tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post8394944744110684527..comments2024-03-29T11:14:06.299+13:00Comments on AmeriNZ Blog: Is treason the new conservatism?Arthur Schenckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10568299067544221996noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-84477128711445101592011-04-30T20:32:11.338+12:002011-04-30T20:32:11.338+12:00Anonymous: I never said this incident a year and a...<b>Anonymous:</b> I never said this incident a year and a half ago wasn't free speech. I pointed out that it was seditious (which is undeniable), but that's not the same thing as being illegal or criminal. I suggested that by some definitions, it was treasonous, but I didn't actually say it was.<br /><br />As you are aware, there are limits on free speech. One cannot advocate the immediate violent overthrow of the US, for example, nor advocate that a mob go and kill an elected official. Such speech is illegal and criminal.<br /><br />My point was about the propensity of the right to use violent rhetoric and seditious language, and how that language leads to violence.<br /><br />There's huge disagreement over what the Second Amendment means and what, precisely, it protects. The "well regulated militia" it mentions refers to organised state militias—what we now call the National Guard. People taking part in such official militias were intended to be able to keep arms, but not everyone accepts that ordinary people who were not part of such official militias were intended to be allowed guns.<br /><br />The first three words to the US Constitution are "We the people". That means that all authority contained in the Constitution and implied by it, and all the power of the federal government established by the Constitution, are derived from the people through elections. The federal government <i><b>IS</b></i> the people.<br /><br />If you hate the US government, that is your right. You can even try—peacefully—to convince others that your viewpoint is correct and they should agree with you. However, your avenue to creating change is through the ballot box, not the ammo box.<br /><br />If you don't like your representation in Congress, vote for someone else. If you don't like any of the alternatives, run for office yourself or persuade someone you admire to do so. If the power of your arguments is convincing, people will agree with you and vote as you want them to. If, however, you cannot convince others and your chosen person loses, that's the way it is in a democracy—and under the US Constitution you must accept that; <i>THAT</i> is what "we the people" means.<br /><br />Also, just for your further education, the phrase is "bear arms"; "bare arms" is what you have if you wear a short sleeve shirt. Also, "yourself" is singular (and one word), "yourselves" is plural. If you want me, personally, to educate myself, then you meant "yourself". If you were speaking to those who disagree with you, then the correct word is "yourselves".<br /><br />I tell you this because if you want your ideas to be taken seriously in a free and democratic debate, then it's always a good idea to pay attention to detail because—and trust me on this—your opponents will seize on every single mistake or unclear statement you make.Arthur Schenckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10568299067544221996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-87771328209973830342011-04-30T14:48:01.225+12:002011-04-30T14:48:01.225+12:00treason LOL! this is freedom of speech you idiots....treason LOL! this is freedom of speech you idiots. why do you think we have the 2nd amendment the right to keep and bare arm and the citizen militia to keep the government in check i find nothing wrong with this post in fact i find it quite patriotic. Why dont you educate your selfs on what this country was founded on WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES not we the federal government. Wake up sheep.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-63845374983192916602009-11-25T10:45:15.952+13:002009-11-25T10:45:15.952+13:00Nik: I don't, either, but as the update I post...<b>Nik: </b>I don't, either, but as the update I posted after your comment (and the comment from Jim) show, at least it looks like the Republicans are getting somewhat embarrassed by their easy acceptance of the rhetoric.<br /><br /><b>moosep:</b> I think that's exactly what they meant it to sound like. That county backed the Confederacy in the Civil War, not surprisingly. And that turned out so well for them…<br /><br /><b>Jim: </b>Thanks so much for that update! I read, but couldn't verify, that they'd also removed the text in a post that praised the earlier "Obama-nation" billboard (which featured a big communist hammer and sickle, along with inflammatory text). Certainly the text wasn't there when I went to post, but I never saw it there beforehand. Still, with them pulling anything approving of the latest billboard, it wouldn't surprise me.<br /><br />One thing about this saga: It's good that this "businessman" doesn't know how to employ a graphic designer: This and his previous billboard are so wordy and hard to read that it's probable that most people who see the billboard won't even be able to read its pathetic message.Arthur Schenckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10568299067544221996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-40914088786663288242009-11-24T07:53:12.516+13:002009-11-24T07:53:12.516+13:00Update: After someone brought up the billboard in...Update: After someone brought up the billboard in the comment section of one of their later posts, they have removed and disabled all comments as well.<br /><br />They seem to be really embarrassed.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-15217343955641884022009-11-24T05:04:06.165+13:002009-11-24T05:04:06.165+13:00Thanks for the info. I didn't know about the b...Thanks for the info. I didn't know about the billboard until I saw Joe My God pick up your post. <br /><br />These are really scary times we live in. This billboard sounds as if the far right is preparing for a civil war.Moosep and Buddy Rabbithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04123968660305587659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34249799.post-59253321089466288242009-11-23T16:05:36.884+13:002009-11-23T16:05:36.884+13:00They haven't disavowed much yet, so don't ...They haven't disavowed much yet, so don't see it happening soon.Nikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08817525516356141103noreply@blogger.com