WE WERE WARNED

 We were warned but did not listen. Are we listening now?

Does this sound like anyone you can think of? “When a man unprincipled in private life, desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents... despotic in his ordinary demeanor - known to have scoffed in private at the principles ofliberty - when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity - to join in the cry of danger to liberty - to take every opportunity of embarrassing the General Government & bringing it under suspicion - to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day - it may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.”

Sound familiar yet? No, those are not my words. They are from 1792, written by Alexander Hamilton. Yes, that Hamilton. It is amazing and sad that so many throughout history have warned us what kind of government would take over if the people lost the interest to be a part of “their” government. Sadly, all of those warnings have come to fruition while wool covered our eyes, proof that blind faith will not be our salvation.

https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2020/6/16/1946028/-It-s-mystical-Alexander-Hamilton-accurately-warned-us-about-Trump-s-Chaos-Presidency-200-yrs-ago

Our founding fathers knew one thing for sure: All religions are equal, including the belief not to believe. They were drawn to these shores to create a new life, a new country, with new opportunities that were not governed by any one religion. Of course they each had their own beliefs about religion and other things, just as we do, but they did not force others to live according to their beliefs. That came later when the Catholic Church arrived and demanded that the indigenous people convert with the threat of death, just like they historically always have. 

There is one question that has always boggled my mind. If the Christian G-d is all powerful, all knowing, responsible for everything and everyone, how come that G-d didn’t create all humanity as Catholics, as Christians or as Mormons? Instead, evolution of worship and faith was allowed to run its course, bringing us to the dilemma we are experiencing today. 

I see it this way. If G-d, and I mean anyone of the over three thousand that exist, created man to be imperfect, then why should I follow any of the faiths and man made religions of any of these admitted imperfect creatures? That is what my imperfect mind got out of religious school and observing the world to date. 

I am not seeking, nor requesting, your opinion or approval, but merely expressing mine. You can do the same by composing your thoughts and then publishing them. All I ask is that you keep an open mind and do not tarnish my opinions with malarkey. 

In addition to the warning from Hamilton, we were warned by Republicans before Hamilton’s fear metastasized into the cancer that is Trump. Abraham Lincoln warned us on Jan. 27, 1838 about "the perpetuation of our political

institutions." During that address, he said: "At

what point then is the approach of danger to

be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it

must spring up amongst us. It cannot come

from abroad. If destruction be our lot. we must

ourselves be its author and finisher. As a

nation of freemen, we must live through all

time, or die by suicide."

Teddy Roosevelt:  A great democracy has got

to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.

Dwight Eisenhower:  “This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

Rev. Billy Graham:  “Idon't want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to

manipulate it." Parade, 1981

Sen. Barry Goldwater, Father of Modern Conservatism:  “I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' "B,' C and "D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? …I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'” 1981

Interesting that both comments, Graham and Goldwater, were uttered in the year of Reagan’s inauguration, but Republicans and Democrats did not listen. 1984 had begun. In fact, in 1992, the Democrats elected a corporate Democrat as President rather than a progressive one.

Republicans have convinced a good segment of our population that “progressive” is a dirty word. That is because they desire to “Make America Great Again” by bringing us back to the Wild West, when guns ruled instead of laws. Back to medieval times of lords and serfs when the church controlled government and it was called the Dark Ages for a reason. 

America is great because, like Teddy Roosevelt said, we have always progressed, gone where no one had gone before, improved the conditions for human kind. Republicans don’t want your children to become educated because they fear they will read “Animal Farm” and “1984,” novels by George Orwell who tried to warn us during the 1940s. If you haven’t read those two books before, you should read them now before the November election and decide if those are the worlds you want your grandchildren and their children to grow up in. Yes, it really is that important. 

I am not against faith nor religion. I firmly believe in the First Amendment. However, we must be alert to the fact that anything can be twisted and used against us, manipulated in a way to take our hard fought freedoms away from us. Plato said it best, "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

I did not vote for Barry Goldwater in 1964 and most likely would not have if I was old enough to vote. Years later, reading quotes of his, I developed great admiration for the man. I may not have agreed with his politics, but I do admire his wisdom and consider him to be a sage. "Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the (Republican) party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly,

these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of G-d, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them." May 29, 1998, said after Reagan had been president for 8 years. Think about that!

“The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions. We have succeeded for 205 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn't stop now. To retreat from that separation would violate the principles of conservatism and the values upon which the framers built this democratic republic.”

“Excerpts From Goldwater Remarks". Remarks in the Congressional Record, www.nytimes.com. September 15, 1981.

For more quotes from Goldwater applicable to today, see:

https://www.azquotes.com/author/5665-Barry_Goldwater

Jan. 21, 2021

 We were warned but did not listen then. Are we listening now?

Does this sound like anyone you can think of? “When a man unprincipled in private life, desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents... despotic in his ordinary demeanor - known to have scoffed in private at the principles ofliberty - when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity - to join in the cry of danger to liberty - to take every opportunity of embarrassing the General Government & bringing it under suspicion - to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day - it may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.”

Sound familiar yet? No, those are not my words. They are from 1792, written by Alexander Hamilton. Yes, that Hamilton. It is amazing and sad that so many throughout history have warned us what kind of government would take over if the people lost the interest to be a part of “their” government. Sadly, all of those warnings have come to fruition while wool covered our eyes, proof that blind faith will not be our salvation.

https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2020/6/16/1946028/-It-s-mystical-Alexander-Hamilton-accurately-warned-us-about-Trump-s-Chaos-Presidency-200-yrs-ago

Our founding fathers knew one thing for sure: All religions are equal, including the belief not to believe. They were drawn to these shores to create a new life, a new country, with new opportunities that were not governed by any one religion. Of course they each had their own beliefs about religion and other things, just as we do, but they did not force others to live according to their beliefs. That came later when the Catholic Church arrived and demanded that the indigenous people convert with the threat of death, just like they historically always have. 

There is one question that has always boggled my mind. If the Christian G-d is all powerful, all knowing, responsible for everything and everyone, how come that G-d didn’t create all humanity as Catholics, as Christians or as Mormons? Instead, evolution of worship and faith was allowed to run its course, bringing us to the dilemma we are experiencing today. 

I see it this way. If G-d, and I mean anyone of the over three thousand that exist, created man to be imperfect, then why should I follow any of the faiths and man made religions of any of these admitted imperfect creatures? That is what my imperfect mind got out of religious school and observing the world to date. 

I am not seeking, nor requesting, your opinion or approval, but merely expressing mine. You can do the same by composing your thoughts and then publishing them. All I ask is that you keep an open mind and do not tarnish my opinions with malarkey. 

In addition to the warning from Hamilton, we were warned by Republicans before Hamilton’s fear metastasized into the cancer that is Trump. Abraham Lincoln warned us on Jan. 27, 1838 about "the perpetuation of our political

institutions." During that address, he said: "At

what point then is the approach of danger to

be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it

must spring up amongst us. It cannot come

from abroad. If destruction be our lot. we must

ourselves be its author and finisher. As a

nation of freemen, we must live through all

time, or die by suicide."

Teddy Roosevelt:  A great democracy has got

to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy.

Dwight Eisenhower:  “This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

Rev. Billy Graham:  “Idon't want to see religious bigotry in any form. It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to

manipulate it." Parade, 1981

Sen. Barry Goldwater, Father of Modern Conservatism:  “I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' "B,' C and "D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? …I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'” 1981

Interesting that both comments, Graham and Goldwater, were uttered in the year of Reagan’s inauguration, but Republicans and Democrats did not listen. 1984 had begun. In fact, in 1992, the Democrats elected a corporate Democrat as President rather than a progressive one.

Republicans have convinced a good segment of our population that “progressive” is a dirty word. That is because they desire to “Make America Great Again” by bringing us back to the Wild West, when guns ruled instead of laws. Back to medieval times of lords and serfs when the church controlled government and it was called the Dark Ages for a reason. 

America is great because, like Teddy Roosevelt said, we have always progressed, gone where no one had gone before, improved the conditions for human kind. Republicans don’t want your children to become educated because they fear they will read “Animal Farm” and “1984,” novels by George Orwell who tried to warn us during the 1940s. If you haven’t read those two books before, you should read them now before the November election and decide if those are the worlds you want your grandchildren and their children to grow up in. Yes, it really is that important. 

I am not against faith nor religion. I firmly believe in the First Amendment. However, we must be alert to the fact that anything can be twisted and used against us, manipulated in a way to take our hard fought freedoms away from us. Plato said it best, "One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

I did not vote for Barry Goldwater in 1964 and most likely would not have if I was old enough to vote. Years later, reading quotes of his, I developed great admiration for the man. I may not have agreed with his politics, but I do admire his wisdom and consider him to be a sage. "Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the (Republican) party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly,

these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of G-d, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them." May 29, 1998, said after Reagan had been president for 8 years. Think about that!

“The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions. We have succeeded for 205 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn't stop now. To retreat from that separation would violate the principles of conservatism and the values upon which the framers built this democratic republic.”

“Excerpts From Goldwater Remarks". Remarks in the Congressional Record, www.nytimes.com. September 15, 1981.

For more quotes from Goldwater applicable to today, see:

https://www.azquotes.com/author/5665-Barry_Goldwater

Jan. 6, 2021

https://twitter.com/vademocrats/status/1527259285943726088?s=21&t=R-CLxjNLb5Fwba7_DdpGzA