Holly
01-11-2008, 11:56 AM
I know most people on this forum have a pretty clear understanding of how crucial the message of liberty that RP espouses is. Yes the economy. Yes gold backed currency. Yes a humble foreign policy. But nothing...absolutely nothing...is more important than liberty.
Posting that here, however, is very much preaching to the choir.
Yet I think there are some ways in which the concept of the present degeneration of loss of freedom is still almost academic. I say that because until you either experience it personally or know someone who has, it remains almost theoretical. I thought I understood. I really did.
Today changed that.
I haven't been accosted with a Tazer nor have I discovered the Canadian (where I live) government listening in on my phone calls but I just had a conversation with a man from Russia and it was enlightening. He moved from Russia to the U.S. in 1998 and when his visa expired the government would not renew it. He went through proper channels and has come to be a productive member of society here in Canada. When I mentioned to him that I was very concerned about the ways the laws in the U.S. have been changing so radically in recent years he told me that beginning in 2002 he could see such a strong similarity to what he had known in Russia all his life that he was truly alarmed. Something which also hastened his departure for Canada.
His main points were the way the government has enacted laws that will begin to shut down free speech and he told me about people in Russia who tried to voice an opinion that suddenly just disappeared. When I asked him if he thought many of the people in America were unable to see what is happening he nodded his head. Perhaps this is because those of us in North America have grown up taking for granted the freedoms we have had in the past and consider it unthinkable that there could be any other way of life for us but this conversation opened my eyes just that much more.
I truly do believe Ron Paul is America's last best hope. Your work as you knock on doors, stand out in the cold waving signs, give your money to the campaign and tell your family and friends is a noble fight for freedom. As Naomi Wolf has written, the window of opportunity is closing.
You are all fighting in an incredibly noble cause.
Posting that here, however, is very much preaching to the choir.
Yet I think there are some ways in which the concept of the present degeneration of loss of freedom is still almost academic. I say that because until you either experience it personally or know someone who has, it remains almost theoretical. I thought I understood. I really did.
Today changed that.
I haven't been accosted with a Tazer nor have I discovered the Canadian (where I live) government listening in on my phone calls but I just had a conversation with a man from Russia and it was enlightening. He moved from Russia to the U.S. in 1998 and when his visa expired the government would not renew it. He went through proper channels and has come to be a productive member of society here in Canada. When I mentioned to him that I was very concerned about the ways the laws in the U.S. have been changing so radically in recent years he told me that beginning in 2002 he could see such a strong similarity to what he had known in Russia all his life that he was truly alarmed. Something which also hastened his departure for Canada.
His main points were the way the government has enacted laws that will begin to shut down free speech and he told me about people in Russia who tried to voice an opinion that suddenly just disappeared. When I asked him if he thought many of the people in America were unable to see what is happening he nodded his head. Perhaps this is because those of us in North America have grown up taking for granted the freedoms we have had in the past and consider it unthinkable that there could be any other way of life for us but this conversation opened my eyes just that much more.
I truly do believe Ron Paul is America's last best hope. Your work as you knock on doors, stand out in the cold waving signs, give your money to the campaign and tell your family and friends is a noble fight for freedom. As Naomi Wolf has written, the window of opportunity is closing.
You are all fighting in an incredibly noble cause.