From Where I'm Sitting...By Dar Hurt

[Dar]

We have no idea what it is to wonder if our throats will be cut in the night; to grieve because we watch our children starve; to fear being identified with a particular religion. We whine that the line at Starbucks is too long and that we can't find anything on our 100 channel tv's. We take our freedoms and privaleges horribly for granted- it's nauseating-and it will cost us dearly. It has already cost us, this apathy. Our comfort is quickly becoming our downfall. When this country was in the throes of it's birth, the idea that a people could essentially govern themselves was unheard of. The ways of the ruling class-the educated - gave way to the idea that all people could be educated and thus be the architects of their own fate. This new form of self-governance carried with it not the right-but the responsibility of keeping a check on those who were voted as representatives in government. We have allowed ourselves to grow stupid and lazy in our comfort. We leave "politics to the politicians", concerning ourselves only with the acquisition of more "stuff" and watching "reality" tv. There is no time in history that is devoid of mankind's attempts to conquer; to rule over others. The acquisition of wealth and power has always been too great a temptress for most, and they surrender-wholly. History's lessons have not escaped those who would abuse their power; They have learned that forced submission of a people will result in revolution. The better way is by cunning and deceit, and with the right manipulations, people can even be brought to support their own subjugation! Welcome to 2007. It stuns me still to hear people defending the actions of a government that has clearly betrayed it's citizenry. Antitrust regulations have diminished, and we now find our money all goes to the same small groups of people-regardless of what we buy. These small groups -the super rich- are the very people we entrust with our welfare, as they include the majority of policy makers and political representatives. If one follows this chain, it is blatantly obvious that "we the people" are important to them, because we are their income generators. There can be no supply without demand, and thus no profit. We are being manipulated, make no mistake. And our apathy makes them more bold-"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger." .....Herman Goering, Nazi propaganda minister Samuel Adams said "The liberties of our country, the freedoms of our civil Constitution are worth defending at all hazards; it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors. They purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood. It will bring a mark of everlasting infamy on the present generation – enlightened as it is – if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of designing men." Man's lust for wealth and power has not receded-it has only taken on a different, insidious form, and it has indeed come to dominate our lives and interests, and one of their greatest weapons is the blind faith that some put in our government, and our laziness and apathy in being vigilant guardians of our freedom