The John Adams Society

Christopher T. Wolff

Chairman

Jason D. Hoffman

Secretary

G. Larry Colson Jr.

Chief Whip

Katey Haflund

Chancellor

OCTOBER 2016

“The game’s not big enough unless it scares you a little”

--William T. Riker 

IN THE LORE OF STAR TREK woe be it unto him who wears the red shirt. These unfortunate characters are often simply trotted onto the screen to die some horrible death. They have no back story or character development; in fact often their only real purpose is to die so that some larger plot may advance. Cannot the same be said of the lives of the majority of the world’s population? Even if they don’t realize it, they go about living their lives as simple pawns in a totally rigged political system.

Invoking the Illuminati is not necessary to see that a loosely interconnected cabal of the politically powerful has an outsize ability to shape policy and affect the lives of individuals. How else can we explain contracts given to multinational corporations to extract resources that benefit the local politicians and the corporations but leave the people who have inhabited the lands for decades literally digging in the dirt just to get by? One need not only consider the poorest among us. It used to be in the United States that with little more than a trade school education a single bread winner could support a family and be comfortably in the middle class. Today the prosperity of yesteryear seems to be but a fanciful dream, yet the connected class enjoys seemingly endless growth in wealth. The struggle and toil of the common man being nothing more than plot advancement to desires of the powerful.

ON THE OTHER HAND, we all live in a time with unequaled access to luxuries that would have been unthinkable 200 years ago. Medical ailments that would spell certain death not long ago have turned into little more than minor annoyances with the assistance of just a few pills. The internet makes accessible a wealth of human knowledge that puts the library of Alexandria to shame. Further, despite the caterwauling about the plight of the little guy, the majority of countries across the globe are some governed by some sort of democratic system. How can the people be pawns when they are the ones who are truly in charge?

THE CHAIRMAN, ever wary of an encounter with one of the Gorn, has called a debate to settle the topic:

RESOLVED:  We are all redshirts now.

The Debate will be held on October 5, 2016, at the University Club, 420 Summit Avenue, in Saint Paul. The Chancellor will preside over drinks beginning at seven o’clock p.m. The debate will begin at half past seven. There is no dress code, however gentlemen who wish to speak must wear a tie; ladies are encourage to adhere to a similar sartorial standard. For those gentlemen arriving sans tie yet wishing to discourse on the resolution, the Purveyor of Ties will keep on hand several remarkable selections. Questions regarding debate caucus procedures of about the John Adams Society itself may be directed to the Chairman at (612) 494-9008 or the Secretary at (651) 245-6991.