Freedom vs. Anarchy
posted 10 hours ago by Angelica Wolf [ updated 10 hours ago ]
In the last couple of months, we have all witnessed the spectacular protests being held under the "Occupy" movement. The movement is made up of disparate groups that have come together to protest what they feel is an unfair government that favors rich over poor, big business over labor and a host of other grievances. In fact, it is at times difficult to know what their real goals are, as interviews conducted with various protestors seem unable to clarify an overriding cause or objective. While they have had trouble putting into words what their goals are, we have been able to witness the actions of this crowd and from that we can glean what is at the core of the movement - anarchy.
Anarchy is defined* as:
1. Absence of any form of political authority.
2. Political disorder and confusion.
3. Absence of any cohesive principle, such as a common standard or purpose.
Over the past several decades, there has been a persistent effort in our country and throughout much of western culture to reject all authority. It started in earnest in the 1950's with the anti-establishment movement, accelerated through the Vietnam era and really took root in colleges and universities during the late 60's and early 70's. In 1966, Ronald Reagan, as then governor of California, gave a speech warning about how radicals were using colleges and universities to recruit young people to their cause. He quoted a California university professor as saying, "I think we agree that the revolution is necessary and that you don't conduct a revolution by attacking the strongest enemy first. You take care of your business at home first, then you move abroad. Thus we must make the university the home of the revolution." Since that time, there has been a consistent message of radicalization being poured into the minds of impressionable youth.
When I attended school in the 1980's, these efforts were still somewhat marginal. Today, they are right out in the open and in your face. A prime example of this is the recent comments of a Suffolk University Law professor who said US soldiers were those who go to other lands to kill people. Never mind that our country's soldiers have freed more oppressed people than any other nation in history. Never mind that we saved Europe from Nazi domination. Forget about the fact that our military stopped the Soviets from spreading Communism throughout the free world and eventually, freed even those living under the hammer and sickle themselves. Never mind that western-style democracy has lifted more people out of poverty, ignorance and bitter infighting and increased the standard of living more than any other political ideology. It is a concerted effort to distort and rewrite history so as to take advantage of the ignorant and misinformed. But to what end?. Are we to believe that those who promote anarchy and a complete "throwing off" of government have no greater ambition than social justice? And how will they achieve that social justice they speak of?
History has given us many clear examples of how these movements achieve their goals - at the end of a gun. The first thing they do is terminate all dissenting opinion with prejudice. All those who might be able to sway public opinion are marginalized, jailed and even murdered. The free press is dismantled and state-run media is installed in its place. This allows the new government to ensure a consistent message to the people - one which promotes the new government and leadership, of course. The armed forces must also be controlled, or else a military dictatorship may rise up and overthrow the new government. Individual freedoms are taken away one by one. The freedom of speech, the right to assemble, the right to own firearms, freedom of religious expression, the ability to move about freely - all gone in a short period of time. Soon, the government tells you what kind of work you must do, where and if you can go to school, where you must live, how much you can make, etc. Every aspect of your life becomes controlled by the state in order to ensure "Social Justice". Freedom becomes a thing of the past.
Today, our youth are taught that Freedom and Anarchy are the same thing. They are taught that freedom is being able to do whatever you want, whenever you want. But is this true freedom? What if I want to shoot my neighbor's dog because it sometimes barks at night? What if I want something you have and I am strong enough to take it? What if I don't want to participate in taking care of the nation's infrastructure and I simply refuse to pay taxes? What if I don't feel like hauling my trash to a proper place of disposal and instead just choose to dump it on the side of the road? What if I don't feel like obeying traffic laws? Is my ability to do whatever I want the true test of freedom?
I would submit that real freedom is liberty with responsibility. It involves understanding that every choice I make impacts others around me. It means I must temper my decisions with the knowledge that others will be affected and I must strive for a positive personal outcome that will not harm others. Anything less is short-sighted. If I harm you by my choices, you or someone else will do the same to me. Social order devolves into chaos. Only the strong can survive. The weak are preyed upon by the strong and moral leadership is replaced with schoolyard bullies. Individual liberties are lost and remain so until enough people rise up to throw off the brutal regime. Our founders understood this completely. In 1798, John Adams, in a speech to the military, warned "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, said "...without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments." These men and many others understood that freedom can only flourish in a moral environment. We must be willing to rule our own passions and exercise self-control if we want a society that is just and truly free.
Liberty without responsibility is not freedom. It's called narcissism.
© 2011, Angelica Wolf
Website: www.TheAngelicaW.com
Follow me on Twitter @TheAngelicaw
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: TheAngelicaw
EnoughisEnoughDC@hotmail.com
Definition of Anarchy courtesy of "The Free Dictionary" by Farlex. http://www.thefreedictionary.com
Sunday, November 27, 2011
The Virtue of Intolerance
Over the past few decades, brave men and women have fought difficult and dangerous battles for freedom and equality in America. These include the civil rights movement, women’s liberation, gay rights, and more. Across our nation, average people have picked up the mantle of freedom and through non-violent expression challenged the status quo to advance the cause of human freedom. It is one of the characteristics of our great country that the majority will fight for an oppressed minority both here and abroad.
Unfortunately, as we have striven to become more accepting and tolerant of those with different cultures, religions, lifestyles, points of view, etc. we have established a culture of political correctness which blinds us to many changes in our society that threaten to undermine the foundations upon which our country has flourished.
We have allowed a pernicious culture of drugs and alcohol to completely overwhelm our youth. As early as grade school, boys and girls are being exposed to marijuana on a regular basis and many take up the habit as early as 9-10 years old. We are told that whether someone uses drugs is simply a choice but what choice does a child have when the use of drugs is glorified in popular music, television shows and movies? When the pushers send their gang into a school and they put massive pressure on kids to try the drugs or be labeled as an outcast, what choice do they have?
When society idolizes someone like Paris Hilton, whose major contributions to our culture are a sex tape, being photographed leaving parties wasted and multiple arrests for drug possession, is it any wonder that our youth would try to emulate her behavior? Not only does she objectify herself so she can make money and attain popularity, she creates an image in the mind of impressionable young boys of what an ideal woman should be. She might claim she is just living her life and having fun but she is selling herself and her image for a profit.
When the most popular shows for teens include drivel like The Jersey Shore, what does that tell us about character quality of our young adult population? The characters basically go from one boozed-up, sexed-up, drugged-up encounter to another while displaying a level of narcissism rarely seen outside of television. All this so teens and young adults can learn how to become better predators.
When college-age youth “occupy” parks, sidewalks and bridges in major cities to rail against the very form of government and free-market based capitalism that has provided them with the highest standard of living in the world, what does this say about the priorities of the next generation? When they dare to equate the worthiness of their “cause” to the struggle of previous generations (such as those who fought against Hitler and his goal of global fascism) it reveals how infantile and selfish their cause truly is. How can they possibly lead this country to a brighter future?
When millions cross our borders illegally each year, use our hospitals, schools, public services, infrastructure and more at our expense and face no penalty as a result of doing so, how can we not go bankrupt? When our government refuses to enforce the immigration laws currently in place or for that matter, any law they happen to disagree with, how can we stop from sliding into eventual chaos?
When the CEO’s of public corporations raid the company for ridiculous compensation and bonus packages and then kick tens of thousands of employees to the curb during the next economic downturn, what does that say about the morality of business leaders in our country. When they place themselves above the shareholder, the employee and the customer and are rewarded for doing so, how can capitalism survive?
When the high-frequency traders and hedge fund managers treat our stock market as a casino and profit from volatility that they themselves often create, how can the average investor continue to have faith in our markets? When investors have finally had enough and eventually take their money off the table, how will businesses get access to the capital they need to grow? How will workers prepare for retirement if they only invest in fixed-income assets? Why haven’t the SEC and FINRA lived up to their mandate to protect “fair and orderly markets”?
When our politicians exempt themselves from the same laws that indicted Martha Stewart for insider trading and led to her spending some serious time in jail, what kind of message does it send to society? Many members of the House and Senate go to Washington as struggling lawyers and even semi-successful business owners but they rarely leave without becoming millionaires. They have made it legal (although it could never be moral) to profit from insider knowledge they have as a result of their position. This includes profiting from non-public information that would result in you or I being tossed in the slammer. They pass health-care laws that the rest of the country must accept, but give themselves a Cadillac plan that they get to keep for life at our expense. In 2011, members of Congress get paid $174,000/year plus benefits. While this is a healthy salary, it doesn’t allow one to keep a house back home and a nice apartment in Georgetown and still become a multimillionaire. Is it any wonder that the people have lost faith in our system of government and Congress’ approval rating is at historic lows?
When the President travels around the world apologizing for the United States and its “imperialistic” nature, what kind of message does it send to those who have seen America as the best hope for the continued freedom of mankind. If our own President does not believe in our country’s past and the exceptional nature of our Republic, what kind of message does that send to the enemies of freedom? How many have been emboldened by his lack of character and commitment?
Through the decades, America has made great advances in the name of tolerance. Yet today, we find that “tolerance” has been co-opted by those who advocate an “anything goes” society. All cultures and beliefs are not equal. Living in a post-modern world where the liberal elite promote the value (or lack thereof) of moral relativism has shown what happens to a society when it loses its sense of right and wrong. One has only to look at the riots in France, England and yes, even Oakland, CA to see where it all ends – in chaos. Young people running wild in the streets, tossing Molotov cocktails, burning buildings, destroying private property and assaulting the innocent. If we continue to let liberal progressives undermine our history, our sense of civic duty and our moral values, we will wake up one day and not even recognize the country we live in. We need to fight those who have used our schools as a breeding ground for amoral ignorance and disrespect for our great nation. We need to remove those in public office who have shown the ultimate disrespect for our country and are guilty of gross dereliction of their duty. We have to demand the removal of immoral business leaders who put quick profits over long-term profitability and a concern for employees, customers and shareholders.
What we really need today is a healthy dose of “intolerance.”
© 2011, Angelica Wolf
Website: www.TheAngelicaW.com
Follow me on Twitter @TheAngelicaw
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: TheAngelicaw
EnoughisEnoughDC@hotmail.com
Unfortunately, as we have striven to become more accepting and tolerant of those with different cultures, religions, lifestyles, points of view, etc. we have established a culture of political correctness which blinds us to many changes in our society that threaten to undermine the foundations upon which our country has flourished.
We have allowed a pernicious culture of drugs and alcohol to completely overwhelm our youth. As early as grade school, boys and girls are being exposed to marijuana on a regular basis and many take up the habit as early as 9-10 years old. We are told that whether someone uses drugs is simply a choice but what choice does a child have when the use of drugs is glorified in popular music, television shows and movies? When the pushers send their gang into a school and they put massive pressure on kids to try the drugs or be labeled as an outcast, what choice do they have?
When society idolizes someone like Paris Hilton, whose major contributions to our culture are a sex tape, being photographed leaving parties wasted and multiple arrests for drug possession, is it any wonder that our youth would try to emulate her behavior? Not only does she objectify herself so she can make money and attain popularity, she creates an image in the mind of impressionable young boys of what an ideal woman should be. She might claim she is just living her life and having fun but she is selling herself and her image for a profit.
When the most popular shows for teens include drivel like The Jersey Shore, what does that tell us about character quality of our young adult population? The characters basically go from one boozed-up, sexed-up, drugged-up encounter to another while displaying a level of narcissism rarely seen outside of television. All this so teens and young adults can learn how to become better predators.
When college-age youth “occupy” parks, sidewalks and bridges in major cities to rail against the very form of government and free-market based capitalism that has provided them with the highest standard of living in the world, what does this say about the priorities of the next generation? When they dare to equate the worthiness of their “cause” to the struggle of previous generations (such as those who fought against Hitler and his goal of global fascism) it reveals how infantile and selfish their cause truly is. How can they possibly lead this country to a brighter future?
When millions cross our borders illegally each year, use our hospitals, schools, public services, infrastructure and more at our expense and face no penalty as a result of doing so, how can we not go bankrupt? When our government refuses to enforce the immigration laws currently in place or for that matter, any law they happen to disagree with, how can we stop from sliding into eventual chaos?
When the CEO’s of public corporations raid the company for ridiculous compensation and bonus packages and then kick tens of thousands of employees to the curb during the next economic downturn, what does that say about the morality of business leaders in our country. When they place themselves above the shareholder, the employee and the customer and are rewarded for doing so, how can capitalism survive?
When the high-frequency traders and hedge fund managers treat our stock market as a casino and profit from volatility that they themselves often create, how can the average investor continue to have faith in our markets? When investors have finally had enough and eventually take their money off the table, how will businesses get access to the capital they need to grow? How will workers prepare for retirement if they only invest in fixed-income assets? Why haven’t the SEC and FINRA lived up to their mandate to protect “fair and orderly markets”?
When our politicians exempt themselves from the same laws that indicted Martha Stewart for insider trading and led to her spending some serious time in jail, what kind of message does it send to society? Many members of the House and Senate go to Washington as struggling lawyers and even semi-successful business owners but they rarely leave without becoming millionaires. They have made it legal (although it could never be moral) to profit from insider knowledge they have as a result of their position. This includes profiting from non-public information that would result in you or I being tossed in the slammer. They pass health-care laws that the rest of the country must accept, but give themselves a Cadillac plan that they get to keep for life at our expense. In 2011, members of Congress get paid $174,000/year plus benefits. While this is a healthy salary, it doesn’t allow one to keep a house back home and a nice apartment in Georgetown and still become a multimillionaire. Is it any wonder that the people have lost faith in our system of government and Congress’ approval rating is at historic lows?
When the President travels around the world apologizing for the United States and its “imperialistic” nature, what kind of message does it send to those who have seen America as the best hope for the continued freedom of mankind. If our own President does not believe in our country’s past and the exceptional nature of our Republic, what kind of message does that send to the enemies of freedom? How many have been emboldened by his lack of character and commitment?
Through the decades, America has made great advances in the name of tolerance. Yet today, we find that “tolerance” has been co-opted by those who advocate an “anything goes” society. All cultures and beliefs are not equal. Living in a post-modern world where the liberal elite promote the value (or lack thereof) of moral relativism has shown what happens to a society when it loses its sense of right and wrong. One has only to look at the riots in France, England and yes, even Oakland, CA to see where it all ends – in chaos. Young people running wild in the streets, tossing Molotov cocktails, burning buildings, destroying private property and assaulting the innocent. If we continue to let liberal progressives undermine our history, our sense of civic duty and our moral values, we will wake up one day and not even recognize the country we live in. We need to fight those who have used our schools as a breeding ground for amoral ignorance and disrespect for our great nation. We need to remove those in public office who have shown the ultimate disrespect for our country and are guilty of gross dereliction of their duty. We have to demand the removal of immoral business leaders who put quick profits over long-term profitability and a concern for employees, customers and shareholders.
What we really need today is a healthy dose of “intolerance.”
© 2011, Angelica Wolf
Website: www.TheAngelicaW.com
Follow me on Twitter @TheAngelicaw
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: TheAngelicaw
EnoughisEnoughDC@hotmail.com
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