Just a little drive-by history here, folks.
We can't let this anniversary day pass without a glance eastward, across the Atlantic and the plains of Europe, toward the civilization which once produced as much truth and beauty as any other -- the land of Kant and Schopenhauer, Beethoven and Bach.
But by July 31, 1932, things had gone kaput in Germany. Stupid war. Venal peace treaty. Starry-eyed liberals (by teutonic standards) and other statist critters running things.
The fiat money had become worthless. Land laid idle. The manufacturing base was in a shambles. Forget gas for your Daimler. You were more worried about finding an innertube for your bicycle and borrowing a wheelbarrow load of marks to pay for it.
Your kids did not face an obesity problem; the starving seldom do.
What that country needed was Change. And Hope.
Vote and ye shall receive.
By a large plurality, citizens of one of the great European civilizations accepted the change and adopted the hope of a celebrated orator who had achieved celebrity status.
Thirty-eight per cent of the German electorate raised a right hand in stiff salute to one Adolph Hitler who had gone to them in torch-light parades and mass rallies in Berlin. His nearest competitor polled some 20 per cent, and the die was cast. Sieg Heil.
Fifteen years later Europe was a kitchen midden, and a world gaped in disbelieving horror at the Dachaus which resulted from one brand of hopeful change.
Mein Gott, Hans, I guess it could happen here.
Heil hope. Heil change. But let's be sure we know in great detail what change our would-be leaders actually hope for.
---
And just for the record, this is also the 60th anniversary year of another little incident freedom forces consider important. It was in 1948 that a British fellow named Eric Blair finished a book and sent it off to his publisher.
We know him as George Orwell, and we know his "1984" as a secular version of Revelations, only rational. Telescreens? Not yet, but about those cheap RFID chips in your shorts...
We still need the Ron Paul solutions.
©2008 Random Outlier, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Thursday, July 31, 2008
Last modified: Thursday, July 31, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of Random Outlier only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Random Outlier is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
Report violation by Random Outlier of Nolan Chart LLC's terms of use policy.
| More Articles By Random Outlier |
Reader Comments: