An anonymous commenter mentioned, in response to the "Fifty-one Years have Passed" post on ConservaChick, that I seem to be more "radical" than I was two years ago. That particular word has been gnawing at the back of my brain since I read the comment yesterday... I've never thought myself "radical" in any way. Never. I tend to pride myself on my ability to see both sides of an issue and mentally balance them both to come to a good, logical conclusion. (Yes, even though I take a clear stand on issues, I do understand the arguments on both sides. Really, I do. I just think the side other than mine hasn't thought it through enough to reach the right conclusion.)
The point is that since the attacks on 9/11/2001, the world has changed. America has changed. For a brief shining moment in history, America came together and we took pride in our ability to rebound from tragedy, to face down an enemy who deserved the full wrath of our military might, and to stand together, strong against the rest of the world if necessary. As I said, it was a brief moment.
After that "moment," there were political incidents that cost us our integrity, bent our Constitutional principles to the point of breaking, and caused the American spirit to splinter. I don't care which party did what; all I know is that our Constitution was ignored -- as it has been in the past -- to a degree which hurt us as a nation.
So what's the point? Well, the point is that I finally understand "radical." The gnawing in my brain stopped this evening when I watched Sheriff Mack's video. It became all too clear: this country has forgotten it's framework... the US Constitution has been crumpled up and used by the political ruling class to wipe its collective arse in Washington, DC. Is it "radical" to be completely pissed off about that? If it's radical to expect the federal government to adhere to the Constitution then, YES, I am "radical."
Watch Sheriff Mack. This man is one of very few government officials these days whose integrity remains fully intact. He took an oath that he took seriously, one that he will continue to uphold to hold the line against the tyranny of the federal government. Thank God!
Thank you, Sheriff Mack. It feels very good to know that I'm not alone in my "radical" need to see this country returned to its Constitutional form of government. I've never taken the oath mentioned in this video but I don't need to take it. I will defend our Constitution with every last breath, if necessary.
NOTE: Liberals, don't bother commenting on how "racist" it is to honor the rights that are given to the states in our Constitution. It absolutely is not. Rights were given to the states in an effort to ensure that the federal government does not overstep its bounds. Historically, we can all agree that the issue of civil rights was a moral issue. Were there some states who needed a shove toward civil rights in our short history? Yep. There sure were! Did the federal government have the right to enforce civil rights on the states. Sorry to inform you, no, the federal government did not have the right to encroach on the rights of the states to decide the issue for themselves.
We can all agree that some issues are moral in nature but that does not give the federal government the right to be the moral authority.
The point is that since the attacks on 9/11/2001, the world has changed. America has changed. For a brief shining moment in history, America came together and we took pride in our ability to rebound from tragedy, to face down an enemy who deserved the full wrath of our military might, and to stand together, strong against the rest of the world if necessary. As I said, it was a brief moment.
After that "moment," there were political incidents that cost us our integrity, bent our Constitutional principles to the point of breaking, and caused the American spirit to splinter. I don't care which party did what; all I know is that our Constitution was ignored -- as it has been in the past -- to a degree which hurt us as a nation.
So what's the point? Well, the point is that I finally understand "radical." The gnawing in my brain stopped this evening when I watched Sheriff Mack's video. It became all too clear: this country has forgotten it's framework... the US Constitution has been crumpled up and used by the political ruling class to wipe its collective arse in Washington, DC. Is it "radical" to be completely pissed off about that? If it's radical to expect the federal government to adhere to the Constitution then, YES, I am "radical."
Watch Sheriff Mack. This man is one of very few government officials these days whose integrity remains fully intact. He took an oath that he took seriously, one that he will continue to uphold to hold the line against the tyranny of the federal government. Thank God!
Thank you, Sheriff Mack. It feels very good to know that I'm not alone in my "radical" need to see this country returned to its Constitutional form of government. I've never taken the oath mentioned in this video but I don't need to take it. I will defend our Constitution with every last breath, if necessary.
NOTE: Liberals, don't bother commenting on how "racist" it is to honor the rights that are given to the states in our Constitution. It absolutely is not. Rights were given to the states in an effort to ensure that the federal government does not overstep its bounds. Historically, we can all agree that the issue of civil rights was a moral issue. Were there some states who needed a shove toward civil rights in our short history? Yep. There sure were! Did the federal government have the right to enforce civil rights on the states. Sorry to inform you, no, the federal government did not have the right to encroach on the rights of the states to decide the issue for themselves.
We can all agree that some issues are moral in nature but that does not give the federal government the right to be the moral authority.
Comments
Like it or not, according to the US Constitution, George Wallace was within his rights when he stood in the doorway of that school. He was morally wrong but he was Constitutionally correct.
Yes, it's sad that Southerners back then did not see the immorality in their prejudices and take action on their own to correct it. However, it was unconstitutional for the Federal government to send Federal forces into the states to enforce laws which they were not authorized to impose.
My views are obviously far broader than your own. You seem to base your view of the Constitution on emotion. It's not an emotional document -- it's a structure for our form of government.
Intellect is a powerful thing, Anonymous, it can hem you in and hamstring you with logic and principles. I hope to see you hamstrung one of these days...but I'm not holding my breath.
I believe in a vibrant, diverse, educated and progressive America. And it WILL progress in spite of you trying to tug it back into the past with your razor-thin "logic" of trying to "Reclaim America." Reclaim it from whom? Americans?
Of course the foundations of the country are important. We agree on that, Dawn. But this is a land that must continually reinvent itself. Are you the same person you were at 17? Of course not.
If you don't loosen up, you're going to miss being a part of what America CAN become as it reaches the potential our founders intended. Time's a wasting, Dawn.
Government CAN be a positive force in the lives of Americans Limit it's power? Of course! But those limits must never be invoked in order to take immoral actions.