OK, I’m a day late on this one but I’ve been in Canada, so I’m catching up and I can’t not bring this up. Individualist anarchist Wendy McElroy (who I think is a Paul supporter but I could be wrong):
I don’t get it. So Guy Fawkes was used as a role model in a comic book (actually a wonderful graphic novel V for Vendetta that was trashed by its movie adaptation)…does that make him a libertarian ideal? There was nothing libertarian about Fawkes. He was a Catholic crusader who wanted to blow up Parliament as part-and-parcel of removing a Protestant monarch from power. He wasn’t against government or tyranny; he was against one form of government that he wanted to replace with another form he liked better: a Catholic one. There is no indication that Fawkes was a champion of the people whose personal vision of political power would have produced less tyranny than what proceeded it. Certainly, 17th century Catholic states were no more tolerant than Protestant ones — indeed, the Protestant Netherlands were freer and more tolerant than most. If wanting to overthrow a government per se makes you a libertarian, why not idealize Che Guevara? At least he was a successful revolutionary.
November 7, 2007 at 10:14 am
No… I’ll take a pass on your suggestion. Not into the necromantic thang. Had a living ex-boyfriend who reminded me of..well…never mind.
Heard there wasn’t much of a celebration in England this year. The businesses, and the government didn’t have enough money for fireworks and police protection. They didn’t want to deal with the ‘revelry’, and basically ‘cancelled’ it.
As for comparing Paul and Libertarians to Fawkes..wtf? Can’t see any comparison there. Most Americans have become too apathetic to start anything. Kinda sad really…”The revolution will not be televised.”… Basically because we’re too busy watching TV, playing computer games, and working 3 jobs(if you can get them) to make ends meet.
Welcome back, btw.
November 7, 2007 at 2:11 pm
The other weird thing is that Guy Fawkes Night is actually a celebration of Fawkes getting caught… the first part of the rhyme, quoted in movie V for Vendetta (apparently the source of all this Fawkes fetishism) is misleading: ” Remember, remember the Fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot, I know of no reason Why Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot.”
Here’s the whole thing:
Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t’was his intent
To blow up King and Parli’ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England’s overthrow;
By God’s providence he was catch’d
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
A penny loaf to feed the Pope
A farthing o’ cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down.
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head.
Then we’ll say ol’ Pope is dead.
Hip hip hoorah!
Hip hip hoorah hoorah!
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night
Good quote on Fawkes from Alan Moore: “And also, they’re making way too much of this Guy Fawkes thing. Guy Fawkes was not a freedom fighter, he was a religious fanatic.” (http://web.archive.org/web/20060321010339/http://www.comicon.com/thebeat/2006/03/a_for_alan_pt_2_the_further_ad.html)
November 13, 2007 at 3:17 am
Symbols change in their meaning as our understanding of them change to fit the times.
The above argument goes well with a side of Christmas, Easter, Hallowe’en, and about every other holiday we celebrate.