RE: Patriotism, an Abomination
I mark the beginning of the US Empire at the invasion by the Northern states into the Confederacy. This was a denial of state sovereignty and their right to secede. Lincoln justified this aggression with his imperialistic ambition for control of all states, all the time, as if "Union" was more important than anything else. He didn't say why. He just proclaimed it. He assumed the power to do so, just as he assumed the power to free the slaves. If the president is vested with such power, the president can one day reverse it. How is that power less than a king's? Doesn't freedom come from our humanity, not from the dictate of a ruler? If so, no dictate is needed or necessary to free slaves. They only need to exercise that freedom, if they chose. Freedom/slavery begin in the mind, not with some dictate.
There is no right to secede.
100% agreed!
"Freedom/slavery begin in the mind, not some dictate."..........Tell that to the women and children being trafficked in third world countries. No matter how hard they try in their mind to be free, they are still slaves. Mind power only gets you so far. Freedom and slavery are a paradox. If freedom equals sexual liberty than you are a slave to your sexual desires. If freedom to you equals financial freedeom(money) than you are a slave to money. If freedom to you means being able to say whatever/whenever than you are a slave to pride. To me true freedom is not being able to do whatever you want whenever you want. True freedom is living in accordance with the Creator.