Publius Returns

H. L. Mencken September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956

Quotes:

"Democracy gives the beatification of mediocrity a certain appearance of objective and demonstrable truth. The mob man, functioning as citizen, gets a feeling that he is really important to the world - that he is genuinely running things. Out of his maudlin herding after rogues and mountebanks there comes to him a sense of vast and mysterious power—which is what makes archbishops, police sergeants, the grand goblins of the Ku Klux and other such magnificoes happy. And out of it there comes, too, a conviction that he is somehow wise, that his views are taken seriously by his betters - which is what makes United States Senators, fortune tellers and Young Intellectuals happy. Finally, there comes out of it a glowing consciousness of a high duty triumphantly done which is what makes hangmen and husbands happy."

"The larger the mob, the harder the test. In small areas, before small electorates, a first-rate man occasionally fights his way through, carrying even the mob with him by force of his personality. But when the field is nationwide, and the fight must be waged chiefly at second and third hand, and the force of personality cannot so readily make itself felt, then all the odds are on the man who is, intrinsically, the most devious and mediocre — the man who can most easily adeptly disperse the notion that his mind is a virtual vacuum.

"The Presidency tends, year by year, to go to such men. As democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."


THE FALL OF AMERICA

Struggles are not new to America. I am referring here to the struggles we go through to maintain our economic health, our citizen’s freedom, our public faith, and our traditional values that made us the richest and most powerful nation in the history of man.

There are problems now, struggles as it were, facing America that, although not exactly new, are escalating at an exponential pace. These problems are easily named: Relativism, multiculturalism, socialism, egalitarianism, totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and fascism. Each presents a formidable problem for traditional America. Which is the worst of these and which will defeat us first?

If we look to the future, we might name multiculturalism. Muslims believe that, like Europe, they will take over the West, including America, without firing a shot. They will succeed by simple procreation. We repeat ourselves at 1.7 children per family, while they do so at 8 children per family. When that happens, our freedom will be lost to Sharia law.

We could name relativism, the philosophy that morality is dependent on circumstances, culture, and the right to do as one wishes, however aberrant that might be. Who can say what is right and wrong in a complex world? In a progressive world, the idea of the constant principles of the Constitution becomes outdated and counterproductive. It is part of the bowtie crowd, as tattoo enthusiasts like to say, whose ideas are dying in the dust.

We might postulate that “Global Governance” is not only the solution to the world’s environmental health but all other ills the world struggles with as well. And herein lies the looter’s philosophy reminiscent of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, a New World order that cries for a level playing field among the world’s businessmen. An idiotic idea that plays to the fair treatment of people to the demise of talent and productivity.

We could allude to our bending toward socialism, an appealing ideology to those who want government to take care of them: A system that demeans merit and productivity. Americans have become consumers, yet their greatness came from industrial giants whose productivity was unparalleled in history. We have given our productivity away, sold to the highest bidder, in favor of materialist squandering.

Or we could mention, to everyone’s disbelief if not chagrin, that we are in the midst of economic ruin. The question is, which of these problems will promulgate the fall of America first?

Forecasting the profusion of alternate cultures into our own by Central and South America, Asia, and the Middle East, experts put the downfall of America at approximately 50 years from now.

The rise of left-wing, liberal socialism is racing on a fast track to capturing America’s political identity. This movement dovetails with multiculturalism and must precede it. So … 20 years, if not tomorrow? With the election of Obama to the king’s throne of Pelosi, Reid, Holder, and others of their ilk, we might be there today.

While all of these problems cast clear and present dangers to America, our failing economy has reached critical mass. Our budget deficit is beyond repair. No amount of taxes will save us. Ending the war in Iraq and Afghanistan will not save us. Nothing will save us. The most apparent deficit is our federal leadership. They are gutless cowards. They will not save us. They cannot meet their promises, promises they only made to illicit votes, preying on our own ignorance. They knew they were cowards just as well as they knew they were politicians elected to represent us. Their cowardice, strangely mixed with arrogance, and profound stupidity has led to the ruin of America.

We need not wait for tomorrow or for that pale horse; we are in the midst of the fall of America as we speak. But with full bellies and an accompany lethargy, if not apathy, we not only don’t see our ruin but believe it can’t happen to us. It is said that people in love do stupid things. Hope is not far removed from love. Both represent an abstract concept that comes from the heart and not the brain. America’s hope is now revealed as stupidity, the result of millions of separate piles of chemicals with egos giving way to the circus barker selling promises.

We have betrayed our industrialists, our entrepreneurs, our innovators, our producers, and our powerful businessmen, whose government should answer to their well being and not the other way around. The return of the back slapping good ol’ boy is better than the bed wetting looters who wish to control our wealth.

The elite among us have become the ardent souls of hypocrisy.

Only by rising up from our denial, only by picking ourselves up from our lethargy, our fear, and our pain, and only by aggressively taking America back can we save ourselves. Only the principles of killology in concert with an intellectual revolution will turn our struggle around before blood runs in the streets.

Denial has no survival value.