Roman wrote: > >You might be helped by the original context, but the way the aphorism was >presented makes is sound like advocacy of a police state.
Actually you may be helped by the original context. I know what it is. For context read Starship Troopers. Try to pay attention to the messages being given by the teacher rather than all the blowing up of alien bugs (something the film version missed completely, but then Hollywood would rather blow things up than tell a story) As Steven "T.O." Stubbs pointed out that is the book the quote is taken from and it does have to do with the right to vote being granted to those who have served their nation, presumeabley through military service. People often forget the "service" part that goes along with military and government service in general. The average citizen doesn't (in any country) in the main serve the nation in any way. Communism in the old Soviet regime and the current versions in China, Korea, and elsewhere tried that by demanding that everything belongs to the State. That to me is a true police state, where it's a crime against the state to possess anything. This is not the premise in Heinleins book. Instead it shows the average person what the nation means and why it is important to want to fight for it, and that only those willing to lay down their lives earn (notice that word) the right to participate in the governing of the nation. People in general, but Americans in particular take Fre! edom for granted. That's the point I (and Heinlein) was making. Craig ___________________________________________________________ $0 Web Hosting with up to 200MB web space, 1000 MB Transfer 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and much more. Signup at www.doteasy.com To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
