Viva! A Brief History Lesson

[a la izquierda]

I'll start off by saying that I'm sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I'm still new at this.
I'll also mention that I have no great love for what the "founding fathers" did to people of color. But what they did against oppression is the point of this post.

I think that those men who founded our nation must be twirling in their graves. The things that go on in the name of patriotism must make them ill from whatever realm they are in. What goes on in God's name must make him or her equally ill.

I have to know: where are the patriots? Where is the spirit of those who stood up against oppression in 1763? And where is the spirit of those who died between 1775 and 1783? Did they die in vain? How about the spirit of the 1960s? Did Dr. King die in vain?
Once upon a time people stood up against things they knew were so wrong. They stood up against non-existent representation in the British Parliament. They stood up against oppression by tyrants. They fought, bled and died for their homes and freedoms, even if they weren't entirely sure what those freedoms actually entailed. And though they persecuted Native Americans for doing the very same thing (a fact which I abhor, but must deal with), they stood up for beliefs, no matter how wrong history may view those very ideas.
Once upon a time, the oppressed rose up against tyranny! Slaves rose against their masters, hoping to break the chains of bondage. And they succeeded, to a degree. There is more to be done.
Where are the women who began fighting for their right to be heard in the 1850s? Have they been swallowed by men, once again, the rights to their bodies determined by bureaucrats?
Where are the Martin Luther King's of OUR generation, the generation of those born in the 1970s, who knew only the fear of Cold War in our childhood, and the fear of terrorism and apocalypse in the new millennium. Where the hell are our strong leaders, who would lead us through the darkness of today to a brighter tomorrow?
They are, I'm afraid, long dead and buried. Because the character that lead us through our most troubled times has died. Or has it?

Kennedy once said, Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. FDR said, The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. There should be nothing to fear. The people must rise up-our country is in dire need of fresh blood to lead it through the darkness of the past 6 years.
We are quick to judge the revolutionary movements of other nations-a dose of revolutionary fervor is what this desperate nation needs. Not God, but action. And not necessarily bombs, but the actions of a fed-up populace. We've allowed for them to divide us...desire to be truly free must unite us.

[The Traveler]

1. I won;t apologize

for the sins of our forefathers. Rather, I marvel at their accomplishments.

They were not perfect. We revile, properly, many of their deeds. But it is their most noble deeds that allow us the perspective wherein we may correctly perceive their wrongs, their limitations.

We stand on their shoulders, and can strive for better things. The question is: Are we?

I take your point. My point is the long climb of humanity out of the sewers of savagery is by no means complete. Our founding fathers gained some height through their efforts, but they were still savages as, in many respects, are we. But, as Jefferson so clearly said, they were expecting us to continue that struggle, to grow in wisdom and knowledge and humanity. In his view, when we came to see him and his people as savages, his efforts would have been rewarded ... for we would have progressed.

And that, ultimately, is what they really hoped for, to give future generations a chance to do better. Do we still keep that faith?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

2. Where is the spirit of those who stood up against oppression in 1763?

It died on a couch in front of the TV with a pretzel lodged in it's throat.










If only someone could remember how to perform the Heimlich.... :(



:snarkoff:





History will remember the heros... Zinn, Gore, maybe, one of us...





"...the darkness of the past 6 years."

Twilight began over 45 years ago.






You should post more often. :thumbsup:

[itzamirakul]

3. Great post! You ask where they are...the patriots, those with the

spirit to stand up against oppression...Well, the descendants of those brave souls are mostly sitting complacently somewhere, either pleased with the current administration and its crimes and cruelties or else content to sit and wait for another mythical election that will somehow "straighten things out."

For the most part they cannot be "bothered" by any situation that does not affect them or their family directly. No one wants to take a leadership role because of the "slings and arrows," they will be forced to endure. They have seen what happens to martyrs like Dr. King. They die violently and young, so most potential leaders today put aside career aspirations of being populace leaders. Besides, who wants to be held up to public ridicule for taking an unpopular stance?

The children of the brave souls that you mentioned have for a large part turned into a nation of Paris Hiltons. Desiring celebrity, but not willing to work for it. Feeling that it is inherently their right to have what they want without fighting for it. As long as they have the money they are willing to pay someone else to get that celebrity for them. I think that much of America will not miss their freedoms until those freedoms are lost. At present, America is still too comfortable in its riches and too willing to pay mercenaries and proxies to do battle in their place.

I am going to stop now because the news is coming across that Cstro is turning power over to his brother temporarily. I want to get more of THAT news.