Political Crossfire Forums

[halcyon~sky]

Quote: Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder. In the Middle Ages when the feudal lords who inhabited the castles whose towers may still be seen along the Rhine concluded to enlarge their domains, to increase their power, their prestige and their wealth they declared war upon one another. But they themselves did not go to war any more than the modern feudal lords, the barons of Wall Street go to war.

The feudal barons of the Middle Ages, the economic predecessors of the capitalists of our day, declared all wars. And their miserable serfs fought all the battles. The poor, ignorant serfs had been taught to revere their masters; to believe that when their masters declared war upon one another, it was their patriotic duty to fall upon one another and to cut one another's throats for the profit and glory of the lords and barons who held them in contempt. And that is war in a nutshell. The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and all to lose - especially their lives.

They have always taught and trained you to believe it to be your patriotic duty to go to war and to have yourselves slaughtered at their command. But in all the history of the world you, the people, have never had a voice in declaring war, and strange as it certainly appears, no war by any nation in any age has ever been declared by the people.

And here let me emphasize the fact-and it cannot be repeated too often-that the working class who fight all the battles, the working class who make the supreme sacrifices, the working class who freely shed their blood and furnish the corpses, have never yet had a voice in either declaring war or making peace. It is the ruling class that invariably does both. They alone declare war and they alone make peace. - Eugene Debs

A few days ago I was in a regional high school composition contest. At the district level, we had a non-controversal subject and I was ranked first by every judge. At the regional level, we were supposed to take a stance for or against mandatory conscription. I dissented. From the Espionage Act to the Rosenburg trial to Kent State to the Patriot Act, I attacked our government for the penchant it has of taking away our rights during war - and then keeping them.. Like Reagan said, "If you give up your rights during war, they keep them during peace." My whole point was that conscription undermines democracy, and I extensively quoted Eugene Debs. Of four judges, three gave me dead last, and one gave me first. Just thought I would share that =).

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same. -Another Ronny quote =)

[letsgooilers]

So then, what should we do to defend freedom? Take up arms? Join a political party dedicated to fighting for this freedom? What exactly?

[Stygma]

Maybe they just thought it was a sub-standard speech. There isn't a conspiracy against you.

[halcyon~sky]

Quote: Maybe they just thought it was a sub-standard speech. There isn't a conspiracy against you

Lol. I brought up historical examples from the last 100 years and I'm an excellent writer. You're right, it's not a conspiracy against me. It's a conspiracy against freedom in general. The problem is, most people are too naive to see this.

[Stygma]

halcyon~sky wrote: Quote: Maybe they just thought it was a sub-standard speech. There isn't a conspiracy against you

Lol. I brought up historical examples from the last 100 years and I'm an excellent writer. You're right, it's not a conspiracy against me. It's a conspiracy against freedom in general. The problem is, most people are too naive to see this.

You're right, three judges got together before the speech and said "let's give this kid last because he loves freedom."

Also, if your obvious ego bleeds through into your speeches I see another reason you may have placed last.

[letsgooilers]

halcyon~sky wrote: Quote: Maybe they just thought it was a sub-standard speech. There isn't a conspiracy against you

Lol. I brought up historical examples from the last 100 years and I'm an excellent writer. You're right, it's not a conspiracy against me. It's a conspiracy against freedom in general. The problem is, most people are too naive to see this.

Or maybe, your arrogance is so incredible, you fail to see your own flaws within you little debating competitions?

Or maybe you are right, and a couple of teachers who don't like your speech(and subsequently rewarded you last in a debate competition that nobody cares about) are apart of a wider conspiracy to supress freedom in general.