Don't ask how I arrived here in my online wanderings, but I'm very happy that I did. An intriguing post and I concur that it is indeed tragic to recognize the needless loss of lives resulting from the psychological assaults of various forms from our government and its comrades. It was an unexpected ray of sunshine to have discovered another person seeking the clarity and liberation of independent thought who is a fellow upstate New Yorker also hugging the shores of Lake Ontario. Bravo!
Thanks for that. Frankly, if I had ANY idea how to promote my substack, you might have found me sooner. OTOH, who am I to question serendipity? Be well!
"Nor will I fall victim to even appearing to take sides." AMEN! I was saying from the very beginning of this that "if we take sides, we lose". It always amazes me how supposedly rational human beings so quickly take sides as long as the side they think is "right" has some kind of moral superiority. I'm always screaming: ALL governments are evil! People keep forgetting that it's the *governments* of these countries that are bombing and killing each other. It's not the people themselves. Can't we have compassion for *all* of the people who are being slaughtered in the name of gawd knows what? I don't care what color, race, ethnicity, language, religion, or whatever other identifier someone gives themselves... no government has the right or the duty to wantonly murder people to push any kind of agenda. I'm sick of it. Look at the insanity right now where people are still taking sides while people are murdered or killed: Republican vs Democrat. "Vaxxed" vs "Unvaxxed", Masked vs unmasked, Ukraine vs Russia, China vs Taiwan, Israel vs Palestine, and that's just to name a few. How does *any* of this division between us people do anything to solve any of these issues? Until people stop pointing their fingers at one another and start pointing them at the culprits in charge we will never solve anything. Division plays right into the hands of the monsters perpetrating all of this madness. Man I wish we'd wake up.
Well said—I enjoyed your article. However, I do have a question for you. What if your new neighbor belonged to a cult known for seducing their neighbors' wives? Let's assume you had first-hand knowledge that your neighbor fully embraced the cult's practices and was an active member. Would that change your stance on delivering a preemptive punch in the face? Or would you pack up the house and move?
Ah, the famed "lifeboat scenario" in a different set of clothes. :-)
My general approach is to be, for lack of a better term, a plumb-line libertarian. As such, the initiation of violence is never supported. Defense? Yes. Preemption? Not so much. Would I move? Unlikely. (Anyway, my wife is a grown woman, capable of deciding for herself.)
Don't ask how I arrived here in my online wanderings, but I'm very happy that I did. An intriguing post and I concur that it is indeed tragic to recognize the needless loss of lives resulting from the psychological assaults of various forms from our government and its comrades. It was an unexpected ray of sunshine to have discovered another person seeking the clarity and liberation of independent thought who is a fellow upstate New Yorker also hugging the shores of Lake Ontario. Bravo!
Thanks for that. Frankly, if I had ANY idea how to promote my substack, you might have found me sooner. OTOH, who am I to question serendipity? Be well!
"Nor will I fall victim to even appearing to take sides." AMEN! I was saying from the very beginning of this that "if we take sides, we lose". It always amazes me how supposedly rational human beings so quickly take sides as long as the side they think is "right" has some kind of moral superiority. I'm always screaming: ALL governments are evil! People keep forgetting that it's the *governments* of these countries that are bombing and killing each other. It's not the people themselves. Can't we have compassion for *all* of the people who are being slaughtered in the name of gawd knows what? I don't care what color, race, ethnicity, language, religion, or whatever other identifier someone gives themselves... no government has the right or the duty to wantonly murder people to push any kind of agenda. I'm sick of it. Look at the insanity right now where people are still taking sides while people are murdered or killed: Republican vs Democrat. "Vaxxed" vs "Unvaxxed", Masked vs unmasked, Ukraine vs Russia, China vs Taiwan, Israel vs Palestine, and that's just to name a few. How does *any* of this division between us people do anything to solve any of these issues? Until people stop pointing their fingers at one another and start pointing them at the culprits in charge we will never solve anything. Division plays right into the hands of the monsters perpetrating all of this madness. Man I wish we'd wake up.
Apparently, we've been drinking from the same well. Appreciate your chiming in.
My pleasure! It's been awhile since you've posted and it was great! :-)
Well said—I enjoyed your article. However, I do have a question for you. What if your new neighbor belonged to a cult known for seducing their neighbors' wives? Let's assume you had first-hand knowledge that your neighbor fully embraced the cult's practices and was an active member. Would that change your stance on delivering a preemptive punch in the face? Or would you pack up the house and move?
Thanks!
Ah, the famed "lifeboat scenario" in a different set of clothes. :-)
My general approach is to be, for lack of a better term, a plumb-line libertarian. As such, the initiation of violence is never supported. Defense? Yes. Preemption? Not so much. Would I move? Unlikely. (Anyway, my wife is a grown woman, capable of deciding for herself.)