June 29, 2005

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Column
By: Zach Mitcham

Patriotism beyond the 4th
Parades, fireworks and flags make for a memorable Independence Day. But patriotism also goes beyond our annual day of festivities.
Here are some thoughts on how to be patriotic:
•Offer kindness and respect to your political opposites (act counter to your rage, even when the same courtesy is not extended to you.) — I don’t mean back down on your convictions, not at all. But expressing them doesn’t have to come with waves of malice. The polarization of red and blue, Republican and Democrat, is one of our nation’s ugliest aspects. And, clearly, the art of persuasion is absolutely dead in America right now. Instead of arguing issues on a point-by-point basis, we too-often seek an easy victory, free of all the complexities of true debate. We seek to destroy those with whom we disagree, rendering all future arguments from them laughable. Character assassination is our political reality of the day. So we rally behind teams, ready to strike down the opposite side no matter their argument, ready to make them look like fools for the good of our team. Watch our pundits and tell me this isn’t the name of the game. The underlying animosity toward perceived enemies is what truly binds us one way or another in our political convictions. But if we can’t argue our convictions without tearing down our opponents in the process, are we a mature democracy? If this is how we are, do we really seek the betterment of the country or do we prefer the gratification of kicking each other in the rear? Shouldn’t we recognize the ugliness we all hold within and seek to rise above it for the good of the nation?
•Buy American, buy local (or at least try to whenever possible) — In today’s economy, there is really no way to hold absolutely true to this ideal, unless, perhaps, you make your own clothes and don’t leave your house. But it’s worth trying to buy American whenever possible. Because it matters, whether you see it or not. The fact is, the old motto “Buy American” has gradually given way to a new, never-spoken motto, “Buy Chinese.” Most everything we purchase these days was manufactured in another country, probably China. In fact, a co-worker showed me her American flag pin, which had “made in China” stenciled in small type on the back. (This patriotic piece had been outsourced. Is that not a telling token of our times?)
With our fixation on cheap imports, our national trade deficit has ballooned. And as more of our dollars go overseas, we see those dollars returned in capital investments in America from foreign business. Simply put, the more shirts we buy cheap from 50-cent an hour sweatshops abroad, the more we sacrifice ownership of this country to foreign investors. While we get the cheap deal in the short-term, we are too ready to ignore the long-term costs — the ownership of our society that we are rapidly giving away. So taking individual action to support American manufacturing and American jobs is patriotic; and it’s in our long-term economic interest. It’s worth paying a little extra for the “Made in the U.S.A.” label.
•Take real action to support the troops — Pro-war or anti-war, we all agree that soldiers carry a tremendous burden. While it’s remarkable that medical improvements have lowered the fatality rates in combat zones, the flip side is that more soldiers are living from wounds that might have killed them in earlier wars. So, more and more soldiers are returning from Iraq with horrible injuries — amputated limbs, blindness, burns. Approximately 12,500 U.S. soldiers have been wounded so far. Many of these soldiers will need government assistance for the rest of their lives. “Supporting the troops” is often symbolic in nature, like a bumper sticker, but gestures mean much more if accompanied by public demands for increased funding for the Veterans Administration, or individual donations to VA hospitals, or letters and monetary donations to specific troops hurt in action, or letters of kindness to soldiers and their families. The politics of the day shouldn’t overshadow the support soldiers actually need as they endure the awful effects of brutal warfare. They need the kind of support that is quiet, but meaningful — more substance than symbol.
Here are some other thoughts on patriotism:
•Attend a local meeting — We talk and talk about freedoms, about democracy. But it’s striking how public meetings are so poorly attended in most every community. Newspapers and word of mouth reports are poor substitutes for seeing first-hand what’s going on with your local government.
•Write an elected official — talk to them about both the good and the bad that you see. Ask for a sincere effort to make changes for the better.
•Read about an historical event — knowing the history of our country and our community — or at least making an effort to know — is truly a way to feel real love for your home. This includes a willingness to look at both the good and the bad of history, and how we’re tied to it all.
While this weekend is an occasion to cook out and enjoy being with the family, it’s always a good time to think about your country and community and what you can do to make your surroundings better.
More than any bumper sticker, flag or fireworks, that’s the true show of patriotism.
Zach Mitcham is editor of The Madison County Journal.

Column
By: Frank Gillispie

Supreme Court’s decision just another nail in the coffin of Constitutional government
...nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Amendment Five, U.S. Constitution.
Why is it that the more powerful you become the less ability you have to read clear and precise language? The Fifth Amendment states clearly that private property can only be taken for public use, and that such property must be paid for at a fair rate. How then did five U.S. Supreme Court justices decide that it was legal for the city of New London, Connecticut to force five landowners off their property so it can be given to a giant corporation? The city has no plans to use this property for highways, schools, jails or any other public use.
The case, if you want to look it up, is Kelo et al v. City of New London, 04-108.
The story of using government to allow the powerful to run over the little guy is an old one. We fought a bloody war over that argument, and lost.
In 1960, 145 years ago, the U. S. Government was collecting massive taxes in Southern ports to support big Northeastern businesses. The Southern, agriculture states were paying 80 percent of all federal taxes. Of that amount, 75 percent was going to support Northern businesses in the form of supplements, railroad, highways and canal construction.
At the same time, the tariffs were forcing poor hardworking rural families to sell their produce at greatly reduced prices. In addition, they had to pay inflated prices for manufactured goods. The vast majority of farmers, mostly in the south, were small family operations. It took long hard days of work in the heat of summer to produce a crop, and then government policy seized a major portion of their income to give to the northern industrialist.
Abraham Lincoln and the Northeastern Republicans promised to greatly increase these already oppressive taxes if elected. They were, and they did. When the South rebelled against this abuse, Lincoln called out the U.S Army to force his will against these unfortunate people. The results were over six million people dead from battle or disease, the entire Southern region was devastated and the U.S. Constitution was essentially abandoned.
The Supreme Court’s decision last week is just another nail in the coffin of Constitutional government. If that ruling prevails, another of our primary rights will have been lost, the right to hold private property.
The federal government takes a huge chunk of our earnings, they have almost taken our right to keep and bear arms with gun control legislation. They have usurped our parental rights with such programs as compulsive school laws and allowing juveniles to obtain abortions without parental consent.
Now, they are moving toward allowing any government agency to seize our property for the use of big business without our consent. About the only freedom we have left is that of the press, and I would not be surprised to hear that I am no longer allowed to speak my mind in this column.
Last spring, a bill was introduced in the Georgia legislature, SB 5, which would have a similar effect in Georgia. The bill created a firestorm of protest that it was temporarily abandoned. I say temporarily because it is still listed as an active bill on the state senate web site.
Now, here is what we need. Our legislature needs to pass, and send to the voters an amendment to the Georgia Constitution that clearly states that property can only be taken under eminent domain for the construction of public facilities, such as roads, schools, jails or other government services. It should also clearly state that any property that was taken under eminent domain that is no longer being used for public purposes be returned to the original owners.
It looks like the feds are determined to take all our freedoms. That leaves it up to the states to protect us from such abuses by the federal government. That is how our founders intended the system to work and we need to act now to reinstate that principle.
The people are sovereign, according to the founders of this nation. Government has only the rights given it by the people. And no one has given government the right to seize the property of those seven Connecticut landowners. As Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said, “This is outrageous!?
Thomas Jefferson clearly stated that when government becomes oppressive, the people have the right to throw it off and establish a new government of their choosing. I am beginning to think it is time for us to start throwing.
Frank Gillispie is founder of The Madison County Journal. His e-mail address is frankgillispie@charter.net. His website can be accessed at http://frankgillispie.tripod.com/

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