> From: Russell Chapman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > The Fool wrote: > > > The only way you can know you are free is if you can freely distrust / > > critisize the government. > > > > Surely the ability to criticise the government, plus the ability to elect a > better one next time around gives all the freedom we can expect in this day > and age? Why is distrusting them also necessary? I think a certain level of
Because, these people also serve their own interests, which means they serve the lobbies who back them, who in most cases are Evil international corporate conglomerates that have a vested interest in taking away your rights and freedoms and money. Ex: 'Hacking' in recent legislation being considered has been made equivalent to 'Terrorism' and carries a minimum mandatory life sentence without parole. > cynicism is all that's required - these are mostly just citizens who happen > to be elected or happen to have a job in the civil service (or whatever > Americans call government employees). > > They come after me when I walk down the street with a critical banner sign, > or when I publish a scathing newspaper article, then I'm not free. They > declare that elections are somehow changed (and get away with it), then I'm > not free, but I can do those things, and so can you. I would have thought > distrust is redundant.
