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 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:45 pm
Okay...I'm going to start by saying that this isn't perfect-it's actually something that is from a story I'm writing. If you see any issues with this, please tell me. Anyway, that being said, here goes. (Note-the name comes from the closest thing to a real-world example that I have.)
It has occured to me that if a government acts carefully, and almost stealthily (I realize that this is a rarity in this day and age, but bear with me), it would be possible to impose a totalitarian dictatorship without the citizens noticing. And they'd do it by stealing-yes, stealing-the people's rights. They'd just have to start small-like, for example, taking away the right to buy or sell gum, or to smoke in public places. Next, you move onto bigger things-censorship, for example. Eventually, the government has taken away all major rights. And the people aren't only okay with it, they're happy about it.
So, here's my question-How many rights do you think can be taken away before people actually start to notice? Because, as I'm seeing things, this is exactly what's happening in the US, although our leaders aren't doing the best job of it.
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Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:25 pm
When people start to notice:
"Wait a second? - Not allowing me to use to toilet is protecting our country from terrorists?"
We have already gotten to the point where people are paying income tax without any law backing it. They are told by the government that it is a "required tax" when it is not.
The constant impositions of "safety" against terrorists is what causes people to be profusely willing to hand over their rights. People start calling others, who don't wish to hand over their rights, unpatriotic.
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:24 pm
My Conscience When people start to notice: "Wait a second? - Not allowing me to use to toilet is protecting our country from terrorists?" We have already gotten to the point where people are paying income tax without any law backing it. They are told by the government that it is a "required tax" when it is not. The constant impositions of "safety" against terrorists is what causes people to be profusely willing to hand over their rights. People start calling others, who don't wish to hand over their rights, unpatriotic. Quick question, though, when people notice, and yet do nothing about it, what does that say? Also, I seem to recall something about income taxes actually being unconstitutional. I just wish somebody would tell the government to fix that or stop taxing. (Anyone up for a Tea Party?) I won't get into political theory here, since my personal beliefs are quite detrimental to any argument I would be able to make, but suffice it to say that if we do nothing, we can accomplish nothing, and that includes saving our rights. Although, I must ask, why should anyone expect that they have any of these "rights", when they've all been afforded by government?
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:49 pm
Cougar Draven My Conscience When people start to notice: "Wait a second? - Not allowing me to use to toilet is protecting our country from terrorists?" We have already gotten to the point where people are paying income tax without any law backing it. They are told by the government that it is a "required tax" when it is not. The constant impositions of "safety" against terrorists is what causes people to be profusely willing to hand over their rights. People start calling others, who don't wish to hand over their rights, unpatriotic. Quick question, though, when people notice, and yet do nothing about it, what does that say? Also, I seem to recall something about income taxes actually being unconstitutional. I just wish somebody would tell the government to fix that or stop taxing. (Anyone up for a Tea Party?) I won't get into political theory here, since my personal beliefs are quite detrimental to any argument I would be able to make, but suffice it to say that if we do nothing, we can accomplish nothing, and that includes saving our rights. Although, I must ask, why should anyone expect that they have any of these "rights", when they've all been afforded by government? We expect these rights from teh government because we empower the government. Ergo, we should have rights.
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:55 pm
writercxvii Cougar Draven My Conscience When people start to notice: "Wait a second? - Not allowing me to use to toilet is protecting our country from terrorists?" We have already gotten to the point where people are paying income tax without any law backing it. They are told by the government that it is a "required tax" when it is not. The constant impositions of "safety" against terrorists is what causes people to be profusely willing to hand over their rights. People start calling others, who don't wish to hand over their rights, unpatriotic. Quick question, though, when people notice, and yet do nothing about it, what does that say? Also, I seem to recall something about income taxes actually being unconstitutional. I just wish somebody would tell the government to fix that or stop taxing. (Anyone up for a Tea Party?) I won't get into political theory here, since my personal beliefs are quite detrimental to any argument I would be able to make, but suffice it to say that if we do nothing, we can accomplish nothing, and that includes saving our rights. Although, I must ask, why should anyone expect that they have any of these "rights", when they've all been afforded by government? We expect these rights from teh government because we empower the government. Ergo, we should have rights. And therein lies one of the reasons I dislike democracy. We expect rights because we empower the government, and we told the government to give us the rights. Frighteningly circular.
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 5:50 pm
Cougar Draven We expect these rights from teh government because we empower the government. Ergo, we should have rights. And therein lies one of the reasons I dislike democracy. We expect rights because we empower the government, and we told the government to give us the rights. Frighteningly circular. This is also the problem with reform-We're told by the declaration of independance that we can over throw a government that we don't like, and this it is our duty to do so, but to do so is treason. Go figure...
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:44 pm
writercxvii Cougar Draven writercxvii We expect these rights from teh government because we empower the government. Ergo, we should have rights. And therein lies one of the reasons I dislike democracy. We expect rights because we empower the government, and we told the government to give us the rights. Frighteningly circular. This is also the problem with reform-We're told by the declaration of independance that we can over throw a government that we don't like, and this it is our duty to do so, but to do so is treason. Go figure... Indeed. Although, I do have to make this point. Theoretically, if we were to overthrow the United States government, the Declaration of Independence would no longer apply as such. However, this would only apply to a successful revolution, and not a secession. Secession is illegal. (Which makes no sense.)
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:51 pm
Cougar Draven writercxvii Cougar Draven writercxvii We expect these rights from teh government because we empower the government. Ergo, we should have rights. And therein lies one of the reasons I dislike democracy. We expect rights because we empower the government, and we told the government to give us the rights. Frighteningly circular. This is also the problem with reform-We're told by the declaration of independance that we can over throw a government that we don't like, and this it is our duty to do so, but to do so is treason. Go figure... Indeed. Although, I do have to make this point. Theoretically, if we were to overthrow the United States government, the Declaration of Independence would no longer apply as such. However, this would only apply to a successful revolution, and not a secession. Secession is illegal. (Which makes no sense.) Wait...it's illegal to seperate from the US gov't, creating a government that would theorectically supercede the authority of teh US gov't? What the hell? Oh, and have you added me to your friends yet?
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Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:55 pm
writercxvii Cougar Draven writercxvii Cougar Draven writercxvii We expect these rights from teh government because we empower the government. Ergo, we should have rights. And therein lies one of the reasons I dislike democracy. We expect rights because we empower the government, and we told the government to give us the rights. Frighteningly circular. This is also the problem with reform-We're told by the declaration of independance that we can over throw a government that we don't like, and this it is our duty to do so, but to do so is treason. Go figure... Indeed. Although, I do have to make this point. Theoretically, if we were to overthrow the United States government, the Declaration of Independence would no longer apply as such. However, this would only apply to a successful revolution, and not a secession. Secession is illegal. (Which makes no sense.) Wait...it's illegal to seperate from the US gov't, creating a government that would theorectically supercede the authority of teh US gov't? What the hell? Oh, and have you added me to your friends yet? I know it doesn't make sense, but then, the entire idea of our government is based off of a circular statement, and the meaning has changed. In 1790, white male property owners were citizens. Now, everyone who is legally allowed to be here can become a citizen.
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:27 am
Cougar Draven writercxvii Cougar Draven My Conscience When people start to notice: "Wait a second? - Not allowing me to use to toilet is protecting our country from terrorists?" We have already gotten to the point where people are paying income tax without any law backing it. They are told by the government that it is a "required tax" when it is not. The constant impositions of "safety" against terrorists is what causes people to be profusely willing to hand over their rights. People start calling others, who don't wish to hand over their rights, unpatriotic. Quick question, though, when people notice, and yet do nothing about it, what does that say? Also, I seem to recall something about income taxes actually being unconstitutional. I just wish somebody would tell the government to fix that or stop taxing. (Anyone up for a Tea Party?) I won't get into political theory here, since my personal beliefs are quite detrimental to any argument I would be able to make, but suffice it to say that if we do nothing, we can accomplish nothing, and that includes saving our rights. Although, I must ask, why should anyone expect that they have any of these "rights", when they've all been afforded by government? We expect these rights from teh government because we empower the government. Ergo, we should have rights. And therein lies one of the reasons I dislike democracy. We expect rights because we empower the government, and we told the government to give us the rights. Frighteningly circular. We are not a democracy though. If we were a democracy, we would have the right to vote for our president. We, however, do not.
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 11:36 am
My Conscience We are not a democracy though. If we were a democracy, we would have the right to vote for our president. We, however, do not.
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:43 pm
writercxvii My Conscience We are not a democracy though. If we were a democracy, we would have the right to vote for our president. We, however, do not. I'd have to call what we do have a representative oligarchy, really. Not a true oligarchy, as the ruling class can be replaced quite handily, but in no way a democracy.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:36 pm
Cougar Draven writercxvii My Conscience We are not a democracy though. If we were a democracy, we would have the right to vote for our president. We, however, do not. I'd have to call what we do have a representative oligarchy, really. Not a true oligarchy, as the ruling class can be replaced quite handily, but in no way a democracy. Even on wikipedia it is discribed as a republic. This is completely fallacious. It is, in fact, an oligarchy. I wouldn't even call it a representative oligarchy. If I can't vote for the president, then it really isn't representative -- is it? Maybe a federal oligarchy.
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Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:39 pm
My Conscience Cougar Draven writercxvii My Conscience We are not a democracy though. If we were a democracy, we would have the right to vote for our president. We, however, do not. I'd have to call what we do have a representative oligarchy, really. Not a true oligarchy, as the ruling class can be replaced quite handily, but in no way a democracy. Even on wikipedia it is discribed as a republic. This is completely fallacious. It is, in fact, an oligarchy. I wouldn't even call it a representative oligarchy. If I can't vote for the president, then it really isn't representative -- is it? Maybe a federal oligarchy. Hmmm...yeah, that is a problem. Fixed. Watch me get banned from Wikipedia for this.
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