Muzings From The Edge: America’s Fall From Grace
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I apologize for the lateness of this post for any of you who happen to notice that it was not posted at its normal time. I’ve been too busy running around gnashing my teeth, kicking trash cans, screaming at no one in particular, and, well, just being royally pissed off as I am want to do on rare occasions. A while back I had sworn off worrying about politics and all the hacks that revolve around it and strut their own self importance as if in the next thousand years anyone will really care if they existed. I have to admit though, that like a simmering pot there is a point when even I begin to boil over at the smugness and arrogance of the idiots running around this country and I just have to let some of this steam out.
First, let me chat just a bit about we folks in this country who call ourselves Americans and thump our chests about our greatness and how wonderful our country is, and, you know, the “this is our country” bull crap. I think this is what George Orwell meant by new speak in his novel “1984”. I say that because all we teach in our history classes is how we, primarily European immigrants, settled this savage land and made it great. They do not include the fact that in settling this land we slaughtered the indigenous people, or threatened others, and took their land which was rich in numerous resources. There was no nice, sweet, here is a beautiful place to build a house on land that belongs to no one ,,, IDIOT… it did belong to someone, but that is OK. Because if they protest we will just kill them. I remember as a kid going to the movies when the Native Americans were always portrayed as savages who wanted nothing but to kill and scalp white men. The history books were filled with images of the great battles to settle the frontier including “Custer’s Last Stand.” They left out the parts about us riding through villages and killing every living thing, and stories about the “Trail of Tears”. We are a strange people indeed that we put those events in our past so easily and now proclaim, “this is our country, by God,” while they are still walking on the blood of those they took it from.
Folks way out there in Arizona are having a major problem because they do not like Mexicans. Hell people, you are actually living in Mexico, or at least used to be until we brow beat them into all but giving it to us in a treaty. Same with California, New Mexico, and Texas. Or maybe we were, and are, just showing our true colors. Just like other bullies, we saw what we wanted so we took it. If you don’t like it we will slaughter you just like we did the Native Americans. It is sort of like the bully in the school yard taking other kids lunch money or Ipod except that there was no law enforcement around to stop us. We made the laws up as we went along. Hey, that is the American way you know. It is much the same today you know. Those who have the power still make rules that are advantageous to them and screw everyone else. Everything seemed fine until the supply of immigrants suddenly seemed to exceed the demand. Then we had a problem. One has to wonder how many Mexicans can probably trace their ancestry back to the original settlers of the land that is now Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California. I know it does not matter now because we have passed laws that have stripped them of any claim, but it might be an interesting research project to see how many of the people were are arresting have a moral right, if not a legal one, to be on that property. Oh, and one other thing about this immigration stuff, that poem begins on Lady Liberty, “Give me your tired,your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” we now know that is a crock. People in this country have become so damn selfish and self centered it is sickening. Most everything this country once stood for only exists in the minds of some scholars. The vast majority of people haven’t a clue what the country is about.
Those great forefathers of ours that so many people like to quote because they wrote about freedom and equality, yet they owned and possessed other people. My, my, my. Is that not a quaint idea. Maybe that is why people today do not take our ideals seriously. I doubt that that is it because most of the people these days have no idea of what those men were talking about nor what their true intentions were. True, they were not perfect, but I think they had ideas for what might could come about in the future. The problem seems to be that they left it up to people of the same ilk that they had fled from on the other side of the Atlantic. The people following them were still small minded petty people who thought first of themselves and their greed, importance and power. Altruism was never a big point with the vast majority of this country’s leaders. That does not mean we have had no great leaders. It simply means that we were fortunate enough to get a few whose path to greatness paralleled our needs. Some of them were even able to bring out a little of the true American spirit we claim to have. You might remember, love of liberty, freedom, courage, home of the brave. Yeah, right.
As I start this last paragraph let me say that I served my country for four years in the Marines (1961 -1965) because this is really going to piss some people off. From what I have observed of Americans, at least the civilians in general, courage and bravery is not your strongest suit folks. Everyone seems just fine with what goes on in war as long as it far, far away. It is easy to have our high moral beliefs and standards. It was easy to chastise the evil empires of North Korea, Japan, and North Vietnam for their torturous ways when dealing with our troops. I remember the criticism even when Iraq had captured one of our soldiers and he was shown on television. It was truly awful. Then came September 11, 2001 and the war on terror, or terrorists, or whatever one wishes to call it. Suddenly, war was not just a news report on CNN, or the newspaper. It was now up close and personal and boy, the American people suddenly lost their taste for taking the high road. All of the principles, high moral standards, and goody two shoes zoomed away in a cloud of dust. It was like America had never heard of the founding fathers, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Jesus Christ, the Marquess of Queensberry rules, or nothing else. America was scared out of its wits and was basically saying to Bush and Cheney do anything you want to but please save my ass. So much for the good old American way, which of course was all the politicos needed to usurp a bunch of our rights and to start torturing people. So, it had happened, it had finally happened. When you give a bunch of morons the ability to run their own show, even with checks and balances, they will stick their heads in the sand the first time things start to get a little dicey. Shaking in our boots we have acknowledged that this country, with all of its great might, does not have the moral fortitude to stand by our moral principles in the face of adversity from a bunch of wild eyed crazies. If this is a war, they have won. They wanted us to changed our way of life and we have. They wanted us to have less freedom and we do. They wanted to divide us and we are. Perhaps we never deserved the accolades we have been given because we failed the first really big test. When they brought the war to us, we have cowered before them.
This has been America’s fall from grace,
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I take it as a badge of honor that I’m not considered a force in your (left-wing, pro-Obongo) version of society. I have all the friends I need; thanks. If I need more I’ll buy another dog.
The time for politeness has long since passed. This website is a nest of fools and traitors who regularly attack America (and people like me) unchallenged. Take a dose of your own medicine like a man, pal.
Your buddy (lazeredge) wrote a disgusting diatribe himself. It’s full of dangerous half-truths and non-truths and damaging to the nation I served honorably for almost 30 years. He got what he deserved.
On the other hand, this is your “house” and if you want me to stop commenting I will. I suggest however, that you take my comments as an honest appraisal of what many on my side think of you and your policies. We’ve struggled under almost 50 years of liberal twats dispensing half-assed ideas and fixed nothing: Our economy is in shambles, one-third of blacks serve prison time, black illegitimcay hovers at 70%, the school system has been destroyed, morality has become a punchline for a joke and around the world our enemies sharpen their claws.
Maybe it’s time you metrosexual loons listened to something besides your inner female and grow up.
I have (out of courtesy to you as the proprietor) removed my “email notification.” So I won’t be advised of future responses and unlikely to stumble across this den of vipers by accident. However, if you want my response to anything, I’m sure you as the owner know how to reach me.
Well John since you removed the email notifications you won’t read this but what the hell. Lazer’s edge served honorably in the United States Marines and is a Vietnam (combat)veteran.
While there are many diverse opinions here (we don’t always agree) they are opinions that are both welcome and valued. I submit the ones you hate are proffered by those who love America deeply and are saddened by what they see today, as am I. These are people that are not led by Fox News. They are independent and free thinkers and I value each and every one of them.
I salute your service to our country, and won’t even accuse you of lying about it, as you did Lazer. I also served in the armed forces and am also a Vietnam veteran. The balance of my life was spent as a cop, serving our country from within.
You are free to comment here, but there is no need to insult us. You don’t need to call us names. It goes without saying that I am not a bit surprised to learn that some on the right won’t like what those of us on the left have to say.
As to knowing how to reach you, I do, however, is there a need? What would we talk about?
In conclusion I enjoy a different point of view but I eschew name calling and disrespectful references. Several days ago I referred to a U.S. Representative as a “Jap.” I was furious with his ridiculous idea of making it a law to kill all stray dogs. A reader called me on it, and I corrected it immediately. I can express an opinion but don’t have to be disrespectful.
Michael J. Scott
Publisher
“This Den of Vipers” and damn proud of it 🙂
Gee, “Gwenny” . . . the mouth on you. You made me blush.
“John Hagstrom” you are either a hypocrite or a fool. You libs have done everything possible to destroy the notion of a Melting Pot with your special interest politics. Which is not altogether a BAD thing. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day. We Melted into an American culture because we were mixing primarily European peoples who share a common blood and Christian culture. But you can’t “melt” blacks, mestizos, homosexuals, feminists, indians and asians into that pot and still have anything vaguely resembling a “nation.”
“Mother Hen” you did a good job of speed-reading wikipedia but you need to do more research into what happened at Fort Mims before you start pontificating and comparing it to Arizona and the contemporary American fight for survival against the hordes of cucarachas moving north from an impoverished Turd World. Sorry. I meant Third World.
Isolationism? That’s an extinct strategic policy beased on technology that’s long been outdated. Americans want NATIONALISM – first comes WE, then comes THEY. If you would rather bend over to an raghead or kneel before a chink or bow to everyone as your president does, then you have stopped being an American. You are now a “citizen of the world.” So get lost. Get out of MY country and go live “in the world.” We want to see America DOMINANT and TRIUMPHANT, bestriding the world like a Colossus. If your delicate sensibilities can’t handle it, tough shit. But don’t sell out your children, or mine, because you’re a wimp.
“Paul Davis” no, that’s not what I’m saying you reading-challenged nitwit. If you would READ, then you’d see that what I’m arguing is that Lazersedge whiny, anti-white, anti-American slam against what we did to the injuns is totally UNFOUNDED because the injuns were killing fellow injuns and whites just as aggressively. As “Mother Hen” points out – killing is what humans do. So tell Lazersedge to get his fat ass off his moral high horse.
John: Your slurs are unnecessary and serve only to demonstrate your remarkable ignorance, an unmistakable condition that is common to the hard Right. Under most circumstances I would have removed your insulting diatribe, however when it was originally brought to my attention some intelligent and compassionate comments, unlike yours, were posted, so I elected to allow the debate to continue. Removing your out of control rant would have rendered their words without context and that is not the way we operate here. You appear to have half a brain, again an exception for many on the Right, and you could have left a comment that served only to disagree but you chose instead to attack the authors of the debate and one of my writers and close friend. Your behavior does not serve you well. It makes you a fool, and hardly a force to be considered in polite society.
Obama 2012
Like a good, obedient righty, John has succeeding in his quest to please the republican base of bigots, zealots, homophobes and idiots. Of which he is a part.
Call Rush Limbaugh tomorrow and tell him what you wrote and maybe you’ll get a virtual pat on the head from him. And if you’re lucky JOhn, he may send you some spare oxycontin to help mask the pain of your hatred of the great melting pot known as The United States of America.
Interestingly, the “Fort Mims Massacre” which John refers to was perpetrated by a group of Native American Creek Indians who were AGAINST the mixing of the races/cultures and against the European invasion of white immigrants. They started warring against “white European” influence and against members of their own tribe sympathetic to the new settlers.
These sentiments (in reverse) echo those of the anti-immigration faction in Arizona, who have all those half-breed Meztizo-loving bleeding heart liberals in their “crosshairs”.
I hope the irony of this is not lost.
That Indians mounted a DEFENSIVE war against foreign invaders who had a bad history of not honoring treaties is not surprising. The fact that Indians warred with each other as well is irrelevant. The Europeans were warring with each other at the time of the Ft Mims Massacre (War of 1812). So what? People killing each other for land and resources is hardly new. (And yes I WAS taught all of this in 8th grade history by a teacher who actually knew his subject, and was, tellingly, not a coach.)
It is human nature to be tribal. “Us vs Them” may be wired into our biology, but that doesn’t make it a sustainable practice for sharing the planet with 7 billion people.
Isolationism is a dying and unproductive concept on today’s world stage. If civilization is to advance beyond wars and name calling then we must learn to live together.
We live today what will be tomorrow’s history. Hopefully later students will be able to read about America as a great nation that welcomed the “tired and poor masses yearning to breathe free”, not the America who lays waste to other nations or poisons the earth in a nuclear-fueled pissing contest.
Why are any of us stoking the big chubby this asshole is getting from all of this? Typical.
LOL – looks like defenders of LIBERAL truth and justice have come out ready to do battle. Too bad you wussies don’t engage America’s enemies with the same vigor.
Get this through your head “Krell” – the world doesn’t give two-shits about your pacifism or love of man. They’ll bury the knife in you and piss on your grave faster than you can whistle the “Internationale.” The only people in the world who don’t get that human history is all about US vs THEM are the ones (like you) who end up as victims. Perhaps, like President Obongo, you like grovelling to people – or maybe you like it on your knees – but real Americans don’t.
That’s not hate “Omah-whateverthehellyournameis” – that’s reality. Try it once in a while. By the way, genius, did you happen to catch the 2010 Midterms? It was in all the news. We’re on to you traitors and losers. From here on out it gets much tougher for you, not easier. Start packing. Canada always needs new pacifists.
My history, “Tim Waters” comes from what used to be called “American history” before you leftists got your paws on it and started lying about all the wonderful “contributions” made by blacks, indians, mestizos, homos, and whatever social group was “in.” Maybe if you tried actually studying history founds in these things called BOOKS instead of getting your talking points from lefty websites, you might learn something.
Quick example. The article’s author whines about the Trail Of Tears (something we should do today with blacks and mestizos by the way – people function better in homogeneous groups).
But of course, he knows nothing about the Fort Mims Massacre where almost 500 whites were slaughtered by the savages. That was actually a major factor in Jackson’s decision. Oh no . . . it’s NEVER even acknowledged by you hypocrites that indians massacred THOUSANDS of whites. Nor is it mentioned that indians also massacred thousands of other indians.
LOL Yeah, let’s talk history whenever you want. It’s fun.
>> But of course, he knows nothing about the Fort Mims Massacre where almost 500 whites were slaughtered by the savages. That was actually a major factor in Jackson’s decision. Oh no . . . it’s NEVER even acknowledged by you hypocrites that indians massacred THOUSANDS of whites.>>
So what you’re saying is that those damn injuns had no right to defend their land from aggressors and poor old whitey was the victim?
Yet up above you say it is ok for the US to kill thousands of Mexicans to defend “their” land, right?
Your hypocrisy is utterly laughable.
>> Nor is it mentioned that indians also massacred thousands of other indians. >>
That’s right because you’d never catch whitey killing his own would you?
Your ignorance is only outdone by your utter stupidity.
“Shaking in our boots we have acknowledged that this country, with all of its great might, does not have the moral fortitude to stand by our moral principles in the face of adversity from a bunch of wild eyed crazies. If this is a war, they have won. They wanted us to changed our way of life and we have. They wanted us to have less freedom and we do. They wanted to divide us and we are. Perhaps we never deserved the accolades we have been given because we failed the first really big test. When they brought the war to us, we have cowered before them.”
That is about it in a nutshell. America is only as great as the ideals she maintains. Once we were a beacon of hope to the rest of the world. Everyone wanted to be like us.
Now we have capitulated to corporate interests and endured erosions of freedoms for a veneer of imagined “protection” from terrorists. We have allowed religion to hamper policy, not enlighten it. We have lost whatever moral high ground we might have once possessed by our condoning of torture.
I have hopes that a free press and open discussions might enlighten the minds and open the hearts of people who want legislation to address their fears by restricting the rights of others. At least we can still do that in America.
Lazer
I’m compelled to write you a little note. Fine post and on the money.
As for John, Sir you are an imbecile. Your lip lock on life is only outdone by your boisterous Histrionics. Where did you get your history books, Texas. Oh I know you went to Beck U.
Next time you have a thought, take a deep breath and just let it go.
This is garbage, written by a traitor for the amusement of the ignorant. The writer, “Mr Edge,” is clearly overly-impressed with his meager talent as a raconteur. He would be better served in a bar buying drinks for other losers and boring them with his “war stories.”
Personally, I doubt he served in the USMC. Probably gets his “knowledge” of them from having watched Gomer Pyle as a kid.
America is not great BECAUSE we took the land from ignorant savages, who, by the way, were gleefully slaughtering each other long before we slaughtered them. We are great because of what we did with the land and what we have contributed to the world – to include freedom for hundreds of millions.
We did not take anything from Mexico you simpering, history-challenged, jackass. Mexicans changed their Constitution in 1825 and every Mexican state revolted. All were subsequently and brutally re-conquered by the central government except one – TEJAS. We did go to war with Mejico in 1845. What weakling apologists like Edge forget is that prior to the start of the war, Mejicanos were threatening to re-conquer land all the way back to the Mississippi River and were shooting at American troops along the Nueces River. They lost. We won. Tough shit. The Gadsden Purchase was just that – a real estate deal. So screw you, you mestizo-loving traitor. Don’t equate the immigration of Europeans at a time when we needed them for westward expansion and industrial growth with the INVASION of millions of cucarachas when our own unemployment is at 17%
How is demolishing the Taliban with a few hundred irregulars “cowering before them?” How is destroying Iraq’s army in two weeks “cowering before them?” How is dominating the world’s easily-accessible oil supply at a time when the world is running out, “cowering?” Study history, moron. This is what great nations DO. They strike out with anger and vengeance when they are attacked.
You never learned that principle because you’re undoubtedly the type who attracted bullies – the proverbial pear-shaped, weakling, Fat Kid who never learned to stand up for himself.
But those of us who leaned to fight back DO understand EXACTLY what the War Against Ragheads was all about.
We showed our moral courage and principles by not turning the Middle East into a giant Walmart parking lot. I think we should have turned it into a theme park – Six Flags Over Nothing.
And what American has been tortured? What rights have you lost? I call you a LIAR on top of everything else.
You are NOT an American. You are a traitor. Pack up your defeatism, your anti-Americanism, your whining, your sniveling – and get lost.
What a perfect comment for this post! Not because it presents any valid input for debate, but because it perfectly illustrates the type of person that causes the conditions that Laser so eloquently writes about.
Starting NOT with an idea but an insult, John’s comments are a shining example of the dogmatic simpleton world view typical of his lot.
For John, it’s a “Us vs Them” outlook, dismissing whole sections of the World’s population as “Ragheads” or “Ignorant Savages”.
John’s comments about countries being not worthy of existence with your “Six Flags Over Nothing” diatribe and they should be glad that we didn’t turn them into a “Walmart parking lot”. Nice use of a limited vocabulary for a visual, John.
Obviously, intelligent debate and exchange of ideas with John would be a waste of time. Facts are irrelevant because with his shallow thought process, it will just digress to insults, distortions, or his repeating of some of the latest AM talk radio opinions.
Thank goodness that we have people like John, the ones that cannot distinguish between someone being critical and someone being a traitor, to define what’s great about America.
Keep out those confusing notions of living as equal and treating people of the world with respect.
Because it’s America against the world, right… John? And with people like you, that’s exactly just what it’s going to be.
I especially like your comments sudden tangent with your meager attempts at a psychological appraisal of Laser’s childhood. How did you put that John??.. “the proverbial pear-shaped, weakling, Fat Kid who never learned to stand up for himself”
You see, I’m sort of an amateur psychologist myself, John. Probably hadn’t had as much experience with mental illness and therapy as you so I may not be quite the expert.
But here it goes….
In first grade, your parents were advised for you to be held back one grade because of your emotional issues and your strange habits of eating glue paste and putting crayons up your nose.
By the third grade, you had stolen your first bicycle. But your happiness was quickly dashed when you discovered you couldn’t ride your newly acquired item because it rubbed your leg rash caused by your chronic bed-wetting.
In sixth grade, you were kicked out of school for a whole month because of persistent fighting with a “funny looking” new kid. You were heard yelling “Dang Fur-e-ner!” right before punching him in the face.
C’mon John… I’m guessing pretty close about this, aren’t I?
I concur with Krell completely (both times!). This is a thoughtful, open minded & hearted piece. We might all strive to “parallel each others’ needs” but have really lost the collective ‘taste for the high road’.
John’s self impressive pontificating on and on re: amusing the ignorant is a blinding mirror of how it goes with isolated, self deluded fear mongering asshats’ who devote themselves to spreading hate. Unfortunately, John’s kind of bile disolves his relevance; period.
It’s a great post, Bill. It’s given me pause after pause. ty.
I’m glad I didn’t write this or I’d have been in deep dodo…;-)
Nice one mate. Goes for over here too.
Thanks 4D. Always glad to get nice things from across the pond.
Why is that beautiful wolf laying down? I’m not sure I want to ask that question but knew I had to.
Mike, I thought of him as us. Those who recognize the trouble we are in and, though we are down, we are still fighting to regain those values we once cherished.
@Lazer,
There is great honesty in this post and this might be my favorite this year so far on this blog network.
Never does the truth hurt more, than when it is spoken of ourselves or our nation.
It made me think real hard about the old, oft-attributed-to-President-Lincoln-statement:
“The Constitution is not a suicide pact”
I’d add to that:
“Nor is it a “wish list” to be bargained away or ignored when inconvenient.”
Cheers lazer.
-SJ
SJ, I always appreciate your comments on anything I post. I think it is idol worship. Thanks a lot.
This is the 3rd time that I have read this post. Each time I re-read it, I get more and more from it. This is one hell of a post! I mean this is really a damn good read!
You put down into words describing something that to me is the great strange paradox of America. We are the home of the brave and free but the rules go out the window under crisis. In general the people will help out each other and generous to a fault but have no problem about the slaughter of large populations as long as they don’t see it on the television.
In a sense, we are defeated in these wars. They seemed to have taken a lot, forced us to view some things about ourselves that we may not have liked. But the big question is..”Was that good moral high ground ever there to begin with or were we just like most other countries, some good some bad? Perhaps we had pulled the wool over our own eyes with the “greatest country” propaganda and the rest of the world was just waiting for the truth to catch up to us?”
Anyway, thanks for this fine post. Really thought provoking.
Thanks Krell. This pot has been simmering a long time. It is tough to admit when we took the wrong turn. Of course that happens when the country is being led by men like me and the rest of us. Anybody got a map? 🙂
I think, Bill, the problem, one of them anyway, might have been that they had heard of Jesus Christ. The church has been torturing innocents for centuries. Then this “you must be saved” thing came along, which basically excused all behavior. Good post man.
I am not sure about hat Mike but someone sure misdirected these folks.