Some quotes from the 5000 Year Leap…

After eight years in exile as a communist- living in the USSR, Eldridge Cleaver asked to be allowed to return to the United States and pay whatever penalty he was due. He and his wife were no longer communists (or atheists). Bitter years behind the iron and bamboo curtains had dispelled the propaganda concerning “equality” and “justice” under communism. Cleaver told the press: “ I would rather be in jail in America than be free anywhere else.”

The founders distinguished between equal rights and other areas where equality is impossible. They recognized that society should seek to provide equal opportunity but not expect equal results; provide equal freedom but not expect equal capacity; provide equal rights but not equal possessions; provide equal protection but not equal status; provide equal educational opportunities but not ensure equal grades…

Benjamin Franklin’s view on counter-productive compassion-
1- Compassion which gives a drunk the means to increase his drunkenness is counter-productive
2- Compassion which breeds debilitating dependency and weakness is counter-productive
3- Compassion which blunts the desire or necessity to work for a living in counter productive.
4- Compassion which smothers the instinct to strive and excel is counter-productive

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly, all experience has shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But, when a long train of abuses and usurpation pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

The government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people and that, when any government shall be found inadequate or contrary to these purposes, a MAJORITY of the community have an inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish it, in a manner as shall be judged most conducive to the public weal.
The reason I feel this last paragraph is so significant is because we do not have the right of MINORITY revolt. Starting a militia and blowing up the Oklahoma City Federal Building is not an option. It has to come at a time when the majority of people are willing to stand up and say- NO MORE. Many of the same arguments that were used to justify our seceding from England exist today- some of the abuses today are much worse- but until we all get fed up enough to stand up and say “no more” as the majority of the people- we have no right to real change. I am not sure I see that happening any time soon although I am very frustrated with the politics of today…