Does an oppressive society paint people into violent corners

[KLDimond]

Leadcounsel...

...I try not to post twice in rapid fire, but I just wanted to point up that the U.S. no longer has a free market economy and is not and never was a democracy.

I don't know how you define capitalism, but Marx defined it in mercantilist terms, which is far from a free market. And, frankly, we have a mercantilist system--just think of the slogan, "it's the economy, stupid," and you can recognize what I'm on about. It doesn't matter that it was Clinton's slogan; it's been the truth since at least FDR.

In a democracy, each issue is put before a public vote. We have a republic, where most of the voting is done by alleged representatives. And more to the point, we have a constitutional, limited, republic, which simply means that government has its job and exceeding that is illegal--and illegal is probably a perfect word for it as it is, too.

 

[Boats]

Violent corners? Violence over the tax code?

Sounds like poor individual coping skills to me.

Oppressive government doesn't "trigger" solitary cranks into murder/suicides or armed lone wolf standoffs. That excuse is no better than a garden variety thug saying poverty drove him to pimping. Both the crank and the pimp were inclined, through character defects, to find themselves where they are.

Oppressive government breeds revolutionaries, truly dangerous individuals set against the status quo with a new social contract in mind and the wherewithal intellectually and perhaps charismatically, or financially, to incite a mass movement that may or may not include violence as the tenor of the times demands.

Bloviators going off about the Trilateral Commission, the 16th Amendment and other "this side of UFOology" claptrap whilst carressing a main battle rifle and waiting for a showdown with the JBTs aren't the heralds of political strife.

They are individuals with a poor understanding of what a real revolutionary would be and act like.

 

[ptmmatssc]

For an idea of how trivial things can be: In Germany, you can't change to a larger-sized tire on your car or motorcycle, but by one size. (Example, from a 175 to a 185, but no 195s or larger)

Lol , here in maine , you can only have the size tire that came on the vehicle when new.

The fact that my chains are lighter than those of another doesn't mean I'm really free and I'm just complaining too much. I'm still chained.

I agree .

 

[BigG]

Art, with all due respect, I agree with the guys who don't give a flying flip how free we are relative to some other country's standards. The USA has always been unique and when you start comparing it to the countries we or our ancestors all left the comparison contains within itself the criticism that we aren't as free as we used to be.

 

[Kentucky]

Repressive? Anybody who thinks the US is repressive hasn't lived in other countries, or travelled for lengthy periods in other countries.

And compared to when I was a kid, yeah, the US has become far more repressive--yet it doesn't hold a candle to the other "advanced" countries.

Being the healthiest patient in a terminal cancer ward is not very much comfort to me.

 

[TallPine]

Not only that, but we are being taxed to pay for the paint

 

[Isildur]

Some time ago I read an interesting article concerning the growing complexity of law and it's deadly impact on a (former) free state.

I am a criminal

Yes, that’s right. I, R. Lee Wrights, being of sound mind and aging body, do solemnly acclaim and justly affirm that I am a criminal. And, if I do my job correctly, by the time you finish reading this you will realize that you are a criminal also; and, that something needs to be done about it.

I do not live in the US but I share the feeling that oppression is growing and freedom is regarded as a danger, not as a value. Socialism seems to be advancing again and with it gun-control, anti-free-market advocates and nationalization of industries as well as education, health care etc.

 

[Thin Black Line]

I recently rewatched Brazil a little while ago.
If you haven't seen it, check it out - it's pretty much exactly what you're describing.

Speaking of the movie and government beaurocracy painting people into
corners this is a good example:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eosrujtjJHA

Repressive? Anybody who thinks the US is repressive hasn't lived in other countries, or travelled for lengthy periods in other countries.

Speaking of Brazil as the real country, I'd rather not see the US become more
like them:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4Z6vvyEhgxM

 

[atek3]

vin suprinowityz thinks so, read The Ballad of Carl Drega.

His thesis is that back in the day people people who couldn't or wouldn't put up with statist BS either left for the frontier or lived like a recluse. These days however, there is no frontier and the government won't let people totally cut loose from the system, so as a result you get wingbats like Carl Drega, Bulldozer Man, and the Kirkwood shooter.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Legal forum. Legal discussion only, please.