Something to think about....

[Cpt Spaulding]

Events of recent history indicate that Americans are setting the course of their own great nation. The ever growing trend in this country is to judge people not by their individual character, but by their identity as a member of a specific group. No one has ever succeeded or failed by their group affiliation. A person's success or failure is also not based on luck, but on a sum total of the decisions they have made. Those who succeed do so through good work ethic and the wise use of their power to choose. The opposite is true of those who fail. The ideals of individual accountability and responsibility in this country are dying every day. A gun can not be responsible for a death, just like a shovel can not be responsible for digging a ditch. Both are only tools with no will of their own. Responsibility is an action of conscious choice, and is the price we pay for freedom. Freedom is also a tool, it is an essential tool that is needed by human beings if they are to prosper rather than to merely survive. Yet there are those who would rather trade freedom for security. Some believe it is the responsibility of government to provide freedom. In truth we form government to ensure and protect the freedom that is already inherently ours.

[tek]

People in power in this country have thwarted the original intent of the original colonists to their own greedy ends for many decades.

We are hamstrung by laws and constitutional erosion to such a degree that hitler is laughing in his grave. His political party did the same thing to the germans.

Thomas Jefferson said something to the effect of: Sometimes a revolution is needed for the people to reclaim their power against a corrupt government...

[Cpt Spaulding]

My post isn't about the government...It's about the mental state of the mass population.

[lastchance]

You make your own freedom. You don't have a right to life, you have to work for it. You don't have a right to liberty, you have to work for that too. A right is essentially what someone else can't do.

Nothing's a right, nothing's a freebie.
[ QUOTE ]
No one has ever succeeded or failed by their group affiliation.

[/ QUOTE ]
Slaves, peasants? This is a probability thing. People are given different edges in life, and that edge doesn't assure crap, but it gives you a better shot. A slave from the 1300's has 1/1000th the shot I do, but if I'm lousy, and the slave is hella smart and hardworking, he'll make it and I won't. But if he's only twice as hardworking as I am, I've still got a huge edge on him. Obviously, there's a much smaller gap now, but I still think it's pretty big.

There is luck in life, as in poker. Deal.

[Cyrus]

Events of recent history indicate that Americans are setting the course of their own great nation. A minority of Americans, that is.

The ever growing trend in this country is to judge people not by their individual character, but by their identity as a member of a specific group. No one has ever succeeded or failed by their group affiliation. History teaches that the contrary happens, most of the time.

A person's success or failure is also not based on luck, but on a sum total of the decisions they have made. Randomness ("luck") plays an important role in our lives.

Those who succeed do so through good work ethic and the wise use of their power to choose. The opposite is true of those who fail. Neither statement can withstand scrutiny - either through logic or through a look at History.

A gun can not be responsible for a death, just like a shovel can not be responsible for digging a ditch. Is this merely a pro-gun post?? Pity.

Responsibility is an action of conscious choice, and is the price we pay for freedom. I thought the price of freedom was eternal vigilance. what happened to that?Are you saying instead that the price is ... taking responsibility for our actions?! Doesn't sound like "a price" to me.

There are those who would rather trade freedom for security. Dial Dubya's extension line and vent! Why you tellin' us?

Some believe it is the responsibility of government to provide freedom. In truth we form government to ensure and protect the freedom that is already inherently ours. No. In western representative democracies, we elect our representatives to make laws and run the country. We are also supposed to have them account for their actions but we are too busy watching Janet Jackson's teat and The Apprentice. Pass the Bud.

[Cpt Spaulding]

[ QUOTE ]
You make your own freedom. You don't have a right to life, you have to work for it. You don't have a right to liberty, you have to work for that too. A right is essentially what someone else can't do.

Nothing's a right, nothing's a freebie.
[ QUOTE ]
No one has ever succeeded or failed by their group affiliation.

[/ QUOTE ]
Slaves, peasants? This is a probability thing. People are given different edges in life, and that edge doesn't assure crap, but it gives you a better shot. A slave from the 1300's has 1/1000th the shot I do, but if I'm lousy, and the slave is hella smart and hardworking, he'll make it and I won't. But if he's only twice as hardworking as I am, I've still got a huge edge on him. Obviously, there's a much smaller gap now, but I still think it's pretty big.

There is luck in life, as in poker. Deal.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you don't have the right to life, why is murder illegal? You have to work for life???? I think my dad did most of the work for my life...What work are you talking about? Another thing...Something you should know...It is in our declaration of independance....Life liberty and the persuit of happiness....Ring a bell???

I don't think you really understood what my point here was....

[Cpt Spaulding]

[ QUOTE ]
Events of recent history indicate that Americans are setting the course of their own great nation. A minority of Americans, that is. <font color="red"> </font>

The ever growing trend in this country is to judge people not by their individual character, but by their identity as a member of a specific group. No one has ever succeeded or failed by their group affiliation. History teaches that the contrary happens, most of the time. <font color="red"> </font> Our world today is much different than the history you mention.... We have tweekers, stoners, skateboarders, preppies, jocks, goth, yuppies, hippies and the list goes on...These are the groups I am talking about...Point out a time in history someone from one of these groups succeeded in life because they were a popular yuppy in school.

A person's success or failure is also not based on luck, but on a sum total of the decisions they have made. Randomness ("luck") plays an important role in our lives. <font color="red"> </font> You are missing the point.... A drunk homeless bum can find a 20 on the street..Ok that is luck...Not the luck I am talking about....A doctor didn't get his PHD because of luck, he got it through hard work...

Those who succeed do so through good work ethic and the wise use of their power to choose. The opposite is true of those who fail. Neither statement can withstand scrutiny - either through logic or through a look at History. <font color="red"> </font> Give it a try then

A gun can not be responsible for a death, just like a shovel can not be responsible for digging a ditch. Is this merely a pro-gun post?? Pity. <font color="red"> </font> No this is not a pro gun statement...read it again...I was making the point that people no longer take responsibility for thier own actions. They try to lay the blame elsewhere....I will give you another example instead of the gun one....A child kills himself...Bad parenting wasn't to blame...It was music....

Responsibility is an action of conscious choice, and is the price we pay for freedom. I thought the price of freedom was eternal vigilance. what happened to that?Are you saying instead that the price is ... taking responsibility for our actions?! Doesn't sound like "a price" to me. <font color="red"> </font> Yes it is a price you pay....ask anyone in jail taking responsibility for thier actions......I hope you got the point now...

There are those who would rather trade freedom for security. Dial Dubya's extension line and vent! Why you tellin' us? <font color="red"> </font> I think some people need to be told such things, they are too blind or stupid to see it for themselves.

Some believe it is the responsibility of government to provide freedom. In truth we form government to ensure and protect the freedom that is already inherently ours. No. In western representative democracies, we elect our representatives to make laws and run the country. We are also supposed to have them account for their actions but we are too busy watching Janet Jackson's teat and The Apprentice. Pass the Bud.

[/ QUOTE ] <font color="red"> </font> UMMM...actually we are a representative republic...Not democracy....Who does the military work for??? and what do they do???? Protect our freedoms..right???? I feel protecting our way of life is one of our governments main functions.....

You forgot Joe millionaire, American Idol, gay eye for the straight guy and all the other mindless moronic crap being shoved down out throats....

[lastchance]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
You make your own freedom. You don't have a right to life, you have to work for it. You don't have a right to liberty, you have to work for that too. A right is essentially what someone else can't do.

Nothing's a right, nothing's a freebie.
[ QUOTE ]
No one has ever succeeded or failed by their group affiliation.

[/ QUOTE ]
Slaves, peasants? This is a probability thing. People are given different edges in life, and that edge doesn't assure crap, but it gives you a better shot. A slave from the 1300's has 1/1000th the shot I do, but if I'm lousy, and the slave is hella smart and hardworking, he'll make it and I won't. But if he's only twice as hardworking as I am, I've still got a huge edge on him. Obviously, there's a much smaller gap now, but I still think it's pretty big.

There is luck in life, as in poker. Deal.

[/ QUOTE ]

If you don't have the right to life, why is murder illegal? You have to work for life???? I think my dad did most of the work for my life...What work are you talking about? Another thing...Something you should know...It is in our declaration of independance....Life liberty and the persuit of happiness....Ring a bell???

I don't think you really understood what my point here was....

[/ QUOTE ]
Maybe I don't. But my point is that a right is an abstract and false notion.

Murder is illegal (which just means that we're going to punish murder) cuz that's +EV for everyone who wants to live.

Working for the right to life essentially means that if you want to live, you've got to do certain things to keep yourself alive. You don't live because you have a right to life. A right to life doesn't stop some maniac with a gun from killing you. A right to life doesn't stop anyone from running you over (literally). A right to life doesn't shield you from bullets.

A right to life is merely a nice expression that Thomas Jefferson wrote in that Declaration of Independence.

Right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is very optimistic talk for a world we want to live in, not the world we do live in.

You're making the argument for personal responsibility.

You know what, life is part luck (your parents, your teachers, etc), and part you.

Because of someone's situation, they have a percentage chance of succeding (whatever that means), and of course, these percentages are different. At the same time, who you are matters a lot. Your parents can give you a 75-80% chance of success, and you may not make it. Some other kid may only have a 10% chance, and he'll make it, and that's him.

But there a helluva lot of kids in the area that are going to fail given a 10% chance, and will succeed if you give them the 75% shot.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

You forgot Joe millionaire, American Idol, gay eye for the straight guy and all the other mindless moronic crap being shoved down out throats....

How's it being shoved down our throats? Last I checked, I'm not required by law to watch any of those shows. This statement sort of contradicts your own thesis.

[Cpt Spaulding]

Having the right to live and making a life for yourself are two different things. You have the right to life..What you do with your life is up to you. People can help but ultimately your success or failures depend on YOU...Not your parents or other people in your life....