|
May 08, 2010
Are we losing our freedom? (And other rhetorical questions....)
From Scott Ott comes a good rhetorical question about a New York Times editorial: Does the New York Times really crave a society in which the federal government can restrict the constitutional rights of citizens who have committed no crimes?To which I would add another rhetorical question: "Is the Pope Catholic?" For some time, the Times has been pushing for people placed on the no-fly list to forfeit their Second Amendment rights, and this editorial is only the latest manifestation. In June of last year, the Times argued that citizens' rights under the Second Amendment were not rights at all, but merely "an odd divergence in federal law": The new statistics, compiled in a report from the Government Accountability Office that is scheduled for public release next week, draw attention to an odd divergence in federal law: people placed on the government's terrorist watch list can be stopped from getting on a plane or getting a visa, but they cannot be stopped from buying a gun.And I asked what now appears to be a rhetorical question: Has a fundamental constitutional right now become an odd divergence?I guess that's a rhetorical question too. By the way, according to the ACLU, the Terror Watch List is million names long. And growing. Up 32% since 2007, according to USA Today. And that's despite the fact that the war on terror is being downgraded. As there's no such thing as Islamic terrorist anymore, I wonder about something... Who qualifies under the new rules? (I should probably stop asking rhetorical questions.) posted by Eric on 05.08.10 at 11:58 AM
Comments
I believe I'm way up on that list: 1) former soldier, 2) have written and spoken plainly about my feelings concerning how our political class has crapped all over the Constitution, 3) have done same concerning the police state we are currently under. Any revolution I would support though would have to be non-violent. They would just use violent actions to justify increasing their control and the fact is most of the general populace would support them out of fear. That is a message that can't be repeated enough. Violence would be more than just counter-productive it would spell the end of any real chance of a return to limited government, what little hope remains of that. Crawdad · May 8, 2010 10:56 PM Remember the way the editors at the Times "reason:" They work backwards from the conclusion they've predetermined. We see the same pattern in the "arguments" from the global warming doom-mongers. This is typical of Leftists everywhere, but most apparent in the ravings of Old Media journalists. Intellectual honesty is essentially dead in the Old Media. As for an attachment to freedom or Constitutional ideals...! Francis W. Porretto · May 9, 2010 04:27 AM This isn't really that difficult. It's a privilege to fly on an airplane that does not belong to you, using airspace, that does not belong to you, from an airport that does not belong to you. It is a right to be able to use tools to protect yourself and your family. The government revokes some privileges such as flying, if it deems you require further investigation. The government will also revoke your drivers license if it deems you are not trustworthy enough in an car. The government should not have the power to revoke a right to defend yourself, using firearms, if necessary. chris · May 9, 2010 05:03 AM Old strategy: try to take away everyone's guns. That didn't work, so they've moved on to... New strategy: just take guns away from our political opponents. Beck · May 9, 2010 05:06 AM It seems an odd convergence (it may be because my head is deep within math, specifically bisection, study) that we are downgrading the importance of the list, and therefore downgrading the seriousness of the reason that one can be put on it and expanding the list, while the NYTs is arguing for the upgrading of the rights that can be taken away from a citizen for being put on it. Scott McLoud · May 9, 2010 05:34 AM Heterosexual males scare NYT writers. Hucbald · May 9, 2010 07:41 AM I say when Obama is ousted in 2012 the new administration shoul put everyone on the NYT masthead on the no-fly list. If they are still in business by then. If they punch, we punch back harder. wpw · May 9, 2010 07:56 AM "people placed on the government's terrorist watch list can be stopped from getting on a plane or getting a visa, but they cannot be stopped from buying a gun." Which of the first two are listed in the Bill of Rights? drjohn · May 9, 2010 08:34 AM People convicted of nothing, but suspected of a vague 'something' are supposed to surrender their God given rights? We really are in trouble. Oh, and by the way; if you are banned from traveling by air (no fly list) are you being denied the ability to engage in interstate commerce? It apears so.Possibly a way to challenge the 'no fly' list. anona · May 9, 2010 12:35 PM If it is acceptable to take away a person's Second Amendment rights if that person is on the no-fly list, why not take away their First, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights as well? At that point I suspect even the ACLU would come to understand that what the NYT advocates is an assault upon the Constitution, even if Pinchy hasn't figured it out. But if we do forward, let's indeed put the NYT editors and writers on the no-fly list -- then at least we could shut them up. Steve White · May 9, 2010 01:51 PM I think that our freedoms haven't been taken from us, so much as we have traded them for a mess of pottage. We have become so polarized that there is no trust anymore, and when that happens, society as we have known it is impossible. The hypocrisy of the NYTimes is just an illustration of that principle. They thought it was just fine to subvert the Bush administration's efforts to stop terrorism, but now that their man is in, the Bill of Rights is no longer necessary, because they trust this administration. AST · May 10, 2010 12:14 AM "...let's indeed put the NYT editors and writers on the no-fly list " Anona, it wouldn't work. I expect the Times has its own air fleet, although they're loath to, y'know, actually mention it where the peasants [i. e., us] can read about it. When Junior has to fly to, say, Las Vegas-- (Strictly, of course, to, umm, cover the influx of "guest workers" to our ranks) do you really think he's going to queue up at the counter in NY International? Loki1 · May 10, 2010 06:07 PM Crawdad, if you can point to a tyranny in history that was really toppled without a credible threat of violence, I'll agree with you. SDN · May 11, 2010 09:39 AM Post a comment
You may use basic HTML for formatting.
|
|
May 2010
WORLD-WIDE CALENDAR
Search the Site
E-mail
Classics To Go
Archives
May 2010
April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 May 2002 AB 1634 MBAPBSAAGOP Skepticism See more archives here Old (Blogspot) archives
Recent Entries
You Can Already Count The Cost
The Andrew Sullivan/American Family Association Identity Politics Alliance Against Privacy! Your home is your castle, and your computer is in your home. Right? Hey man, cut me some SLACK! The Shape of Things to Come? GOP Ousts Senator Are we losing our freedom? (And other rhetorical questions....) Elitist roots oppose change Hammering Small Business It's Always About Greed
Links
Site Credits
|
|
I understand Janet Napolitano put out a report on new qualifiers last year. Believe in the Constitution? You're qualified!