Bart, Before you accuse others of applying labels to you, and particularly before you apply your own labels, it would help if you knew what they meant.
The only purely communist society to have survived was started here in the USA. Communism has little to do with politics and everything to do with ownership and responsibility -- all property, all assets except the minimal personal stuff like underwear or photos of your girl, is held in COMMON with all other members of the group. The group determines what is best for the survival of the group. No nation can be communistic because size alone prevents it; what have been incorrectly reffered to over the decades as "communistic governments" are by default not communist because having a government negates the power & rights of the "common man." Socialism is everywhere around us. Socialism is where the "state" makes the decisions and accepts the responsibilities of caring for all persons in, and aspects of, the state. Universal health care is socialistic. Creating jobs to make the innept, or otherwise unemployable, "self- sustaining" is socialistic. "To Protect The Children" is socialistic. "We are here to help" -- and allowing idiotic things like rebuilding the same family home four times in ten years on the proceeds of government financed "insurance," despite the fact the home is being built each time on the same proven flood plain, is socialistic [and stupid]. Any government which believes it can possibly know what is best for each citizen/resident of the country, and for the country itself, at all times under all circumstances is also socialistic and ALSO STUPID!! [Are you listening, GW??] What we all should consider doing is dumping labels and simply declaring what we believe in enough to fight for it. If we don't believe in anything that strongly, we should find a hole and someone to "protect" us and stay out of the way. IMNSHO ==== On Sun, 12 Jan 2003 11:42:30 +0100, Bart Buitinga wrote: > How much difference one man can make in American politics has been > wonderfully demonstrated by gov Ryan, who is first to break the myth that > the American justice system would be infallible. I sure hope this will > reach Tx, too. And before a next war starts, because quite similar to the > undeserved faith of many Americans in the deterrant effect of capital > punishment, their call for the "war on terrorism" is of the same category, > ill-based categorical measures with doubtful effect and a high level of > cruelty. > You may call me a communist if you like (although I prefer "socialist"), > but surely this last day decision in Illinois is just a first step back > from the point where civilisation ends and vengeance takes over mass > sentiments, leaving America itself in the role of murderous oppressor of > those going any other than the American way. (Don't get me wrong, just > picture the USA as a Microsoft amongst nations, and then try independence > for an attitude. Even the North Coreans start making sense if you do.) > B -- Arachne V1.70;rev.3, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/
