Why The Disconnect?

"And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand?... The Organs would very quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin's thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt! If...if...We didn't love freedom enough. And even more – we had no awareness of the real situation.... We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward." 
— Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Aaron Zelman of JPFO had said a similar thing:


”If every German Jew and anti-Nazi had possessed a Mauser rifle, twenty rounds and the will to use it, Adolf Hitler would be a footnote to the history of the Weimar Republic.” 


So my questions to you are,
A) Do you agree with the above sentiments?
B) If so, Why would suggesting the that same mindset be applied to the following stories be wrong?
Rapists with badges  (Keep this is this months list!)

• • A Cobb County GA deputy has been sentenced to life in prison (at least 25 yrs before he’s eligible for parole actually) for kidnapping & raping a woman at gunpoint.
  • A Tuskegee University AL police officer was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to enticing & raping a 15-year-old. http://is.gd/idWIjh
  • A former Crescent City FL police officer admitted that he was a life-long pedophile and that he believes he molested anywhere from 200-300 young girls throughout his life during his sentencing hearing attended by at least four of his victims. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison on just 2 counts of molestation. While it’s not clear if the charges he was sentenced for involve activity that occurred while he was a police officer, his confession appears to indicate that some of his victims were molested while he was an officer.
  • A Seguin TX cop was sentenced to 7 years in prison in a plea deal that reduced a sexual indecency with a minor charge to an injury to a child charge that also won’t require registration as a sex offender. (similar to another case earlier this month) which another Seguin officer received probation for evidence tampering in a deal dropping solicitation of a minor charges)
  • Gainsville FL settles suit for $30k to woman claiming false arrest by cop now convicted of coercing sex from women http://ow.ly/1sptbg
  • Troy NY cop charged, fired & now subject of lawsuit claiming he groped a woman while working security at store http://is.gd/GYElCw
  • Memphis TN police officer charged w/sexual exploitation of minor for sending nude pics of self to 15yr-old girl http://is.gd/XlVRQA
  • The police chief of Kaw City OK has been arrested on allegations that he molested a 13yr-old girl over a period of 3-4 years
  • A San Bernardino County CA deputy has been sentenced to 20 years on 15 of 24 counts involving 10 women that he sexually battered and coerced into having sex or exposing themselves for photos under threat of arrest
  • 2 Naperville IL cops sued alleging they painfully cuffed & groped woman until she let them search home w/o warrant http://is.gd/f4oFXS
  • Wood County OH deputy under investigation over allegations of inappropriate relationship w/middle school student http://is.gd/oD4uNZ
  • A US Border Patrol officer was arrested on allegations that he raped at least 2 women in different southern California cities. http://is.gd/jLfTqI
  • A Lane County OR sheriff’s sergeant has resigned after an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations involving teen explorers.  http://is.gd/1E94Px
  • A Nashville GA police officer was sentenced to 5 years in prison for soliciting sodomy from a 17-year-old boy and for violation of his oath.  http://is.gd/Lv4T3G
  • 2 Chicago IL cops suspended while investigated over allegations that they sexually assaulted woman while on duty http://is.gd/fZW5mE
  • DeKalb Co GA cop indicted for child molestation, rape, & battery for allegedly having sex w/15yr-old & hitting her http://is.gd/SDqkHz
  • Nashville TN police officer fired after investigation into allegations he had sex w/women he arrested in police car http://is.gd/ZsNssN
  • San Diego CA cop now faces 18 felony charges involving 5 alleged victims coerced into sex under threat of arrest http://is.gd/gNC6uS
  • Port Arthur TX cop reassigned from working at school while subject of investigation into relationship w/student http://is.gd/yZCfgH
  • Edinburg TX cop suspended & indicted on allegations of timesheet fraud & sex w/jailed woman and for using a subpoena to find a woman for sex. http://is.gd/LGfz4R
  • A Niles MI police officer that we reported being arrested last week on unspecified charges was apparently accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy who was in custody at a juvenile detention facility while the officer was on duty.
  • A Toronto ON police officer was arrested on sexual assault and child exploitation charges involving a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old boy.
  • A Jersey City NJ police officer was arrested on child abuse charges on allegations that he tried to coerce a 16-year-old runaway for sex in exchange for a night in a hotel room. The girl got scared while she was in his car and called a friend who then called the police.
  • An Aurora CO police officer was arrested on multiple felony charges on allegations he sexually exploited a 15yr-old runaway. http://is.gd/nIZUoo
  • Philadelphia PA cop sentenced to 17.5-35yrs for sexually assaulting girl since age 12, retired 1 day before arrest http://is.gd/6TuxQY
  • Russellville AL police officer arrested for custodial sexual abuse involving at least 4 female detainees  http://is.gd/zLmCGp
  • New York NY cop facing trial for luring a 5th grader had coerced teen prostitute into sex in 2008 but kept his job http://is.gd/SAB2oY
  • Frederick Co MD deputy assigned to school charged w/child sex abuse on allegations he had sexual contact w/14yr-old http://is.gd/viZbbF
  • Huron SD police officer sentenced to 30days jail in plea deal for sending explicit texts & videos to 15yr-old girl http://is.gd/FR6BeR
  • Petersburg VA sheriff’s deputy arrested on multiple charges for attempting to have sex with what he thought was an 11-year-old in a sting operation http://is.gd/6QTMbR
  • Baltimore MD police officer charged w/sexual abuse of a minor & assault involving minor living at his home http://is.gd/G0zD9E
  • US Immigration officer arrested on sexual battery of a child under 12 charges involving ex-girlfriend’s daughter http://is.gd/NVtKFq
  • Kearny Co KS deputy pleads to 10 of 13 sexual exploitation charges over photos of underage girl he had sex with http://is.gd/Jwls5I
  • A Saline County IL deputy already facing sexual assault & misconduct charges is now facing 7 additional charges involving sexual misconduct with a girl under 16 years of age.
  • 2 New York NY cops already facing trial for raping woman in apt multiple times now face 11 more charges in that case http://is.gd/bYjXfs
  • San Diego CA cop charged w/10 felonies on allegations he elicited sex from & sexually battered over 3 women on duty http://is.gd/bB2Nr5
  • Russellville AL sued by several former female jail detainees involving cop under investigation for sexual battery http://is.gd/I6JZfk
  • Frisco City AL police chief arrested on rape & ethics charges on allegations he drove a woman who came to the department to report the theft of her computer and forcibly raped her.  http://is.gd/AFKgGC
  • Ottawa ON cop charged w/sexual assault over video showing him forcibly stripping female detainee in holding cell http://is.gd/peWYyv
  • Seaside CA police officer faces additional charges, 17 in total, after 2nd woman claims he sexually assaulted her http://is.gd/NmiUBn
  • Boston MA loses $200k lawsuit to former prostitute who claimed she was forced to perform sex acts on police officer http://is.gd/pNXXfL
  • El Paso TX cop indicted for improper relationship w/15yr-old student while working as school resource officer http://is.gd/fASo4W
  • San Diego CA cop arrested for on duty sexual battery now faces similar allegations by college student & another woman http://is.gd/mvF69u
  • A Los Angeles CA police officer was convicted for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old girl he arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and for soliciting sex from a transient he arrested on a battery charge.
  • A Southgate MI police officer has resigned while under investigation on an unspecified sexual assault allegation. Though officials refuse to even disclose that much at this point.
  • A San Diego CA police officer was arrested on sexual battery, false imprisonment, and assault under color of authority charges for allegedly molesting a woman he arrested on a DUI charge after a Mardi Gras celebration.
  • A Laurel MD police officer was convicted on a sexual abuse charge for hiding a spy camera in his girlfriend’s 15-year-old daughter’s room to record her undressing and for masturbating in her room on camera while holding articles of her clothing. He’s also facing federal child porn charges over that activity as well.
  • A Harrington DE police officer was arrested on multiple charges over allegations that he was dealing in child pornography.
  • A San Bernardino County CA deputy was convicted on 15 of 24 counts for soliciting sex from and sexually abusing women while he was on duty.
  • A Yakima WA police officer has resigned after a year-long investigation into allegations that he groped a woman while giving her a ride home after he had arrested her boyfriend on a drunk driving charge.
  • A Lafayette Parish LA deputy was arrested on a malfeasance charge for having sex with an inmate at jail.
  • A Fort Worth TX police officer who was already arrested on sexual assault charge is now being accused of sexually assaulting at least four other women while he was on duty.
  • A Dallas TX police officer was suspended while under investigation on allegations that he ordered a woman to strip after she had called police to report a theft.
  • The now former police chief of Lilburn GA who was fired over unspecified misconduct was apparently the subject of sexual harassment allegations made by a subordinate officer according to records that were just recently released.
  • A Seaside CA police officer has been arrested on 2 assault and 6 sexual battery charges involving incidents that allegedly occurred while he was on duty.
  • A Downriver MI police officer is the subject of an investigation into unspecified sexual assault allegations.
  • A New Melle MO police officer has been sentenced to probation for sexually harassing a school teacher via text messages and an alleged illegal traffic stop. Previous reports about the case also included allegations he threatened her inside a school classroom with a taser but subsequent articles didn’t mention it.
  • A Vermont State trooper resigned while he was under investigation on allegations that he sexually assaulted a teen girl and took explicit photos and videos of her. No charges have been filed in the case and police are having difficulty finding anything other than legal photos of the girl but say his cell phone was damaged in a way that appears as though it was a matter of evidence tampering.
  • A San Diego CA police officer has resigned while under investigation on allegations made public last month that he raped a college student with the help of a female college employee.
  • The New Melle MO police department is being sued by a female teacher who was subjected to sexual harassment by a police officer that the suit claims was hired despite his criminal history which included similar allegations involving a minor.
  
  

Pass it far and wide!

http://westernrifleshooters.blogspot.com/2011/04/barnhardt-moves-to-front.html

GE and Taxes

Pete at WRSA links and quotes

***
...My favorite delusional argument from those still attached to the matrix is that they pay their taxes voluntarily. To these people I ask: when you do your tax returns, do you take as many deductions as the government will allow you? Of course, the answer is always yes. Then I ask them that if they could take enough deductions such that their tax liability was zero would they do so? Again, not surprisingly, the answer is yes. I then ask them that if their preference is to pay zero taxes then why don’t they simply refuse to pay taxes. Inevitably, that’s where their train of thought always runs out of track. Of course everyone knows the answer: because they’re afraid of what the government will do...
***

A follow up

John Venlet responded, again and as usual, stated with a clarity that I lack in my writing.

I am writing this as a clarification to the post below: My comment at JV's

".....I should have been more specific in my post about what I agreed with Karl Denniger in his post.

“I have long argued that the proper thing to do is make a decision on whether you should pay or intentionally default based on your personal circumstances, including the potential legal and financial repercussions.”

We (John and I) had both said as much the comments of the original post. And John does again above.

“Might this destabilize some banks?  It certainly might.  Is there anything wrong with that?  Not from where I sit.  The bank made the decision to loan the money knowing full well you might choose not to pay and if that happened they’d have to seize and resell the house.  The simple fact of the matter is that you entered into a contract, and that contract contains an “or else” provision if you don’t pay.  Choosing to have the “or else” happen is your right and if the bank didn’t like the odds on that they shouldn’t have made the loan in the first place.  The consequence of the decision to lend you money - whether good or bad - is entirely theirs.”

That was the crux of my argument in the comments of the original post.

“Furthermore the government had every opportunity and ability in 2008 and 2009 to take these institutions into receivership.  The bondholders would have been massacred.  So would have the stockholders.  So what?  That’s what failure is in a capitalist system - you fail, you go out of business, the bondholders and stockholders lose money.  Would “financial Armageddon” have ensued?  For whom?  For Blankfein and friends?  Yes, it would have.  How about for the community and regional banks that didn’t make bad loans and had solid balance sheets?  It would have been a business bonanza unlike any other.”

This is a fantastic point that I think is too often overlooked in our world today.

Warren at Coyoteblog made the point last week about how you cannot view the GM/Chrysler bailouts with out also looking at the material damage that happened to Ford.  Which is still by all appearance thriving while paying off the labor and plant costs they’ve always had....."

Strategic Default

My friend John Venlet at improvedclinch.com had a post months ago on folks walking away from home loans when they could afford to pay. He titled the post Strategic Default or Pre-meditated Criminal Action

I tried to argue a point in the comments. But as usual someone has done a better job.

I came across this post today and thought it was a good rebuttal to John.

"The friendship and alliance between our two nations is unshakeable"

Said the douchebag in chief.

I understand the sentiment, but really? Really?

It's a bad pun.

It's like saying after a lion attack "We are poised, ready to pounce with assistance."