Sound Off!: September 2009

Monday, September 28, 2009

Loving Big Brother

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Though I am unsure if I agree with all your conclusions, or even with the way you came to reach them, I do appreciate your vigilance in trying to keep us aware of the situations that are happening around us. Something scary has been happening in all realms of Society, the Church not excluded unfortunately. Most of us have been as "frogs in the frying pan," sleeping irresponsibly as the danger around us has gradually increased, gradually being "cooked to death" while not paying attention. I do see movements--such as the homeschool movement--that give hope of having a thinking society again, but I feel at times that even there, because of deeply ingrained and very mistaken religious paradigms--we are fighting a losing battle--I fervently hope that I am wrong. But, it isn't over until it is over, so we need to work while we can. Again, thank you for your diligence.

Mrs. Duncan

Thank you

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Dear Mr. Whitehead:

Thank you for the refreshing trip back to my college sci fit lit elective days.

You are right: any action taken by the federal government, from helping to pay for prescriptions ("The government is drugging us!") to fining Saturday Night Live for saying "fuck" on TV ("It's the thought-police anti-free speech crowd controlling the airwaves!") can easily be shown to be the realization of virtually any science fiction film that depicts a despotic government. Your list of films, running the gamut from anarchy to iron-fisted subjugation, shows how it doesn't even matter what the film says. Any dystopia works just fine.

They are like those horoscopes in the paper: read any one of them and you can make a convincing argument that they accurately portray your current situation.

This was fun when we were teenagers just shooting the breeze. I like to think most of us were smart enough to know that it was just recreational thinking. Seeing the same stuff alongside a picture of a grownup is troubling.

The funniest part of your essay was the bit about the media being "the mouthpiece of the government" followed by "film being the best representation of what we now face as a society." Almost as funny was your bit about censorship and book-banning that is promulgated by our government, and then your citing 1984--a book that is now required reading in schools all over the country--as a work that can open our eyes to our terrible predicament.

Also note that President Obama is championing even more school hours, so that our students can be exposed to even more George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Kurt Vonnegut, etc. But of course, the government telling citizens they have to become smarter and read more challenging literature is just their way of ... um... doing something terrible, I'm sure.

Please try to do better.

Sincerely,

Bob H .

Article

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Interesting article in today's DAILY PROGRESS. Of course, all those "czars" will become convenient "scapegoats" when Mr. Obama's empire collapses around his ears.

Shirley M.

Obama's Health Plan: We're Being Bamboozled

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Shouldn't healthcare be a state function rather than a federal function or did I miss something in the constitution?

Charles F.

Know Your Rights or You Will Lose Them

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Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Thank you for writing the “Know Your Rights or You Will Lose Them” article published in the “Tenth Amendment Newsletter.” Although I am familiar with the “Bill of Rights,” I appreciated you going into greater depth (in plain English) regarding the composition / meaning of each Amendment. Such a basic article, but yet so extremely important at this time. This article should be published in the largest media outlets throughout the nation, as the ordinary individual is “Clueless” of his / her American rights.

Congratulations on forming such a wonderful organization, The Rutherford Institute. Most lawyers seek quick money through “Personal Injury,” “Healthcare,” or “Corporate” law,” but I stated many years ago that the most sought-after attorneys in the future will be the individual’s practicing Constitutional Law. You are the “John Adams” of our generation.

Thank you again for a simple, but wonderful article.

Kindly,

Susan
Cleveland, OH

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Become an activist

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Dear John Whitehead,

Thank you for your article "Become an activist". You are so right. Our constitutional rights are being infringed upon more and more by the government. I know of no other organization that infringes upon our constitutionl rights more than Child Protective Services (CPS). Our constitutionally protected parental rights are becoming more and more non-existent as CPS takes more and more liberties. CPS cares nothing about our children. It's all about keeping money flowing in the system. The state receives a cash incentive for every child placed in foster care and even more if the child is adopted out. This has resulted in thousands of children being placed in foster care for no other reason than so the state can receive more money. CPS has destroyed many innocent families. It is estimated that more then half of all children in foster care were placed there needlessly. Parents need not do anthing wrong to have a child taken. CPS will find any reason and then fabricate allegations against the parents. This is legal kidnapping. If we don't put a stop to it, we will lose our parental rights to the government.

I am hoping that perhaps you can write an article regarding this issue. Many people are unaware of the practices of this corrupt organization. I feel that the general public needs to be aware of how our parental rights are slowly but surely being taken from us and given to the government. Troy Anderson of the Daily News has written many articles on this subject. I'm including a link here so you can get a better idea of what is going on with CPS.

http://familyrights.us/news/archive/troy_anderson/money_motive_in_foster_care.htm

Here are some other links where you can get more information on this subject.
http://www.familyrightsassociation.com/
http://www.syc.org/index.html
http://www.parentalrights.org

It would be greatly appreciated by many CPS victims if you could write an article regarding this issue and bring attention for the need to take action. At the link above, parentalrights.org, there is a parental rights amendment petition that people can sign. This amendment already has 119 congressional co-sponsers and 5 U.S. Senate co-sponsers. Everyone needs to take action and protect our parental rights. I am hoping to make as many people as possible aware of this situation. Thank you again for a great article.

Kathy

The Problems with Obama's Policy Czars

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Dear Mr. Whitehead,

Occasionally, I enjoy reading your commentary and/or watching your videos; however, I am disappointed this week that apparently you are adding your voice to this silly ideological-driven conversation. I have frequently thought you were a wiser voice.

According to the Washington Post, former President Bush "had 36 czar positions filled by 46 people during his eight years as president." And, as I recall, the Bush administration was far from anything transparent. Not that two wrongs, or repeated wrongs, make anything right, but holding President Obama to a different standard on this particular issue, especially at a time when we are dealing with so many BIG problems, seems a bit petty.

Furthermore, as you point out and as light research reveals, this practice of advisors to the president is nothing new going all the way back to Roosevelt and, I dare say, far beyond.

Today, further examination of some of the people being called “czars” in the Obama administration are, in fact, individuals in “lower” positions (i.e., they do not actually head up large departments) and/or are individuals that the Senate has yet to confirm. You point out that Van Jones, as Green Jobs Czar, commanded a budget slightly over $30 billion. Now that he is gone do you suppose that the Green Jobs budget will not be administered by someone else?

I have no doubt that the conservative media will continue on this “czar’s rampage” despite the fact that it is wholly meaningless in the grand scheme of things, while they earn a nice living having something-about-nothing to scream about. The ignorant always scream the loudest! It would appear they do not have the ability to express themselves otherwise.

What is needed is civility and meaningful debate that will lead our country and all of its people forward. We have many serious problems to solve, and petty finger pointing is not productive.

Carolyn K.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

It's Time to Stop Carrying Guns to Town Hall Meetings

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I agree with really ALL of the suppositions put forth in the most recent newsletter regarding Town Hall meetings and gun-toters. Free speech can, and does, include shouting, BUT, I have a hard time with you defining shouting, and stopping ANY discussion, as "critical discourse." The quote:

After all, the democratic process works best when critical discourse is allowed. That's why the First Amendment is so important.

As I interpret media's impact on society, THIS--shouting and calling names--is what many in America now consider a "discussion." In truth, this can in NO way, be considered critical discourse. The adjective "critical," requires a sharpness of thought, and expression, and requires that one listen to the perspective of others, weigh the merits of their position, and then decide the value or merit of one's own position. I do not think I am imbuing the idea of critical here....

I value your newsletters (in fact one caused quite a brouhaha at my institution recently when I sent it out to all) and am normally COMPLETELY impressed with both the clarity and precise use of language. The use of critical in this particular letter almost seemed to give credence to said behaviors, which could not be termed critical, BUT ARE certainly OK under the First Amendment!

May you continue to share...
Malama Pono,
Mike P .