I'm a Libertarian living in Humboldt County, CA. I've lived here in Eureka since 1973 and joined the Libertarian Party in 1992. This blog will mostly focus on local political issues, but I may stray into state and national issues as well, when I can't help myself. Please post your comments by clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of each post. Although I do moderate comments, you need not be a registered user to post them.
Dan Weintraub takes a look at the Real I.D. Act, passed by congress a year ago, and what we might well end up having to deal with.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 10:13 AM
19 comments
19 Comments:
"Gridlock in government is a good thing, for the most part."
A novel assessment, and true, when it comes to state and national government as they are.
Note how the article by Daniel Weintraub doesn't dare to come out and openly decry the outrage of growing technofascism in America. He says only:
"Set aside for a moment the question of whether more stringent forms of identification will make us safer and concerns about the potential downside of a national ID card."
And then he spends the rest of the article explaining only that it is going to be a logistical nightmare. Set aside the political nightmare, let's just complain about the logistics of how our jailers are going to put the cuffs on us.
But what else can we expect from a columnist with the Sacramento Bee?
"Note how the article by Daniel Weintraub doesn't dare to come out and openly decry the outrage of growing technofascism in America"
True, but I don't see a problem with it. He's addressing a problem without taking political sides on the issue. Makes it more palatable for some people to handle.
If he turned it into an anti- government rant, a lot if folks both one the left and right might not read any further once they feel he's got some special agenda.
It's a culture of obedience. You think its bad in California? Here in Nebraska you even suggest the gov't is criminal and you get dirty looks. Ultimately throughout history one thing holds true....the wet dream of the state is to never be questioned.
Leonidas can handle the dirty looks (he gets a lot of them). It's those pickets with signs calling for his decapitation (not here yet) that have to be dealt with using his supply of .223 ammo. (Only a few thousand rounds left.) I assume the term "technofascism" refers to the collectivist controlled govt's use of technology to keep tabs on us. Canada is abandoning its plan to "register" all long guns as "too costly". Maybe we can convince those who otherwise don't care that the new ID scheme is too expensive. But then again, when has cost dissuaded our rulers from abandoning their collectivist schemes?
Nebraska?
"But then again, when has cost dissuaded our rulers from abandoning their collectivist schemes?"
Indeed, they will spare no expense. And with the relatively efficient mass mind-control now possible using the mass-media, there will be no serious resistance from the bovine masses.
Only when the economy collapses will there be a change in government, and then it will be too late.
"...no serious resistance from the bovine masses."
I don't know what part of the world you live in (probably the Humboldt soviet) but here in flyover country (not Nebraska) things are not so hopeless. Try googleing groups supporting the 2nd Amendment. Some have even stolen Leonidas' motto: MOLON LABE
is leonidas going to shoot somebody? sounds like somehting a cop would say...
as for techno-fascism, welcome to the 21st century. but, wait - what do the politicians say?
blah blah blah
"Humboldt Soviet"? sounds like someone's got a high-and-mighty complex. Is the american empire somehow morally superior to the fallen soviet empire?
blogidy blogidy blue
Other than a lame attempt at ad hominem rhetoric plazoid's point is?????
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ!!
Yeah, that comment from the Plazoid (assuming the ID isn't forged), is not helpful. It sounds a bit juvenile, and the reference to it as "ad hominem rhetoric" is exactly right. (I know, because I had to look up "ad hominem" in the dictionary.)
Speaking of Latin, what does MOLON LABE mean, Leonidas?
As far as flyover country being 2nd-Amendment country, that's certainly a good thing, but it's not what I meant by serious resistance. What use will Americans' private guns be against the attack helicopters and jet bombers of the U.S. military? Gun ownership is essential for providing a degree of independence from local criminal authorities who are not as heavily armed, but not from the most powerful military machine on the planet.
The only seriously effective national resistance I can think of is large-scale tax resistance. That would pull the rug out from under them.
anonymous 11:24 ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ is Greek, not Latin and derives from the following:
In the year 480 BC the Persian King Xerxes invaded Greece with his army of 200,000+ men. The Greeks determined to resist the invasion and sent a detachment of hoplites (heavy armed infantry) to resist at the pass of Thermopylae. The Greek force was led by the Spartan King Leonidas and consisted of his 300 hoplite bodyguard and 6500 other infantryman from several Greek city states. Upon encountering the blocking force, the Persian king sent a herald to Leonidas stating "Deliver up your arms." Leonidas replied: "MOLON LABE" which translates: "Come and take them". After loosing several thousand of his best soldiers in the next two days of fighting, the Persian king sent a further demand to the Greeks to surrender or he would have "the sun blocked out by the clouds of arrows" from his Persian (Iranian?) archers. The Spartan reply: "Then we will fight in the shade"
Herodotus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae
You are correct that personal weapons are no match for modern military. If the military fires on those defending their homes and families, then the public schools have finally accomplished their objective.
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Thanks, Leonidas. That bit of history is fascinating. It's weird but at the first sight of the name "Thermopylae" in your post I felt a sensation on my scalp akin to the hair standing on end. I've heard that famous name for many years, of course, but never had a reaction like that. It feels as if I recognize something about it now. I think it must be because of the similarity of Thermopylae with today's situation.
The forces of evil today -- exemplified by the U.S. government and military, in my opinion -- are like the massive army of King Xerxes. And those who are genuinely resisting that massive, pervasive evil in this country seem like just a very few people. They are all kinds: rightists, leftists, socialists, progressives and Libertarians, but their numbers seem few.
And the lesson of Thermopylae is that, in the right circumstances, a smaller force of determined resisters can defeat a much larger force, if only they're willing to fight to the death, and hold firm as long as they're alive.
As such, "MOLON LABE" or "Come and take them", is a pretty plucky motto. Like Jimmy Cagney saying, "Come and get me, copper!" I like that spirit.
(side note: on my computer the different Greek letters are not showing up. I see only generic omega symbols.)
"If the military fires on those defending their homes and families, then the public schools have finally accomplished their objective."
Very true. Here's a relevant quote from H.L. Mencken I like:
"[The] assumption that it is the aim of the [American] public school to fan the intelligence and to produce large numbers of alert and curious youths of both sexes is foolish. The state maintains its control of elementary education, not primarily to reduce illiteracy and turn the eyes of the plain people toward the stars, but to make sure that they are not taught anything that is subversive.
"Public education is thus a police measure. The goal it moves toward is perfect standardization, perfect discipline, perfect imbecility."
-- H. L. Mencken
Baltimore Sun
February 23, 1924
The corporate/banking plutocracy has been "social engineering" and corrupting the American people for many generations. I feel there is no longer any hope for the whoring masses in America. But I appreciate your basic stance, Leonidas. Even if it the situation seems hopeless, at least in this world, it's still worth fighting to the death against evil.
Anonymous:"...a smaller force of determined resisters can defeat a much larger force..."
The force defending Thermopylae was killed to a man. The Persians were defeated a few months later in the sea battle at Salamis and the next year on land at Plataea. Thermopylae allowed the Greeks time to mobilize and demonstrated that there were those willing to fight rather than surrender.
An American parallel is in 1836 at San Antonio Bexar (The Alamo).
"Being anti-war is like being anti gravity. Good Luck!"
Leonidas
the plazoid's point:
Leonidas threatening to shoot someone with a picket sign is what fascism is all about.
theplazoid's second point:
techno-fascism is here to stay, and it doesn't really matter what the politicians say. What matters is what we do.
the plazoid's third point:
referring to the "humboldt soviet" as an insult is silly if you are supporting the current gulags of the american empire.
as for the "america is the best" comment:
i guess that depends on your perspective. if you happen to be one of the millions in prison for being poor or non-violent victimless crimes, or a political prisoner, or dead at the hands of the well-armed federal agents for being in the way of big corporation's development, then america ain't so great.
1. like many collectivists, plazoid likes to place words in the mouths of those with which he/she/it disagrees
2. plazoid is apparently not aware that the last century's great fascist model NSDAP (Nazi) is an acronym for National SOCIALIST German Workers Party, a collectivist movement
3. Humboldt Soviet is used as a descriptive term. It is surprising any collectivist would be offended.
4. plazoid would be right at home in Cuba but should take a supply of toilet paper along. Only party members have access to it (sorry, plazoid probably already qualifies for this benefit)
5. plazoid uses Fred's blog for ad hominem attacks but does not allow contrary comments on his/her/its own blog
6. Leonidas will not in the future engage in any exchange with plazoid on Freds blog
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
scratch the last half of point 5 above. plazoid appears to be only slow in posting comments
"The force defending Thermopylae was killed to a man."
Pardon my ignorance! That's very sad.
Well if Thermopylae is like the Alamo, that certainly does feel like the situation we face today.
But death is far preferable to slavery. What matters is how well we live, not how long.
"Being anti-war is like being anti gravity."
Being anti-war is like fighting at the Alamo.
Is it possible that Colonel Travis and King Leonidas are distant relatives?
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Brothers in spirit, no doubt.
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