A note to the President

The coming decade is going to be a time of the greatest change the world has ever seen. A confluence of many economic, environmental and social-political problems that have been festering for a very long time will force change upon us. The hypersynergy of the exponentiation expansion of knowledge and technology will provide tools for these changes, for better or worse. Our children's future depends on the right path through this. Continued servitude to the greed of the few may very well destroy the future for us all. The slaughter and servitude of so many millions over time, especially the last fifty years has been a despicable horror.

Mr President I realize there is a limit to what you can do about all of this. Small changes may have helped turn our course over time, but may not be enough now as the grace of time abandons us. Events will soon be upon us where it will be time for our leaders to lead, follow or get the hell out of the way. I voted for you and will again because I think you are by far the best person offering their efforts to lead us through these dire times. Future historians, if there are to be any, will be merciless in their appraisal of us all. Our sins, whether by commission or of omission will be obvious to the desperate future of what souls survive and our own souls testimony before God.

Matthew Hill

Abraham Lincoln vs Ayn Rand

On Dec. 3, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his first Annual Message. The Annual Message was somewhat analogous to the State of the Union address today. A written letter delivered to and read before the Congress, it was a report on the nations fiducial situation, intranational events of note and international affairs, and finally ideas and items that the President found noteworthy. It strikes me as quite ironic that the father of the Republican Party, during what was arguably the darkest year in the nations history found it necessary to include his views on the value of labor and its relationship with capital. Ever more ironic is his views on this relationship are in diametric opposition to the actions of today's Republican party. The prevalent idea of the Right today is that the one percent and their corporate minions are the creators of wealth. Their 'prophet' Ayn Rand decreed that capitalism and the unabashed self interest of this one percent is responsible for the wealth of our nation. That the contribution the toil and labor of the hundreds of millions of the ninety nine percent are made only because these otherwise slothful peons also acted in simple self interest. These excerpts from Lincoln's statement lead me to think he had a much richer understanding of this topic than Rand.

"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. Capital has its rights, which are as worthy of protection as any other rights. Nor is it denied that there is, and probably always will be, a relation between labor and capital, producing mutual benefits. The error is in assuming that the whole labor of community exists within that relation."

"Many independent men everywhere in these States, a few years back in their lives, were hired laborers. The prudent, penniless beginner in the world, labors for wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land for himself; then labors on his own account another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him. This is the just, and generous, and prosperous system, which opens the way to all - gives hope to all, and consequent energy, and progress, and improvement of condition to all. No men living are more worthy to be trusted than those who toil up from poverty - none less inclined to take, or touch, aught which they have not honestly earned."
  Abraham Lincoln

The trust-fund babies that makeup far too much of the one percent that have driven the nation into near ruin have lived a life in which the relationship between effort and reward are so misproportioned as to be dysfunctional. The misrepresentation and dishonesty that are seen as simply the tools of busisness has its roots in Randism and spoiled brats who feel entitled to obscene rewards for immoral behavior.

I can't help myself!

I have for the most part lived my life for the last couple of years in a busy but quiet manner attending to only the concerns of my wife's care and making a living. I have in my few precious free hours watched this nation speed up in its devolution into an insane dystopian mess. Almost daily I have stiffened my lip, bit my tongue and resisted the nearly overwhelming desire to pickup my pen. I have found this to be surprisingly cathartic as it has removed the need for me to provide disclosure or counterpoint to the ever increasingly crop of absurdly stupid ideas and statements whirling about. Time for reflection has allowed me to gain a perspective that is usually difficult to achieve.

My maternal grandfather, a father of thirteen and sometimes sustenance farmer, often used barnyard metaphors that he applied to many circumstances involving people. One he often applied to arguing with fools, ideologues and other idiots went "Never wrestle with a pig, you just end up covered with mud and pig manure, and the pig likes it.". As usual he was correct in this application of a common sense logic. Much of the noise you hear today, especially from the right wing pundits, propagandists posing as journalists and other such ideologues is rooted in the weakness of their positions. This tendency to engage in straw-man building, adhomien attacks and hyperbole or "stirring the manure" so to speak are all crutches used by those without a clear concise logical argument. Arguing with these persons is like wrestling with a pig, simply by association you will end with the taint of of their feces encrusted excuse for an argument. To prevail in an encounter with these types of persons another pig metaphor of my Grandfather comes to mind "If you want control a pig you got to be smarter than the pig. Give the pig enough rope to let it wear itself out or trick it into wanting to do what you want it to."

The news lately has supported this metaphor, it seems the best way to deal with the plague of the morally corrupt, fake libertine's, authoritarians, and other neoconservative types is to simply give them enough rope. The true agenda behind their FUD arguments and divisive actions has been exposed by their actions for what it is. Fear and anger, the fear an incompetent or coward has of being exposed, the anger a thief has on the loss of ill gotten gains, the fear a liar has of the future exposing the lies of their true agendas and a falsified idealized past, the fear and anger an authoritarian has when they lose respect and thus lose control. The Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt that they have used to manipulate the people have come home to roost in their own minds. This monster they now face is ironically one they themselves were once the masters of.

A couple of years ago another event came about that reminds me of another pig metaphor of my Grandfather "Pigs never look up until the trough is empty". The financial crisis that has pummeled the world for the past couple of years was brought about by a relatively small number of human swine. They outright lied to everyone including each other, manipulated market data and analysis, deceptively bought and sold investment holdings in a revolving manner to create a false credulity then insured against the losses they knew were coming, bribed and blackmailed politicians, regulators and even our top level judicial officers. Feeding on the labors of others they denigrated and castigated any and every one who attempted to expose this theft of wealth until the trough was empty. Then of course they looked up at our collective federal self and asked for more in the form of a bailout, with which they promptly and unapologetic-ally devoured as bonuses for a job well done. Most of us I think simply stood by in a state of incredulous shock as all this unfolded confounded by the audacious nerve of those we had entrusted with our financial security, our future. Thomas Jefferson warned us "If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks will deprive the People of all property until their children will wake up homeless in the continent their fathers conquered".

A couple of Lincoln quotes seem appropriate here as well: "These capitalists generally act harmoniously and in concert to fleece the people, and now that they have got into a quarrel with themselves, we are called upon to appropriate the people's money to settle the quarrel." Abraham Lincoln

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."  Abraham Lincoln, 1864

Amazing isn't it that our current situation was seen coming so long ago by these fine minds, but so many of our leaders and fellow countrymen today seem blind to just what is occurring. A few folks that I have high regard for, both in ethics and intelligence continue to doggedly persist in their political allegiances. Knowing them as I do I suspect this is partly that they hate to admit to being duped by a certain breed of politicians. They also have a firm belief in real conservatism and it seriously ticks them off to see the condition this nation is in today. Problem is they are simply too busy trying to get by to seriously study how we actually got here, so they retreat into arguments they are comfortable with. I am sure they same observation could apply to many persons of a liberal mindset. Me, I like to read, a lot, and I try to not be too awful dogmatic in what I read. I also consider myself a small "o" objectivist, Ayn Rand in my view was a egocentric bully. My assessment of our current state of affairs is that we are all compliciant in how we got here. However there is one political party that has been so corrupted from its core that the only fix is its deconstruction or replacement, that being the big "R" Republican party that holds no relation in real action to true small "r" republican values and ideals. The Democratic party gets less condemnation from me but not by a whole lot. There is also a select group of actors in our society that is responsible for most of our current ills, and surprise, surprise they are the same that always been compliciant in the worst crimes throughout human history. These are of course the very few at the top of the power structure that act selfishly to the point of a societies destruction. Of course for this to happen in a democratically represented republic the masses must allow such to continue over the course of generations. Well, as one of my favorite humorists says, "You can't fix stupid".

Recently a small cadre of young persons shook themselves out of the incredulous stupor and organized a true grass roots protest pointing out this theft and abuse by symbolically "Occupying Wall Street". The seriousness of the threat of exposure was not lost on the players in this ring of thieves and their minions. The stinking fear of exposure and the raging anger at those who dared expose these powerful liars and thieves are the real reasons behind the over the top malicious responses to the OWS movement. The outrageous response has of course only fueled the movement. These "leaders" are so consumed by fear and anger that they forgot history, assuming they ever paid attention in class in the first place. Nearly all great empires fall from power from the same set of circumstances and mistakes by their leaders. Corruption, collusion of interests, incompetence, over extension of resources and most prominent of all failure to follow the will and provide for the well being and happiness of the people. All attempts to repress the people are temporary at best, the longer or more extreme the oppression the more expansive and explosive the resistance will be. What is so unreal about all this is the disproportionately violent response to peaceful protesters. This situation is surreal when in viewed in juxtaposition against a Penn State Campus of jocks run amok, violently destroying property because their accused pedophile coach and his enablers had been fired. To me it reeks of fear, it seems to me the OWS folks have indeed hit a nerve, good for them. That old idiots like Mayor Bloomberg and his fascist NYPD administrators can be tricked into revealing their true nature and agenda so easily is an indicator of their fear, desperation and arrogance. That they did not foresee the obvious outcome of their actions shows a lack of intelligence or at least a lack of wisdom, two totally disparate mental abilities that many often confuse.

To the white shirted NYPD fascist that in a fit of rage repeatedly doused several young women already on the ground with pepper spray you are sir truly a swine of the worst kind. To the 200 lb "peace officer" that felt the need to flip a 100 lb young lady by the wrist then throw his weight on her spine knees first, the term pig defines you very well indeed. To mothers of the line of "police" in riot gear that choose to shove batons into the abdomens of peacefully protesting young girls I ask, what on earth did you teach your sons that they would think this is acceptable behavior from any man? Just a few minutes ago I saw where an 80 something, 4 ft 8in retired school teacher had been pepper sprayed in the face. Tell now just what kind of threat did that officer feel this lady presented that justified this action? Even non lethal weapons are issued with the intent of of subduing an individual who is behaving in a manner that poses a threat to someone. Law enforcement has no legal mandate to exact punishment on anyone! Herein lies the problem, the failed jocks and dumb ass schoolyard bullies that makeup way too much of law enforcement are a problem and we as a society must insist they be removed from a position that allows them a free pass to behave in such a manner. Tear gas canisters fired at eye level? Jack booted SWAT response units with assault weapons? Hundreds of "officers" in full riot gear engaged in frontal assault? All this on people peacefully protesting the theft of our children's future? What's next "agent provocateurs" implanted to give cause for outright slaughter?

I call upon mothers and fathers to examine these wayward children who have somehow failed to reach manhood and try to save them from themselves before they abuse the wrong persons child or grandparent. How would you feel if it was your daughter or mother that was being brutally attacked? I call upon the many true peace officers and their fraternal organizations to confront these coworkers and supervisors for the arrogant corrupt mindless minions and bullies they are. Your image and possibly your future are being tainted by these illegal and unconstitutional actions and your oath of duty requires that you enforce the law and defend the Constitution. Damn it these people are protesting the theft of your future as well. Is the fear of authority so deeply rooted in your psyche that you are no longer able to think for yourselves? Fair warning your real employers are those, and loved ones of those who are being brutalized.

To our leaders, to the Mayors of our cities, to the Govenors of our states, to members of our Congress, to our President, your actions and inaction's are being noted by historians and hundreds of millions of souls around this world. Your silence in the face of this aggressively outrageous violent behavior by those supposed to keep the peace and defend the safety of the people and the sancity of our Constitution is deafening. How are we to take your lack of outrage at this type of behavior except to see you as complicit in the acts themselves. Pacifistic mutterings about feeling our pain or understanding our anger do not suffice. Collectively we will soon insist on action to correct the injustices awash in this society, those against this movement and those that caused it. Ignore these things at your peril, do not tread on us any more.

To all those that are active in the OWS movement I thank you for your sacrifices. To those that like myself who have conditions that do not allow for my personal physical occupation of a space in protest I reference the following quotes of revalence.

"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds"   Samuel Adams

"We must indeed all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."   Benjamin Franklin

In support for OWS I have again inked my pen and restored the links to my archives in the hope of starting a few brush fires in a few minds. I will try and be as active as I can, and try to revamp the site as soon as reasonable to make it more useful. Anyone of a like mind who would like to assist with content contact me and we will see what we can do together.

If we allow our "leaders" to continue to support the ideas and policies that created this mess without serious and courageous resistance our descendants will curse us all as a few generations of mindless cowards that selfishly pissed away their liberty, hopes and dreams. We should celebrate now or the near future, 2012 maybe, as the time when the government once again begins to fear its people, when Liberty once again breathes in freedom.

When the people fear their Government, there is tyranny. When the Government fears it's people, there is liberty.."   Thomas Paine

Hi welcome to hypersynergy!

This site was initially populated with content from various news items, quotes, postings and brief essays of mine and other such items that in one way or another related to our liberty, spirituality or technology. The long term purpose of the site has been to explore how the hyper acceleration of knowledge and the synergy of many different technologies and soci-political ideals may be applied for the best or worst of ends. In this quest I had hoped to use the power of the Internet to explore these ideas and provide warnings of dangerous trends or hopefully indications of better ways to live.

Unfortunately dealing with the rest of my life has not allowed me to keep these pages updated, even with my ever decreasing output, much less pursue its long term mission with any vigor. I would apologize for this profusely if I was fat headed enough to believe I ever had a serious number of readers. Never the less I still want to share some of the reasons for my current state of failure on this quest. I feel this is important because some of the reasons explain how serious the issues are that I have been facing and some are indicative of the issues I had hoped to address. I also would like to express my intent to keep the dream alive, to let you know I intend to return to continue what I feel is important work.

Initially as many of us I lost my focus in the face of a series of economic and environmental events that left me so busy simply surviving and my time and drive just kind of drizzled out. Several years of successive hurricanes, ice and severe electrical storms and the accompanying destruction of property plus many weeks of no utilities evaporated my meager savings. Of course those of with any semblance of conscience do not live in a self centered vacuum, so the needs of family and friends also made demands I could not refuse. Rather serious personal health complications and ever increasing demands of frugality and efficiency from my employer made economic recovery from my losses in a timely manner impossible. This brings the time line up to late summer of 2009.

September 2009 my world fell apart as my love, my wife of thirty two years was diagnosed with incurable cancer. As I write these words in August of 2010 my brave little wildcat is near the long end of the doctors prognosis. I really don't care to write more about her condition or my mental state at this time and may never say more publicly. I will I am sure write more about her someday, for she is overall the most impressive person I have ever known, not perfect, no one is, but the kindness, compassion, courage and fortitude she has shown all her life has always left me in awe.

So here we are. My priority today and in the immediate future is to be there for her in every way possible. Unfortunately not only does this mean even less time and focus for a project such as this, there are other complications as well. In these pages I have been rather outspoken and indeed bluntly critical of the many factions responsible for injustices and irresponsible actions in our society. These stinging criticisms now put at risk my ability to care for my wife. So sorry as I am to say it for now they have won, I am beaten down to where I must submit. It is time for a stiff upper lip, a stilled pen and a focus on a single priority.

I am not for sure when I will return, or in what mental state I will return in. I think a lot depends on how I perceive things have gone, how we have been treated as this most terrible of events rolls through our lives. Self reflection tells me that for now am too much of an emotional wreck to rationally reflect on these things publicly. I do still keep a sporadic personal journal as I have for most of my life. Someday in the not too distant future maybe I can look back on this without reopening too many terrible emotional wounds and gain some perspective that will allow me too clearly see what has transpired, who were those who were helpful angels of mercy in my life and who if any took advantage of my weakness for personal gain. Maybe such insights could help others in distress, or even change the behavior of some of those acting in a dishonorable manner.

I leave now with a sincere and heart felt if nameless thank you to all those who have be angels in my time of need, there have been many I am sure who are self aware of their acts of kindness, and with only three words to those few who choose to act in an less honorable manner. Shame on you.

..Is worth living right. Ok, whats right? The following is an exploration of the subject. First to be clear, I make no claims of originality of thought here. Most of these ideas have occurred at one time or another to nearly every one. Many finer minds that my own have expressed the ideals with more depth and eloquence than I can. However these words are meant mainly for finding my own focus and to assist those close to me in the same.

As a child I was sure that one day it would all come together. I foresaw my future self as an idealized version of my Grandfather's, tough, fearless, smart, independent. I was sure that I could make a few small changes and have all the necessary answers. I'm not sure of when it became apparent that things were not that simple. Each year that passed brought a new crop of problems that demanded decisions or action. Each year they got tougher. Of course many were never dealt with and came back to haunt me, usually in a meaner form than before. Some still do. The usual reason for this is that these situations involve responsibilities that I would rather avoid. In fact I've been dodging some of them for many years, somethings because of the work involved in their resolution, sometimes because of the things they insist I surrender. The times I do end up dealing with these things usually involves me being dragged kicking and screaming all the way through ththeir resolution.

The List In no particluar order of importance

#1 NEVER intentionally hurt anyone for any reason except in defense of yourself or others from someone who doesn't care to uphold the same ideal. The term hurt includes mental and spiritual as well as physical anguish.

#2 THINK for yourself. Listen to the arguments of others with earnest attention, but draw your own conclusions. The act of forming and holding your own ideals and values and making your own decisions are what free will and freedom are about on a very basic level. This is important, these rights have been paid for in blood and are sacred.

#3 SEEK within yourself and in the works of others to define your life. Life without ideals has no center or focus. You must develop these ideals to define your life or you are doomed to wander aimlessly, lost in the darkness of ignorance. Never be afraid to reevaluate or question the ideal. Things that cannot stand up to honest examination are lies that are bad or even evil and very harmful to your spirit.

#4 ALWAYS be honest with yourself. Anything you attempt will be fruitless if done within the shadow of lies. This is as true for the questions of why as those of what. Be sure you understand and make honest confession to yourself as to WHY you do something or believe a certain way. Lying to your self can be more than just a waste of time...in can be very dangerous to your soul.

#5 REMEMBER your ACTIONS are the true measure of who you are. Contradictions in the way you profess to believe and in the way you act are evidence of lies to yourself. This may also be extended to include others. Many persons will tell you what they want you to hear or what they think you want to hear. Watch their actions, these are a true measure of who they are, "The tree shall be known by it's fruit". Be aware however that some will often take actions that are in conflict with their true selves. These conflicts are the source of much of the stress in our lives. This stress often results in physical and mental illness. Severe cases will be very erratic and difficult to understand.

#6 RESPECT the honest and peaceful beliefs of others with whom you may disagree.

#7 STAND forth against that which you examine and find truly EVIL. Do not shrink from this responsibility by using the excuse of RESPECT for the beliefs of others.

#8 BE AWARE of your blessings. You will find many if you only look a little. Focus you examination on the many less fortune than yourself, not the few with more. Remember that your greatest blessings are found in your relationships with others and their good will toward you NOT in your material possessions. Things may save your life, but the testaments of others may very well save or condem your soul.

#9 BE CAREFUL and sparing in the forming of judgments of others. Every decision you make involving another person is a form of judgment. While this is a necessary part of life, be cautious. Make sure it is necessary, that your reasoning is honestly arrived at and has a sound foundation in your ideals. Do not allow yourself to make such judgments carelessly or to become fixed in such a way that does not allow for your own mis-perceptions or for the changes possible in others.

#10 BE SENSITIVE to the pain of others. Compassion is the true source of the GRACE that makes spiritual growth possible.

#11 EXPLORE LIFE in all is wondrous directions. You are a part of the universe just as are the stars. You will find insights into yourself in places you may have trouble believing now. You are in a very basic way are STARDUST. The you seen in a mirror is as old as the stars and formed of the same thing on a very basic level. The thoughts of many others have been recorded over the millineun and while you should reach your own conclusions, please study the efforts of these other souls in earnest. You will be amazed by how revelant many are to your life today.

#12 BE KIND to yourself, learn from your mistakes and shortcomings through honest examination. Try to do so without recrimination, excuse or self hate.

#13 ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY as it is bestowed upon you. Often we see such as toil, it is instead a gift of potential GRACE and GROWTH. Try to accept such without anger or resentment, this may be hard, these are natural responses and to feel them does not make you bad. Call upon the "better angels of your nature".

#14 KEEP YOUR WORD.. Don't commit yourself to something you can't or don't intend to do. Better to avoid the potential growth than to live a lie. Try and not over commit yourself even if done with the best of intentions.

#15 LOVE AND HONOR THY GOD however you preceive such. This first commandment of the Abrahamic faiths has an equilivant in all faiths. I take it to mean to simply to love and honor that which made YOU possible. Thus you must love thyself as well or you dishonor that which made YOU possible.

#16 FIND SOMEONE TO LOVE. LOVE is the most powerful force in the universe. And LOVE grows with use. LOVE will always return from somewhere even if not from where directed. Be careful here, while love can lift and improve your whole being, DO NOT become a parasite upon another.

The New Rules necessary for our survival in a global civilization
Pay attention now, this is important stuff.

You must think for your self to discern reality.
Those who think for themselves define reality.

You must listen to your heart to know the truth.
Those who know the truth listen to their hearts.

You must act if you expect or require action or reward.
Those who act should expect to reap the rewards of their actions.

You must act with integrity if you wish respect.
Those who act with integrity should be respected.

You must accept and show responsibility if you expect trust.
Those who accept and show responsibility should be trusted.

You must expect to expend effort if you expect to measure a gain.
Those who put forth effort should expect to gain in measure.

Our liberty has been paid for with our ancestors sacrifices of blood and tears.
The liberty of our descendants will require us to sacrifice our blood and tears.

Free minds and free discussion plus free sources equal a free society.
Open minds and open discussion plus open sources equal an open society.

Knowledge shared is knowledge gained.
Knowledge gained should be shared.

Wealth shared is wealth invested wisely.
Wealth wisely invested is wealth shared.

Resources applied are resources appreciated.
Resources deprived are resources depreciated.

Work shared by many is work of purpose.
Work of purpose should be shared by many.

Love shared is love that will be returned.
Love returned is love that will be shared.

With a dream one can become greater than ones sum.
Without a dream one is less than ones whole.

Every soul has a unique and important destiny.
Dreams are visions of the souls quest for its destiny.

A single small voice may ask why when or how.
Ten thousand echoes shall be heard by a billion plus minds.
Impossible to silence or ignore a quest is born.
E Plurbius Unum for real forever and for all.

These are the new rules.
Your quest is up to YOU .... after all its your dream.
And every quest begins with a dream.

"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." Winston Churchill

"I have heard talk and talk, but nothing is done. Good words do not last long unless they amount to something. Words do not pay for my dead people. They do not pay for my country, now overrun by white men... Good words will not give my people good health and stop them from dying. Good words will not get my people a home where they can live in peace and take care of themselves. I am tired of talk that comes to nothing. It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and broken promises..... You might as well expect the rivers to run backward as that any man who was born a free man should be contented when penned up and denied liberty to go where he pleases. ...I have asked the great white chiefs where they get their authority to say to the indian that he shall stay in one place, while he sees white men going where they please. They cannot tell me.
Let me be a free man -- free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose, free to choose my own teachers, free to follow the religon of my fathers, free to think and talk and act for myself -- and I will obey every law, or submit me to the penalty"
Heinmot Tooyalaket (Chief Joseph) of the Nez Perc'es

"Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. Capital has itsrights, which are as worthy of protection as any other rights. Nor is it deniedthat there is, and probably always will be, a relation between labor andcapital, producing mutual benefits. The error is in assuming that the wholelabor of community exists within that relation."
"Many independent men everywhere in these States, a few years back in their lives, were hired laborers. The prudent, penniless beginner in the world, labors for wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land for himself; then labors on his own account another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him. This is the just, and generous, and prosperous system, which opens the way to all, gives hope to all, and consequent energy, and progress, and improvement of condition to all. No men living are more worthy to be trusted than those who toil up from poverty, none less inclined to take, or touch, aught which they have not honestly earned."   Abraham Lincoln

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . corporations have been enthroned and an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."  Abraham Lincoln, 1864

Another Lincoln quote seems appropriate here as well: "These capitalists generally act harmoniously and in concert to fleece the people, and now that they have got into a quarrel with themselves, we are called upon to appropriate the people's money to settle the quarrel."   Abraham Lincoln

"If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks will deprive the People of all property until their children will wake up homeless in the continent their fathers conquered."   Thomas Jefferson

"Liberty is the great parent of science and of virtue, and a nation will be great in both in proportion as it is free."   Thomas Jefferson

"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.."  Samuel Adams

"The equal rights of man and the happiness of every individual are now acknowledged to be the only legitimate objects of government."   Thomas Jefferson

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."   Thomas Jefferson

"It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own."   Thomas Jefferson

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"   Benjamin Franklin

"We must indeed all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."   Benjamin Franklin

When the people fear their Government, there is tyranny. When the Government fears it's people, there is liberty.."   Thomas Paine

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."   Benjamin Franklin

"Prohibition will work great injury to the cause of temperance. It is a species of intemperance within itself, for it goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A Prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded."   Abraham Lincoln

"There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly"   Henry David Thoreau

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."   Hebrews 11:1.5

"Faith-is the Pierless Bridge Supporting what We see Unto the Scene that We do not-." Emily Dickinson

"Faith is not a thing which one "loses," we merely cease to shape our lives by it." Georges Bernanos"

"Reason is our soul's left hand, Faith her right, By these we reach divinity." John Donne

"It is the heart which perceives God and not the reason. That is what faith is: God perceived by the heart, not by the reason." Blaise Pascal

"The mysteries of faith are degraded if they are made into an object of affirmation and negation, when in reality they should be an object of contemplation." Simone Weil

"Absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power."   Eric Hoffer

"To know a person's religion we need not listen to his profession of faith but must find his brand of intolerance."   Eric Hoffer

"There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."   Henry David Thoreau

"It was the schoolboy who said, "Faith is believing what you know ain't so." Mark Twain

"O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief . . . for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.  " Mark Twain

"Philosophic argument,especially that drawn from the vastness of the universe, in comparison with the apparent insignificance of this globe, has sometimes shaken my reason for the faith that is in me; but my heart has always assured and reassured me that the gospel of Jesus Christ must be Divine Reality. The Sermon on the Mount cannot be a mere human production. This belief enters into the very depth of my conscience. The whole history of man proves it."  Daniel Webster as Spoken on the eve of his death and carved as his epitaph.

A brief summary of The Bill Of Rights as applied today. How much MORE are YOU willing to trade for a little security? Heck it's been pretty much wrecked as it is.

Amendment I (1791). First of the Bill of Rights amendments (I-IX); prohibits government-established religion; guarantees freedom of worship, of speech, of the press, of assembly and to petition the government.

Amendment II (1791). For the purpose of maintaining a well-regulated militia, preserves the right to keep and bear arms.

Amendment III (1791). Prohibits peacetime quartering of troops in private dwellings without owners' consent.

Amendment IV (1791). Guarantees against unreasonable search and seizure.

Amendment V (1791). Guarantees against violations of due process in criminal proceedings. No person may be compelled to testify against himself. Grand jury process is required for criminal indictment. Double jeopardy is prohibited. Public taking of private property without just compensation is prohibited.

Amendment VI (1791). Guarantees speedy, fair trial, impartial jury, right to counsel in all criminal cases.

Amendment VII (1791). Guarantees jury trial in all major civil (noncriminal) cases, and prohibits retrial of adjudicated matters.

Amendment VIII (1791). Prohibits excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishment.

Amendment IX (1791). Declares that the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not imply that the people do not retain all other rights.

Amendment X (1791). Reserves to the states powers that the Constitution does not give to the federal government or prohibit to the states.

Amendment XI (1798). Declares that the federal courts may not try any case brought against a state by a citizen of another state or country.

Amendment XII (1804). Revises presidential and vice presidential election rules.

Amendment XIII (1865). First of three "Civil War" amendments; prohibits slavery.

Amendment XIV (1868). Defines U.S. citizenship. Prohibits states from violating due process (see Amendment V) or equal protection of the law.

Amendment XV (1870). Guarantees rights of citizens against U.S. or state infringement based on race, color, or previous servitude.

Amendment XVI (1913). Authorizes a federal income tax.

Amendment XVII (1913). Provides for direct popular election of Senators.

Amendment XVIII (1919). Makes probition federal law.

Amendment XIX (1920). Guarantees women the vote in state and U.S. elections.

Amendment XX (1933). Changes Congressional terms of office and the inauguration date of the President and Vice President; clarifies succession to the presidency.

Amendment XXI (1933). Repeals Amendment XVIII, ends prohibition.

Amendment XXII (1951). Limits presidential tenure to two terms.

Amendment XXIII (1961). Permits District of Columbia residents to vote for President and Vice President.

Amendment XXIV (1964). Outlaws the poll tax in all federal elections and primaries.

Amendment XXV (1967). Provides for procedures to fill vacancies in the Vice Presidency; further clarifies presidential succession rules.

Amendment XXVI (1971). Lowers voting age in federal and state election to 18.

Amendment XXVII (1992). Postpones until after the next Congressional election the effect of any law that alters the compensation of members of Congress.