I’m a big fan of the blog “American Thinker.”
They have a group of smarty-pants over there writing some of the best stuff on the internet in my opinion.
Whenever I happen upon a piece that I think you’d like, I try and cover it. I read this one today and it really struck a chord with me and I thought you might find it interesting too.
It’s about how police states are born. How they’re made. What it takes to start one and how they morph and change and gain more power. It was a fascinating read from the standpoint of where we are at today in America.
This line from the article really stuck with me:
“When societies lose their freedom, it is not ordinarily because autocrats or tyrants have forcibly taken it away. It is usually the result of the population willingly surrendering their freedom in return for protection against an external threat.”
It’s so true. We never lose our freedoms because some evil tyrant comes along and rips them from our hands. We lose them because we willingly give them up for “good reasons.” We surrender them “temporarily” for the “greater good of society” and to “keep everyone safe.”
That’s what we tell ourselves. It feels like the only logical choice and the right thing to do for many people.
And that’s how the loss of freedom starts – and whether you can admit that now or not, doesn’t really matter – it’s still the truth.
Let’s face it, there are a lot of really sinister globalists in government who have very twisted ideologies and those people won’t squander a precious moment like this to grasp power. They are always looking for ways to fundamentally change the country into their progressive globalist view. Always.
To think that these types of leaders are suddenly good-hearted souls who only care about your wellbeing because there’s a crisis and we’re all “unified” is not only painfully naive, it’s downright dangerous.
I am the type of person who questions most everything the government does – not because I am some whacko tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorist – but because the government is bloated, clueless, and incompetent for the most part.
And no, I am not accusing President Trump of being any of those things. As a matter of fact, I believe that as we face down this crisis President Trump is the one guy who is trying like hell to keep our liberties intact. But he’s facing an increasingly uphill battle.
American Thinker agrees with me. They said this about President Trump’s actions right now in the face of this emerging “police state” being imposed on many of us by local state officials:
President Trump, in contrast to the media’s portrayal of him, has not succumbed to these overtures, as he is among the few political leaders in the nation that respects the freedoms enumerated in the Constitution. But his power over the individual state governors or Congress is limited.
The defenders of these authoritarian tactics say that these extreme measures are necessary in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives. But is that just a fig leaf to permanently transform the society?
This is not to say that the Coronavirus is not a serious health issue and steps must be taken to protect the most vulnerable sector of the population — the elderly with significant medical conditions. The number of people infected with the virus over the past 30 days continues to rise as the nation has dramatically expanded testing. Of those who have died, approximately 1.6% of total infections, we do not know how many succumbed as the direct result of the virus or died of other ailments, as any death with the virus present is currently being counted as a Coronavirus fatality. The Italian evidence, for example, suggests that only in 12% of deaths is it possible to say the Coronavirus was the main cause of death. [American Thinker]
Trump is not being “duped,” and he’s not “stupid” when it comes to Coronavirus. Quite the opposite, actually. He’s done an amazing job. However, he’s surrounded by government bureaucrats who are relying on projection models that many experts are now questioning. Trump is doing the right thing listening to medical experts, though. He’s not a doctor. He must rely on those people around him. But let’s not fall into a “believe every expert” mentality and forget that an endless stream of experts who have had very good intentions and are very smart people have been very wrong on multiple occasions.
It’s okay to question everything. That’s the American way. We’re fighters – or at least we used to be – and we’re opinionated and we speak up and we ask questions. That’s still okay to do, and at a time like this, it’s more important than ever to ask questions, in my opinion.
Remember what Ronald Reagan said were the scariest words you could ever hear: “I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
Terrifying, actually.
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I am not sharing this with you to cast doubt on the seriousness of Coronavirus. I do believe that there is much to be worried about and we need precautions and guidance from qualified leaders and experts from several different areas. But I think it’s perfectly okay to ponder the question: at what point does the “cure” cause more lasting damage than the virus?
This is a question that I believe more people should be asking, if not for yourself, for your children and grand children’s future and freedoms and debt.
Below are some of my favorite passages from the piece I read today.
The United States and much of the western world, by utilizing the most draconian of tactics, is plunging many nations into potential economic and societal chaos as they attempt to stem the tide of the Chinese Coronavirus.
[…]
“When societies lose their freedom, it is not ordinarily because autocrats or tyrants have forcibly taken it away. It is usually the result of the population willingly surrendering their freedom in return for protection against an external threat.”
[…]
The general public has been stampeded by the fearmongering in the media into demanding action from the politicians at both the state and federal level. The politicians respond and do not pause to ask whether these actions will work — just do something!
[…]
Any student of history and human nature recognizes that these are classic symptoms of collective hysteria. Hysteria is contagious. This US is turning itself inside out thanks to the media, and not stopping to ask if the cure is worse than the disease.
[…]
In times like these, it is to be expected that the citizenry will look to the government for guidance and assistance. When that happens in an environment of mass hysteria, then it is unsurprising that the state will take on or assume new power
[…]
Over the past four weeks and with little or no legal basis, one state governor has outbid another in their dramatic responses to the Coronavirus outbreak. Invariably their actions revolve around the curtailing of individual freedom.
[…]
Arrests are being made for holding funeral services, fines are levied for not maintaining distance, people are arrested for holding gatherings over 10 people, fines & arrests are the order of the day for re-opening a business the state deems nonessential
[…]
Neighbors and ordinary citizens, in the best tradition of the Soviet Union and Communist China, are being encouraged to inform the authorities if anyone they know is not adhering to state lockdown rules.
[…]
The defenders of these authoritarian tactics say that these extreme measures are necessary in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives. But is that just a fig leaf to permanently transform the society? [American Thinker]
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After 9-11 we as a nation “freaked out.” It was a hard time – so many Americans were slaughtered just because they went to work. We were scared, and as a result panic and hysteria set in.
Looking back now, most people will agree that we made many mistakes based on that panic and we gave up too many freedoms (Patriot Act) and lost too many American lives fighting in Iraq. We vowed to do better “next time,” and not panic and not get hysterical.
Clear heads always prevail. Decisions made in haste or fear are never good in the long run, etc.
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But I don’t know if we’ve done better this time. The situation isn’t over yet, so we can’t say for certain. But my gut feeling says we’ve allowed panic to set in (much driven by the media) and have made some decisions based on fear that may come back to haunt us down the road.
I encourage you to read the entire piece over at American Thinker. It’s worth it.
This piece was written by Missy Crane on April 3, 2020. It originally appeared in WayneDupree.com and is used by permission.
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