dreamed of—against our own determination that such desires were a threat? That place where there is a world full of genetically perfect and superior humans? Every year, science puts us closer to that gray area of ethics, genetics and evolutionary biology that science fiction writers love to tackle…
I was getting caught up on my sports news and came across a piece about the former linebacker for the Houston Oilers. It appears he was killed accidentally while cleaning his gun.
I am bummed out to hear of it for more than one reason. It has been a long time since I have had “a team” in the NFL that I was a fan of. See, I grew up as a kid in south Texas, and I was a die-hard Houston Oilers fan.
In Texas, football is more than just a game. It’s a fact of life. That’s just the way it is. Where most of my friends were Cowboys fans (my brother is the most hardcore Dallas fan around) I was an Oilers fan. I wore my Earl Campbell #34 jersey every chance I could and my idols included Renfro and Pastorini. The first talent show I was in as a kid, I got together with a couple other Oilers fans and we performed the Oilers fight song, in full pads.
I stayed a rabid Oilers fan even after moving to Oklahoma (where I was born), and on through the years of constant coach changes and heartbreaking losses. It wasn’t until they cost me a huge bet by blowing the 35-3 lead they had at halftime to the Bills in the ‘92 AFC Championship game that I finally lost faith. I had bet my buddy Frank they were going to win the Superbowl. Little did I suspect they were about to go down in the record books for the worst blown lead ever in the second half—infamously called The Comeback.
Well, four years later they were done in Houston and then moved off to Tennessee, and that was the end of that. [On an interesting and somewhat ironic note, years later I moved to a little place just outside Buffalo and got caught up in the Flutie Magic, becoming a Bills fan...until they got rid of Doug.]
I still try to keep up with former Oilers players when I can and take an interest in what became of them (as do other Oilers fans). It is hard to let go of a team one grew up from childhood rooting for, after all. That’s how I happened to catch the terrible news that Grimsley had passed away.
My condolences to his family and loved ones.
May you rest in peace, John Grimsley. You were a heck of a player on a team missed by many.
McCain fully intends to continue with business as usual, the same sort of political crap that has our nation in the sad state is in currently.
Wanted: A Real Conservative
Conservatives are increasingly looking for an old-style conservative, and I am not talking about a religious conservative. Yes, as the commentary on CNN suggests, many are looking for another Reagan.
Too many people have come to associate conservative with religious fanaticism. People are looking about for a conservative who believes in preserving those traditions and intents that were the basis for our Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. Freedoms, sovereignty, controlling the size and reach of government. All the things which the monster of our own creation is destroying each year.
Sure, that’s one reason conservatives don’t want McCain to win the nomination.
But most of all, conservatives don’t want him to win it because Senator McCain wants to just hand away our nation to illegal immigrants…
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