This writer grew up in the sixties right along with the Cold War, the Hippies, Vietnam, anti-war demonstrations, and Rock-n-Roll. I played in a Rock band and wore my hair long. Interestingly, I remained a tried and true Republican throughout – condemning the anti-war demonstrations and Peaceniks as fools and traitors. No, I didn’t inhale; I didn’t even smoke. I remained ‘conservative’ to the core despite my outward appearance and my choice of music.
Flash forward some 45 years. Maybe it’s wisdom that finally comes with age, maybe it’s some spiritual epiphany, but this writer has come to identify with, accept, and promote the message he rejected in his youth – peace and love.
One of the most influential points of reference for this revised world-view is Natural Law. It’s really quite simple. If my brother or my enemy are doing me no harm, I will leave them alone. Of course if he comes to do me or mine violence I am morally obligated to respond in kind. But, I have no moral right to impose my will on another sovereign human being; certainly not with the threat of or actual use of the force of violence. And yet, in the world in which we live threat of and use of the force of violence to compel and punish others who have done us no harm is the norm.
It is within the nature of mankind for a disproportionately small percentage of men to attempt to exert control over the greater multitudinous horde. The primary method of control is achieved through violent oppression. Violence is required as most people will not willingly submit to control by others, be it few or many.
A man once came, one of several, who advocated peace. He was crucified for his efforts. Even though a whole religion was built in his name, the modern professors of said religion certainly don’t practice what he preached. Most either advocate for the ‘preemptive’ wars carried out by their government or stand meekly by without raising any real objection.
Be it war against the unborn yet in the womb or war against those in far away lands that have done us no harm, some Americans may protest verbally, but most take no real action to stop the slaughter. To them the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer come to mind, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
We can choose to continue to support the violent mission of world conquest by our government, we can choose to stand idly by and just allow it to run its course, or we can move in a new direction. Following is a very good summation of the future we have before us if we fail to choose wisely.
“the violent mission of world conquest by our government” ? I guess you are referring to Obama and the 12th imam?
T, I’d love to sit down and have a face to face conversation with you sometime. No, I’m not necessarily speaking about Obama and the 12th Imam, although that is certainly one very plausible destination.
I was taught to study by way of tabula rasa (Latin for blank slate). The idea is to take all one’s preconceived notions, biases, prejudices, and worldviews and place them on the shelf before studying. In that way one can make his mind a ‘blank slate’ and more effectively weigh the incoming information. If one identifies as a Republican, ones mind will automatically seek ways to defend his political affiliation. If one is a Christian, one will automatically seek ways to defend his religion. So in seeking truth, it is imperative that one lose his ‘baggage’ before studying the available evidence.
When I studied the available evidence, I set Christianity and my Republican affiliation on the shelf. The result being that I no longer identify with the GOP or with the modern practice of Christianity. I’ve become a Libertarian and still consider myself a Christian, but one more closely aligned with the original practice of that faith (i.e. pre-orthodoxy).
Now, as to your assumption regarding my meaning of the ‘world conquest by our government’. What the evidence provides is a picture of a Republic victorious in WWII evolving into a world empire based on violence and lies. A study of history will demonstrate that false flag operations have caused our young men to bleed and die in most of our modern wars. The Japanese were pushed into a corner that left them little option than Pearl Harbor, and evidence suggests that the highest levels of our government actually knew the attack was imminent and failed to relay the information to Pearl. Let’s be clear. I’m not saying Imperial Japan was innocent, only that we had no need to fight them had our government not antagonized them.
FOIA has confirmed that the Tonkin Gulf never happened. Thus 55,000 young Americans met their deaths, and many more were physically and psychologically scarred based on a lie that led to a more direct involvement in Vietnam. Weapons of mass destruction were the reason to invade Iraq but none were found. Afghanistan was invaded due to 9/11, another false flag in which Saudis, not Afghanis, were the apparent perps.
Under Obama we’ve had Libya, and now Syria. Did they attack us? Did they threaten our ‘national interests’? Or are these just more bullying tactics to enrich the elite?
When I stand back and look at the big picture, I see the US government and our military being manipulated so as to cause all sovereign nations to either accede to US (re: elite corporate/Illuminati/world banker) will or suffer invasion or the fear of invasion. Or, as with Pakistan, we can just terrorize the civilian population with armed drones. One who studies history will find that all this is the typical game plan for empires. As David Rockerfeller once answered, “More”, when asked how much money is enough, so our government when asked how much control is enough answers in kind by its actions, not only of foreign sovereign states but of our own domestic population, as well.
So my real problem, the ‘truth’ I’m struggling to get folks to understand, is that we, by our silence, are complicit in the ‘rape’, pillage, and murder done in our names on behalf of the Empire. Thanks all the same, I’d rather return to Jeffersonian ideals of Republic of, by, and for the people, disentangle from all the ‘treaties’ with foreign states, and be a friend to all. If some foreign power then decides it wants to conquer us, we fight them based on Just War theory.
Imagine how strong our Republic would be if we disconnected from all the foreign entanglements and focused on our own country instead of every other. Instead of buying jet fighters for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, we could rebuild some of our infrastructure thus providing critical jobs in a failing economy; or, perish the thought, we could begin to get our fiscal house in order.
Amazing dividends would come with peace. Suffering, death, and destruction are all war has to offer us. Of course the elite politicians, bankers, et al thrive in such environments, but then, they don’t have to fix bayonets and charge into the fray. Sometimes war is unavoidable, as in national self-defense or in throwing off tyranny. More often than not, though, it’s just a means to enrich the already wealthy who have nothing to lose.
From an old war dog, I say the next time we have a war we should gear up our POTUS, Congress and the Senate and let them duke it out with the leaders of who ever they want to fight.
After all, didn’t they take an oath to represent, protect and defend us?
“So my real problem, the ‘truth’ I’m struggling to get folks to understand, is that we, by our silence, are complicit in the ‘rape’, pillage, and murder done in our names on behalf of the Empire. ” Too bad this country has never done a f’ing thing of value. I’m so ashamed.
T. Please don’t put words in my mouth. Historically we have done some very great things and have been an example to many. Why else would so many want to emigrate here? That doesn’t mean that the cancer hasn’t set in. That doesn’t mean we haven’t morphed from a Constitutional Republic into a Fascist Empire.
If you’re satisfied with what you’ve seen develop in America over the past 50 years I’m perplexed as to why you frequent this site.
“Fascist Empire”? Good grief! Maybe you SHOULD inhale!
Bob, seriously -- my only point is that it’s not time to panic, and when you refer to this country as a Fascist Empire, people will close down and think this site is full of doomers, a site devoid of any hope for things to get better, because we’re already at rock bottom. This site is at its best, when it offers concrete suggestions on what people should be doing to prepare for when we really DO hit rock bottom. We’re not there, yet, thankfully.
T., Thanks for the constructive criticism. I agree that we have yet to hit bottom and I’m sorry if you detected a sense of panic in my post. That was certainly not my intent.
It does seem to me that folks need to understand the reality of a given situation before they can come to terms with it. Hence ‘Fascist Empire’. Since words do mean things: Fascist, often referred to as the merger of corporations and the state. Former Monsanto officers running the USDA and Goldman Sachs running the Treasury Department being two prime examples. And Empire, certainly you’d agree with our military stationed in bases all over the planet that we qualify as such. So Fascist Empire does seem an appropriate description of American government in the 21st Century.
There are many ways one can prepare. Certainly physical necessities are a primary concern as is knowledge on surviving without all the creature comforts we’ve come to enjoy. But there are other preps that I’d submit are every bit as vital -- emotional and spiritual. The spiritual aspect is what I’ve been aiming at of late. Whether one holds to a concept of heaven and hell or one of karma, cause and effect will have its day. Those who fail to act when they should and those who take wrong action should give that some thought.
You speak of concrete actions of which I also agree. But said actions need not be restricted to the physical. The moral aspects should be addressed, as well. Calling out those in government who abuse their power by getting our boys killed in needless foreign wars and drone bombing innocent civilians are two such points.
As for inhaling, maybe it would be a good idea if we all got together and expanded our consciousnesses together (lol). Such a ‘mellowing out’ could at least provide a temporary respite from the daily news that does, indeed, seem to presage doom and gloom.
Good chatting with you, brother …
sister…
Gotcha!