Election Interference

Election Interference...

When a superpower (an alternative word for empire) disagrees with another country's election outcome, then imposes sanctions, bans, embargoes, tariffs as well general trade restrictions.

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

Long overdue is the returning of currency to some (metal) standard

Long overdue is the returning of currency to some (metal) standard, or better still, break up government's forceful, unethical even "inhumane" monopoly on currency. In this way, allowing consumers to rightly, preferentially determine type of currency (ie. redeemable promissory note versus fiat), type of commodity-backing (ie. gold, oil, wheat, gadget, widget, etc), among competing providers. The only monetary role for government is to maintain courts, so consumers can file suits against providers per lack of disclosure (as one example, issuing redeemable promissory notes beyond available commodities, else the excessive notes are deceptively fiat).

Many dismiss as antiquated the backing of currency with gold, silver or any other consistently valued commodity. Yet, when the central bank's inflationary measures, necessary for government's socialistic and/or militaristic policies, finally run currency to zero value or nearly so, people will turn to gold, silver, cars, plows, eggs, cigarettes, delivering, ironing, and any other commodity and service to barter. Long before this inevitable end, people will hedge against the deflationary currency by specifically expanding portfolios, buying then storing (hoarding) consistently valued commodities, lobbying for cost-of-living wage increases, or merely, desperately spending currency today before inflating prices tomorrow, else unnecessary if currency was commodity-backed.

Lets be clear. The only objective for removing metal standards thus fiat currency, is to create cyclical, economic bubbles for temporary gains for the politically privileged few or some, by expanding the supply of commodity-less money, benefiting solely  "first spenders" upon each round of newly printed dollars; government, government contractors, crony corporations (ie. those who received bailouts, as on example), and more. The "last spenders, the hard-working consumers, are stuck with the deflated dollars, unfortunately both their dollars previously saved and dollars newly acquired are detrimentally affected. This Keynesian monetarism appears to create (or conjure) wealth for bubbles always seem so, even up to one minute before midnight if you will, until the unavoidable bust. Blame of course is never appropriately placed on politicians and their cronies at the central bank, rather, always tossed over the fence towards the private sector; speculating, predatory loaning, etc. yet all merely responses to central bank's policies.

Lets also be clear. The aforementioned  speculating, predatory loaning, etc. are intended, expected and desired by the government and central bank else there would be no reason for their monetary expansionist policies thus no reason to instigate cyclical economic bubbles. They pretend to be shocked and appalled at such activities "gone wild", and their pretense furthers more laws, regulations even prosecutions, knowing they will be festering another bubble on the heels of the bust. This is where we are now, one minute before midnight per 10 years of bubbling on the heels of 2008 bust, as festered by Bush, Obama and Trump administrations along with the central bank cronies at the Federal Reserve.

The root of all evil is not money itself, for money is merely representational of human time; my time, your time. Consequently, would we say human time is evil? Of course not, human time is precious, God-given and quite individual, and so is anything that represents it. The evil is the covetous love of others' money, the envying, coveting thus confiscating of others' human time represented by currency earned, envied and coveted by the politically empowered, and by anyone influencing the politically empowered via lobbying, campaign-funding as well simply electing.

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath (2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23).

   

Facebook posted earlier this week, "Building Peace Together!"

Government cronies at Facebook posted earlier this week, "Building Peace Together! Communities can make good things happen all over the world. Join all of us at Facebook today in hoping that kindness will lead the way."

Firstly, the rhetoric is dull per thoughtless overuse, although manipulatively clever per usual stirrings of sentiments even emotions often overwhelming publicly collegiate reasoning, nonetheless...gravely flawed!

Secondly, "building peace" can only begin with the Individual. Only individuals freely determining a personal choice, preference thus "consent" (or dissent), and if unanimously consented then possible are nonviolent changes using nonviolent means, strictly "among" themselves therefore "within" their group or community, consequently, peaceful ends achieved.

Thirdly, "kindness will lead the way" is vague therefore questionable. It must be assumed and intended the phrase "kindness will lead the way" is personified and manifested as "kind leaders" rising to power democratically or tyrannically, proclaiming "kind policies" universally, executing forcefully yet kindly the same policies by "kind laws, kind regulations, kind taxes, kind fines, kind fees, kind licenses, kind bans, kind prohibitions, kind embargoes, and various other kind interventions, kind intrusions, and kind interference" in most every social, economic, private, personal affair. All "kindly imposed" upon whole communities, kindly with consent of few, some, many or most, kindly against the dissent of most, many, some or few, ergo "kindness will lead the way" with much political, legal force.

Fourthly, "make good things happen all over the world" horrifically smacks of political, economic and military interventions on grand, inhumane scales. It is the same sort of "kind" sentiment, though more grandiose, driving American Imperialists and their supporters to spread democracy to other countries, thus when translated; US military in 150+ of 195 countries, of course for "kind" reasons.

Why am I so harsh on Facebook? They and other social media companies, along with the communication industries, are cooperating and colluding with the American Empire. Overtly oft' covertly providing information (probably this post as well per used keywords) to the US government, in collaboration of other efforts within the larger War on Terror as initiated, escalated and continued by monstrous warmongers; Caesars Bush, Obama and now Trump.

With such collusion (making any alleged Russian collusion quite insignificant by comparison), Facebook and other government cronies are not in the moral position to admonish their subscribers and customers towards "building peace together" and "hoping kindness will lead the way". The hypocrisy should be  ethically repulsive.

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath (2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23).

   

It is logically, ethically this simple

It is logically, ethically this simple...

A person campaigning in favor of more legislation, will be a politician coveting, presuming thus legislating, furthering government intervention, imposition, intrusion, incarceration, confiscation, conscription, invasion, occupation, termination, annihilation, that is to say, increasing legal violence.

A person campaigning in favor of only rescission, will be a politician coveting not, presuming not thus rescinding, reducing government intervention, imposition, intrusion, incarceration, confiscation, conscription, invasion, occupation, termination, annihilation, that is to say, decreasing legal violence.

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

Study, Ponder, Labor, till last Breath (2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23).

   

Book projects 11 and 12; drafted thus far 5 pages and 40 pages respectively

Book projects 11 and 12; drafted thus far 5 pages and 40 pages respectively... And so, this is how it starts; a blank piece of paper or empty document, working titles merely as motivational and directional ploys, with much persistent and repetitive reading, studying and contemplating preceding, and thereafter, its 99.99% f--kin' perspiration and 00.01% inspiration. If anyone tells you different, they are lying for the sake of listeners (many of those aspiring want to hear that), or they only wrote one book and can't write another per seeking a second-wind inspiration that will never come for sorely lacking is the agonizing perspiration; old-fashion hard work. A book project is fulfilling of course, particularly when published, however with sparsely intermittent pleasure (at best) along the way... :-)

As far as poetry, one should not expect their work to be nothing more than 99% dung or dull, and 1% that perhaps touch the reader's sentimental, emotional or contemplative nerve. Rarer still is the "My God!" affect or wow-factor. Even among the most celebrated classical poets this is true. Furthermore, the poet him/herself cannot determine that 1%, only readers can do so, sooner or later, over time, often long after passing, and not always the same line or verse as thought by the originator. With that said, the 1% that touches a nerve or the 00.01% inspiration, is only possible while penning the 99% dung or dull, well drenched by the 99.99% perspiration.

Study, ponder, labor, till last breath (2 Tm 2:15 / Cl 3:23).

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

Community cannot be without Individuality

Politically, socially, economically thus consistently, ethically emphasizing INDIVIDUALITY over COMMUNITY empowers thus benefits the former of course, but not at the expense of latter, rather for it's benefit in direct proportion incrementally.

How would it be logically possible for Community to be harmed if Individuality is benefited per the respect for each individual's preferences hence regard for their rightful consent or dissent on every matter. Is not Individuality a prerequisite to Community, for Community cannot be without Individuality, therefore Community's well-being cannot be without Individuality's well-being.

To consider the other side of the same coin...

Politically, socially, economically even democratically (all minus one or more) thus unethically emphasizing COMMUNITY over INDIVIDUALITY empowers thus benefits the former, consistently at the expense of few, some, many or most Individuals in direct proportion detrimentally.

How would it be logically possible for Community without Unanimity to be benefited without Individuality first being harmed per the disrespect for individual preferences of a few, some, many or most hence disregard for their rightful consent or dissent on every matter. Again, is not Individuality a prerequisite to Community, for Community cannot be without Individuality, therefore Community's well-being cannot be without Individuality's well-being.

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

Note:

Possible installment for possible book, as followup to the newly published book (see profile's cover photo).

Rescission not Legislation

My own US Senator Roger Wicker (Mississippi), along with others, are espousing the usual political "optimism" per latest economic numbers as conveniently generated by government, quite similar to his and others' pre-2008 optimism. Political optimism over the national economy is not the sole flag of course, regarding the looming bust to the post-2008 Bush-Obama-Trump bubble, jointly puffed up by their cronies at the Federal Reserve. Whether clueless or colluding, such cheery rhetoric among politicians is certainly the modus operandi in Washington.

Every politician who supported and/or credited themselves for similar positives leading up to 2008 economic bust, should have been voted out of office for their stupidity or dishonesty. Yet, here we are, with much of the same politicians, with some new ones, all playing along as though this time is going to be different and better. The answer is not the other party, nor new up and coming candidates, neither term limits or any other additional policy compounding formerly installed policies will suffice.

The answers are; rescission not legislation of laws and taxes, decrease not increase of governmental powers and roles, liberation not regulation of economic activities domestic or foreign, reactive not preventive policing thus criminalizing, defensive military inside not offensive military outside borders and coastlines... You get the point.

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

All political Isms imagine a condition or society

All political Isms imagine a condition or society new, improved and/or merely preferred, for some promulgated "collective good" or purpose of course, with or without the consent of all thus necessitating the use of force for implementation.

Individualism imagines not rather empirically observes some desired "individual good" or purpose, often involving others, with their consent thus rejecting the use of force for implementation in favor of mutual regard, agreement for respectively speculated benefits.

To restate slightly different...

Individualism imagines not rather empirically observes "what was", "what is" therefore projects "what will be", per human actions since the specie's created or evolved dawn of consciousness, that is to say, since human beings first began to reason, expressed by consenting to this over that, or dissenting to that over this.

All political Isms imagine "what can never be", rejecting the empirical "what was" and "what is", desiring to manage and manipulate some, most or all human actions, that is to say, disregarding the Singular Human RIGHT to Consent or not consent on all matters, therefore disrespecting the Peculiar Human ABILITY to REASON.

Quote by D.C. Quillan Stone

Mark Twain's The War Prayer

THE WAR PRAYER by Mark Twain; writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, lecturer as well ardent critic of the Spanish-American and Filipino-American Wars thus vice president of the American Anti-Imperialist League... United States should have more such critics today.

It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and sputtering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spreads of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country and invoked the God of Battles, beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpouring of fervid eloquence which moved every listener.

It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety's sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.

Sunday morning came – next day the battalions would leave for the front; the church was filled; the volunteers were there, their faces alight with material dreams-visions of a stern advance, the gathering momentum, the rushing charge, the flashing sabers, the flight of the foe, the tumult, the enveloping smoke, the fierce pursuit, the surrender! – then home from the war, bronzed heros, welcomed, adored, submerged in golden seas of glory! With the volunteers sat their dear ones, proud, happy, and envied by the neighbors and friends who had no sons and brothers to send forth to the field of honor, there to win for the flag or, failing, die the noblest of noble deaths. The service proceeded; a war chapter from the Old Testament was read; the first prayer was said; it was followed by an organ burst that shook the building, and with one impulse the house rose, with glowing eyes and beating hearts, and poured out that tremendous invocation – "God the all-terrible! Thou who ordainest, Thunder thy clarion and lightning thy sword!"

Then came the "long" prayer. None could remember the like of it for passionate pleading and moving and beautiful language. The burden of its supplication was that an ever – merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers and aid, comfort, and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory.

An aged stranger entered and moved with slow and noiseless step up the main aisle, his eyes fixed upon the minister, his long body clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, his head bare, his white hair descending in a frothy cataract to his shoulders, his seamy face unnaturally pale, pale even to ghastliness. With all eyes following him and wondering, he made his silent way; without pausing, he ascended to the preacher's side and stood there, waiting.

With shut lids the preacher, unconscious of his presence, continued his moving prayer, and at last finished it with the words, uttered in fervent appeal,"Bless our arms, grant us the victory, O Lord our God, Father and Protector of our land and flag!"

The stranger touched his arm, motioned him to step aside – which the startled minister did – and took his place. During some moments he surveyed the spellbound audience with solemn eyes in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said

"I come from the Throne – bearing a message from Almighty God!" The words smote the house with a shock; if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. "He has heard the prayer of His servant your shepherd and grant it if such shall be your desire after I, His messenger, shall have explained to you its import – that is to say, its full import. For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of – except he pause and think.

"God's servant and yours has prayed his prayer. Has he paused and taken thought? Is it one prayer? No, it is two – one uttered, the other not. Both have reached the ear of His Who hearth all supplications, the spoken and the unspoken. Ponder this – keep it in mind. If you beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain upon your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse upon some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it.

"You have heard your servant's prayer – the uttered part of it. I am commissioned by God to put into words the other part of it – that part which the pastor, and also you in your hearts, fervently prayed silently. And ignorantly and unthinkingly? God grant that it was so! You heard these words: 'Grant us the victory, O Lord our God!' That is sufficient. The whole of the uttered prayer is compact into those pregnant words. Elaborations were not necessary. When you have prayed for victory you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory – must follow it, cannot help but follow it. Upon the listening spirit of God the Father fell also the unspoken part of the prayer. He commandeth me to put it into words. Listen!

"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle – be Thou near them! With them, in spirit, we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it – for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

(After a pause)

"Ye have prayed it; if ye still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits."

It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.

ANTIWAR site a project of the Randolph Bourne Institute...
https://www.antiwar.com/orig/twain1.html

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

There may be confusion

I just shared this link in a conversation a moment ago, and by now, others perhaps noticed this brief section (see/read the link) published at the end of my new book...

Hence, there may be confusion among two camps of thinking. First, those who are theologically driven may find it difficult to align my book's ethical emphasis and conclusion with a re-affirmation of faith. Maybe not totally discount it, but see it as overly excessive. Second, those who are not as theologically yet more socio-morally driven may also find it difficult as to why one topic would necessarily, logically align with the other. Again, maybe not totally discount it, but see it as overly excessive.

It is enough to say, such an aforementioned alignment can exist between personal affirmation of faith, preceded by a proactive decision to set aside faith, followed by 20 years of personal reading, studying, pondering (and repeated 1000s of times) in the areas of first comparative denominations and religions then history, political surveys, philosophies, logic/ethics, economics, even bit of psychology, sociology, all combined some may call it praxeology (or not), and more.

It is also enough to say such an aforementioned affirmation of faith does not necessarily manifest in expected or usual manners. My mission (if you will) is to write and share regarding the "singular ethic" lacking certainly among all societies, as well lacking among most individuals, equally so among both religious regardless of theology as  well moralists regardless of ideology.

Sounds arrogant? Perhaps, for I am quite susceptible to the human propensities towards error and excess. However, before dismissing the prevailing thesis and priority on the "singular human right to consent or not consent on all matters" in my newest book, that is to say in favor of something else, you as well are quite susceptible to the human propensities towards error and excess.

I know, that still sounded arrogant upon confessing my arrogance. My apologies. And my arrogance may have inspired me to possibly write a follow-up book... :-)

Come let us Reason (Is 1:18). Peace is always a Choice (Mt 5:9).

Confession I - By Logic Then By Faith (as published in my 10th book)...
https://cafeperq.blogspot.com/2018/03/confession-i-by-logic-then-by-faith.html

Quote by D.C. Quillan Stone

Quote by D.C. Quillan Stone

Quote by D.C. Quillan Stone

Maybe someday, athletes will take a knee...

Maybe someday, athletes will take a knee during the national anthem in protest against the Bush-Obama-Trump's perpetual warmongering, waged in several countries, killing civilians in the tens upon hundreds of thousands, including fathers, mothers, grandparents, students, children, toddlers, infants even unborn, while in market places, hospitals, schools and homes.

Maybe someday, bands or soloists will pen and perform peace /anti-war songs, as their predecessors in the 1960s, in protest against the Bush-Obama-Trump's perpetual warmongering, waged in several countries, killing civilians in the tens upon hundreds of thousands, including fathers, mothers, grandparents, students, children, toddlers, infants even unborn, while in market places, hospitals, schools and homes.

Maybe someday, college students will demonstrate not for free tuition, restroom access, safe zones from opposing ideas or newly-formed pronouns but in protest against the Bush-Obama-Trump's perpetual warmongering, waged in several countries, killing civilians in the tens upon hundreds of thousands, including fathers, mothers, grandparents, students, children, toddlers, infants even unborn, while in market places, hospitals, schools and homes.

Maybe someday, humanitarians, moralists, spiritualists, theologians, teachers, professors, activists, speakers/lecturers, journalists, writers, novelists, poets, playwrights, artists, etc. will consider the worst of 21st century atrocities and protest against the Bush-Obama-Trump's perpetual warmongering, waged in several countries, killing civilians in the tens upon hundreds of thousands, including fathers, mothers, grandparents, students, children, toddlers, infants even unborn, while in market places, hospitals, schools and homes.

Maybe someday, Americans will be sickened by the immeasurable blood on their hands per this century and prior two.

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

   

Labor Day is an odd holiday

Labor Day is an odd holiday, where historically celebrated are the forceful monopolies of trades by unions. To be consistent, corporate monopolies should be celebrated as well. Instead, society honors with holidays some forms of monopolization while demonizing thus criminalizing with antitrust laws other forms of monopolization.

The confusion begins with the common inability to distinguish between monopolies festered by government's political favors and legal leverages versus monopolies fostered by consumers' priorities and preferences. Government-determined monopolies are longstanding per political/legal forces, detrimentally effectual per limited supply (or selection), lower quality and higher prices for consumers. Consumer-driven monopolies are temporary per persisting competition, beneficially effectual per personal priorities and preferences thus individuals freely consenting and dissenting among goods and services.

It is the inherent clash between political presumption at the behest of corporations as well unions seeking to force and control within a monopolized market (hence Cronyism, simply a close cousin to Fascism), versus personal prerogatives seeking to consent or dissent within a truly free market (hence Capitalism, merely a subset of Individualism).

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.

   

Which politicians are rightly qualified to eulogize a passing senator

Which politicians are rightly qualified to eulogize a passing senator who supported foreign/military policies that terminated hundreds of thousands perhaps incalculable number of civilian lives that included grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, students, children, toddlers, infants even unborn at market places, schools, hospitals, wedding parties, in the streets as well homes?

Presidents who also supported thus executed and escalated foreign/military policies that terminated hundreds of thousands perhaps incalculable number of civilian lives that included grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, mothers, students, children, toddlers, infants even unborn at market places, schools, hospitals, wedding parties, in the streets as well homes!

To note, though he did not attend the funeral, Mr. Trump is as "rightly qualified to eulogize" as his presidential colleagues. However, one could argue he has not "executed and escalated foreign/military policies" for as many years as his predecessors, Mr. Bush for 7 years, Mr. Obama for 8 years, nor "supported" the same as long as Mr. McCain's 31 years.

May Mr. McCain, as well civilians terminated by U.S. foreign/military polices, rest in peace.

Come let us Reason. Peace is always a Choice.