Why The Criminal Element? (Part 2)
“There is no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted—and you create a nation of law breakers—and then you cash in on guilt.”
— via Dr. Ferris in “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand
A “realist,” is “a person who tends to view or represent things as they really are.”
I will tell you a personal story from my youth about civil disobedience. Quite a few people think that I was in the military and/or should have joined the military. I come from 'military family,’ my grandfather served in WWII, most of my uncles served, my two brothers served. It would seem that fate had set me up to join as well…if it weren’t for some choice words regarding such my own grandfather, a purple heart recipient.
After coming home from Europe at the end of WWII, my grandfather came back home from fighting for ‘his country.’ Fighting for ideals that he thought were shared across this nation. One day he took it upon himself to attend a baseball game of his favorite team, The Saint Louis Cardinals. Well, unfortunately black veterans, or blacks in general were not welcomed by the crowd. Eventually left, not because the game had ended…but because he was tired of being spit upon…literally.
His narrative changed my opinion about the military and the nation.
Now fast-forward to my junior year in high school. The Pledge of Allegiance, is said in ‘home room’ every morning, of every school day, in every school. There came a point in my freshmen year when I just didn’t feel right about making such an oath I did not believe in…which is my Constitutional right. I never stood or said the pledge again…ever.
One day we had a substitute teacher, he was a Vietnam veteran…a white man. As the ‘pledge’ began he saw me sitting in my alphabetically assigned seat, which was third from the front…and right in front of the teachers desk. Oh…it infuriated him so much. As soon as the pledge was over, he began to berate me and said, “I needed to stand for the pledge, because that’s what American do!”
Then I said, “Well not this American…I have a constitutional right to choose.”
He did not like my answer at all. He then went on a mad tirade in front of the class, angrily lecturing us on how he fought for this country in Vietnam and some other shit I forgot. Finally he finished by saying to me, “They should put you in a box (kill me) and ship you back to where you came from!”
My only reply was, “…and where exactly do you believe I came from?”
Check Mate! I wish you could have seen his face. The point that he realized that he had made a mistake. One that could end his career as a substitute teacher. Adults who threaten children behind a veil of patriotism have no place in public schools. He was silent after that. He never questioned me again…knowing fully well that I could end his career at anytime I chose…but I did not.
You see, I respect the fact that he served. I also understand that he may feel belittled, the misery he endured disregarded, when others do not acknowledge or appreciate ‘your flag.’ Hopefully, that situation enlightened him…the choice to serve does not entitle you to appreciation.
That substitute was / is representative of a culture, and a tribe that still exist to this day…my assessment has not changed for the better.
You see freedom is a very fragile thing, and it must be upheld as an absolute in this nation…or there will be no nation. I’m in no way condemning any person but instead a frame of mind. Beware, a police state is fertile ground for the rise of criminal culture…and technology can not defeat it. People all across this globe are very, very angry…and all this powder keg will need is a wee bit of awareness, and a common belief…but a disbelief will work just the same.
Worry not though, all thing in the universe are cyclical, events such as the one’s unfolding in our society have happened before and will happen again and again…that is until the lesson is learned. Not just by the individuals, but more importantly by the collective.
If all thing and events are cyclical in their nature, then I suppose…another