Been thinking … been thinking about what the Founding Fathers would think of how the America they created is doing these days. Of course, the Founders were of many different opinions – they had some serious disagreements before settling on what they did — the Constitution & the Bill of Rights, all prefaced by the Declaration of Independence years before. So, I imagine, that each of those men would have a slightly different take on 2018 America. My only choice is to group them together as one, as those documents were their collective consensus.
Were they liberals or conservatives? We all claim them as our own, but that is quite impossible. They couldn’t be both, could they? Liberals claim they were “progressive” radicals. Conservatives believe that they were, like themselves, “conservatives.”
Times change and what was conservative & liberal in the 18th century have changed with them.
I am of the opinion that liberalism has been distorted & mutated so drastically by those who call themselves “progressive” that it would no longer be recognized by our Founders. Conservativism, on the other hand, might be recognized as being similar to what they believed. It was outrageous and daring in their time – going against the Crown, and all – but their principles are very much conservative today. Libertarian at the very least. Their actions were very radical, but their beliefs by today’s standards were not. So, what were they?
I recall watching a Meghan Kelly interview with one of the Koch brothers back when she had her show on Fox News. It was very enlightening for me because about all I knew of them, other than that they are big political donors, was that today’s “progressives” despise them and place much of the blame for America’s woes on them. She asked him about his political leanings. His answer surprised me.
Classical Liberal. That’s what he said. What’s that?
“‘Classical liberalism’ is the term used to designate the ideology advocating private property, an unhampered market economy, the rule of law, constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and of the press, and international peace based on free trade.”
Dang, that does sound a lot like conservatism today. Again, Libertarian at the very least. It also sounds a lot like the Founders. One thing it does NOT sound like is today’s “liberalism,” which, like the party it thrives in, is something altogether different from “classical liberalism.” It is “progressivism” which appears to be code for socialism.
All of which leads me to believe that there is little doubt that, if it is at all possible, our Founding Fathers MUST be rolling over in their graves. Though they would most likely be amazed at some aspects of our America, they would probably not recognize Her as a direct descendant of their writings.
We sure could use the wisdom of the Founding Fathers today.
You know what’s funny? The very label – Founding Fathers – is found to be offensive by many “progressives.” No way the Founders could identify as today’s “progressive.” They would be harangued and thwarted at every turn. Just like we are.
It should also be noted that Koresh’s polygamous relationships with underage wives aside, psychologists who examined the children who were released at various times during the early stages of the siege found no evidence of abuse and reported that these kids behaved in normal & expected ways. The group supported themselves by an assortment of means, including an offsite auto repair shop, carpentry, rock band, buying & selling legal firearms at gun shows … one Davidian, Wayne Martin, even had a small law office in town. In short, the group was legitimate in most every way.
esident. There is nothing brave, nothing that should be admired, about it. Throughout schooling of recent years – and particularly so in many of our public schools; and exceedingly so in most of our Universities – young people begin the process of a type of “soft” indoctrination. So, generations are now hatching out of a cult-like education rather than a readin’,’rightin’ & ‘rithmetic hands on REAL education — filled with history & science & civics & added skills to help one succeed in the real, after school, world. Now, it’s gender studies, white privilege. So, right there, you start out at a “thinking” disadvantage.
hen, came the age of political correctness – a time I hope that will end soon and be nothing more than a bad memory – that is, a time where rather than express our pure and spontaneous feelings, we first ran our thoughts through a “who might this offend” filter. In and of itself, not a totally bad thing, but, as with so many other fads, fashions & agendas created by the progressive, liberal left, it got carried away to the extreme and had more bad consequences than the original good intentions warranted.
We used to run around in there, jump off the rooftops, generally raising innocent hell. One day, in search of something to do, we pried the plywood off one of the windows – maybe more – and went on in. We weren’t invited. I remember well the musty smell of the place, a ketchup bottle [don’t ask me why that sticks in my mind!!!!], old calendars, writings … the place was fully stocked & furnished – like the people that had lived there had simply vanished. It was quite an adventure arena for a bunch of young lads …
.. 10 cents worth of cold, hard cash!
Was slavery an issue? I cannot say no to that question, but it became THE issue ONLY after it became politically expedient. Sound familiar? Oh, the Union had its share of Abolitionists driving that cause, but the war was steeped in the overall issue of State Rights versus large Federal Government. Gee, much like today. Thousands of good, hard-working, family men – some of great heritage going back to the Revolution and before – lost their lives slugging it out on American soil. Half fought under the Confederate battle flag. I won’t give you a history lesson. Consider though … slaves were sold to European traders by BLACK African lords and traders; many slaves were held in northern states – though the institution was abolished by the time of the Civil War – so what makes the American Flag any less evil? Why is one an accepted symbol, the other not? The fact is, both sides had slaves, one just gave them up sooner. We all owe it to one another, as Americans, to hold together all the traditions that were a part of the journey that made us great. Not to pick & choose. What someone today chooses to have that flag represent is largely irrelevant. What it meant to the average Confederate soldier in the 1860s was that it served as a symbol of their defense of the homeland. Blacks were not the only slaves in history. You do know that. Whites were slaves, Jews were slaves, American Indians adopted slaves. Africans held their own slaves. It’s not just a sin of American White folks many years ago. It has been a human sin that few cultures are not guilty of. A sad day it is when we try to erase the memory of our past so that someday it will be no more. Peace, brothers & sisters. To learn from the past you must remember the past. But who can remember it in the future if we destroy it now?
And so it stayed as an official response from Washington was awaited. That word arrived on January 3, 1879. It was not good. The northern Cheyenne were to be returned to the south, in Indian Territory, with their southern relatives. Dull Knife refused. To “entice” him to change his mind, the windows were barred and rations & firewood were withheld. Still, the Cheyenne refused to leave. On January 9, the Army took one of the lesser chiefs as a hostage to use as a bargaining chip. That night, at approximately 9:45, the Cheyenne removed the guns from hiding and fought their way out of the fort into the freezing elements and snow covered ground. The soldiers gave hot pursuit and a running battle in the darkness ensued. Soon, there were a string of bloodied dead & wounded in the snow. 32, following a warrior named Little Finger Nail, hid in a place now known as The Pit at the Hat Creek Bluffs. They were discovered by soldiers who repeatedly fired into the pit. Out of ammo and defenseless, Little Finger Nail brazenly charged the soldiers to protect the women & children. He was quickly cut down. There were 9 survivors in the pit. 65 Cheyenne were returned as prisoners the next morning. Of those, 23 were wounded. Another 6 were found hiding within miles of the fort over the next several days. Dull Knife was among the survivors. Months later, the US Government finally relented and allowed the surviving members of Dull Knife’s band of northern Cheyenne to join Little Wolf at Fort Keogh.