I despise this war…
Yet the President has said time and time again, that we must support our troops…
I couldn’t agree more, but do you want to know what it means to “Support the troops”? Mr. President?
Don’t make their families take up a collection for their body armor.
You want to know what it means to support our troops? Armor their humvees so they don’t lose their lives and limbs when they don’t need to.
You want to know what it means to support our troops? Don’t send them into somebody else’s civil war.
You want to know what it means to support our troops? Don’t send them to war unless you would send your own children.
You want to know what it means to support our troops? Keep contracts out of the hands of companies who apathetically give them contaminated drinking water.
You want to know what it means to support our troops? When they come home damaged, when they come home with their bodies frayed from that war, Don’t you DARE warehouse them with cockroaches in Walter Red hospital.
You want to know what it means to support our troops? When they come back to the shores that they will never see again, haven given their lives for this country, don’t whisk their bodies in, in the middle of the night because their sacrifice makes for bad PR. You proudly display their flag draped coffins like every other American president has done before you.
You want to know what it means to support our troops? Don’t you ever, ever write letters to their parents, to their spouses, to their children, when they lost their lives for this country, with a mechanical pin, you write it with your own hand so you feel what it means for them to lose their lives for this country.
And if you want to really know what it means to support our troops?
Bring them home.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The state of the party...
We are in a very crucial presidential election campaign and so I always ask myself, what would the greatest republican presidential candidate in recent years say and do regarding these candidates. I’m talking about Ronald Reagan, who in 1976 people said he was unelectable, he was a fringe candidate, he would never be elected. And four years later he won the presidency and in 1984 he won the reelection with 49 states. So Ronald Reagan said we need to get government off our backs, and Ron Paul was only one of four congressman supporting former governor Reagan in 1976 and Gerald ford pulled him into the oval office when he was president and said I want your support, and as a freshman congressman Ron Paul said “I’m sorry Mr. President but I’m supporting Ronald Reagan” Think of the character it took to tell the president of the united state they you won’t support him for reelection.
Now lets think about where we are as a nation and party, we are in an unpopular occupation with no end in sight, 75% of people in the United States are against it. We are on the edge of a major recession Congressman Paul has warned about for years; we got kicked out of power in 2006 for runaway spending, because of ethical breaches, and we lost our confidence as a party to stand up for our ideals of limited government and free enterprise. In other words we are at a major crossroads in the history of this country and our party is looking for a leader who can take the party and the country back from the collectivist ideology that is rampant in Washington D.C.
I was speaking to party insiders this weekend and was told that discussions reaching as high as Mike Duncan, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, were taking place on what to do about Ron Paul. I was told that the movement has had a profound affect on the party and is reshaping the current platform. Concessions must be made to the Ron Paul Republicans if the party is to thrive. They said they know the party will lose in the general election to the Democrats without Ron Paul supporters and irreparable damage to the party could last for decades.
To be brandished as losers does not sit well with the top brass in the party, and an incredible amount of resources are being wasted. They said that a return to core Republican values could go a long way in returning credibility to the party. I didn't ask what they meant by this but I know what they were thinking. I think they are beginning to see the writing on the wall, and I hope this is the beginning of a breakthrough for our party.
I think they know Ron Paul Republicans will not compromise on their principles, and this is what scares them the most. They know we will not bow to the Democrats or the Neo-cons.
I despise Neo-Cons and the Democrats in power. They are the biggest bunch of arrogant, power-hungry, self-serving hypocrites corrupting our government that we have had in a century. They answer only to lobbyists, not to the people they were elected to represent. If they're afraid of the grassroots swelling of the "little people" who have had enough of their hubris then so be it. Don't fall for any promises of a return to real republican principles. They have proven beyond a doubt they cannot be trusted - ever
Even if any one of those five other candidates started imitating Ron Paul word-for-word, I wouldn't believe a word of it. Give me candidates with proven track records of fiscal responsibility, limiting the size & scope of federal government, and attention to the Constitution and then I'll start thinking of voting for them.
I have always held a strong belief in the good of man. It is a good that breaks party lines and long held beliefs. Liberal or Conservative, Black or white, Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian….all any American ever wishes or dreams, is for their families to be safe, that they can come home to their families and see children who are not starving in the streets, but that are happy and smiling. Americans want to know that they can provide for their families without being cheated or enslaved, and that their children will always have a better and brighter future than they had. Is that not what we all fight for? The only thing we disagree on is how we get to that “shining city on the hill” The thing is… We don’t create that shining city by winning elections or raising money. We do it by universally questioning ourselves.
We all have good intentions…
Yet, we are in debt 9 trillion dollars… 56 Trillion if you include entitlements.
We all have good intentions…
Yet, too many Americans like the idea of universal healthcare.
We all have good intentions.
Yet democrat or republican we continue to increase the size of government.
We all have good intentions.
But we too often forget to question ourselves…
Now lets think about where we are as a nation and party, we are in an unpopular occupation with no end in sight, 75% of people in the United States are against it. We are on the edge of a major recession Congressman Paul has warned about for years; we got kicked out of power in 2006 for runaway spending, because of ethical breaches, and we lost our confidence as a party to stand up for our ideals of limited government and free enterprise. In other words we are at a major crossroads in the history of this country and our party is looking for a leader who can take the party and the country back from the collectivist ideology that is rampant in Washington D.C.
I was speaking to party insiders this weekend and was told that discussions reaching as high as Mike Duncan, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, were taking place on what to do about Ron Paul. I was told that the movement has had a profound affect on the party and is reshaping the current platform. Concessions must be made to the Ron Paul Republicans if the party is to thrive. They said they know the party will lose in the general election to the Democrats without Ron Paul supporters and irreparable damage to the party could last for decades.
To be brandished as losers does not sit well with the top brass in the party, and an incredible amount of resources are being wasted. They said that a return to core Republican values could go a long way in returning credibility to the party. I didn't ask what they meant by this but I know what they were thinking. I think they are beginning to see the writing on the wall, and I hope this is the beginning of a breakthrough for our party.
I think they know Ron Paul Republicans will not compromise on their principles, and this is what scares them the most. They know we will not bow to the Democrats or the Neo-cons.
I despise Neo-Cons and the Democrats in power. They are the biggest bunch of arrogant, power-hungry, self-serving hypocrites corrupting our government that we have had in a century. They answer only to lobbyists, not to the people they were elected to represent. If they're afraid of the grassroots swelling of the "little people" who have had enough of their hubris then so be it. Don't fall for any promises of a return to real republican principles. They have proven beyond a doubt they cannot be trusted - ever
Even if any one of those five other candidates started imitating Ron Paul word-for-word, I wouldn't believe a word of it. Give me candidates with proven track records of fiscal responsibility, limiting the size & scope of federal government, and attention to the Constitution and then I'll start thinking of voting for them.
I have always held a strong belief in the good of man. It is a good that breaks party lines and long held beliefs. Liberal or Conservative, Black or white, Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian….all any American ever wishes or dreams, is for their families to be safe, that they can come home to their families and see children who are not starving in the streets, but that are happy and smiling. Americans want to know that they can provide for their families without being cheated or enslaved, and that their children will always have a better and brighter future than they had. Is that not what we all fight for? The only thing we disagree on is how we get to that “shining city on the hill” The thing is… We don’t create that shining city by winning elections or raising money. We do it by universally questioning ourselves.
We all have good intentions…
Yet, we are in debt 9 trillion dollars… 56 Trillion if you include entitlements.
We all have good intentions…
Yet, too many Americans like the idea of universal healthcare.
We all have good intentions.
Yet democrat or republican we continue to increase the size of government.
We all have good intentions.
But we too often forget to question ourselves…
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Great meeting, and a great day to campaign
Nov. 28th
The 2ed Harrison Ron Paul meeting went great! There were many more people than I expected. The room fit for 30 was packed! And more people came in after it was over! Some of the things discussed were the Signwaving, door to door campaigning, a RP Billboard, and a place for members to work in their spare time.
And even though nothing has been finalized. I desided to go ahead and design a billboard just to show everyone what it might look like.
Dec. 2ed
What a great day to campaign. The Harrison, Ar Ron Paul meetup had a signwaveing event today. It was raining, 40 degrees, and extremely windy... and we still had 17 people at an intersection with RP signs, and stayed for over 3 hours too... My sign has handprints on both sides and doesn't work anymore.
We enjoyed the reaction the traffic gave us as well. About 40% approved of Paul, 40% didn't know who he was, and 20% disapproved... We had one lady stick her head out her window and scream Hillary... lol
I think we handed out about 700 slim jims as well. I'm not for sure, all I know is we had fun...
The 2ed Harrison Ron Paul meeting went great! There were many more people than I expected. The room fit for 30 was packed! And more people came in after it was over! Some of the things discussed were the Signwaving, door to door campaigning, a RP Billboard, and a place for members to work in their spare time.
And even though nothing has been finalized. I desided to go ahead and design a billboard just to show everyone what it might look like.
Dec. 2ed
What a great day to campaign. The Harrison, Ar Ron Paul meetup had a signwaveing event today. It was raining, 40 degrees, and extremely windy... and we still had 17 people at an intersection with RP signs, and stayed for over 3 hours too... My sign has handprints on both sides and doesn't work anymore.
We enjoyed the reaction the traffic gave us as well. About 40% approved of Paul, 40% didn't know who he was, and 20% disapproved... We had one lady stick her head out her window and scream Hillary... lol
I think we handed out about 700 slim jims as well. I'm not for sure, all I know is we had fun...
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Just Kidding...
The people have lost their voice, and no one takes bush seriously. We make jokes about him all the time, but the real joke is that he is still in office and he still has the power to do something! Anything! When we talk about the patriot act, the war, and the loss of habeas corpus, it isn’t taken seriously. And when presidential leaks, cover-ups, and wire taping are mentioned, it’s a joke… Simply because the president is stupid? Is that how shallow we are? Our president can get away with being a bad president, as long as we can joke about it? What has happened to my America?! Where are the protests on college campuses?! Where have all the rightly angry people gone! Where is America’s youth!?! We did nothing with Iraq, we did nothing as the war raged on, and we continue to do NOTHING as the war drums are pounding in regard to Iran. I’m disappointed. If this were an aware and just America, King George would be impeached, and Imprisoned.
Or better yet… Hanged....
Or better yet… Hanged....
Spineless Patriot
I could not believe it. I was so happy last week when Congressman Pete Stark (D) took a stand for our country and bashed the War and King George into the preverbal wall. I thought to myself, “Finally a democrat with a backbone!” …I was wrong. Today, Pete Stark Folded like a lawn chair in his apology to congress. Even when a Cnn poll showed that 97% of Americans thought that he shouldn’t apologize. My question is: Where is my apology for your lack of testicals and your inability to represent the majority of Americans? For a moment I saw a congressman actually doing what he was supposed to do. Then I saw Stark once again stand in front of congress and say "I want to apologize to my colleagues, many of whom I have offended,” offend your colleagues?! To hell with your colleagues! What about those dying men and women whom you so strongly care about? What about the Americans you’re supposed to represent? I don’t know… Maybe I’m being a little hard on the congressman. I wouldn’t have apologized if they held a gun to my head. It is apparent congressman that you still believe what you originally said. Otherwise I don’t think it would have been as difficult as it looked for you when you apologized. Besides, Its in your blood. You opposed the Vietnam War and you oppose this war.
You were right when you insulted King George. Just like all of our founding fathers were right when they stood against tyrants. The only difference is, if they had backed down like you did. We would all be under the rule of a king, instead of a president.
Congressmen Stark… Apparently not patriot material.
You were right when you insulted King George. Just like all of our founding fathers were right when they stood against tyrants. The only difference is, if they had backed down like you did. We would all be under the rule of a king, instead of a president.
Congressmen Stark… Apparently not patriot material.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Can the success in rebuilding Japan be duplicated in Iraq?
Absolutely not!
To really understand, you must look at a broader spectrum of things. Japan before the war was a thriving capital of industrial power. The war with China in 1894-1895 made Japan the world's first non-Western modern imperial power, and the war with Russia proved that a Western power could be defeated by a non-Western State. The aftermath of these two wars left Japan the dominant power in the Far East, with a sphere of influence extending over southern Manchuria and Korea. During WW1 it declared war on the Central Powers, attacking German colonial outposts in East Asia, and taking advantage of the opportunity to expand its influence in Asia and its territorial holdings in the Pacific.
The post-war era brought Japan unprecedented prosperity. Japan went to the peace conference at Versailles in 1919 as one of the great military and industrial powers of the world and received official recognition as one of the "Big Five" of the new international order. With that said, it is sufficient to say that then and even in its history, the Japanese have always been a proud people. But as most of you know, within the course of one war (WW2) Japan’s prosperous Imperial Empire was nothing more than a firebombed and radiation drowned, shell of a country. The Japanese Empire's government was dismantled under General Douglas MacArthur and replaced by a constitutional monarchy with the emperor as a figurehead. But it was still, a united Japan. The whole of Japan was united under one religion, unlike Iraq. Japan also had an enormous amount of national pride left, and believed that it once again was destined to such prosperity. With the assistance of American reconstruction (though it was undoubtedly our responsibility, the obvious reasons for the assistance was anti-communist oriented) and the unity of the Japanese people, Japan was quickly rebuilt.
Iraq on the other hand is completely different. A site on constant military conflict, Iraq has never been a world power. Due to the post-Saddam Hussein power shift from Sunni to Shia, Iraq has turned into a ubiquitous region of sectarian violence and anti-American strife. Making reconstruction impossible.
To really understand, you must look at a broader spectrum of things. Japan before the war was a thriving capital of industrial power. The war with China in 1894-1895 made Japan the world's first non-Western modern imperial power, and the war with Russia proved that a Western power could be defeated by a non-Western State. The aftermath of these two wars left Japan the dominant power in the Far East, with a sphere of influence extending over southern Manchuria and Korea. During WW1 it declared war on the Central Powers, attacking German colonial outposts in East Asia, and taking advantage of the opportunity to expand its influence in Asia and its territorial holdings in the Pacific.
The post-war era brought Japan unprecedented prosperity. Japan went to the peace conference at Versailles in 1919 as one of the great military and industrial powers of the world and received official recognition as one of the "Big Five" of the new international order. With that said, it is sufficient to say that then and even in its history, the Japanese have always been a proud people. But as most of you know, within the course of one war (WW2) Japan’s prosperous Imperial Empire was nothing more than a firebombed and radiation drowned, shell of a country. The Japanese Empire's government was dismantled under General Douglas MacArthur and replaced by a constitutional monarchy with the emperor as a figurehead. But it was still, a united Japan. The whole of Japan was united under one religion, unlike Iraq. Japan also had an enormous amount of national pride left, and believed that it once again was destined to such prosperity. With the assistance of American reconstruction (though it was undoubtedly our responsibility, the obvious reasons for the assistance was anti-communist oriented) and the unity of the Japanese people, Japan was quickly rebuilt.
Iraq on the other hand is completely different. A site on constant military conflict, Iraq has never been a world power. Due to the post-Saddam Hussein power shift from Sunni to Shia, Iraq has turned into a ubiquitous region of sectarian violence and anti-American strife. Making reconstruction impossible.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Groupthink and Doublethink
The question was raised in my Sociology class; Is there a correlation between Groupthink and Doublethink? I say, Yes...
Now, Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing and evaluating ideas. It may cause groups to make hasty, irrational decisions, where individual doubts are set aside, for fear of upsetting the group's balance.
and According to George Orwell's Novel 1984, Doublethink is the act of holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously, believing both, despite being aware of their incompatibility.
And many people don't believe doublethink exists. I've been told that is it only fiction, like the book. But people use doublethink all the time, in-fact I used it at school just recently when I said I was absent because I had court. I lied. I had a trig test I was unprepared for. But I didn't lie like most people do who know they are lieing, I tricked myself, I consciously told myself it was true, making it very easy to lie, because, if I believe it's true, I'll have no problem telling anyone such.
So my hypothesis is that Groupthink theory and Doublethink theory are interlinked and are quite rampant in society, the media, and politics, and that a person will use doublethink to deny truth in order to comply with the established group.
I'll use a prime example of untruths…
Before the Iraq war, George Bush made a comment in one of his speeches… and it was "if Saddam Hussein does not disarm, the United States of America will lead a coalition and disarm him in the name of Peace."
Now anyone believing in this statement has to use Doublethink to agree with it.
Disarm is the name of peace? Disarming means War…. And War in the name of peace? The statement is doublethink. It's a blackwhite. War is peace, Freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength…
(Not to mention that is wasn't long before the news came out that there was nothing to disarm in the first place… It's a little hard to drop your gun when you're not holding one… )
Now, Why would anyone use doublethink to believe Bush's statement? Well, because if they didn't it would conflict with the Group leader's statements and the group… Groupthink…
Now, Groupthink is a type of thought exhibited by group members who try to minimize conflict and reach consensus without critically testing, analyzing and evaluating ideas. It may cause groups to make hasty, irrational decisions, where individual doubts are set aside, for fear of upsetting the group's balance.
and According to George Orwell's Novel 1984, Doublethink is the act of holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously, believing both, despite being aware of their incompatibility.
And many people don't believe doublethink exists. I've been told that is it only fiction, like the book. But people use doublethink all the time, in-fact I used it at school just recently when I said I was absent because I had court. I lied. I had a trig test I was unprepared for. But I didn't lie like most people do who know they are lieing, I tricked myself, I consciously told myself it was true, making it very easy to lie, because, if I believe it's true, I'll have no problem telling anyone such.
So my hypothesis is that Groupthink theory and Doublethink theory are interlinked and are quite rampant in society, the media, and politics, and that a person will use doublethink to deny truth in order to comply with the established group.
I'll use a prime example of untruths…
Before the Iraq war, George Bush made a comment in one of his speeches… and it was "if Saddam Hussein does not disarm, the United States of America will lead a coalition and disarm him in the name of Peace."
Now anyone believing in this statement has to use Doublethink to agree with it.
Disarm is the name of peace? Disarming means War…. And War in the name of peace? The statement is doublethink. It's a blackwhite. War is peace, Freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength…
(Not to mention that is wasn't long before the news came out that there was nothing to disarm in the first place… It's a little hard to drop your gun when you're not holding one… )
Now, Why would anyone use doublethink to believe Bush's statement? Well, because if they didn't it would conflict with the Group leader's statements and the group… Groupthink…
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