Ultra long YAK: hit DEL now! Re: [TheForge] Shortcut Sword? [LONGISH] even longer

[Kevin Donahoe]

>
>  	Some of the effects of TV cannot be argued, and some of those
>  	are in fact harmful.  Would you argue that cyanide, taken
>  	orally, is not harmful?

I think cyanide was give in low doses to combat syphillis about the turn of
the last century.  Anything actually can have a toxic dose... (later) just
occurred to me that may have been strychnine...


and it has ruined much of this world.  To what precise end I
>  	cannot say, but one cannot examine the conditions we see today,
>  	observe its astonishing uniformity across cultures that have
>  	traditionally been highly disparate, and reasonably conclude
>  	that there is no intentional mechanism at work.  To so conclude
>  	would be either insane, disingenuous, of stupid beyond all
>  	forgiveness.
>

Much for the better I think.  Not only have we exported McD's and Starbucks,
but also certain ideals that are better than those found in some other
cultures, ie, rule of law (as it's being erroded here at home...wonder if
it's being diluted as we send it out?), general principles found in the
Declaration of Independence and Constition, etc, etc., checks and balances
of three tiered gov't, general ideals of individual liberty that I think are
still valid, if dillute.  Diversity doesn't look so good when it involves
certain inhumane practices of slavery etc,. I have a hard time begrudging
someone $1 a day when that's an improvement, even for a child.  I doubt that
will be a permanent fixture of their society, just a stage in getting a leg
up.  Wondering where the pendulum swing might be.


                                        Republicrats
>                                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>  	You see?  You recognize it as well.  But who are they?
>  	Who pulls their strings?  Who stands behind the throne?

As president  (past-president) of a little local gun club I've found the
constitution established by the well meaning founders only holds up as well
as those presently willing to recognize it.   As board member/director we
basically do what we can with what we've got since we're not big enough or
have deep enough pockets to elicit much interest by the membership.  Ideally
the function of congress/executive/legislative groups that have become so
inbred... blah, blah,blah.  Wonder if we could get an armed group to sit in
the gallery of each branch ;) yeah, that's the ticket.


>
>  	People don't WANT to decide for themselves.  Why do you think
>  	we have representative government?  People that wish to govern
>  	themselves would not want representatives speaking and acting
>  	on their behalf.  That is the great lie about America, about
>  	what it is.  It is a huge lie.  America is not only not a free
>  	nation, but was never meant to be one.  I know this is pure
>  	heresy for most folks, but this is how I see it.

Well, yes, I realize that, true democracy can be too cumbersome and NEVER
get anything done, or worse, work on a rule of mob.  I'm quite happy to
expect leaders to lead, and fall on their face if so.  Nobody's perfect, but
I'd be happy if they lead, not follow the polls.  I suppose that Bush43 is
coming as close to that as I've seen in a while.

>
>  	Not on my end it hasn't been.  About ten years ago I engaged in
>  	an exercise that took me a couple of days to complete.  I wrote
>  	my own constitution under the assumption that it would replace
>  	the current US version.

Most interesting prospect, and quite daunting.  I occassionally reread some
of those historical documents and marvel at the eloquence... perhaps you
recognize my own cumbersome manner :)


>  	people from themselves.  No body of law will prevent evil men
>  	from doing evil.  We have a constitution that would , were we an
>  	honest and just people, serve the ends of liberty and prosperity
>  	beautifully.  What I observe in this nation today is nothing of
>  	that, and it is getting uglier and more ominous by the day.

Here! here!  some of that lack of accountability comes from our very own
embarrassment of riches and indulgence of weakness.  c'est le vie ;)

>
>  	"Society", like "the state" doesn't exist.  It is an artificial
>  	mental construct designed to pummel people into doing another's

So's money an artificial construct, and a main reason I provide a service to
"society"

>  > The failure of the
>  > progressive argument is that human nature won't change, we're not
>  > perfectable.
>
>  	Human nature hasn't changed an iota in all of its written
>  	history.  What makes you think it will change at some time
>  	down the road?  Genetic engineering?  That's a tiger's tail
>  	I firmly believe is better left un-pulled, not that that
>  	will stop "them".

ARRRRGGGGGGGhhhhh, I hate when I do that! (proof reading what I meant
instead of what I wrote)  I meant that the progressive argument is that
human nature is perfectable, if we just pass the right laws/prohibitions to
reflect a certain ideal.  I think that both conservatives and liberals are
equally guilty in different arenas...and therefore the immutable march to
bigger republicrat gov't.

>  > same thing... I knew there weren't 12 bearded old men, masons, or
>  > rothchilds, manipulating humanity.
>
>  	Here I must also disagree.  There are men of discipline and
>  	knowledge in this world.  A few examples: ultra orthodox Jews
>  	are a prime example of uniformity of vision and social cohesion.
>  	The Jesuits are another example.  Note that these are both
>  	religious orders.  Power, as religion, can (and I believe has)


Yes, most is attainable through discipline, though (maybe) more is
accomplished through serendipity.  And sometimes I think a general tendency
of humanity is easily seen as the invisible hand.  Doesn't mean it exists...
outside of localized groups.

>  	A more accessible example for Americans would perhaps be kids
>  	and hunting.  Today, many kids in the USA would find it very
>  	difficult to go out and hunt.  Is it due to their nature?  No.
>  	It is due to their mental training.  Other kids are raised
>  	with a squirrel gun and shoot dinner on a regular basis, feeling
>  	no sorrow for the fate of their quarry.  Is one "right" and the
>  	other "wrong"?  I doubt it.  I can go and shoot to eat.  I don't
>  	like it because of the way I was raised.  The one thing I cannot
>  	abide is the suffering of prey.  Were I to savagely wound a
>  	deer, for example, and cause it prolonged agony, I think that
>  	would come as close to killing me as anything could.  I have
>  	known others who are not as affected by such things.  Nature
>  	is involved only in the sense that our natures allow us to be
>  	formed according to very broad spectrum of possibilities.
>

It's the job of prey to be food, of course, and were I to be a hunter, I'd
definitely want to be capable of a clean kill, but then there is that aspect
of pain making one accutely aware of life.  Nothing I pursue, mind you, but
try to keep it in perspective.  I can have sympathy, but I sure as hell
don't "feel your pain" gag!

Oh, and I'm referring to ABANA @ Richmond, KY next July...BEER'S ON ME... I
mean BOB! jeesh.

Kevin
>