This is my blogchalk:
United States, North Carolina, Carrboro, English, Paul, Male, 56-60, All Music, All Food.

Subscribe to this blog in Radio:

Wednesday, March 19, 2003

N.C. Copy Of Bill Of Rights Coming Back To State The U.S. Bill of Rights was signed in 1789 by the original 13 colonies, including North Carolina. At that time, President George Washington provided each state with an original handwritten copy of the document. North Carolina's copy was sent to Raleigh where it was on display for several years. Toward the close of the Civil War, state officials removed the Bill of Rights and other important documents from Raleigh to protect them. When the war ended, the documents were returned to the state capitol, which was then occupied by U.S. General William Sherman's army. A federal soldier allegedly took North Carolina's copy of the Bill of Rights sometime during the occupation. An occupying force commanded by an arguable war criminal stole a priceless document. The Bill of Rights once symbolized the very soul of a young America, no one would argue. In case you’ve forgotten any of the original amendments, you can find an excellent summary here. The NC copy was recovered by an FBI sting operation. Agents posed as purchasers to an undisclosed “museum in Philadelphia.” North Carolina had previously turned down offers to buy back their property from presumbably other undisclosed sellers. many years ago. I wonder if any of the verbiage has been blacked-out as in a combined parody of both the Freedom Of Information Act and the Homeland Security Act. This is a dangerous document. It tells people that America was founded to establish freedom from the most dangerous tyranny of all, the kind that begins at home. It tells the people that it is their right and responsibility to oppose a government that uses any variation of Divine Right to rule and it guarantees them the tools to do so. It provides no escape clause. The writers had had their fill of kings, who are now long gone. We’re getting back an old piece of paper, even if it hasn’t been defaced. To use a word from the popular lexicon to describe those on the wrong side of the “with me or against me” sandbox line, it is probably irrelevant. It is faded and its only value is as an antique. So we’ll put it in a bulletproof glass case in a dark room, protected by heavily armed guards, ready to level anyone who studies it with dubious intent. After all, it has been clearly established that it is worth $30 million in the open market. Anything that valuable is likely to be stolen again. 6:09:32 PM    comment []

http://america-russia-news.com/ More news satire. This week's lead: Public Service Message for Americans, You Should Know Where the Country is Your Country has Declared War Against. 12:10:09 PM    comment []

http://www.herald-sun.com/features/ The Carrboro Farmers' Market is starting its 25th season. Looks like nothing but greens and sweet potatoes this week, and that's a start. I love it when the cukes and tomatoes start coming in. Time to polish up the Mehu-Liisa! 9:26:44 AM    comment []

As war tensions mount with each passing hour, you gotta love the bizarre sideshow provided by The Tractor Guy. He's mad at the government for reasons that have nothing to do with the war and he's not the least bit afraid to say exactly what he feels: "I'm going to get my message out," Watson said in a telephone call to The Washington Post from Constitution Gardens, where he drove a green John Deere tractor into a shallow pond at 12:30 p.m. Monday. "I will not surrender," Watson said early yesterday afternoon, adding that he had plenty of food and water, as well as toughness and stamina dating to his days in the Army. "They can blow my ass out of the water. I'm ready to go to Heaven." 8:41:17 AM    comment []

A survivor of Normandy (wounded three times) and of a Nazi prison camp was just on the BBC, saying he wanted to return the medal the French gave him, because they won't support us unconditionally now. This is passion. 10 years ago, or so, I got into an online discussion that shifted to the firebombing of Dresden. One of the participants was a retired gentleman who, after some thought, said, "You know, I believe I flew that mission. It was worse than most, sometime in February 1945 - but we wre flying missions every day then and we didn't get much sleep. We were happy just to get back alive." We should have nothing but respect for either of these men, we might not be alive had it not been for their sacrifices. But that does not translate into blind obedience to a group of Mythical Non-Combatants who question our patriotism when we question their choice of seemingly random battles that others must fight. No one would say that war is good, regardless of its outcome. Wars are fought to end, so peace may follow. The people who suffer the most are the ones who live ordinary lives, free of political machinations beyond matters of deciding who brings apple pie to the church picnic. In harm's way, a simple accident of chance can forever alter their life. This can happen at any time, not just when the calendar says it is time for an election. It is possible to have heartfelt respect for their bravery and still maintain skepticism for the motives higher up in the chain of command. We are free people and capable of complex compartmentalized thought. The GI can return his Croix de Guerre and I'll applaud his right to do so; the tail-gunner can celebrate his survival of too many missions and I'll toast him. It doesn't impair my ability to distinguish between right and wrong nor make them accountable. But somebody is, decisions in war do not occur by accident. 2:34:14 AM    comment []

N.C.A.A. Tournaments to Go On, Even in War   The National Collegiate Athletic Association said yesterday that its Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments would begin as scheduled this week despite the threat of war with Iraq.   I don’t have a dog in the fight this year, but I can still enjoy the battle and all the upsets. The upsets give particular pleasure when your team didn’t make it. There is always a chance that you will randomly tune in to a game that mysteriously holds your attention for a while, then becomes one of the all-time great games of round ball – like the 1992 OT thriller when Duke beat Kentucky 104-103 on Christian Laettner’s miracle shot at the buzzer.   I hope all the games go on as scheduled, that would be the best miracle of all. 1:05:53 AM    comment []