tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post2382481155911155354..comments2024-03-28T20:53:49.167-04:00Comments on The Adventures of Roberta X: Just Flippin' SadRoberta Xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-69355984416366036622012-05-03T09:26:07.732-04:002012-05-03T09:26:07.732-04:00We've been fortunate, thanks I believe to 2A, ...We've been fortunate, thanks I believe to 2A, to have suffered only "soft" oppression so far in our history. We have certainly fallen a fair piece from the Founders ideals and goals. Govt. schools don't really teach citizenship any more (don't know why, (caugh,choke). The question is two-fold. 1. At what point does armed rebellion become inevitable, or accepted as nessisary, and 2., what would be acceptable non-civilian targets to that rebellion? I understand this would get real ugly real fast, and pray it can somehow be avoided. But folks, SOMEBODY'S gotta contemplate this crap. It's a little late to decide to resist once you're on the wrong side of the razor wire and 50 lb. underweight f/mal-nutrition, watching the guards & Rotweillers smile at you. Real discourse is needed on this. Call me...Swamp FoxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-74082793829874878622012-05-03T09:20:53.258-04:002012-05-03T09:20:53.258-04:00'Ask not for whom the bell tolls'
What do ...'Ask not for whom the bell tolls'<br />What do I have in common with OWS? Well, leaving aside being in the same demographic cohort, not much. Except... <br /><br />One of the interesting things in examining the political theory/discussion (on both sides of the pond) leading up to the Constitution is the writers' constant reiteration both of the greatness of the individual and the greatness of man. The allegorical figure of 'EveryMan', is present. A sense of common humanity, and the greatness of man, is such a bedrock principle that it is hard to see. <br /><br />We tend to go in for 'Us vs Them' these days, on all sections of the political/cultural spectrum. Tribalism is, of course, engrained in human nature; it was present then too (one need only consider the racist and xenophobic nature of society then); but the belief in the common nature of man was rising. It has since ceased to be actively propogated. <br /><br />Now, no doubt believing in a common humanity is a hopeless concept clung to by naive butterflies. After all, the other side doesn't, right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-76921644866108624122012-05-03T06:54:14.656-04:002012-05-03T06:54:14.656-04:00IMO, the difference between 1, 2 and 3 is immateri...IMO, the difference between 1, 2 and 3 is immaterial -- and in many cases, 4 can be lumped in with 'em as well. Such offenses against he peace are what they are -- possibly justified if "the peace" can be shown to be immoral, but only barely and often moot even then. --Take North Korea as prototype Immoral Regime: the usual sort of bomber has virtually zero chance of improving anyone's lot by his activities, and a very large chance of making things worse. <br /><br />-<br /><br /> As for common ground with the non-bombing Occupiers and the disaffected Up and Right, it's pretty darned thin, maybe little more than a sense of something being broken and a dawning awareness that Big Gov't and Big Business are in one another's pockets, crumbling, cancerous dinosaurs frantically propping one another up. Maybe that's enough to have in common; maybe not -- but sorted out into mutually-suspicious "Free Speech Zones" is a sure promise of being rolled over: even slow and senile, Leviathan has power.Roberta Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-42811359812366539452012-05-03T06:03:55.570-04:002012-05-03T06:03:55.570-04:00"It is tempting to suggest political violence..."It is tempting to suggest political violence is the result of suppressing political speech but in truth, there's always a thug or two who wants an excuse to make things go smash."<br /><br />Yes and no. I've observed four kinds of political violence: the kind done as part of ordinary criminal activity (ie, organized-crime killings, or much of the IRA's bombings); the kind done as a component of a political revolution (ie, virtually all islamist terrorism); the kind carried out by true lunatics like the Unabomber; and the kind done by regular citizens who have been pushed to the limit and Just Can't Take It Anymore.<br /><br />Only with the last kind is there any room for discussion and cooperation. Telling the difference between the third and fourth types is sometimes largely a matter of your own point of view.wolfwalkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-13387751658346289202012-05-03T00:12:41.227-04:002012-05-03T00:12:41.227-04:00The OWSers you've been able to observe in your...The OWSers you've been able to observe in your locale must be different than what I've been hearing about, if you think there is some sort of common ground with them. That would be good.<br /><br />Mike JamesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com