[Held_to_Ransom]

Property rights? Well then, let's look at it from property rights. When they call you they don't set foot on, in or near your property. They don't even leave theirs. But when you set rules on phone usage, you tell them how they can use their private property on their own premises. The fact that they call you does not dictate how you must use your phone, or even that you have to. The government fines them for using their property on their premises, but no one tells you to answer the phone. Your problem is that you are so conditioned to respond to the ringing of the bell like a test animal that you have to rely on your government to prevent you from succumbing to your habits.

Whenever someone sends you a piece of junkmail it can take you longer to get rid of it, and their property is actually put into yours like so much litter by the postman. Odd how you let most people walk all over you. Perhaps that is why when you get a chance to let the government walk over others, you do it thinking it's something that could never happen to you.

[kevao]

You just don't want to address my point. Part of the phone line (what's inside my house) and the apparatus itself is my property. The telephone company will tell you that. You even conceded this point yesterday.

That's an impressive argument you wrote in favor of property rights. But why don't I have any say over how my property is used, my property in this case being my part of the phone line and the appartus? How can you defend telemarketers' property rights and trample mine at the same time? Certainly you're not suggesting that their rights trump mine?

[BSunday]

When they call you they don't set foot on, in or near your property

Oh yes they do. Their voices are IN the property which amounts to trespassing.