Those who do not learn from history…

…are doomed to repeat it.

Sadly, this is not necessarily true. I’ll get out the “splainsit stick” in a bit to expound on that.

/curmudgeon’s rant: on

George Washington was not the first president of the United States. Seriously. Now, I know many would deride such a comment as silly, even those who already know, as any student of American history knows, that John Hanson was the first president of the United States of America under the Articles of Confederacy, because some do not believe the United States existed before the Constitution of 1787-1789.

Pish-tosh. If the United States of America did not exist before then, then what entity was it that foreign governments treated with under that name? What authority paid troops, what authority issued the Great Seal of the United States in 1782, if the United States did not exist until the Constitution of 1787 was ratified?

Why is it important that we acknowledge that there were seven presidents before George Washington, despite the naysayers who wrongly assert there was no United States until the 1789 ratification of the 1787 Constitution? Because the Articles of Confederacy form the backbone of the fleshed-out Constitution, just as the Declaration of Independence describes the blood that flows through its veins.

Oh, dear me! Did I just make an allusion to a “living document”?

Yes, I did, although not in the sense that faux liberals do. The life’s blood that the Founders poured into the Constitution was their own lives’ “blood and toil and sweat and tears” (to borrow from an Anglo-American of a later generation), or, as one Founder put it, “the blood of patriots and of tyrants”.

That living document has been dealt several near-fatal blows over the years and has been poisoned by men of both good- and ill-will, but its flesh and bones remain, though its life’s blood is being drained and poisoned, drop by drop.

Today, the preferred method of killing the Constitution piece by piece is to simply ignore it while at the same time deliberately (or ignorantly–or with deliberate ignorance) twisting its words. In effect, this “living document” is being stretched on the torture rack of solipsism to satisfy the selfish desires of whomever wishes to misuse it to their own ends.

*sigh* The elite of England were playing this same game with the law in oppressing their English brethren in the American colonies in the 18th Century, denying them the just rights of Englishmen, which was the reason for the Revolution! So says the Declaration of Independence, and so says all the corresepondence with The Crown preceding and following that document.

And so our politicians play at being the 18th Century King George and his parliament, and the sheeple that comprise the electorate today simply “Baaah-baaah” their way to the voting booths… those who can or are bothered to even find their way there, that is.

To paraphrase (and slightly amend) a wiser voice, Those who are too stupid to learn from history are doomed to repeat its failures. (Would that those who do learn from history would attempt to repeat–or at least preserve–its successes. *sigh*)

Let me encourage you to re-read (or perhaps read for the first time) The Declaration, the Articles of Confederacy and The Federalist Papers, as well as the Constitution during this election cycle. Use the knowledge you gain thereby to closely question politicians seeking office–not just for the presidency (none of the current crop of candidates for president could stand up to such questioning, I fear), but for congressional offices as well–Senators and Representatives. Hold their feet to the fire of the Founders’ serious concerns. Demand of them some accountability to their pledge to uphold the law of the land, not just their own or their puppet masters’ pet subsidiary–and often unconstitutional!–laws.

This country did not begin with George Washington but with the “blood and toil and sweat and tears” of many who preceded him, whom he (mostly–recall “The Whiskey Rebellion”? *sigh* An early example of Fedgov oppression of citizens) honored with his service.

Let me restate the axiom I paraphrased earlier: In a democracy (“rule by mob”), those who refuse to learn from history are usually in the majority and dictate that everyone else suffer for their ignorance. The result of such behavior today is the major growth industry in America: government-sponsored anarcho-tyranny. (Yes, I could have used many, many links to incidents of government-sponsored anarcho-tyranny, but this one works.)

Wear this one on your forehead, wrapped around your hand–heck, place it on the doorposts of your home *heh*–for your next visit with the TSA or interrogation/persecution by some alphabet soup fedgov agency,

“In a democracy (“rule by mob”), those who refuse to learn from history are usually in the majority and dictate that everyone else suffer for their ignorance.”

And include in your checked baggage (for removal along with your valuables by “inspectors” or other thieves) the TSA’s unofficial motto:

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Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Rosemary’s Thoughts, Right Truth, The World According to Carl, Shadowscope, The Pink Flamingo, Cao’s Blog, Democrat=Socialist, Right Voices, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

When a stupid man does something he knows is wrong, he always claims it is his duty.

Heck, include both those statements in all correspondence with your congresscritters. Not that they’ll heed the words. After all…

Once again, all the documents relating to our nation’s founding can be found in The Founders’ Constitution, including the very important Articles of Confederacy (read and you’ll know why that document is so very important). Highly, highly recommended for anyone who desires to be a responsible citizen of these now (dys)Uited (*sigh*) States.

/curmudgeon’s rant: off