This may surprise you; I do try to avoid 'heavy' but there seems to be no escape from it - the world as we used to know it back in the 'good olde 60s' has completely turned on its head. What was right then is wrong now.
What got me started on today's rant is an article I came across recently about the late Russian Writer & Philosopher Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Solzhenitsyn, as you will recall, exposed to the world the Russian forced labour camps through his two most famous writings - The Gulag Archipelago and One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich.
At the end of WW II he was imprisoned in these forced labour camps for being critical of the way in which Stalin conducted the war. He was not released until 1956 - some 10 years later.
As such, I believe it is safe to say that he was an expert on Totalitarianism.
To make a long story short - at least this portion of the story, he visited the USA for an extended period of time in the late 1970s and in 1978 was the recipient of an honourary degree from Harvard.
In his commencement address that day, his topic was 'A World Split Apart' and students and faculty alike sat back prepared to listen to him castigate the Soviet Union. To their amazement the subject of his scorn was the very United States which had welcomed him to its bosom.
Here are some of his comments from that day long ago:
- The Western World has lost its courage and its Leadership is mediocre;
- The West is guilty of blind arrogance, of material abundance coupled with spiritual poverty;
- That Security, brought about by Western Capitalist Welfare States, is both addictive and enervating;
- He pointed out the Mendacity of our Media and the Decadence of our Art.
In sum, he bemoaned the fact that the gift of freedom had been abused and debased in the West.
Those present had not expected this from their guest - indeed, they had thought he would be thankful for being granted time in their great country. They were sadly mistaken.
Looking back from our vantage point today it is not surprising that Solzhenitsyn spoke out the way he did. Here was a man who had looked into the Jaws of Hell for 10 long years and accordingly, was not about to sugar coat his beliefs for the sensitivities of his Host Country.
The only question I am left with is just what he would think of the state of things today - some 30 years later?
Although Solzhenitsyn is no longer with us I did come across two columnist of late who I believe may just be able to speak on his behalf albeit without the Great One's forcefulness.
David Warren in his Article 'Before the Deluge', speaks about an "impending catastrophe in almost every direction". In the "World at Large" he notes, "tyranny is almost everywhere advancing ...while our ability to rise to each potential crisis is diminishing".
His article then goes on to examine the terrible financial state that our Free World Leader - America finds itself. These Debts and Deficits have not only resulted in Big Government, but more importantly, he notes, has resulted in its Citizens having become mere vassals of the State - so dependent on its Welfare that they have lost the ability to Act and Think Independently.
The Second Article I would like to Reference is by Ken Gray entitled 'The New Abnormal'.
Gray continues on the same Theme. "If people ever begin worrying about the $13 Trillion public debt, it might not hurt to start patrolling the edges of your property with a rifle".
He continues with a review of the terrible financial stats.
- US Debt is 89% of GDP
- it has been increasing annually by $500 billion since 2003
- in 2009 alone it increased by $1.9 Trillion
Sooner of later he notes that both government and individuals will have to get their "debt under control" but this will mean an end to artificial stimulus. And this coupled with the Boomer Retirement will mean that economic activity will tank for many years to come.
So what does all this mean for you and I?
The US will no longer be able to fulfill its role as World Leader. That Role will pass by default to China.
The West has been unable to contain Terrorism to now - under the New World Order it will be less and less able to even try.
There is an answer though and it lies deep inside each of us. A return to basic values of truth, honour and integrity. We have seen an example of this - this past weekend where Glenn Beck brought half a million ordinary Americans to the Lincoln Memorial to pray for the courage to do just that. It is a start - indeed a bid start and I will be writing more on this in later Blogs.
Suffice to say, Beck has been universally put down by the liberal left but then again, Christ was the subject of scorn some 2,000 years ago. I am not for a minute equating Beck with Christ - I am only pointing out that to be scorned by the Leftist Elites
