Freedom in America
-
Why not wait to see whether the Housing Association or the former Marine wins this dispute before bewailing the death of freedom? Russia agrees? So you like to see the USA pilloried by a "rightie" Russian Orthodox blogger regurgitating the sentiments of "rightie" US bloggers, but with an anti-West spin. (And he shows such a grasp of world affairs:
Stanislav Mishin blogged:
Prime Minister Putin, less then two months ago, warned Obama and UK's Blair.
Blair has not been the UK's Prime Minister since June 2007, long before Putin became Russia's Prime Minister.)
Bob Emmett
Bob Emmett wrote:
Blair has not been the UK's Prime Minister since June 2007, long before Putin became Russia's Prime Minister.
are you trying to confuse the captain with the facts?
Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Both democrats and republicans are playing for the same team and it's not us. - Chris Austin
-
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
Freedom and liberty is a thing of the past as we all know.
Is anyone stopping you from displaying bumper stickers? Freedom is alive and well, occasional incidents of officiousness and stupidity notwithstanding. I suspect that your obsession with this "the world is going to hell" stuff is because you prefer to be unhappy about something that seems to ally you with a noble cause than to be unhappy about your daily life.
John Carson
John Carson wrote:
Freedom is alive and well, occasional incidents of officiousness and stupidity notwithstanding.
No it isn't. You don't know what freedom is.
-
Its a homeownwers association. A local community. The freedom to to participate in how one's own community is governed is the very essence of freedom in America. Otherwise, however, I agree that this is a stupid way to govern it.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
Stan Shannon wrote:
Its a homeownwers association. A local community
What happens when all the local communities govern like fascist dictators?
-
Stan Shannon wrote:
Its a homeownwers association. A local community
What happens when all the local communities govern like fascist dictators?
Well firstly, it is impossible for a local community to be a fascist dictatorship. Fascism, by definition, involves concentration of power at the center. A local community could be sending Jews into gas chambers and there would be nothing fascist about it. But, in any case, to defeat aspects of your community which concern you, you use your freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press to convince a majority of your neighbors of your point of view, change the laws, the regulations, to your satisfaction. If you cannot convince them of your beliefs, you either move or you put up with it. That is the entire point of having freedom of speech - to be able to participate in how your local form of government is designed. That is American freedom.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
Well firstly, it is impossible for a local community to be a fascist dictatorship. Fascism, by definition, involves concentration of power at the center. A local community could be sending Jews into gas chambers and there would be nothing fascist about it. But, in any case, to defeat aspects of your community which concern you, you use your freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press to convince a majority of your neighbors of your point of view, change the laws, the regulations, to your satisfaction. If you cannot convince them of your beliefs, you either move or you put up with it. That is the entire point of having freedom of speech - to be able to participate in how your local form of government is designed. That is American freedom.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
Stan Shannon wrote:
That is American freedom.
American freedom is not the freedom for others to rule others. American freedom is not having your freedoms infringed upon by anyone. American freedom is heading out on your high hoarse with a bottle of whiskey and a cigar (or marijuana and opium for that matter) into the countryside looking for a animal to shoot for dinner. American freedom is heading out in your vehicle that you own without a license plate or sticker verifying you paid insurance to a crook and to the state. American freedom is not being forced to pay rent on the land you own outside the city limits. American freedom is not having to put up with the bullshit around you. American freedom is not having to show you ID as you are walking down the street. American freedom is not being randomly stopped in your vehicle or forced to comply with the Patriot Act.
-
Stan Shannon wrote:
That is American freedom.
American freedom is not the freedom for others to rule others. American freedom is not having your freedoms infringed upon by anyone. American freedom is heading out on your high hoarse with a bottle of whiskey and a cigar (or marijuana and opium for that matter) into the countryside looking for a animal to shoot for dinner. American freedom is heading out in your vehicle that you own without a license plate or sticker verifying you paid insurance to a crook and to the state. American freedom is not being forced to pay rent on the land you own outside the city limits. American freedom is not having to put up with the bullshit around you. American freedom is not having to show you ID as you are walking down the street. American freedom is not being randomly stopped in your vehicle or forced to comply with the Patriot Act.
Since when?
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
Since when?
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
Stan Shannon wrote:
That is American freedom.
American freedom is not the freedom for others to rule others. American freedom is not having your freedoms infringed upon by anyone. American freedom is heading out on your high hoarse with a bottle of whiskey and a cigar (or marijuana and opium for that matter) into the countryside looking for a animal to shoot for dinner. American freedom is heading out in your vehicle that you own without a license plate or sticker verifying you paid insurance to a crook and to the state. American freedom is not being forced to pay rent on the land you own outside the city limits. American freedom is not having to put up with the bullshit around you. American freedom is not having to show you ID as you are walking down the street. American freedom is not being randomly stopped in your vehicle or forced to comply with the Patriot Act.
You are free once you understand that your bondage is of your own design and you cease forging the chains that bind you.
-
You are free once you understand that your bondage is of your own design and you cease forging the chains that bind you.
Ravel H. Joyce wrote:
You are free once you understand that your bondage is of your own design and you cease forging the chains that bind you.
Or until your government empowers itself to force you to work to achieve its goals. Or until your government promotes a belief system which all individuals are required to acknowledge as superior to any other.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
Since the Constitution was made into law.
Where in the constitution are any of the items you listed stated? And if they are there, why have they never been enforced throughout American history?
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
Ravel H. Joyce wrote:
You are free once you understand that your bondage is of your own design and you cease forging the chains that bind you.
Or until your government empowers itself to force you to work to achieve its goals. Or until your government promotes a belief system which all individuals are required to acknowledge as superior to any other.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
It is hereby forbidden to use the word Freedom, which will be expelled from the dictionaries and the treacherous swamp of mouths. From this moment on freedom will be something alive and transparent, like fire or a river, or like a seed of wheat and its dwelling will forever be the heart of man.
-
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
Since the Constitution was made into law.
Where in the constitution are any of the items you listed stated? And if they are there, why have they never been enforced throughout American history?
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
Stan Shannon wrote:
And if they are there, why have they never been enforced throughout American history?
Overtime people valued their freedoms less, or they don't know what freedom is, like you.
-
Stan Shannon wrote:
And if they are there, why have they never been enforced throughout American history?
Overtime people valued their freedoms less, or they don't know what freedom is, like you.
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
Overtime people valued their freedoms less, or they don't know what freedom is, like you.
When did AMericans ever live according to your list?
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
It is hereby forbidden to use the word Freedom, which will be expelled from the dictionaries and the treacherous swamp of mouths. From this moment on freedom will be something alive and transparent, like fire or a river, or like a seed of wheat and its dwelling will forever be the heart of man.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
Overtime people valued their freedoms less, or they don't know what freedom is, like you.
When did AMericans ever live according to your list?
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
Stan Shannon wrote:
When did AMericans ever live according to your list?
In America's early days.
-
Stan Shannon wrote:
When did AMericans ever live according to your list?
In America's early days.
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
In America's early days.
Where? Every town, county and state in the country had laws defining acceptable behavior and unaceptable behavior on the part of their citizens, all worked out by the citizens themselves.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
In America's early days.
Where? Every town, county and state in the country had laws defining acceptable behavior and unaceptable behavior on the part of their citizens, all worked out by the citizens themselves.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
Stan Shannon wrote:
all worked out by the citizens themselves.
It ain't like that today. You do what you are told to do these days. You don't have a say in the laws. Most people are so ignorant they don't know how government works. They don't vote. They say "Oh well, there is nothing I can do"
-
Stan Shannon wrote:
all worked out by the citizens themselves.
It ain't like that today. You do what you are told to do these days. You don't have a say in the laws. Most people are so ignorant they don't know how government works. They don't vote. They say "Oh well, there is nothing I can do"
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
It ain't like that today. You do what you are told to do these days. You don't have a say in the laws. Most people are so ignorant they don't know how government works. They don't vote. They say "Oh well, there is nothing I can do"
But your original example certainly is. A home owners association is a grop of home owners who subscribe to a set of behaviors defined by themselves. They collectively make and enoforce their own rules. No one from the federal government is coming in and telling them they can't have patriotic stickers on their cars. They made that rule up for themselves - freely.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
-
CaptainSeeSharp wrote:
It ain't like that today. You do what you are told to do these days. You don't have a say in the laws. Most people are so ignorant they don't know how government works. They don't vote. They say "Oh well, there is nothing I can do"
But your original example certainly is. A home owners association is a grop of home owners who subscribe to a set of behaviors defined by themselves. They collectively make and enoforce their own rules. No one from the federal government is coming in and telling them they can't have patriotic stickers on their cars. They made that rule up for themselves - freely.
Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.
Stan Shannon wrote:
They collectively make and enoforce their own rules
From the article it looked as if a very small group or even a single individual was making the rules.
-
Bob Emmett wrote:
Blair has not been the UK's Prime Minister since June 2007, long before Putin became Russia's Prime Minister.
are you trying to confuse the captain with the facts?
Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Both democrats and republicans are playing for the same team and it's not us. - Chris Austin
Oakman wrote:
are you trying to confuse the captain with the facts?
Not to fear, everything confuses him. :laugh:
"Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it." -- P.J. O'Rourke
I'm a proud denizen of the Real Soapbox[^]
ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!!!