Hope In The Next Generation

I actually had a good day yesterday. The little Hannah Montana wannabe and I went to the local mall as they didn't have school. Even the damage to our checking account that she did at her favorite accessories store didn't darken the day.

As we were walking around the mall, we stumbled upon a used book sale sponsored by a local literacy group. I've been to these sales before and have the time of my life browsing through box after box full of books. My mom seems to think I'll be like Burgess Meredith in that old Twilight Zone episode. Minus the glasses, of course.

While Cheyenne looked through the children's section, I headed for the classic literature section not far from where she was. The mall was fairly empty, and I was able to keep an eye on her at all times. Being nine and autistic, I try to foster independence in her whenever I can, so I took this opportunity to do so. And Mom was never out of sight. We enjoyed this time.

I happened upon a couple of Stephen King books to add to my collection of his older (and best) works. Not too bad. Scored a copy of the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe. Sweet! A couple of boxes later, I found The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. I felt like I had just found the Holy Grail. I paid for my books, rounded up Cheyenne, and headed home.

The kids stayed at Grandma's last night so the hubby and I could have a long-overdue date night. In deciding what we wanted to do after dinner, I told him I wanted to go back to the book sale. Deep down inside, I was hoping that lightning would strike twice and I could find a copy of Atlas Shrugged. Back to the mall we went.

In scouring through more boxes that had been brought out since earlier that day, I came across my favorite book of all time, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I would've taken someone's arm off to get that book.

I was approached by an older gentleman in his mid- to late 60's when I grabbed the Dickens book. He was a volunteer helping with the sale.

"Looks like someone found something they like," he said.

"Yeah. My favorite. Great story."

We struck up a conversation as I continued on my quest for Rand. He said he used to teach literature before he retired, so the conversation stayed on the subject of that. I told him about how excited I was about finding Ayn's book earlier in the day. That's when the conversation took a nasty turn.

"Her works are garbage," he said. "She did nothing but promote selfishness in her stories." I was stunned.

I explained that I felt that it's important to read things that may not fit with one's beliefs so as to stay educated and not remain ignorant. It was a matter of choice by the individual (knowing he evidently advocates collectivism). He suddenly had work to do on the other side of center court. Fine with me, pal!

What happened next was my inspiration to write this post. It completely restored my faith in what the next generation of potential leaders may produce.

A young man in his late teens, possibly very early 20's, approached me. "Excuse me," he said. I looked up to see a young man who was wearing his baseball hat sideways, an AC/DC t-shirt, and blue jeans. He instantly reminded me of my Limbaugh baby minus the hat.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I just wanted to say that he's [the older man] full of shit. I've read both The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and they're awesome books." If I hadn't been there when my older son was born, I'd swear this was his twin, right down to political ideology.

We started a conversation while we continued looking through the books. This young man was courteous, respectful, clean, and intelligent. I asked him if he had ever read Anthem by Ayn Rand. Having replied to the negative, he immediately took out his cell phone and made himself a note to secure a copy at the library. We continued chatting until my husband called from Sears' tool department to check in. I wished the young man well and thanked him for being an open-minded thinker instead of an indoctrinated robot. We shook hands and parted.

To that wonderful young man should he stumble across this: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is young people such as yourself who give me hope for this nation in these very dark times. May God bless you in whatever path you choose in this life, and may He keep you safe on your journey. Stay strong in your beliefs. You are our hope.

Is This Our 'Anthem?'

I was very glad to give my copy of Ayn Rand's book, Anthem, to my Limbaugh baby this weekend for him to read when he's not working on his senior project for college. The only Rand book I've read yet, it has become one of my favorite books of all-time behind A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens.

In recent generations, we've headed down the road to collectivism while destroying the idea of people as individuals. How did we get here?

Many liberals see the Constitution as a set of collective, not individual, rights. They could not be any further from the truth. Yet we now have leadership in this country that seeks to confer rights on the population as a whole. Their reasoning is always the same: It benefits the country as a whole. Do they really believe that the First Amendment is a collective right and that the stifling of such is a necessary evil to benefit the collective population? I'd say the answer to that question lies in the mere fact that an appointment of a Diversity Czar was made. How long will it be before we start speaking like the characters in Anthem, using "we" for "I"?

We have already seen that the Second Amendment has been argued as a right bestowed to the state as a separate entity instead of free, law-abiding individuals. Thankfully, the Supreme Court saw fit in District of Columbia v. Heller to rule on the side of the individual's right to keep and bear arms. But for how long? Will another case eventually reach the high court on the same premise, and will they rule the same?

The colonial settlers of Jamestown experimented with collectivism and redistribution of property. People raised crops and produced goods that went into a common "pool," and then all gathered goods were distributed equally among the settlers. Of course, it took little time for some to realize that they didn't have to work as hard as their neighbor because they were still going to get the same amount of goods. It was, in some respect, a fledgling welfare program. Governor Bradford realized the coming destruction of a young settlement through collectivism and put a stop to the madness. He alloted each family a parcel of land to work as they saw fit, or not, if they so desired. The redistribution of goods was no longer going to be a practice in Jamestown. The birth of capitalism in this infant country had been brought about.

The Great Society programs of the 20th century succeeded only in destroying the ideal of the individual. Taking from those who prosper and giving to those deemed "worthy" in the name of compassion has gone from something abhorred by the Founding Fathers to what some consider an entitlement. Once again, the free choice of the individual has been trumped in favor of the collective. The rebirth of Communism and collectivism in this great country has been realized. And the Founders are weeping.

Communist countries still exist, bringing nothing but misery to the individual in favor of the State. Do you ever hear of anyone risking their lives on a raft to sail TO Cuba? Many nations, however, have seen fit to allow for individual liberty, and those nations have done well for the most part. They've seen the greatness of free people and have spoken resoundingly in favor of individualism. Our nation, unfortunately, is on a fast track to what those countries once were.

We now stand poised on the brink of implementing yet another form of collectivism in the name of "compassionate healthcare for all." When did we lose sight of the individual? Free individuals given the capacity to be creative for their own prosperity and that of their fellow citizens have accomplished many wondrous things, from life-saving medical breakthroughs and procedures to conveniences that have brought joy and comfort to the nation as a whole. THAT is what has made our nation unparalleled in the world. To take the individual out of the equation in the name of "the better good" is erasing just another line of the Constitution.

We, as individuals, must stand as one collective entity in voicing our opposition to those who wish to change our language from "I" to "we". Should we lose our individual uniqueness, we will never get it back.

Remember the sacred word: EGO.

A Letter to the Senate

Dear Sirs and Madams:

Last night, the House of Representatives passed what is commonly called "Cap and Trade" in what was a narrow vote. Unfortunately, they did not listen to what the people wanted. They instead voted for what their lobbyists and high-roller campaign donors wanted.

Consider this a notice to ALL of you. The citizens of this country are watching and paying attention to every move you make on this piece of legislation. And, right now, we are not happy.

The bill passed in the House of Representatives last night had a 300-page amendment put in and made public at approximately 3 a.m. Eastern Time. How many representatives do you truly believe were able to read the entire bill let alone that one amendment? We citizens are not stupid. We're learning very quickly all the petty tricks used to get something the American people don't want passed. And it makes us sick. My suggestion? Read and understand the bill before you vote on it.

We out here in America don't care what letter you put after your name. We are sick and tired of all the snarky little political games played at our expense. Just because your party may have the majority, you do NOT have the right to vote against the will of the people. Should you decide to do so, we will remember. None of you have a lifetime appointment to Congress, and many of us have already vowed to see that none of those who voted "yea" last night are re-elected.

Expect to get numerous phone calls and emails from the American people. We crashed the switchboard once, and we know we can do it again. This time, don't make the same mistake your colleagues in the House did. See that for what it is: The voice of the people. If you truly believe the promises you are forever making to the people about how much you care about us, listen.

From a personal perspective, this is for Mr. McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Leader:

A lot of conservatives are angry with what we are now calling the Republican 8, those among our party who voted "yea". Mr. McConnell, I beg you to show the base that the ideals of the Founding Fathers are not being lost to self-serving special interests. We believe in freedom, limited government, and capitalism. We come from all walks of life: housewives, factory workers, waitresses, mechanics, doctors, lawyers... Though we may not be able to contribute thousands of dollars to a campaign, does that make our voice less important? Please show us that our party still believes in what many of the Founding Fathers risked their lives to give people they knew they would never know.

I am going to leave all members of the Senate with a quote. Please think about it; the American people are watching.

I shall choose friends among men, but neither slaves nor masters. And I shall choose only such as please me, and them I shall love and respect, but neither command nor obey. And we shall join our hands when we wish, or walk alone when we so desire. -- Ayn Rand

A Message for The Bureaucrats

If you ask me to name the proudest distinction of Americans, I would choose- because it contains all the others- the fact that they were the people who created the phrase to make money. No other language or nation had ever used these words before; men had always thought of wealth as a static quantity- to be seized, begged, inherited, shared, looted or obtained as a favor. Americans were the first to understand that wealth has to be created.

----Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged)

"Anthem"....A Part of the Foreword by Ayn Rand

I want to get this up before I take my son to summer school and will be gone for a big chunk of the day.

I bought "Anthem" by Ayn Rand yesterday since "Atlas Shrugged" was sold out; I finished it last night (105 pages; a snap for avid readers). "Anthem" chronicles one man's struggle to break from the group and be an individual in a world where your entire life is dictated by "Councils", and individual thoughts and actions are punishable by law and death.

I wanted to post part of Ayn's foreword from the book. It could possibly considered our call-to-arms and gives me courage and strength to keep taking a stand.

"The greatest guilt today is that of people who accept collectivism by moral default; the people who seek protection from the necessity of taking a stand, by refusing to admit to themselves the nature of that which they are accepting; the people who support plans specifically designed to achieve serfdom, but hide behind the empty assertion that they are lovers of freedom, with no concrete meaning attached to the word; the people who believe that the content of ideas need not be examined, that principles need not be defined, and that facts can be eliminated by keeping one's eyes shut. They expect, when they find themselves in a world of bloody ruins and concentration camps, to escape moral responsibility by wailing: "But I didn't mean this!"

Those who want slavery should have the grace to name it by its proper name. They must face the full meaning of that which they are advocating or condoning; the full, exact, specific meaning of collectivism, of its logical implications, of the principles upon which it is based, and of the ultimate consequences to which these principles will lead. They must face it, then decide whether this is what they want or not."

-------Ayn Rand, 1946 (partial foreword for "Anthem")

Barnes, Noble, and Hope

Today was the first day of my son's summer school class. Being that I had three hours to kill until he was done, I went to Barnes and Noble, a store I have always loved. Books are good brain food.

I immediately went to the political section hoping to score a copy of "Common Sense" by Glenn Beck or maybe even "Fleeced" by Dick Morris. My disappointment quickly turned to delight when neither book was to be found. I imagined the empty shelf space filled with the likes of Beck, Morris, Hannity, O'Reilly, and Goldberg. None of these authors were to be found; they were sold out. Of course if I had wanted a book of pictures of Barry and Michelle, there were plenty of copies of those to be had. In fact, some books about Barry were already in the bargain section. I laughed out loud. How refreshing!

Of course, the Starbucks inside was filled with your mushheaded latte lappers discussing political issues. It is a conservative nightmare to see what may one day be in charge of this country once again.

Since I couldn't secure "Atlas Shrugged", I settled for "Anthem" by Ayn Rand. I'll let everyone know how it was when I'm finished.

Hope springs eternal; at least at Barnes and Noble. Can't wait to go back. Maybe I'll take Ayn out for coffee.

Ayn of the Day

“When I disagree with a rational man, I let reality be our final arbiter; if I am right, he will learn; if I am wrong, I will; one of us will win, but both will profit.” --Ayn Rand

Today Only !!!! Bonus Ayn!!!

"The world you desired can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it's yours. But to win it requires total dedication and a total break with the world of your past, with the doctrine that man is sacrificial animal who exists for the pleasure of others. Fight for the value of your person. Fight for the virtue of your pride. Fight for the essence, which is man, for his sovereign rational mind. Fight with the radiant certainty and the absolute rectitude of knowing that yours is the morality of life and yours is the battle for any achievement, any value, any grandeur, any goodness, any joy that has ever existed on this earth."
John Galt quote that ended AR's last public speech (New Orleans Nov 1981)

It was just too good to let slip by.

Heeeeere's Ayn!

"The [U.S.] Constitution is a limitation on the government, not on private individuals ... it does not prescribe the conduct of private individuals, only the conduct of the government ... it is not a charter for government power, but a charter of the citizen's protection against the government."

--Ayn Rand

Time for the Morning Ayn

There is a level of cowardice lower than that of the conformist: the fashionable non-conformist. --Ayn Rand

No need for any more words.

I'm Loving This!!

Image via Wikipedia

The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
--Ayn Rand

I'm really starting to dig her philosophy. Thanks to Left Coast Rebel for getting me hooked. I'm sure if Obama can find a way to break this addiction, he'll do it.

Ayn for Clunkers

The man who lets a leader prescribe his course is a wreck being towed to the scrap heap. --Ayn Rand

Got Your Coffee? Here's Ayn!

Do not ever say that the desire to "do good" by force is a good motive. Neither power-lust nor stupidity are good motives. -- Ayn Rand

Should I forward this to the White House?

Ayn Shrugged

Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage's whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.

--Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand...Paging Ayn Rand

Ask yourself whether the dream of heaven and greatness should be waiting for us in our graves - or whether it should be ours here and now and on this earth.

Ayn Rand: Gotta Love Her

We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission; which is the stage of the darkest periods of human history, the stage of rule by brute force.

--Ayn Rand

I wonder if she had a time-travel machine. She seems to have been so spot-on about our present day world.

Ayn Rand Had Obama Pegged

It only stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.

--Ayn Rand

How prophetic. The next time you hear Dear Leader say how we must all make sacrifices, think of this quote.

Wisdom of the Day

Government "help" to business is just as disastrous as government persecution... the only way a government can be of service to national prosperity is by keeping its hands off.

--Ayn Rand