It's definitely time to knock lawmakers down from their high horses!
Posted on 01/25/2005 4:37:42 PM PST by Cornpone
Dear Freepers,
I'm getting old and perhaps a little wacky but as I look back over my life I continue to try and understand how my country hasn't quite turned out the way my mother and father brought me up to believe it should be and what it was I was always raised to defend. So I've started making a list of those things that just seem to represent a betrayal of what I always thought America is about...freedom. Its a short list, I'm still working on it and I know many, if not most, will not agree with everything on it. But I'm sure everyone has something to add to it...like the state of medical care in this country which I haven't even begun to think about. Anyway, they are simple things that individually don't amount to much. But, taken together they represent a fundamental change in our culture if you think about it. Please help me add to this list. I don't know what I will do with it. Perhaps I'll just go nail it on the doors of Congress..not likely. I'd rather nail it on the doors of the White House except we can't really go there anymore...another freedom lost.
• Mandatory motorcycle helmet laws
• Mandatory automobile seatbelt laws
• Mandatory boating lifejacket laws
• Increasing erosion of property rights
• Increasing regulation of alcohol consumption, tobacco use and firearms possession
• Virtual elimination of the right to self defense
• Denial of the right to carry a weapon for self defense
• Hate crime laws that ridiculously imply that the murder of one human being is more heinous than the murder of another based on some politically motivated criteria
• Encroachment on the constitutional right to assembly
• Increasing attempts to limit our constitutional right to free speech through hate speech laws that seek to dampen dissident opinions
• Increasing restrictions on demonstrations of personal faith with a bias against Christians
• Increasing restrictions on hunting
• Increasing restrictions on fishing
• Increasing restrictions on the traditional use of fireworks
• Increasing restrictions on traditional methods of outdoor cooking
• Increasing restrictions on water rights and usage
• Increasing government incursion and attempts to regulate the possession of domestic animals which in all cases don’t happen to be ‘pets’
• Unfair taxation to fund social practices abhorrent to most Americans
• Government advocacy of socially deviant lifestyles
• Government attempts to redefine millennia-old family relationships and bonds, i.e., gay marriage
• Affirmative action laws and policies that unjustly punish and deny opportunity to current generations based on the shortcomings of generations long past
• Ridiculous product liability judgments that seek to limit access and deny choice through judicial activism rather than legislative debate
Add your thoughts to the list please.
God Bless our Forefathers and God Bless You
How does this interfere with your freedoms?
End of the right of anonymous travel.
Requirement to interface with government whether you want to or not (income tax returns, for instance).
Over zealous building codes destroy right to do as you please with your property.
Elimination of the right to defend our borders against ILLEGAL immigration.
most recent, allowed dog sniffing in your vehicle
It started with mandatory auto license and registration laws that started guess where? Taxxachusetts in 1903.
http://taor.agitator.dynip.com/on_law.htm
I'm paying for it through my tax dollars and I don't believe it meets the constitutional test of the 'common good.' Its like playing poker against your own money.
Bush's fault, right?
I could hardly blame a man for problems that began before his birth.
When Clinton altered military policies concerning sexual preferences he opened up a can of worms. When soldiers go into the "field" they are provided 1 shelter half. Two soldiers join the "halves" together to make a tent. That tent is shared for sleeping . I think that certain Troops might takes exception to such sleeping conditions. Amplify that sentiment in a barracks or a ship or in other situations requiring close living quarters.
The bottom line is that it could be bad for morale. That could effect individual performance. The Military could lose a battle because of disgruntled Troops compelled to endorse a lifestyle which personally offends them. Losing a battle could result in losing a war. Losing a war might interfere with our freedoms!
Simplistic for sure, but there are reasons that the military has policies, and society has mores.
It's definitely time to knock lawmakers down from their high horses!
Oh, rent control in cities is a big infringement.
Here in Massachusetts a court ordered a private country club which receives no tax money to allow in a group of women as full fledged members against the wishes of the club members and owners.
There are many many examples.
Because our government is based on moral laws. When our government promotes immorality (and not just homosexuality), the nation suffers. Most immoral activities are hurtful to families.
Social security numbers on everything.
Thanks for your contribution. I'll have to consider how to turn it into a lost freedom but I'm sure it can be done. But, what I really think you're highlighting is the rise of selfishness in America and the loss of civil respect for others.
You got it. This works two ways. With freedom comes responsibility.
Use of litigation to control peoples behavior. Smoking. Soon eating.
I would suggest that perhaps your list would be better served by dividing issues into state and federal ones.
Many of the issues you note are state issues, not national ones, and best solved by a return to federalism.
Of course, there are issues on your list that are indeed problems at the federal level, and more difficult to address.
Here's some more for you:
The creation of policies that virtually force our children into public schools.
Increasing federal intervention in the public school curricula.
Virtual elimination of accessibility to the public lands.
The creation of tax policies that undermine our Agricultural industries.
You're absolutely right. I have freedom of choice covered in several points and we should all have the freedom to be responsible for our choices. I love to BBQ but soon that will be illegal in many places. I can't live without red meat...I guess I'll die soon because if many have their way that will be denied also...
Freedom to work -- and to send your children to work, if they are uninterested in schooling but talented in cabinetry or dependable bike couriers or truly awesome pianists.
Thanks. I think I may have that covered in the erosion of property rights but I'll consider it some more. Its an issue close to my heart.
Dear Cornpone: Good news. All you loss of "freedoms" is a little circus going on between your ears. The events you list probably have not really occured and don't be expecting to go to Heaven, cause crybabies automatically go to the other place.
>>Increasing restrictions on traditional methods of outdoor cooking
This one baffled me--most of the others I could see where you were going with them. What methods do you mean? Asking because I really haven't a clue. Pig roasts or something similar?
Charcoal grilling. Illegal in many places in Europe and recently considered for outlawing in some parts of the States...like parts of California.
Really? Wow, didn't know that. Guess my little Weber will become pretty useless if they decide to do that in my neck of libbie CA. Nothing tastes like charcoal grilling.
Just one more reason to move the heck outta dodge...
Bad news to you. All the issues I've identified have already come to be realized. I think the failure to recognize reality is perhaps a circus occurring in front of someone's blind eyes...wake up or you will find yourself where crybabies go...you'll be crying all the way.
I seem to remember talk of banning charcoal somewhere. I am not sure where or when this was.
I remember driving around WSU during the burn season (whenever that normally is/was for the farmers in the Palouse). Always kind of freaked me out to be honest--I used to work for the Park Service in the summers, so I'd see a big smoke plume and get worked up thinking "Oh crap, Forest Fire". Then I'd remember, "oh it must be burn season for the farmers, never mind".
"They'll take my Weber Smokey Joe from my cold, dead hands"
;-)
Examples please.
How about messing with the minds of our children by advocating and encouraging the tolerance and experimentation of homosexual life styles in government schools, which is abhorent to the tax paying parents of those children?
Where in the constitution is the need for a rally permit noted.
Do you mean the federal constitution?
I'm sure I could find numerous examples, especially with the increasing requirements to register or obtain permits to demonstrate publicly, but the most recent example I came across was a post I made yesterday regarding attempts to prevent school children from gathering to worship during recess.
I am sure lawful assembly had nothing to do with paying the city 250 bucks for a permit. I think it had more to do with not rioting.
Here in the State of Washington, where our nonest votes mean notheing, but fraudulent votes ride an armored truck, the legislation is trying to pass the illegality of using rain barrels on privately owned property to collect rain water for irrigation or for livestock! Unbelievable!
"Vehicle emmissions testing."
Second that! I was so thrilled to get away from that mess.
Most of these things have been started by people like the kennedy's. People that have millions of dollars spending millions of dollars to get a job that pays thousands of dollars. This is past a joke. Look at the things they have done and escaped with no punishment. I do guess ol' teddy probably thinks the presidency belonged to him but we stole it from him for a murder? that happened in his car. If
you notice, they start to steal these things by first talking about a "problem" and the problems we all face because of it and they keep talking until a lot of folks think well it won't hurt to let them do this, if any one pays attention any more, anyway. God Bfless y'all, KennyBob
That is unbelievable. In all my travels to Washington State I've never been there when it wasn't raining. I guess the proposed legislation is intended to protect the 'common good' of wasted groundwater runoff.
You bunch of whiners need to grow up. WE HAVE MORE FREEDOM THAN ANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD!
Although it was a good and necessary thing it was nonetheless communist inspired as a means to "divide and conquer" which to this point has been overwhelmingly successful.....civil rights of blacks, ( it was just the catalyst ).....which extended to Asians, American Indians, every other minority in creation, etc.....including children, handicapped, the women's movement.....the hyphenated-American with the overall intent to keep us squabbling amongst ourselves and actually creating division isntead of bringing us together. They are knowingly and intentionally tearing us and the country apart. All of these things brought about this "diversity" stuff.
Another point:
Baby carseats and making the baby be buckled in the back seat.....separating the core family.
There are others. I'll get back to you.
You are absolutely right about that. I have traveled and lived in many places around the world and there is no place more free than America. But in my eyes that is changing. Perhaps that change is good. My children don't seem to be concerned. But I am.
If you live in a red conservative state you have a lot more freedom than living in a liberal blue state. The democrat state legislature's want us to become like Europe.
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