You forgot one other important part, Joe. It used to be that each
individual had the right to make up their own mind about what they
believed, and the right to speak their mind, without being "shussed" by
those who believed otherwise. Whether it was religion, politics, or
social mores, that country's citizens had the RIGHT to their beliefs,
even if they were not "politically correct" or even if others found them
"offensive". Nowdays, it seems many people are afraid to speak the
truth about what they believe, what with our children being taught in
schools that it is now "in" to rat out friends, family, etc. to the
authorities, and people are being arrested for merely discussing
opinions. The one thing I would disagree with you about is the idea
that the country we grew up in never lost a war. We may have defeated
the Nazis on the battlefield, but it would appear that National
Socialism (or perhaps I should say "International Socialism"?) won the
war, albiet in a slightly modified form. If you compare the past 8
years with 1928-1936 Germany by policies, we are rapidly becoming that
which we fought, and the fact that few people have the guts to admit it
doesn't change that one bit. I don't know for sure if W will change
that and if so by how much, but speaking from the experience of
attending one of the schools where Al Gore is currently teaching at, and
having to tolerate our campus being turned into a miniture police state
every time he visits ( with a number of people I know there having been
detained and "shaken down" by his "Praetorian Guard", I can safely say
that I shudder to think about what he would have done to the rest of the
country had he won.
Jay
Joe Garrett wrote:
> In view of the comment about foreign regimes, I have to jump in here.
>
> I was born in a country where you could buy a rifle through the mail. You
> could carry that rifle anywhere you cared to go and noboby would give it a
> second thought. You could carry a pistol openly in a holster, but you could
> not carry it concealed without a permit. There was no agency anywhere to
> keep track of how many weapons you bought or sold, and we were truly free.
> In that country our overall tax rate was less than 20% and the government
> had a very small role in our lives. Politicians had to be honest, married
> (no divorces, either) and forthright to get elected.
>
> The public schools were run by the local community, not the central
> government and not the teachers union. That country had never been beaten
> in a war, and everyone was proud to be a citizen of that country.
> Unfortunately, that nation no longer exists. When people make fun of those
> of us who value our rights as citizens, I get very upset; I have pity on
> those ignorant souls who don't understand what has happened in just one
> generation.
>
> Yes, I know this is off subject; sorry!
>
> Joe Garrett
>
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