Written by Jason Treece | 01 January 2008

Guns: Some Common Sense Required
Jason Treece

It is official. After watching a news segment on a gun safety demonstration gone wrong, it appears blatantly obvious that people (even police officers) don't know jack about safely handling firearms. Contrary to popular belief, guns are no more inherently dangerous than a parked car or nuclear weapon sitting safely in its silo. Like any mechanism designed for a specific task, usually something needs to be done to start the mechanical process (i.e. pull the trigger, turn on the ignition, or press a launch button). Unfortunately, idiots are just as capable of pulling the trigger as more rational, commonsense type folks.

Written by Jason Treece | 01 January 2008

On Patriotism
Respect the troops
Jason Treece

There seems to be an inordinate amount of people who enjoy their American freedoms yet refuse to acknowledge the role that the US Military has played in keeping those freedoms alive and well.

The bone of contention is this: how is it possible to love America and everything she stands for and complain and moan about the armed services? After all, these brave men and women are the only damn thing keeping the religious slaves of that big sand box out east from compromising the very liberties we often take for granted.

These men and women, officers and enlisted alike, get paid peanuts to defend the American way of life, often with their very lives. For some unknown reason, people seem to think that serving one's country, which has given you infinite opportunity and shelter from problems that the rest of the world faces daily, is some kind of burden or chore. While many people make very successful careers out of "going military", civilians just cant seem to comprehend having structure, order, and self-discipline as aspects of your everyday existence.

There seems to be some misconception that the military is a harsh environment that chews you up and spits you out, destitute and with a bloodthirsty mentality. These views are simply untrue.

For some, the military is a route of last resort, either face a life of crime and prison, or get straightened out. Others, its simply a career choice or a means to get where you want to go. The military is certainly not for everyone because not everyone is capable of meeting the challenge or handling the inherent nonsense you will have to put up with.

For me, May 16, 2005 means the end of my civilian life as I know it and the beginning of a very arduous and physically challenging journey in the Marine Corps that I hope will not only open the career doors in aviation that I am hoping for, but also will allow me to look at the flag of the United States of America with a better understanding of what it means to be an American.

To say you love America is fine, but to do something about is totally different. I'm not saying everyone should go out and enlist, but at least give the United States Military the respect that it has earned through bloodshed, sweat, and tears.




The above work is the opinion of the author, and not necessarily that of the Prometheus Institute.

Written by Justin Hartfield | 01 January 2008

Fear and Loathing on the Giuliani Campaign Trail

Gonzo adventures in the heart of conservatism

By Justin Hartfield

 

NEWPORT BEACH, CA
As soon as I drove up the regal driveway of the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, I realized that the blunt I rolled before I left the house was going to be wholly inadequate for the event that was about to unfold.

Written by M. Harrison | 31 December 2007

Candide in America, Eldorado, and the Afghani Sand
Parody of Voltaire's Candide
M. Harrison, Kyle Sulli

THERE LIVED in the United States a young lad named Candide who, by total chance, happened to become a student of politics. He got into a friendly discussion with his most attractive girlfriend, Cunegonde, about the best of all possible governments. Candide's Harvard University professor, Dr. Pangloss, had indoctrinated Candide with the notion that American Democracy was the best of all possible governments. The lovely Cunegonde disagreed, and the two, with the blessings of the President of the United States of America, set off to find the best of all possible governments. They were to meet back in Washington, D.C. in two years to discuss their findings. So it was that Candide decided to travel abroad to observe the inferior governments of the world. This quest took our hero to the people's republic of Eldorado.