I emerged from the womb a freedom-loving rebel and have been questioning the status quo for as far back as I can remember. One concept I've always had a problem with is someone putting on a uniform which automatically grants them an authority over me which I never agreed to. As more and more laws are passed to try and control what we can and cannot do in almost every area of our lives, these uniformed "authorities" are given more and more power over our lives.

I have a huge problem with that, so I enjoyed this article and wanted to share an excerpt with you:
I don't believe that all cops are bullies like the ones described in this article. I believe that some go into law enforcement out of a genuine desire to help people and to put away criminals who would do others harm. The problem is that many laws on the books have nothing to do with protecting people and everything to do with controlling private behavior that shouldn't be the business of the state. For example:

If a person wants to smoke marijuana, so what?

If a person wants to be the designated driver and abstain from drinking, why should the state care whether or not the passengers are drinking alcohol?

If someone wants to sell their sexual favors and someone else wants to buy them, as long as they are consenting adults and no coercion is involved, why should it be the state's business?

If a family likes to drink wine with its meals and children are allowed some, why should it be the state's business?

If someone sends her child to the grocery store and has cigarettes on the list, why should the state care if the child is buying them? (Which I used to do for my Mom frequently before it became illegal, and no one thought anything of it...)

If someone is only driving a few blocks and doesn't bother putting on his seat belt, why should some uniformed thug have the authority to pull him over and fine him?

If someone is driving along and comes to a police checkpoint, why should she be required to show ID and submit to a visual inspection of her vehicle when she hasn't done anything wrong?

I believe that passing a plethora of laws to control behavior that harms no one else is the mark of totalitarianism for I can see no other reason for many laws. And I see no reason for agents of the state in uniform to harass people who aren't causing harm to others.

Oh, I almost forgot. It is to protect us. That's right.

So who will protect us from the state?

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"Feminism has fought no wars.
It has killed no opponents.
It has set up no concentration camps,
starved no enemies, practiced no cruelties.
Its battles have been for education, for the vote,
for better working conditions ...
for safety on the streets, for child care,
for rape crisis clinics, women's refuges, reforms in the laws.
If someone says, "Oh, I'm not a feminist!", I ask,
"Why? What's your problem?" - Dale Spender

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I was that naive once, too. I hope your awakening is less painful than mine was. It's a bit like lawyers and used-car salesmen: there ARE honest ones out there, but the 90-95% that are crooked, evil, or both ruin it for them.

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Jarlaxle
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I know that I will never be politically correct
And I don't give a damn about my lack of ettiquette
--Jim Steinman

Actually, I used to think like you that most were bad and I've sure met enough of those power-hungry jerks who should NOT wear a uniform. But I had a difficult situation going on last year where I had to call the sheriff almost every day for about a week and a half. I met various deputies who came out each time I called and every deputy I encountered showed a professionalism and compassion for my difficult situation (constant break-ins each time I left the house that had me terrorized) that I didn't expect to see here in the boondocks. So it was the experience with the local authorities that changed my mind.

I still disagree with many of the laws that people in uniform enforce, and I'd rather see them severely limited in the amount of authority they have over people who aren't causing any harm, but I know firsthand now that there ARE some good ones, at least here in the holler.

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"Feminism has fought no wars.
It has killed no opponents.
It has set up no concentration camps,
starved no enemies, practiced no cruelties.
Its battles have been for education, for the vote,
for better working conditions ...
for safety on the streets, for child care,
for rape crisis clinics, women's refuges, reforms in the laws.
If someone says, "Oh, I'm not a feminist!", I ask,
"Why? What's your problem?" - Dale Spender

_____________________________

Nope, that's wrong.

Police Have No Duty to Protect Individuals

Because the police have no general duty to protect individuals, judicial remedies are not available for their failure to protect. In other words, if someone is injured because they expected but did not receive police protection, they cannot recover damages by suing (except in very special cases, explained below). Despite a long history of such failed attempts, however, many, people persist in believing the police are obligated to protect them, attempt to recover when no protection was forthcoming, and are emotionally demoralized when the recovery fails. Legal annals abound with such cases.

Sorry but that's the way it is...

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I'm Proud I never Voted For Bush!

All Things Cynthia McKinney | The Courage to Lead

part of the problem in the US is that congress is now passing laws to protect people from their own stupidity or being a moron. you just cant legislate to cover everything, and its getting ridiculous.

i agree with pretty much all of lumara's list of things - if i want to run to the store without buckling up i shouldnt have to risk being pulled over. if i am in a wreck and get hurt? well its my own stupidity. same with the others - the driver is not drinking? then no dui!! i want to smoke in my own home, or car with someone else driving....why not? not putting anyone else in danger (other than myself perhaps)

at some point it just gets so far out of hand that it borders upon the absurd.

I hesitate to ask this but if there is strong feeling that the government is supressing you and/or your freedoms (which incidentally I believe it is) why not use your guns in the way intended, according to many of those who advocate the right to bear arms, in the constitution and fight back?

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Trust me, I'm a socialist!

There's power in a factory,power in the land, power in the hand of the worker. But it all amounts to nothing if together we don't stand, there is power in a union.
The union forever defending our rights, down with the blackleg, workers unite. To our brothers and our sisters in many far off lands, there is power in a union.
Money speaks for money, the devil for his own. - Billy Bragg

Can you tell me what type of personal police contact you have had for you to state that 90-95% are crooked and/or evil? You must have had a lot of police contact for you to make this claim, unless you are just parroting what the media has promoted. Surely you must have had some personal experience you may want to share.

Same reason why you don't have your Social Revolution. It takes time for people to awaken.

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Pioneers are walking all around singing songs about Lenin and they should be shot for it.

Handlebars

"If you are looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror"- V

It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office.
H. L. Mencken

Beagán agus a rá go maith.

Economic Left/Right: 3.75
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.87

The claim of needing to "protect" people is usually the claim that leads to some form of freedom being taken away from people in the form of victimless crime i.e. tzking drugs, prostitution, seat-belt laws, etc.

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"I find no black men appealing, they look like giant monkeys." -LilithIshtar (some member of another forum I used to be part of)

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Liberate the world one mind at a time.

Subsidize freedom with some profit.