ContraBardus Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 In a sense I agree and in a sense I disagree. I believe all living beings are essentially free and autonomous. It's what some might once have called an inalienable right. However I also believe that continued freedom (and life) entail responsibility. I basically agree, except I suspect it began before that. The establishment of the federal reserve in the mid teens of last century didn't help. And several other things since. We pretty much agree on the idea of freedom. Though, I think you might be confusing rights with freedom here a little. Rights are what are earned and in need of protection, not freedom. Freedom is something the government restricts by it's very nature. You're born with the freedom to do what you want. It's the government and society that restricts you from behaving anyway you please by placing limits on your actions with the concept of 'crime and punishment'. They restrict your freedom by punishment and reward, though punishment is far more common than reward. Rights are privelages granted by citizenship within a government, usually they are protections of some sort, such as the ability to speak against the government without being punished by it, or the legal authority to own a firearm. Note the founders' use of 'Inalienable -rights-' and not 'Inalienable -freedom-'. They knew the difference between the two. Most of the time when the founders referenced 'freedom' they meant it in the context of being free of the Colonial Government, not personal liberty or rights. They actually used the words 'personal liberty' or 'rights' when referring to that sort of thing. America being 'free' meant that America was independent of European control and had established itself as it's own sovereign nation. It was never meant to imply that the citizens could do as they pleased whenever. Most modern Americans are too stupid/ignorant to realize that. You could say that morals also play a role in restricting personal freedom. As a sort of personal restraint so to speak, but I would suggest that society dictates what those morals are. Those who grow up in 'Christian Nations' are more likely to have a more Christian view of what is or is not moral. As I said, an Anarchist state was not the intent of the founders. Freedom by it's very definition is a lack of responsibility. Being free entails no responsibility or protection, everyone is already free and can do as they please if they're willing to accept the consequences or think they can get away with whatever. Rights are what need protecting and must be earned, though many people who have rights don't necessarily do anything to earn them themselves. I would also agree that Imperialist America started before WWII, but the aftermath of the 'Great War' accelerated it by a great deal. The Cold War attitude of the 50s did a lot to expand the power of Government and pioneered the scare/distraction/repression strategies used against the people today. The Conservative Religious South bears the greatest responsibility for putting the people in power who were responsible for it, and keeping them there. The Space program was not the only thing that accelerated during the Cold War the erosion of American Rights really hit it's stride then I think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Freedom by it's very definition is a lack of responsibility. Being free entails no responsibility.... Uh,... This seems to be either a gross misunderstanding, or some kind of deception. As I observe living beings in the eternal now, I see that continued freedom entails responsibility. I believe that life is coextensive with autonomy and freedom. The choices we make and the habits we establish have consequences. To maintain our lives and our freedom we must each have behavior which is commensurate with life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 " The conservative Religious South bears the greatest responsibility for putting the people in power who were responsible for it, and keeping them there." I'm afraid your math is off a bit. The South has a small minority of both electoral votes and popular votes and always has. The "red" states bear equal responsibility for buying into the negative and dangerous thinking of the far right. The majority of the red states are of the same ilk as the religious fanatics in the south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe themselves free." - Goethe I believe we all have places in our thinking where we are unaware of choices we've made. Oddly enough, we may see this even within mathematics where there are documented disagreements which more or less distill down to preferences of philosophy and taste. Not only are we susceptible to group-think but we seem to forget, or perhaps be unaware, that the very real complexity of our languages permit and perhaps require multiple angles of understanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 I want to get away from these city walls I wanna go up to the river, with a clear night sky above and tress the trees are reaching up mmm hmmmm forever always eternal now not quite identity Buddha said, "dependent arising" and Aristotle said, "causality" forever always, eternal now not quite identity I want to get away from these... city walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 " The conservative Religious South bears the greatest responsibility for putting the people in power who were responsible for it, and keeping them there." I'm afraid your math is off a bit. The South has a small minority of both electoral votes and popular votes and always has. The "red" states bear equal responsibility for buying into the negative and dangerous thinking of the far right. The majority of the red states are of the same ilk as the religious fanatics in the south. A prime example of antisouthern bigotry. As a southerner I can attest he has it about right. If accuracy is bigotry, so be it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 " The conservative Religious South bears the greatest responsibility for putting the people in power who were responsible for it, and keeping them there." I'm afraid your math is off a bit. The South has a small minority of both electoral votes and popular votes and always has. The "red" states bear equal responsibility for buying into the negative and dangerous thinking of the far right. The majority of the red states are of the same ilk as the religious fanatics in the south. A prime example of antisouthern bigotry. As a southerner I can attest he has it about right. If accuracy is bigotry, so be it. You mean it is your OPINION that he is right. And opinion CAN be bigotry. Bigotry is always opinion, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 " The conservative Religious South bears the greatest responsibility for putting the people in power who were responsible for it, and keeping them there." I'm afraid your math is off a bit. The South has a small minority of both electoral votes and popular votes and always has. The "red" states bear equal responsibility for buying into the negative and dangerous thinking of the far right. The majority of the red states are of the same ilk as the religious fanatics in the south. A prime example of antisouthern bigotry. As a southerner I can attest he has it about right. If accuracy is bigotry, so be it. More Robear narrative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RankStranger Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 " The conservative Religious South bears the greatest responsibility for putting the people in power who were responsible for it, and keeping them there." I'm afraid your math is off a bit. The South has a small minority of both electoral votes and popular votes and always has. The "red" states bear equal responsibility for buying into the negative and dangerous thinking of the far right. The majority of the red states are of the same ilk as the religious fanatics in the south. A prime example of antisouthern bigotry. As a southerner I can attest he has it about right. If accuracy is bigotry, so be it. More Robear narrative. That's the word, don't wear it out Pull my finger, Alinsky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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