Freedom of Speech a Fantasy in America

Freedom of Speech a Fantasy in America

A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet

We have known for some time that the government was listening to our phone calls, landlines and cell phones, and we have suspected they were doing the same thing to our e-mail and to our blogs.  Now we KNOW.

“A privacy advocacy group has swayed Congress to hold a hearing next week into the Department of Homeland Security’s practice of monitoring social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as media reports and organizations, including The Drudge Report.”  (SOURCE)

How much longer will Americans allow our freedom to be eroded … taken away?  How long are we going to allow the desecration of the US Constitution? 

Since September 11^th, 2001 we have been trading our freedom for security.  It never works.  The end result has always been that a people who trade freedom for security eventually wind up with neither. 

“The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) recently obtained close to 300 pages of documents, as a result of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, detailing the federal agency’s “intelligence gathering” practices on the web.

Among the documents were guidelines from DHS instructing outside contractors to monitor the web for media reports and comments that “reflect adversely” on the agency or the federal government.

As Reuters reported last month, in early 2010 contractors were asked to spend 24 hours monitoring news media coverage on popular websites, including Facebook, Twitter, Hulu, WikiLeaks, as well as news sites including the Huffington Post and The Drudge Report.

The documents obtained by EPIC indicate that following the exercise, a procurement official awarded an $11.3 million contract to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in order to carry out the monitoring on a “24/7/365 basis”.” (SOURCE)      

What has happened to America’s guarantee that its citizens have “freedom of speech?”  Has that guarantee been revoked?  Indeed, it has.

Look.  America has a government run amok.  Like a giant vacuum cleaner, Washington is sucking our freedom up and leaving us vulnerable to a tyrannical central government with a socialist agenda.

The Bill of Rights, the leash our founders placed around the neck of government in America has been slipped and like a ravenous junkyard dog, that government is devouring the liberty and freedom of all Americans. 

The Obama Regime has been the worst violator of the government restraints placed on them by the constitution since the Lincoln Administration.

The corruption within the current government is as bad, or worse, than that of the Grant Administration.  Government -- and the power of government -- has grown exponentially under Obama’s leadership  -- and he is asking for another term to complete the job.

Consider this:  As we observe the degradation of American liberty under the Obama Regime’s first term, what do you think will happen when Obama is not restrained by an impending election?  Can America survive as a free constitutional representative republic with a capitalist society?  In my opinion, the answer is an emphatic, resounding NO!  America cannot survive.  At least a FREE America cannot survive.

America is facing the very real threat of becoming another socialist dung heap where all its citizens suffer “fairly” or, as the socialists and Marxists say, … equally.

Ginger McCall, the Director of EPIC is reported to have said:  “The idea that the government is constantly peering over your shoulder and listening to what you are saying creates a very chilling effect to legitimate dissent.”  (SOURCE)  

I agree with Ms. McCall, except that I would take it a step farther.  Not only does government eavesdropping chill freedom of speech … it THROTTLES it!    

This whole mess is just another indication of how America has slipped into the Post Constitution era.  The “fabled” US Constitution is a thing of the past.  It is a myth born in the dim mists of yesteryear and is no longer applicable today. 

Just as history records that Nero burned Rome, history must record that Obama presided over the destruction of America. 

Look.  A nation like America can only be successful if it has a God-fearing populace, not a people who celebrate infanticide and behavior that God has proclaimed an abomination. America is more like the latter than the former today.  As a result, we have sold ourselves into slavery.

The distant bell we hear is tolling America’s death knell.  The last best hope of mankind is breathing it’s last, felled by it’s own hand.

J. D. Longstreet

At The Point of a Government Bayonet!

At The Point Of A Government Bayonet!

By J. D. Longstreet

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"And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand". (From the Bible, Matthew 12:25.)

The schism that slices through America today has been widening since the 19th century. Little by little, decade-by-decade, year-by-year it has continued to get ever wider and ever deeper. It has nothing to do with geography. It has nothing to do with slavery… and, yet, it has everything to do with slavery.

"What," you say? "Didn't we put the slavery issue to rest with a war in the 1860's?"

The truthful answer is NO, we did not. We put to rest the issue of whether or not a man could hold another man in bondage in this country. What we did not put to rest, however, is the question of whether this country's government could hold its citizens in bondage.

The Founders of America intended to set up a government with very little power. They intended the government to have only the power the citizens allowed it to have. Almost instantly the power struggle began between those who wanted a strong central government and those who wanted strong states and a weak central government. After all, it was The States that created the Federal Government… as a utility of the states. Not the other way around. Look it up.

In 1860 there were 33 states in the so-called United States of America. I do mean "so-called" because they were anything but UNITED. By the spring of 1861 thirteen of those states had had enough of being "dictated-to" by a oligarchic federal government wielding powers the constitution did not grant it, and .-- as the US Constitution did not forbid it (as had the Articles of Confederation) -- they took their leave of the United States. They created a country of their own with a constitution (mostly copied from the original constitution of the US) and they became a separate country.

A few Americans, today, actually know what caused that split. A handful of Americans understand what the ensuing war was fought about. A few million Americans still feel the sting of being forced, at the point of a government bayonet, to be a part of a country their ancestors had forsaken in order to set up a representative republic in the image of the government the Founding Fathers of America had given the United States.

A few million Americans who either live in, have lived in, or hail from, the only portion of this country to ever be invaded, conquered, and occupied by a foreign power, understand what is happening in America today, not because we learned it in school, -- because we learned it from the stories our families have handed down, from generation to generation, and from our own research into what happened to a country which had, less than a hundred years before, won it's independence from the Mother Country.

We are scattered all over America today... north, south, east, west, all over. We see where America is headed… and we fear for our fellow Americans because they/we are not ready for the cost of what is happening to America. None of us are.

What America is facing, in the next few years, will make the American Civil War seem like a Sunday School picnic.

Yes, I am referring to SLAVERY. Voluntary slavery to begin with… then involuntary slavery -- when it is then too late. The socially accepted word for it these days is… SOCIALISM.

Back in November of 2008, Americans went to the polls and voted, voluntarily, to assume the national yoke of socialism. Whether America should stay free, or whether America should give up the freedom so many have fought, bled, and died for, apparently was not even under consideration by the electorate at the time.

Even thought we conservatives had warned of impending national destruction, if the nation chose socialism, the voter’s chose the current President -- and-- added many more socialists to the rolls of Congress. Effectively, America stopped being a constitutional republic, at that moment, and became just another mediocre socialist state like unto so many countries in Europe.

In January of 2009 the “rot” at the heart of America began to spread, exponentially, and we find ourselves, in 2010, in a country, which is beginning to resemble a third-world “banana republic.”

America is currently ruled by “command and control” by a President with strong Socialist/Marxist tendencies. He believes in Socialism, Marxism, Collectivism, and some even go so far as to declare that he also has strong leanings toward communism. As a result America is broke, in debt so deep our great grandchildren will still be burdened with the nation’s debt, and many Americans are humiliated and angry.

The average American has now begun to understand that socialism will destroy a nation -- just as we warned before the election! They also understand that destruction has begun and is well on its way to destroying America. Much of America has awakened and are angry at the bitter taste of Socialistic Slavery.

Make no mistake. SOCIALISM IS SLAVERY. Under socialism a people give up all their rights… all their freedom... for security guaranteed by a powerful Central Government. Believe me, if you think democracy is expensive; wait 'til you have to pay for all those FREE programs.

All my instincts tell me that today's crop of Americans are willing to give up everything for the promise of security. I must tell you -- of all things "un-American"… that is the MOST un-American.

Do not expect the half of the country who stands solidly against socialism to go along, quietly, into the self inflicted slavery of this hell-spawned form of government called socialism.

The word "United" can be dropped from the name: “The UNITED States of America.” The country has been torn in two. And there will be no compromise. It cannot be healed, ever, again. Two peoples, this diametrically opposed, cannot share the same space. Only the most naive among us cannot understand where this argument, over how we are to be governed, will eventually wind up.

Americans have been divided before. More Americans died in the first American Civil War than in all the wars in which America has fought since her founding. And today, at least half of this country is deadly in earnest about their love of freedom and are willing to sacrifice, as their forefathers did, to preserve it.

Yes, we are in dangerous times -- extremely dangerous. On the horizon of America’s future, dark clouds are gathering. Let us hope those gathering clouds are not the leading edge of the winds of war.

J. D. Longstreet

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More Groveling By The US Congress. ... J. D. Longstreet

More Groveling By The US Congress.
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
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Less than six months after Obama became President of the United States, the US Senate passed a formal apology for slavery. For what it is worth, the act is a non-binding resolution. It is said to acknowledge the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality, and inhumanity of slavery. Last year the US House of Representatives passed their own apology for slavery, as well. A number of states have passed apologies including, unfortunately, my own state. There are reports that a huge celebration is being planned for sometime next month. A pathetic gesture, I know, but, hey, these are liberals and everything with them is based on emotion and feel-good politics.

If you have read this far, you already suspect I am not happy about this affront to my southern ancestors and to me. And, just so the record is straight, as I said last year - I’ll be darned if I will apologize! I had nothing to do with it, and I refuse to be saddled with a blanket of guilt for something I had nothing to do with! I just want that to be clear! I feel NO NEED to apologize and therefore refuse to ACT as if I am sorry for something for which I am wrongly accused! Never!

Alan Caruba, a renown commentator and blogger, who happens to also be a friend, has an excellent piece on this very topic over at “Facts not Fantasy.” Mr. Caruba had this to say, last July, when The House of Representatives passed their resolution: “There are a lot of Americans, mostly liberals, who can only see what was wrong about American history. Morally it was wrong to import slaves and work them to death on plantations. Morally it was wrong to chase the native-Americans from their lands. Morally it was wrong to deprive Japanese-Americans of their rights and property during World War II. These things occurred in different eras and virtually everyone involved are dead.Why the present generation of Americans has to apologize for the actions of previous generations escapes my understanding.” You can read this insightful article HERE.

Alan was correct last year and his comments certainly are timely today - about eleven months later.

Last year I said the following: “We Dixicans know this arrow is aimed at the heart of Old Dixie. As a Dixican, I resent the heck out of that! Check your US history and you will find that SLAVERY WAS LEGAL IN THE US. It was “Northern Slavers” whose ships brought the slaves from Africa to this country. (And the ships of European slave traders). It was Northern Slavers who sold the Africans, at auction, in the New England states. Some of the richest families of the Northern states can trace their family fortunes directly back to the slave trade. And finally, for the record, the very first anti-slavery laws, in the US, were passed in the SOUTH!

Reparations, anyone? Oh, the Congress assures us there is no way, legal or otherwise, that these resolutions can possibly open the door for reparations. You believe that? If you do, I have this bridge in Brooklyn, NY, I suspect you might show some interest. If you really, REALLY, DO believe that -may we suggest you get your wallets, pocketbooks, and checkbooks out and - assume the position.

Who, exactly, will be expected to pay those reparations? Huh? As Mr. Caruba so clearly pointed out – they’re all dead! Maybe better schools, yes, and a better public education system in this country would have made it clear to American scholars the plain and simple fact that there is hardly a human being alive, of any race, who cannot trace his/her ancestry back to slavery… somewhere on this earth. We ALL come from ancestors who, at one time or another, were slaves. Heck, we even have countries, and nationalities of people, whose very names derive from the word “slave.” And, just for the heck of it, check the pigment in their skin.

Now if some folks want to press the issue of reparations shouldn't we discuss what we owe to those folks we call today “Native-Americans”?

Now, maybe I’m being overly sensitive about this but, in all honesty, it surely does seem to me that Americans would be better served if the Congress would seriously look for solutions to modern day problems such as bankrupting the nation, and our children, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren with their nationalization of America’s financial system and auto-making industry and the frightening speed with which they are tossing democracy overboard in favor of socialism, which has a proven record of failure, massive failure, everywhere it has been tried as a basis for society.

But, I suppose we shouldn’t expect too much from our current crop of “leaders.” I mean - they DID buy into the hoax of man-made global warming. Oh, yes, they bit –line, hook and sinker! And the American taxpayer is about to receive the bills for that, too.

I am of the opinion it is way past time for America to stop apologizing for doing all the things that made this nation great and much of the world green with envy, rather than as a result of recycling our trash! I am more than convinced that an American President ought not condemn the people of the country he/she represents by offering apologies to other nations on behalf of his own country while overseas – especially when a vast majority, or even a large minority, actually feels no remorse and no need to make such an apology. It is disingenuous, and it is certainly dishonest, and frankly, lacks the hallmark of “good taste.” It is, as an earlier generation of Americans would have said: “unseemly.”

J. D. Longstreet

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*Conservative+Apology+Slavery+Reparations+Congress

ObamaCare is On The Way! ... J. D. Llngstreet

OBAMACARE is ON THE WAY!
J. D. Longstreet

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A few weeks ago, we warned that a National Healthcare bill, of some sort, would be making its way through Congress by the end of July. Looks as if I was off the mark - too far off the mark, actually. It now appears it could be any day now!

Over the weekend, David Axelrod, a senior White House Adviser, said that President Obama would soon push for a health-care reform plan. Axelrod said the President’s plan would call for the creation of a government-owned health-care company. He went on to predict that Congress would pass such a plan by the end of the summer.

This is called “Incrementalism,” dear reader. Obama knows if he hits us with the total Socialized Healthcare package, right out of the starting gate, it would be doomed to failure. So, he is falling back on the tried and true method of squeezing a little at a time out of the taxpayers in “increments”, so to speak, until one morning, not too far down the road from now, we will awaken to a whole new world of Socialized Medicine in America. Then we will have that wonderful healthcare, oh, say, like the British have. You know - where they have to extract their own teeth, or die while waiting in a queue for treatment for cancer, or wait weeks and months while some government committee decides who lives and who dies because healthcare has had to be rationed because the government system is out of money and the taxpayers simply cannot sustain another tax increase… and the nightmare just goes on and on and on ……

“Oh, but”, you say, “ The President is just creating a government owned insurance COMPANY… not universal healthcare.” To which I would be compelled to ask, “Have you not been paying attention?”

Look – private Insurance companies have no hope of survival in competition with a government owned insurance company. As with all government agencies it will be financed with your tax dollars and would never have to worry about meeting a budget, or making money for the stockholders - none of the ordinary problems faced by a private “for profit” company. Private insurers will be driven out of business until, in a very short time, there will be only ONE insurance company in America… the GOVERNMENT Insurance Company… or, as it will most likely be known…“Obamacare”! That’s when Americans get hit with the second increment of the plan… the entire universal healthcare plan including inferior medical care, massive tax increases, and healthcare rationing –and worse than all these, government control of your very LIFE! (There is an article at the Wall Street Journal Online titled: “How Washington Rations - ObamaCare omen: a case study in 'cost-control'” that will give you some insight into what you and I can expect in the way of healthcare rationing by the politicians in Washington once this new ObamaCare gets underway. You’ll find it HERE. )

I ran across an article, while doing a little research the other day, entitled “Dear America (Canada Warns US about Socialized Medicine).” We recommend you take a look at it. It is brief and to the point and well worth the couple or three minutes it will take you to read it. You’ll find it HERE. One more article I’d recommend to you is entitled: “Why Socialized Medicine is Wrong for America.” You’ll find it HERE.

Understand this: I believe, as I said earlier, some sort of socialized Medicine legislation will be passed by the US Congress this year. Most likely it will be the ObamaCare government-owned insurance company. Just remember, it is only the beginning. It is, in fact, the beginning of your life as a serf, as a slave to the government. Because, you see, that is what socialism is - slavery by another name.

There has always been an excellent reason America was the only industrialized nation on earth without socialized medicine. Because we are, at least we WERE, a free and independent people who believed in ourselves, and in our God, to meet the challenges thrown at us by whatever and whomever and always find it within ourselves to stand our ground and overcome. Somehow, somewhere, along the way, we have lost that belief in ourselves. We have now become like so many of the countries to which we used to send missionaries.

I can recall when Americans were known for our rugged individualism, for our independence, for our undaunted “can do spirit”. Back in those days we won wars simply because it never entered our minds there was a possibility we COULD lose! America was different. We were a nation built from the human “cast offs” of the other nations of the planet. Those were the people who crossed vast oceans in the holds of ships with only the planking of a single deck separating them from the filthy bilges of the ship’s cesspools below them. All this they endured just for a chance, and ONLY a chance, to live and breathe free and take advantage of whatever opportunity this new land might, in its bounty, offer them.

Americans are a mongrel people, a mixed-breed, a hodge-podge of genes tempered in the crucible of hardship and molded in a unique form the world has never seen before. Made thusly, and armed with the belief that God was truly on our side, we were unstoppable by anyone or anything save ourselves.

The introduction of Socialism, by the former Democratic Party, has infiltrated our hearts, our minds, AND our souls, and replaced all the above with self-doubt and squashed our belief in ourselves until we have become a blob of malleable putty in the hands of a malicious spirit which has all but replaced our belief in ourselves and in our God. A nation thus disemboweled cannot long survive the onslaught of the nations so long embarrassed by our obvious superiority, which was earned by the sweat of hard work and dedication to the principal’s set down, in writing, by our founders in the Constitution and by our Creator in The Bible.

All this has brought America to a crossroads. Take the right road and we can regain our glory. Take the other and we become one of the mediocre nations who look with longing on their lost empires and their lost glory.

We Americans have a chance, albeit a small chance, to show some of the spine of our ancestors and stop this massive takeover of a huge portion of this nation’s treasury and an even greater portion of the self-respect of our citizens placed in our hands for safe keeping by the founders of this unique experiment in democracy.

They’re going to come at us fast and hard with everything they’ve got while attempting to keep us off balance, all the while, with one crisis after another, real or imagined.

We can do it - but it is going to require that we call on the last reserves we have of courage and determination and a deeper reliance on our God for guidance that we must be willing to unhesitatingly follow.

We have heard it over and over again: “Freedom is not free.” America is about to learn exactly why that claim was ever made and what it truly means.

The decision is a simple one. We must choose between socialism and slavery to the state, or democracy and freedom for ourselves and the generations of Americans yet unborn. And we must make that decision and act upon it today. There is no time to lose.

J. D. Longstreet

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Conservative+Socialized+Medicine+Freedom+Slavery+Democrats