Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Perception vs Reality

(Source)
Had a message from Chicago Dave yesterday, wondering where my Gettysburg post was. I had to apologize and confess that there would be no Gettysburg post this year. With The WSO and her lasses in town, time for blogging has been at a premium and historical posts, if done right, take a lot of time.

I thought about rerunning an old post, I've done a couple, but decided not to, for reasons you'll read in a moment. (This Gettysburg post from four years ago remains a favorite, go check it out if you wish.)

Now I did "battle month" for June, lots of famous battles in that month, I covered a few, one I skipped, intentionally. Some of you may have wondered, that as I am married to a lovely Korean lady, why I made no mention of the anniversary (on the 25th of June) of the North Korean invasion of the South. Well, simple really.

After the meetings between Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae In, then between Mr. Kim and President Trump, I have high hopes for peace on the peninsula. Not posting about that old (and technically ongoing) conflict is me rather holding my breath (metaphorically speaking) hoping not to jinx the prospects for peace. (Modern man though I be, the primitive in me still looks for portents and is a rather superstitious old geezer.)

So Sarge, what the Hell does that have to do with Gettysburg?

Well, before I get into that, let me tell you a story.

It was back in 2007, I still watched and semi-believed the news media. I started hearing rumbles of a down turn in the economy, I looked around, didn't see it, didn't understand where these predictions were coming from. But people started conserving their disposable income.

"Let's skip dinner out tonight, the news says we're in for hard times. Best to keep that cash around, just in case."

The Missus Herself actually said that one day on a trip to meet up with friends for dinner. I thought the idea was preposterous. I was employed, making good money, everyone I knew was also employed and doing fairly well.

My thought was that if everyone believed the news, then people would not spend as much money as they had before. Which would mean people who's livelihood depended on other people buying stuff would no doubt sell less stuff. Which means they might have to let a few employees go. Some places might actually go out of business.

Hey, hard times are coming, better save your dough. People not spending means fewer jobs, and bingo, self-fulfilling prophecy.

That was my take on things. The media lied to us, we bought it, we screwed ourselves by listening to them. So I stopped listening.

In church on Sunday our pastor was concerned about things he'd heard or seen on the "cable news stations" (as he put it). Strife and maybe even forthcoming civil war.

Excuse me, where?

Yes, there are things happening in some cities. If the media didn't cover them, they wouldn't happen. It's all made up nonsense generated by people who want to control every aspect of your life. They don't trust us anymore because we, the people, elected the wrong person to office.

And that pesky Constitution? Those who "know better" think they should run things without having to listen to the words written by a bunch of "dead white guys" over 200 years ago. Dear Lord the world is going to end because another person who actually is willing to uphold their oath of office might actually get on the Supreme Court.

Far better to let someone be guided by their "feelings" as opposed to what is actually the law. A body of laws which has worked rather well so far. We only get into trouble when we attempt to tweak, or baldly misinterpret, what is written in the Constitution of the United States.

Civil War is not, I repeat, not imminent. The media wants it because we don't trust them anymore, they and their paymasters, want to be in charge without benefit of legality and without we pesky citizens bothering them with the law and our actual rights (among which is most certainly not a right not to be "offended").

So rather than post about an older time when brother murdered brother for the sake of a few politicians' need to wield power over others, I will speak of no Civil War, nor its battles. At least not now, not during a celebration of our independence from a far off King and his so-called, "nobles." We in this nation should look at each other and not see the differences, but rather see the similarities.

There are those who would see a wedge driven between certain groups in this nation, for their own sordid political reasons. They don't want to play by the rules, so they will try and sell us their own perception of reality. Don't buy into it.

Because that's all it takes for evil to triumph.

May you enjoy this, our Independence Day. Celebrate liberty and freedom, 'tis a rare thing indeed.



32 comments:

  1. Hear hear Sarge, well written. Celebrate liberty and let freedom RING!

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    1. Thanks Nylon12.

      Just got back from the parade, bloody hot out there, though not as bad as some years.

      Delete
  2. Yes! This is a great country, we have so many blessings, many times I think that we either forget, or just don't know all that we have to be grateful for. One of the advantages of serving in the military is that you can travel and see how other countries live...the reality, not the movie depiction. Which leads to a renewed appreciation for life in this country.

    Enjoy your family time this Independence Day. Let us remember all of those who gave so much that we can have a day to celebrate all that we have.

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  3. In 2008, my CEO took a 25% pay cut, the VP class took 10%, and I got a 5% cut. I barely made that back when raises were re instituted. Then, magically, we were told, that .gov took exception to our salaried status, said we were only hourly types. That change made our current pay well above the top hourly wage, and froze our wages. I've not see a real raise since 2007. The Chapwood index makes it clear that local 8.8% real inflation is eating my paycheck before I see it.....

    2008 is still ongoing for me.....

    I sure hope you are right about the shooting part of a new civil war. But I'm holding my cards... Things may look different in RI than they do in the Kalifornia Refugee Camp down this way.

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    1. Everybody should be able to buy a house, even if they can't pay back the loans. - Slick Willie.

      No, just no. We're all still paying for that fiasco.

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  4. I am of the version of people that say we have a " civil war" every election cycle. One that determines if the people have more or less freedom. And fewer rules doesn't imply more freedom for the workers. Or more civility.

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  5. And a Happy Independence Day to you, and to all.

    Bless you for not saying "Happy 4th!"

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    Replies
    1. Well, that is something we say up in the Northeast.

      I am not such a purist, as long as it's written out, e.g. "Happy Fourth of July!" It's a thing.

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  6. Well said - as usual. I too am cautiously optimistic about our country's future. But that doesn't mean I am going to go blithely along with my head in the sand. As to those who live here and enjoy the bountiful freedom we have, yet who want to turn us into a socialist paradise, even in small increments, they must not have traveled much or read much history. Enjoy your Independence Day as we remember the bravery, wisdom and accomplishments of those 'dead white guys' that knew that human nature doesn't change even though technology does.

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    1. Gotta maintain situational awareness at all times, head on a swivel, etc., etc.

      Those leftists are a slippery and sneaky lot.

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  7. So very well said, thank you! While I also don't believe that civil war imminent, I will repeat a quote my grandfather kept on his office wall all his years. It's from the Scottish Treaty of Arbroath -- "It is not for honor or glory or wealth that we fight, but for freedom alone, which no good man gives up except with his life." Maybe it's just my Celtic blood but I've always liked this and it's always stuck with me.

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    1. Honor, glory, and wealth have no value without freedom.

      My own Celtic blood agrees.

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  8. It's like the media suddenly quit laughing at those on the right who had spent a previous 24 years chafing, quietly, under oppressive new rules, regulations and guidelines (for that is what an Executive Order is, a "Uh, I think this, therefore that is how we're going to play where the ball lies this time" thing) and finally noticed that those on the right (which delineating line kept moving more left as more and more 'moderates' took one, two, three steps or more to the right) weren't just mullet-wearing, sloped forehead, drunken idiots.

    I think it scared them (the press) that the lies they had been spinning, and that they believed, weren't real. Now they're cornered, and slinging yellow journalism worse than Mr. Hearst could ever imagine.

    As to the economic downturn in 2007, my feelings are twofold on that particular mess. The true economic hit, caused by William J. Clinton and his crack team of immoralists and Barney Frank's revision of Fanny Mae/Freddy Mac. Seriously, who really thought sub-prime loans to people who had no chance of paying them back was a good idea? A few, minor, inconsequential changes to banking regs during the 92-00 presidency and, poof, one giant economic landmine was lying right in the road to freedom. But no-one could or would steer the federal car away from it. Which leads to...

    Who exactly popped from obscurity starting about the same time that the Media (hwack-ptoooie) started finally noticing that the Clinton and Frank improvements to our economy were going to end up in a downturn, a recession of some minor consequence (if people had let it be and burn itself out, maybe with the ashes of some large companies that are now, finally going to die in the next few years the death they should have suffered in the 08s) blown up all out of proportions at the same time a certain faction fought against any sensible fixings of said Clinton and Franks financial blunders until the whole ball of wax resulted in Barkey the Wonder (as in, who the heck is he?) President.

    Bleh.

    We, as a nation, stood at the crossroads in November of 2007. To quote "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" we as a nation, "Chose Wisely." We are now seeing the chains that have held us in slavery to an oppressive federal socialist (almost a national socialist, but not quite) government and shadow government. November 9th, 2007 was our Declaration of Freedom, our renewal of the Declaration of Independence. We have a long road ahead of us to achieve even a 10th of what freedoms we as a nation lost in the last 50 years, but it's a start. And the changes seem to be on a logarithmic scale, first just one here, one there, now, we've had 4 significant changes in the Supreme Court just last week alone.

    Freedom is scary. The freedom to fall and hurt oneself. The freedom to fail. The freedom of movement, of space. Some, many, enjoy these freedoms, have been chafing against the collars around their necks, the fetters on their ankles, that have kept them back.

    Others love their collars and fetters, and rejoice in having more and more control taken away from them. Those are the ones who are now screaming the loudest as the dreaded objects of an invisible slavery are stricken from them.

    I will enjoy this Independence Day. Knowing that my fellow Americans, my fellow Citizens, all can stand taller today than yesterday, and can look forward to standing even taller tomorrow.

    (Note: None of the positivity postulated by the English side of me has quite counteracted the more glum and pessimistic German side of me. So... Enjoy the Light of these new days, but check your preps and keep your powder dry. For that is the mark of a truly free man, one who can defend himself and others from Tyranny (or, well, storms. Storms are bad.)

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    1. The media needs to wake up. I see them and I hear the theme from "Jaws."

      Their lies won't last long in the light of a free people.

      (And yes, storms are bad, very bad.)

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    2. Did someone mention the media?

      These 15 Billionaires Own America's News Media Companies
      https://www.forbes.com/sites/katevinton/2016/06/01/these-15-billionaires-own-americas-news-media-companies/

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    3. We have nothing to fear but Fear itself. And Bears. Fear Bears. Bears will kill you...

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    4. Rob.

      How many people know that the news group that provides news coverage overseas for AP, BBC, UPI and all western media is owned by... radical muslims? Makes you wonder when you see anything from any 'stringer' style reporter what is actually going on.

      Yeah, news controlled by a very tight click of rich liberals and foreign powers that are not particularly friendly towards the American way of Life (and today, not even Superman is for the American Way of Life. No.. he's a socialist. Cap America is an actual Nazi, Thor is a chick, my youth has been destroyed...)

      On the other hand, well, President Trump, President Trump, President Trump. Cankles McPantsuit is not the President. President Trump, President Trump, President Trump! Yehaw!!!

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    5. I awake each morning in a land where Shrillary is NOT president. Thankful for that I am.

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    6. 2007? Or 2017? The first preceded a dark period the second may be a road out.

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    7. We're starting to learn who we can trust. The MSM isn't on that list.

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  9. The downturn started when the Democrats retook Congress, and worked against the economy to insure a Democrat President.
    Didn't a Senator, or Congressman just publicly state that we needed a recession to get rid of Trump?

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  10. Thank you for another brilliant post. The previous commenters are also at the usual high standard.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

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  11. My certain knowledge is tomorrow I need to go out and earn my crust of bread. To rely only on the Ponzi I've paid into for 60 years is foolish. Thankful, I am, I live in a country where I don't need someone's permission to do so.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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