When I see the worsening degeneracy in our politicians, our media, our educators, and our intelligentsia, I can't help wondering if the day may yet come when the only thing that can save this country is a military coup.
Now, if a dirty pinko liberal like me had said that, how long do you think it would take for a hundred right-wingers to line up and call me an unhinged, democracy-hating traitor?
How come Sowell gets a pass?
19 comments:
Because he's right.
Anybody heard of a little novel/movie "Seven Days in May"?
Although I share Sowell's concerns, I'm not sure our public figures are really any more degenerate than they have ever been so much as a change in their relationships with the media who have in the past been willing to protect them. When I was in high school many years ago, one of the teachers had an affair with and later married the star athlete. She just didn't return for the next year- no publicity.
That said, what is really more degenerate- a few guys whose immorality is "outed" with the hope that the publicity will deter others, or the complete loss of our Constitution? Sure, let's let the military run the country and we'll let Bush be Peron. Or for you conseratives, we'll let Hillary be Peron- how'd you like that? Except no Democrat would go along with that- they actually do believe in the Constitution.
I had a longer comment typed but deleted it on the grounds of inflammatory content and specific insults.
Suffice it to say that as a naturalized citizen, I am stunned by any native who would actually think this is a good idea. Never mind that it is - or should be - entirely inimical to the purpose of America, history shows that even those cheering on the coup are eventually at risk of being put up against the wall.
In the unlikely event that a coup should ever happen, I shall be driving like Jehu to the Canadian border with my children and our alternative passports. If people whose birth-right is liberty should decide to piss it away, I don't feel compelled to stick around and watch the results.
Josh, I can't believe that you of all people would agree with this. Please, and I'm not being sarcastic here, explain why Sowell is right. Because I can't think of anything that would run more counter to the principles upon which this country was founded.
"Never mind that it is - or should be - entirely inimical to the purpose of America, history shows..."
History shows this is the history of America.
Sowell's entire column is worth reading, by the way. He hits nearly every damn one of them on the head - especially the third.
I actually don't believe he's exactly right - I glossed over the word "military" the first time I read it.
I do believe, though, that it is entirely possible that an uprising of some kind is going to be necessary for our country's original ideals to remain intact. They are disappearing more and more every day.
Oh, and please don't misunderstand me to think I mean that the "original ideals" are all Republican ideals, or even conservative ones. They are ideals of freedom, which both parties seem inclined to usurp.
I do believe, though, that it is entirely possible that an uprising of some kind is going to be necessary for our country's original ideals to remain intact. They are disappearing more and more every day.
That, believe it or not, I might be able to agree with. I was talking with someone the other day who suggested that what needs to be done is to fire every single federal employee north of the guy who mops the floors and start over again with a clean slate. Too much ambition, too many ulterior motives, too little accountability to the people they're supposed to serve and the Constitution that tells them how to serve.
Josh, I don't know if I agree with you re: the span of American history. I don't think it's a question of trying to contain social unrest or decline as much as trying to rein in those in power - the difference is which group of the powerful we might be talking about.
Still, I'm gratified to see that you're pro popular movements and anti- military coup.
Incidentally I did read the column in its entirety and concluded that liberals don't have a monopoly on woolly thinking.
But I'm still renewing my UK passport, just in case. Trust no-one.
ACG: you'll also have to fire the Beltway bandits who do a large chunk of the work. All I ask is that you give me a heads up before sending me to the breadline.
While the "military" adjective is probably inappropriate, have you ever heard these words before:
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Not a novel idea, Sowell's comments?
But again, if you get back to Doug's original idea for this post, it's that if somebody like Sean Penn (just the first name off the top of my head) said something like this, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity would be calling him a terrorist scumbag at 8 and 9 ET respectively.
The fact of the matter is, conservatives can make any anti-governmental remarks they want and yet their patriotism is never called into question. If a liberal makes the same remarks, they're shaking hands with Bin Laden.
Anon: a military coup is the overthrow of a democratically elected government to be replaced by martial law and an unelected officer corps in charge. In what sense is that consistent with the Declaration of Independence?
"an uprising of some kind is going to be necessary for our country's original ideals to remain intact."
Like the ownership of slaves, not letting women vote, the bill of rights not applying to the states, driving native americans off their land by military force...that sort of stuff? Or are the "original ideals" more of a fantasy of how we wish our history to be, not as it actually was?
It's a good thing you aren't a teacher Josh, Sowell seems to think they are the first degenerates up against the wall when the revolution comes.
Sure, Zen Bubba, there have been a great many mistakes made in the past, but I think that a lot of the ideals that inspired our founding fathers may be applicable today. Freedom of religion, for one - which meant something way different back when the Constitution was originally written. Freedom from government intrusion, like wiretapping and warrantless searches. The idea of the government reporting to the people, rather than the other way around. And there are, I'm sure, a lot of different ways that those ideals can be interpreted and/or put into action, but if you want to talking about sweeping reforms to put the country back on track, those would be a good place to start.
Color me stupid, but doesn't Abraham Lincoln get grande kudos for saving the country via military coup? So, Sowell's comments are merely Lincolnian. Ne pas?
Josh- The quote from Thomas Jefferson/Declaration of Independence refers to rebellion against governmental action, not the desire to impose one's own moral code on the rest of the country.
No, Lincoln got kudos for saving us from a military coup.. or more accurately, he led the country thru a time of rebellion by some states, so no coup was involved at all.
I think what's particularly galling to me about the Sowell quote is that his guys have been in charge for the past six-plus years. Interpreted a certain way, he sounds like he's calling for a military coup against the very regime he's been supporting for so long. Unless he's advocating that very kind of specialized military coup that takes down Nancy Pelosi but leaves the White House unscathed.
News flash to concerned citizens on both sides of the aisle: IT'S NOT THAT BAD RIGHT NOW. Want to know bad? The Civil War was bad. The first Civil War (American War of Independence) was bad. Great Depression was bad. Right now is not. We have always weathered the storm as Americans, and we will again. The American people are starting to see what these people in Washington really stand for--one man rule.
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