The Burning Platform directs us to The Daily Beast (quoting from Newsweek magazine)…is that convoluted, or what?
However, we’re given an essay by David Mamet, award winning playwright and former liberal.
In commenting on it, Yojimbo states:
What a brilliantly written essay. Concise and powerful. Essay like this help me understand the mental illness of my fellow Massachusetts residents that we politely call “Liberalism”. First, Liberals actually have a profound TRUST of government, instead of a healthy distrust and skepticism. Second, Liberals fundamentally misunderstand human nature, and believe that, if only given more government intervention and power, the failings of human nature can be perfected. Mamet displays an excellent understanding of the nature of The State and why we must be deeply mistrustful of it.
Mr. Mamet, in part, says:
~All of us have had dealings with the State, and have found, to our chagrin, or, indeed, terror, that we were not dealing with well-meaning public servants or even with ideologues but with overworked, harried bureaucrats. These, as all bureaucrats, obtain and hold their jobs by complying with directions and suppressing the desire to employ initiative, compassion, or indeed, common sense. They are paid to follow orders.~
~What possible purpose in declaring schools “gun-free zones”? Who bringing a gun, with evil intent, into a school would be deterred by the sign?
Ah, but perhaps one, legally carrying a gun, might bring it into the school.
Good.
We need more armed citizens in the schools.~
Go and read the entire essay. Mr. Mamet and I may disagree on minor points, but he speaks his truth with reason and passion. It’s worth the five minutes.
Personally, I find people like Mamet entirely too kind toward the “bureaucrat.” If “overworked, harried bureaucrats” were the greatest problems, we could quickly deal with it. The real evil is the absolute and unwavering desire of so many to control the lives of others. Those who sincerely do so with the “best” intentions are even worse than those who do so with only personal gain in mind.
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
C. S. Lewis
English essayist & juvenile novelist (1898 – 1963)
Posted by MamaLiberty | February 3, 2013, 8:09 amAs usual (and not unexpected!) ML, you bring out the big guns and take no quarter.
Good.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Posted by guffaw1952 | February 3, 2013, 12:24 pmThat it is, and it does lay out both sides pretty well… And yes, bureaucrats are just that… No deviation allowed…
Posted by Old NFO | February 3, 2013, 9:29 amThanks.
Posted by guffaw1952 | February 3, 2013, 12:24 pmOff post topic… Re: Today’s You Tube
May I suggest “The Grand Finale” of the same movie (www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t_qToyqiOU)
Commentary by Spencer Tracy from a time when America stood proud instead of apologetic
Q
Posted by Quizikle | February 3, 2013, 5:59 pmExcellent idea! (Thanks for reading and bothering to look there!)
If I remember, I’ll put it on tomorrow.
gfa
Posted by guffaw1952 | February 3, 2013, 10:47 pm