Tagged: government
Point of Clarification from One Closer to the Revolution
Washington Irving, in his 5 volume biography of GW, mentioned a book called “History of the Siege of Boston, and the Battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill; Also, an Account of the Bunker Hill Monument; with Illustrative Documents” by Richard Frothingham.
For the historians, I am not a comparative history scholar. So take it easy on me if other historians disagree with Frothingham. Just the same, I cannot imagine anyone providing evidence to discount the sentiments in the following paragraph.
To the modern patriots: I am not sure there is a parallel behavior available to us. What say you? All the militia groups I ever hear tell of seem legitimately illegitimate. And I have to admit I trust the military. The stories of Mohammedans becoming cops causes concern. But I think we have time. What say you? Am I burying my head in the sand? Is there a modern minute-men worth joining?
In sum, my point in sharing is to make sure we teach the right history to our kiddos. With or without membership in any gun-toting club, we can all do this.
My Latest Thought On The Leadership Void
I have long held (recent years) that there is a void in leadership.
As I continue to read articles from the major historical events of Vietnam, WW2, and Civil Rights (thank you to Library of America), a new thought occurred.
We have poor leaders—that is given. My new thought: the reason we have such poor leaders is there is nothing to do. There is no group to lead, no task to accomplish, and no need to unify.
Concluding Remarks of Washington Irving
Pay special attention to the final paragraph. This book was written in 1859, but Lord Brougham’s quote was 1839.
And they want to tear down statues. And we let them. I’m not saying the statues must stay as if by divine decree; I am merely stating that this Lord Brougham hit the nail on the head. Wisdom and virtue will not be found in a people who do not honor Washington. This was and is self-evident. So read up! And remind others when they drift!
For Next Year’s ARC Conference: No More Hedging If You’re a Christian Speaker
I have been listening to a few of the 13-min talks from this year’s Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference and, as with the past two years’, they are tier one models of conservative perspectives. And yet I cannot deny that when the speakers use the language “America’s past is not perfect” or similar, I shake my head. I hadn’t been able to pinpoint exactly why this phrase, and the concept behind it, bothers me so until just yesterday.
For context, please call to mind that I am reading volume 5 of Washington Irving’s Life of George Washington. Specifically, I am up to his decision to run for reelection. Let’s just say that since his birth and the legendary tree incident, a lot has happened. And after everything I have read, I conclude, “And all of it was the best thing for the future occupants of planet Earth,” full stop.
I know, I know. I can hear you. What about slavery? What about women’s rights? What about civil rights? What about ‘Nam?
Allow me to break some news to you. I am a Christian. Inherent to Christianity is the belief that all men are sinners (“They have all turned aside, altogether they have become worthless; There is no one who does good, not even one.”
Psalm 14:3 LSB) and that no earthly government—though instituted by the Living Triune God himself—is perfect (“Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.”
1 Samuel 8:7 LSB and “Be subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good.” 1 Peter 2:13-14 LSB). For me, a Christian, then, to hedge the character or accomplishments of people or governments with some seeming politically correct admission of unpleasant facts, is to betray my beliefs, exchange them, as it were, for someone else’s beliefs—and for what? For likes? For views?
No. That is not right. We can all just speak truth for truth’s sake. Speaking isn’t violence. Everyone knows, by virtue of the content, what we believe anyway as we talk. And the import of the speaker’s content is directly related to the integrity of the message. In short, it is weak when a Christian hedges their claims about men and government. It is weak because the Bible has, amongst many mysteries, essential and clear statements about the nature of man and government. Man is sinful. Government is inadequate.
Conversely, it is the game of the Woke, the Left, and the Commies, among others (hard to leave out the DNC) to believe man is perfect (without evidence) and government is adequate (without evidence). Christian doctrine does not support either.
So, ARC presenters, next year, as you continue to bravely, and at some risk to yourselves and your families, model for us plebes how to live, please step up your integrity on this topic. America wasn’t doing “the best it could while having some original sin”, instead America “is and has always been the beacon of freedom for the entire world”. George Washington didn’t “have faults”, instead GW “played the almost superhuman role of founder of America, played it well, and deserves our continued gratitude and attention”.
The events of the present and future are not improved or sustained by “bending the knee” to those who seek destruction. Time is limited. So use it all to accomplish any speaker’s goal: nourish and flourish.
(Let us pray.)
The Contest is Not Certain
When I moved to Minnesota I immediately noticed the Somalis. If you’re unaware, they are in many towns up there, not just the Twin Cities—small and large.
The most obvious thought I had—being a geographically and climate-varieties informed American—was, “Why the eff are they staying in the cold?”
I would see them, men especially, wearing one thin layer of buffalo plaid pj pants, holding their parka tightly with ungloved hands when the wind was blowing around below zero chills.
“What is wrong with this moron?” I would constantly think.
Don’t misunderstand me. This had nothing to do with that part of the body between the brain and the wind. I thought the same thing about any poorly dressed soul. It’s just that typical Minnesotans, if they know anything, know how to put on a coat. So the Somalis stood out.
For the life of me, I couldn’t think of any industry or job that these Somalis worked in that wasn’t in every other state in the Union.
The God’s honest truth is that I just shook my head and reckoned, “Well, I have heard of Chinatown(s). So I guess a feature of American life is that some country’s immigrants just arrive and stay close.” I had never experienced the desire to stay with “my people” beyond the concept that moving out of America has never been a consideration. America is mine. So I will move around it as I please or where the wind blows me.
Just the same, I still thought they were dumb for staying in the cold. Like even my Midwestern-grown self had no idea how different the weather really is in latitudes north of Nebraska. But I also wasn’t from latitudes north of Nebraska. These people, the underdressed Somalis, were from the desert. They had actual experience in a different, surely more pleasant climate. Why didn’t they drive south? The St. Louis airport has the same work available that MSP does. Why not just move down to the Midwest and start the life there? Or, hell, why not just keep going and end up in Dellis. Or Tampa?
I thought and I thought and I thought. I just couldn’t figure it out. Why did they stay?
Thuck-Y-Dideez
I first heard of Thucydides in college. This would have been 2001-ish. We weren’t studying him, but the professor needed to make a point and used the classic “Athens-open, Sparta-closed” historian to do so. Along the way, the professor interlaced a story about how a student came to him complaining about the reading and pronounced thoo-sih-di-deez: Thuck-Y-Dideez.
Funny stuff.
I do not know what the Thucydides Trap is, but I want to post an informed guess before I google it. What did Xi mean when he used the phrase?
Before I reveal my surmise, I want to add here that a chinaman using a western anecdote is real evidence that America and the West are already winning the war with China. And rightly so, since we’re obviously the more relevant civilization.
Okay. That said. What is the “Thucydides Trap” that we hope to avoid?
War.
(Wish me luck in my AI-ing for confirmation/information.)
Did You Know the Victorian Era had a Fad Called “Table Turning”?
It’s true. I first read about it in the Gateway to the Great Books volume on Natural Science.
The renowned physicists of the era actually referenced, with tremendous disdain, the nonsense on their way to explaining how the physical world follows seemingly iron law.
But don’t take my word for it. Just search it up. Victorian era table-turning.
(You’re tired. It’s late. What does this have to do with anything, you ask? Well, it just should be counted as proof positive that there are no bounds to our ability to try to fool each other and to be fooled by each other. There are no extraterrestrial life forms, folks—only terrestrial suckers.)
Can We Be Serious About the AI Pic Trump Posted?
If we’re serious and methodically particular in this ridiculous much-ado-about-nothing, faux outrage, the following is the claim:
“I think the POTUS is crazy because, for unnamed reasons, he posted a picture which was a montage of cultural (as opposed to Biblical) Christianity imagery, to include a figure in a white robe with a red sash that, for some reason, for many people calls to mind the son of God—Jesus of Nazareth, post-resurrection—but instead of the usual artistic rendering of what famed boxer Muhammed Ali called “blonde-haired, blue-eyed” Jesus’s face, the image Trump posted had Trump’s face.”
Shorter: “I think the POTUS is crazy because he posted a political cartoon where he is depicted as the hero.”
In other words, the entire idea that “Trump posted a picture of himself as Jesus” is absolutely non-sensical.
There are no pictures of Jesus!!
In War, Winning Matters
On repeat, we’ll soon hear incessant debate, masquerading as reporting, about who has war powers and whether “orange man bad” has lost his mind in a way that is impeachable etc.
That’s expected.
But never for one moment lose track of what matters: in war, winning matters. Not the future, not principles, but winning. And here is how we know that we’re winning: no American cities are being attacked.
Once American cities are receiving fire, the winning-losing continuum becomes slightly broader.
But until then, there is nothing to get your panties in a twist about.
I’m Getting Hot This Winter
The power company sent a letter informing me of my newfound power to save money.
Oh joy! Tell me more!
The method?
When I need to see, turn off the lights.
When I need to cook, turn off the stove, turn off the oven.
When I need to do laundry, turn off the washer and dryer.
When I need to shower, turn off the water.
Get it? Isn’t it brilliant? I bet they had their monkeys working ‘round the clock to develop that one.
What next? Restaurants saving me money, putting the power in my hands by charging less between 9:01 and 9:02, both AM and PM? What a deal!
Gas stations down the road from each other now give dramatic discounts immediately after you fill up at the competition, ‘Just bring your receipt!’? Count me in!
Trash companies now let me save by skipping my house for five years straight and then it’s only a fraction of the cost for one big pickup? Let’s go!
I have no idea how much “energy” should cost. Or food. Or fuel. Or trash removal. But I do know that I know best, and with pinpoint accuracy, absolute certainty, and perfect timing, exactly what I need, why I need it, and when I need it—not you.
Captain’s Log 