[lit-ideas] Re: Feeling Safe isn't safe
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 2 May 2007 18:32:56 -0700
No, I wouldn't say "the government is the problem," at least not in the
present, but our founding fathers were vividly aware of European history and
how governments had traditionally been a problem -- at least for men that
wanted to be free. So in formulating our government they were especially
conscious of a particular set of dangers and attempted to guard against
them. One of the best known guards was a built in balance of powers amongst
the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Power could
not easily be usurped by one branch although there has been give and take
throughout our history. Perhaps at the present time one can most clearly
see the Judicial branch usurping some of the Legislative powers, but this is
well known and publicized and perhaps, if we are lucky, the Judicial branch
shall be encouraged to stop that.
Europe has a different history. They never had our particular concerns.
They feel more comfortable with paternalistic government, whether a "good"
king or queen, or the Welfare State. They have even sought, some of their
leaders, a sort of super-paternalistic EU government. That idea has
recently been undermined by the French and some others -- the people, not
the leaders. French people seem unwilling to give up their sovereignty --
such as it is.
Rugged individualism is a state of mind. We don't need to be quite as
rugged as our pioneer forebears who gave rise to the term, but many of us
would still rather do things ourselves than have things done for us --
depending upon what it is. The contrast between American entrepreneurship
and European welfare paternalism is especially vivid at the present time.
Our economy is doing well. European economies are not doing quite so well.
The French who have been at the vanguard of this paternalism seem to be
doing especially poorly. The current election is especially interesting.
Will they elect a conservative who will create a more responsible
government? Or will they opt for more paternalism and elect a Socialist?
We await with interest.
Without doubt many Americans are growing up with a Europeanized way of
looking at life. A world view of the warm and cozy cocoon where someone out
there, daddy or big brother, keeps us out of trouble or protects us. Why
should we exert ourselves? Let the government do it. And if anything goes
wrong, blame the government? The government is at fault if anything goes
wrong in my life. There is a shuffling off of responsibility. The idea of
"duty" is moribund. We have no duty other than to pay taxes and homage to
big brother. But most of us, and it is unclear whether this number is
getting smaller or larger, still adhere to the idea of American
individualism. We tend to take responsibility for our actions and our
destiny insofar as we can gain control of it, and we try. We work hard,
harder than Europeans, and we produce and have more. We are also more
willing to risk our lives for causes. We believe in God and believe that
our lives are not the most important factors in the universe. We will give
up our lives if need be for family, friends, and nation. What we have here,
some of us still believe, is worth fighting and even dying for. We like
being free and our freedom demands a certain ruggedness if we are going to
exert and enjoy it.
Lawrence
-----Original Message-----
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Mike Geary
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 12:07 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Feeling Safe isn't safe
LH:
> As to America's rugged individualism as opposed to Europe's Paternalism, I
> think the former far more healthy. I prefer a philosophy that encourages
> us
> to stand on our own two feet as much as possible as opposed to one that
> encourages its citizens to expect the world (or its government) to provide
> it a living. European Paternalism is Marxism-Light.
Ah, Lawrence, you are one hardcore dude. I know you're worried about all
the welfare bums of Europe ending up on your doorstep begging a hand-out,
and I can't blame you, seeing as how you're the envy of all the world. All
I can tell you is keep your guns loaded, bro.
There is one question that I've never been able to get a "government is the
problem" conservative to respond to (and I think I know why) and that is
this: what is there in you, about you, or that defines you that originated
with you? I can't think of anything about myself that didn't originate
outside myself. Every word, I use, every thought, every desire every
molecule of oxygen I use to power the hundred trillion little creatures that
compose my body -- there's nothing that's purely me, nothing I've done
solely by myself. I can't sing "I Did It My Way" with a straight face.
There's nothing rugged nor individual about me or anyone else that I can
discern. So tell me, what makes you so unique?
Mike Geary
Memphis
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 12:10 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Feeling Safe isn't safe
>I think it rather stronger than a myth one can adhere to or not. Each
> nation has its beliefs that its citizens grow up with. They accept them
> whether they are conscious of them or not. Consider the Saudi myth Osama
> bin Laden grew up with. It is impossible for him to throw that off or
> look
> at it objectively. He can't see it from our point of view.
>
>
> And, no, the government has no right to restrict our right to keep and
> bear
> arms. You are still quibbling about who we are. Some of us are babies
> who
> shouldn't be allowed to hold a gun. Some of us have Alzheimer's who
> shouldn't be allowed near guns. Some of us are in Prison. Some of us are
> in mental Institutions. So many Lit-Ideas quibblers. So large a waste
> of
> time.
>
> Lawrence
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Phil Enns
> Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 7:37 AM
> To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Feeling Safe isn't safe
>
> Lawrence Helm wrote:
>
> "Only those qualified means: not-criminals, not-nutcases, not-inept, and
> not
> too lazy to become qualified."
>
> We agree, then, that government has the right to restrict gun ownership
> and
> that gun ownership is a privilege to be earned. It would appear that the
> 'if more people had guns, we would be safer' talk is something of a
> problematic distraction but I can see how it fits the 'Rugged
> Individualism'
> mythology. We all have our myths that we use to get through the day, but
> as
> Freud tells us, some myths are healthier than others. And surely the John
> Wayne mythology of carving law and order out of a chaotic frontier land is
> a
> bit out of place in an increasingly globalized world, and therefore
> perhaps
> not entirely healthy?
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Phil Enns
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