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Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
#1
Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
Why does the United States have more social problems than other westernized nations?

Because ultimately it still amounts to the old axiom, money equals power. So the easiest way to maintain a monopoly and explode the pay gap is to use fear by creating the confusion of equating regulation with ban. Once you start selling the "slippery slope" argument and "watch out, if they do that then they will ban everything".

This opinion was of course inspired by the tragic recent events. But our social problems stem, not just with guns. But because for far too long we fail to address conditions such as education and pay gap issues and health care costs.

We have failed as a society to center our economy around building and improving social conditions. Instead it is all about the CEOS and shareholders and "freedom" is the cry, the false cry, because the top has successfully waged a war on any common sense speed limit ON ANY ISSUE.

I am fucking tired of it. We have not banned porn even though we don't sell it to children. We can't yell fire in a theater, but that hasn't banned movies.

Much of our violence and poverty and lack of decent jobs is because our economy is not people based or problem solving based. It is a race to the bottom where only slave wages will satisfy big business and force mom and pop businesses to follow suit.

I am tired of people be it about fast food, or big banks or wall street or gun manufactures confusing "speed limits" as being anti car. We want people to be free to own a business, eat a cheesburger, and yes, even a hunting rifle or gun for protection.

But with freedom comes responsibility and there has been an economic wild west attitude waging war on the middle class and working poor creating an extraction market that cares nothing about our health or ability to make ends meet, and they do the typical bullshit and blame us for the conditions they have the power and money to create. It is the bully's typical tactic to play victim when they are the ones with the money to influence policy.

So it is time to make things clear to more people so they realize the game these monopolists play.

1. WE WANT A FREE SOCIETY, so no more "freedom" scare tactics.

2. SPEED LIMITS ARE A REGULATION NOT A BAN ON CARS, so pro gun safety and regulation is not a ban on guns. Nor is saying you should eat diverse food stay fit is not a ban on cheeseburgers.

We have more people dropping down the economic scale. We have far too much violence in our society. We have the top wages exploding while the middle and working poor slide down further.

It is all being perpetrated by a CLIMATE of paranoia and fear that "freedom" only means when they make unlimited profit at the expense of our heath and our safety.

If freedom comes with responsibility then the top really needs to step up instead of falsely playing victim. What are you at the top doing, other than bitching about your rights? No one should want to take away your business. No one wants to take away your freedom. But this IS a 3 class system and the rest that do not fit in the 2% are tired of being abused just so you can make a buck.

So please stop your fear mongering bullshit. No one wants to take away your freedom to own a Lamborghini just because we have laws that say you cant speed in a school zone. Our economy tanked because the top does not give one fuck about who they step on or what they sell as long as it sells.

Making money is fine, greed and abuse and monopolies of power are not.
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#2
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
Who are you talking to?

Brian, you should calm down. You're hearts going to explode! You're a redskins fan, you must live close to me. Come over and smoke a bowl.
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#3
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
Mom and pop businesses are bullshit. They pay less than big companies and are often run by assholes. So are speed limits.
[Image: dcep7c.jpg]
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#4
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
(December 20, 2012 at 12:17 pm)Great Ape Wrote: Who are you talking to?

Anyone and everyone. I am not the only person who feels this way. I am tired of the right and the libertarians and big money selling fear. It is no different to me than when a theist bitches about having the 10 commandments removed from public property and falsely cries "freedom of religion" when we are simply employing government neutrality.


I see constantly how the economic squeeze is hurting everyone and everything from obesity to gun violence to not having the ability to make ends meet for more and more people is a long term result of putting profits over people.
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#5
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
Preaching to the choir! It's harder than ever to get out of poverty, but it's easier than ever to fall into poverty.
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#6
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
(December 20, 2012 at 12:15 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Why does the United States have more social problems than other westernized nations?

Alcoholism in eastern Europe is the worst in the world.

Schoolshootings and other atrocities also happen here.

Racism in Europe is about a 1000 times worse than in the US.



Dude it`s not all sunshine outside of the US.
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#7
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
(December 20, 2012 at 12:18 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: Mom and pop businesses are bullshit. They pay less than big companies and are often run by assholes. So are speed limits.

Wow, speed limits are bullshit? Ok, I bet you I could find plenty of cops and EMT drivers and doctors and MEs that would say without compunction "fuck you".

What the hell are you some utopian anarchist? "No rules" ok, you want to live in a country with "no rules" Somalia would be great for you. That is an example of "fuck you I got mine" country where only those with guns and money make the rules.

I want speed limits. I fucking hate assholes who tailgate me and put my life at risk because they think they are fucking entitled to speed. Fuck you, your rights end where my face begins.

Civil society requires rules otherwise you have dictatorships where one man or one party make them.

In the west you rights are NOT violated simply because a rule is made that you might not like. There are tons of laws I don't like, but that is what lawmakers are for, that is what the Supreme Court is for, and that is what voting is for. We get to decide, not me alone, not you alone, WE and when WE as a society don't like something we OBEY the law until we can change it.

The morgue is full of dumbasses who think "entitlement" means projecting a utopia on a diverse society. We have speed limits, I like having speed limits and most people do. We have traffic lights too. Get over it.
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#8
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
(December 20, 2012 at 12:35 pm)Brian37 Wrote:
(December 20, 2012 at 12:18 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: Mom and pop businesses are bullshit. They pay less than big companies and are often run by assholes. So are speed limits.

Wow, speed limits are bullshit? Ok, I bet you I could find plenty of cops and EMT drivers and doctors and MEs that would say without compunction "fuck you".

What the hell are you some utopian anarchist? "No rules" ok, you want to live in a country with "no rules" Somalia would be great for you. That is an example of "fuck you I got mine" country where only those with guns and money make the rules.

I want speed limits. I fucking hate assholes who tailgate me and put my life at risk because they think they are fucking entitled to speed. Fuck you, your rights end where my face begins.

Civil society requires rules otherwise you have dictatorships where one man or one party make them.

In the west you rights are NOT violated simply because a rule is made that you might not like. There are tons of laws I don't like, but that is what lawmakers are for, that is what the Supreme Court is for, and that is what voting is for. We get to decide, not me alone, not you alone, WE and when WE as a society don't like something we OBEY the law until we can change it.

The morgue is full of dumbasses who think "entitlement" means projecting a utopia on a diverse society. We have speed limits, I like having speed limits and most people do. We have traffic lights too. Get over it.

Wow, way to ridiculously extrapolate what I said. I'm not any sort of anarchist and do you always drive the speed limit? The autobon is germany doesn't have speed limits, are they all anarchists?
[Image: dcep7c.jpg]
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#9
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
(December 20, 2012 at 12:34 pm)The_Germans_are_coming Wrote:
(December 20, 2012 at 12:15 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Why does the United States have more social problems than other westernized nations?

Alcoholism in eastern Europe is the worst in the world.

Schoolshootings and other atrocities also happen here.

Racism in Europe is about a 1000 times worse than in the US.



Dude it`s not all sunshine outside of the US.

So? I never said other places were perfect either. Japan now has a big swath of land that is no longer livable because of corporate goons who cared more about money than good building design. Japan's economy isn't a bed of roses either. But they still don't have the pay gap or even a fraction of the crime rate we do here.

Don't use this argument as an excuse to do nothing. You got problems too, yea and life can suck sometimes, got it. SO WHAT still doesn't mean society shouldn't try to reduce a problem on a given issue.

America has a poverty problem, a health care problem, and a violence problem. I think it is way past time the bottom 99% stop taking what the top 1% is forcing on the rest of us.

Saying that a problem exists is in no way advocating a fascist state. Wanting to address social problems is not a call for a fascist state. You got problems too, so work on them instead of saying "life sucks so do nothing".

(December 20, 2012 at 12:17 pm)Great Ape Wrote: Who are you talking to?

Brian, you should calm down. You're hearts going to explode! You're a redskins fan, you must live close to me. Come over and smoke a bowl.

LOL, please. Actually I don't live in the DC area anymore but was raised there. And as far as smoking a bowl, no. Never did anything for me except make my head spin and my heart race. That and it is still not completely legal in any case.

But as far as me "calming down". I think outrage and anger can be positive motivators and don't make someone a foaming lunatic.

But if I ever get up there again, especially during the NFL season, I would love to meet you and watch a game. Now, you want to see a foaming lunitic, watch me yell at the TV when the Skins fuck up. But I am not one of those fans who gets depressed over a loss or willing to fight a rival fan.

I'm merely passionate and have been touched so much over the years by our economic decline, not just me, but everyone around me. I see so much good in our species squandered on selfishness and me me me stuff.
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#10
RE: Op/ed the "freedom" dodge
(December 20, 2012 at 12:15 pm)Brian37 Wrote: Why does the United States have more social problems than other westernized nations?

Because you don't hear about them?
"How is it that a lame man does not annoy us while a lame mind does? Because a lame man recognizes that we are walking straight, while a lame mind says that it is we who are limping." - Pascal
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