Posted by Bill (other posts) on February 11, 2014 at 16:35:31 Previous Next
In Reply to: Re: Hair and Ideology posted by Dave_ AR on February 11, 2014 at 14:25:55:
: What does "freedom" really mean to you?
: For instance, the US is known as "the land of the free" (for those who are rich, of course).
: If you're poor you're not entitled to :
: - access university education (and therefore, a better quality of life)
: - access to a doctor , therefore, to health (unless you have the money to pay for a doctor).
Actually, the poor have access to that stuff. The middle class is who is hurtin'.
: - If you're not straight, you cant marry the person you love (Unless you live in some of the few countries where same sex marriage is allowed).
Depends on the state. (See above map from lambdalegal.org.) The U.S. government recognizes same-sex marriages in all states, but local governmental recognition is per the above map. Court decisions are rapidly going in the direction of nationwide recognition in all states.
One of the results of having a democracy is we don't go to war over divisive issues like that. We wait for the political democratic process to play out. If we get tired of Obama, we don't cut off his head. We wait until the next election.
: And these are just a few examples that came up to my mind... I am sure there should be more.
: So, my question is: what does freedom really mean to you? Do you really feel free?
I feel freer with each year that passes. I am old enough to remember when discrimination against black people and gay people was pervasive, and when the government was using the military draft as a weapon on a mission to destroy longhair culture.
: I read LHIA saying exactly the following:
: "I think it is important to note that North Korea is a very closed society. It is a country that can't afford to feed it's people but spends a ton of money on the military. "
: Well, the US is a country that CAN afford public health and public university education to every citizen, but instead, the government preferrs to spend that money on the military.
Well, the American people do. Read on....
: So, what is really the difference between the North Korean Society and the American Society?
There is an oft repeated saying here, that "Freedom isn't free." We seek to use our military in the furtherance of freedom, rather than to suppress it. We must care a lot about this, because we spend more on our military than the next ten countries combined.
: What is the perspective Americans have on their own country?
Americans at the deepest level don't trust the American government. We have three branches of government to spread the power around so none becomes too powerful. And if those three fail us, we have the fourth branch of government: Our guns.
Our right to own guns is enshrined in the same constitution that establishes the three branches of government. If Americans are rabid about one thing, it is remaining free.
: Anyway, no offense to anyone. Just my point of view.
And I'm glad to give you mine.
Bill