Czars and Serfs

I got to wondering where America came up with the term, and the idea, of Czars. A cursory examination of history revealed that the term, as used at present, came from 19th century Russia and meant an all powerful, unelected, un-vetted ruler. Nagging doubts crept into my mind. I couldn’t find anything in the constitution regarding czars, and, maybe it’s just me, but czar doesn’t sound too American. About the only other group in Russia at the time were serfs. Unwashed, uneducated, subservient, worker bee’s, toiling for the common good. I’m not the king of the hill, but, I’m sure-enough not a serf, nor ever will be.

Makes me wonder what’s next. Commissars? These guys are like sub-czars. Just as arrogant, half as intelligent, and twice as petty as their superiors. Given the direction we are headed, they will probably be in charge of things like fashion colors and mandatory tooth whiteness scales. They’ll have all the power and force of arms of the government behind them, but even less common sense. If that’s possible.

Next, on our way to Utopia, and, for our own good, we’ll get block captains. Actually, some places have them now. They come in the form of home-owners association presidents. If you are unlucky enough to live in a gated community, you have probably dealt with these wonders of bureaucracy before. They will advise the mere mortals in their domain what kind of bushes to plant and what color to paint their houses, for the common good, you understand. There seems to be a certain sub-set of humanity that gravitate toward this position. Generally retired, with nothing better to do than mind everybody’s business but their own. Reason and common sense are as alien as Mandarin Chinese to them. They wished, all their lives, to hold elected office but, every time the electorate got a good look at them, they were defeated. They got their present job by default. Nobody really wanted an all powerful home-owners association, so they just gave the job to some blue-haired busybody to shut her up. What hath God wrought?

I’ve never lived in a gated community with an HBIC (head-busybody-in-charge), but I know one guy who DID live in a gated community, I think it was called Leavenworth, and he hated it.

When we keep surrendering our rights and ignoring our responsibilities, it will soon lead to ‘boiling the frog’. I have the freedom to paint my house purple and plant poison ivy if I choose and I intend to keep it.