A Blank Spot on the Map

Monday, September 22, 2008

Liberty must be defended with Force

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences of too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."

Thomas Jefferson (1791)

These are the words of the man who built our country's first University of higher education in the University of Virginia. He built it and insisted that it be a publicly funded (FREE!) university. He understood that liberty is maximized when a society recognized the inalienable rights of all its citizens.

When you, my detractors, tell me I'm the type to steal your liberty recognize I got some big guns behind me that understood more then any of us could the nuances of liberty. I'm no Jefferson but like he I'm as interested in maximizing liberty contrary to what you all claim. It's a cheap shot when you claim force is being used to steal your liberty when in fact it is being used to spread liberty. Yes force for liberty! There is NO other way. I'm a pragmatist and a reductionist and THAT is what I suspect you all dislike of my post. You don't get to tell us about your beautiful ideology with out telling me how it plays out in the real world as Karl Marx so aptly described. Yes Karl Marx descriptions are potent regardless of his failures at solutions. You don't just get to tell us about "YOUR" money you "earned" with out defining what you mean by money. (Aristotle wrote that “Money exists not by nature but by law.”). Money itself IS law . It is "force". Behind that money you think you made all by yourself is a social contract that includes things like publicly funded institutions of higher learning.

The forefathers absolutely fretted and agonized about great concentrations of wealth and power and their implications for liberty. You guys make every excuse to ignore the conflict of the two. I am the revolutionary ( the ones they referred to as terrorist back then) you guys are the Tory's. You're complacent with power because you have a bit no matter how the masses see their liberties slipping away.

"Liberty is the proper end and object of authority, and cannot subsist without it; and it is liberty to that which is good, just, and honest."

John Winthrop (1588-1649)

Yes liberty requires authority and "force" and thats the nuance you consistently overlook with your pure and simple theory.

"The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered…staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people."

George Washington (1732-1799)

"THE PEOPLE!!!" me

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined. "

Patrick Henry (1736-1739)

Public liberty????

Liberty requires the force of the people. That's all I'm saying. If you can find evil in that it's only a lack of pragmatism and a shortage of nuance.

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