Comments on: Word! http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:59:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: david http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-718347 david Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:34:37 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-718347 Ian is correct. This was the problem that great minds such as J.S.Mill and Rousseau struggled with throughout their lives. What is the trade off between individual freedom and the freedom of others in society. A case in point is the movement to occupy financial districts in New York and London which infringes the freedom of the majority to move around their town in favor of the minority exerting their constitutional right to protest. Ian is correct. This was the problem that great minds such as J.S.Mill and Rousseau struggled with throughout their lives. What is the trade off between individual freedom and the freedom of others in society. A case in point is the movement to occupy financial districts in New York and London which infringes the freedom of the majority to move around their town in favor of the minority exerting their constitutional right to protest.

]]> By: Ian Jones http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-715343 Ian Jones Sat, 03 Sep 2011 10:14:04 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-715343 Thanks for the post- I certainly agree that the issue of freedom is a contentious one. In an ideal world, complete freedom is a nice idea, but simply does not function in today's society. In theory, total liberty would permit crime, antisocial behaviour and terrorism as presumably people would be free to act as they pleased. I think that the crucial distinction is that between freedom from and freedom to; the scenario formerly described advocates complete freedom to but neglects the concept of freedom from. Surely the right to freedom from terrorism, antisocial behaviour and crime is more important than the freedom to commit such acts. Obviously, this is something of a crude example and the actual balance between the two types of freedom requires a great deal more fine tuning. It's clearly something that we should be aware of however; the other side of freedom needs to be considered. Thanks for the post- I certainly agree that the issue of freedom is a contentious one. In an ideal world, complete freedom is a nice idea, but simply does not function in today’s society. In theory, total liberty would permit crime, antisocial behaviour and terrorism as presumably people would be free to act as they pleased. I think that the crucial distinction is that between freedom from and freedom to; the scenario formerly described advocates complete freedom to but neglects the concept of freedom from. Surely the right to freedom from terrorism, antisocial behaviour and crime is more important than the freedom to commit such acts. Obviously, this is something of a crude example and the actual balance between the two types of freedom requires a great deal more fine tuning. It’s clearly something that we should be aware of however; the other side of freedom needs to be considered.

]]> By: Richard http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-32030 Richard Mon, 05 Jun 2006 22:24:31 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-32030 You can quote-mine Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson or James Madison all you like, but the above comments by our contemporaries about preserving our liberty are more poignant and timely than any of them. It is the "War on Terror" that is actually terrorizing us. And this trickle-down terrorism has infected the private sector, as well. Every fan at every NFL football game is patted down; every fan's carry-in items are rifled by security at Major League Baseball games; and entertainment and other venues around the country are searching you as if you're about to board a 747 with an unsecured cockpit door. I document these excesses on my Web site www.JuniorG-ManAward.com, and welcome your incident reports and comments. You can quote-mine Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson or James Madison all you like, but the above comments by our contemporaries about preserving our liberty are more poignant and timely than any of them.

It is the “War on Terror” that is actually terrorizing us. And this trickle-down terrorism has infected the private sector, as well. Every fan at every NFL football game is patted down; every fan’s carry-in items are rifled by security at Major League Baseball games; and entertainment and other venues around the country are searching you as if you’re about to board a 747 with an unsecured cockpit door.

I document these excesses on my Web site http://www.JuniorG-ManAward.com, and welcome your incident reports and comments.

]]> By: Paul Brinkley http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-24848 Paul Brinkley Sun, 21 May 2006 03:52:10 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-24848 "The next time you’re feeling really scared of another terrorist attack, think of yourself and your loved ones as warriors for freedom. That little thought experiment works wonders. Courage is not instead of fear, it’s in spite of it." I keep thinking of the oppressed people in other lands that look to America as a beacon of hope, and where they could turn if America was... dead. We have to keep it running. “The next time you’re feeling really scared of another terrorist attack, think of yourself and your loved ones as warriors for freedom. That little thought experiment works wonders. Courage is not instead of fear, it’s in spite of it.”

I keep thinking of the oppressed people in other lands that look to America as a beacon of hope, and where they could turn if America was… dead.

We have to keep it running.

]]> By: amba http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-24584 amba Sat, 20 May 2006 21:00:45 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-24584 Fireworks shows, loud thunderclaps, and planes coming in to land at LaGuardia and Newark do it for me -- living in NYC. (I heard Flight 11 go right over my building, too low, too loud, something obviously wrong.) Fireworks shows, loud thunderclaps, and planes coming in to land at LaGuardia and Newark do it for me — living in NYC. (I heard Flight 11 go right over my building, too low, too loud, something obviously wrong.)

]]> By: Bob J Young http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-24508 Bob J Young Sat, 20 May 2006 19:34:17 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-24508 I definitely come down on the side of liberty. I not afraid of dieing, but living with big brother frightens me. And just to show I'm not talking abstractly: I work on a military base that's considered a high priority target. At the same time, it has a demolition school on it. Several times a week I am startled by massive window rattling explosions. When the really big ones occur you have to wonder if its an attack. I definitely come down on the side of liberty. I not afraid of dieing, but living with big brother frightens me.

And just to show I’m not talking abstractly: I work on a military base that’s considered a high priority target. At the same time, it has a demolition school on it. Several times a week I am startled by massive window rattling explosions. When the really big ones occur you have to wonder if its an attack.

]]> By: Peter http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-24100 Peter Sat, 20 May 2006 14:22:19 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-24100 It is a balance of liberty and security that we are struggling with. I believe, and espouse at <a HREF="http://americanmoderateparty.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">The American Moderate Party</a> that I would prefer to sacrifice some security to liberty. Yes, as Sen. Roberts said -what good is liberty if we are dead? But I really wonder is it worth living if we have no freedom? I do not believe that a life in chains is better than being dead. I know my final destination and am very comfortable with that outcome. I acknowledge that many disagree, but I truly believe that freedom, not security, is what makes America a great nation. It is a balance of liberty and security that we are struggling with. I believe, and espouse at The American Moderate Party that I would prefer to sacrifice some security to liberty.

Yes, as Sen. Roberts said -what good is liberty if we are dead? But I really wonder is it worth living if we have no freedom?

I do not believe that a life in chains is better than being dead. I know my final destination and am very comfortable with that outcome. I acknowledge that many disagree, but I truly believe that freedom, not security, is what makes America a great nation.

]]> By: Daniel DiRito http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/comment-page-1/#comment-24098 Daniel DiRito Sat, 20 May 2006 13:37:35 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2006/05/20/word/#comment-24098 Read about how the psychological concept called "terror management theory" impacts the individual and voting considerations here: <a href="http://www.thoughttheater.com/2006/05/terror_management_a_warning_to.php" rel="nofollow">www.thoughttheater.com</a> Read about how the psychological concept called “terror management theory” impacts the individual and voting considerations here:

http://www.thoughttheater.com

]]>