Choices….. How Politicians Take ….. Freedom From Us

 

Freedom is a funny thing and pretty difficult to understand.  Yet it is fundamental to a free society to understand what the responsibilities of the members are.  No matter how different one thinks, I am not to impose my will to make another think like I do.  It is their choice to think in their fashion.   

Having choices is one of the key underpins of freedom.  As I lose choices I lose freedom.  The first Amendment, “Freedom of Speech,” is one of freedoms of choice. 

I should be able to stand on the corner and shout my lungs hoarse and not have any body try to stop.  In variably some one will give me grief and tell me to shut up, that is their choice also.  Now if my speech is causing some one harm, then there should be consequences for my behavior and nothing about abridging my free speech.  Consequences should  be about stopping an inappropriate behavior not stopping the speech for under other circumstances it may not cause any harm.

Walking into a crowed place and yelling fire is an exercise of my free speech but is people panic and trample others then my free speech has caused harm.  For the harm caused, there should be consequences and it had nothing to do with free speech. 

Basically under this assumption I can be as big of an idiot as I want to be, just be willing the accept what happens afterwards.  Freedom has not been restricted but my own.  No others should lose freedoms because of my actions.

Yet a politician, in particular a control freak, will see the damage I caused to others and propose a law restricting how others speak because of how I behaved.  If the law is passed, many lose their freedom because of how I acted.  So the laws increase in numbers and lost freedoms increase in numbers.

Because some one did not fasten their seat belt and they are injured in a vehicle accident, the government steps in and passes a law, stating all seat belts are to be fastened. 

My freedom of choice has been lost.  Well it for your safety they will say.  No its about you restricting my freedom of choice, you being the politician.

The biggest political restriction of choice was a Constitutional Amendment, Prohibition.  Because a group people did not like alcohol, they got the a law passed saying no one could consume alcoholic beverages.  They took their will and imposed it on the general population. 

This was one of the largest behavior change laws ever passed.  Look at all the small laws passed restriction ones choices.  What kind of electricity to buy, what kind of equipment to buy for our car or appliances. 

The most restrictive law politicians pass is tax laws.  They tell one that a certain amount has to be dent to government.  One loses an amount of income to taxes, their choices on what to buy have been reduced.  Their freedom of choices has become limited.

List what other choices you lose because of a law that was passed.  Look at merchandise one can buy, bug sprays, types of materials and then drugs….. a big question.  Soon the government owns the  store and tells one what they can buy, well not really for there is only one choice on the shelf.

The government is controlling what goes in the market place and as such, controlling the population. 

Our choices and or loss there of revolves around the first amendment.  If one is restricted in what they can say, everything else downstream tumbles and freedom of choices crumbles.

What choice do you want to lose next?  So many are like jellyfish, spineless.  Got to stand up and be counted or be the sheep and led to slaughter house.  For what is sheared is mine, not theirs.

Buildings of Ghosts

 

For years, many years, I have been journeying to various events.  I used to to travel in a hurry with a single mined focus, get there and back.  Today when I make these trips, I put some time in the schedule to meander and look at things as I go and pause when I see things of interest.  Many a town I would buzz by on the all american raceway, the interstate.  Today I venture on the back roads and have a look at times past.

Here there are bits and pieces of dreams.  Most have become neglected and are falling to decay.  When the interstate highway system lots of the little towns were by passed.  The highway people also rerouted many roadways to bypass towns.  In the hurry to get to there, many things have been lost.

Seldom does travel go at a leisurely pace any more.  It is hurry up and get there.  The frantic pace of life is sometimes scary.  I believe it is called instant gratification. 

Now day I seek out some of these small towns and pause for a bit.  Take a few pictures, wander some of the streets and take in the ambiance of small town ame4rica.

Time brings changes, it is inevitable.  People change, move or pass on.  Buildings crumble after abandonment or find other uses.  Sometimes they just were not built all that well.  I take their picture for someday they may fade into the times of forgotten days.

Then there is the little stream that meanders through the sand hills of the high prairie.  It gurgles and tumbles across the semi arid plains making a small oasis.

Cars whiz by on the highway, pausing not, going from there to there.  Life has a pace that does not always mesh with nature.  I was once told, pause and smell the roses.  Well not many roses grow around here, to cold and dry.  There are other things to pause and ponder.  A hundred plus years ago, these little towns were settled by pioneers, many emigrants from Europe.  Here they could live the dream, a piece of land they could call their won. 

Homes were built and shops erected.  Government policies changed, dreams crashed and were abandoned. 

What had been a thriving going village, now sits neglected and decaying.  Dreams float over the grasses.  Ghosts sit on the front entry.

Warm summer…. Not a hot one

 

Wouldn’t that be wishful thinking, summer without any hot days.  Last week was so nice, I was outside just puttering around, trying to clean up the garden beds.  It was in the low 70’s and upper 60’s.  Great weather to be in.  Very little breeze, clear blue skies and late afternoon white fluffs popping up.  Wore a light shirt, worked around the house picking up and cleaning out the winter leftovers.  Tumble weeds gather in the corners and catch on fences. 

Thought to my self, wouldn’t it be nice if the summer was like this.  No days of 90 degrees, light breezes, scattered clouds.  Oh that would be so nice but I know the heat of summer is on the way.  So I try to do some of the heavy work in the cool of spring.  I no like sweating, watching my water drip off my brow.

Reality strikes back though, back into the forties it went.  High humidity and bitter winds.

 

Did get in a country jaunt before the cold showed up.  It was cooler n a slight wind but nice.  The little critters are out and the mom’s are parading in the pasture.

Been making short videos of windmills running and adding some music.  Been coming out interesting.  Just takes so long to download to youtube.  I have a beginning collection of windmill pictures, in particular the old wooden tower windmills.   Not many of them left that operate.  Used a tripod to take the videos. there was enough wind, it was still shaky.  Next time in the wind I will probably hand hold.  I shake less then then the tripod.

The oil boom is reaching into our area.  There are wells here and there, not many but one is a lots for here. 

Now if there would be some nice spring rains.  Things are so dry.  The pastures are pretty barren and not much wheat is peeking out of the ground.  Gonna be higher prices at the food store.  The drought along with the goofed up political mess we have, gonna make the next few years very expensive.  It will be a struggle for many to make it.

Now how to get the climate to really change to my liking.

The Towns of Ghosts

 

The Great Depression left lots of empty shells on the prairie.  Towns boomed around the westward migration and the immigration wave of the late 1800’s into the 1920’s.  During the Roaring 20’s people were living high and fast.  It was prohibition and speakeasies, the flapper girls and gangsters.  Money was plentiful and easy to come by.  Self indulgence was the mantra of the day. 

Then came the crash of 1929, life was to change like no one could of froe seen.  People were going hungry, no jobs.  Dreams that had been built were being shuttered and left, abandoned.  Some small communities disappeared and are but a reminder on old time maps.  A few hung in through the 30’s only to decline with the coming modern age of the automobile.

Along some highways are reminders of these past days.  Small communities hang on but the shells of other days sit empty.  No longer is main street a bustling burg.  People seldom stroll down the sidewalks to go shopping.  Here one can walk the median stipe of main and not meet a car.

With time permitting, I like to drive off the beaten path and drive the streets of these little towns.  It offers a glimpse back into the past that has been glossed over by many or ignored.

This neat old building had been a grocery store at one time.  There were not supermarkets back then.  From the side one can see the living quarters on the second floor where the store owner lived.  Wasn’t much long distance commuting back then.  With the two brick chimneys, it indicates that there was stove of some type, wood or coal probably.  The building was probably built around 1900’s.  There was no electricity back then or natural gas on the prairie.

On the sides can be seen the additions as the shop was expanded.  Maybe another business was opened next door.  It is fascinating to speculate on what when on in this little town 100 years ago.

On the roof one can see the modern conveniences added over time,  The utility lines for electricity, a television antenna and maybe central heating.

Today it sits vacant, falling to the ravishes of time.  With the curtain and shades on the window it appears someone may of bought it and used it for a residence.  I have seen some people move out from the big city and buy places like this dirt cheap and fix them up.  It would make a nice large spacious home, great studio.  Not much racket and noise in these small towns. 

In silence the grand store sits awaiting its fate.