Politics
On the lines of Orwellian thinking:
The President uses evangelists and makes promises to gain a dictator like power. America is pushed into a contrived war and liberties are restricted Pushed by corporate interests and under the guise of National Emergency the behind the scenes political agenda called “the brain coordinates it all.
Recognize the scenario? It is nothing original.
The book was authored by Sinclair Lewis in 1935 Title: It Can’t Happen Here
It is our duty as American citizens to separate the truth from fiction. And it is not an easy undertaking anymore. Sometimes I have to sit back and get back to the basic questions of what I believe in. Defining moral opinions is no easy task. Pre 9/11 it was easier for me, perhaps I was being simplistic, but I could list a few items with some self assured concept of being correct. Now I cannot.
I never spent a lot of time contemplating or comparing my religious beliefs with others. I felt that my moral ideals served me well and that it was not necessary or expected that I explain myself. Now I find myself looking at all religion as a prelude to violence. I never questioned my belief in my country. A strong country, a country with possibilities of equality, a country where I did not wake up with knowing that someone, from somewhere else might blow me up just cause. Timothy McVeigh made us aware of our vulnerability from home grown discontents but 9/11 – that was another thing. I did not follow just because a political idea was popular, I never voted straight party line, I voted on each issue on it’s merits.
The truth is:
This leaves me a left of center flag waving confused citizen. It would be easy and safe to take a atavistic view point over an enlightened one. Now if I could figure out what I think about what is on the news . . ..
The stifling of American citizen’s freedom of speech by the U.S. Government is not a new concept in the history of our country. I suspect that the many people in this country have not a clue as to what the following examples are or what drove their inception.
In 1798 congress passed the “Sedition Acts”. Making it an offense punishable by a fine or imprisonment, to write, print, utter, publish, or procure any false, scandalous, or malicious writings against the government of the United States, either house of Congress, or the President of the United States, with intent to defame or irritate the heck out of them.
The Espionage Act in 1917 made it punishable to interfering with military recruitment and its amendment (Sedition Act of 1918) a year later added “… utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States, or the Constitution of the United States, or the military or naval forces of the United States…”.
In the Smith Act of 1940 once again citizens are subject to fines and imprisonment “…for willfully . . . with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts to do so; or. . . “. It is still around you can read it 18 U.S. Code § 2385
Two weeks before the Alien & Sedition Acts passed On June 1, 1798 Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to his friend John Taylor.
“This is not new,” Jefferson said. “It is the old practice of despots; to use a part of the people to keep the rest in order. And those who have once got an ascendancy and possessed themselves of all the resources of the nation, their revenues and offices, have immense means for retaining their advantage.”
Jefferson did what he could to stop his generations Patriot Acts but failed.
“I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace.” Bush at the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2002, 10:30 A.M. EDT
Society based upon the principles of Ingsoc and its very wise ideals of the Philosopher Big Brother. Our mission is to show our support to the Government in its actions to bring about the Utopia presented by George Orwell in 1984! This includes War on all those who oppose us, because War is Peace. Censorship, such as Chaney talks abou the policy, because Ignorance is Strength. And the wonderful Patriot Act, because Freedom is Slavery! As a member of our glorious society you will know yourself to be safe because Big Brother is watching out for you in 1984 + 20.
Any reports of failure are almost certainly lies, the work of thought criminals. Kindly ignore them.
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