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They call themselves libertarians; I think they're antisocial bastards
Guardian ^ | 12/20/05 | George Monbiot

Posted on 12/19/2005 8:30:57 PM PST by Pikamax

The road-rage lobby couldn't have been more wrong. Organisations such as the Association of British Drivers or Safe Speed - the boy racers' club masquerading as a road-safety campaign - have spent years claiming that speeding doesn't cause accidents. Safe Speed, with the help of some of the most convoluted arguments I've ever read, even seeks to prove that speed cameras "make our roads more dangerous". Other groups, such as Motorists Against Detection (officially known as Mad), have been toppling, burning and blowing up the hated cameras. These and about a thousand such campaigns maintain that speed limits, speed traps and the government's "war on the motorist" are shakedown operations whose sole purpose is to extract as much money as possible from the poor oppressed driver.

Well last week the Department for Transport published the results of the study it had commissioned into the efficacy of its speed cameras. It found that the number of drivers speeding down the roads where fixed cameras had been installed fell by 70%, and the number exceeding the speed limit by more than 15mph dropped by 91%. As a result, 42% fewer people were killed or seriously injured in those places than were killed or injured on the same stretches before the cameras were erected. The number of deaths fell by more than 100 a year. The people blowing up speed cameras have blood on their hands.

But this is not, or not really, an article about speed, or cameras, or even cars. It is about the rise of the antisocial bastards who believe they should be allowed to do what they want, whenever they want, regardless of the consequences.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: liberals; liberaltarians; libertarians
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To: Howie66

How are people who don't think government should even own a road 'socialist'?


41 posted on 12/19/2005 10:53:13 PM PST by GeronL (1678 computer infections and still Freeping!!!)
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To: Pikamax
"...Mad, have been toppling, burning and blowing up the hated cameras."

Good for them!

I didn't know there was a Brit left with that much spine!

42 posted on 12/19/2005 10:55:54 PM PST by Redbob
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To: Hank Rearden
The difference between our two statements? I'm right.

LOL, bump. Although you may be misinformed about the choking kittens bit unless they've added that of late

43 posted on 12/19/2005 10:56:42 PM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: Pikamax
the extreme libertarianism now beginning to take hold here...

Yes! There's hope for poor old England after all. May Monbiot get his frilly pink panties in ever-greater twists over more British Libertarian battle tactics.

44 posted on 12/19/2005 11:04:14 PM PST by BlazingArizona
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To: Howie66
"Libertarians" are to cowrdly to admit the TRUTH. They are really Socialists that lack the intellectual honesty (and/or nuts) to admit it.

Let me guess: you're one of those "Republicans" who worships HOAs, the DEA, the pharma monopoly and the RIAA. You used to believe in balanced budgets once, but over the years have forgotten what the term means.

There's still time. Join us. Come over to the dark side...

45 posted on 12/19/2005 11:08:23 PM PST by BlazingArizona
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To: billbears
LOL, bump. Although you may be misinformed about the choking kittens bit unless they've added that of late

It's in fine print of the latest version of the Party Platform, which Jack Abramoff sold them.

46 posted on 12/19/2005 11:48:40 PM PST by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: Howie66
"Libertarian" sounds so much more honorable and upright than "Socialist", thought that idea is just a myth.

And yet you are the one allying yourself with the socialist Moonbat.

47 posted on 12/20/2005 4:08:27 AM PST by Oztrich Boy (so natural to mankind is intolerance in whatever they really care about - J S Mill)
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To: Pikamax
As a result, 42% fewer people were killed or seriously injured in those places than were killed or injured on the same stretches before the cameras were erected.

It seems that Freepers are interested in talking about the politics of a situation than the results in many cases that is important.

The biggest killer in Britain is speeding cars.

I don't know a single family mine included that hasn't had a family member killed by some selfish bstard speeding and sometimes drinking, what is even worse is you find out it wasn't the first time.

I am all for freedom and personal liberty but when we refuse to control ourself or modify are own behavior and it costs other peoples life.

Then can we really whine when the government steps in.

These cameras are being destroyed by individuals who believe they have the right to race down a road.

Before anyone flames me just imagine it is your family in the car that one of these idiots will crash into.

BTW my mate survived Iraq knocked of his push bike by some idiot late for his dinner.

48 posted on 12/20/2005 4:24:22 AM PST by tonycavanagh
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To: Howie66
Screw the liberaltarians. Their only purpose here on Free Republic is to bash the religious folks, promote drug abuse and sex perverts, cause trouble for conservatives and help the Democrats...

They are cultural Marxists... you hit the nail right on...

49 posted on 12/20/2005 4:25:25 AM PST by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Redbob
re :Good for them!.

The people responsible for removing the cameras are those who want to race down that stretch of road for fun.

But there is always one stupid family on a day out who get in the way of these drivers right to exercise there personal freedom get killed and ruin the fun

50 posted on 12/20/2005 4:27:30 AM PST by tonycavanagh
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To: Hank Rearden
re :and choke kittens.

Now thats humour

51 posted on 12/20/2005 4:28:39 AM PST by tonycavanagh
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

Come back when you sober up.


52 posted on 12/20/2005 5:49:52 AM PST by steve-b (A desire not to butt into other people's business is eighty percent of all human wisdom)
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To: RegulatorCountry
I suspect my "sometimes" are far less frequent than yours.

I suspect you have no idea what you're talking about.

53 posted on 12/20/2005 6:21:19 AM PST by r9etb
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To: Pikamax

Demented, they sit in small dark rooms in pee-stained underwear, drooling as they mutter about civil liberties.


54 posted on 12/20/2005 6:23:19 AM PST by Doc Savage ("Guys, I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more COWBELL...Bruce Dickinson)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood
Interesting. I am a Conservative Christian and a libertarian. I don't 'bash the religious folks' but do not support federal legislation forwarding a moral standard as some would around here. I don't 'promote drug abuse and sex perverts' but again do not support federal legislation to stamp this out. If you would bother looking at the Constitution (I realize most Republicans don't know what it says..) the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of these United States covers the powers needed to handle these issues and places that power at its proper place. With the states.

cause trouble for conservatives

Apparently conservative, which used to mean limited federal government and returning to a Constitutional Republic, now means supporting any federal legislation as long as it's forwarded by 'our' side in your world view

55 posted on 12/20/2005 6:31:09 AM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: Howie66
I think you watch too much Bill Maher.

Now Bill is the definition of a socialist who says he is libertarian.
56 posted on 12/20/2005 6:38:34 AM PST by rollo tomasi (Working hard to pay for deadbeats and corrupt politicians.)
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To: JCEccles
Marxists and libertarians share a similar conceit in that purists in both camps are convinced that government is evil and unnecessary.

Libertarians, like most of the Founders, believe government is a necessary evil, and its powers should be kept to a minimum. They know a government needs to exist. This is different from anarchy or socialism.

57 posted on 12/20/2005 6:41:51 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: Howie66

I suppose the current crop of Republicans compare less with Socialists than Libertarians do in your eyes...

What a profoundly ignornant statement.


58 posted on 12/20/2005 6:45:46 AM PST by rattrap
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To: Howie66

Having many up close and personal discussions with so-called "libertarians", I can only conclude that these people are Socialist in their "feelings", just lacking in the intellectual honesty to admit that they are "Socialists", first.



Any facts to back this up, so we can determine whether the problem was with your friends, or with libertarianism?


59 posted on 12/20/2005 6:46:27 AM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Your FRiendly FReeper Patent Attorney)
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To: JCEccles

Marxists and libertarians share a similar conceit in that purists in both camps are convinced that government is evil and unnecessary.



You misstate the libertarian view, which does not call government inherently "evil", nor entirely unnecessary.

Your conclusion was arrived at using false premises.


60 posted on 12/20/2005 6:48:46 AM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Your FRiendly FReeper Patent Attorney)
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