Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Liberator Today

I started this blog to champion the principles upon which our nation was founded, as informed by my Christian belief. I intend to champion free markets, free trade, and freedom of speech, equal justice for all human beings and a constitutional republic with powers of the government strictly limited. I will propose paths forward for those who believe that expanding government is the chief threat to the freedom and wealth of the world today. Today, government expansion is championed in America primarily by the left, (or liberals/progressives) and in the world in general, by progressives’ cousins, the socialists.

All forms of socialism, whether Communism, Fascism, Nazism, Peronism or more recently, Iranian style Islamic-Socialism have been a blot on human history and the progress of freedom. Today, in America, the left wing advocates positions that are at best, a stone’s throw away from socialism and is imbued with the socialist ethos. They have hijacked many of the symbols, institutions and even the vocabulary of liberty. “Liberal” once defined a movement supportive of free-trade, free-markets, free-speech and industrialization. On its face, “progressive” might seem to describe an individual who favors progress. Yet it is a prominent feature of today’s progressive movement that it is populated by Luddites who openly oppose advances in technology.

In choosing the title of this blog, I am mindful of history. The Liberator was the premiere newspaper of the abolition movement in pre-Civil War America. (I have placed a picture of their masthead on this blog.) The publisher and editor, William Lloyd Garrison, took an uncompromising stand against slavery, the leading evil of his day. Unfortunately, slavery is still with the world. After the Civil War and passage of the 15th amendment, Garrison, thinking the work of the abolition movement to be done, shut down The Liberator. His son Wendell was the literary editor of a new magazine, “New York Nation,” founded at the end of the Civil War. Ironically, one of the leading voices of socialism in America, “The Nation,” is it’s direct descendant. However, I believe that small government conservatism, libertarianism, if you will, is the rightful heir of Garrison's ideals.

Unfortunately, the left is not the only enemy of freedom. One of the reasons for the Obama victory was the failure of Republicans under George Bush to champion limited government, see prescriptions for seniors, “No Child Left Behind” and caving on steel tariffs. This failure was the result of ignorance, lust for power, and corruption. Further, the Republicans became identified as the “party of big government.” I believe that voters are rational; given the choice between two big government parties, the people voted for the party more ideologically committed to making big government work. Dean has more on this in an election post-mortem.

The intellectual underpinnings of limited government always face an uphill fight in the war of ideas. Advocates of bigger government point to some problem, and there always is one, and say, "we can solve this if we have the will," not adding "and your tax dollars." That the solutions then cause more problems is only gravy on the turkey for the left, because new problems have been created to "solve." It is a challenge to propose less intrusive solutions or to defend the position that no solution at all is really needed.

Ultimately this is just a blog by a guy whose main talent might be something other than writing. I hope to be entertaining, though it is tough to measure up to the standard set by Dean on BwD, but I'll let you be the judge of that.

5 comments:

  1. First of all, congratulations on the new weblog, B-Daddy! I like the look of the site, and the focus: "to champion the principles upon which our nation was founded." I look forward to the exchange of ideas that will no doubt take place on this new site.

    There's an interesting article this month on the Zola Levitt site (a website, by the way, of particular interest to Christian Zionists and supporters of Israel, like myself) that points out how far back in our nation's history was the establishment of the foundational concepts of free trade and property rights, and the repudiation of the socialist ethos. The title of the lead article (actually written in 1955) of the Levitt Letter is "Pilgrims Disavowed Socialism" by Sartell Prentice, Jr. I think you will find it interesting. The newsletter can be found at:

    http://www.levitt.com/newsletters/2008-12.pdf

    I agree with the premise that part of the reason for the election outcome was the compromise of the Republicans and their failure to "stay the course" on the principles they have professed to espouse. I think that the church also shares in this failure. I am appalled at how many professing Christians had not only voted for Obama, but had bought into the world's way of thinking (i.e. economic issues are more important than moral issues, etc.). The church overall has become the Laodicean community described in Revelation 3:14-22. I don't believe God has "punished" the church with bringing the socialist Democrats to power, but may be giving us what we need. Loss of our wealth, and becoming the persecuted minority is not what we would choose. But it might be what it will take to wake up those who profess to follow Christ.

    People sometimes ask us if we have considered the dangers of where we are going, as we prepare for the mission field in Eastern Europe (i.e. Lithuanian mafia, Russian tanks, etc.). Sometimes I am tempted to tell them: "better the devil you know, than the one you don't", for Americans have no idea what is in their future if things don't radically change. Our nation is back to being the "sleeping giant" described by Admiral Yamamoto after the Pearl Harbor attack. I fear the things that are coming on this nation, if people don't wake up and see what is happening. I believe that our one hope is that God sends a revival on the level of the Great Awakenings that took place in our land in the 18th and 19th centuries (and to some degree in the 20th). I love my country. I wore its uniform, and believe that the oath I took to defend the Constitution was not abrogated when I resigned my commission. Even though I'm in a foreign land, I will continue to pray, vote, and take a stand against the forces of darkness that are coming against us. I am counting on another Great Awakening. Let it be so, Lord!

    Anyway, I will leave my soap box (or pulpit...;-)...) and once again congratulate you on this timely and appreciated weblog.

    Blessings,
    ~Gary

    ReplyDelete
  2. B-Daddy, congrats on the new digs. Though the old place was served its purpose very well, it was time to move on and your new dwellings fit more squarely with the values and ideals you champion so eloquently.

    Gary, Wow! Well said.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gary, well said indeed.

    Dean, thanks for coming by.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the kudos, guys…but I’m just getting “revved up”! I will try to not dominate the airwaves. ;-D

    But has anyone else been totally chilled by the Great One’s proposal of a Civilian National Security Force:

    http://www.eyeblast.tv/public/video.aspx?v=e4qG6UIr8z

    Barracks, trains to transport our youth to training camps (indoctrination centers?)…is this starting to look like history repeating itself? A time of civil unrest and economic turmoil, a man of great charisma (women swoon, the media fawns, etc.) promises to usher in a “golden age”. He says he will gather all our children, put them in uniform, train them, show then how to defend the fatherla...uh, I mean our country. Are we starting to hear the faint sound of goose-stepping jackboots?...young uniformed thugs beating up Jews and Christians, the “Kristallnacht" of the new century happening all over again?

    Perhaps it’s my theater background that makes me too melodramatic. But George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Those Russian tanks in Lithuania somehow don’t sound as threatening anymore.

    Lord, please wake up the sleeping giant.

    Blessings,
    ~Gary

    ReplyDelete
  5. One more thing, and I’ll be quiet and let someone else have their say. ;-)

    For anyone thinking my previous email is extreme, please check out this article that quotes a former Hitler Youth and his take on what is happening in this country we love:

    http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80644

    The juxtaposition of Der Fuehrer at the height of his power, with the shot of Liberty and Old Glory on the cover of his book is chilling in itself. How ironic that the Left has personified people of faith, conservatives and upholders of traditional family values as Fascists and Nazis. The very thing they fear has come upon them!

    Blessings,
    ~Gary

    ReplyDelete