posted 12-31-2003 03:52 AM            

By Chuck Baldwin

Food For Thought From The Chuck Wagon
December 30, 2003
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/chuckwagon.html

The current edition of Insight magazine features an article in which the former commander of the military's Central Command, Gen. Tommy Franks, warns that constitutional government could be subject to a sudden demise if another major terrorist attack took place in America.

Insight declares, "Gen. Tommy Franks says that if the United States is hit with a weapon of mass destruction that inflicts large casualties, the Constitution will likely be discarded in favor of a military form of government." Insight refers to an interview the retired general gave to a men's lifestyle magazine, Cigar Aficionado. The interview appears in the magazine's December edition.

According to Insight, "the former commander of the military's Central Command warned that if terrorists succeeded in using a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) against the U.S. or one of our allies, it would likely have catastrophic consequences for our cherished republican form of government." Franks is also quoted as saying if such an attack occurred, "the Western world, the free world, loses what it cherishes most, and that is freedom and liberty we've seen for a couple of hundred years in this grand experiment that we call democracy." The magazine quotes Franks as warning that a serious terrorist attack would result in our country being "militarized" and our constitutional form of government coming "unraveled."

General Frank's warning should be taken to heart by all Americans. President G.W. Bush, Attorney General John Ashcroft, and Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, in concert with a Republican majority in Congress, have put in place a massive police state apparatus capable of enforcing martial law in a moment's notice. Furthermore, it appears that these leaders are more than willing to actually enact such a move.

However, the most disturbing factor in all of this is the apparent willingness of the American people, especially Christian people, to submit to a federal police state. Local police departments, judges, ministers, along with grass roots citizens, seem totally unconcerned to the prospect of losing their individual liberties and freedoms. Beyond that, they seem to enthusiastically support the idea.

It seems that the American people have foolishly bought into the notion that any abridgement of freedom is justified as long as the goal is "security." They obviously have forgotten that a bird in a cage is secure, but it is hardly free. Americans seem also to have forgotten the sage counsel of Benjamin Franklin who plainly said, "They who give up essential liberty for temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security." Amen!

It seems plain to me that a future attack by terrorists against the United States is not a matter of "if," but "when." We are no more immune to terrorist attack now than we were in September of 2001, the Patriot Act, the Department of Homeland Security, and the capture of Saddam Hussein notwithstanding.

The question, then, is not what the federal government will do to fight terrorism; the question is what the federal government will do to its own citizenry in the name of fighting terrorism. If Gen. Franks is right, the next terrorist attack will result in the Constitution being expunged and military law taking its place. If this happens, would not the real terrorists be our own leaders, and would anyone care?

© Chuck Baldwin

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posted 12-31-2003 09:18 PM            

part of me thinks if the current administration is having problems in Iraq keeping 'peace' ,just wait until some neo-con fascist attempts to disarm and treat an American like an animal with no rights. Maybe I am overly optimistic, but the American Spirit and love of freedom seems it would not easily surrender to fascist control even for so called 'safety' reasons at least not for an extended period of time.
When Frank's says the Constitution would be "repealed" I would think he should ask the American CITIZENS first. Hitler may have fooled Germany, but I am not easily convinced the same could be done in America.

posted 01-01-2004 01:19 AM            

I don't think it much matters anymore to what extent this insanity is carried into law [sic.] I think we've been snowed in this regard for a lot longer than we know.

And I say, "Ignore Them". They are acting as if what they're doing has a basis in reality. It doesn't. It's just their idea of how things should be, based on threats that they themselves have an interest in perpetuating - and are perpetuating.

posted 01-01-2004 09:11 AM            

"We can all hang together...OR..we can hang seperately".

posted 01-01-2004 12:15 PM            

However, to be honest I personally feel I can't "totally" ignore (look away) from what I see as creeping fascism, but I can 'ignore' it by refusing to be a contributing partner to the growth of The Beast and I can stop feeding it. At least I can make a conscience attempt to. And IMO there is a definate roll to be played by citizens in the forever ongoing battle.

Though I am an optimist by nature, fully believing things work themselves out (eventually), I would like to see humanity evolve with the minimum amount of violence and pain and destruction. The path this current administration is headed seems intent on following this very path of Anti-Christ. That is the path to me, that seems to just be more of the same hate, death, and destruction.

SmT

posted 01-01-2004 07:28 PM            

Look at how many people are asleep already. All it would take to create an almost total level of hopelessness (and bring in 1984) would be a virtually non existent economy. People would be too busy focusing on fighting daily just to stay alive in the grind. And we all know this is already happening!

posted 01-01-2004 07:43 PM            

From the movie......

"...our impulses are being redirected. We are living in an artificially induced state of consciousness that resembles sleep.. ...the movement was begun eight months ago by a small group of scientists who discovered, quite by accident, these signals being sent through tele... ...the poor and the underclass are growing. Racial justice and human rights are nonexistent. They have created a repressive society and we are their unwitting accomplices... ...their intention to rule rests with the annhialation of consciousness. We have been lulled into a trance. They have made us indifferent, to ourselves, to others, we are focused only on our own gain. We ha... ...please understand, they are safe as long as they are not discovered. That is their primary method of survival. Keep us asleep, keep us selfish, keep us sedated... ...they are dismantling the sleeping middle class. More and more people are becoming poor. We are their cattle. We are being bred for slavery. The revolu... ...we cannot break their signal, our transmitter is not powerful enough. The signal must be shut off at the source. We have... ffffftt."

http://www.theylivenow.co.uk/audio/transmission.mp3

Put on the glasses!!!

"I have come here to chew bubble gum..and kick @$$.

posted 01-01-2004 10:09 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Mech:
I think you have seen John Carpenters "They Live" JBE!!

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posted 01-01-2004 11:00 PM            

http://www.theylivenow.co.uk/audio/preacherspeech.mp3

http://www.theylivenow.co.uk/audio/thesellout.mp3

http://www.theylivenow.co.uk/audio/thegame.mp3

http://www.theylivenow.co.uk/audio/money.mp3

http://www.theylivenow.co.uk/audio/underground.mp3

posted 01-01-2004 11:01 PM            

(of the armed guy) I thought maybe that was Mech

JBE, I attempt to follow the admonishment, Ye are in The World, but not of it. To me, it is a real distinction, even though boundries often seemed blurred. One of my close friends who would probably best be described as 'Buddha influenced', used to point out the error of 'becoming involved' in the affairs of 'the world'. To him, that type of 'entanglement' was simply 'distraction' at best, and at worst might lead one to 'unecessary pain'.

Perhaps, it is so, or perhaps i'm just working off my individual Karma, I don't know, but personally I feel good about being given the chance to influence humanity in any sort of 'positive' way. Perhaps the seeds I plant, or the plants I've grown from seeds others have planted, will one day take root themselves, and so on and so forth, till like the biblical account of the tree of heaven, it spreads its all encompassing branches to hold all of the birds of the air. (or something like that - I may have to go back and reread that one.

Regards, SmT

posted 01-02-2004 12:14 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Show-Me Truth:
When I first scrolled down to that picture, (of the armed guy) I thought maybe that was Mech

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LOL!! It probably IS him but he’s not telling us!

Gee Mech, can you stand all these complements - from Bhang, from us girls? You’d better come down off that ceiling now.

BTW, LOVE those extra tansmissions – especially the one by the preacher (and that background music too).

quote:

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Originally posted by Show-Me Truth:
JBE, I attempt to follow the admonishment, Ye are in The World, but not of it. To me, it is a real distinction, even though boundries often seemed blurred. One of my close friends who would probably best be described as 'Buddha influenced', used to point out the error of 'becoming involved' in the affairs of 'the world'. To him, that type of 'entanglement' was simply 'distraction' at best, and at worst might lead one to 'unecessary pain'.

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I hear you. This is what I believe - physical reality (our current bodily state) is nothing but a distraction, full of temptations that we must rise above. Above all else, we are a Soul stuck in a physical world, limited by a body. As such, we must find a balance between body and soul. Ignoring or just focusing on one aspect of Self does not provide a proper balance between the two. Although, for some I guess it could be the right way.

I also believe that as ones spiritual awareness grows, so does their vision or perspective of all aspects of their world around them and vice versa. There are so many levels of awareness so it’s never the same for anyone. Ultimately it’s all connected to the greater and higher good of all. Besides, there is no way around the body except through meditation and dream states. Even then, you still have to go back to the physical state.