Seceeding from the Union

[colmywaykurtz]

I think we’re falling into tunnel-vision in our envisioning of various secession scenarios—that we’re focusing too much on the concept of states seceding, as happened in 1861. The populations of individual states may be too balkanized for that to happen now.

Contemporary means of social communication and interaction, facilitated by the internet, may give a very different trajectory to secession.

To give a for-instance, what if large sections of Facebook’s users decided to engage in civil disobedience by not paying certain taxes, or perhaps no taxes? It’s not that unlikely, inasmuch as internet communications form the quickest and easiest means of connecting with like-minded people.

If such a movement were quashed by the government seizing control of the internet, I don’t know if it would go any further than that. A lot of people show paralysis these days when the internet is down…

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Wisconsin makes a fine addition to the United States of America. The East Coast states provide more usefulness to the Union as a whole than that barren land called Texas does.

I like California but I’d give L.A. to Mexico too. Texas and L.A. both auctioned off. Maybe for a good bottle of Tequila.

Actually, I’m only partly joking. There are parts of Texas in real life I think I would probably like. San Antonio gives me the impression of a nice city I’d probably enjoy living in. But I just like poking fun at Texas and L.A.

(Cowboy hats are overpriced though . Just saying…)

There’s this useless substance that comes from under the ground in Texas…and out in the Gulf…maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s not just a pollutant although some elite folks seem to believe it is. It’s called crude oil. Nah, never mind, it’s not that important, we just make these things and more from it…

Solvents
Diesel fuel
Motor Oil
Bearing Grease
Ink
Floor Wax
Ballpoint Pens
Football Cleats
Upholstery
Sweaters
Boats
Insecticides
Bicycle Tires
Sports Car Bodies
Nail Polish
Fishing lures
Dresses
Tires
Golf Bags
Perfumes
Cassettes
Dishwasher parts
Tool Boxes
Shoe Polish
Motorcycle Helmet
Caulking
Petroleum Jelly
Transparent Tape
CD Player
Faucet Washers
Antiseptics
Clothesline
Curtains
Food Preservatives
Basketballs
Soap
Vitamin Capsules
Antihistamines
Purses
Shoes
Dashboards
Cortisone
Deodorant
Footballs
Putty
Dyes
Panty Hose
Refrigerant
Percolators
Life Jackets
Rubbing Alcohol
Linings
Skis
TV Cabinets
Shag Rugs
Electrician’s Tape
Tool Racks
Car Battery Cases
Epoxy
Paint
Mops
Slacks
Insect Repellent
Oil Filters
Umbrellas
Yarn
Fertilizers
Hair Coloring
Roofing
Toilet Seats
Fishing Rods
Lipstick
Denture Adhesive
Linoleum
Ice Cube Trays
Synthetic Rubber
Speakers
Plastic Wood
Electric Blankets
Glycerin
Tennis Rackets
Rubber Cement
Fishing Boots
Dice
Nylon Rope
Candles
Trash Bags
House Paint
Water Pipes
Hand Lotion
Roller Skates
Surf Boards
Shampoo
Wheels
Paint Rollers
Shower Curtains
Guitar Strings
Luggage
Aspirin
Safety Glasses
Antifreeze
Football Helmets
Awnings
Eyeglasses
Clothes
Toothbrushes
Ice Chests
Footballs
Combs
CD’s & DVD’s
Paint Brushes
Detergents
Vaporizers
Balloons
Sun Glasses
Tents
Heart Valves
Crayons
Parachutes
Telephones
Enamel
Pillows
Dishes
Cameras
Anesthetics
Artificial Turf
Artificial limbs
Bandages
Dentures
Model Cars
Folding Doors
Hair Curlers
Movie film
Soft Contact lenses
Drinking Cups
Fan Belts
Car Enamel
Shaving Cream
Ammonia
Refrigerators
Golf Balls
Toothpaste

And last but not least…
Gasoline

I think the folks on the Left and Right Coasts should for sure dump Texas, maybe Louisiana, and for sure Oklahoma, since these places are so God-forsaken. It’s just that a whole lot of crude oil and just about all the refineries to turn it into gasoline and all these other things…happen to be in TX and LA. Hmmm…

 

[Faithdancer]

I’m in California, but far from LA. Some Californians would like to split the state longitudinally, so the left leaning cities of California and LA would be in the same state, and the inland areas would be another state. All the water sources and much of the agriculture would wind up in the more conservative Eastern California.

More seriously, the Constitution Party platform calls for strict limitation on the power of the Federal government and for an increase in states rights. There are alternatives to secession on the one hand, and the bloated tyranny of big government on the other.

 

[TimeEntrance]

Headgear being a necessity of life around here due to our ferocious sun, “cowboy” type hats are available around here in a broad price range. Most hats you see on heads around here cost far less than $250.
**
Texas has eleven climatic zones, and cannot be broadly described as “barren.”**

ICXC NIKA

From one of the my most awesome ranked movies, “This country is hard on men.” - No Country For Old Men

But Texas can be broadly described as “No country for old men.”

As for the ferocious sun… I guess “You can’t stop what’s coming. It ain’t all waiting on you. That’s vanity.”

Set in West Texas: youtube.com/watch?v=5uo94DSTzdc

 

[TimeEntrance]

There’s this useless substance that comes from under the ground in Texas…and out in the Gulf…maybe you’ve heard of it?

I’ve seen the Beverly Hillbillies. Watched it many times when I was a little kid. So, I’m aware of what “black gold” is, TheReal.

We’ll give Texas its props for that. I still don’t like tumbleweed though.

 

[GEddie]

I’ve seen the Beverly Hillbillies. Watched it many times when I was a little kid. So, I’m aware of what “black gold” is, TheReal.

We’ll give Texas its props for that. I still don’t like tumbleweed though.

Tumbleweeds are cool. They couldn’t have made “Big Lebowski” without them.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Linusthe2nd]

There’s this useless substance that comes from under the ground in Texas…and out in the Gulf…maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s not just a pollutant although some elite folks seem to believe it is. It’s called crude oil. Nah, never mind, it’s not that important, we just make these things and more from it…

Solvents
Diesel fuel
Motor Oil
Bearing Grease
Ink
Floor Wax
Ballpoint Pens
Football Cleats
Upholstery
Sweaters
Boats
Insecticides
Bicycle Tires
Sports Car Bodies
Nail Polish
Fishing lures
Dresses
Tires
Golf Bags
Perfumes
Cassettes
Dishwasher parts
Tool Boxes
Shoe Polish
Motorcycle Helmet
Caulking
Petroleum Jelly
Transparent Tape
CD Player
Faucet Washers
Antiseptics
Clothesline
Curtains
Food Preservatives
Basketballs
Soap
Vitamin Capsules
Antihistamines
Purses
Shoes
Dashboards
Cortisone
Deodorant
Footballs
Putty
Dyes
Panty Hose
Refrigerant
Percolators
Life Jackets
Rubbing Alcohol
Linings
Skis
TV Cabinets
Shag Rugs
Electrician’s Tape
Tool Racks
Car Battery Cases
Epoxy
Paint
Mops
Slacks
Insect Repellent
Oil Filters
Umbrellas
Yarn
Fertilizers
Hair Coloring
Roofing
Toilet Seats
Fishing Rods
Lipstick
Denture Adhesive
Linoleum
Ice Cube Trays
Synthetic Rubber
Speakers
Plastic Wood
Electric Blankets
Glycerin
Tennis Rackets
Rubber Cement
Fishing Boots
Dice
Nylon Rope
Candles
Trash Bags
House Paint
Water Pipes
Hand Lotion
Roller Skates
Surf Boards
Shampoo
Wheels
Paint Rollers
Shower Curtains
Guitar Strings
Luggage
Aspirin
Safety Glasses
Antifreeze
Football Helmets
Awnings
Eyeglasses
Clothes
Toothbrushes
Ice Chests
Footballs
Combs
CD’s & DVD’s
Paint Brushes
Detergents
Vaporizers
Balloons
Sun Glasses
Tents
Heart Valves
Crayons
Parachutes
Telephones
Enamel
Pillows
Dishes
Cameras
Anesthetics
Artificial Turf
Artificial limbs
Bandages
Dentures
Model Cars
Folding Doors
Hair Curlers
Movie film
Soft Contact lenses
Drinking Cups
Fan Belts
Car Enamel
Shaving Cream
Ammonia
Refrigerators
Golf Balls
Toothpaste

And last but not least…
Gasoline

I think the folks on the Left and Right Coasts should for sure dump Texas, maybe Louisiana, and for sure Oklahoma, since these places are so God-forsaken. It’s just that a whole lot of crude oil and just about all the refineries to turn it into gasoline and all these other things…happen to be in TX and LA. Hmmm…

Haven’t you ever heard of Windmills and Solar Mirrors? Ha,ha,ha, he,he

 

[GEddie]

Haven’t you ever heard of Windmills and Solar Mirrors? Ha,ha,ha, he,he

We have both.

And once we ship all the environmentalists (who don’t like windmills because they disturb the birds) to Oklahoma, we’ll build more.

But you just can’t run an SUV with those

 

[rossum]

But you just can’t run an SUV with those

Somebody with better Photoshop skills than me needs to do a picture of one of these:



with one of these:

http://www.thaxted.co.uk/system/files/image/Photos/thaxted-windmill_440w.jpg

on top.



rossum

 

[TimeEntrance]

Rossum, do Buddhists drive SUV’s?

 

[GEddie]

The T2R would be the perfect place for solar development. Sunlight is our #1 natural resource!!!

 

[rossum]

Rossum, do Buddhists drive SUV’s?

Some do, most don’t.

rossum

 

[livingwordunity]

I’m not favoring civil war or any other war. But I’m not sure the characterization of the Roman Empire above tells the full story.

Early on, the Romans were, among the peoples of the time, noted for their virtue. One story (which some consider apocryphal) concerns the last days of Carthage. Roman soldiers came upon the statue of Moloch, where Carthaginians used to sacrifice their first born by casting them into the fire; a practice that was supposed to bring prosperity.

The Roman soldiers were so enraged by the sight that, disciplined though they were famous for being, their commanders lost control of them and they slew every Carthaginian they laid eyes on for perpetrating such a horror.

And we, who often consider ourselves more virtuous than they, and more civilized and all, are we so very different from the Carthaginians, we who burn unborn children with caustics, disembowel them, and for what? For lots of reasons one understands, but one of them being that it would damage one’s fortunes, one’s career, “to be burdened with a baby” as our president has so famously said.

But are we a bit better than the Carthaginians were? And yes, the Romans watched gladitorial battles. Were a million gladiators killed per year? One doubts it. Yet a million unborn children in this country are killed every year and we consider ourselves superior to those Romans who perpetrated gladiatorial games? Some gladiators, we understand, were volunteers; the “sports stars” of their day, and most combats did not result in death because gladiators were too costly to waste wantonly. No unborn children volunteer for abortion.

If you ask me, the ancient Romans might, with justification, look upon us as the real savages; the cruel, the uncivilized.

 

[livingwordunity]

The “right” wasn’t happy about Clinton, either, yet the country survived him.

Obama makes Clinton look like Rush Limbaugh by comparison.

 

[livingwordunity]

news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/secession-petitions-now-filed-50-states-183500440.html

Something I didn’t know until I read this article was that similar petitions were filed in 2008 and 2004, so it’s something that disgruntled people do when their candidate loses. They were ignored then, they’ll likely be ignored now.

I think it’s a sign that the country is already sharply divided only not officially. It’s interesting how liberals have been saying that the military isn’t important while cutting it down to the bone. But now all of a sudden the argument from liberals becomes “but you won’t have a strong military”.

 

[colmywaykurtz]

But I’m not sure the characterization of the Roman Empire above tells the full story.

If you ask me, the ancient Romans might, with justification, look upon us as the real savages; the cruel, the uncivilized.

I’m not sure THIS characterization of the Roman Empire, or of the contemporary west, tells the full story, either, Ridgerunner—or the correct one.

The temptation to compare us with Carthage is obvious. But let’s remember one thing—the sacrifice of the infants in Carthage was mandated by the state. People aren’t coerced to procure abortion in this country.

A more accurate comparison could be drawn between Carthage and modern China. There, many people are forcibly made to undergo abortion, sterilization, and birth control–at the state’s command.

I think the Romans (if we’re talking the early ones, in the time of the Republic) would definitely consider us a cut above the Chinese.

By the way, contrary to what Hollywood and popular American culture has always thought, the gladitorial games did not start during the time of the Empire, as a result of degeneration caused by the wealth of empire. They actually began during the First Punic War, in the time of the Republic, as a way to divert the people’s minds from the Hannibalic threat.

 

[lynnvinc]

There’s this useless substance that comes from under the ground in Texas…and out in the Gulf…maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s not just a pollutant although some elite folks seem to believe it is. It’s called crude oil. Nah, never mind, it’s not that important, we just make these things and more from it…

Solvents
Diesel fuel
Motor Oil
Bearing Grease
Ink
Floor Wax
Ballpoint Pens
Football Cleats
Upholstery
Sweaters
Boats
Insecticides
Bicycle Tires
Sports Car Bodies
Nail Polish
Fishing lures
Dresses
Tires
Golf Bags
Perfumes
Cassettes
Dishwasher parts
Tool Boxes
Shoe Polish
Motorcycle Helmet
Caulking
Petroleum Jelly
Transparent Tape
CD Player
Faucet Washers
Antiseptics
Clothesline
Curtains
Food Preservatives
Basketballs
Soap
Vitamin Capsules
Antihistamines
Purses
Shoes
Dashboards
Cortisone
Deodorant
Footballs
Putty
Dyes
Panty Hose
Refrigerant
Percolators
Life Jackets
Rubbing Alcohol
Linings
Skis
TV Cabinets
Shag Rugs
Electrician’s Tape
Tool Racks
Car Battery Cases
Epoxy
Paint
Mops
Slacks
Insect Repellent
Oil Filters
Umbrellas
Yarn
Fertilizers
Hair Coloring
Roofing
Toilet Seats
Fishing Rods
Lipstick
Denture Adhesive
Linoleum
Ice Cube Trays
Synthetic Rubber
Speakers
Plastic Wood
Electric Blankets
Glycerin
Tennis Rackets
Rubber Cement
Fishing Boots
Dice
Nylon Rope
Candles
Trash Bags
House Paint
Water Pipes
Hand Lotion
Roller Skates
Surf Boards
Shampoo
Wheels
Paint Rollers
Shower Curtains
Guitar Strings
Luggage
Aspirin
Safety Glasses
Antifreeze
Football Helmets
Awnings
Eyeglasses
Clothes
Toothbrushes
Ice Chests
Footballs
Combs
CD’s & DVD’s
Paint Brushes
Detergents
Vaporizers
Balloons
Sun Glasses
Tents
Heart Valves
Crayons
Parachutes
Telephones
Enamel
Pillows
Dishes
Cameras
Anesthetics
Artificial Turf
Artificial limbs
Bandages
Dentures
Model Cars
Folding Doors
Hair Curlers
Movie film
Soft Contact lenses
Drinking Cups
Fan Belts
Car Enamel
Shaving Cream
Ammonia
Refrigerators
Golf Balls
Toothpaste

And last but not least…
Gasoline

I think the folks on the Left and Right Coasts should for sure dump Texas, maybe Louisiana, and for sure Oklahoma, since these places are so God-forsaken. It’s just that a whole lot of crude oil and just about all the refineries to turn it into gasoline and all these other things…happen to be in TX and LA. Hmmm…

Wow, that’s exactly why we’ve strived to reduce our gasoline use for the past 43 years of our marriage – to save that oil for future generations, so they too can enjoy those products. And that has helped us save many $1000s – e.g., by living close to work/schools, etc., saving on gasoline, car repairs & depreciation, etc.

Then there is also reducing environmental harms to consider (including health harms and death/miscarriages from local pollution, regional acid rain corroding lungs/trees/lakes/soil, and global warming killing off massive life on earth in the pipes right now to play out for over 100,000 years).

So now we have a Volt which we drive about 85% on 100% wind-powered electricity. Texas has lots of wind and sun!! We were able to afford it from the mega-bucks we’ve been saving over the past 43 years from doing the EC (environmentally correct things) and thinking about other people and future generations. And we’ve found out we’ll be saving on the Volt after 6.5 years when it pays down the difference of buying the other car we considered, and goes on to save us more & more $$$.

If you seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness ALL things will be added unto you. Halleluia!

So if Texas secedes from the union, I’d really like for Hidalgo County (the poorest county in the nation) to be able to secede from Texas, which apparently only wants to grab material goods for itself, no matter what the cost in human lives and harms to God’s creation. Better to be poor than associated with evil.

And that’s very sad, since my mother, grandparents, and great-grandparents were all Texans. Seems the goodness of the past generations has died with them, and Texas no longer cares about life on earth … or life in Heaven anymore – only selfish material gluttony in this life – except for a few remants like us, who are willing to sacrifice for God’s kingdom, but are instead finding our blessings multiplying like those loaves and fish.

I wish you all a blessed and spiritual Christmas season, which far exceeds any joys our material blessing can give us. Bless you all.

 

[pnewton]

So if Texas secedes from the union, I’d really like for Hidalgo County (the poorest county in the nation) to be able to secede from Texas, which apparently only wants to grab material goods for itself, no matter what the cost in human lives and harms to God’s creation. Better to be poor than associated with evil.

And that’s very sad, since my mother, grandparents, and great-grandparents were all Texans. Seems the goodness of the past generations has died with them, and Texas no longer cares about life on earth .

Let me ask for a clarification, are you judging good and evil based on how green a person or an act is?

 

[lynnvinc]

Let me ask for a clarification, are you judging good and evil based on how green a person or an act is?

Certainly, as well as based on the myriad of other sin issues. Killing people is killing people – whether by abortion, guns, knives, poison, or environmental harms, and the 10 Commandments do not specify that it is wrong to kill people with swords, but okay to poison them to death.

I think it would be good if people would strive to reduce their killing of people in ALL the various ways they may be killing people. I think denying one is contributing to the harm and death of people (esp thru slandering environmental scientists and environmentalists) perhaps sounds a bit like Cain deflecting his killing of Abel, and perhaps makes the sin worse.

There is great mercy in Jesus, and much help to do what is right, for those who seek that help. Persistence in prayer really works.

 

[pnewton]

Certainly, as well as based on the myriad of other sin issues. Killing people is killing people – whether by abortion, guns, knives, poison, or environmental harms, … think denying one is contributing to the harm and death of people (esp thru slandering environmental scientists and environmentalists) perhaps sounds a bit like Cain deflecting his killing of Abel, and perhaps makes the sin worse…

Okey dokey. I guess I will back off and leave you to your rather unique moral theology. Personally, I will stay with the Catholic Church on this issue.