Posted on 10/20/2001 12:58:37 PM PDT by Bowana
I Gave Up a Little Liberty
by Hugh Emerson
I gave up a little liberty for security because I wasn't as prudent as my ancestors. I couldn't be trusted to plan for my retirement, so I let them withhold money from my paycheck for social security.
When I found out there wasn't a trust fund and that I could guarantee myself a better retirement if I could just keep my own money, I felt less secure.
I wanted my liberty back.
I gave up a little liberty for security because I wasn't as strong as my ancestors. I would probably just become a drug addict if drugs weren't so hard to get, so I let them wage the war on drugs in order to be more secure.
When I heard that a friend had experienced a "no-knock" search by accident because the police had transposed two digits of an address, and when I realized drug prohibition, like alcohol prohibition before, was creating the profits for gangs of organized criminals who terrorized the residents of our cities, I felt less secure.
I wanted my liberty back.
I gave up a little liberty for security because I wasn't as kind as my ancestors. I'd just spend all my money on myself, so I let them increase my income tax to pay for their social programs in order to feel secure in the knowledge that my fellow Americans were provided for.
When I compared the amount the government had spent over the years to the amount received by those in need, and when I saw how destructive the government rules were to those families in need, I felt sure that I could help people better if I didn't have to give all that money to the government. I felt that those families are less secure than before.
I wanted my liberty back.
I gave up a little liberty for security because I wasn't as patriotic as my ancestors. I probably wouldn't give the Department of Defense enough to run their show the way they'd like, so I let them increase my income tax again in order to be secure from foreign threats.
When I thought about our policy of sending troops all over the world, though, I realized that doing so antagonizes the terrorist regimes who target our civilians in retaliation. It also means that our resources are too far away to actually defend us in case some two-bit dictator launches a missile attack at one of our coastal cities. I felt less secure.
I wanted my liberty back.
I gave up a little liberty for security because I wasn't as wise as my ancestors. If I were allowed to own a gun, someone would probably just break in to my house and use it against me, so I let them ban guns to be more secure.
When I thought about the type of folks who were likely to be able to get around a gun ban, and when I heard that the statistics show that gun owners are better off than disarmed victims, I felt less secure.
I wanted my liberty back.
I started thinking about all the other things forced on me by government: burdensome regulations, sales taxes, property taxes, and all the other taxes. I started thinking about all the things I got in return: lousy roads, terrible schools, stupid laws, and failed programs.
I decided to ask for my liberty back.
I went to the Democrats, and I said, "I want my liberty back!" They told me that I just had to wait for their next program, and that it would fix everything.
I went to the Republicans and I said, "I want my liberty back!" They told me that they were sorry, but they had to keep voting for the Democrat programs to keep getting elected, but maybe they'd phase in liberty over several years.
I went to the Greens, and I said, "I want my, liberty back!" They told me that my liberty wasn't as important as bio-diversity.
I went to the US Taxpayer Party, and I said, "I want my liberty back!" They told me that they would return our nation to Constitutional Government -- just as soon as they were done amending the Constitution.
I went to the Libertarians, and I said, "I want my liberty back!" They said, "We do too! Vote for us and join our party!" I think I'll vote Libertarian next time. Heck, I might even join 'em and run for office myself.
by Hugh Emerson
Libertarian Party of Missouri
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1865/
Libertarian Party News:
http://www.lp.org/lpn/9811-liberty
I used to be a LIBERTARIAN, I may well be one again someday!
But, we are at a state of war now.
I have to put aside the liberties and freedom that we have enjoyed because those whom which to steal them away from us are using them against us.
You arrest, prosecute, and execute those who infringe on your freedom and safety.
You DO NOT give up your freedoms to one gang of thugs just because another gang of thugs in cruising your neighborhood.
(/parody)
Bump!
I think you completely missed the point. You're gonna do the exact thing this article makes the point against. Because there are people out there whom would use our freedom against us, you want to give it up to feel secure. You are a fool and will NEVER get back the freedom you give up "Because we are in a state of war now". Nor do you deserve to get it back. With all the freedom Americans already gave up to our govt, how secure were we on the 11th? Obviously the govt failed and you want to give them more power? /rant
You can give up your freedom. I won't.
Once you give up liberty (ANY type of liberty), you will never get it back. Think about it. Have you ever known any type of liberty, once taken away, to be given back?
You may think it sounds noble to say you would give up liberties and freedom. But you're only setting the cause of your liberties back, probably never to be regained.
Only four lines into the essay! It never takes you guys long to get to the crux of the libertarian platform, "Gimme my dope!!!"
You miss the point! The government relaxed search and seizure laws when dealing with drugs. If anyone is even remotely connected to drugs, they had the right to smash into their homes!
Sorry, but NO RIGHTS SHOULD EVER BE IGNORED!
Now we have politicians reccommending the same kind of relaxing of rights when anyone is even suspected of terrorism! Did you buy too many bullets? Did you buy too much fertilizer? Do you look like a Muslim?
Once our rights are gone we will never get them back!
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