http://www.tnt50.gov.tt/event
Found this website that I think would help a lot. The content and structure can definitely be followed for our website proposal.
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Khafra Kambon News article
Found this rather long article after google searching on the author of the book, 'For Bread Justice and Freedom,' a political biography of George Weeks.
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,104814.html
http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,104814.html
Khafra Kambon reflects on the struggles of African people
By CAROL MATROO Sunday, August 2 2009
click on pic to zoom in
The
Slavery Abolition Act 1833 ended slavery in the British Empire on
August 1, 1834, and Trinidad and Tobago was the first country in the
world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of
slavery.
And while positive steps have been
made during the years to erase the stigma of segregation and oppression
against blacks in society, chairman of the Emancipation Support
Committee, Khafra Kambon, believes that there is much left to be done.
A well known national figure in TT since 1970 when he was one of the leaders of the Black Power Movement, which brought positive social and economic changes to the country and stimulated changes throughout the English-speaking Caribbean, Kambon said there was hope for change, but there was also need for education.
“We are trying to get this across against the weight of the school system...against the weight of the media. We don’t, in our own capacity, do a fraction of what needs to be done because you are trying to correct something that is deeply engraved,” he said during an interview at his Carenage home.
“We are up against a serious weight in the way in which information is manipulated in the world. It’s hard and that’s why I think we have done well, given what we are up against; but if you want to ask me about the total picture, there is so much more that has to be done. We have to go deeper into accepting our African heritage and it’s all about what you’re up against,” Kambon said.
Christened Dave Darbeau by his parents, at 25-years-old he legally changed his name to Khafra Kambon which, he said, had to do with his understanding and the need to reverse the things he considered were negative in history. Khafra is an historical name from a pharaoh of Egypt while Kambon means “of the people”.
He said when his fore-parents were forcibly brought to this country, they were not allowed to maintain their given names, a process, he said, that was part of stripping them of their identities.
“It was something conscious and meant to be oppressive... it was meant to destroy people mentally and psychologically. Now that we can think for ourselves we are free to make the decision about whether we want names that identify us as part of history as opposed to something that was imposed by someone else,” Kambon said.
He said the Black Power Movement in TT was not only about the blacks, but also East Indians, adding that it was a different struggle to that in the United States. “In the US it was the African-American community. Then it came into the Caribbean where people adopted it and adapted it and took that as non-white, so black was taken in that political sense. The reason we were talking about black power was because we were struggling against white power,” Kambon explained.
He said his awareness of the struggles of Africans began as a young man while attending the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, where he developed an awareness of what was happening globally.
“I was a very political person and I had a sense of ideology because I read a lot. I knew the conflicts between communism, capitalism...Then I had a strong social conscience and I got involved in groups that had a social purpose,” he said.
Kambon was co-founder of the group PIVOT which brought together various artistes, writers and academics and later became part of the New World Group (NWG) which was made up of mainly university lecturers and professors throughout the Caribbean.
The NWG, Kambon said, felt that they needed to make their own analysis of their society instead of just accepting what was offered by others.
He said the Black Power Movement began under the banner of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), which was formed in 1969.
“NJAC did more than any other organisation to resuscitate a sense of African identity in the society and the Black Power Movement encouraged a revitalisation of Indian culture. You look at the programmes of NJAC in that period and you’d see a number of issues that were taken up, some of them had to predominantly do with Indian communities.
“I remember when an African child brought bake to school they would eat it comfortably, but if an Indian child brought roti they would hide to eat it. They were embarrassed... If you got into a taxi and the driver was playing Indian music, he would switch it off out of deference because he thought I wouldn’t want to listen to Indian music.
“In 1970 the Black Power Movement changed all that because we were saying that blacks do appreciate other cultures and that hindered people from those embarrassments, which were not healthy embarrassments,” Kambon said.
He said during the 1960’s people were becoming more politically conscious, where young
people were becoming conscious of a world based on injustice and oppression and wanted a new world.
Kambon said it was a period of bold thought and action, a time where the dominant ethos was one of possibility.
“It wasn’t just hope, it was a certainty that we were going to change the world,” he said.
He said the Emancipation Support Group, formed in 1992, was not a political group as was NJAC, but a coming together of a number of African-centred organisations which had a specific ethnic base.
“It was formed because one of the common things among these groups is that they had celebrations of emancipation, but it was small and scattered,” he said.
Kambon described as offensive the re-enactment of the landing of Christopher Columbus held in Moruga, a ceremony that took place on what was originally known as Discovery Day, and later changed to Emancipation Day.
“So here it is the person who brought disaster to the region being celebrated. It shows a complete lack of understanding of our history. If you mark that you’d mark it as tragedy, not as something that you celebrate,” he said.
So, do people understand what Emancipation Day really means, and has enough been done to help the people understand more?
“It is a dynamic process and not even a fraction of what needs to be done has been done or quite frankly do we have the capacity to do it. I think we have done a tremendous amount with very limited resources.
“One of the things done against Africans was to make us ‘anti-African history’ because we grew up with a sense that Africa was nothing, a backward place, so people don’t have a sense of African history.
“They know nothing about African history, they know nothing of what Africa was and they don’t learn that in school. Almost everything that you see or hear about Africa sort of confirms that this was a place of backwardness. And then when you see the modern images which are brought to us constantly, they are all negative,” Kambon said.
He said what was being taught in schools today and the knowledge being passed down through generations all told about Africans being inferior people.
“So inferior that we had to be glad for the culture of slavery because we could at least talk a European language, we could go to school and university and all that,” Kambon said.
He noted that African children sometimes, through their parents, are raised being made to feel inferior and therefore grow up denying their African roots.
“Some parents may imply to their children that they were ugly, not as pretty as a white child. They are mentally disfigured from an early age and it’s a very frightening thought. Until you get a whole lot of things working together to change that, you are in an uphill battle,” Kambon said.
However, he said there was still hope for change.
“The fact that you have a Barack Obama becoming president of the United States, you would be surprised how many mental shackles that in itself broke because, let us face it, most of us did not believe he could become president of the United States because of his colour. His brilliance was for everybody to see, his colour was an unsurpassable barrier,” Kambon said.
He said for the children who rarely felt that they would amount to worth, value or prominence in the society, Obama’s success was telling them that they could make it to the top.
“That is more than you could do with words. I am telling you, you’re going to have a round of successes of children who otherwise would have fallen through the cracks just as a result of that.
“Sometimes you under-perform because of what you think about yourself. If you don’t believe in your capacity, you don’t try, you don’t fight against the obstacles, you don’t fight against the difficulties.... Instead of it becoming a challenge to overcome, it becomes a confirmation,” Kambon noted.
A well known national figure in TT since 1970 when he was one of the leaders of the Black Power Movement, which brought positive social and economic changes to the country and stimulated changes throughout the English-speaking Caribbean, Kambon said there was hope for change, but there was also need for education.
“We are trying to get this across against the weight of the school system...against the weight of the media. We don’t, in our own capacity, do a fraction of what needs to be done because you are trying to correct something that is deeply engraved,” he said during an interview at his Carenage home.
“We are up against a serious weight in the way in which information is manipulated in the world. It’s hard and that’s why I think we have done well, given what we are up against; but if you want to ask me about the total picture, there is so much more that has to be done. We have to go deeper into accepting our African heritage and it’s all about what you’re up against,” Kambon said.
Christened Dave Darbeau by his parents, at 25-years-old he legally changed his name to Khafra Kambon which, he said, had to do with his understanding and the need to reverse the things he considered were negative in history. Khafra is an historical name from a pharaoh of Egypt while Kambon means “of the people”.
He said when his fore-parents were forcibly brought to this country, they were not allowed to maintain their given names, a process, he said, that was part of stripping them of their identities.
“It was something conscious and meant to be oppressive... it was meant to destroy people mentally and psychologically. Now that we can think for ourselves we are free to make the decision about whether we want names that identify us as part of history as opposed to something that was imposed by someone else,” Kambon said.
He said the Black Power Movement in TT was not only about the blacks, but also East Indians, adding that it was a different struggle to that in the United States. “In the US it was the African-American community. Then it came into the Caribbean where people adopted it and adapted it and took that as non-white, so black was taken in that political sense. The reason we were talking about black power was because we were struggling against white power,” Kambon explained.
He said his awareness of the struggles of Africans began as a young man while attending the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, where he developed an awareness of what was happening globally.
“I was a very political person and I had a sense of ideology because I read a lot. I knew the conflicts between communism, capitalism...Then I had a strong social conscience and I got involved in groups that had a social purpose,” he said.
Kambon was co-founder of the group PIVOT which brought together various artistes, writers and academics and later became part of the New World Group (NWG) which was made up of mainly university lecturers and professors throughout the Caribbean.
The NWG, Kambon said, felt that they needed to make their own analysis of their society instead of just accepting what was offered by others.
He said the Black Power Movement began under the banner of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), which was formed in 1969.
“NJAC did more than any other organisation to resuscitate a sense of African identity in the society and the Black Power Movement encouraged a revitalisation of Indian culture. You look at the programmes of NJAC in that period and you’d see a number of issues that were taken up, some of them had to predominantly do with Indian communities.
“I remember when an African child brought bake to school they would eat it comfortably, but if an Indian child brought roti they would hide to eat it. They were embarrassed... If you got into a taxi and the driver was playing Indian music, he would switch it off out of deference because he thought I wouldn’t want to listen to Indian music.
“In 1970 the Black Power Movement changed all that because we were saying that blacks do appreciate other cultures and that hindered people from those embarrassments, which were not healthy embarrassments,” Kambon said.
He said during the 1960’s people were becoming more politically conscious, where young
people were becoming conscious of a world based on injustice and oppression and wanted a new world.
Kambon said it was a period of bold thought and action, a time where the dominant ethos was one of possibility.
“It wasn’t just hope, it was a certainty that we were going to change the world,” he said.
He said the Emancipation Support Group, formed in 1992, was not a political group as was NJAC, but a coming together of a number of African-centred organisations which had a specific ethnic base.
“It was formed because one of the common things among these groups is that they had celebrations of emancipation, but it was small and scattered,” he said.
Kambon described as offensive the re-enactment of the landing of Christopher Columbus held in Moruga, a ceremony that took place on what was originally known as Discovery Day, and later changed to Emancipation Day.
“So here it is the person who brought disaster to the region being celebrated. It shows a complete lack of understanding of our history. If you mark that you’d mark it as tragedy, not as something that you celebrate,” he said.
So, do people understand what Emancipation Day really means, and has enough been done to help the people understand more?
“It is a dynamic process and not even a fraction of what needs to be done has been done or quite frankly do we have the capacity to do it. I think we have done a tremendous amount with very limited resources.
“One of the things done against Africans was to make us ‘anti-African history’ because we grew up with a sense that Africa was nothing, a backward place, so people don’t have a sense of African history.
“They know nothing about African history, they know nothing of what Africa was and they don’t learn that in school. Almost everything that you see or hear about Africa sort of confirms that this was a place of backwardness. And then when you see the modern images which are brought to us constantly, they are all negative,” Kambon said.
He said what was being taught in schools today and the knowledge being passed down through generations all told about Africans being inferior people.
“So inferior that we had to be glad for the culture of slavery because we could at least talk a European language, we could go to school and university and all that,” Kambon said.
He noted that African children sometimes, through their parents, are raised being made to feel inferior and therefore grow up denying their African roots.
“Some parents may imply to their children that they were ugly, not as pretty as a white child. They are mentally disfigured from an early age and it’s a very frightening thought. Until you get a whole lot of things working together to change that, you are in an uphill battle,” Kambon said.
However, he said there was still hope for change.
“The fact that you have a Barack Obama becoming president of the United States, you would be surprised how many mental shackles that in itself broke because, let us face it, most of us did not believe he could become president of the United States because of his colour. His brilliance was for everybody to see, his colour was an unsurpassable barrier,” Kambon said.
He said for the children who rarely felt that they would amount to worth, value or prominence in the society, Obama’s success was telling them that they could make it to the top.
“That is more than you could do with words. I am telling you, you’re going to have a round of successes of children who otherwise would have fallen through the cracks just as a result of that.
“Sometimes you under-perform because of what you think about yourself. If you don’t believe in your capacity, you don’t try, you don’t fight against the obstacles, you don’t fight against the difficulties.... Instead of it becoming a challenge to overcome, it becomes a confirmation,” Kambon noted.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
The 'Aftermath' of Independence!
http://www2.nalis.gov.tt/Research/SubjectGuide/IndependenceDay/tabid/183/Default.aspx?PageContentID=188
WHAT CHANGED
Prior
to independence, Trinidad and Tobago was a British colony with the
Queen of England as the Head of State. Independence 1962 marked the
birth of the nation of Trinidad and Tobago. This event was the final
stage in a long road to self-government which progressed through the
following stages:- An early photo of the parliament chamber.
- Early Photograph of the Parliament Chamber
- A colony fully administered by a governor appointed by the colonial monarch (e.g. Spanish or British King or Queen)
- A colony managed by an Executive Council where some members of this council were selected by the Governor from an elected Legislative Council.
- A colony with some internal self-government where political parties competed in an electoral process and a Chief Minister was selected from the party with the winning majority. The Governor then acted on the advice of the Executive Council.
- A self-governing colony with elected officials including a Premier, members of Cabinet and members of the Opposition. The Governor's executive powers were now limited.
Upon
Independence on August 31st 1962, the Governor, Sir Solomon Hochoy, was
installed as the first Governor-General and the Premier, Dr. Eric
Williams, automatically became the Prime Minister. The British Monarch
remained as Head of State and the Privy Council, the highest court of
appeal. Some of the other changes included:- National Emblems
- National Flag
- National Anthem
- Coat of Arms
- National Birds
- National Flower
- The Constitution
- The Defence Force
- Regiment
- Coast Guard
- Anthony, Michael. First in Trinidad. Port of Spain, Trinidad: Paria Publishing, 2004.
- Pollard, Gloria, and Elton Nelson. My land: A Social Studies Review for Primary and Secondary School Students and Teachers. Port of Spain, Trinidad: Charran Educational Publishers, 1982.
Article found in the Express Newspaper - may serve as a useful piece.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/McLeod__warns__of_greed__and_malice-159667795.html
McLeod warns of greed and malice
...saddened by some in labour
THE fruits of the struggle of the labour movement are today at
risk of being spoilt, Labour Minister Errol McLeod said yesterday.
McLeod, in his Labour Day message, said greed and malice have become a threat to progress.
"Having laboured in the trenches with so many, as a former trade union leader and having witnessed labour's rise from its humble beginnings to take its rightful place in the decision-making process of our country, I am now deeply saddened by the current posture of some in labour," McLeod said.
"I am troubled to observe that some have threatened to pull away and fall back at the start of the road less travelled and along which our predecessors sought to propel us."
The struggle should never resort to violence, McLeod said, adding: "My fellow countrymen, we should not, must not allow Trinidad and Tobago to become a nation of hate, spite and recrimination."
This country has so far managed to sustain a "reasonable" standard of living, the Minister said, and citizens continue to respect each other and offices of authority, despite political allegiances.
There have, however, been efforts to "drive a wedge between key institutions and important sectors of our national community", he said.
Yet, the legacy of heroes and heroines of the movement past have come under a cloud as the "Age of Individualism" has brought with it the lure of a quick dollar and has all but erased the notion of individual sacrifice for the benefit of community.
"As a nation, we owe it to our children and to all citizens of this country to stem the tide of this dangerous philosophy," McLeod said.
"The tapestry of our lives transcends our DNA, our status in society and the amount of money we are able to earn or spend. We are connected by the legacy of a people whose blood, sweat and tears gave rise to the modern worker."
McLeod said it was the need to recognise those who toiled in the past for the freedom of today that led to the creation of the Heroes Park and Museum, which is soon to be launched at Charlie King Junction in Fyzabad.
"When it is launched, this Park and Museum will allow us to consciously reflect on the personalities, contributions, ideas, commitments and social institutions that have given our lives as workers shape, purpose and meaning," he said.
McLeod said the changes necessary to take Trinidad and Tobago forward, even while preserving the values of the past, cannot be the sole responsibility of the 41 members of Parliament, but must come from the nation as a whole.
McLeod, in his Labour Day message, said greed and malice have become a threat to progress.
"Having laboured in the trenches with so many, as a former trade union leader and having witnessed labour's rise from its humble beginnings to take its rightful place in the decision-making process of our country, I am now deeply saddened by the current posture of some in labour," McLeod said.
"I am troubled to observe that some have threatened to pull away and fall back at the start of the road less travelled and along which our predecessors sought to propel us."
The struggle should never resort to violence, McLeod said, adding: "My fellow countrymen, we should not, must not allow Trinidad and Tobago to become a nation of hate, spite and recrimination."
This country has so far managed to sustain a "reasonable" standard of living, the Minister said, and citizens continue to respect each other and offices of authority, despite political allegiances.
There have, however, been efforts to "drive a wedge between key institutions and important sectors of our national community", he said.
Yet, the legacy of heroes and heroines of the movement past have come under a cloud as the "Age of Individualism" has brought with it the lure of a quick dollar and has all but erased the notion of individual sacrifice for the benefit of community.
"As a nation, we owe it to our children and to all citizens of this country to stem the tide of this dangerous philosophy," McLeod said.
"The tapestry of our lives transcends our DNA, our status in society and the amount of money we are able to earn or spend. We are connected by the legacy of a people whose blood, sweat and tears gave rise to the modern worker."
McLeod said it was the need to recognise those who toiled in the past for the freedom of today that led to the creation of the Heroes Park and Museum, which is soon to be launched at Charlie King Junction in Fyzabad.
"When it is launched, this Park and Museum will allow us to consciously reflect on the personalities, contributions, ideas, commitments and social institutions that have given our lives as workers shape, purpose and meaning," he said.
McLeod said the changes necessary to take Trinidad and Tobago forward, even while preserving the values of the past, cannot be the sole responsibility of the 41 members of Parliament, but must come from the nation as a whole.
Topic Idea chosen- 20-06-2012: Labour Movements in T&T
For our Research Techniques in Creative Media Project class, this is what assignment 1 looks like;
ASSIGNMENT # 1 - Prepare a written Research Proposal for the production of a 50th
Anniversary of Independence educational piece targeted at a local high school aged
audience.
The piece may take the form of any of the following media:
• a 15 minute Radio Show
• a 15 minute Television Show
• a Newspaper Magazine Supplement (with at least four (4) feature stories).
• a Webpage (with two (2) feature stories and at least one (1) other form of media)
Our Media choice; A website!
Learning Outcomes tested:
Be able to apply research methods and procedures in creative media production contexts
Be able to ensure the accuracy and validity of research material
Be able to present research outcomes with due compliance.
Be able to evaluate research processes and outcomes
Detailed Description of task:
Working in groups of four (4) or five (5), you are required to;
Produce and Pitch a 50th Anniversary of Independence educational piece targeted at a local high
school aged audience.
In doing so, you will begin an individual Research Log which will be
handed in at the end of the course. For the first assignment your group will produce a written
Research Proposal which must:
1. Provide a working title, which clearly represents the Project’s subject matter.
Title: Labour Movements then and now and the significant changes that have been made. (not committed to this, subject to change upon further collection of data and group member responses.)
ASSIGNMENT # 1 - Prepare a written Research Proposal for the production of a 50th
Anniversary of Independence educational piece targeted at a local high school aged
audience.
The piece may take the form of any of the following media:
• a 15 minute Radio Show
• a 15 minute Television Show
• a Newspaper Magazine Supplement (with at least four (4) feature stories).
• a Webpage (with two (2) feature stories and at least one (1) other form of media)
Learning Outcomes tested:
Be able to apply research methods and procedures in creative media production contexts
Be able to ensure the accuracy and validity of research material
Be able to present research outcomes with due compliance.
Be able to evaluate research processes and outcomes
Detailed Description of task:
Working in groups of four (4) or five (5), you are required to;
Produce and Pitch a 50th Anniversary of Independence educational piece targeted at a local high
school aged audience.
In doing so, you will begin an individual Research Log which will be
handed in at the end of the course. For the first assignment your group will produce a written
Research Proposal which must:
1. Provide a working title, which clearly represents the Project’s subject matter.
Title: Labour Movements then and now and the significant changes that have been made. (not committed to this, subject to change upon further collection of data and group member responses.)
Thursday, 14 June 2012
trinidad and tobago first independence day
THE FIRST INDEPENDENCE DAY
Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from Great Britain on August 31st, 1962. At midnight on 30th August, 1962, the Union Jack (British flag) was lowered and the Trinidad and Tobago flag was raised for the first time. Bells tolled and sirens rang out to herald the birth of the newly independent nation. This first Independence Day was marked by more than a week of festivities and events across the country from August 28 to September 05, 1962 (See: Independence Celebrations, 1962 - Programmes and Events). Several international dignitaries were present for this auspicious occasion including the Queen’s representative Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal who read the message sent by Queen Elizabeth II, relinquishing her rule.
Trinidad and Tobago gained its independence from Great Britain on August 31st, 1962. At midnight on 30th August, 1962, the Union Jack (British flag) was lowered and the Trinidad and Tobago flag was raised for the first time. Bells tolled and sirens rang out to herald the birth of the newly independent nation. This first Independence Day was marked by more than a week of festivities and events across the country from August 28 to September 05, 1962 (See: Independence Celebrations, 1962 - Programmes and Events). Several international dignitaries were present for this auspicious occasion including the Queen’s representative Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal who read the message sent by Queen Elizabeth II, relinquishing her rule.
INDEPENDENCE TODAY
Today, Independence Day is celebrated with military-style parades held at the Queen's Park Sailors on parade Savannah, Port of Spain and in Scarborough, Tobago. In Trinidad, the parade is inspected by the Head of State who, from 1962-1976, was the Governor General (i.e. the Queen's representative in Trinidad and Tobago). When Trinidad and Tobago achieved its status as a Republic in 1976, the President then assumed this role. The Chief Secretary, who is the leader of the Tobago House of Assembly, heads the Tobago parade. After the official activities at the parade grounds, the contingents march through the streets to the accompaniment of live music played by the bands of the various forces (e.g. Police, Fire and Prison bands). Cheering spectators line the parade route creating a carnival-like atmosphere.
Today, Independence Day is celebrated with military-style parades held at the Queen's Park Sailors on parade Savannah, Port of Spain and in Scarborough, Tobago. In Trinidad, the parade is inspected by the Head of State who, from 1962-1976, was the Governor General (i.e. the Queen's representative in Trinidad and Tobago). When Trinidad and Tobago achieved its status as a Republic in 1976, the President then assumed this role. The Chief Secretary, who is the leader of the Tobago House of Assembly, heads the Tobago parade. After the official activities at the parade grounds, the contingents march through the streets to the accompaniment of live music played by the bands of the various forces (e.g. Police, Fire and Prison bands). Cheering spectators line the parade route creating a carnival-like atmosphere.
The evening is usually marked by the presentation of National Awards in a ceremony held at the President's House. These awards, which were first presented in 1969, honour the outstanding achievements of citizens of Trinidad and Tobago in various fields.
Finally, this day of celebration comes to a close with fireworks displays at the Queen's Park Savannah, Port of Spain and the Port Authority Compound, Scarborough Tobago. Thousands of people gather from early in the evening to get a strategic vantage point to view these shows.
What is Independence?
Obviously, we think this is an important concept, so much so that it
is the central theme of our site. But what does it mean? Let’s take a
look at the dictionary first:
The other parts of the definition all rest on the freedom from control: influence of others isn’t always a bad thing. It is good to sometimes seek advice or guidance from someone else. However, you are still free to choose what to do with that advice, and so you are free to choose how you will let that influence affect you, so long as you are free from control. The same is true of support, aid, or the like. So a more simple definition of independence, cutting down to the root of the issue, would be:
There are many potential answers to this question. Our society seems to have a general premise that the government is our safe keeper, and without it we would be animals in the wilderness, and utter chaos would rule. Some treat government as if it represents a balance of power against the “corporations” (themselves government enabled entities) who they say would take over and act as governments themselves if it weren’t for our elected representatives. The Founding Fathers treated government as a necessary evil, that if properly limited could serve to protect our rights, but we all know that lasted about 5 minutes.
So why is it that we would all react with disgust if we saw a person leading around his slaves and making them do his bidding, but we react with joyful celebration when we see the government do the same thing? (Democrats celebrating the enslavement of doctors, for example, or Republicans celebrating the enslavement of the pot smoker.)
Well this is the question of our times and for people who have traveled the philosophical and political journey that leads to Independence it is extremely difficult to understand how anyone could believe that control is OK in the hands of the government, while not OK for anyone else. Hopefully our efforts on this site can expose people to the reality that government is coercion and control of others, and that as such it is evil. Hopefully we can inspire a renewed interest in Independence, so that as the current status quo collapses upon itself, a free society can emerge.
PS – For the best attempt at Independence thus far in recorded history, reference the Declaration of Independence.
http://palmettorepublic.org/2011/03/what-is-independence/
freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.It seems pretty simple, doesn’t it? Would anybody disagree with the notion that we should be free from the control of others? Of course not. To suggest otherwise would imply that we are the property of others, that we are subjects or slaves.
The other parts of the definition all rest on the freedom from control: influence of others isn’t always a bad thing. It is good to sometimes seek advice or guidance from someone else. However, you are still free to choose what to do with that advice, and so you are free to choose how you will let that influence affect you, so long as you are free from control. The same is true of support, aid, or the like. So a more simple definition of independence, cutting down to the root of the issue, would be:
freedom from the control of others.But why does this simple idea go out the window when we start talking about government?
There are many potential answers to this question. Our society seems to have a general premise that the government is our safe keeper, and without it we would be animals in the wilderness, and utter chaos would rule. Some treat government as if it represents a balance of power against the “corporations” (themselves government enabled entities) who they say would take over and act as governments themselves if it weren’t for our elected representatives. The Founding Fathers treated government as a necessary evil, that if properly limited could serve to protect our rights, but we all know that lasted about 5 minutes.
So why is it that we would all react with disgust if we saw a person leading around his slaves and making them do his bidding, but we react with joyful celebration when we see the government do the same thing? (Democrats celebrating the enslavement of doctors, for example, or Republicans celebrating the enslavement of the pot smoker.)
Well this is the question of our times and for people who have traveled the philosophical and political journey that leads to Independence it is extremely difficult to understand how anyone could believe that control is OK in the hands of the government, while not OK for anyone else. Hopefully our efforts on this site can expose people to the reality that government is coercion and control of others, and that as such it is evil. Hopefully we can inspire a renewed interest in Independence, so that as the current status quo collapses upon itself, a free society can emerge.
PS – For the best attempt at Independence thus far in recorded history, reference the Declaration of Independence.
http://palmettorepublic.org/2011/03/what-is-independence/
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