Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Bear_in_RoseBear

Benjamin Franklin devised a code of morality for himself which he endeavored to follow, with good success, his whole life. About alcohol and overeating, this was his guide:

Temperance - Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation.

IOW, there is the potential for a moderate use of alcohol. Personally, I don't drink any alcohol. But people can drink moderately without harming themselves, and in fact, there is evidence that a little wine can be actually healthful.

You bring guns into the argument (not sure why) but since the right to keep and bear arms is a basic right since the inception of this country and very clearly delineated in the Bill of Rights, I solidly affirm that this right is extremely important for our freedoms and our personal defense. Naturally fire arms (or swords, pickaxes, pen knives, hammers, hatchets, baseball bats, guitar strings, cement blocks, large chunks of stone, rat poison, nunchucks, and so on) can be used legitimately for useful purposes, or for ill.

Pornography, OTOH, has no benign purpose, and was not considered to be protected "speech" until the ACLU and pornography producers convinced a left leaning SCOTUS it was. Similarly the SCOTUS discovered a right to kill unborn children. There is no benign or beneficial use of pornography, and there is no reason for it to be considered protected under the First Amendment. And there certainly is every reason for local communities to have the freedom to decide if they want to set limits on its production or distribution.

Currently, local communities have no say in the matter, since the fedgov has forced it down everyones' throats, so to speak.


172 posted on 09/25/2005 7:20:23 PM PDT by little jeremiah (A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, are incompatible with freedom. P. Henry)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 163 | View Replies ]


To: little jeremiah

In case anyone's interested, here is his entire list of virtues:

Benjamin Franklin's List of Virtues

1. Temperance - Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation.
2. Silence - Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. Order - Let all things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. Resolution - Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. Frugality - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself, that is, waste nothing.
6. Industry - Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity - Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. Justice - Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. Moderation - Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11. Tranquility - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents, common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity - Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, or weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. Humility - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.


173 posted on 09/25/2005 7:25:18 PM PDT by little jeremiah (A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, are incompatible with freedom. P. Henry)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 172 | View Replies ]

To: little jeremiah

Nearly every local city around me has passed laws/regs regulating sexual oriented business. It appears that local communities can do what you say they can not.


174 posted on 09/25/2005 7:28:03 PM PDT by SolarisRocks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 172 | View Replies ]

To: little jeremiah
Here is the text of the First Amendment:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Here is the text of the Second Amendment:
"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Now to me, the text is quite plain in both: Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. Simple. I don't know why the gun grabbers don't comprehend the Second Amendment, and I don't know why you don't comprehend the First Amendment.

You asked why I mentioned guns; I did for this reason: the argument you use that porn was not intended to be covered by the First Amendment is precisely the same argument gun grabbers use when they try to outlaw automatic and semi-automatic weapons. "But the Founders never could have meant it to cover guns like this! But the Founders never intended to include porn!"

For me, the plain words are enough. If the Founders didn't want to include porn in the First Amendment, then they should have said, "Oh, except for that stuff." They didn't. End of argument.

183 posted on 09/25/2005 8:29:48 PM PDT by Bear_in_RoseBear (I got mentioned on the Taglinus FreeRepublicus thread, and all I got was this lousy tagline)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 172 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson