I 'm aware that Braveheart is not exactly true to history, but it is a great movie. What if Braveheart was a commentary on the current political two party system in the United States? Who would the major players be? What political philosophy would they hold to?
King Edward I Longshanks would represent the Democratic Party, specifically President Obama. I am not saying that the Democrats are ruthless people, I am pointing out that they and Longshanks are both for BIG government.
The Republican Establishment would be the nobles. This is NOT because they are noble by any means. It is because they fight over the scraps from Longshank's table, pretend to be for the people and cater to themselves and the wealthy.
Ron Paul would be William Wallace. Hear me out on this. Wallace is Scottish like the nobles but he sees hypocrisy in their big government leanings. They will not fight for personal freedoms and so he must.
Wallace wants simply to be left alone, but cannot when an oppressive government overtakes his personal liberties. The "right" of the government to sleep with a new bride was the final straw. Wallace did not want to lead, but chose to anyway when the nobles wouldn't step up to the plate. He even told Robert the Bruce that he would follow him if he would simply lead them to freedom.
Paul is no different. He will fight for freedom until another will lead the charge. So far Mitt Romney and President Obama have not made liberty a priority.
The interesting characters in Braveheart however could represent you. Princess Isabella (a big government person her whole life) came over to Wallace's side because of her admiration for his integrity and consistency. Robert the Bruce eventually left the "establishment" and led the charge of freedom when he understood the passion that drove Wallace.
Who are you? Could you be a Princess Isabella or a Robert the Bruce?
Here are some memorable quotes:
William Wallace: There's a difference between us. You think the people of this country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it.
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Ron Paul: The original American patriots were those individuals brave enough to resist with force the oppressive power of King George...Patriotism is more closely linked to dissent than it is to conformity and a blind desire for safety and security.
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Princess Isabelle: The king desires peace.
William Wallace: Longshanks desires peace?
Princess Isabelle: He declares it to me, I swear it. He proposes that you withdraw your attack. In return he grants you title, estates, and this chest of gold which I am to pay to you personally.
William Wallace: A lordship and titles. Gold. That I should become Judas?
Princess Isabelle: Peace is made in such ways.
William Wallace: Slaves are made in such ways. The last time Longshanks spoke of peace I was a boy. And many Scottish nobles, who would not be slaves, were lured by him under a flag of truce to a barn, where he had them hanged. I was very young, but I remember Longshanks' notion of peace.
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Ron Paul: Freedom is not defined by safety. Freedom is defined by the ability of citizens to live without government interference. Government cannot create a world without risks, nor would we really wish to live in such a fictional place. Only a totalitarian society would even claim absolute safety as a worthy ideal, because it would require total state control over its citizens’ lives. Liberty has meaning only if we still believe in it when terrible things happen and a false government security blanket beckons.
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Robert the Bruce: Lands, titles, men, power, nothing.
Robert's Father: Nothing?
Robert the Bruce: I have nothing. Men fight for me because if they do not, I throw them off my land and I starve their wives and their children. Those men who bled the ground red at Falkirk, they fought for William Wallace, and he fights for something that I never had. And I took it from him, when I betrayed him. I saw it in his face on the battlefield and it's tearing me apart.
Robert's Father: All men betray. All lose heart.
Robert the Bruce: I don't wanna lose heart. I wanna believe as he does.
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RonPaul: The most basic principle to being a free American is the notion that we as individuals are responsible for our own lives and decisions. We do not have the right to rob our neighbors to make up for our mistakes, neither does our neighbor have any right to tell us how to live, so long as we aren’t infringing on their rights. Freedom to make bad decisions is inherent in the freedom to make good ones. If we are only free to make good decisions, we are not really free.
7 comments:
Love this post. Ron Paul is William Wallace....how fun. You did a great job with this.
Lol well said! So inspiring, but now which is the lesser of the two evils!?
You must remember government is meant to serve the people - not stay out of their lives. It is not possible - Arizona is a good example of what would happen if everything was left to the states. I live in Oklahoma and would start a recall on the extremists we have in Congress except there is no recall in the Oklahoma Constitution. Another backward, right wing state.
If not for the national government we would not be the "united states" much longer at all. Lack of civilization creates chaos because there are those who think only the strong (read powerful, guns full and mobs)should survive.
American Indians were here first as we know, and they have much more moral character in their traditions - we could learn from them. Any candidate for national office who espouses extreme views should be viewed with at least a touch of skepticism. This is a difficult time for the USA, and not the first in its history. We the people shall prevail if we all turn off reality (not really reality) shows and get involved in local politics. Too many of us are frightened of the consequences of saying what we think, thus the loud mouth extremists carry the day, especially on the made up newscasts of the 24 hour news channels such as Fox (Faux) news.
Tell the people a lie long enough and they will believe it is true. Goebbels said that, and helped Hitler take over Germany. There is no evidence the President is a socialist, but there is plenty of evidence the far right wing is fascist like Hitler. They would destroy democracy to "save it." They are wrong and will manage to do more harm to the USA than any foreign enemy if they are allowed to further their fascist goals.
God bless the United States of America and God bless the President of the United States.
Enough political c--p! Blog on AVENGERS!!!!
Totally agree. Nice post. You won a follower -)
Thank you Heti :)
Gorf, I am not suggesting that the states do "everything," just the things not specifically given to the federal government by the constitution.
The beuaty of the United States is that you can go to any state without a passport. You could either move to a more liberal state or get involved in the system where you are and reform it.
Every federal politician swears to uphold the constitution. That means if they are not given a power by the constitution then they do not have that power. Some things that are not in the constitution: education, student loans, cencrship (FCC), abortion, marraige, preemtive wars, health care and pretty much everything that causes are massive natiional debt.
I will give it to this President for getting us out of Iraq, now one more endless quagmire to go.
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