“It is the State which changes; it is the State which destroys; it is nearly always the State which persecutes. The Totalitarian State is now making a clean sweep of all our old notions of liberty, even more than the French Revolution made a clean sweep of all the old ideas of loyalty. It is the Church that excommunicates; but in that very word implies that a communion stands open for a restored communicant. It is the State that exterminates; it is the State that abolishes absolutely and altogether; whether it is the American State abolishing beer, or the Fascist State abolishing parties; or the Hitlerite State abolishing almost everything but itself.” -- G. K. Chesterton in The Well and the Shallows (1938)
Thinking about ethics and current events (Began 1 April 2008)
Friday, September 7, 2012
Quote of the Week - G.K. Chesterton
“It is the State which changes; it is the State which destroys; it is nearly always the State which persecutes. The Totalitarian State is now making a clean sweep of all our old notions of liberty, even more than the French Revolution made a clean sweep of all the old ideas of loyalty. It is the Church that excommunicates; but in that very word implies that a communion stands open for a restored communicant. It is the State that exterminates; it is the State that abolishes absolutely and altogether; whether it is the American State abolishing beer, or the Fascist State abolishing parties; or the Hitlerite State abolishing almost everything but itself.” -- G. K. Chesterton in The Well and the Shallows (1938)
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Federal governments of many nations -- including the United States -- have become too autocratic during the past few decades.
Apparently, the federal government of the United States has forgotten President Lincoln's words in his Gettysburg Address: A government of the PEOPLE, by the PEOPLE, and for the PEOPLE.
Just one example of the U.S. government usurping the right of its people was the federal government requirement a couple of years ago that all television programming in the United States had to be digital. Consequently, the federal government eliminated all analog programming. The people should have had the right to maintain analog TV programming if they so desired.
The federal government, then, has no right whatsoever to make such decisions that infringe on people's rights. Doing so makes a nation a totalitarian dictatorship, instead of a democracy.
A laissez-faire government -- that is a government that does not "stick its nose" in people's
business -- is the type of government that is necessary to maintain a true democratic form of government.
The Bill of Rights passed away quietly on December 31, 2011, when President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act. Among other things, this act codifies indefinite military detention by the federal government of anyone anywhere without trial or even charge.
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta also let it slip out in March of this year that the United States will seek U.N. approval if we attach Iran, but he'll simply keep Congress (the People!)informed about our military actions.
In short, history certainly supports Chesterton's observations.
Chesterton was right. Wisdom, and we should attend!
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