I don't believe I have ever heard the press clamor in my lifetime for the people to be silent unless they are in opposition to some socialistic idea.

I would prefer not to die for a mere idea or ideology at all whether true or not. If necessary I will risk life for something more substantial and absolute like our rights.

Stop answering the phone when they need a cop, stop answering when they need a donation as well.

I'm sure the "progressives" here would be cheering for the American military marching through country after country as long as they were wearing blue helmets.

A kind and gentle war cannot be won.

Absolutely. I have thought this has been one of the greatest shortcomings of GWB and the neocons since the very beginning of the war. They hamstrung the military and made them play by the rules of some civil police force and prosecute (persecute?) them for doing their job. In addition, I think so-called smart bombs are one of the worst things that ever happened to warfare. The limited destruction makes war acceptable for both sides and only prolongs the suffering. Fight the war. Finish the war. Come home.

A great orator indeed! By the way, Archer, I wasn't aware that Winston Churchill was from France.

A dead enemy is not your enemy anymore.

Endless talk and posturing certainly won't save liberty, especially in debating societies like the UN populated by tyrants, dictators, and not so petty thieves.

Speaking of trees...."There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."--Henry D. Thoreau. EGL, you sound suspiciously like every college student that has ever lived (and I have no idea if you are such or not), each of which had an epiphany of wisdom in their youth that somehow transcends the wisdom of their parents. What they all forget is that their parents were once young and had their own "brilliant" flashes of enlightenment and that time has its way of proving true wisdom. Human nature is timeless. What was true in the 18th century is still true. Human beings lie, cheat, steal, and murder their way through history. You are quite correct about smokescreens, though. It is also human nature to prevaricate and lie.

I wouldn't be surprised either. I think we are already dangerously close to universal control of our every daily act no matter where we go. When government can regulate our toilet flushes there simply is not much further to go. But at least I can still smuggle a good toilet from Canada.

Augustus did not give bread and circuses to the people out of his benevolence. He wanted something in return and he got it.

If we ever end up living under a world government we'll all be equal in our misery and most likely we'll be living in tents as well (at least those who are allowed to live).

I've got this sudden urge to clean my guns.

Paul, I see we're only a stone's throw away from each other. Say what you will about the leftist bastion that is Washington, at least they haven't tried to steal our firearms yet. I don't think you have to go all the way to Iraq to find a better assault though. You could probably find one in Seattle.

Why would anyone want to put their trust in an unaccountable, unelected committee of dictators, thieves, thugs, mafioso, murderers, and degenerates like the UN? There must be some kind of self-destructive, nihilist mental pathology behind it. Please pass the Kool-Aid.

The world has history of oppressed people fleeing murderous regimes to take their chances in a new country to find freedom. Where are we supposed to go when the one world government becomes a murderous, totalitarian regime? The answer is, of course, nowhere. Your only choice will be submit or die.

By the way, Archer, if any crazed Baptists, attacking Amish, marauding Mennonites, or warmongering Quakers come to force you to convert try to hold out for a few days and let me know. I'll throw my guns in the back of my pickup and I'll be there as soon as I can to help you out.

Government can never allow the people to be completely self-reliant because it is the only true road to freedom. Those who are truly free and self-reliant don't need government. Government taxes away your resources to prevent you from being self-reliant and charitable and at the same time uses your money to buy itself goodwill from the gullible.

All of those little things like marriage licenses, property taxes, drug laws, and so on that Archer mentioned used to be anathema to Americans. No one would have thought of paying a tax on their income much less on their own house. All of these taxes are about controlling the individual, not funding the government. We could easily fund the government on a fee for service basis. That would not leave government bureaucrats in control, however. We could choose to not purchase their "service" after all. Sam, you are correct about ad hominem attacks. They simply expose the weakness of an argument.

For those without the inclination to "work out their own salvation" religion can be a tool to help them make the correct moral decision. Some tools work better than others. The evidence for that can be based on the outcome of the decisions that are made based on the religious moral code. I do not care whether someone chastises me for being an heretic as long as they leave my throat or skull intact. I choose not to prejudge someone based upon their beliefs even if they are nutty. I judge them based upon their actions and how they affect those around them. Although there are negative aspects of religion in general, it cannot be legitimately denied that there have also been positive aspects as well for civilization. Those who are moral use religion for good. Those who are immoral use it for evil.

Archer: last time I checked organized religion was a voluntary association of like-minded individuals (at least in America ) for "the purpose of pursuing [their] own good in [their] own way." If it is not your own way, freely find another religion or none at all. Religions have the same failings as the individuals who make them up. It is certainly a fact that the only place you can find hypocrites seems to be in religious circles because of the mere fact that they have set standards that they can be hypocritical about. Those who have no standards can never be hypocrites.

Control your base instincts and desires and you control your life. It is so very simple and yet so hard to do, apparently.

Epictetus-my favorite Stoic. The Stoics recognized that the worst slavery is to one's own appetites. If we can control our own desires, our spirit can never be enslaved even if our bodies are. "I am but a poor soul burdened with a lifeless body."

For politicians intellect is much less important than integrity. They only need enough intellect to understand they need to leave everyone alone.