Re: FC: Sen. Hollings plans to introduce DMCA sequel:
At 04:58 PM 9/24/2001 -0700, Tim May wrote: On Monday, September 24, 2001, at 03:08 PM, Thomas Leavitt wrote: >>I'm tired of hearing my fellow Americans referred to as cowards, weaklings, sheep, >ignorant, easily mislead - this is a profoundly undemocratic sentiment, the same kind >of crap spewed by totalitarian and authoritarian types from the far left and the far >right as justification for abandonment of the democratic process and the use of force >to impose their ideology on the rest of us. >We are not for "democracy." Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for >dinner. We are not a democracy, but a repubic (pun intended). The primary responsibility of our elected officials is to protect the minorities from the majority and to preserve protect and defend the constitution. Many representatives clearly show they have at best a poor understanding of the Constitution, the words and intentions of the framers. Some even show disdain for it. How many Congressmen do you think ever read Thomas Paine's works? >Crypto anarchy is about undermining democracy, causing the house of cards to collapse. >>I refuse to give up on our way of life, my fellow citizens, or to write off my >government as completely and irredemably lost. >You are welcome to "refuse to give up on our way of life." Many others over the >centuries have similarly refused to give up on royalism...I hear there are even clubs >where people pretend to be various archdukes and viscounts, and even fan clubs for >the grandchildren of royals deposed 75 years ago. >Maybe there will be fan clubs for "democracy supporters." Maybe they will even launch >little wars agains the royalists. >Democracy will soon be consigned to the dustbin of history. I hope representative government is not.
Re: Fwd: Re: FC: Sen. Hollings plans to introduce DMCA sequel: The SSSCA
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Fwd: Re: FC: Sen. Hollings plans to introduce DMCA sequel: The >SSSCA >Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2001 12:06:53 -0700 > > >- Forwarded Message - > >From: Someone > >> > >>Working to keep our neighbors awake and informed is our best hope, in my > >>view - that is the only way democracy will ever work. > > > >Historically this has often failed (e.g., the lack of outcry against >Japanese internment camps). Neighboors are willing to sell their liberty >and their neighbors at the drop of a hat if someone in government promises >them greater security, even though these same liars failed them time and >time again. > > > >Since the New Deal Americans and corporations have become increasingly >reliant on government to provide for them, shield them from their own poor >judgement and folly and transfer the responsibility to the rest of us. >(Citizens of a like mind should structure upcoming tax filings to deduct >Congress' largess to the airlines and others). We cannot depend on these >cowards and weaklings. > > > >You'll notice that no Declaration of War was formally given. Even so >Congress has moved to curtail civil liberties. From my perspective both >life and liberty are equally dear. Those that attempt to take either I >will treat the same. > > > >Its time to water the tree... I'm tired of hearing my fellow Americans referred to as cowards, weaklings, sheep, ignorant, easily mislead - this is a profoundly undemocratic sentiment, the same kind of crap spewed by totalitarian and authoritarian types from the far left and the far right as justification for abandonment of the democratic process and the use of force to impose their ideology on the rest of us. It is the cry of someone unwilling to do the hard work of actually speaking to their fellow and convincing them of the rightness of the cause being professed; the frustrated rant of someone who is convinced he or she has "The Truth" on their side - the same opinion shared by Timothy McVeigh, Osma Bin Ladin, and folks of a similar ilk. I won't deny that I think our government is unduly influenced by factions (from certain labor unions to untold numbers of corporations) with financial and other interests at stake, but my answer is to become a more dedicated citizen, to work harder to educate my fellow citizens and elected representatives about what I think is right and just. I refuse to give up on our way of life, my fellow citizens, or to write off my government as completely and irredemably lost. To do so is criminally irresponsible, in my view. *** I encourage everyone to read this book - it says more about the strengths and weaknesses of this country (and more importantly, the "cowards" and "weaklings" who make it work) than anything I've ever read. It is written by an Arab-American and a profound patriot, someone whose life represents the American dream in all it's glory and gore. America, More Than a Country by Salom Rizk Book Description Salom Rizk, author of this autobiography, was born in 1909 in a tiny poverty-stricken town in Syria. Two brothers and an uncle in Iowa paid his passage to the United States, but he arrived penniless, homeless and with no knowledge of the language. The story of his incredible experience in self-education and his rise to one of the most sought-after and inspirational speakers on American lecture platforms is contained in "America, more than a Country." http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1564922979/qid=999899722/002-6041749-5005636 The Chicago Tribune "This is the kind of book you pick up to skim through and find yourself reading every word avidly...It's excellent to read aloud to the family -much more effective than pompous essays of freedom." Regards, Thomas Leavitt -- Thomas Leavitt -- [EMAIL PROTECTED]; ICQ #16455919 http://www.internetmanifesto.org/ http://www.sczenkarate.org/ http://www.space.org/ http://www.gnosis.org/ Wired since 1981. Internet enabled since 1990. Web enabled since 1993. _ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
Re: FC: Sen. Hollings plans to introduce DMCA sequel: The SSSCA
>>- Forwarded Message - >> >From: Someone >> >> >> >>Working to keep our neighbors awake and informed is our best hope, in my >> >>view - that is the only way democracy will ever work. >> > >> >Historically this has often failed (e.g., the lack of outcry against >>Japanese internment camps). Neighboors are willing to sell their liberty >>and their neighbors at the drop of a hat if someone in government promises >>them greater security, even though these same liars failed them time and >>time again. >> > >> >Since the New Deal Americans and corporations have become increasingly >>reliant on government to provide for them, shield them from their own poor >>judgement and folly and transfer the responsibility to the rest of us. >>(Citizens of a like mind should structure upcoming tax filings to deduct >>Congress' largess to the airlines and others). We cannot depend on these >>cowards and weaklings. >> > >> >You'll notice that no Declaration of War was formally given. Even so >>Congress has moved to curtail civil liberties. From my perspective both >>life and liberty are equally dear. Those that attempt to take either I >>will treat the same. >> > >> >Its time to water the tree... > >I'm tired of hearing my fellow Americans referred to as cowards, weaklings, >sheep, ignorant, easily mislead - this is a profoundly undemocratic >sentiment, the same kind of crap spewed by totalitarian and authoritarian >types from the far left and the far right as justification for abandonment >of the democratic process and the use of force to impose their ideology on >the rest of us. > >It is the cry of someone unwilling to do the hard work of actually speaking >to their fellow and convincing them of the rightness of the cause being >professed; the frustrated rant of someone who is convinced he or she has >"The Truth" on their side - the same opinion shared by Timothy McVeigh, Osma >Bin Ladin, and folks of a similar ilk. I wish I had a penny for every such conversation regarding this topic I've had. > >I won't deny that I think our government is unduly influenced by factions >(from certain labor unions to untold numbers of corporations) with financial >and other interests at stake, but my answer is to become a more dedicated >citizen, to work harder to educate my fellow citizens and elected >representatives about what I think is right and just. I wish I shared your hopeful attitude. Earlier in our country's history, when the public educational system was functioning a bit better, the average citizen had a broader perspective and a firsthand knowledge of the Constitution. Since the '60s the public system has all but failed subsequent generations leaving most ignorant and uninterested about how we got to where we are today, and easily propaganized. I've spent a considerable amount of time with those younger than 30 and its freightening how few (except for the radicals and a few lawyers) have ever read the founder's documents. Democracy only works when a citizenry is well informed. So what do you do now that you've got a generation of rubes? The political structure has almost precluded representation by those with minority views. The Republicrats are little more than two underworld gangs fighting over turf (us and our taxes) while we only get to flip a coin to determine who sticks it to us. How do you convince them that their leaders have been increasingly operating outside the intentions of the framers by ignoring and "re-interpreting" the Constitution to accomodate popular political sentement or accomodate powerful forces often with hidden agendas? > >I encourage everyone to read this book - it says more about the strengths >and weaknesses of this country (and more importantly, the "cowards" and >"weaklings" who make it work) than anything I've ever read. It is written by >an Arab-American and a profound patriot, someone whose life represents the >American dream in all it's glory and gore. > >America, More Than a Country >by Salom Rizk Thanks, I'll look into it. I'd like to return the favor, Thomas. I suggest reading "The Sovereign Individual : Mastering the Transition to the Information Age." http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684832720/o/qid%3D970264502/sr%3D2-1/103-2152618-1779855 In The Sovereign Individual, Davidson and Rees-Mogg explore the greatest economic and political transition in centuries -- the shift from an industrial to an information-based society. Although somewhat repetitve, they raise some compelling arguments about what techo-geo-political factors have shaped governemnt and society and what current and anticipated factors will shape it yet again. Specifically that "the economic return on violence," which is mainly tied to technology, is the most important long term influence on geopolitics. Their prediction is that nation states will be reduced significantly in global influence by the combination of the Internet (especia
Fwd: Re: FC: Sen. Hollings plans to introduce DMCA sequel: The SSSCA
- Forwarded Message - >From: Someone >> >>Working to keep our neighbors awake and informed is our best hope, in my >>view - that is the only way democracy will ever work. > >Historically this has often failed (e.g., the lack of outcry against Japanese >internment camps). Neighboors are willing to sell their liberty and their neighbors >at the drop of a hat if someone in government promises them greater security, even >though these same liars failed them time and time again. > >Since the New Deal Americans and corporations have become increasingly reliant on >government to provide for them, shield them from their own poor judgement and folly >and transfer the responsibility to the rest of us. (Citizens of a like mind should >structure upcoming tax filings to deduct Congress' largess to the airlines and >others). We cannot depend on these cowards and weaklings. > >You'll notice that no Declaration of War was formally given. Even so Congress has >moved to curtail civil liberties. From my perspective both life and liberty are >equally dear. Those that attempt to take either I will treat the same. > >Its time to water the tree...
Re: FC: Sen. Hollings plans to introduce DMCA sequel: The SSSCA
From: Someone > >Working to keep our neighbors awake and informed is our best hope, in my >view - that is the only way democracy will ever work. Historically this has often failed (e.g., the lack of outcry against Japanese internment camps). Neighboors are willing to sell their liberty and their neighbors at the drop of a hat if someone in government promises them greater security, even though these same liars failed them time and time again. Since the New Deal Americans and corporations have become increasingly reliant on government to provide for them, shield them from their own poor judgement and folly and transfer the responsibility to the rest of us. (Citizens of a like mind should structure upcoming tax filings to deduct Congress' largess to the airlines and others). We cannot depend on these cowards and weaklings. You'll notice that no Declaration of War was formally given. Even so Congress has moved to curtail civil liberties. From my perspective both life and liberty are equally dear. Those that attempt to take either I will treat the same. Its time to water the tree...
