IP: A Sad State of Affairs

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

The URL is http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2001/cr102501.htm
> From: "RV Head" <4whp () home com>
> To: "Farber () Cis Upenn Edu" <farber () cis upenn edu>
>
> Unfortunately I do not have a URL for this speech ...
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> > A Sad State of Affairs
> > > by Congressman Ron Paul, MD
> > >
> > > It breaks my heart to see what is happening to our country
> > > today. All Americans have grieved over the losses served on
> > > 9-11. The grief for those who lost loved ones is beyond
> > > description. These losses have precipitated unprecedented
> > > giving to help the families left behind. Unless one has
> > > suffered directly, it is difficult to fully comprehend the
> > > tragic and sudden loss of close friends and family.
> > >
> > > There are some who, in addition to feeling this huge sense
> > > of personal loss that all Americans share, grieve for other
> > > serious and profound reasons. For instance, many thoughtful
> > > Americans are convinced that the tragedy of 9-11 was
> > > preventable. Since that may well be true, this provokes a
> > > tragic sadness, especially for those who understand how the
> > > events of 9-11 needlessly came about.
> > >
> > > The reason why this is so sad and should be thoroughly
> > > understood is that so often the ones who suggest how our
> > > policies may have played a role in evoking the attacks are
> > > demonized as unpatriotic and are harshly dismissed as
> > > belonging to the "blame America crowd."
> > >
> > > Those who are so anxious to condemn do not realize that
> > > the policies of the American Government, designed by
> > > politicians and bureaucrats, are not always synonymous
> > > with American ideals. The country is not the same as the
> > > Government. The spirit of America is hardly something
> > > for which the Government holds a monopoly on defining.
> > >
> > > America's heart and soul is more embedded in our love of
> > > liberty, self-reliance, and tolerance than by our foreign
> > > policy, driven by powerful special interests with little
> > > regard for the Constitution.
> > >
> > > Throughout our early history, a policy of minding our own
> > > business and avoiding entangling alliances, as George
> > > Washington admonished, was more representative of American
> > > ideals than those we have pursued for the past 50 years.
> > > Some sincere Americans have suggested that our modern
> > > interventionist policy set the stage for the attacks of
> > > 9-11, and for this, they are condemned as being unpatriotic.
> > >
> > > This compounds the sadness and heartbreak that some Americans
> > > are feeling. Threats, loss of jobs, censorship and public
> > > mockery have been heaped upon those who have made this
> > > suggestion. Freedom of expression and thought, the bedrock
> > > of the American Republic, is now too often condemned as
> > > something viciously evil. This should cause freedom-loving
> > > Americans to weep from broken hearts.
> > >
> > > Another reason the hearts of many Americans are heavy with
> > > grief is because they dread what might come from the many
> > > new and broad powers the Government is demanding in the name
> > > of providing security. Daniel Webster once warned, "Human
> > > beings will generally exercise power when they can get
> > > it, and they will exercise it most undoubtedly in popular
> > > governments under pretense of public safety."
> > >
> > > A strong case can be made that the Government regulations,
> > > along with a lack of private property responsibility, contributed
> > > to this tragedy, but what is proposed? More regulations and even
> > > a takeover of all airport security by the Government.
> > >

<snip>


For archives see:
http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/