I voted this morning
- Thread starter wfd175
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Good evening, friends.
Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of the every day routine- the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as anyone. But in the spirit of commemoration, whereby those important events of the past (usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody struggle, or a celebration of a nice holiday), I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat.
There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this world, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. Where once we had the freedom to object, to think and speak as we saw fit, we now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing our conformity and soliciting our submission.
How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why we did it. I know we were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt our reason and rob us of our common sense. Fear got the best of us, and in our panic we turned to the now President, George W. Bush. He promised us order, he promised us peace, and all he demanded in return was our silent, obedient consent.
Last night we sought to end that silence. Last night we sought to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago in England a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me in remembering this anniversary of Guy Fawkes resistence in 1605 and remind the governments of the world that citizens should not fear their governments, but rather, governments should fear thier citizens. By doing so, we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgot.
I dare do all that may become a man - He who dares do less is none. And so I ask that you remember, remember, the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot... But what of the man? I know his name was Guy Fawkes and I know, in 1605, he attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. But who was he really? What was he like? We are told to remember the idea, not the man, because a man can fail. He can be caught, he can be killed and forgotten, but 400 years later, an idea can still change the world. I've witnessed first hand the power of ideas, I've seen people kill in the name of them, and die defending them.
As noted by Polonius from Shakespeare's Hamles Act 3, Scene 1: We're oft to blame, and this is too much proved, that with devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar over the devil himself.
Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of the every day routine- the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as anyone. But in the spirit of commemoration, whereby those important events of the past (usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody struggle, or a celebration of a nice holiday), I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat.
There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this world, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice, intolerance and oppression. Where once we had the freedom to object, to think and speak as we saw fit, we now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing our conformity and soliciting our submission.
How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why we did it. I know we were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt our reason and rob us of our common sense. Fear got the best of us, and in our panic we turned to the now President, George W. Bush. He promised us order, he promised us peace, and all he demanded in return was our silent, obedient consent.
Last night we sought to end that silence. Last night we sought to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago in England a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me in remembering this anniversary of Guy Fawkes resistence in 1605 and remind the governments of the world that citizens should not fear their governments, but rather, governments should fear thier citizens. By doing so, we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgot.
I dare do all that may become a man - He who dares do less is none. And so I ask that you remember, remember, the Fifth of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot. I know of no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot... But what of the man? I know his name was Guy Fawkes and I know, in 1605, he attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. But who was he really? What was he like? We are told to remember the idea, not the man, because a man can fail. He can be caught, he can be killed and forgotten, but 400 years later, an idea can still change the world. I've witnessed first hand the power of ideas, I've seen people kill in the name of them, and die defending them.
As noted by Polonius from Shakespeare's Hamles Act 3, Scene 1: We're oft to blame, and this is too much proved, that with devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar over the devil himself.
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- #4
It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than open one's mouth and remove all doubt.”
For every action there is an equal and opposite government program.
Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship
For every action there is an equal and opposite government program.
Whenever you have an efficient government you have a dictatorship
Very, very true.
For those that missed the reference, the quotes were from the movie 'V for Vendetta' with only the reference to current leadership (rather than the fictitious movie leadership) changed.
Though the Guy Fawkes actions from 1605 are indeed accurate, and I'm a long-time fan (of both the movie and Guy Fawkes).
Cheers!