History Repeated
Posted in Straight Shooter by R Lee Wrights on February 15th, 2007 by Jessi Winchester, author of From Bordello to Ballot Box
I think the most remarkable thing about history is that we never seem to learn from its lessons and compulsively repeat its mistakes.
If we look at the timeline of events that led up to the Revolutionary War and compare it to current day events, we will see a disturbing similarity. Must our present-day inaction, indifference, and silence in the face of tyranny cause us to march down the same dreaded path? Our wake-up call is so clear; why do we ignore it?
Border policy has not changed one iota since September 11th despite Washington’s counterfeit rhetoric of concern. Regardless of terrorism, borders remain open, with all that implies. The use of tribunal courts was granted to prosecute those deemed responsible for terrorism and treason, yet top officials pander to the left wing liberal voting block by caving in and not trying an obvious traitor such as John Walker-Lindh or an admitted terrorist such as Richard Reid in these courts. It’s *business as usual* on Capitol Hill.
Must we continue to endure periodic scare tactics by an out-of-control government in the form of vague but frightening national announcements about impending attacks that never materialize? Why does Washington feel it necessary to make these disturbing announcements when we as citizens are powerless to do anything about it and are already on a highest form of alert? What purpose do they serve? Government’s purpose, that’s who. These well timed proclamations are designed to simply keep us in a constant state of fright which ensures our wallets will remain open even wider in the cause of *fighting terrorism no matter the cost.* We are cattle being manipulated for government’s greedy purpose.
September 11th has diverted our focus and the results could be disastrous. In our national zeal to be vigilant against terrorism, we are not paying sufficient attention to escalating events within the normal workings of our everyday government. This is an awareness we cannot afford to overlook.
We are bombarded on a daily basis by White House briefings and 24-hour media coverage of the war on terrorism. Is a play-by-play account of the war an intentional distraction from every day domestic policy? Is it designed to divert our focus from high ranking officials with hidden agendas and a desire to eradicate our Constitutional liberties and create tyranny within our own borders? If tunnel vision prevents us from seeing what our own government is doing on a judicial, political, economic, and social level to our every day lives - then tyranny can simply waltz in our front doors. We need to remain alert to terrorism but priority awareness must remain on so-called *leaders* who impact our daily lives with their secret goals and desire to suppress American freedom from within our own Capitol.
History repeats itself and events happening today are not that different from the climate leading up to the Revolutionary War. There are examples too numerous to cite in a brief column so let’s take a look at just one example of a comparison of then and now.
THEN: The Boston Tea Party of 1773 was the catalyst leading to the Revolutionary War. A comparison can be made between those events and what is occurring over present day tobacco taxes.
Tension built between the colonies and the United Kingdom for more than 10 years prior to the Revolutionary War due to laws passed by England to increase control over the colonies. Primary amongst them was the tax on imported tea. The British tea trading company, East India Company had a monopoly on tea export but was in financial trouble so Parliament passed the Tea Act, imposing a tax on tea shipped to America. Colonists feared the British would impose other taxes if they paid the tea tax and they would lose their argument against taxation without representation so they tried to force the ships to return to England. England expected obedience from colonial subjects so Massachusetts Royal Governor blocked those efforts. Pockets of civil disobedience began breaking out which led to resistance leaders carrying out what became known as the Boston Tea Party.
Britain wanted a clear warning to colonists not to challenge British authority so they retaliated by passing harsh measures known as the Intolerable Acts. One law closed the Boston harbor until colonists paid for the tea and acknowledged British authority. Another law restricted power of the Massachusetts legislature and gave additional power to the British appointed governor, making him nearly a dictator. To make sure the governor had the power he needed, troops were sent to Boston.
American patriots began an organized resistance to the Intolerable Acts, which resulted in the Continental Congress, which voted to cut off trade with the United Kingdom unless Parliament abolished oppressive laws and taxes. Both sides refused to yield which ultimately led to a military showdown. Britain ordered its troops into Boston to suppress the rebels in 1775 and war broke out soon afterward.
NOW: Tension has been building for over a decade due to much the same reasons, although they originate within our own government and not from a *mother* country.
As the middle class begins to disappear and the gap between elite and working class becomes more pronounced, so do the social and economic dilemmas. Taxation has reached intolerable levels, the burden of which is placed on the working class. Inflation has reached all time heights when compared to wages, which remain at the level they were decades ago.
In Nevada where I live, there is no corporate or individual income tax. Bureaucrats desperately look for alternative sources of revenue but there are only so many places from which one can obtain additional tax dollars. For that reason, states like Nevada turn to so-called *sin* tax on items such as alcohol and cigarettes - presenting a thinly veiled smoke screen of *concern* for citizens’ health and well being. Bureaucrats try to convince citizens that if the already exorbitant current tax on tobacco is doubled, the vise will become so expensive folks will quit smoking and live a healthy lifestyle instead. Studies show the current crop of cigarettes are so potent that it only takes a handful to cause addition so that’s not likely to happen. Bureaucrats don’t even have the spine or integrity needed to be honest and admit this issue is about money - not citizen health. Governmental dishonesty is causing huge segments of the population to distrust and just plain be fed up with bureaucratic rhetoric and greed.
Huge taxes on cigarettes is creating a black market which in turn is generating more stringent penalties for those selling cigarettes designed to circumvent high taxes. Sound like the tea party?
This is only one example of present day subjugation but leaders turn a deaf ear to those who put them in office to represent their wishes and politics remains business as usual. Current day citizen discontent with policies of those in power is parallel to that of pre-Revolutionary War times. Eventually, this could lead to the type of revolt seen in 1773 in Boston and if these types of government abuse continue, could even lead to another war of revolution.
Copyright © Jessi Winchester 2002, All Rights Reserved
Originally published in Liberty For All February 12, 2002.
Nevada Silver said,
February 15, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
What you say is quite true. I hear the increased rumblings of decent among the citizenry. Our government and its underlings don’t fully represent We The People. Globalism is so obvious, I wonder why the people aren’t getting off their couch and doing something about it. I for one am busting my buns getting the word out - as you have.
Trent Oiler said,
February 15, 2007 @ 9:03 pm
I have talked until I’m red, white and blue in the face. The simple fact is….people don’t care. Americans have slowly been put to sleep. The government has always assured us that they are keeping us safe and the tiny changes being made to those obsolete, dusty and torn pages of the old Constitution are for our own good.
Ask the average Joe or Josephine who our secretary of defense is and they won’t know. Ask them who won the last American Idol and I bet they can tell you. And the government couldn’t be happier.
Connor said,
February 20, 2007 @ 5:05 pm
Indeed, people don’t care. But they sure are enjoying the bread and circuses…
Connor’s Conundrums » Prepping for Iran said,
February 22, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
[...] So enlighten your mind by rejecting outright whatever the mainstream media is spoon-feeding the American populace. Study the repetition of history and you’ll soon see that war with Iran, while inevitable, is likely not necessary. Read quotes about “war” on Possibly related posts: [...]
Connor’s Conundrums » Angry Americans said,
March 8, 2007 @ 10:23 am
[...] History is cyclical, yes, and we see repeated events occur over and over as time goes on. However, the cycle occurs in tandem with a downward spiral of morality that screams “Second Coming” to those who have eyes to see. [...]