Fear not? Somehow, I don't think so
Sure, we will survive, but at what cost for individual liberty? As others have noted, the pendulum swings, but every so often, the outside boundaries are reset, and for the past three quarters of a century, all the resets have been to the left.
The social "advances" brought about by the New Deal and the Great Society were not repealed, nor was it even attempted. Probably because while there was much bad, there was also some good, and we are unwilling to give up the good in order to repeal the bad. And because the good and bad are dependant (largely) on one's point of view.
We have made great advances toward true equality for the social and sexual underclasses, but we have done so by turning some of the our rights into privileges. Since the underclasses did not enjoy full exercise of these rights (generally), they didn't really miss them when they became privileges. Unrestricted gun ownership is just one of these rights. A big one, to be sure, but not the only one. Federal, state, and local laws, rules, ordinances and the unwritten "code" of conduct considered proper by society in general have restricted and channeled our behavior into an ever narrowing range of behavior that is "allowed" without punishment, or payment for the privilege of doing what we wish. What our grandfathers could do on their own land, we can no longer do, without permits, licenses, permission from govt and often many others, and face punishment and fines if we do not obtain permission and pay, before we act. This kind of situation is not yet universal, but it is very wide spread. And I can only see it getting worse.
On a different (but related note), is it any wonder that the Republican party, and by extension the conservative political philosophy has been discredited in the eyes of much of the populace? We have been exposed to a constant media blitz for the past few years, with the single theme of Bush = bad. Everything wrong was blamed on the Bush administration, either overtly or by inference. Not since the days of yellow journalism leading us into the Spanish American War has the media been so relentless in their driving home a message to the people, and that message is that everything wrong with our nation, and its place in the world is the result of either intent or incompetence on the part of Bush, the Republicans, the conservative philosophy, etc. expanding to include anyone who disagrees with this pronouncement. Even talk radio has come under fire, simply because, for some reason unfathomable to the left, their message does not do well there.
I say there is plenty of good reason to fear, because if Obama leads a Democratic congress, we will have more burdens to bear than ever in the past. And once in place, they will not be lifted, to any significant degree, ever. Each new generation matures believing that the limits and restrictions they grew up with are right and proper. It is the way it is. It is what ought to be. And while they may fight new restrictions (which they will view as tyranny), it takes rare individuals to fight against the status quo. They do exist, but only rarely can enough of them get together, and sway the public enough to effect any real change.
There are only a handful of people still living who could remember when one could walk into a store and buy either a machine gun or opium over the counter, with no questions asked. Or when there were shooting galleries (with real guns) in major urban areas, open to anyone who stepped up the the counter and paid their nickel or dime. Or when women were not allowed to vote. Soon there will be none left with these kinds of things in living memory. As more time goes on, many will do their best to convince us that these things were never common, or even important. And many will believe them.
Many things have definately changed for the better, but some have not. Some of the things we lost, we would have been better off keeping, at least as I see it. And if Obama and company win, we stand to lose some more. We may even gain some things of real value to our society, but I can't help but wonder if the price we will wind up paying for them will be too high.
Sure, we will survive, but at what cost for individual liberty? As others have noted, the pendulum swings, but every so often, the outside boundaries are reset, and for the past three quarters of a century, all the resets have been to the left.
The social "advances" brought about by the New Deal and the Great Society were not repealed, nor was it even attempted. Probably because while there was much bad, there was also some good, and we are unwilling to give up the good in order to repeal the bad. And because the good and bad are dependant (largely) on one's point of view.
We have made great advances toward true equality for the social and sexual underclasses, but we have done so by turning some of the our rights into privileges. Since the underclasses did not enjoy full exercise of these rights (generally), they didn't really miss them when they became privileges. Unrestricted gun ownership is just one of these rights. A big one, to be sure, but not the only one. Federal, state, and local laws, rules, ordinances and the unwritten "code" of conduct considered proper by society in general have restricted and channeled our behavior into an ever narrowing range of behavior that is "allowed" without punishment, or payment for the privilege of doing what we wish. What our grandfathers could do on their own land, we can no longer do, without permits, licenses, permission from govt and often many others, and face punishment and fines if we do not obtain permission and pay, before we act. This kind of situation is not yet universal, but it is very wide spread. And I can only see it getting worse.
On a different (but related note), is it any wonder that the Republican party, and by extension the conservative political philosophy has been discredited in the eyes of much of the populace? We have been exposed to a constant media blitz for the past few years, with the single theme of Bush = bad. Everything wrong was blamed on the Bush administration, either overtly or by inference. Not since the days of yellow journalism leading us into the Spanish American War has the media been so relentless in their driving home a message to the people, and that message is that everything wrong with our nation, and its place in the world is the result of either intent or incompetence on the part of Bush, the Republicans, the conservative philosophy, etc. expanding to include anyone who disagrees with this pronouncement. Even talk radio has come under fire, simply because, for some reason unfathomable to the left, their message does not do well there.
I say there is plenty of good reason to fear, because if Obama leads a Democratic congress, we will have more burdens to bear than ever in the past. And once in place, they will not be lifted, to any significant degree, ever. Each new generation matures believing that the limits and restrictions they grew up with are right and proper. It is the way it is. It is what ought to be. And while they may fight new restrictions (which they will view as tyranny), it takes rare individuals to fight against the status quo. They do exist, but only rarely can enough of them get together, and sway the public enough to effect any real change.
There are only a handful of people still living who could remember when one could walk into a store and buy either a machine gun or opium over the counter, with no questions asked. Or when there were shooting galleries (with real guns) in major urban areas, open to anyone who stepped up the the counter and paid their nickel or dime. Or when women were not allowed to vote. Soon there will be none left with these kinds of things in living memory. As more time goes on, many will do their best to convince us that these things were never common, or even important. And many will believe them.
Many things have definately changed for the better, but some have not. Some of the things we lost, we would have been better off keeping, at least as I see it. And if Obama and company win, we stand to lose some more. We may even gain some things of real value to our society, but I can't help but wonder if the price we will wind up paying for them will be too high.
