Wednesday, September 20, 2006

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Benjamin Franklin 1759

15 comments:

RAT said...

overused? I think not. The NEED for it being used is way overdone. ...I hate fascists (think Yosemite Sam's voice)

RAT said...

Diiiiick: Ya missed the point entirely.
The point at issue here is that liberty and security can and should coexist, but the emphasis should be on liberty.
And while there are only two guarantees in this life, security can be significantly ensured, in this instance, through a change in behavior on the part of the government. .... And as a preface to this statement, let me refer you to published stories by virtually all the major news organizations in the days immediately after 9/11, which reported the reasons Al Qaeda said hey launched the attack. You note that none of them had anything to do with spreading Islamic fundamentalism, and instead focused on U.S. policy in the region. In fact, it took the Bush Leaguers more than two years to create their own bullshit message about the terrorists' reasons for the attack. Even then, the message was designed to appeal mainly to Christian fundamentalists, who would then line up in lock step with the administration, imagining themselves to be involved in some sort crusade in the name of Jesus Christ. And for those who weren't buying that story, the BLs fell back to the 1960s message of containment, to which you have apparently subscribed. The domino theory was largely a bunch of crap then, and it has even less basis in fact now.
So let's see; do we believe the original Al Qaeda reasons for the attack, or do we believe the administration's crafted message?
Yeah, I don't know for sure either. But I can make a guess based upon the simple question of who has more reason to lie: Is it the terrorists -- who sent the would a loud and clear message of displeasure, or is it the administration, who doesn't want to alter it's middle east policy, because it is so intertwined with world energy consumption, and fundamentalist Christians comprise such a large voting block in this nation.

RAT said...

Ah, there it is; the arrogant thinking that because we are the only remaing superpower, that we get to determine internetional policy for every other nation on the planet, with no consideration of any other cultures or nations. That's equivilant to believing that because you have the biggest house in your neighborhood, and the most money, you have the right to determine how everyone else in your community will live. .... You, Dick, are much larger than a wasp, and so you get annoyed or stung and you kill the wasp. But if you invade a nest of a thousand and get stung hundreds of times, do you think you'll survive that? Maybe, maybe not. In any case, your life will be at risk.... And so it is in the planet Earth neighborhood. Just because we're more powerful than the smaller countries, it does not mean we have no obligation to be good neighbors.... As a matter of fact, good, cooperative neighbors make for great security and business partners.

swampcritter2 said...

Ratturd, You freaking amaze me. I never thought I would live to see the day when a committed leftist such as yourself would quote Ben Franklin. Very, very slick! Pretty Clintonesque too. By the by, did you know that Thomas Jefferson made a nearly identical statement?

RAT said...

Further, while U.S. policy n the middle east is inextricably tied to world energy policy, it alone is not the only factor to consider, here. Also of no small concern is the belief by many of the arab nations that the U.S. policy favors Israel over anyone else, and the U.S. policy if expressly anti-Palestinian homeland. Personally, I can why the Islamics are pissed-off--- given that the U.S. props up the Israeli government and economy, while the Israelis treat the palestinians like the Nazis treated the jews in the 1930s, denying them citizenship, homes, jobs and even basic rights.

RAT said...

Dick: No, I don't believe Wico and i are related.

Wico: There IS no thinking on the Repiglican side.

Swampy: I have been accused of being a leftist, and in some respects I guess I am. In others, I am not. Slick? I think not. Merely freedom-loving and anti-fascist.

swampcritter2 said...

Tricky Dick, You sound like you,ve been reading something like chaos physics from Gary Zukav. Just kidding. Ratturd, I know is multi-dimensional. A brilliant writer, and a passionate thinker. I think he's mired in liberal speak though. When I hear Republican=Fascist, and terms like "Repiglican", I know what I'm truly listening to. I know I'm listening to a leftist, and Ratturd to his credit acknowledges that. I also know why lefties are so fond of labelling those on the right as fascists, when many times they don't know themselves. Most of the time they're merely echoing socialist drivel. I'd like to think Ratturd is intelligent enough to know. But you know,I'm not on a crusade to change people's minds, or some people's minds anyway. I come here for mostly for entertainment purposes.

swampcritter2 said...

Geezerguy, About the only thing I have in common with Ratturd is that I live in the same county. Now if you believe we're one and the same, and would care to place a wager on that, I can assure you that I will not be one doing the gambling. I'll even split the winnings with Ratturd. And let's not be talking "chump change" either. A c-note would do well for starters. I made my statement about RT's writing abilities based on his various interpretaions of the Constitution that I've read in his postings here. You should read them. Mayhaps your opinion of at least his writing talents will change. I don't agree with a lot of his other rants, but so what? Similar writing styles....hmmm. I also think you're to much of a zealot. I happen to believe zealots have no sense of humor.

swampcritter2 said...

Ratturd! What are you jerking my chain for man? I know you and Geezerguy are the same. You freakin' Lefties. What do you call it? Hegelian dialectic...yeah! Don't be messin' with my mind like that again! Ever!

Anonymous said...

Capitol punishment should be just that, Captitol, Painful, Public and Swift.
Drugs should be legalized, AND taxed.
Prostitution should be treated like any other job. License and taxed.

-I can get down with that!

RAT said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
RAT said...

Welcome Geez: you are wrong.

Swampy: Thak you for the compliment, but you are wrong too. I'm not a brilliant writer.... At best, I'm a pretty good writer who doesn't bother to spell-check.

River Rat: I'm searching for the word to describe your idea.... ah, here it is: FUCKINYIKES!!!.. Spoken like a reactionary-- with very little thought put into the idea....let's begin with your proposed tax structure. I'm okay with American Indians not paying taxes, but where is the cutoff point. For instance, mey neice and nephew are 0ne-eigth Cherokee.... does that mean they're exempt? If so, are those of 1/16 ancestry also exempt....under the current BIA standards, they are elegible for education and other grants available to Indians.
After that, your plan augers into the dirt. No court in this nation is going to uphold a plan that gives preferential treatment to some based upon their heritage and skin color.
Then, there's the whole issue increasing tax rates based upon the amount of time one has been in this nation. If you enact such a rule, who would make the determination of eligibility and how would it be done. I'm sure I'm not even remotely rare when I tell you that I'm first generation on my father's side and eigth generation on my mother's...... and 50 percent tax bracket for the newest immigrants?.... so, you're proposing that the demographic that is traditionally among the poorest, pay the highest amount of tax, is that right?
Cut of all aid to other countries: The explanation of why that is a ridiculous idea is so long and tortuous that it's actually a major course of study in universities. So, I'm going to be brief on this subject and just suggest you pick up a few good texts on economics.
Legalize dugs and prostitution: Okay, but how about we change the social conditions under which people feel a need to use drugs. How about higher/ vocational education is free, so people aren't confronted with the reality that proverty breeds proverty. If you and your family are poor, how are you going to get a good career if it costs money to go to school? And the free education would even apply to professional schools like medicine, business, law and engineering. Simply put, state and federal governments would pay for schooling, and in return those graduating would then owe one year of public service for each year in school.
Legalize prostitution: Here's the thing about that. If there is something so wrong with you that you have to pay cash for pussy, then you probably should not be breeding anyway. So, no.

4:00 PM

swampcritter2 said...

I have to confess I was only complimenting you to make myself look good. After all Geezerguy said we have similiar writing styles. (We know of course he's an authority on such matters.) Now you admit you're only a pretty good writer. Why are you selling us short?

RAT said...

"Types?" How many types am I, River Rat? And what/which types are they?

I gather I surprised you by responding to your diatribe. Ah.
Well, that's the name of the game here, RR. It is a discussion of issues, not a shit-slinging contest. What that means is that someone, you perhaps, offers up an argument and someone else, me perhaps, examines it and agrees or disagrees.
Welcome. Please use your brain.

RAT said...

No, I'm not a musician. No, I'm not starving. No, I'm not a miner... though I was was younger, I want to be a gynocologist.... I'm sure you can draw the connection.