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Originally posted by Belgarath
While we bicker back and forth about the war on terrorism, unusual and scary policies are being thrust upon us. We're told that these policies must exist to protect us from those who want to destroy us. Our leaders are trying to convince us that we must give up certain freedoms so that we may be secure.
If I remember correctly, I was told that the reason for the attacks on 9/11 was because "they are jealous of our freedoms." I find this quite bizarre, but if this is really the reason for their hatred, removing the very freedoms that they are jealous of seems to be playing right into their hands.
What's going on here folks? I'm having a terribly difficult time wrapping my head around this. Can we really say that we are winning the war on terrorism if we're stepping all over our constitutional freedoms that they don't want us to have?
Originally posted by DeltaChaos
The assault on our freedoms as a result of legislation subsequent to the September 11th attacks is grossly over 'hyped'.
More damage has been done by our own elected officials by way of leaking of sensitive and/or classified information to the press. The press, who apparently have no scruples whatsoever regarding national security, and what they will report.
If you say our freedoms are now being repressed, I say that we've never been more free, and that freedom will be our eventual undoing.
Originally posted by Amethyst
Ours is a state-run media believe it or not.
www.whatreallyhappened.com...
The mainstream media has finally acknowledged what has been obvious for quite some time; that the internet web logs, or "blogs", are here to stay. Far from being a passing fad, blogs like the present one existed before the word "blog" was coined to describe them. After nearly 12 years, and a readership that exceeds that of most city newspapers, the suggestion that blogs like this one are a passing fancy is at best wishful thinking.
The mainstream media has long attempted to dismiss blogs as somehow "unprofessional", usually because blogs are not vast centers of commerce. Occasionally there will be a gratuitous hit piece, attempting to portray the internet as a haven for child molesters second only to the clergy. Always there is the implication that blogs should not be taken seriously because the bloggers don't play the game by the same rules as the mainstream media.
With regard to that last one, it is true that the blogs don't play by the same rules as the mainstream media. We have neither governments, owners, nor advertisers imposing rules on us. Media entities with huge overheads can be bought. Reporters will trade their souls for a ride on Air Force One. Private Blogs (as opposed to blogs set up by public relations firms pretending to be private blogs) running on spare change are immune to that sort of thing.
Originally posted by DeltaChaos
The assault on our freedoms as a result of legislation subsequent to the September 11th attacks is grossly over 'hyped'.
More damage has been done by our own elected officials by way of leaking of sensitive and/or classified information to the press. The press, who apparently have no scruples whatsoever regarding national security, and what they will report.
If you say our freedoms are now being repressed, I say that we've never been more free, and that freedom will be our eventual undoing.
Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Every man retains the freedom to choose, at all times, and is responsible for those choices.
Most people make decisions based on bad information, sometimes information specifically designed to mislead them. That's the way of nature, just look at the animal kingdom for an endless series of examples of that princple of conflict.
So..basically..everything is going according to schedule, the human race is in fact just a species of animal, and we are subject to the laws of competition, adaptation, and refinement.
We're bred to lie, kill our enemies, love our families as an extension of ourselves (DNA), and use any means necessary to survive. It's just nature. Some animals are cute and cuddly and unprepared for the wilds, and some have finely tuned instincts, conferred by evolution to increase survival.
So basically, 'we're' only doing what they want 'us' to do, in the sense that they know what 'we're' liable to do better than 'we' do. And on that note, who's this we? I guess the advantage that's most spectacular in individuals is this evolved self perception we humans are so in love with ourselves over.
Originally posted by Amethyst
To some people, as long as you have your big house, your big car, your plasma TV, it doesn't matter what's going on in the world. Those people are in for a VERY rude awakening!
Originally posted by MagicaRose
THIS IS NOT A FREE COUNTRY AND ANYBODY THAT THINKS SO IS NUTS!
Originally posted by Belgarath
Can we really say that we are winning the war on terrorism if we're stepping all over our constitutional freedoms that they don't want us to have?
Originally posted by Amethyst
I think the Powers That Be are just setting things up and getting their ducks in a row.
Originally posted by notbuynit
Originally posted by Belgarath
Can we really say that we are winning the war on terrorism if we're stepping all over our constitutional freedoms that they don't want us to have?
You can still go to walmart or any retailer and buy whatever, right?
You can still stand on "your" property and complain about the govt., right? Tommorrow test this by putting up a " I hate Bush or whatever sign".
betcha' nothing changes. Bet you can still complain day and night.
Isn't the United States great?
Originally posted by Belgarath
I don't think we are significantly less free at this point, but the new legislation provides ample opportunity to take away more freedoms.