We belong to government? Huh? What are we cattle or something? Give me a break!
-
Recent Posts
Archives
Categories
- Art (88)
- Behavior and Psychology (20)
- Business, Industry and Finance (63)
- Constitution and Law (370)
- Consumer Affairs (4)
- Culture (17)
- Deep State (5)
- Economy (3)
- Education (238)
- Environment (74)
- Fraud Alert (8)
- Global Issues (1)
- Health and Medicine (149)
- History (8)
- Humour (94)
- Military (115)
- Morals and Ethics (149)
- News Media (11)
- Police, Crime, Security (215)
- Politics and Government (144)
- Religion (91)
- Science and Technology (19)
- Veterans' Issues (13)
- World (12)
Recent Comments
- ClayPidgeon on Scam Calls from the American Police Association
- Michael Davis on Life In Chico and Other Places Infected by Bums
- Patricia Lieder on Scam Calls from the American Police Association
- Dawn on Thaddeus Kerns Boy Aviator
- scott sproat on Scam Calls from the American Police Association
Recent NorCal Blogs Posts
*sigh* Faux outrage is so boring. The meaning of the words is obvious. We all belong to one nation…we are united in a democratic government. In this great country, the people ARE the government. I found the sentiment patriotic. It’s not meant to imply slavery or that the government “owns” us. It’s a call for togetherness. I can’t believe that sentiment is being demonized.
Incredible…and revealing!
Just as Obama’s words, “You didn’t build that” reveal a very different set of core beliefs, this little gem says a lot about this guys grounding.
We belong to the government? That thought would never enter my head. We are not subjects or serfs.
Chris, you should understand how such words could inflame and not unite. We are very sensitive about such things given who is in office. I thought you were all about
being sensitive to people’s culture? This is our culture, we’re heavy into freedom and light on government.
Tina, Jack, when someone asks you “What church do you belong to?” do you take that to mean the person thinks that you are a “subject” or “serf” of a church? That the church controls your life, that it “owns” you?
Given that the speaker even uses churches as an example of “belonging,” can you see that he might not have meant it the way you are taking it?
I agree, Jack, that it was a poor choice of words, but only because it should have been obvious before how Republicans would twist them.
I am all for cultural sensitivity, but I also recognize there is such a thing as being overly sensitive. You are simply employing the conservative version of “political correctness,” taking completely innocuous phrases and looking for something in them to be offended by.
I disagree Chris. The things people say about our relationship to government are a reflection of the way they hold the power of government. We are not members of the United States, we are citizens that enjoy both the rights and responsibilities of free people guaranteed given by God and nature and protected by our Constitution.
In terms of language it may seem a subtle distinction but it is an important one because when our citizens completely forget about their personal individual free autonomy and begin to think only in terms of the collective (membership) they have begun give all power to government.
A wise and frugal government shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government. -Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1801
The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground. -Thomas Jefferson, letter to E. Carrington, May 27, 1788
The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. If Thou shalt not covet and Thou shalt not steal were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society before it can be civilized or made free.-John Adams, A Defense of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, 1787
When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.-Benjamin Franklin
To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it. -Thomas Jefferson, letter to Joseph Milligan, April 6, 1816
As members of our government we think in terms of how government will benefit us…what government will do for me…rather than me having the freedom and responsibility to provide for myself and contribute to the community as a free, responsible citizen. People that are needy and dependent open themselves to tyranny. America’s strength and success has come from the fact that we are free people able to engage in commerce and grow personal wealth (power) and live our lives as we envision.
“Tina, Jack, when someone asks you “What church do you belong to?” do you take that to mean the person thinks that you are a “subject” or “serf” of a church? That the church controls your life, that it “owns” you?” Chris S
Chris, I do understand your point and it’s not without some merit. However, their is a broader view to be seen here. Consider that historically we’ve never been too concerned about our association with our church of choice, but we have been concerned about the power and growth of government, and its impact on our freedom. The founders were so aware of this they addressed it in the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and our Constitution! From that day till now we have been concerned and watchful.
In the last 50 years or so, we’ve seen the role of government evolve into a much larger part of our lives, and this has taken the form of socialism. This runs counter to those who want to preserve a limited form of government, as it was originally intended. We’re naturally rather vigilant and “sensitive” about such things.
You say we were twisting “innocuous” words around to form a conservative version of politically correctness. But, to us, it was not an innocuous and we protested. Those words about belonging to the government that was at the heart of our long held concerns.
Were we being hyper sensitive.. were we being politically correct? I suppose you could say that from your perspective, but we don’t see it that way. We see as another opportunity to stand up for what we believe. It was a protest coming from our hearts and a deep belief that our nation is in trouble. We see your side continually chipping away at our freedoms in favor of something else, something that is redefining America and threatening what we still hold as sacred territory and not subject to encroachment.
Surely you can appreciate our sensitivity when it comes to freedom, can’t you Chris?
One other thought. I am also very sensitive to the liberal narrative that because Republicans/conservatives acknowledge the individual that that means we don’t appreciate cooperative efforts or that we are not inclusive of others, or that we don’t relate as “Americans”.
The hard left, the Saul Alinsky left of the Democrat Party, started the harsh divisiveness in modern politics with race and class warfare. They did it on purpose as a strategy for winning and keeping political power. We will never experience unity as Americans unless/until this faction of the party is defeated. We will certainly cease in being a strong, moral, stable nation if they are allowed to shape our future (transform our government).
I agree with Jack. This is too important to ignore even the seemingly trivial examples.