tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post780099422912900419..comments2017-04-13T04:47:21.148-06:00William N. Grigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14368220509514750246noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-92131459144034675212009-02-12T18:39:00.000-07:002009-02-12T18:39:00.000-07:00That jackass Blankley must have _fought_ in the Battle of Salamis. And, as anyone can plainly see, he triumphed magnificently over the Salamis, along with the Bolognas, the Sopressatas, and a few random Gorgonzolas...<BR/><BR/>The time for debate is over. The time to vote from the rooftops is nearly here.<BR/><BR/>-AleGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-21491301239331265472009-02-12T16:12:00.000-07:002009-02-12T16:12:00.000-07:00Anonymous said...<BR/><BR/> To Pat H<BR/> Having traveled throughout the thrid world I can testify that many countries, even with decadent govts, are much more free than the US. For example within most countries in Latin America, sans Venezuala, it is much easier to live out in the countryside far from the meddlesome nature of the central govt. doing your own thing and not have to worry about suffering some intolerable bullshit from a pesky govt snoop. Your standard of living, using Western standards as our guide, is not the same - but quality of life is far superior. I sure can put up with an outhouse if it means not having some useless parasite monitoring my every move.<BR/><BR/> 5:53 PM<BR/><BR/>You may be right, but how long with that last? Are you willing to risk investing in a short when you should be looking for the best long-term investment? Try a freer state in the US, for example. Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, New Hampshire, Vermont, anything. If you wish to live out in the wilderness with little luxury, that's fine, but why do so in a different country?Pat H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-82633913952615483272009-02-12T13:06:00.000-07:002009-02-12T13:06:00.000-07:00Congratulations, Mr. Grigg, on the successful birth of your baby boy, and prayers towards your wife's speedy recovery. Coincidentally,I share in your joy because our blessed daughter has come on the same day as your blessed son. May they both grow happy, strong, and free.<BR/><BR/>-MorganAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-25149904839563197182009-02-12T04:58:00.000-07:002009-02-12T04:58:00.000-07:00I can't wait to hear the bleeding heart bedwetters defend this latest bankster bailout. Some naive simpletons thought they had a friend in Sobama. The next four years are going to be a hybrid of a Clinton third term mixed with a Carter second term and blaming the Republicans is going to wear out fast. Wait till the sycophants get those "voluntary" service and draft notices. I hope they enjoy the change.not their soldiernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-6963276747918404662009-02-11T18:53:00.000-07:002009-02-11T18:53:00.000-07:00To Pat H<BR/>Having traveled throughout the thrid world I can testify that many countries, even with decadent govts, are much more free than the US. For example within most countries in Latin America, sans Venezuala, it is much easier to live out in the countryside far from the meddlesome nature of the central govt. doing your own thing and not have to worry about suffering some intolerable bullshit from a pesky govt snoop. Your standard of living, using Western standards as our guide, is not the same - but quality of life is far superior. I sure can put up with an outhouse if it means not having some useless parasite monitoring my every move.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-44093482324981941362009-02-11T18:23:00.000-07:002009-02-11T18:23:00.000-07:00FreeMan, <BR/><BR/>Of course "we" need to go fight overseas. If "we" didn't, the Mohammedans would come over here and burgle our liberties. They would abscond with them after stuffing them into large canvas duffelbags. <BR/><BR/>But thank goodness all those soldiers protected "our freedoms" from being <I>stolen</I> by the North Koreans, North Vietnamese, Cubans, Filipinos, Afghanis, Iraqis, Panamanians and Grenadans! Because they were <I>just about</I> to invade and "take our rights." <BR/><BR/> -Sans AuthoritasSans Authoritasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-54952060601149769792009-02-11T14:06:00.000-07:002009-02-11T14:06:00.000-07:00No scimitar-wielding Mohammedan has materialized on my doorstep to demand that I surrender my children as a "blood tax" demanded by the state. I know what variety of greeting I would give such a personage were he to appear. The same is true for any functionary of any government who would presume to claim my children as the property of the official gang that employs him.<BR/><BR/>Can't add much to that.....we don't need to go overseas to fight a war.FreeMannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-4687148446002738172009-02-11T13:43:00.000-07:002009-02-11T13:43:00.000-07:00I so appreciate your articles, Mr. Grigg. Thank you for your vigilance and care for the rest of us.<BR/><BR/>To Pat H., who said even animals kill. Yes, they do, and without compunction: they NEVER dither about whether they "should" or "shouldn't," whether it's moral or right or wrong. They just do BECAUSE that's ALL they are: animals. They can do no other.<BR/><BR/>For all the stupidity about evolution, we, human beings, "homo sapiens sapiens," "the wisest of the wise," are NOT mere animals.<BR/><BR/>Therefore, just because animals kill is no REASON for human beings to kill. Especially because someone else -- something no animal suffers from, except trained dogs! -- TELLS them to!<BR/><BR/>The false conundrum of "rites of passage:" In the ancient Hebrew culture, after God, family was ALL. Israel didn't exist apart from family. A young man passed into "manhood" with a Bar Mitzvah, a demonstrated knowledge of his ability to read and recite and understand the Law of God. He became a full member of the adult community at 30 years of age, which is "why" Jesus started His ministry at around that age. A man gained authority within the community when he had fulfilled some years of experience at being "a man:" responsible, mature in manner and judgment, contributor to his family's welfare, his father's business and household, respected in the wider community.<BR/><BR/>His wife was chosen for him. According to the Law, he and his wife were to spend one uninterrupted year together after their marriage. He was not even subject to conscription in time of war. He was to please his wife in everything. He and his bride usually lived under his father's roof. His wife became a daughter to her mother-in-law.<BR/><BR/>The young man "left" his father and his mother to cleave to his wife in that his loyalties changed from his position as a young son, a lamb in his parents' bosom, to his wife's husband.<BR/><BR/>This was how one became a man in the culture of Jesus' birth.<BR/><BR/>There was no military requirement per se, but because of the danger of surrounding and often hostile societies, boys were taught to defend themselves, often with mere farming implements.<BR/><BR/>Being a man was never associated with the military. It was always associated with your mature mental development within your home and society. It was demonstrated in how good a provider you were for both your father's house (Jesus' parable of the Prodigal Son illustrates this quite well) and your own.<BR/><BR/>There is much to be admired in the social laws God gave to Moses in the desert.<BR/><BR/>How much better off we'd be today if only we respected and lived them according to our Lord's example and teachings.<BR/><BR/>Mr. Grigg would never have had to write the things he's felt conscience-bound to write.<BR/><BR/>Once again, thank you, Mr. Grigg. And congratulations to you and your wife on the birth of your beautiful new son.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-25188966426865501202009-02-11T12:52:00.000-07:002009-02-11T12:52:00.000-07:00"the leering wad of incarnate malice known as Rahm Emanuel"<BR/><BR/>I wish I had written that!Bearded Spocknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-23935583503568544062009-02-11T12:41:00.000-07:002009-02-11T12:41:00.000-07:00Anonymous said...<BR/><BR/> If we have "national service," that's my time to bail out of the US. My wife and I are too old to be pressed into service, Redcoat style. But I will not allow my daughter to be treated as the property of the ruling class.<BR/><BR/> 8:48 AM<BR/><BR/><BR/>Yeah, and where will you go, the moon?Pat H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-54701612076032808792009-02-11T11:30:00.000-07:002009-02-11T11:30:00.000-07:00Will, congratulations on your new little boy. Your children are blessed with godly parents. Great article too, providing much food for thought. My five kids are 11 to 2. I can't imagine them being drafted.Lancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17558010397063607264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-37053055176689394062009-02-11T10:20:00.000-07:002009-02-11T10:20:00.000-07:00Another great column Will, I noticed you also have excellent taste in music too. Congratulations on the new addition to your family.<BR/> And thanks to Lemuel, great comment on Captain Black. I'll have to get up to the Whydah museum this summer.Kenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15653525902444184294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-14426510165971170102009-02-11T09:48:00.000-07:002009-02-11T09:48:00.000-07:00If we have "national service," that's my time to bail out of the US. My wife and I are too old to be pressed into service, Redcoat style. But I will not allow my daughter to be treated as the property of the ruling class.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-34488971888884279582009-02-11T08:44:00.000-07:002009-02-11T08:44:00.000-07:00Ken,<BR/>That's a good opening salvo. I'll use that. <BR/>My opponent in debate might then say, but because (1) the overall majority of the conscripted will not see combat, and (2) the kids will have the option of choosing non-combat service tasks like in other countries, that criticism doesn't wholly or even substantially undercut the character-building thing we are aiming for. <BR/>I could then reply that even children are not stupid, and that they will object to their valuable time being spent learning skills not necessarily of their choosing or of any conceivable use. I could further note that no matter what is said now, the history of large bureaucracies suggests a significant percentage of the conscripts will have their choice for training, if any is even given, will be effectively ignored, and that even if, against the odds they get into the job or skill training of their choosing, it will be subpar as the government need not turn a profit and so will have little incentive to provide a decent service to these kids. Why not just cut taxes, and get out of the way of private individuals and businesses? You'll see competent and useful training and apprentice programs soon enough, I might argue.<BR/>JLW,<BR/>We completely agree that the modern imperial armed forces is not the answer. I aim to prepare for the arguments I anticipate the regime will make, and that will percolate through their courtiers the major media, until they spill forth from the misguided lips of even such as friends and family. <BR/>"So how could this work without alienating youth from God and family? I think that I should go read the Bible on this point."<BR/>I suppose no rite of passage works without somewhat inducing a sense of separateness, and possibly alien-ness from one's family. But that's a needlessly pejorative way of looking at the process and the point of the whole thing, which is to form adult men and women ready willing and able to pursue their own vocations. Sense of autonomy might be a better way of looking at it. I'll defer to others on exegesis, but I recall a few passages about a man leaving his mother to cling to his wife, kicking a bad son out of the house, Our Lord being asked to perform a certain work at a wedding, the timing of which appeared to annoy Him a bit.Christopherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18300064299643040666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-60083451044355979392009-02-11T08:15:00.000-07:002009-02-11T08:15:00.000-07:00Woodrow Wilson never did a day in the military. Neither did Tony Blankley. <BR/><BR/>If Blankley believes so strongly in a draft, why doesn't he get his own wretched self over in Iraq or Afghanistan on the ground as an infantry private?<BR/><BR/>Congrats on the new baby.Doug Newmanhttp://www.tfot.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-66183462700610313152009-02-11T04:50:00.000-07:002009-02-11T04:50:00.000-07:00Everyone, please bring attention to an Oregon bill being circulated right now called HB2556. It will allow the Govenor to block deployment of National Guard troops. This would set a great precident if it passed, allowing citizens in other states to force their Gov to do the same. Do a google search for Oregon news and you"ll see it mentioned in a Salem story. Please spread the word.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-7559977869647634792009-02-11T00:01:00.000-07:002009-02-11T00:01:00.000-07:00Dear Mr. Grigg,<BR/><BR/>Another fine essay. Your assessments of Rahm Emanuel and Bernard Baruch are refreshingly perceptive. So good to see someone who does not fawn and grovel over the hobnailed jackboots of our "betters."<BR/><BR/>I recently came across a marvelous little speech which I would like to share. It is from the pirate captain, "Black" Sam Bellamy, after he had captured the sloop of one Captain Beer in 1717. He invited Captain Beer to join his pirate band, but the good captain adamantly refused, and Bellamy's crew insisted the captured sloop had to be sunk to prevent it raising the alarm and provoking a pursuit. Bellamy said to Beer:<BR/><BR/>"I am sorry they won't let you have your sloop again, for I scorn to do any man a mischief when it is not to my advantage. Damn the sloop, sir, we must sink her, and she might be of use to you.<BR/><BR/>"Though, you are a sneaking puppy, and so are all those who will submit to be governed by laws which rich men have made for their own security; for the cowardly whelps have not the courage otherwise to defend what they got by knavery.<BR/><BR/>"But damn ye all together; damn them for a pack of crafty rascals, and you who serve them for a pack of hen-hearted numbskulls. They vilify us, the scoundrels do, when there is only this difference between us: They rob the poor under the protection of law, forsooth, and we plunder the rich under the protection of our own courage. Had you not better make one of us, than sneak after these villains for employment?"<BR/><BR/>When the good Captian Beer still demurred that his conscience would not permit it, Bellamy concluded:<BR/><BR/>"You are a devilish conscience rascal, sir. I am a free prince, and I have as much authority to make war on the whole world as he who has an hundred sail of ships at sea, and an army of an hundred thousand in the field; and this MY conscience be. But there is no arguing with such snivelling puppies, who allow "superiors" to kick them about deck at pleasure."<BR/><BR/>I wish I could have met Black Sam. He sounds like a man after my own heart. His flagship, the Whydah, which sank in a storm in 1717 taking Black Sam, a vast amount of loot, and all but two survivors, down with it, has been located and carefully excavated, and some of the 100,000 recovered artifacts may be seen at the Whydah museum in Provincetown, MA, probably the best museum of life aboard a pirate ship in the world.<BR/><BR/>Yours sincerely,<BR/>Lemuel Gulliver.Lemuel Gullivernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-75563002118558726762009-02-10T23:38:00.000-07:002009-02-10T23:38:00.000-07:00When they start the Draft again. Dick Cheney, and Tony Blankley should go first. <BR/>Put em with the snipers, since you’re never too old to stand up for target practice.TheRightRadicalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11511999181738355073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-39104772633367444572009-02-10T23:32:00.000-07:002009-02-10T23:32:00.000-07:00Uh, thanks, "Liberace," I guess.... Say "hi" to your brother George for me!William N. Grigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14368220509514750246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-79590002727417377202009-02-10T23:13:00.000-07:002009-02-10T23:13:00.000-07:00William,<BR/> Pay no attention to that jackass, Anon @ 7:20. You're a very good-looking fellow, a sexy man if I don't say so myself.<BR/> -Larry "Liberace" GoodrichAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-34122101364191233972009-02-10T22:21:00.000-07:002009-02-10T22:21:00.000-07:00declaogue*<BR/><BR/>or decalogue?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-19174324988127419092009-02-10T22:16:00.000-07:002009-02-10T22:16:00.000-07:00draf allotments*<BR/><BR/>draft?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-55464199357826568912009-02-10T22:14:00.000-07:002009-02-10T22:14:00.000-07:00great article but the WWI era cartoon is from Australia, as the UK did not have a referendum to impose conscriptioncindy williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-52909113927323689722009-02-10T21:58:00.000-07:002009-02-10T21:58:00.000-07:00A wonderful son! Blessing on you and yours sir. May your family grow-up in a free-country......mtheadAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32869165.post-9444052941348771322009-02-10T21:36:00.000-07:002009-02-10T21:36:00.000-07:00Anon @ 7:20 -- I gather you're simply too polite to say that I have a "lived-in" face, right?<BR/><BR/>Actually, the answer to your conundrum is really quite simple: My children all have their Daddy's looks, because Mommy still has hers.William N. Grigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14368220509514750246noreply@blogger.com