Let's get one thing straight here.. TM posts a video 1 hour and 35 minutes long; how many do you suppose went through the entire 1:35 program. For many of us, all we needed to know about Russell Means we learned from events at Wounded knee in 1973! Means did a goo job of acting in "The Last of the Mohicans"...but a poor job of acting at Wounded Knee.
I sure didn't sit through entire 1 hour & 35 minutes of propagandization..I didn't need to. I already knew that Means would be pushing his own brand of socialism. We already have Obama's brand of socialism, which is also worthless..as is socialism wherever it's grimy plague sets in.
What's the problem? Why do you guys find fault with capitalistic freedom?
There is no perfect economic system; but capitalism tempered by Christian influence has built the highest standard of living the world has ever seen. In recent decades, malevolent forces have fought both Christianity and capitalism.. a rerun of what happened in Russia, between 1848 and 1917.
Do you guys and Russell Means want to join Obama and become "fellow travellers" down that red road.. repeating the same mistake made by the Russians in 1917?
IG, I have no problem with capitalism or freedom, or capitalistic freedom. But I do lack faith in the short sighted and corruptible nature of man.
Short sighted with respect to allowing ones greed to blind them to the destuctive wake thrown upon the Earth and humanity by the industrial machine and corruptible in the sense of putting a price tag on every single living thing on this earth including human life.
These are not "left and "right" issues or "conservative" or liberal" issues. All that rhetoric is just labels designed to confine ones thinking to an ideological BOX. Both sides have but ONE GOD in which they trust $$$$$!
IG, you may be surprised to know that there are many things upon which I agree with you, particularly about basic morality. We have extremely different perspectives towards faith and I even in a way envy you in your staunch conviction.
But it always comes down to perspectives. And from mine, the left and the right are part of the same "party" as Orwell put it. And as Means said, the only difference between them are their spending goals. How that concerns us average "Joes" here in America is to which corporate interests we decide to sell our financial souls.
You may see legitimate capitalism, I see a pyramid of lies and deceit.
Please don't take this as an attack, but I know you are a man of strong Christian faith. So I have to ask, do you think that Jesus Christ was a "capitalist"? And if so, in which corporations would he invest his sliver and gold?
I've thought about "buying in" many times. But I'm old fashioned (for a youngster, as you may see me) and I like to earn my living with my muscle and sweat as it keeps me strong and healthy (the handsome went away with the growth of my kids).
I am an advocate of keeping ones financial "house" within ones PERSONAL SPAN OF CONTROL. I feel that for any governing entity, or financial institution to grow beyond such boundaries is dangerous and irresponsible. I do not see how this view can be considered "commie" or "socialist". Besides, these are limited labels and to me it all boils down to greed and the lust for absolute control, whatever the label you may choose.
The responsibility for this happening in America cannot be pinned to one party or even narrowed down to a few particular administrations. It is a responsibility that must be shouldered by us all for not ALLOWING OURSELVES to see it being done by the corporate and banking puppet masters (who were allowed to expand beyond their NATURAL spans of control) who pull the political strings.
Peace to you IG.
Finisher.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Finisher;
I believe that should we meet..we would find interesting company and could converse politely for hours. I will endeavor to answer your statements in order.
Capitalism;
As I stated, capitalism..tempered with Christianity made the greatest system the world has ever seen. Not perfect..nothing man-made is perfect. Capitalism is very productive..could be considered "Darwinian economics" ...survival of the fittest. That is exactly why it must be tempered by a moral force, the best of which (IMO) is serious Christianity. Without a moral core capitalism is no better than socialism/communism..which ignores the moral core by design.. My conservatism is about 10% fiscal and 90% cultural.
Gov (government) has decided to replace God.. not a viable substitution. For a man to do what is right..he must believe in God, otherwise he will in almost every case, only be concerned with his own well-being. He must have a force much greater than himself or any MAN to be his moral arbiter..elsewise he will "do what is right in his own eyes" (Prov 21:2). God calls us to be "good stewards" of his earth..but some don't listen. Many are better stewards than some folks realize.
True, some capitalism is a pyramid of "lies and deceit"..but what are we to replace it with? The only other system available is socialism in it's may chamelion forms; all of which have proven to be more corrupt than capitalism. Of course, then there is a theocracy, as in the muslim nations; but I dare say neither of us would want that..no matter whse theocracy it is.
Socialism has been tried in it's sundry variations throughout American history. It started early..being what the Plymouth Colony did at it's inception. Didn't work..because the colony was composed of both staunch believers and non-believers, and although most worked hard to build their community..there were also slackers...enough to destroy their idyllic dream. Gov Bradford changed the colony to capitalism, where each family owned their own land and the harness maker & blacksmith sold the product he made..economic success came...and the worked mtheir way out of the "starving years".
Then there were the Amana community, the Shakers (who doomed their own movement)..the Oneida community etc etc.
Socialism has lasted best probably, in western Europe...but it is playing out now. We have moved gradually, enough into socialism to destroy our own country..and the condemnation of Christianity over the last 4 decades has only hastened our slide.
I think we are much alike in keeping our fiscal house in order. I do believe that our U.S. constitution was God inspired and has only failed us when men mis-applied it intentionally. It limits government to certain very limited powers, and the larger govt grows the more it corrupts what the constitution outlined for it.
Although the Dems and Reps are far from ideal..I do believe that the Reps do in their own feeble way, try to stay closer to the constitution and the God who inspired it. Take note of the various issues.. Abortion, gay marriage, gun control, smaller government, cross/commandment removals, alien invasion, crime control, encouraging moral living..etc, etc.
Control can be by rich plutocrats, but it also can come from socialist potentates who hold the various grants and goodies in their hands ..dribbling them out as a way to control the poplace.
I think that such socialists far outnumber any plutocrats in their control factor..witness Soviet Union, Cuba, China, North Korea and many other examples. The eastern block countries..Czechoslovakia, poland, roumania etc all had a good dose of socialism domination for nearly half a century... They clamored for capitalism..they even took bullets to go "over the wall or through the fence".. I saw and patrolled that fence and it was an ugly sight..of course all the serious barbed barriers were
inside the fence. That fence kept people from getting out..absolutely nobody was trying to get in. The same thing is operating between capitalist South Korea and socialist North Korea.
...
We have such short memories! Some seem to think that only bankers and corporate bigwigs can corrupt a system. I honestly believe that socialism can and is more easily corrupted than capitalism. First off, for people to accept socialism..it requires that the people trust the regime and put their lives, futures and children in the hands of the "central planners"...."power corrupts, absolute power means corrupts absolutely".. (Marcus Aurelius) Remember, Hitler gained the trust of the mobs and NAZI is an acronym for the "National Socialist" party. Yes, I would like to see better choices in this election, but sitting on our hands will only get us deeper into problems. Like it or not, the only people even beginning to organize, hoping to change things to a smaller govt, less taxes, fair treatment and many other genuine, constitutional values..is the TEA PARTY..and some of these so-called purists, who sit on their hands.. have nothing but distain for them! That just doesn't add up.
