Patriot (Act), Schmatriot

I think its the word "Orwellian" that learned people apply to ridiculously mis-named things like "The Patriot Act". In that regard, Ron Paul has filed another important report.

This is the most important part:

• America was not founded on a promise of security, it was founded on a promise of personal liberty to pursue happiness.

This is the second most important part:

• The Patriot Act, like every political issue, boils down to a simple choice: Should we expand government power, or reduce it?

The correct answer, of course, is reduce it. A good thing to practice is to ask yourself what you would like your government to do for you. And say the correct answer out loud: "Nothing." (I done borrowed the foregoing from Lew Rockwell.)

All of this recalls a fundamental wisdom we should all keep in mind as we go through our daily lives: "There's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path." Knowing the path is reasonably difficult; it requires showing some interest and from time to time a little bit of thinking. But walking the path. Now that is the challenge. The worthiest challenge life presents. It's avoiding the short-term traps (fear, greed) in favor of the long-term payoff (love, peace). It's not being willing to temporarily sacrifice a little freedom for a little security. Down that path lies ruin. Corruption. Devestation.

Don't be like Bill Horton. Decide that it's the tattoo on your right knuckles that holds your fate. And make it happen.

Finally, say what you want about Keanu Reeves (Seriously, go ahead. I think he's dashing.), but that movie The Matrix sure repackaged a lot of good old-fashioned, honed through the centuries wisdoms into 135 minutes.