Comments on: The Unknown Thanksgiving Story

By: Mr Pink Eyes

Mr Pink Eyes — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:11:07 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving Tom.
I have read this story before, thanks for posting it. It is funny and sad to see the Obama administration trying to implement a form of government that the Pilgrims knew had failed.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:34:55 +0000

Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!

By: Ken Taylor

Ken Taylor — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:29:32 +0000

Excellent story Tom. As you said in your last comment capitalism is not perfect but it is the only system that allows people to achieve in accordance to their own abilities, promote advancement in both individuals and society as a whole.

Additionally every dictatorial regime in history BEGAN with a socialist government because the dependancy upon the government forced by socialism both blinded and prevented the people from recognizing the birth of the dictatorship right under their nose.

Have great Thanksgiving Tom!

By: Yabu (EOTIS)

Yabu (EOTIS) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:39:50 +0000

You are absolutely correct, socialism in this country will result in disaster.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:37:01 +0000

By no means is Capitalism the perfect system! But what it does do is encourage risk/reward behavior. This, in turn, stimulates economies and general improvements in the human condition. And yes, there will be winners and losers – not everyone can become a millionaire, but there is the opportunity to do so.

Communism and socialism stifle the individual’s will to excel – after all, why take that risk if there is no reward? The general human condition is to get as much as one can with as little effort as possible. I have seen this first hand time and time again.

With the Mennonites and Amish, they are held together with both religious and cultural norms. If someone within that community violated those norms, they could be cast out or shunned. In the early years of this country (1600’s & 1700’s), this was akin to a death sentence as these people often had nowhere to go to survive. In modern times, they now have a chance to assimilate into other parts of societies.

As far as the Native Americans, yes, they had a “community” type of society for hundreds of years, mostly as the means for survival. But they certainly didn’t have an Industrial Age either (risk/reward behavior). Not that it didn’t serve their needs, but their society didn’t advance technologically either.

Scandinavian countries are interesting, because their government more or less imposes socialism upon the populace. I worked with an International conglomerate of engineers, of which there were some Swedes, and they were very interested in making money to get ahead of their counterparts!

Devon, you do make some valid points, however, socialism in this country will result in disaster.

By: devon

devon — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:36:40 +0000

and while Communism and Socialism have those inherent flaws we can see them just as easily in Capitalism. Capitalism reduces people to nothing more than, well, capital to be used as a means towards profit. We’ve seen just as much evil come from the human spirit by way of capitalism as we have any other economic system. Whether an economic system works is more of an issue of culture and what is found to be accepted by cultural norms. There are plenty of examples of ’successful’ socialism throughout the world whether it be the Native Americans prior to European contact or modern day Scandinavians.
Economic collectivism isn’t appropriate for a Puritan religious context because Puratinism is ultimately focused on the self. While this might have been an important shift at the time because it made the way for individualism it can’t be ignored that equally as compelling is the successful collectivism of Mennonite communities throughout. Religiously the context of Mennonites is best understood in community so again it is easy to understand why collectivism is made culturally possible.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:11:30 +0000

The problem with Communism and Socialism is not the concept or philosophy, but the human element is inherently corrupt. They will always find a way to take advantage of the system to benefit themselves. Perhaps that’s why Capitalism works so well – it plays to those strengths and weaknesses.

By: Always On Watch

Always On Watch — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:20:59 +0000

Jamestown Colony and Plymouth Colony flirted with socialism. Like all attempts at utopia, those experiments were a consummate failure.

In the case of Massachusetts, socialism amongst godly and sober men failed utterly!

Of course, today’s textbooks don’t dwell on or even touch on (in most cases) these failures in collectivism. The left wants all young minds primed to accept socialism!

PS: A blessed Thanksgiving to you and yours, Tom. Including your cats!

By: Bloviating Zeppelin

Bloviating Zeppelin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:21:05 +0000

When you have a hand in, are invested, have an interest in a thing, you are MOTIVATED to see its complete and utter success and protection.

When it is “granted” or given to you and it comes for free or with little cost, it means less to you and numbs your soul.