Originally Posted by
1OldGI
Please bear with me, I'm just a stupid Southerner but I'm not sure, I'm on my high horse about anything. You mis-identified my remarks and I merely wanted to clarify that I was not advocating mandatory voting. I then go on to state an opinion that a more engaged citizenry might be useful to ensure the proper representation of the majority interest. It's only an opinion, and your are certainly well within your rights to disagree but I fail to see how that could then be stretched into me making any judgements about how much I contribute to society.
You may be on to something with regard to our government being the arbiter of fair equitable and honest. After all, this is the crux of what the constitution and the founding documents of our country are all about. But I think it's equally important to note that our government on it's current vector seems to get further and further removed from those founding principles every day. Even in a country founded on the idea that smaller government that allows maximum personal liberty is best, there seems to be an alarming tendency that government has an obligation to ensure that results are equal for everyone regardless. By definition, this requires a large and very intrusive government that extorts ever increasing amounts of money that people (yes even ordinary rednecks like me) work very hard for. If you're OK with that, great, good for you. I'll respect your right to your opinion and agree that (big surprise) we disagree.
Since liberals seem very engrained with the victim mentality, I'll put it another way. Being an American, I'm a victim of a cultural imperative that values integrity and law and order but harbors a ubiquitous disdain for bullshit and distrust of any overreaching authority (especially when it intrudes on my personal liberties to tend to my own affairs.) Many of our ancestors fled Europe for religious and politcal freedom and fought the tyranny of King George to start this country and every since have fought and when necessary died opposing tyranny in many cases for people too "enlightened" to oppose it themselves. Again, I request your indulgence but being a "stupid American" I'm far too proud to play the victim. In fact, most of us wear this cultural imperative like a damn merit badge and wouldn't want to face the world in any other context. If you disagree that's your right, if you prefer to make it a punch line, then so be it. That still doesn't change the fact that I, like most Americans would rather die opposing a tyrant than live kissing a tyrant's ass! HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!
