September 05, 2005

Katrina The Illuminator
By Lee Robinson ©2005

My friend forwarded a column to me about the victims of the hurricane and how the federal government had failed humanity in general and the people of New Orleans in particular by not adequately helping them. I am in agreement with any effort to alleviate misery but such efforts must be guided at least as much by reason as by compassion. Giving a detoxing junkie "just one little dose" to ease his or her discomfort in the short term will perpetuate an existence of degradation in the long term.

What has really been revealed by the situation in New Orleans is that after generations of welfare and unlimited government handouts the poor are still just as poor but are now hopelessly incapable of taking charge of any aspect of their lives. When Big Brother's subsidies are suspended for even a day they are screaming for help and blaming their misfortune on whoever they think should be taking care of them at the moment. They are less than children; children at least have a desire to grow up and do all the neat things they see grown-ups doing. These people have been reduced by their constant, utter dependence to the status of animals. They are government livestock; if a storm is brewing they are unable to do anything for themselves except mill about their corral and hope that someone (an adult; a human) leads them into the barn for safety. If no one shows up to take charge of them they will stampede/riot in the classic response of livestock to something they cannot understand; basically anything other than being provided with life's necessities by someone else. One day spent walking north would improve a person's lot more than a week of wailing and groveling before the television cameras. But that would require initiative, courage and above all; faith in oneself. (Read the rest here)

Editor's note: Welcome back to one of our original contributors! Enjoy!

For a little different perspective, with editor's note.

Ashamed to be an American!
By Ted Lang © 2005

As we reflected in horror and with a great sadness brought on by a haunting nostalgic emptiness with the realization of the passing of our once-great nation, signified by a new threshold of unprecedented "terrorist" attacks upon the US mainland on September 11, 2001, we were inspired by Lee Greenwood's now famous ode, "God Bless the USA." Its key point: we should accept defeat, pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and get back in the race; after all, we are Americans and should be proud that we enjoy the greatest freedoms in all humanity.

That hype might have worked for Americans back then, myself included; but as some of US began to question and to analyze, we arrived at irrefutable conclusions based on astonishingly strong circumstantial evidence. The Bush regime's odd behavior and its lightning scrambles to remove, hide, and cover up such evidence served to firmly back up suspicions of a series of deliberate, conspiratorial, arrangements that seem to have been perpetrated by Bush's neoconservative handlers. (Read the rest here)

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Libertarian Commentary on The News
By Nathan A. Barton © 2005

Gulf War Three (was: Katrina Aftermath)

It is impossible to describe in just news stories what is happening in most of Louisiana, much of Mississippi, and part of Alabama. The vitriol being expended against the United States in general, and against the FedGov is amazing; the insane behavior of a small but very visible part of the population of what had been a major American city is nearly unbelievable. Here are a few guides to look at, and some comments.

Times-Picayune Blog Worth Reading
The major New Orleans newspaper had a refreshing frankness about its three on-line only editions that I hope continues, even though they resumed printing (outside of New Orleans, of course) Thursday night. It is worth reading it in the form of a blog: try reading the earlier editions if you have time, and you will get a horrifying feel for a city that is dying.

More and more, as trouble seems to descend on the nation, I believe that we will be forced to get our news from blogs and blog-like news sites, including such things as CNSNews.com, WorldNetDaily.com, AllHeadlineNews.com, and a raft of other sites, and by e-mail passed from person to person. (Read the rest here)

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