Chuck Baldwin
Everyone loves a police state
By Chuck Baldwin
A few years ago, Reuters News reported that a nationwide poll conducted of the Russian people found that former dictator Josef Stalin was voted the third most popular historical figure. Over one-third of the Russian population participated in the poll.
See the report here:
Dictator Stalin Voted Third Most Popular Russian
Can you imagine? Stalin just might be the greatest mass-murderer in human history. Estimates of the body count during Stalin's reign of terror range anywhere from 20-60 million, and that doesn't include the millions of people who were starved, imprisoned, and tortured but who didn't die. Only China's Mao Tse-tung rivals Stalin's butchery. Then, again, many Chinese people still love Mao Tse-tung, too.
How is it that people can laud and honor tyrants and butchers? How can people so easily submit to slavery and despotism?
No tyrant rises to power calling himself a tyrant. Tyranny is never sold as tyranny. Every tyrannical regime of history considered itself to be patriotic and compassionate; and the people who supported and submitted to such regimes considered themselves to be patriotic and compassionate, as well. The police state is never called that by those who promote it; they call it "law and order," "keeping the peace," "protecting the homeland," etc.
Ask the average American today about the possibility that our country could become a police state and the common response is, "That could never happen here." But, ladies and gentlemen, it is already happening here. And, furthermore, it seems that the vast majority of the American people are all in favor it. Republicans love it; Democrats love it; Christians love it; politicians love it; police officers love it; pastors love it; school teachers love it; businessmen love it; everyone loves a police state.
Threaten to remove Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty, and Christians and conservatives come out of the woodwork in righteous indignation. Threaten to put a Nativity scene on some courthouse lawn, and Democrats and liberals come out of the woodwork in righteous indignation. But propose laws that strip the American people of their God-ordained liberties protected by the Bill of Rights, and conservatives and liberals alike, Christians and unbelievers alike, think it's just about the greatest thing since sliced bread.
You don't believe that? Try this news story on for size:
According to a World Net Daily report, "The 2014 NDAA was fast-tracked through the U.S. Senate, with no time for discussion or amendments, while most Americans were distracted by the scandal surrounding A&E's troubles with 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson.
"Eighty-five of 100 senators voted in favor of the new version of the NDAA, which had already been quietly passed by the House of Representatives."
The report continued saying, "Section 1021 allows the detention of anyone, including American citizens, by the military, if the president considers that person to have helped with terror."
The report further said, "Congress specifically expressed its desire for the detention provision to apply to American citizens even on American soil by rejecting multiple amendments that would have exempted them."
So, where are the notable leaders of the Religious Right? Where are the liberal groups? Where is the national media? Where are the talking heads from the right and the left? With precious few exceptions, they are absolutely silent on the subject. Why? Because they like it.
Liberals never met a big-government program or proposal they didn't like. If it increases the size and scope of government, liberals love it. Conservatives love anything that smacks of "law and order." (A word of caution: you never want to be the defendant in a courtroom where the jury is stacked with conservatives. If you do, you're dead meat, friend.) And Christians get goose bumps up their spine about anything they think resembles Romans 13. Give government more power over our lives and listen to the Hallelujahs ringing out from the all of these 501c3 churches. And ditto for most of the talking heads on radio and television and the vast majority of the pundits and spokesmen from the national news media. Like I said, everyone loves a police state.
Well, not everyone, thank God!
The same WND report mentioned above states, "Some of the nation's most respected legal teams are asking the Supreme Court to take up a challenge to the indefinite-detention provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act, charging the law has created the framework for a police state.
"The controversial provision authorizes the military, under presidential authority, to arrest, kidnap, detain without trial and hold indefinitely American citizens thought to 'represent an enduring security threat to the United States.'
"Journalist Chris Hedges is among the plaintiffs charging the law could be used to target journalists who report on terror-related issues.
A friend-of-the-court brief submitted in the case states: 'The central question now before this court is whether the federal judiciary will stand idly by while Congress and the president establish the legal framework for the establishment of a police state and the subjugation of the American citizenry through the threat of indefinite military arrest and detention, without the right to counsel, the right to confront one's accusers, or the right to trial.'
"The brief was submitted to the Supreme Court by attorneys with the U.S. Justice Foundation of Ramona, Calif., Friedman Harfenist Kraut & Perlstein of Lake Success, N.Y., and William J. Olson, P.C. of Vienna, Va."
See the report here:
Congress Grants Obama Free Rein For Martial Law
Believe it or not, there was a time in this country when people from both sides of the political aisle believed in freedom. I know it's hard to imagine, but there was a time in this country when pastors from virtually every denomination believed in freedom. Not only did they believe in it; they fought for it. It seems like a long time ago.
Have you taken a close look at your State and local police agencies lately? More and more, our police officers and sheriff's deputies resemble soldiers more than they do peace officers. I challenge you to Google "police abuse." What you will discover will shock you. And, for all intents and purposes, the folks who live in many Northeastern states – along with California and Illinois – are already living in a State that is more controlled than many foreign countries, including some of the countries that we would call oppressive. And even our freer states are feeling the heavy hand of Big Brother more and more each day.
In fact, if you want to really get a taste of a police state, just move into some neighborhoods with their Gestapo-like Home Owner Associations (HOA). I'm telling you, some of these HOA rival anything Adolf Hitler could dream up.
Folks, take a good, hard look at reality: America is already in the beginning throes of a police state. Orwell's "1984" and Huxley's "Brave New World" are here. And far, far too many people seem fine with it.
I tell you the truth: I am to the point where I don't know what to call myself. "Conservative" means nothing today. Nothing! One can be a "conservative" and believe in Big Government, undeclared wars of intervention, debt-driven economics, socialized medicine, increased taxes, and, of course, a police state. Likewise, "Christian" means nothing today. Nothing! One can be a "Christian" and believe in Big Government, undeclared wars of intervention, debt-driven economics, socialized medicine, increased taxes, and, of course, a police state. Oh, many "conservatives" and "Christians" might SAY they don't believe in these things, but their actions (or lack of them) speak louder than their words.
A big THANK YOU is in order for Bill Olson, Herb Titus, Chris Hedges, et al. And THANK YOU to all of you folks out there who see what's going on and are actively engaged in "the holy cause of liberty." (Patrick Henry) I am your brother and compatriot, no matter what you call yourself. At this point, we aren't conservatives or liberals, Christians or unbelievers; we are freedomists or statists.
Tyrants such as Joe Stalin and Mao Tse-tung might be popular with some people, and a burgeoning police state might be popular with some people, but there is a whole host of us in these United States who aren't going to the gulags and gas chambers peacefully. And unlike the peasants of Europe and Asia, we aren't surrendering our means of self-defense, either.
No, not everyone loves a police state.
© Chuck Baldwin
February 1, 2014
A few years ago, Reuters News reported that a nationwide poll conducted of the Russian people found that former dictator Josef Stalin was voted the third most popular historical figure. Over one-third of the Russian population participated in the poll.
See the report here:
Dictator Stalin Voted Third Most Popular Russian
Can you imagine? Stalin just might be the greatest mass-murderer in human history. Estimates of the body count during Stalin's reign of terror range anywhere from 20-60 million, and that doesn't include the millions of people who were starved, imprisoned, and tortured but who didn't die. Only China's Mao Tse-tung rivals Stalin's butchery. Then, again, many Chinese people still love Mao Tse-tung, too.
How is it that people can laud and honor tyrants and butchers? How can people so easily submit to slavery and despotism?
No tyrant rises to power calling himself a tyrant. Tyranny is never sold as tyranny. Every tyrannical regime of history considered itself to be patriotic and compassionate; and the people who supported and submitted to such regimes considered themselves to be patriotic and compassionate, as well. The police state is never called that by those who promote it; they call it "law and order," "keeping the peace," "protecting the homeland," etc.
Ask the average American today about the possibility that our country could become a police state and the common response is, "That could never happen here." But, ladies and gentlemen, it is already happening here. And, furthermore, it seems that the vast majority of the American people are all in favor it. Republicans love it; Democrats love it; Christians love it; politicians love it; police officers love it; pastors love it; school teachers love it; businessmen love it; everyone loves a police state.
Threaten to remove Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty, and Christians and conservatives come out of the woodwork in righteous indignation. Threaten to put a Nativity scene on some courthouse lawn, and Democrats and liberals come out of the woodwork in righteous indignation. But propose laws that strip the American people of their God-ordained liberties protected by the Bill of Rights, and conservatives and liberals alike, Christians and unbelievers alike, think it's just about the greatest thing since sliced bread.
You don't believe that? Try this news story on for size:
According to a World Net Daily report, "The 2014 NDAA was fast-tracked through the U.S. Senate, with no time for discussion or amendments, while most Americans were distracted by the scandal surrounding A&E's troubles with 'Duck Dynasty' star Phil Robertson.
"Eighty-five of 100 senators voted in favor of the new version of the NDAA, which had already been quietly passed by the House of Representatives."
The report continued saying, "Section 1021 allows the detention of anyone, including American citizens, by the military, if the president considers that person to have helped with terror."
The report further said, "Congress specifically expressed its desire for the detention provision to apply to American citizens even on American soil by rejecting multiple amendments that would have exempted them."
So, where are the notable leaders of the Religious Right? Where are the liberal groups? Where is the national media? Where are the talking heads from the right and the left? With precious few exceptions, they are absolutely silent on the subject. Why? Because they like it.
Liberals never met a big-government program or proposal they didn't like. If it increases the size and scope of government, liberals love it. Conservatives love anything that smacks of "law and order." (A word of caution: you never want to be the defendant in a courtroom where the jury is stacked with conservatives. If you do, you're dead meat, friend.) And Christians get goose bumps up their spine about anything they think resembles Romans 13. Give government more power over our lives and listen to the Hallelujahs ringing out from the all of these 501c3 churches. And ditto for most of the talking heads on radio and television and the vast majority of the pundits and spokesmen from the national news media. Like I said, everyone loves a police state.
Well, not everyone, thank God!
The same WND report mentioned above states, "Some of the nation's most respected legal teams are asking the Supreme Court to take up a challenge to the indefinite-detention provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act, charging the law has created the framework for a police state.
"The controversial provision authorizes the military, under presidential authority, to arrest, kidnap, detain without trial and hold indefinitely American citizens thought to 'represent an enduring security threat to the United States.'
"Journalist Chris Hedges is among the plaintiffs charging the law could be used to target journalists who report on terror-related issues.
A friend-of-the-court brief submitted in the case states: 'The central question now before this court is whether the federal judiciary will stand idly by while Congress and the president establish the legal framework for the establishment of a police state and the subjugation of the American citizenry through the threat of indefinite military arrest and detention, without the right to counsel, the right to confront one's accusers, or the right to trial.'
"The brief was submitted to the Supreme Court by attorneys with the U.S. Justice Foundation of Ramona, Calif., Friedman Harfenist Kraut & Perlstein of Lake Success, N.Y., and William J. Olson, P.C. of Vienna, Va."
See the report here:
Congress Grants Obama Free Rein For Martial Law
Believe it or not, there was a time in this country when people from both sides of the political aisle believed in freedom. I know it's hard to imagine, but there was a time in this country when pastors from virtually every denomination believed in freedom. Not only did they believe in it; they fought for it. It seems like a long time ago.
Have you taken a close look at your State and local police agencies lately? More and more, our police officers and sheriff's deputies resemble soldiers more than they do peace officers. I challenge you to Google "police abuse." What you will discover will shock you. And, for all intents and purposes, the folks who live in many Northeastern states – along with California and Illinois – are already living in a State that is more controlled than many foreign countries, including some of the countries that we would call oppressive. And even our freer states are feeling the heavy hand of Big Brother more and more each day.
In fact, if you want to really get a taste of a police state, just move into some neighborhoods with their Gestapo-like Home Owner Associations (HOA). I'm telling you, some of these HOA rival anything Adolf Hitler could dream up.
Folks, take a good, hard look at reality: America is already in the beginning throes of a police state. Orwell's "1984" and Huxley's "Brave New World" are here. And far, far too many people seem fine with it.
I tell you the truth: I am to the point where I don't know what to call myself. "Conservative" means nothing today. Nothing! One can be a "conservative" and believe in Big Government, undeclared wars of intervention, debt-driven economics, socialized medicine, increased taxes, and, of course, a police state. Likewise, "Christian" means nothing today. Nothing! One can be a "Christian" and believe in Big Government, undeclared wars of intervention, debt-driven economics, socialized medicine, increased taxes, and, of course, a police state. Oh, many "conservatives" and "Christians" might SAY they don't believe in these things, but their actions (or lack of them) speak louder than their words.
A big THANK YOU is in order for Bill Olson, Herb Titus, Chris Hedges, et al. And THANK YOU to all of you folks out there who see what's going on and are actively engaged in "the holy cause of liberty." (Patrick Henry) I am your brother and compatriot, no matter what you call yourself. At this point, we aren't conservatives or liberals, Christians or unbelievers; we are freedomists or statists.
Tyrants such as Joe Stalin and Mao Tse-tung might be popular with some people, and a burgeoning police state might be popular with some people, but there is a whole host of us in these United States who aren't going to the gulags and gas chambers peacefully. And unlike the peasants of Europe and Asia, we aren't surrendering our means of self-defense, either.
No, not everyone loves a police state.
© Chuck Baldwin
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(See RenewAmerica's publishing standards.)
