Homestead mailing list

["Melody O." <melody AT crecon.com>]

At 09:26 PM 4/3/05 EDT, you wrote:
>Marie wrote:
>> I
>> absolutely believe that individuals should do all they can to provide
>> themselves with the things they need for survival. I am even more sure that
>> if we do it alone we will surely perish.
>> 
>James wrote:
>That's interesting.  I am sure of just the opposite.  Unless we do it alone, 
>we will surely perish.  This is because our mutual codependency is like a
chain 
>only as strong as its weakest links.  The only real codependency is among 
>individuals (or families or groups) capable of going it by their own
strengths 
>except in that circumstance here and there when they must needs rely on
their 
>neighbors.  When you have people in a chronic state of dependency, even 
>codependency, it is a recipe for personal disaster.

Melody writes:

If we were self-sufficient as individuals, and as individual families, then
as individual communities, then as individual states, and as an independent
country, we would want for nothing necessary.

In my ideal world, individuals and families would be able to sustain
themselves, but when a disaster strikes them, hopefully they are prepared,
but if not, their extended family does all they can to help.  If there is
no family, then the community.  But in all of this, there is no coercion or
force, just true charity.

If that happened, there would be no need for medicaid, social security,
food stamps, government housing, etc. etc.  There would only be those
taking care of "their own".

I love The Little House on the Prairie series because of all of the
messages that can be gleaned.  The idea of being self-sufficient is in
there, along with loving your neighbor as yourself.  Pa and Ma never had
much, but what they had they shared when there was a need; when they were
in need others shared.  But none of it was ever forced; it was done to be
neighborly.

It would still work the same way today.  Nothing different or new.  There
are many reasons why it isn't done.  But just like the country song Rascal
Flatts sings, I miss Mayberry too (lyrics:
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/rascal-flatts/mayberry-13589.html ).

Best wishes,
Melody

"…It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless
minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds…." Samuel Adams