Story contributed by Riley, written by Jack Lee
It is called March of Empires and in many ways this computer game allowed the best and worst in human nature to be revealed.
You could rise to become a powerful King forcing your will on small kingdoms under your control, like a ruthless dictator. You could be a crusader, crushing the slavery camps and helping your friends or protect smaller kingdoms.
There were friendships made and enemies too! It was all there… in the game. You could be as good or as evil as you wanted, because it was afterall, just a game.
Then came the Realm Wars. Up till then each of the six realms were seperated and concealed from each other. Each realm (a world unto itself) had its own players (represented as castles) and for a long time they just competed among themselves; sometimes they would compete in friendly events and other times castles would war against each other or in larger alliance wars.
Jealousies happened, revenge battles were common and then there was greed. Powerful castles stole the riches of others and when the gold mines were introduced into the game, ruthless behaviors broke out in a lust for the riches just like they did in real life!
When our Realm was invaded during the great Realm War we found that even the most powerful single alliance could not hold them back. Several powerful Realms invaded us at once and war was everywhere. Our alliance capitols fell one after the other, in cyber smoke and flames, until there was but one left.
The fortunes of war you might say, but the last surviving capitol belonged my alliance called, Invictus. We were far from the most powerful alliance, but somehow our one capitol went unchallenged until closing hours of the war. Of course we were doomed, facing overwhelming odds that we could not possibly survive. Then something miraculous happened.
The irony of this game compared to real life was like a study in human nature.
The surviving players who had lost their capitols to the invaders saw what was happening and slowly at first they came to the aid of Invictus. One by one, defending castles were moved around the last hold out. The word went out, “we shall make a last stand” and within a few hours a powerful and united group had formed an inpenitrable wall around our capitol. The invaders could do nothing. The war was over for them and our capitol was saved by determined allies.
This of course was just a game, but the lesson learned by the defenders was as true as it was ancient. “United we stand, divided we fall.” How many times has evil prevailed in the real world because the good felt too alone and helpless to stop it? But, in reality there are far more good people than their are bad. This game reminded me of that and what good people can do when they come together and stand united.
Voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil. I will stand alone with a clear conscience before I will do something I know in my gut is wrong and will have to live with my regret for choosing evil.
I completely concur with this author.
Why I Cannot Support Trump: Joining Team Trump would just be too degrading.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/435373/donald-trump-conservative-voters?utm_source=NR&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=May15
I agree that Hilliary, Bernie and Trump are all evil, but I have changed my mind about Trump. Hillary is a known factor for SCOTUS, Trump is not.
The only reason there is to vote for Trump is to vote against the socialist (communist) left wing Rats and who a Rat president and Rat/Rino congress will appoint to the Supreme Court.
It is a poor choice, a horrid choice, indeed a thoroughly disgusting choice, but still a choice. I will not be holding my nose on this vote, I will be stifling the vomit.
I hope come November you change your mind, Peggy.
I don’t see that happening Pie, but I will reconsider my vote if Trump does the following.
1. Signs a contract staying who will be on his supreme court justice nomination short list. (If the republicans lose the senate it won’t matter who he nominates with the democrats in control none of them will be approved.)
2. He’ll need to name, and they will have to accept, as many of his cabinet and secretary positions as possible. Including the AG, SoD, CIA, etc., etc., etc.
If the republicans loose the senate and possibly the house Trump will govern even worse than Obama using EOs and fiats. Dems will have impeachment proceedings on track before he starts his second year.
Trump is a loose loose situation no matter how one cuts it especially if the down ballot turns Congress back over to the Dems.
Based on who he gets to fill those positions is the only way I and thousands of others would consider voting for him. But, with the reservation knowing full well with the exception of the supreme court justice being approved for life all of the others serve at his pleasure and he can fire them at will.
I honestly believe the man is a sick narcissist, worse even than Obama, who is doing this to promote his Trump businesses. He couldn’t care less about the country or the people in it. He’s a globalist, and win or loose in November he’ll use even the fact that he was the republican nomination to promote his name for his personal and professional gain. So, it’s a win win for him.
There are times, although rare, when we are faced with such an important and vital decision that it becomes necessary to allow basic survival instincts and loyalty to the greater cause to take precedence in our decision making. Soldiers in battle must overcome ideals of civility. Leaders, faced with bad choices, must determine which will have the most favorable outcome. In 2016 voters will be asked to choose between candidates with serious flaws. We all struggle with this difficult decision. It is a decision we must ultimately make alone.
Like Peggy, I have read what others have written, looking for guidance. But in response to Jack’s pointed article, I can’t think of a better, more appropriate response than the wisdom to be found in an article by David P. Goldman, PJ Media, “In Alien vs. Predator, I’m for Predator, Because He’s OUR Predator.”
The picture alone is well worth a click on the link, but I think you will find Mr. Goldman has nailed the dire situation we face and offers sound advice about choosing the one who will lead us over the next four years. There are hard choices to be made under dire conditions. As Goldman concludes, the outcome of this election will affect three “existential issues, “…our culture, our safety, and our prosperity.” His arguments in favor of the predator make sense to me.
We must not get this wrong.
But he’s not “your predator.” He would have run as a Democrat if he thought we’d tolerate his outrageous comments about Mexicans or Muslims. And if you want him identified as “yours,” that makes him your responsibility. You don’t want that.
Yeah. it takes Piss Chris to tell us what we want, whom we identify with. and makes Trump “ours”. Blow it out your ***, Piss Chris.
#NeverRats
Do you kiss your cousin with that mouth, Pie?
**** you, jerk.
Chris that is too funny. His comments, though crude, represent the opinions of a majority of Americans who think our borders are dangerously open, our immigration policy is broken, and our efforts to fight terrorism abysmal. Not everyone has been bitten by the PC mandate or is as obsessed by racism as you and so, they are able to listen to more than the “outrageous” soundbites to understand what has been said. While you are busy monitoring and gathering those few words to use as ammunition, we are gathering ideas and hearing a broader message, details come later.
I do thank you in advance for taking the time to alert me as to your intentions, as if I didn’t already know how easily you mark and label others.
You have no idea what responsibility is. You are talking about blame and as I see it, you cannot wait to blame me for giving us Donald Trump. I’ve been in your shoes. You are tired of playing defense after almost 8 years under Obama/Hillary/Pelosi/Reid/Holder. But your little warning doesn’t matter. I am responsible for Obama and I will be responsible for Trump. You will be too, whether you’re aware enough to own it or not.
Trump will not be a perfect president, none are. Of those who are running he is the one who is most likely to reverse some of the horrible damage affecting all Americans and put us back on a more prosperous and safe path.
Tina: “You are talking about blame and as I see it, you cannot wait to blame me for giving us Donald Trump.”
No, I’m really hoping I won’t have to.
“Trump will not be…a president”
Fixed that for you.
“Of those who are running he is the one who is most likely to reverse some of the horrible damage affecting all Americans”
Unless you’re a Muslim American (he thinks if you go on vacation to another country you shouldn’t be able to come back), or a woman who has had an abortion (he thinks you should be tried for murder), or the child born in the US to an undocumented immigrant (he thinks we should end birthright citizenship), or you’re a POW (he thinks you’re a loser), or anyone else he arbitrarily decides to not like.
Let the blame lie where it belongs, it is Piss Chris, Libbya, Dupester and the entire left that made Trump possible.
Oh for God’s sake Chris, get a grip. Use your brain for a change. Seek out extended comments.
Soundbites grab headlines…Trump is good at it. Dim bulb lefty reactionairies are putty in his hands.
Unless of course you’re more interested in taping your brain to the the lefty smear machine. In that case talk to the walls, it would be just as effective.
I read the article and found little I agreed with. Trump says he’s against political correctness, but then says he wants to change our First Amendment so he can sue those in the press who say things about him he doesn’t like.
I’m not going to spend the time to address each of the writer’s talking points because by the time I finish Trump will have changed his position and my remarks will be declared unfounded.
I understand why Trump supporters are willing to vote for him. I hope you all will understand why I can’t, leaving the door slightly agar that I may if specific issues are addressed.
Todd Wagner from Watermark Community Church does an excellent job of expressing my point of view, so instead of trying to repeat him I hope you will watch this short video.
Peggy I do get where you’re coming from and respect your decision even if I don’t agree.
Did you mean to give us a link to Todd Wagner?
But he’s not your predator. His personal history verifies only two facets of character: womanizer and braggart, two common components of the political personality, but you have no idea what he’ll get up to in the White House. You might not like it.
Why do you want to put a “Republican” in the office who is not a Republican? Don’t you find hankering after power for its own sake a little base?
Because he ran and won?
Why would you want to put a socialist in the office? Socialism requires a strong economy but severely blunts or kills it for all but the rich every time its tried.
I guess some thing are just going to remain a mystery.
Hankering for limited power is okay as long as service isn’t sacrificed to corruption. All will be tested. The currant occupant has failed in just about every aspect of the job. He has killed some really bad terrorists but that’s tarnished by his overall record. Other than that…..and his underlings…oh my.
Oh, good god, Chris … I saw your comment after I posted. “Great minds,” I suppose.
And wouldn’t you know they’d put it that way: “Predator”. Lends some insight, don’t you think?