The reason that I am thinking about boxes is that I have found myself in a box that I did not know existed. In the past, I held some world views that were not in the mainstream of the political sensitivities of that time. However, they were reasoned world views, based on a mainstream reading of history, so I viewed the political sensitivities, not my views, as illogical.
My views have not changed. So why have I been using the past tense? Political sensitivities have changed. I now find my reasoned views characterized as evil. I feel that society has built a box around me and erroneously labeled it.
This will be a cryptic rant (a cryptic rant--just what you would expect from an academic), because I do not want to reveal myself as one who holds my now-maevolent ideas. Here is what I will tell you. The basis of my own evil view is this reading of U. S. history. At one time thirteen states joined a compact known as the United States by signing the U. S. Constitution as a voluntary association.
Nuff said.
I'll go polish my swastickas.*
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*Note: The previous line is a joke. I do not own, nor have I ever owned, Nazi memorabilia. I, in no way, sympathize with coercive movements of any kind, including, but not limited to, Nazism. My views are quite the opposite--individual freedom is the greatest good that mankind can work toward with regard to political aspects of this world.**
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**Further note: I believe that people should have the freedom to own Nazi memorabilia if they choose. Further, I do not view someone as sympathetic to Nazism simply because they study the history of the Third Reich and/or own Nazi memorabilia.***
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***Further note: I do not believe that someone who says, "Hitler was a charismatic leader," or "Hitler was a pursuasive orator," or "Hitler made the trains run on time," is necessarily sympathetic to Nazism. I think these views can be held by those who love freedom, but also read history.****
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****Two notes in one: (1) Will Smith, the actor, was once taken to task for saying that Hitler believed that Hitler was a good person--a statement that I would be willing to accept without proof. (2) I have no direct knowledge or detailed secondary knowledge of railroad efficiency in the Third Reich.*****
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*****Final note: My original rant has nothing to do with Nazi Germany. If Nazism had never existed, my rant would be unchanged except for the last line, which was a joke. Remember?
Thursday, June 12, 2008
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