on 30/5/01 2:21 AM, Gautam Mukunda at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>> Behalf Of William T Goodall
>> The real heroes. If an evil* government tries to enslave you, put a
> gun in
>> your hand and send you off to get shot at, the first moral response
> is to
>> try and escape. If you can't escape, shoot as many of the bastards
> as
>> possible and run to the hills to join the militia and overthrow the
> evil
>> government.
>>
>> *Conscription is slavery. Slavery is evil. QED.
>>
>> Volunteering is a different matter.
>> --
>> William T Goodall
>
> Your opinion of, say, the Northern government during the Civil War,
> the American government during the First and Second World Wars, the
> British and French governments for virtually their entire twentieth
> century history, and many others besides, is noted, but seems very
> strange indeed.
Britain used to be a Colonial power, but isn't any more.
Britain used to have conscription but doesn't any more.
Britain used to execute people but doesn't any more.
Britain used to elect Conservative governments but doesn't any more.
So Britain was crap in the past, but it has got better.
>
> Conscription, of course, is not slavery.
Yes it is.
> Oddly enough, people have
> responsibilities in society as well as rights.
Society is people banding together for mutual benefit. When society starts
trying to kill you, that isn't a benefit any more.
> Among those
> responsibilities is one to help defend that society against its
> enemies.
Tax. That pays for defence.
> Conscription is nothing more than the government's
> enforcement of that responsibility.
An enforced responsibility is an oxymoron.
--
William T Goodall
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk
