OFF: "musicians made drug use look tempting?" ^_~ =koff=

[M Holmes]

Ted Jackson jr. s2h2 writes:

> > From:          M Holmes <fofp at HOLYROOD.ED.AC.UK>
> > > Jeez, now who would ever think that a guy who advocates arming the
> > > entire citezenry
> >
> > That's the entire *law abiding* citizenry over age of adulthood thanks.
> >
> > > is a conservative!
> >
> > A rash assumption when it's a perfectly normal libertarian policy.
> >
> > Let's throw in me being pro-choice on abortion, in favour of
> > legalisation and sale of all drugs to consenting adults (including
> > those currently monopolised by folks with a medical degree), in favour
> > of the legalisation of brothels, in favour of the abolition of all laws
> > limiting gambling or any form of sex between consenting adults, in
> > favour of the repeal of laws pertaining to the sale of alcohol to
> > consenting adults except those pertaining to labelling, quality control,
> > and fraud.  In favour of laws abolishing any politician interfering in
> > the marketplace except insofar as to protect against theft or fraud.  In
> > favour of laws abolishing any but voluntary taxation (if the politicians
> > have a project then they can convince us that it's a good idea at their
> > own expense and then pass the hat for those thus convinced to
> > contribute).  In favour of repeal of any law concerning pornography
> > involving only consenting adults.  In favour of amendment of any law
> > favouring any one religion or cult to similarly favour all religions
> > and cults and also atheism.  I'll skip my more radical political beliefs
> > to save bandwidth. In favour of marriage of gay couples of either
> > flavour or eunuchs with all the legal benefits thereof (and come to
> > think of it I've nothing against marriages involving multiples of people
> > either - whatever burns their candle).
> >
> > Now, find me any active conservative who'll go along with all of the
> > above in a public statement and I'll cop to being a conservative.
> >
> Jeez, Mike, looks like the only place we part company is over guns!

There ya go. Sorry, I just bridle atbeing labelled a conservative. As a
liberty advocate, I include the right of reasonable adults to have the
freedom to defend themselves with the most convenient and effective
technology should they so choose. I see scant difference with the state
interfering with the right to own a weapon and the state interfering
with the right to commit whatever sexual act you please with a
consenting adult partner. Until someone else is harmed, it's quite
simply none of their damn business. It'd be hypocrisy to exclude the
right to own weapons from that just because of personal queasiness about
it. It's not like I would make it compulsory or anything.

As the man said: Right To Decide.

> Worst thing about prohibition was that it actually became a
> constitutional amendment!

Yeah, Jefferson saw early on the danger of giving the Federal government
power. That amendment was as much an abuse of the Constitution as the
Marijuana Stamp Tax. Bluenoses and racists basically trod all over a
noble experiment in liberty.

> And it took another amendment to repeal
> it.

Not quite my reading of the situation. A more or less conspiracy amongst
the States had effectively repealed Prohibition almost nationwide before
the 18th Amendment was repealed. I believe they planned a States
Congress to force the issue if necessary?

> There have only been something like 25 amendments to the
> constitution in 200 years, the last one happened over 30 years ago.
> Goes to show what can happen when a highly determined group seizes
> the political process in a vacuum created by general voter
> indifference...

Indeed so. You guys were founded by libertarians and colonised by
puritans. They're still slugging it out in the abortion wars, the gun
rights battles, and the War On Some Drugs. We can only root from the
sidelines but I believe that your Constitution was one of the most
important documents ever penned and if push came to shove, then I'd
probably fight for it even if the US isn't my birthplace. Eris help us
all if the puritans finally manage to trash it.

> theo

FoFP