"What constitutes the bulwark of our own liberty and independence is not our frowning battlements, our bristling seacoast, the guns of our war steamers, or the strength of our gallant and disciplined army. These are not the reliance against the resumption of tyranny in our fair land. All of them may be turned against our liberties without making us stronger or weaker for the struggle."
"Our reliance is in the love of liberty, which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is the preservation of the spirit, which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere." Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism at your down doors."
"Familiarize yourselves with the chains of bondage," Lincoln warned, "and you prepare your own limbs to wear them. Accustomed to trample on the rights of others, you have lost the genius of your own independence and become the fit subjects of the first cunning tyrant who rises among you."
I finally had a chance to watch it. I have goosebumps.
There have been flickers of hope in the past couple of years...flickers that there might be rays of sanity finally piercing the "fog of fear" that Olbermann references.
The next couple of months (or the next "Friedman," if you will) will reveal a great deal -- now that dissent is slowly starting to make its way into the edges of the mainstream -- about the direction of our nation.
Pray to the deity or bottle of your choice that it's the right one.
We should all be modeling Olberman's actions of dissent, everyday. And that means being very bold and straight forward. This doesn't mean hiding behind academia. Manipulation by the media and the wealthy are intentional. It's not all that great that we're congratulating and nearly doting over Olberman's recent response aimed at Rummy. It says that we value the truth part of the time. It says we don't have our minds made up.
drpuma-One of The Greatest Minds in history once said, “the time to hesitate is through.” That’s how I know. When one has a sense of urgency about one’s own personal revolution, one attacks that road, for it’s the road towards freedom. Don’t know if Jesus Christ could have said it better than what Jim Morrison of the Doors said here: “…People talk about how great love is, but that's bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.”
It’s true, we're locked in an image, an act. It’s our security. People get to love their pretence. Everybody insists that freedom is the most sacred and precious thing a man can possess. It’s a lie. People who truly understand this need to get on the same page so it rubs off on others. People don’t learn from individual messiahs, prophets, saviors, etc. People listen to groups. That’s how movements change things.
Anon- I think your beef is that the left is all talk and no action, right? I disagree with that premise to begin with, but you also give too little credit to the power of words to change people's minds and, thereby, their actions.
So you know, I'm not Anon. Ruminate about these quotes. Put them in any order you like.
It's about actually saying the words, in public, over and over, unabashedly.
“The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can't be any large-scale revolution until there's a personal revolution, on and individual level. It's got to happen inside first. You can take away a man's political freedom and you won't hurt him- unless you take away his freedom to feel. That can destroy him. That kind of freedom can't be granted. Nobody can win it for you.”
“The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces. They force us to destroy the person we really are: a subtle kind of murder.”
“We fear violence less than our own feelings. Personal, private, solitary pain is more terrifying than what anyone else can inflict.”
“Each generation wants new symbols, new people, new names. They want to divorce themselves from their predecessors.”
“How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a lie – people claim they want to be free – everybody insists that freedom is what they want the most, the most sacred and precious thing a man can possess. But that's bullshit! People are terrified to be set free – they hold on to their chains. They fight anyone who tries to break those chains. It's their security…How can they expect me or anyone else to set them free if they don't really want to be free?”
“I am interested in anything about revolt, disorder , chaos-especially activity that seems to have no meaning. It seems to me to be the road toward freedom... Rather than starting inside, I start outside and reach the mental through the physical.”
“When you make your peace with authority, you become authority.”
Excellent.
ReplyDeleteHere's another talented writer:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_ron_full_060831_who_most_threatens_a.htm
"What constitutes the bulwark of our own liberty and independence is not our frowning battlements, our bristling seacoast, the guns of our war steamers, or the strength of our gallant and disciplined army. These are not the reliance against the resumption of tyranny in our fair land. All of them may be turned against our liberties without making us stronger or weaker for the struggle."
"Our reliance is in the love of liberty, which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is the preservation of the spirit, which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands everywhere." Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism at your down doors."
"Familiarize yourselves with the chains of bondage," Lincoln warned, "and you prepare your own limbs to wear them. Accustomed to trample on the rights of others, you have lost the genius of your own independence and become the fit subjects of the first cunning tyrant who rises among you."
I finally had a chance to watch it. I have goosebumps.
ReplyDeleteThere have been flickers of hope in the past couple of years...flickers that there might be rays of sanity finally piercing the "fog of fear" that Olbermann references.
The next couple of months (or the next "Friedman," if you will) will reveal a great deal -- now that dissent is slowly starting to make its way into the edges of the mainstream -- about the direction of our nation.
Pray to the deity or bottle of your choice that it's the right one.
Speaking of appeasers...
ReplyDeleteWe don't negotiate with terrorists, right?
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/08/report_us_secre.html
We should all be modeling Olberman's actions of dissent, everyday. And that means being very bold and straight forward. This doesn't mean hiding behind academia. Manipulation by the media and the wealthy are intentional. It's not all that great that we're congratulating and nearly doting over Olberman's recent response aimed at Rummy. It says that we value the truth part of the time. It says we don't have our minds made up.
ReplyDeletewow, what a wild crowd
ReplyDeleteHow does it say we don't have our minds made up.
ReplyDeletedrpuma-One of The Greatest Minds in history once said, “the time to hesitate is through.” That’s how I know. When one has a sense of urgency about one’s own personal revolution, one attacks that road, for it’s the road towards freedom. Don’t know if Jesus Christ could have said it better than what Jim Morrison of the Doors said here: “…People talk about how great love is, but that's bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they're afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It's all in how you carry it. That's what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you're letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.”
ReplyDeleteIt’s true, we're locked in an image, an act. It’s our security. People get to love their pretence. Everybody insists that freedom is the most sacred and precious thing a man can possess. It’s a lie. People who truly understand this need to get on the same page so it rubs off on others. People don’t learn from individual messiahs, prophets, saviors, etc. People listen to groups. That’s how movements change things.
Quick question, anon... have you been drinking?
ReplyDeleteAnon- I think your beef is that the left is all talk and no action, right? I disagree with that premise to begin with, but you also give too little credit to the power of words to change people's minds and, thereby, their actions.
ReplyDeleteSo you know, I'm not Anon. Ruminate about these quotes. Put them in any order you like.
ReplyDeleteIt's about actually saying the words, in public, over and over, unabashedly.
“The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can't be any large-scale revolution until there's a personal revolution, on and individual level. It's got to happen inside first. You can take away a man's political freedom and you won't hurt him- unless you take away his freedom to feel. That can destroy him. That kind of freedom can't be granted. Nobody can win it for you.”
“The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces. They force us to destroy the person we really are: a subtle kind of murder.”
“We fear violence less than our own feelings. Personal, private, solitary pain is more terrifying than what anyone else can inflict.”
“Each generation wants new symbols, new people, new names. They want to divorce themselves from their predecessors.”
“How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a lie – people claim they want to be free – everybody insists that freedom is what they want the most, the most sacred and precious thing a man can possess. But that's bullshit! People are terrified to be set free – they hold on to their chains. They fight anyone who tries to break those chains. It's their security…How can they expect me or anyone else to set them free if they don't really want to be free?”
“I am interested in anything about revolt, disorder , chaos-especially activity that seems to have no meaning. It seems to me to be the road toward freedom... Rather than starting inside, I start outside and reach the mental through the physical.”
“When you make your peace with authority, you become authority.”
“Whoever controls the media, controls the mind”
“You're all a bunch of fuckin' slaves!”
Anon 2: You're listening to too much Blink 182. At any rate, I don't get it. Did you have a point?
ReplyDeleteMy mom told me not to talk to ghosts, pussy.
ReplyDeleteIf you're under 25 it's excusable. If not, then you're just an embarrasment.
ReplyDeletesorry to be mean buddy but the truth ain't easy
ReplyDeleteCuriously authoritative discussion thread that has been emanating here from The Wizard's post about Keith Olbermann's commentary on Donald Rumsfeld.
ReplyDeleteCharles
“When you make your peace with authority, you become authority.”
ReplyDeleteYou forgot Poland.
ReplyDeleteOkay...we need to find a way to differentiate the anonymous posters.
ReplyDeleteIs this asshole making sense to anybody?
ReplyDeletethe original anonymous did not post "You forgot Poland." Nor am I Charles.
ReplyDelete