Comments on: The Way We Are Now, Alas!

By: Sam Graham

Sam Graham — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:04:26 +0000

"Just a few days ago, one of my students, fourteen years old, I believe, asked me if I thought that U S soldiers would shoot americans, I gave her the straight answer, "Yes"

If you were a US soldier would you not have the intelligence or the common sense not to? Of course you would, so why think the american soldier is some kind of robot, machine, like the SS were in Germany? You hold the american soldier not in very high esteem. You insult their intelligence and mine. You are a teacher, are you forced to teach a doctrine of Lenin, no your not. Would you be thrown in a gulag for refusing to, yes you would. Thank any soldier, airman, sailor or marine that has made it so you can teach without the fear of transportation to a gulag.
Shame on you..............

By: Ed Roberts

Ed Roberts — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 12:08:56 +0000

"The commentary here is so other-worldly that no wonder it is ignored by the larger society."

Then you won't mind staying off the commentary boards from now on. Go back to FR, troll.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 23:14:44 +0000

Many Germans who came to North America during the colonial period were from the County Palatine of the Rhine. It was just a short trip down the river to Holland, whence they embarked for the new world. My ancestor in the direct paternal line was such a person, travelling from Amsterdam to Philadelphia in 1748, then settling in the valley of Virginia. Other ancestors on my father's side were English and Scots, who settled here in the 17th and 18th centuries. My mother's family were lowland Scots and English, of similar history. It seems that any time one mentions ancestry the accusation of snobbery or exclusivism arises, as e.g. at #14. I sympathize entirely with Dr. Wilson's remark. I feel the same way. It is not an expression of overweening pride in ancestry but rather makes the point that there is a difference between people who settled a wilderness and those who came as immigrants to flourishing cities and took industrial employment. The families of America's pioneers do not need to be lectured and hectored about "the American Dream" by persons whose ancestors came through Ellis Island. I am glad to know there is another who finds this as tiresome as I do.

By: Joshua Cooney

Joshua Cooney — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:18:31 +0000

"It is so much easier to stand aside and find some place nobody notices to make the criticism that the fallen world does not recognize the wisdom and honor of the tiny band. Do you not realize that you are isolating yourselves?" Mr. McNulty What should people do if they prefer an intelligent discussion of culture rooted in history and human nature? Cable television, newspapers, talk radio generally fail in this regard. You act as if the "tiny band" of dissenters appeared out of thin air with no higher goal than heckling the people who possess real power and influence. Now I admit, I take pleasure in the heckling, but the central theme of Chronicles, it seems, is that certain ideas and principles are as old as civilization itself. That the majority has forgotten or rejected the wisdom borne out of over 2,000 years of human experience does not prove that those who attempt to preserve it are isolating themselves. It is very much the opposite that is true. As Chesterton said, "A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it."

By: David Collins

David Collins — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:00:05 +0000

@54

Amen, to Mr. Wilson's comment. I was one of those superficial people made happy by Reagan's sunny bromides; but, by the grace of God, I'm a recovering republican. All we can do, at this point, is pray for the people of this empire.

By: Clyde Wilson

Clyde Wilson — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:06:54 +0000

Mr. McNulty mistakes despair (admittedly a failing and a sin) for pretentious nostalgia. Where is the center to be defended? What did Reagan's sunny bromides acheive except to make some superficial people happy for a little while? Why join the crowd following the Rough Beast slouching unopposed toward Jerusalem?

By: Mormon Paleo

Mormon Paleo — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 10:39:17 +0000

Mr. McNulty:

There is nothing conservative about current foreign policy or spending habits (both closely related). Our foreign policy is hard Wilsonianism, pure and simple. Wilson (not the good Dr. above) himself would likely blush if he saw what we had.

A true conservative would be up in arms about the idea of attacking a hapless enemy pre-emptively, under false pretenses. Are we really safer as a result of our foreign policy? How much good do you think our military does? Perhaps more pertinently, how much longer do you think we can afford it? Is it worth seeing the collapse of the dollar for?

There is reason for pessimism considering both sides of the aisle seem interested in increasing Leviathan's powers and scope, both here and abroad. The defenders of freedom and liberty and low taxes are few in number.

And I believe there were some positive remarks made above:

"Perhaps some day Americans will come to understand the truth about the bloody Lincoln coup. That is the first step toward recovery."

Certainly there is reason to hope for some recovery of our sanity.

By: Thomas Miller

Thomas Miller — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 13:37:54 +0000

Since jmcnulty is such a know-it-all on the subject of empires, then surely he is familiar with the works of Arnold J. Toynbee. Toynbee pointed out that the fruits of empire are not enjoyed by those who shoulder the burden of it - whom he referred to as the external and internal proletariat (his term for the conquered subjects and the masses at home). The benefits of empire are enjoyed solely by the elites who engineered it.

By: Kirt Higdon

Kirt Higdon — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:13:15 +0000

Mr. Depre is correct. Empires benefit the imperial rulers and there may or may not be some trickle-down benefit to the subjects of the homeland or the provinces.

By: Mark Depré

Mark Depré — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 23:01:49 +0000

@jmcnulty:

If we are an “empire,” then, perhaps we are the first empire in the world that has not sought to benefit from it; the world delights in insulting America, and we gain no economic benefit from our “empire.”
I suppose that the Iraq war (”No blood for oil”) has resulted in cheap gasoline for American drivers. (end quote)

ROFL...."we gain no economic benefit from our empire"...

ROFL....well...maybe you are not included in the profit and
economic benefits part because it isn't YOUR "empire"....get you
a CFR-member card and try again....

Halliburton CEO's stock rises by $78 million since Iraq invasion
15 Sept. 2005

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 (HalliburtonWatch.org) -- War and skyrocketing oil prices have been good to Halliburton's CEO David Lesar, whose stock in the company increased by an estimated $78 million since the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003, a HalliburtonWatch analysis reveals.
(http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/news/lesar_stock.html)