Monday, January 18, 2010

LET FREEDOM RING!!!!!!!!!




Felicia Lobo and Honorable Eleanor Homes Norton, Member from DC, Congress of the Unites States of America. UPO MLK Memorial 01-18-10

LET FREEDOM RING……
This morning, at the United Planning Organization’s 26th Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Breakfast, Felicia and I were seated with a group of community activists and volunteers. There were a lot of comments made, at the table and from the lectern, about the hard gained rights of minorities from the majority in attaining the basic rights of life, freedom and the pursuit of happiness. There were also ample comments about the current economic situation and the desperate predicament of nearly a 20% unemployment or underemployment rate nationwide. I clearly understand that in 2010 all sorts of discrimination occur due to race, gender, creed, and color, economic and political status but to name a few. There was a time, not so many years ago, when many forms of discrimination kept certain individuals from participating in the economic market, beyond possibly menial labor. However, in the free market, individuals today are judged by their productivity and creativity in accomplishing economic progress. Yet the freedom to do so is quickly eroding as the economic motivation of entrepreneurs and other creators of wealth are shackled by destructive regulation, taxation and government intervention.

Equal opportunity to live one’s life as one sees fit, without the oppression of the politically powerful, acting on the perceived behalf of “the people”, is the paradise on earth we call America. While American apartheid was morally wrong and only the central government could pass the laws enforcing equal justice; the rapid destruction of our economic “miracle” is equally heinous. In his speech, “The American Dream”, MLK noted “Now, ever since the founding fathers of our nation dreamed this dream in all its magnificence – to use a big word that psychiatrists use – America has been something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against herself. On the other hand we have proudly professed the great principles of democracy, but on the other hand we have sadly practiced the very opposite of those principles. But now more than ever before, America is challenged to realize its dream, for the shape of the world today does not permit our nation the luxury of an anemic democracy”. Prophetic words for our time, from his time some 45 years ago.

Government should provide for an environment where we can be safeguarded against violence within and outside our borders. We should all be treated equal before the law. We should all be given the opportunity to pursue our dream, without doing harm to others. The moral hazard incurred over the last two years; where mismanaged businesses were not allowed to fail, even as others were driven to fail; where under unspoken threat healthy financial institutions were made to take TARP, and allocate ownership rights to the Treasury; where government intervention in the “too big to fail” concept destroyed the competitive advantage of well run businesses, these are the characteristics not of a democratic society, and barely those of a communistic one: This is the face of fascism.

So today, many Americans want the government to make it all right. This is like asking the surgeon that cut off the wrong arm to treat the other. The “welfare state” has now mostly bankrupted Japan and many European nations. We have true and empirical evidence that socialism, which is a close cousin to the tyranny of fascism, is a flawed concept, because the few cannot produce enough to take care of the masses. There will come a time, unless this tide of oppression is changed, and I mean fast, where economic decay will visit America and our best days will not be ahead. Economic capital will simply move to a freer location in its pursuit of creativity, innovation and productivity. So today, of all days, LET FREEDOM RING and allow men and women of good will to create without oppression. Then this paradise named America will continue to be the greatest leader of freedom ever conceived by the mind of man.

Luis G. Lobo
Frederick, MD




In the final analysis, your attitude determines your effectiveness in everything, every time! LGL

Saturday, January 09, 2010

How to Live

Share by my high school coach - Clyde Smith, thank you!






In the final analysis, your attitude determines your effectiveness in everything, every time! LGL