20 July, 2008

"A little rebellion is a good thing" - Americans, your old grandpa said so.

I just happened to read Thomas Jefferson's writing again. Then, I found this famous quote in the letter to James Madison.

I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.

http://www.earlyamerica.com/review/summer/letter.html


Well, it is an irony that this statement can be used today's United States, not even have to change "the republicans" part in the writing.. I know this is funny.
I am not sure how many Americans now know about Shay's rebelion, but that was started from the American Revolutionally War veteran, Daniel Shays. At that period, the americans, farmers and other commoners as well sas the solders, were suffering from the huge debt and taxes. Isn't it sound familiar to what happend to today's America after spending so much on War on Iraq and War on Terrorism???

Before another veteran start to form a rebelion, it is better to make the Congress listen to the people first. If the investion on Iraq cost over 1 million casualties in Iraqi people as the result of war crimes, then it should be added to the mistake of Mr. Bush to prevent further conflicts with the Middle Eastern countries. The war cost was actually paid by other countries. Giving the reasonable response to the madness of past 8 years is what Americans need to rebuild healthy relationship with other countries including its allies. Armies love war and exercises in foreign lands, and the militaly industrial complex would favor the profit increase. However, that terrorist threat and spending budget does not cover the security and produce happiness of the citizens. They are looking for different sercurity than what their government think of; income, job, stable and not extreme tax rates, freedom, and civil rights.

I am sure that people get dead or injured from the daily activities rather than from the terrorist attackes. I bet there are more people killed from car accidents or cancer rather than from terrorist bombings. Perhaps, the insurance company should make "terrorist attack insurance" for the people and just leave the issue to the normal security guards and police officers in their area. Spending so much money on securing what buildings or places? If the place seems dangrous, then just make their trained solders occupy the area among civilians.

In case of Switzerland, the congress people used to use the public transportation freely as it is one of the safest country. If you travel around this country using trains, you might see Swiss Army in the train or the train transporting tanks. If senator Ron Paul mentions about the need of securing the own nation rather than spending so much US solders in foreign lands, then that should prevent the terrorism. The US already has Blackwarter to spend abroad to do the nasty jobs. Let them help the mass killings to avoid losing the face of the ones who faught for their land in the past. (I'm talking about the rebelion readers against England.) But the Congress should make sure that the rebelion won't happen and make the people happy. We already have a proverb; histry repeats. If history repeats, there might be a second comming of Thomas Jefferson - like figure back to the US presidency in future. Probably such person would be rocked up in prison like the past revolutionary people... because of their revolutionary thoughts.

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