Thursday, February 12, 2004
Fall of the Athenian Republic
This was emailed to me and I found it extremely interesting. Don't know if I agree with it but I am worried if its true.
At about the time our original 13 states adopted their new
constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor
at the University of Edinborough had this to say about "The Fall of the
Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior:
THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN REPUBLIC...
"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as
a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up
until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves
generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the
majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most
benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every
democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is)
always followed by a dictatorship." "The average age of the world's
greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about
200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed
through the following sequence:
>From bondage to spiritual faith;
>From spiritual faith to great courage;
>From courage to liberty;
>From liberty to abundance,
>From abundance to complacency! ;
>From complacency to apathy,
>From apathy to dependence,
>From dependence back into bondage."
Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul,
Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the most
recent American Presidential election:
Population of counties won by:
Gore 127 million
Bush 143 million
Square miles of land won by:
Gore 580,000
Bush 2,427,000
States won by:
Gore 19
Bush 29
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Gore 13.2
Bush 2.1
Professor Olson adds,
"In aggregate, the map of the territory Bush won was mostly the land
owned by the tax-paying citizens of this great country. Gore's
territory encompassed those citizens living in government-owned
tenements and living off government welfare..." Olson believes the
U.S. is now somewhere between the "apathy" and the "complacency"
phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy; with some 40
percent of the nation's population already having reached the
"governmental dependency" phase.
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At about the time our original 13 states adopted their new
constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor
at the University of Edinborough had this to say about "The Fall of the
Athenian Republic" some 2,000 years prior:
THE FALL OF THE ATHENIAN REPUBLIC...
"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as
a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up
until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves
generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the
majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most
benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every
democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is)
always followed by a dictatorship." "The average age of the world's
greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about
200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed
through the following sequence:
>From bondage to spiritual faith;
>From spiritual faith to great courage;
>From courage to liberty;
>From liberty to abundance,
>From abundance to complacency! ;
>From complacency to apathy,
>From apathy to dependence,
>From dependence back into bondage."
Professor Joseph Olson of Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul,
Minnesota, points out some interesting facts concerning the most
recent American Presidential election:
Population of counties won by:
Gore 127 million
Bush 143 million
Square miles of land won by:
Gore 580,000
Bush 2,427,000
States won by:
Gore 19
Bush 29
Murder rate per 100,000 residents in counties won by:
Gore 13.2
Bush 2.1
Professor Olson adds,
"In aggregate, the map of the territory Bush won was mostly the land
owned by the tax-paying citizens of this great country. Gore's
territory encompassed those citizens living in government-owned
tenements and living off government welfare..." Olson believes the
U.S. is now somewhere between the "apathy" and the "complacency"
phase of Professor Tyler's definition of democracy; with some 40
percent of the nation's population already having reached the
"governmental dependency" phase.
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Alcohol Free Mardi Gras
OK where do people stand on this. An ordinance that has been put into effect in Houma and Mobile is now being pushed upon Greater New Orleans. The policy is to create areas along the parade route that are designated Alcohol free zones. They would be more heavily patrolled by police on duty. I've been listening to David Tyree (870 AM 2-5p) and I was a little surprised by the number of people who were so adamently against this. I mean I can see the pros and cons but the more I thought about it the more I wondered which side I would take. As a drinker I have questions. Where would this area be? I don't want to give up my usual spot for this. Knowing Politics in this city during election year it will be in a prime location. What happens if I'm drinking and need to pass through the alcohol free zone? Can I or do I have to walk around. Hmm. What has been getting me so fired up about this that I actually took time to write is that the non drinkers keep falling on the argument that they have the right to go to a parade without having to stand next to a drunk. Well unless laws have changed that I don't know about THEY DON'T. I can freely drink on the street in mardi gras. One could argue that I have a right not to stand next to a sober person on the parade route but I don't. Then there are the people who say "if you don't want to be around drunks then don't go to mardi gras". Now believe it or not have I a problem with these people as well. I mean I think everyone should experience mardi gras. Don't tell people to stay home. But at the same time the drunks are part of the experience. Now I'm not saying that you have to stand next to a drunk to go to a parade. If you are that upset by it yet still want to go to mardi gras get together with the others that are in your boat and get permits for a scafolding area. You see many businesses doing this. I'm sure you can get some people together. There are so many other angles to this that I don't have time to write about.
In conclusion I guess I would have to be against the ordinance. The major reasons would be the politics and the strain on police to more heavily patrol that area. If you want an alcohol free zone then create it yourself. The public shouldn't have to suffer for you.
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In conclusion I guess I would have to be against the ordinance. The major reasons would be the politics and the strain on police to more heavily patrol that area. If you want an alcohol free zone then create it yourself. The public shouldn't have to suffer for you.
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