From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Mon Dec 30 2002 - 17:54:35 MST
Dan writes
> > I really don't think I need to read more because if true
> > writing the above or even just reprinting it would mean
> > the Thought Police would be pounding on your door
> > right about now ready to drag you off to the Ministry
> > Of Love.
> First, not all "third-world banana republics" drag people off for
> every little offense. The record here is spotty and one of the big
> differences between a banana republic and full fledged totalitarian state
> is how uneven the authoritarianism is enforced.
Sorry, I don't quite follow. Are you saying that full-fledged
totalitarian states have more uniform oppression? If so, I
agree. I would also say, however, that any technologically
advanced nation is apt to enforce its laws more uniformly.
In the U.S., however, the great profusion of laws devolves
real power back to into the hands of individuals, either the
cop on the beat or the judge ruling from the bench. Moreover,
the notion that the law should not be interpreted literally
has helped to further uneven enforcement.
> wouldn't you agree that the US government now is more a threat
> to freedom -- I mean the freedom of Americans NOT just foreigners
> -- than in 1776 or 1789 or 1800 or 1900?
The *federal* government is indeed now more of a threat,
but I would say that government as a totality is less of
one. The reason for this is that you have many kinds of
legal appeal available now that were not available earlier.
I do note your fine choice of dates, however ;-) You
didn't happen to choose 1846, 1864, 1917, or 1942.
Clearly a great deal depends on our emotions, through
which we tend to view practically everything. For some
people, the U.S. is presently at war. They'll keep on
feeling this way until they get used to a background of
minimal and ongoing minor threats.
On the other side, people would feel much differently
if each day another American city went up in a nuclear
blast. I dare say that they'd be more frantic than any
of today's extremists, would demand that "something be
done", and wouldn't worry too much about a lot of suspects
being summarily rounded up and held without bail, or going
to internment camps.
Lee
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