Today a caller to our show called to say,"Shame on you, we are the most free people in the world, and you are badmouthing America"!!
We answered that no, we love America, but we Hate the State. There is a big difference.
So I thought I would post this article by Bob Higgs, from Lew Rockwell.com.
"I hold myself second to none in my adoration of the amber waves of grain and the purple mountain majesties. I revere the ideal that this nation should serve as a beacon of freedom to the world and a refuge for its huddled masses yearning to breathe free. I weep with pride each time I watch the ailing Lou Gehrig tell the crowd at Yankee Stadium, “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth.” I don’t blame these beautiful, decent, and admirable aspects of America in the least for the chronic failure of U.S. foreign and defense policy to serve the general public interest.
With regard to the fools, mountebanks, unscrupulous opportunists, and psychopaths who have long played the greatest roles in devising and implementing U.S. foreign and defense policy, however, I hold a quite different and decidedly less favorable opinion."
Read the rest here.
We answered that no, we love America, but we Hate the State. There is a big difference.
So I thought I would post this article by Bob Higgs, from Lew Rockwell.com.
"I hold myself second to none in my adoration of the amber waves of grain and the purple mountain majesties. I revere the ideal that this nation should serve as a beacon of freedom to the world and a refuge for its huddled masses yearning to breathe free. I weep with pride each time I watch the ailing Lou Gehrig tell the crowd at Yankee Stadium, “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth.” I don’t blame these beautiful, decent, and admirable aspects of America in the least for the chronic failure of U.S. foreign and defense policy to serve the general public interest.
With regard to the fools, mountebanks, unscrupulous opportunists, and psychopaths who have long played the greatest roles in devising and implementing U.S. foreign and defense policy, however, I hold a quite different and decidedly less favorable opinion."
Read the rest here.
I know this guy, Joe. He worked hard as a kid, lots of physical labor. He's fairly good looking and very strong, but he's not so bright. Joe has this friend, Bill. Bill isn't so strong, but he's cunning. Bill flatters Joe about how handsome and strong he is, then tells him that because he's so good looking, strong and generally well regarded he should involve himself in other people's quarrels, quarrels that Joe doesn't understand, but that Bill has an interest in. Joe is now getting older. He's spent so much time fighting Bill's quarrels that he's maxed out his credit cards, has no savings is having health problems, and he's less well regarded in the community.
ReplyDeleteJoe has another friend, Ron. Ron has repeatedly warned Joe that involving himself in other people's quarrels is dangerous. He doesn't always think through the long term consequences. He doesn't really understand the quarrel he's inserted himself into. He enables Bill's friends to act more recklessly and aggressively because they know Joe will bail them out of jams they'd avoid otherwise. He builds up enemies among people who wouldn't have any problems with him. Even when the results seem to be good the actual costs are never compared with the realized benefits.
When Joe is tired he starts to pay head to Ron. Then Bill scolds Joe for having second thoughts -- "Ron just hates you! He's jealous of your strength and good looks and how much good you've done!" Bill enjoys being able to use Joe to earn him great wealth and power. He doesn't want Joe to ever look back and see the connections between troubles today and actions Bill talked him into in the past. Bill doesn't have Joe's best interest at heart. It is BILL who hates Joe and is cynically using him.
Jim in Kenai
Joe's conscience sometimes bothers him. He realizes that in doing what Bill has suggested to him he's crossed some pretty solid moral lines -- lines which in the past he'd have considered anyone else crossing them to be a demonstration of evil. But his pride and "good intentions" prevents him from acknowledging his mistakes. Bill uses Joe's pride to keep him on his current path towards poverty and pariah.
ReplyDeleteJim in Kenai