“Did I say "republic?" By God, yes, I said "republic!" Long live the glorious republic of the United States of America. Damn democracy. It is a fraudulent term used, often by ignorant persons but no less often by intellectual fakers, to describe an infamous mixture of socialism, graft, confiscation of property and denial of personal rights to individuals whose virtuous principles make them offensive.”

You and I were born inherently with inalienable rights and liberty at nature's law as a faculty of birth. You and I are sovereign heirs to the King of Eternity. We were NOT born with responsibilities of a U.S. citizen (social contracts are a usurpation and demonic / despotic myth — also, the term "citizen" has multiple meanings and connotations). Responsibilities are a choice within this corporeal existence. A noble heir chooses righteous responsibilities to advance and . . . the family of man. AND !, you are ABSOLUTELY right; "No one has ever had to "earn" natural-born rights, nor should we!"

Take responsibility for your own mess and clean it up.  Start there.  Blaming the common person for wars around the world does nothing.  There is war for a reason, and until that reason is addressed, it will continue.  I want peace as much as any hippie and an end to powerlessness of the common people (otherwise referred to as poverty).  But these ills have causes, and not to address the cause but to treat only symptoms does not heal but merely lend support to 'the long war.'  My advice to you is the same as I give to fundamentalist Christians with we must "save the world" rhetoric:  It is precisely due to those that wish to save us from ourselves that the power of the masses has been co-opted by 'authorities' acting in official capacity.  Believe you me, there are billions caught up in this — it is THE racket in the world, and getting people to demand it as their rights enslaves them willingly.

If you are sounding a clarion call over the corruption in the world, including in the USA, UK, EU, Middle East, Africa, etc., welcome to the club!  Others on this blog have been doing so for decades.

In any debate about war or power, I will bring my attention to the source of the power, the funding, the people.  It's a big chess game that has been going on for 12,000 years at least.  Where are we now in the game?  It takes power to wage a war (which is to acquire power).  Who is funding it?  Or more importantly, what is the process of transferring power?  Who controls the flow?  Why?  The only ones that can stop a war are those that are waging it, either by winning or losing or truce.  

The only thing the common people in these war-torn nations can do is snap out of their hypnosis.  Enlightenment is the destruction of everything one thought to be true, but unfortunately, a free nation requires the consciousness of a fairly enlightened person that knows he/she is not the subservient of another nor bound to the dictates of others — we speak for ourselves and are responsible. 

How to awaken people?  I don't say 'save people,' because if there is any saving to be done, they must initiate it, make it their own.  It's more to facilitate their own self-realizations and declarations.  That's certainly what I look for in a teacher, someone to facilitate the process of my learning as someone who has been through it before.  

My humble advice is to not wage war to end war -- don't feed the beast.  Do not use the same tactics as the fascists, communists, authoritarians of all stripes to force your ways onto others.  Can you expect anyone to respect your individuality any more than you respect others'?

Secondly, pick your battles.  What's it going to be, Palestine, Wall Street, Medicare?  (I have no interest in any of the causes you mentioned — I certainly do not want any government health care services which drug and poison the hell out of everyone.)  Your suicide prevention and Roatarian work fits the bill better than all the rest, in my opinion.  Are you not also aware of the millions of people contributing their time and money to their own charities and causes?  I have been involved in several humanitarian efforts to help the poor in 3rd world countries, and only if the people we are helping want to become self-sufficient will the work we started continue after we leave.  As ever, only the poor can raise themselves up.  Victim consciousness is the enemy, not a rallying cry, Robert.

Thirdly, Strike at the root! And always be ready for the response!

Archer, as much as I enjoy you comments and replies I do wish you would not assume my thoughts. I have always been for the people and vehemently against the oligarchs.  Your response to my comment really is just a commentary by Archer with little to do with the content of my comment. "Blaming the common person for the wars around the world" Yes, I do blame the common person for wars around the world and with good reason. They (OK I'll give you a break, lets say 90%) sit on their couch watching rubbish, eating and drinking stuff they shouldn't eat or drink. Not lifting a finger to help stop the implosion which is about to happen and when it does happen they will want action. Not saying anything about US corruption or the US invovelment in the Yemen, etc, etc, etc. I talk about the killings going on today in GAZA and the Yemen and you flippingly gloss over with self indulged commentary. That is not the person I thought you are. Address the facts and the problem NOW — address the issues at hand...

My goodness, your self-righteousness would give Jerry Falwell a good run for his money.  I am not to blame for Yemen or Palestine, nor do I have the power to impose my will upon them, nor am I arrogant enough to believe that I have the cure to their political ills.  What, are we going to vote peace into Palestine?  You are free to pick your battles, but I doubt you will join their front lines. 

As I said before, if you want peace and support, I suggest less self-righteousness and more specific requests for action — where is the root that is mine to strike?  As someone that does not believe in God, you sure sound like someone who wants to play  God while holding the moral high ground above the common person (well 90% anyway).  By the way, you promote authoritarian policies almost exclusively based on this very premise.

As one with the Tao, why are you getting sucked into all this maya?

Archer, there you go again on your high horse. Obviously you have no idea who I am and are quite unable to find out. Yes, you are to blame for the genocide in Yemen and Palestine — I have written letters and demonstrated — I have continually shouted from the hill tops the horrors of US foreign policy and that of Saudi and Israel. Washing your hands of these atrocities does not excuse you from responsibility. Your indifference is part of the problem.  And, saying you give to various charities is just another washing of the hands. You last comment is inexcusable — throwing insults to cover your own inaction is very much the low road. Please try and be more positive without slurs — we all have problems and don't necessarily wish them thrown back in our face at the slightest provocation. So, with that said, what are you doing to further any progress for world peace??? Howard Zinn's quote says it all....

Robert, are YOU to blame for Yemen and Palestine?  Are you responsible for the war there?  Are you responsible for ending it?  Say so, then I will know who you are.  Until then, you blame ME for war without blaming yourself.  That's OK, because it is illogical.  You can only take responsibility for what you are responsible for.  Why aren't the warriors in Yemen and Palestine listening to your letters?  The war should be over by now according to that logic.  ;-)  Oh, that's right, I am responsible for the atrocities, you are responsible for telling me.  Start a sentence with "I am responsible for ..." and I will listen.  You caused a lot of trouble in your life, fess up, make amends, and take correct action.  Those are the only wars that are yours to end, and they need ending as much as any other.

;-) Robert, I am not responsible for the wars in Yemen or Palestine.  I am responsible for some other things that need to be addressed, and that is what I am doing.  My humanitarian work has not been giving to charity but on site, hands-on, years long and I am honored to be doing it.  Good luck with your own battles, but try not to be so judgmental about everyone else that does not share your interests.  You have a somewhat illogical sense of responsibility and blame — it is common with progressive liberals, altruists, and utopians. 

I'm sorry Archer, but your comments are totally without merit or honesty. Yes, I do blame myself too! as I could be on the front line helping those who are being killed and their homes destroyed by US, Saudi and Isael backed ISIS forces. I am doing what I can by writing letters to Senators and continually posting antiwar comments. Our silence, and that of the media and government is what keeps the wars going. We are all to busy, unless it's directly on our doorstep, which by the way may happen soon! I commend you on your hands-on charitable work and hope you keep it going. As you know many charities are fraudulent so I hope you are doing you due diligence. 

My humanitarian work is mine to offer, it is not through charities but charity.  You are so stuck in groups and social work mindset.  As for due diligence, perhaps you should brush up on your Karl Marx and the 10 planks of communism.  The only brilliance in them is the amount of power it centralizes.  Central fiat bankers rule the world — it's the Vatican of Vatican's, the theocracy to which all must pay tribute.  Socialism is the tool by which the nations become indentured.  And also note, socialism never saved any country from tyranny — the libertarians did that.  Socialists use central banking to overthrow the power of the People.  Socialists call this capitalism, but it is in fact debt-ism as the capital is all claimed and owned by the state and our 'money' is all interest-bearing debt markers.  I know you are against the Federal Reserve, so pick a side, you can't have it both ways.  Socialism is akin to chemotherapy — it makes a lot of people rich, may work for a while, but kills most, and is called health care.  Socialism is a bill of goods — don't buy it.

"If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves.":
Howard Zinn, historian and author

"If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear. "
Joanna Macy (born 1929)

"Think globally, act locally."  There is plenty to correct of my own actions that will make a real impact, rather than writing letters to my Congressman to end conflict in Palestine or Yemen.  Just saying...

"Wars are caused by undefended wealth."
~ General Douglas MacArthur

It is the mega retail pirates that are the source of the problem not our small little salaries.

Mr Mike Norwalk, no one is ever going to convince me that resource allocations available should not be distributed in an equal and fair allotment to all, for Socialism is the challenge of social abilities to create.