Re: DOES THE 9th AMENDMENT PROTECT RESPONSIBLE REC DRUG USE?

brian bennett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

> Manny Davis wrote:

>> > the "right" to govern does not exist -- only the power to do so has
>> > been granted. you do understand the difference do you not?
>> 
>> WADR, if anyone is confusing rights and powers, it is yourself.
> 
> i have no idea what "wadr" is supposed to mean, 

With all due respect.

>and i would argue that
> i certainly demonstrate a full comprehension of the differences
> between rights and powers, despite a one sentence lapse here and there
> -- sorry, i type fast and can be lazy during proofreading.  we're
> having a discussion on usenet, not writing dissertations or drafting
> laws. 

Ok.

>> > if you believe the constitution enslaves you, then by all means do
>> > something about it.
>> 
>> I believe government in America enslaves me to a degree. We are not
>> by any stretch living in Stalinist Russia. But changes can come
>> quick. I'd rather speak up now while I can. And don't forget that the
>> constitution can be suspended at any time.
> 
> i'm with you, and glad to meet another person with a strong enough
> will to challenge the status quo and work for positive change.

I'm an anarchist. I'll speak out against the state, but I don't vote, I 
won't write letters to my "representative", I will not contribute to the 
LP, etc. 

Government is, as far as I can tell, nothing but an enormous criminal 
organization. It deals with people by force and coercion. It finances 
itself through extortion and robbery. When a group of private individuals 
act like a government, they are commonly referred to as "The Mob".
  
>> "It means the potential of a weapon of mass destruction and a
>> terrorist, massive, casualty-producing event somewhere in the Western
>> world - it may be in the United States of America - that causes our
>> population to question our own Constitution and to begin to
>> militarize our country in order to avoid a repeat of another mass,
>> casualty-producing event. Which in fact, then begins to unravel the
>> fabric of our Constitution. Two steps, very, very important."
> 
> if such an attack were to occur, throwing out the constitution would
> do *nothing* at all to prevent another similar attack -- just as
> having the most powerful military in the world did nothing to prevent
> 9/11 

Good point. But a major terrorist attack would be the ideal pretext for 
annulling the constitution. 

>> Franks didn’t speculate about how soon such an event might take
>> place. 
> 
> smart man.
>  
>> Already, critics of the U.S. Patriot Act, rushed through Congress in
>> the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, have argued that the law aims to
>> curtail civil liberties and sets a dangerous precedent.
> 
> only to the extent that we allow it to occur -- like i keep saying,
> the only real threats to our freedom come from washington dc.

Because, contrary to popular opinion, the state exists to violate 
individual rights, not protect them.

>> >  i believe the constitution is our collective
>> > agreement to treat each other as equals and to create the
>> > institutions among us that ensures it remains so.
>> 
>> Today, few people have read the constitution. Many people walking
>> around don't even know what it is. Think of everyone you know. How
>> many have read the constitution? I do not have one non-internet
>> friend or relative that has read the U.S. constitution.
> 
> i know, it makes me sick. i have a copy of it right here in front of
> me on my desk and read it all the time -- since i swore to die or kill
> in its defense i thought it would be a good idea to know what i am
> defending.  i wonder how far off kilter things have to get before
> people start paying attention. 

If history is any guide...
  
>> > it is not our form of government
>> > which is problematic, it is the failure of the citizens to fulfill
>> > their duties which has brought us to our current state of affairs.
>> 
>> Which duties are those?
> 
> to live by the tenets of americanism and to control those granted
> power.  

They can't be controlled. Do you see any progress being made? Any gun 
laws being repealed? Regulations being scaled back? For crissakes, we 
can't even be in possession of certain plants without being arrested. 

I'm done with this thread. Thanks for being civilized and courteous even 
though I attacked many of your core beliefs, and I hope some day you 
reconsider your support for the institution of government.