Sovereignty movements

While proving how safe
the gun was, teenager
shoots hole through his foot.

Someone just called to my attention a web site called newswithviews.com. This is a site apparently dedicated to reporting on sovereignty movements, gun rights, coming food shortages, the evils of the federal government, and all that sort of thing. I guess there are people around and about who think the Civil War, to keep the union together, was misguided, or at least need not apply to states who want to secede at the moment. There seem to be about a dozen states where you might find groups making noises about declaring sovereignty. I believe these are most probably associated with various militia organizations.

It is never clear to me just what it is these people really want, other than to be left alone by the federal government. Personally, I think the whole idea of states’ rights is pretty stupid. If different states had rights, completely unregulated by the federal government, I believe it would be an unmitigated disaster, especially at this period in time. It is undeniably the case, for example, that the rivers do not begin and end at state lines so they could hardly be kept clean and healthy and whatever, if states differed in the way they treated them. The same thing is true of the forests, they, too, do not begin and end at state lines. Nor does air quality lend itself well to state control. Then, of course, there are problems of abortion rights, gay marriage, religion, local government, and so on. How about immigration? Would each state have the right to determine who was allowed to move in and live there? Would each state be responsible for having its own army, navy, and Marine Corps? Would they all be equally democratic, or could some give way to dictatorships? The age-old problem of civil rights would rear its ugly head again, with some states discriminating against so-and-sos, and another discriminating against someone else. Perhaps we could return to lynchings? Would all states elect to pay for public education? And how about television, newspapers, and broadcasting? Would all states recognize the 1st amendment? The 4th amendment? Our present Constitution? What about highways and railroads and such, even airspace? What if Colorado didn’t want anyone flying in the airspace on the way to Chicago? I suppose all lands within the state boundaries would become the exclusive property of that state? No more national parks or wilderness areas? There would be vast differences in wealth, with some states much poorer than others. Would this lead to warfare over territory and such? All in all I have to confess to thinking this is a pretty dumb (and entirely impractical) idea. Fortunately those who aspire to such conditions are in a small minority and thus we don’t really have to worry about it ever coming about.

People who promulgate separatist ideas also seem worried about coming food riots, or race riots, or hordes of hungry people coming to take their food and such. They worry especially that someone (Obama, at the moment) is going to take away their guns (all 80 million or more of them). They are in my opinion alarmists who only foresee the direst of possibilities. While it is true that we are faced with unprecedented problems, even crises, at the moment, we would most probably overcome them better through cooperation rather than separation. This is true at all levels now on this small planet we inhabit together, going our separate ways could only make things worse. I suggest everyone heed the mantra of Morialekafa: Do not panic.

I am very pleased to learn that Obama (and Hillary) are sticking to the two state solution. To me it seems perfectly obvious that it is the only solution that could actually work. But Israel, especially under Netanyahu, will resist it mightily, as they prefer to keep the status quo (that is, permanent conflict denying the Palestinians anything of substance forever). It has been obvious for a long time that if there is ever to be a solution, the U.S. will have to drag the Israelis kicking and screaming into it. I am also pleased that Obama is making overtures to Russia, although I don’t think he will get anything in return for giving up putting missiles in Poland. Putting missiles in Poland that don’t really work, to combat missiles and nukes that Iran doesn’t even have, would not seem much of a bargaining chip. I like our overtures to Syria and, in general, I am very happy with the way Obama is operating on the international scene – except, that is, with our continued paranoia about Iran. But perhaps, that, too, will lessen with time. Don’t forget, we could still have Bush or someone like him.

LKBIQ:
From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.
Sir Winston Churchill

TILT:
The first game of golf for which records survive was played at Bruntsfield Links, in Edinburgh, Scotland, in A.D. 1456.