I completely understand, and if you read my posts about this from september then you'd know that But we have rules here, and violations of those rules are what caused the current events forum to disappear. Just gotta play safe in OT and stay...umm...on topic?

 

Well, my thoughts are this. The world is changing and if you are enlightened you will ride it out like any other historical period.

That said, we are suddenly living in, from where I sit, difficult times.

Deal with it and if you want, cry me a river, the world's smallest violin is playing in the background.

 

So is multiple posting Josh, but we might let you get away with it this time

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Elistan
[B]
What I find ironic is that, IMO, while Microsoft's actions seem to have been predetory against other corporations, they've mostly been a benefit to consumers.

 

1. The current "conservative" Supreme Court (supposedly the darling of those who say they don't want government messing with them) allows confiscation of property (homes, cash, businesses, even the legal fees the defendant pays his lawyer) all on the mere ASSERTION that the defendant is a bad guy. What happened to the presumption of innocence? They can merely charge you with a supposed crime, take everything you own, and even prevent you from hiring counsel to defend yourself. Ah yes, freedom in the U.S.!!

OK - so you win at trial (at the cost of your savings, your retirement, your mental health, your reputation, etc), do you really think that you'll get back the stuff they stole from you when they arrested you? Think again. Those who've tried can tell you it is nearly a waste of time.

2. Have "too many" light bulbs or other heat sources going in your basement or garage (eg., you have a paint shop set up in your garage or a kiln for pottery, etc.)? The cops have the "right" according to the Supremes to cruise by your home with their heat sensing devices and then get a search warrant to tear your home apart while they look for whatever they can find. Oh yes, even if they find nothing unlawful, try to get back your firearms that they confiscated during the search.

While you're at it, try to get them to pay for the damage they did to your home while "searching" it w/ crowbars, sledge hammers, etc. Think that I'm just making this up? Think again. These are mere examples of actual events.

3. Think you are safe in your home because you are a law-abiding citizen (and not one of those blacks, Hispanics, etc that everyone knows is a criminal)? Right here in the Louisvillle metropolitan area a gang of thugs employed as cops by the city raided a home to nail a supposed drug seller. They went to the wrong address in the dead of the night. They were in total darkness in the home, except for their flashlights. The homeowner challenged them and they shot him dead. Think that can't happen to you. Think again.

Did the murderers get what they deserved? Nope - no criminacl charges filed at all. They continued to be employed as paid killers, kept their pension rights, etc. They were not even nailed for civil liability to the widow and her three children.

4. If you are so ill-advised as to be a U.S. citizen of Arab racial stock, they can arrest you, call you an enemy combatant, and lock you up in a military prison w/o access to an attorney; w/o the right to a hearing before a civil judge; w/o the right to contact your family; w/o the right to a trial w/in this century; and - GET THIS - w/o even charging you with a specific crime.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pixsurguy
[B]1.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pixsurguy
[B]1.

 

My campus is a goddamn police state, Jesus H. Christ, so many police it's f-in amazing, really, really, amazing.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Pixsurguy
[B]1.

 

The problem is not the abuses of power in and of themselves (though it's bad, it CAN be dealt with within the system), the real problem is that in most cases, the individual has NO legal recourse, since the government has rigged the game. In many case, for example, a government official (police included) cannot be held liable for harm done to a citizen while performing his/her duties. In the Louisvillle case, the police were probably protected from any such suit as a matter of law. Same for property seizure - the law allows the cops to keep anything they take, even if you are innocent, and you have no recourse in a court of law. Sucks if you have a cop friend who decides he doesn't like you anymore.....

If the government decides it can suspend a right under ANY circumstances at all, it is a certainty that it WILL suspend that rights frequently, whenever it feels like it. There are no more principles to stop it.

Rights must be absolute, or they mean NOTHING.

JonasM