Everybody, remember that post a little bit ago with the Pyramids:
Here are the original essays, by Bill Whistle of Eject! Eject! Eject!: Sanctuary, parts One and Two.
If you lean left, you may not like some of what he has to say in part One: the author’s one of the 9/11 “mugged by reality” crowd. But Part Two should be required reading, if, for nothing else than its particularly eloquent defence of “civilization” and apologia for Hobbes.
I didn’t have time yesterday to look them over… and did a serious misservice in the process. I wish I could write like that. Excerpts:
Sanctuary, p1:
And why do soldiers wear uniforms?
It certainly is not to protect the soldier. As a matter of fact, a soldier’s uniform is actually a big
flashing neon arrow pointing to some kid that says to the enemy, SHOOT ME!
And that’s exactly what a uniform is for. It makes the soldier into a target to be killed.
Now if that’s all there was to it, you might say that the whole uniform thing is not such a groovy idea. BUT! What a uniform also does — the corollary to the whole idea of a uniformed person – is to say that if the individual wearing a uniform is a legitimate target, then the person standing next to him in civilian clothes is not.
Sanctuary, p2:
Assume that we could transplant a corner 7-11 to the Egyptian desert, with all of the support systems that make it what it is. It is a tiny speck compared to the gleaming white marble sides of the pyramid. It looks small and poorly made.
From afar.
Pharaoh comes by barge and litter to inspect the competition, laughing at the mismatch. He and his princes and a retinue of servants approach the plain, unadorned metal doors and step inside.
By the Gods! It is cool inside! As cool as the desert night, here, in the middle of the relentless day!
Outside the servants sweat and minor officials fan themselves, but Pharaoh is, for the first time perhaps, comfortable in the middle of the desert sun. He turns to exclaim this wonder to his underlings, and — By the Ghost of Osiris!! The walls! You can see right through them!
Ten seconds into the contest, and already Pharaoh has been rendered mute by miracles.
This is only “the sizzle.” Don’t take my word for it… “the steak” is much, much more.
