Tyranny Of Your Neighbors
By gewcew23
@gewcew23 (8007)
United States
May 5, 2009 12:17pm CST
Let just say, to start this discussion off I wanted to go buy a M16. I just want one and I have enough money to buy it, but I cannot. Why, because you do not want me to have one. You will say that no one needs a M16 to go hunt, but I have no plans on taking it hunting. I would not go out and kill anyone, but see here I am having to justify myself to you. The reason that there is an assault rifle ban is because you do not want me to have one. Let us just be honest it is not government that creates law and regulations but your neighbors, your co-workers, or even a man your will never meet. They and maybe even you want to oppose your will on me and others. Now this discussion has nothing to do with gun control and to prove it let us change to another topic, shoes. Actually a pair of 540 dollar pair of sneakers. Lets just say that I decided that no one should be able to wear a pair of sneaker that cost $540. So I decide to form a PAC called American for Wearing Cheap Shoes. I create so numbers that shows how many shoes could be given to the poor for $540. My PAC would demand a ban on shoe that cost more than fifty dollars. Some lawmaker catches on to this and creates a law. So who was the first tyrant myself or the lawmaker. Lawmakers just follow the opinions of their supporter.
2 people like this
8 responses
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
5 May 09
I believe lawmakers follow the direction of the political activists and lobbyists who keep them in power.
The neighbors are merely the sheep who follow what the propagandists tell them they should think and how they should vote.
I think individuals are smart enough... it is when they form groups that groupthink and idiocy takes over.
2 people like this
@miamilady (4910)
• United States
5 May 09
"I think individuals are smart enough... it is when they form groups that groupthink and idiocy takes over."
Wow! We agree on something!
2 people like this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
5 May 09
YEp that sound about right.
Basically the way the country is run right now is different groups try to get as many people to join them as possible so that then they can preasure our elected officials to dicate everyone else's lives as they think is right.
Like the anti fur people.....they want to get enough people together so they can decide that NO ONE can wear fur. Well if you dont' like fur dont' wear it. But leave everyone else alone.
Or the vegitarians...there is a group trying to preasure washington to make it against the law for anyone to eat meat. Well if you don't like meat. Dont' eat it. But leave the rest of us alone.
There are tons of groups out there...
Basically what we have is a fight of one group or another trying to force everyone else to live how they think is right. Instead of letting people make up their own minds and do what they want.
1 person likes this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
5 May 09
oh and to answer your question. The people are just as guilty of being dictators as our elected officials.
We don't seem to be a culture of tolerance or differences anymore. We have fighting dictatorships. Each group wanting to dictate what people can and not do. People think their way is the ONLY right way and want everyone else to live like they do. Even if it has to be by force. ie...outlawing it.
1 person likes this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
5 May 09
I do not want to enforce my will onto you, and I am sure you do not want to enforce your will on me, but a lot do not mind doing that. A lot of people do not want to speak of these because it polarizes America, but it is an us verses them world. Us just want to be left alone, them do not want to leave us alone. One could say that this mentality started during the war of independence when at a time more Americans fought for the British than George Washington.
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
5 May 09
there is a small group like you me that just want to live and let live. You make your choice, I make mine and we respect each others right to make them.
Too bad more people are nto like that.
1 person likes this
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
5 May 09
The founding fathers were thinking about something like this when they wanted state to have more power than the Federal government. If you did not like what the state was doing you could move or as they say vote with your feet. Why do so many retired people move to Florida or Tennessee? No Income Tax, but a sales tax. They are not going to be buying any big ticket items so it doesn't affect them. They are voting with their feet.
What is good for one state is not good for all states.
1 person likes this
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
5 May 09
Whoever is in power is going to keep that power anyway they can. They will try and appease the most people possible even if they have to make up things to scare them and force them to believe stuff that is not true. Bush did that by raising the terrorist threat level and constantly reminding us that there could be another 9/11.
Congress and Obama do it with the unemployment and housing problem and the banks. That is how they were able to Nationalize everything under our noses and push the stimulus bill and bailout through so fast. Fear Mongering can really get thing done. But it is not the best for anyone. Communism never is. Russia and China have proved it.
Shalom~Adoniah
1 person likes this
@Fortunata (1135)
• United States
5 May 09
Yep, that's pretty much how it goes, lol.
1 person likes this
@bestboy19 (5478)
• United States
7 May 09
About the only time the government listens to the people is when the people threaten to throw them out of office.
1 person likes this
@visitorinvasion (7709)
• United States
8 May 09
I think they stopped being afraid of that after the Supreme Court ruled that the recount didn't count, allowing President Bobo to stay in office. Smaller government might still be persuaded by votes, but I don't think the fed really cares what the taxpayers think anymore.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
5 May 09
Of course, the first tyrants are the special interest groups, some of which have already been mentioned by Lil...and I will add the anti-smoking lobby to her list. I believe it was the law enforcement unions who first put the brakes on assault weapons and they are a large and powerful lobby. Our lawmakers may be following the opinions of the special interest groups more than the opinions of the people they represent because "the people" remain too silent for too long and basically don't pay attention. That needs to change.
1 person likes this
@ddhawkins63 (682)
• United States
6 May 09
Um, yes, that is the way it is supposed to be. The lawmakers follow what the people want. That's basic stuff that you learn in first grade. As far as the m16 thing, noone does really need one for anything that a normal person would do. Nope, don't want a neighbor to build up an arsenal of them. However, I don't give a rat's behind whether they pay one dollar or ten million dollars on a pair of shoes. Why? Because they can't kill me with them, at least not easily :-)
