Monday, May 4, 2020

"Totalitarianism doesn't shock us anymore"


That's Tucker Carlson's conclusion after talking with a business leader and examining various incidents of authoritarian overreach in this country during the current lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.  He finds it very disturbing - as do I, and as should any American who believes in the Constitution bequeathed to us by our founding fathers.

Please make time to watch the segment below.  It's only about ten minutes long, and it's worth considering - and sharing with your family and friends.





Why doesn't totalitarianism shock us any longer?  Why are we willing to live with - or, rather, under - it in times of stress?  I'm not.  I've seen too much of it all over the world to be willing to permit it to flourish in my neighborhood.  If the Founding Fathers and their supporters had been of that mind, we'd never have had an American Revolution, and this country would never have existed as the beacon of independence, liberty and freedom that it became all over the world.

Why do we tolerate this?  And how far are we willing to go to stop it?

Please share this video segment with your family and friends, and ask them the same questions.  They need answering, and answering now, before such authoritarian bullying becomes the de facto response of our society in any crisis.

Peter

9 comments:

John Cunningham said...

Logically, if the Bill of Rights is null and void, then the entire Constitution is null and void. It follows that all laws and regulations are void. The only considerations against murder and other "crimes" are tactical ones--how likely is it that I can get away with it?

Sherm said...

If only tactical considerations argue against murder and other crimes then it follows that strategic considerations may argue for murder and other crimes. This is particularly the case when much of the harm being done to us strategic, a permanent under class, open immigration, unsustainable debt. Tactics to win an election don't mean much when those wishing us harm have positioned themselves to count the votes.

The whole thing blows up when both sides give up tactics and look to a few targeted strategic strikes to win their point. Tit for tat becomes a downward spiral.

BFR said...

Shocked?

Why would anyone who has lived as an adult after 1960 be shocked? If you are shocked, you are either functionally or organically an idiot.

Organically can be excused.

What, you did not expect any or all of this?

Please.

Old NFO said...

It's been coming for a long time... inch by inch... foot by foot...

JWM said...

A city council, or a mayor, or a governor can decide to mandate mask wearing, arbitrarily close businesses, or forbid people from freely assembling. They can impose fines or even arrest and jail time for offenders. Is it constitutional? No. But what does the constitution matter when the a city council passes an ordinance, and the police department obeys the order to enforce it? Maybe you saw the horseback mounted cops at Huntington Beach CA standing in a tight line, and forbidding citizens from walking on the beach.
Joe Citizen may be within his constitutional rights to defy the law. If he does, he'll get his ass kicked, hauled off to jail, and fined thousands of dollars.
Of course, Poor Joe Citizen has the right to challenge the law in court. But this is after he's been beaten, arrested, and fined. All poor Joe needs now is the money, and time to mount a constitutional level challenge to an unconstitutional law. The city, or the state, or the feds have lots of lawyers and endless tax funded resources. Joe Citizen has his rights, and a depleted bank account.
Short version. Our "rights" are no longer worth the parchment they were written on.

JWM

BFR said...

JWM,

"Our "rights" are no longer worth the parchment they were written on."

Do you mean before or after one branch of government decided that it would be the sole arbiter of constitutional intent and both other branches just rolled over and showed their bellies?
(Marbury v Madison)

Or do you mean before or after Lincoln invaded a state legislature (Maryland) and arrested legislators to prevent them from voting the wrong way?

Or do you mean......

I could do this all day.

As NFO said, a long time...

These people mean to have their way, and they will never give up. There is NOTHING off of the table in their dialectic; nothing to far or too evil. They will gladly use a mountain of skulls for a throne, and will laugh in contempt at anyone who expresses shock or dismay.

Get used to it.

McChuck said...

We put up with this behavior because the only recourse we have remaining to change it (much less stop it) is armed revolt. And we, collectively, aren't quite there yet.

The pot is steaming, and the frog needs to jump soon or accept being made into soup.

BFR said...

"the only recourse we have remaining to change it (much less stop it) is armed revolt."

Do not confuse a war for independence with a revolution. A revolution intends to dethrone and replace; independence is a separation thereof ("When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...")

The second war for independence in the 1860's was framed as a revolt, history being the polemic of the victor. Without defending the rationale, they wanted to "dissolve the bands".

It is over, and has been for a long time.

Don said...

Actually I see this as they KNOW older folks are aware of what's going on and are against it which is the very reason they want us gone.....a la New York and Cuomo placing sick people in nursing homes and refusing the services of the hospital ship Trump provided and the city running the Samaritan temporary hospitals out of the city. Then take Washington state where a field hospital was set up and NEVER used while they whined like New York......and how many have played this game also to terminate elderly so they can just have the indoctrinated minions to rule???