oldtexan wrote:
I don't think we are experiencing 1860 all over again, but I am concerned that the polarization in America seems to have become self-perpetuating. A worrisome sign is that some people on our side believe the most extreme propaganda about the motives of the other side and the ability of the other side to turn its proposals into government policy. When people believe propaganda, they begin to make decisions based on it, rather than on reality.
We are left with a choice of believing the worst of those who are mobilizing against our Constitutional freedoms or the propaganda coming from them about how they mean no harm.
Personally, I value consistency as a measure of who I believe. Unfortunately, there is little consistency among any of the political leaders today. President Obama, who opposed debt ceiling increases as a Senator now wants them and would like to have the power to do them by himself. I don't need anyone else to produce propaganda on the subject - I can see that inconsistency for myself.
On of the values of reading items on this forum is the wealth of information that is presented. Reviewing the history that has been presented about the anti-gun actions since the turn of the 20th century, it is clear that there is a group of people whose goal is to unconstitutionally ban guns. I say "unconstitutionally" because there is a Constitutional mechanism for accomplishing that but not one of them is recommending that approach.
President Obama campaigned saying that he was not coming for our guns. Today, he is going to take action to do just that, Again, there is no propaganda involved - just his own words.
There is no denying the UN Agenda. From the Kyoto treaty to the small arms treaty, that organization is pushing for things that are not only not in the best interests of the United States but which countermand our Constitution. I personally believe that those who advocate for the UN's proposals are by default, seeking to overturn our Constitution.
I believe that gun control is not a singular item and should not be viewed as such. The Sandy Hook massacre did not start it but is simply a vehicle by which it can be advanced. That the politicians involved would use the death of children to advance their agenda speaks volumes about their motivation.
I've never before been interested in politics until the past few years. Like so many of the rest of the US population, I have helped to cause our current problems by not focusing on them while they were much smaller. I don't intend to allow that to continue. I've very focused now and am encouraging all that I come in contact with to do the same thing. That isn't propaganda but simply me finally trying to fulfill my responsibilities to be an informed voting citizen. I work very hard at not being swayed by the propaganda from any particular faction.
