On Life and Liberalism

In perusing some of my favorite blogs, I came across a post on the Delaware Curmudgeon (GirlGeek) that had me enthralled. I didn't think there was anyone out there who viewed Liberalism in the same light as I did. Or maybe I hadn't met anyone that was so willing to speak about it with such reasonable clarity.

While GirlGeek's post is an "address" to college students, who are preparing to enter the "real" world, her words apply to everyone of us, no matter what age you are. If you live, and pay taxes, it applies to YOU. If you don't pay taxes and you're old enough to vote, you're either a pampered housewife, or a welfare case, just go away and finish eating your bon-bons on the sofa while watching your favorite soaps. The rest of us work for a living.

And why am I posting this on my motorcycle blog? Because I'm all about riding free, riding safe. Which constitutes some of the individual rights I'm entitled to. And Liberalism is all about sacrificing my individuality in favor of others. And, ya GirlGeek got me going, and you know what happens when I get on my soapbox....

(Correction 9/10/07: GirlGeek's referenced post is a reprint of a commencement speech made by Neal Boortz, a Texas lawyer and radio talk show host. The reprinted comments further down in my post are also from Neal Boortz.)

On Death and Taxes

With election time approaching once again, I am prepared to vote in favor of my beliefs, regardless of party affiliates. My concerns? My individual rights. My right to live, earn a living through my own efforts, and enjoy the fruits of that hard work. Not those of any group, or affiliation, nor those of any race, religion, or gender. Just my rights, as an individual. Everything I've done in life has been through my own efforts. My choices, my blood, sweat and tears, no hand-outs.

In this country, no, in this world, the only sure things are death and taxes. Now, we all will die sometime, but taxes? I can tell you this right now, if there was a movement by the majority of this country's citizens to refuse to pay taxes on their income, I'd be right there with them. I have no desire to go to jail, which is where I would end up (same as you) if I didn't pay my income taxes. Could they put us all in jail? They could try, but they would not succeed.

Will a movement like this ever happen? I doubt it [reality check], because we all know that people in general can be lumped in with cattle or sheep, blindly following the leader to the next patch of greener grass. Complain they will, but do anything about it, they won't.

My motto? Lead, follow, or get the hell out of my way. But see if you can understand my point of view (and GirlGeek's), and then tell me why you oppose it, if in fact you do.

Now I don't mind paying taxes that go for reasonable government official salaries (notice I said reasonable - I think it's a crime in itself the amount of income for life that politicians get), and I don't mind paying for maintenance/services for which I use, such as roads, bridges, public services, armed services, etc.

However, I highly object to the government using my hard earned cash, for which I put in my own blood, sweat and tears, to support those who are too lazy to earn their own living, or for those immigrants who work here illegally and don't pay taxes, refuse to learn the language (don't get me started), and refuse to integrate themselves into our society.

Liberty and Justice for All. And this means?

Liberty: the right to choose; the freedom to think or act without being constrained by necessity or force

Hmmm, the right to choose? Our Pledge of Allegiance says I have the right to choose. Can I choose not to pay taxes? No. Out of necessity (or go to jail) I must pay taxes, out of force (or the government will seize everything I own) I must pay taxes. Therefore this country does not give Liberty to all.

Justice: fairness; fairness or reasonableness, especially in the way people are treated or decisions are made

Is it fair that I be forced to pay a portion of what I earn to support those who refuse to work for their own living? No. Can a citizen of this country kill another human being out of negligence and walk away unpunished? Yes. It happens every day when an automobile driver kills a motorcyclist. Therefore this country does not provide justice for all.

All: used to indicate that the whole of a particular amount, area, quantity, group or thing is involved or affected

This is perhaps the only word with any weight in this phrase, as we are ALL in this boat together.

Pretty rude awakening, isn't it? Did I just burst that bubble containing your idealistic view of our great country? Great! Now do something about it! Our government works for the people of this country. Allowing them to control us, rather than the other way around, is why our Liberty and Justice is NOT for All.

Free Enterprise

America is the richest country in the world. Every person's standard of living is higher than anywhere else, right down to the "urban outdoorsman" (that's Liberal for a homeless person who prefers to sleep on the the ground, wallowing in their own filth, while clutching that liquor bottle they bought that day with panhandled money - which, by the way, is NOT the same as a deformed homeless child in China, though you may think it is, in your Liberalized mind).

We have the opportunity (notice I said opportunity and not right) to earn a good living in this country. You may become rich, you may not, depending on your degree of ingenuity and motivation, but you will eat and have decent clothes, with even the lowest paying job. Free enterprise provides that. Yes, that's those rich corporate conglomerates who make lots of money, and provide those jobs.

And those rich big business owners? Most of them educated themselves, and through hard work and business savvy, built their business to where it is today. Because they had the opportunity to do so, and took that opportunity. That's what Free Enterprise is. While liberalism is all about the "have nots" wanting everything the "haves" work for, but aren't willing to put forth the same effort.

Unless you are lucky enough to win the lottery, and smart enough to invest it so it grows, the only other option you have is getting an education, working hard for many years, and enjoying a comfortable living. It requires uncanny intelligence, hard work and long hours to grow a business and make it into something that will thrive and make even more money. If you don't have that kind of drive and above average intelligence, it's the luck of the draw and your genes. Go blame your parents if you have to blame someone, but get over it. It isn't your money to take or give away.

I'm not rich, but I earn a good living for myself. I got here through my own will-power and hard work. I had no more advantage than anyone else. I just had the drive and determination to run on my own steam, not someone else's. It's your choice, and if you pass it up and don't exercise that choice, it's no one's fault but your own.

Pride and Greed

Americans have become self-righteous in thinking that our poor are truly unfortunate, but in reality, our poor are much richer by comparison than 3rd world country citizens. Our country is overrun with immigrants from these countries because of this fact. Americans refuse to "lower" themselves and take one of those jobs an immigrant is grateful to have. Rather than do honest work for a living, some feel the need to sit around and do nothing while the government feeds them out of my pocket. Pride and greed will be your downfall.

This is a free country, or is supposed to be. Immigrants have been coming here since the beginning. We are all descendents of immigrants. But when they become American, they need to be American; speak our language, obey our laws, contribute to the same [unfair] tax base, and not expect any more leniency than any other American. I'm half Dutch, but not considered a minority, and neither should any other ethnic group. All that separates us is our individuality, not color nor creed, not religion, and not age or gender. Illegal immigrants who do not contribute to the economy are not entitled to any government assistance. Period.

And, before YOU complain about all those illegal migrant workers in YOUR town, be sure you're willing to go out in those fields, in the hot sun, and pick [you name it], because THEY certainly are. Remember that, when you're sitting in your cozy little sun-porch eating breakfast and you stuff that ripe strawberry in your mouth. And be sure to give thanks at Christmastime when you put up your Christmas tree in your $300,000 home, to all those migrant workers who cut them down for you every year. Again, if you don't like them there, get out of your lazy-boy and do something about it.

In my youth, I had my share of those unskilled jobs. That's all I could get where I lived without a college degree. I took those jobs because it was expected. It was how I was raised; earn your own way. Every single American can do this in this country. But do they? NO. Why is that, do you think? (You can think, can't you?)

I'll tell you why. The lure of free and easy is a powerful motive. Liberalism provides that "free and easy" route, touting our poor and homeless as having the God given right to our hard earned pay, yours and mine. It's dishonesty in disguise. Stealing. I earned it, I gave hours and labor for it. It should be mine to do with as I see fit. All of it.

Liberty and Justice For All, One Nation Under God, Thou shalt not steal. Our government makes a mockery of these words.

Age and Wisdom

If you allow politicians to be voted into office who support giving away your hard earned cash, you deserve to lose it. In fact, give them more. Don't want to? Why not? Liberals are willing to give away MY hard earned cash.

And if you're a college student? Well, I remember being there, and it didn't take me long to figure out the error of my ways. It's one of those things you only get from age - a thing called wisdom.

Or, if you're one of those "bleeding heart" Liberals, you obviously won't agree. How about we just give all your income away to those poor "unfortunates". I mean, gee, if you really feel that strongly about it, hey, I don't mind who you want to give your income to. Perhaps another caring sensitive Liberal will give you his/her income so you can survive after you've given away all of yours.

Below is an excerpt from GirlGeek's post. Ditto on every comment, plus a few of my own. Kudos to you GirlGeek, for speaking to our youth without pulling the proverbial punches. Sadly, I well remember my youth and how I already "knew everything" back then. I'm hoping there's a few who will see the wisdom of your words.

Random thoughts from GirlGeek:

• You need to register to vote, unless you are on welfare. If you are living off the efforts of others, please do us the favor of sitting down and shutting up until you are on your own again.
• When you do vote, your votes for the House and the Senate are more important than your vote for president. The House controls the purse strings, so concentrate your awareness there.
• Liars cannot be trusted, even when the liar is the president of the country. If someone can't deal honestly with you, send them packing.
• Don't bow to the temptation to use the government as an instrument of plunder. If it is wrong for you to take money from someone else who earned it -- to take their money by force for your own needs -- then it is certainly just as wrong for you to demand that the government step forward and do this dirty work for you.
• Don't look in other people's pockets. You have no business there. What they earn is theirs. What you earn is yours. Keep it that way. Nobody owes you anything, except to respect your privacy and your rights, and leave you the hell alone.
• Speaking of earning, the revered 40-hour workweek is for losers. Forty hours should be considered the minimum, not the maximum. You don't see highly successful people clocking out of the office every afternoon at five. The losers are the ones caught up in that afternoon rush hour. The winners drive home in the dark.
• Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection.
• Finally (and aren't you glad to hear that word), as Og Mandino wrote, 1. Proclaim your rarity. Each of you is a rare and unique human being. 2. Use wisely your power of choice. 3. Go the extra mile ... drive home in the dark.
• Oh, and put off buying a television set as long as you can.

And my own additions:

• Wisdom comes with age. No matter what your parents' education is, they DO know more than you do. Unless you prefer to do everything the hard way, ask someone who's been there done that. It could save you years of living with a major mistake.
• Blame no one but yourself for the choices you make. To do otherwise lowers yourself to the equivalent of "whale dung".
• Never complain about your lot in life unless you are willing to put forth the effort to improve it. I've got news for you: Your ship is NOT coming in. Donald Trump is NOT going to adopt you. Get off your ass and earn your own keep. If you don't like your job, get a better/different one.
• It's OK to give your money away to those who need it, as long as you earned it.
• Don't speak for me. I belong to a group of ONE. I'll speak for myself, thank you very much.
• Whether you follow a religion or not, live by the principles of the 10 Commandments. If you don't, you'll answer to MY God.
• Never let anyone tell you something is out of your reach because of your age, race, gender, or sexual preference. We all have the same opportunities, go for it with gusto, provided it doesn't violate another's rights.
• The primary group you should ever stand up for, speak for, live for, die for, is the unique individual that you are. Protect your individuality, nurture it, develop it to your fullest. All that you are, and can be, is the best contribution you can make to others, and this country.
• When you get behind the wheel of a car, remember that you are in control of a 5000 lb potential murder weapon. Drive it like a loaded 357 magnum with a hair trigger.
• Oh, and never get in a car with someone you don't know, especially if there are no inside door handles...

A note to Liberal politicians: If you're going to expound on the needs of this group, or that group, could you please add motorcyclists to your list of groups? We are dying everyday at the hands of Americans everywhere, with no justice. It might be nice for a change to see you stand up for true justice of a victimized group of Americans. I certainly don't mind some of my tax dollars going to help protect this group...

Ya, like that's ever going to happen! SG1 to the rescue!

Live free, ride free, pay taxes. It's the American way. Well, taxes are anyway.