The Definition of Oppresive Governments

Thirty-seven years, four months and thirteen days ago I stood in an office of the Armed Forces Examination and Entrance Station in Shreveport, Louisiana and raised my right hand.  There I swore to protect and defend the United States of America from all enemies both foreign and domestic.  I pledged my life in the defense of the country I loved.  I stated that I would defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies of freedom.  I spent most of the next year training and then took up my weapon and marched off to war.  I killed other human beings to prevent Communism from swallowing up a little country in Southeast Asia.  Then I watched as politicians gave that freedom-loving country away to the Communists and could only bow my head in shame as hundreds of thousands of the people I tried to protect were executed.  I was saddened but not defeated.  I was able to console myself with the thought that at least I had tried.  I did all that I could, but it fell short of being enough.

I have continued my fight to keep Socialism, Communism and Fascism at bay.  For the last several years I have watched all three of them creep into the fabric of my America.  I have tried to fight it, but really didn’t know how until this year.  In early March of this year I found a way to reach out and fight.  I joined an organization called Conservative Action Project.  Since that time I have been able to fight for the Constitution, to defend it against those who wish to undermine it.  But like my fight in Vietnam, this fight has not been enough.  I watched Saturday as Congress voted to pass a bill that eventually gives the federal government control of the health care industry in this country.  The government has already taken control of much of the automobile industry, the banking industry and the insurance industry.  I have been laughed off for mentioning that these takeovers were Socialist or Fascist.  But when we look into the definitions of these oppressive forms of government we can see where they do apply.

To determine whether or not the argument that this government is moving toward Socialism, Communism or Fascism we must first define what those terms mean.  Socialism is a term most of us have heard and have some idea what it means.  Socialism is a system of governance in which the government owns and operates business or industry.  Everyone works for the government and is paid according to what that person’s individual needs are.  Karl Marx, the founder of Socialism gave us this famous quote:

From each according to his ability

To each according to his need.

This is a totally Utopian idea.  For true Socialism to succeed every person must be totally selfless.  None can be hungry for power.  No one may have more than his neighbor has.  It works well with bees and ants, but simply can not and will not work for people.  That is where Communism comes in.  In a Communist state, the government runs everything.  Every decision in your life has to be made from the perspective of what the government expects of you.  The government runs all business but you can advance and make more money that your neighbors.  The catch is, you can only advance within the ruling party, not your ability to do your job.  That brings us to Fascism.  The definition of Fascism is, the citizens own businesses, but the government tells you how to run them.  That is essentially what the government is doing to the banking industry now.  The government has issued regulations as to how much the bank will be allowed to pay its employees among other things.  Banks that have accepted TARP money must abide by these regulations.  Banks that have not accepted TARP funds do not necessarily have to abide by these regulations, but they will be audited by the FDIC if they don’t.

Here in my beloved country, the government owns a huge amount of General Motors, the union owns most of the rest.  No matter how you spin it, or twist it, that is Socialism.  The government tells banks how to go about doing business, that is Fascism.  Now the government is looking to take control of our healthcare.

So there are the facts as I see them.  As I look forward to this Wednesday when our nation will take a moment to thank our Veterans, I can’t help but wonder how sincere the thanks we are receiving are.  What I and countless numbers of my brothers-in-arms have fought for, this congress and administration are methodically destroying.  But I will continue to fight.  For my God and my country, for our liberty, I will carry on this fight.   God bless America.


John A. Wilson
President
Conservative Action Project