It's the Fourth of July. So far so good. But I feel the need to drop my thoughts on this whole Pledge of Alliegence controversy. It's crap. Total crap. Call me un-American for saying the pledge shouldn't be mandatory. I think that it makes me more American. "Under God." It's funny. Because if this were "Under Allah" this wouldn't have even been an issue. But because it's "God" and most of the country believes in free speech, as long as it is restricted to only say things that coincide with their beliefs. So tell me, what is free about that? I'm standing up for free speech by saying it shouldn't be mandatory for anyone to have to recite anything.
Allow me to make my point in another fashion. My uncle, one of the most "American" people I know, sent me this email the other day. In it, it said "Under God, or bite my ass and leave." But in another spot, there was a letter written by an Aussie about how great America was, and in this letter, the one point that turned this whole controversy on its head was made, an simultaneously went completely unnoticed.
"An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God."
Athieism is technically a religion, because it's beliefs about a spiritual world, specifically that there is none. So an athiest being forced to say "Under God" during the pledge of alliegence violates his right to free speech. The government forcing this on any member of it's population goes against what America really is. But because this country is run not by common sense, but money and special intrests, this is an outrage. Let me break this down for all of you who still are blind to where you live.
You're not in a country by for and of the people. You're not in a democracy. This is not the United States. Whatever you do, don't doubt that I love this country. Love it. This is a wonderful place to live, if it weren't for all the people. I don't mind that this is a republic, not a democracy. The republic works, for the most part. But this country isn't by the people anymore. It's a country run by politicians who say they're for the people, but are really for the intrest groups. The fact that everyone can vote makes it a democracy, but the fact that we vote in an electoral college takes away one man one vote, so it isn't a democracy any more.
They're raising the cigarette tax fifty cents. Do you know how much it costs to make a pack of cigarettes? Somewhere around 12-15 cents a pack. How much does it cost the government to make cigarettes. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Do you realize how much of a gigantic profit in taxes the government makes on the sales of cigarettes? Why in the world would they ever want people to quit? They don't. They make a ton of profit, and most of them work for the tobacco industry. This is also why marijuana is illegal. Who would buy a pack of Marlboro tobacco cigarettes when they could buy a pack of Marley marijuana cigarettes right next to them? It's a competition that would wipe out the tobacco industry. MJ is better for you than tobacco, it's non-addictive, and it makes you feel a lot better, it can make you more creative, in a better mood, it makes you think a cat is the most hilarious thing you've ever seen. Does it put you in a state where it's harmful to drive? Sure, it could. But not as bad as three shots of JD. So is it in the interest of the people that it's illegal? Not at all, it's in the interest of the tobacco industry, which means it's in the interest of the government.
But hey, that's fine with me. It really is. The only thing that bugs me is people who don't realize where they live. Don't be a hypocrite. Forcing your beliefs on others is why we started our own country in the first place exactly 226 years ago today. If you don't want to say "Under God," you shouldn't have to say "Under God." It only shows how much better of a country we are for not forcing our beliefs on others.
Happy Independence Day.
Allow me to make my point in another fashion. My uncle, one of the most "American" people I know, sent me this email the other day. In it, it said "Under God, or bite my ass and leave." But in another spot, there was a letter written by an Aussie about how great America was, and in this letter, the one point that turned this whole controversy on its head was made, an simultaneously went completely unnoticed.
"An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses. An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God."
Athieism is technically a religion, because it's beliefs about a spiritual world, specifically that there is none. So an athiest being forced to say "Under God" during the pledge of alliegence violates his right to free speech. The government forcing this on any member of it's population goes against what America really is. But because this country is run not by common sense, but money and special intrests, this is an outrage. Let me break this down for all of you who still are blind to where you live.
You're not in a country by for and of the people. You're not in a democracy. This is not the United States. Whatever you do, don't doubt that I love this country. Love it. This is a wonderful place to live, if it weren't for all the people. I don't mind that this is a republic, not a democracy. The republic works, for the most part. But this country isn't by the people anymore. It's a country run by politicians who say they're for the people, but are really for the intrest groups. The fact that everyone can vote makes it a democracy, but the fact that we vote in an electoral college takes away one man one vote, so it isn't a democracy any more.
They're raising the cigarette tax fifty cents. Do you know how much it costs to make a pack of cigarettes? Somewhere around 12-15 cents a pack. How much does it cost the government to make cigarettes. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Do you realize how much of a gigantic profit in taxes the government makes on the sales of cigarettes? Why in the world would they ever want people to quit? They don't. They make a ton of profit, and most of them work for the tobacco industry. This is also why marijuana is illegal. Who would buy a pack of Marlboro tobacco cigarettes when they could buy a pack of Marley marijuana cigarettes right next to them? It's a competition that would wipe out the tobacco industry. MJ is better for you than tobacco, it's non-addictive, and it makes you feel a lot better, it can make you more creative, in a better mood, it makes you think a cat is the most hilarious thing you've ever seen. Does it put you in a state where it's harmful to drive? Sure, it could. But not as bad as three shots of JD. So is it in the interest of the people that it's illegal? Not at all, it's in the interest of the tobacco industry, which means it's in the interest of the government.
But hey, that's fine with me. It really is. The only thing that bugs me is people who don't realize where they live. Don't be a hypocrite. Forcing your beliefs on others is why we started our own country in the first place exactly 226 years ago today. If you don't want to say "Under God," you shouldn't have to say "Under God." It only shows how much better of a country we are for not forcing our beliefs on others.
Happy Independence Day.
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