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Featured Member Interview Series



1) What brought you to TAC, and generally speaking, what do you get out of it?

I am one of the original 10 or so users that were invited when the site was in beta. Stableman, AngryDuchess, Desert_Rebel, TheGreatEscapeOf2008, and XboxNerd are some others that come to mind. Back then there weren't many interesting articles, I think we argued over the movie Hitman that's how long ago it was. I was gone for a long time but what brought me back was an article called 'Stricter gun laws might make sense'. I disagreed so strongly with it I decided to start posting again.

2) What is the story behind your username?

It was either this or VoteRaptorJesus2008. Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision.

3) What do you do for work?

I am a grad student at UCF majoring in humanities.

4) What do you do for fun, and what are your newest and oldest hobbies?

Among other things, I read a lot of books and message boards. Science, religion, classic, philosophy, biography, text, novel, I read them all. Books are great for raw ideas, but when it comes to testing those ideas, forums are superior because you get to see how those ideas are interpreted by different kinds of people, from all walks of life. Reading diverse opinions about a topic is what gives you real understanding about an issue. At the end of the day, understanding an issue is far better than “winning” an argument.



5) How would you describe yourself politically and why?

I don't belong to either major political party and I don't classify my views as being anything deserving of a label. The short answer is that I believe in freedom, plain and simple. I believe that any law which limits the freedom of others is wrong, and any law that protects it is good. Yes, there are exceptions (yelling fire in a crowded building), but they are in place to insure the preservation of freedom for everyone. Both the liberal and conservative views help protect some freedoms, and infringe on others. To put simply what could easily be an article in itself, I agree with the protection and disagree with the infringement, with very limited exceptions.

I'm against in particular the creation of 'slippery slopes,' laws which sound reasonable at first, but are used as a precedent later in the creation of a law that goes further. Gun registration is one such law that comes to mind. Many laws that are necessary right now can unfortunately be used as slippery slopes at a later time, which is why I think it's important when drafting a law to outline exactly what it covers, does not cover, and what it will never cover. This is because our laws, just like any other nations' laws are subject to the law of entropy and will ultimately change, given enough time. History repeats itself over and over, but people forget the lessons of the past and tend to see their times as different. As a society we should look ahead, think about the repercussions of what we're doing, and learn from others who have made the same mistakes.

6) Who is your favorite TAC member and why?

I don't really have a favorite, every author on this site has written things I agree with and disagree with as well. Except for Desert_Rebel, that guy was dumber than a screen door on a submarine.

7) When was the last time your political views changed and why?

I don't hold strong views on issues I'm not versed on, so but there are other political issues I know more about which my views on haven't changed in a long time.

8) Has being a member of TAC changed your perspective on anything, and if so, provide a notable example?

There hasn't been anything that has really rocked my entire perspective, but I have learned a lot of things I did not know; some historical background on the democratic party and private opinions of the founding fathers are two that come to mind.

9) Whom would you like to see in the White House?

Let’s see who we have running in 2012. Hopefully we won’t have two main candidates who are both from different sides of the same coin.

10) Who is your all-time-favorite president or statesman and why?

King Solomon. He had impeccable common sense and didn't let his emotions cloud his decisions (before he got really old and lost it).

11) If elected president, what would your first course of action be?

Appoint John Ashcroft as Attorney General so I can fire him personally.

12) What issue(s) do you feel strongly about and why?

Pretty much anything involving the First and Second Amendment. Gun control, freedom of speech, obscenity laws. My most current interest however is in insurance, liabillity and the litigious nature of this country.



13) What is one thing (it can be anything) that you would recommend other people try?

Calm the hell down. That is without a doubt the very first thing worth doing. You can't be unbiased if you're overly passionate about an issue, regardless of how unfair you think it is. People have a tendency to attack other people rather than the topic itself. Looking at an issue without emotion can be very difficult, but is necessary to truly understand its long-term effects. This cannot be accomplished while angry.

After that, I think exposing yourself to as many different viewpoints as possible on any given issue is a must. People are different and do not see eye to eye. I try and step in the other person's shoes and see things their way. Saying someone is “just stupid” is a cop-out. Everyone who believes what they believe about anything, no matter how outlandish it seems, has reasons that make perfect sense to them. I try to find out what those reasons are, they may show me a side I hadn't seen before. Don't let your own personal beliefs prevent you from considering alternatives. No matter what the belief, there's always a chance you are wrong. Most issues are not as simple as they're made out to be. What is great policy for some peope can be a disaster for others.

14) Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Don't let a political party define who you are as a person. Don't be a democrat because of your hatred for republicans or vice-versa. If you're thinking about a specific issue, don't just automatically adopt the liberal/conservative stance. Think about how each view affects different kinds of people: Who benefits, who doesn't benefit. Is it fair to everyone? No system will ever be perfect, but the ultimate goal of any form of government, in my opinion, should be to keep pushing closer to it, learning lessons from history and building a better society over time.


Some of Count's contributions are presented as References.]]>Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:12:03 PDT1251497523“Happy New Year’s Everyone!” “OMG!!! HNY!!!”


I wanted to get this thought out before New Years for a couple of reasons. 1) In case I may offend anyone we can simply say that it was something that I had written last year and it is now far behind us. 2) Because I can already feel the onslaught of anxious text messages preparing to launch, filled with good tidings and well wishes.


Here is the deal:


I know you’re excited about the holidays and you want to share your excitement with all of your friends, particularly the ones stored in your phone. The problem is that everyone else is doing this too. So now, like clockwork, every holiday is filled with a slew of good cheer in the form of the IBTM or, Impersonal Blanket Text Message. You can almost hear the sigh of weary phone batteries being drained, absorbing the brunt of an unending stream of ones and zeros, beaming through the night like the Starship Enterprise. You may even have your message pre-written and saved as a draft just for New Years! This way you can watch the ball drop and all you have to do is hit send. (No one wants to deal with a nervous finger, shaking and sweating with anticipation, awaiting the exact moment to crush the send button, connecting all of your friends to your excitement simultaneously.) Look, I am guilty of this too…we all are. That is why I feel it necessary to take this moment, just before the New Year to ask, plead, and beg you…stop, for all of us.


First, admit that you have a problem. “My name is Chris and I…I, uh, well uh……I IBTM!!!” Second, challenge yourself to write and individual text message this year to a few select friends…make it personal. Trust me, no one is “feeling the love” when they receive these messages…in fact most people feel obligated to respond or worse, they feel like they should be doing the same thing! They begin flying through their phone, “selecting all recipients” or worse, they take the time to go through their phone, feverishly clicking everyone’s name just before they hit “send”. STOP!!!


Need a New Year’s Resolution??? Don’t be an IBTMer this year…take a moment and really connect with someone.


Just a thought…

]]>Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:22:28 PST1230668548The American Critic®
Featured Member Interview Series



1) What brought you to TAC, and generally speaking, what do you get out of it?

To be honest, the lure of extra credit in my English Comp class was what brought me to TAC in the beginning. However, the environment and users on TAC are what keep me coming back. Discussions, critiques and articles on TAC are well balanced and offer a lot of food for thought. Not everyone has the same mindsets, but unlike other websites it’s a lot easier to convey thoughts since discussions don’t usually end in flame wars.

2) What is the story behind your username?

A while ago, I wrote a politically based article that pertained to the tyranny and socialistic principles America was plagued with. The title was "The Great Escape of 2008: An escape from America’s corrupt," and it featured thoughts and insight pertaining to the events and politics that have led America into the faux pas we are dealing with today.

3) What do you do for work?

Right now, I’m in Limbo. With the economy the way it is and job availability, or the lack there-of, I’m unemployed. I am a student, but definitely need to find a job.

4) What do you do for fun, and what are your newest and oldest hobbies?

Snorkeling and Diving are probably my oldest withstanding hobbies. Though, I have grown quite fond of writing political articles. I also enjoy restoring muscle cars and Racing them. I also enjoy maintaining a few Saltwater Aquariums. I guess the Goldfish bowl just was never enough for me.



5) How would you describe yourself politically and why?

I hate to use this term, because what the Republican Party has done to it is horrible. But I am what I consider a True Conservative. I don’t follow 90% of what the Republican party does. I follow long-withstanding Conservative principles. I feel that America should be run based upon The Constitution of The United States of America, not some hack’s opinions and whimsical interpretations of the Constitution.

6) Who is your favorite TAC member and why?

I can’t really say I have a favorite TAC member. I guess if I had to choose, it would (obviously) be Benthamite. As my Professor he has taught me some things that may be worth a king’s ransom. He also has very level-headed articles, critiques and comments.

7) When was the last time your political views changed and why?

My political views changed right around the beginning of the 9th grade (2003). I went from a Democrat to a Conservative. It was about then I realized the flawed politics the Democratic Party was upholding. I also realized that I considered myself a Democrat mainly because it was the cool thing to do. It seems as if the Democratic party is only afloat because of Hollywood’s backing. There is a notion that it is cool to be a Democrat; and most people vote Democrat because of that. Once I realized I had been swept into that whirlwind, I had to get out.

8) Has being a member of TAC changed your perspective on anything, and if so, provide a notable example?

I guess it hasn’t changed my perspective on anything per say, but it has opened my eyes to a few interesting point of views on a variety of issues. I have learned a wealth of information from people’s political comments, and I may not agree with what they have to say, but I can usually extract why they said it, and I know understand why some people believe in what they do.

9) Whom would you like to see in the White House?

Ron Paul. Yes, I guess I am what many of you would consider a Ron Paul wacko. However he represents True Conservatism and practices it also. His policies are what is needed to get America back in shape.

10) Who is your all-time-favorite president or statesman and why?

This is a tough question. There are so many I would like to include but can’t. Though he may not classify as a statesman just yet, I would have to say my all-time-favorite would be Dan Frank. Dan is running for Congress in the 16th District of Pennsylvania. His policies and platforms are what this country needs. Dan has also taught me a lot about the political workings of the American Government, which have proved invaluable to me.

11) If elected president, what would your first course of action be?

Eliminate the IRS and Treasury. The Treasury is a conglomeration of private banks that act as a Federal Agency. These private bankers dictate every aspect of America’s finances. Do we really need a wealthy banker telling the country how to spend its money? Eliminating the Treasury would secure our currency’s worth. We would no longer need to collect income taxes due to increased value of the Dollar, so we could feasibly eliminate the IRS.

12) What issue(s) do you feel strongly about and why?

America’s fiscal policies are probably the biggest issues on my platter. There isn’t a day that I do not think about how to trim the pork out of America’s budget. I fear financial problems are what will ultimately lead to America’s downfall into Communism.

13) What is one thing (it can be anything) that you would recommend other people try?

Evaluate the political situation for yourself. Don’t rely on the Media’s perception. Often it is plagued with inconsistencies and falsehoods which promote a particular candidate.

14) Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thank you, but I think that covers it all for now.


Some of TheGreatEscapeOf2008's contributions are presented as References.
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