Posted on 09/03/2006 5:23:24 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
"Only little people pay taxes." Leona Helmsley said, didn't she? Well, that statement represents reality more than people realize. No, it's not just the taxes that are the issue. The overriding issue making so many people angry these days is the LACK of uniform justice in this country (and the world for that matter). Law after law is passed and who follows those laws?
The honest people try. The little people have to. I personally know that in almost all workplaces, people are chafing under oppressive management which sets attendance rules, policy, etc. that the employees are expected to follow to a tee or be terminated. Retail managers must follow explicit rules about markdowns, product placement, marketing (pro-gay quite often), dress code, etc.; teachers have to modify homework and tests for "special students", be VERY careful about what they say; no pocket knives (because the students can't have one); etc., bank employees have to change the way they deal with customers who deposit or handle large amounts of cash almost every day because the government is trying to track every $; police must handle lawbreakers with TLC and that is the tip of the iceberg for what they face and lawyers are standing over everyone's shoulder waiting to make a dollar on the slightest misstep anyone might make. Life is definitely unfair.
The irony of it all is that rule after rule is made and law-abiding citizens trying to hold on to a vestige of honesty are suffering under massive oppression. The very wealthy and the criminals, though, often enjoy loophole after loophole not available to the "little" people. As a matter of fact, criminals quite often don't follow ANY rule if no one is standing over them watching. It doesn't matter what regulation government passes, a criminal is not going to notice that a store is already closed before entering, the light is red, it is illegal to enter the nation without documentation, you're not allowed to sell that drug without a prescription, you're not supposed to sell THAT drug at all, girls under 18 are not suitable for sexual relations generally, sex with a woman without her consent is not generally allowed (Depends on the culture, doesn't it?), sex between men and boys is largely not tolerated, you're not supposed to take money from people by pointing a gun in their faces, you really shouldn't kill people from whom you've taken money if they give it up and plead for their lives, blah, blah, blah.
Where are we getting all of this? Well, moral collapse is the root cause -- people do not wish to turn to the source of good, that is God and His Word. But I digress. Lawyers have en masse contributed to all of this. They have come to see themselves as gods. They believe they can decide who should see justice and who should be exonerated. And, if it suits their purposes or the accused has enough money -- Presto! You receive your "Get out of Jail" card! Well, the nation slides down the slope as this continues and worsens daily.
We go to work. We are reprimanded for minor offenses. We watch the news. We see illegal aliens running the Mexican flag to the top of the pole on U.S. Federal property (Post Office) and nothing being done about it whereas if we, the citizen, were to vandalize one inch of Postal Property we would be arrested immediately. I wanted to argue about having been let go from the Postal Service for being too slow years ago when I worked for them and was told by the postmaster that if I showed up on the property again -- I would be arrested (and he couldn't even be nice when he said it). We see people chewed out and fired for policy violations at work while politicians hold huge sums of illicit cash right in their congressional offices. Homeowners would be reamed out by the codes officer if they let too many cars park in their yard while illegal aliens seem to have exclusive rights to neighborhood parking lots on their front lawns. I could go on forever listing the inequities and expect those reading this to add a few. The lack of justice IS one of the biggest problems facing the United States.
We have had to follow the rules for our entire lives. Now, we have classes of people who not only don't follow the rules, they're robbing, raping and killing us as they go along. I don't know what the overall solution is going to be but something's going to have to change. This simply can NOT continue. We have a vacuum of leadership and it will eventually be filled -- probably with a despot. I've said my piece and that will be it for a while. I suffer patiently remembering that God is not partial and has clearly stated that "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."
recycled 1960's hippie whine.
Exactly. Checked with a school system (female HR lady) via e-mail about a position they have open. Asked for a phone number so I could inquire about the position. E-mail response: Fill out an application either on paper or online. We'll talk to you then. Sent an e-mail. "I don't recall asking for an application or to apply. Just asked for a phone number to talk to someone about what this job entails." Was referred to a man (tough guy) and his phone number. He answered my questions. Job was to teach kids who ended up in trouble and were in a special classroom. Job description didn't mention that. I hate it when people think I make things up.
Well you could choose not to buy the goofy book.
I would think that with the advances made in digital photography, it would be reasonable for students to supply their own picture in a digital format. The whole mess with kick backs can be solved with some pressure on the school board, you are right there is plenty of corruption in the world.
I wrote to him and opined that we already had enough laws…
See post #80.
Wouldn’t it be nice if our “lawmakers” would repeal some old laws before making new ones?
That is absolutely true; if you are wealthy you can buy your way to innocence with demigod lawyers and experts, if you are poor, you do what you can.
…if you are poor, you do what you can.
In my case, that consists of trying not to break any laws, ordinances or regulations. I might still be nailed with mistaken identity or by being in the wrong place at the wrong time - but if that happens I can always write another book about it.
I agree with your rant.
puroresu, I'd be interested in seeing your comments.
Personally, I think things are going to get (much) worse before they get better.
"Men are qualified for civil liberty in exact proportion to their disposition to put moral chains upon their own appetites--in proportion as their love of justice is above their rapacity;--in proportion as their soundness and sobriety of understanding is above their vanity and presumption;--in proportion as they are more disposed to listen to the counsels of the wise and good, in preference to the flattery of knaves. Society cannot exist, unless a controlling power upon the will and appetite is placed somewhere: and the less of it there is within, the more there must be without. It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things, that men of intemperate minds can not be free. Their passions forge their fetters."
-- Edmund Burke
SO true. We have so many laws it is virtually impossible to NOT violate some law, regulation, code or whatnot.
Scrutiny is all that is required to make 'criminals' of us all.
Sadly, this makes those who intend to be law abiding easy prey for enforcement, while the enforcers seem to often be less inclined to go after those who are more dangerous.
Additionally, the tactics used against those who are dangerous, namely no knock stacks and dynamic entry, Military-style CQB, right down to the equipment are no longer reserved for those likely to be a threat to the lives of the arresting officers, but are used on the minor infractors as well. Often the results can be tragic, the force level patently out of proportion to the danger imposed on society by the alleged offense. (Not to mention myriad cases of knocking in the wrong door.)
In the meantime, pedophiles, terrorists, and other dangerous sickos are getting a pass out some twisted sense of 'political correctness'
What was once good, right and honorable has been villified, what was once villified accepted, not just in our laws, but in the culture they reflect.
I'm not painting all laws nor law enforcement with the broad brush here, just hitting the high points in the horrorshow. There are still a few out there who are good and honorable folks, but the way things are you can be put in jail for longer for running over an owl eating carrion in the road than child molestation.
...just the view from the cheap seats.
If, however, your point is an appeal to class envy, setting up the present "Establishment" as a unifying object of hatred for a mass movement's eventual promise of a "level playing field," than I'm afraid I will have to oppose you.
I suspect your message was aimed more at the former than the latter, and I would not underestimate the danger not after a major financial collapse (when people are too busy surviving to enjoy the luxury of organizing movements) but a degree or two above the present water temperature.
But, by then the frog will have adjusted to that heat as well, and will still refrain of jumping out of the pot before it comes to a boil.
Sounds like you might be in Joseph Sobran's camp. He summed it up pretty well last year with his "How Tyranny Came to America" analysis of how the role of the Constitution has taken on the same power and symbolism of the British Monarchy.
Everyone should read it, and understand how dark the problem and simple the solution.
I recently checked the local public library for a law. City ordinances were contained in 5 thick volumes. State law took up several feet of space and the Federal laws and regulations (only partially complete) took up several shelves. The US Tax Code was not included.
Not really... If you were a government employee, with access to classified information, and you stole and destroyed documents relating to national security, how much jail time do you think you'd get? Of if you were to purjur yourself before a grand jury? Or were to accept bribes.
Something that's still got me amazed is how "The Torch" managed to stay out of jail after someone was convicted of bribing him! I mean, come on! This guy is in jail for bribing The Torch, but the Torch didn't get in trouble (other than having to give up his seat to Lautenberg)! Amazing! And you think if you were to accept anything illegal, you wouldn't be going to jail?
Mark
If we all pull together and work hard!
Mark
"See post #80.
Wouldn’t it be nice if our “lawmakers” would repeal some old laws before making new ones?"
I doubt that our founding fathers envisioned the system we now have...an elite ruling class with nothing better to do than to make ever more onerous laws for the rest of us to be subjected to. In fact, wasn't that exactly what they had rebelled against?
LOL - my first thoughts as well.
A lawyer I know was arguing a death penalty case in front of the MO Supreme Court. The case was to retry a man who was in jail when another inmate was murdered, and he was charged and convicted on the murder, based on an eyewitness' testimony (another convict). New evidence and a recanting witness showed that the convict could not have killed the inmate, but the state was arguing against a new trial. The state prosecutor actually said that the convict had gotten a fair trial the fist time around, and his innocence should have no bearing on whether he received a new trial or not.
Thankfully, the court held that he did deserve a new trial, and he was aquitted of the murder. At one point, he was within one hour of the execution.
Mark
I clicked your link and read Sobran's essay. Excellent, and everyone should read it.
The only problem is that the solution isn't simple at all. It will take (IMHO) a number of things happening at once to reverse course. People are entrenched in power - how many gov't "employees" are not elected, but rather appointed or hired for life? Just for starters.
Read Sobran's article Propero linked in his comment #91, if you haven't already.
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