March 20, 2006

Limited Government Vs Utopia?
Susan Callaway, Editor

Utopia is not an option. This is often the "clincher" used by those who demand that some kind of "limited government" is both desirable and inevitable. They say they believe that, as a minimum, a government is necessary for "national defense" and to protect everyone's rights. The fact that government, in all of history, has failed miserably in both - not to mention the death and destruction along the way - doesn't seem to matter. They assert that it just hasn't ever been done "right" and that the "Libertarian1" version will succeed.

There will always be some people who don't respect the rights and property of others, and many who are not able to support or defend themselves. The idea of individuals and voluntary groups helping each other and defending their own property is too "messy" and uncertain. Some believe that human nature is essentially flawed, making universal self-government impossible. (Read the rest here)

Doing Nothing About Everything
By Lady Liberty

I suspect there's not a person interested in Second Amendment matters out there who doesn't know by now that Angel Shamaya - the founder of KeepandBearArms.com - has been arrested on firearms charges in Michigan. Activists have already stepped forward to offer character references* for his first hearing and to organize the collection of donations to cover his legal fees.

According to the sketchy information available, Shamaya is accused of having four unregistered guns in Michigan. Shamaya, who only recently relocated, is said to have been in the process of registering the firearms when a complaint brought a SWAT team to his door. The charges against Shamaya are (fortunately, under the circumstances) misdemeanors, and he's currently free on bond. (Read the rest here)

The Revolt of the Second Generation
By Alvaro Vargas Llosa

Samuel Huntington argued in his book “Who Are We?” that Hispanic immigrants were a threat to the national identity of the U.S. because, unlike other ethnic groups, they were not assimilating into the host nation. The news that Univisión Communications, the Spanish-language media conglomerate, is up for sale is one more indication of how wrong this well-respected gentleman is. Univisión controls more than 80 percent of the Spanish-language market but second generation Hispanics prefer English programming and therefore its long-term prospects for growth are small—unless it too assimilates.

There appears to be no reason why owner Jerrold Perenchio should sell. His conglomerate, which includes T.V., radio and music, is a money-making machine. In 1992, Mr. Perenchio bought Univisión for $500 million; today, the media conglomerate has a market capitalization of $10 billion. (Read the rest here)

Black Families, Black Men
By Carey Roberts

Sounding like a born-again social conservative, president Lyndon B. Johnson stepped to the podium and made this stirring pronouncement: "When the family collapses, it is the children that are usually damaged. When it happens on a massive scale, the community itself is crippled."

And with his usual modesty, LBJ later hailed that 1965 Howard University commencement address as his "greatest civil rights speech." (Read the rest here)

The Patriot Act and Attention Deficit Democracy
By James Bovard

The American political system failed when Congress and the media recently rolled over in favor of extending the most onerous provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act. Despite stark evidence of both the law's abuses and widespread popular opposition, Bush got a rubber-stamp extension of a law that has come to symbolize boundless government intrusions since 9/11.

The reenactment of the Patriot Act symbolizes how America is becoming an "attention deficit democracy" -- characterized by pervasive negligence and ignorance throughout society and much of the government. Most Americans appear to no longer care whether there is any leash on government power. (Read the rest here)

Destructive Secular Culture
By SARTRE

A truism is that every generation reminisces about the good old days. As people age they value the past more and develop an enhanced apprehension of cultural changes. Change is the most natural of all conditions, but change is not always positive. Actually, change is more often chaos than real progress.

Secular aspects and influence have forever been a factor in cultural systems. But the velocity that has taken over modern and post-modern eras has seen such rapidity in cultural mores and variations that one's life is indeed a very strange trip through time. Examine the history of the post WWII generation. Baby boomers were born into a world of nuclear extinction. Grew up to watch men walk on the moon and grow old witnessing the disintegration of our entire society. (Read the rest here)

Your Feedback and Comments
The Mailbag for This Week

Do you know a good liberty centered blogs? Tell us about it!

Liberty Bloggers We Know