The Imperial Boomerang Returns

[Makalakumu]

The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home. – James Madison

http://original.antiwar.com/bphillips/2011/11/02/the-imperial-boomerang-returns/

James Madison was right. The tools of “defense” abroad become the tools of tyranny at home. They are here now, and no amount of Newspeak or self-delusion can help when they are at our doorsteps and over our heads. The mileage that insulates Americans against the horrors of our foreign policy has been dramatically shortened.

I've been saying this for years. It's coming home. You either give up your Empire or you live under it.

 

[oftheherd1]

One of the reasons a free press is considered by some to be so important is that it can act as a watchdog. I agree with that. Unfortunately, it can also wield a big stick when it has an agenda on its own. Media often have their own axe to grind, and apeal to those with the same axe to grind. They become so impassioned, they sometimes forget to publish all facts available if the facts may tend to disprove what they want to believe.

While I can agree that sometimes police or soldiers may react in ways that seem inappropriate, or in fact can be shown to be inappropriate, all police and soldiers should not be painted with the same brush. And you also have to have some appreciation for the fact that their professions tend to deal with people who not only have no compunctions against killing them, in fact, will often go out of their way to kill them.

As a martial artist, have you ever been in a situation where there were several people who appeared to be ready to confront you and attack you? Did you think you might be in mortal danger? Were your thoughts that since several of the people in the confrontation with you might not actually attack you (and you couldn't be sure, or who), that you should change what it would probably take to survive? Or were your thoghts that who ever got close to you should be pre-emptively attacked? Have you ever felt you had to protect someone in the same circumstances?

I have not, but I think my first thought would be for survival and what it took. I would try to sort out any lookers-on-only later.