Aristo! Aristo! A la lanterne!: Law abiding? Are you SURE you want that label?

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Law abiding? Are you SURE you want that label?

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When I hear the words 'law abiding' being used, I cringe.

'Law abiding' means one is perfectly willing to enslave fellow human beings and ship them off to the fields, or even death. That was the law of this land, as laid down by two congressional acts, and the original Constitution of the United States.

The fugitive slave act of 1850

The fugitive slave act of 1793

Article four, clause 3 of the Constitution

Ancient history? Not when we consider the value of being a 'law abiding' citizen. Which of today's laws will be judged in the same light as these? Eminent domain abuse perhaps? Asset forfeiture most surely. Institutionalized racism? I can only hope...

Legal and illegal have nothing to do with right and wrong. Never did, and never will.

Never believe for a moment that those who control our nations 'laws' have any moral high ground from which to pontificate and judge. Never think for a moment that merely 'following the law' confers upon one the notion of being a right and moral person. That is a judgment that comes solely from within, when measured against ones moral and philosophical framework. Lacking such a framework, one becomes little more than a tool, a pawn, a 'useful idiot' of those who control the law.

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws."

Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

1 comment:

TheWayfarer said...: Beautiful...And absolutely spot-on!
I wonder how many Americans know Sen. John McCain has proposed a bill allowing the military - not the police or FBI - to detain indefinately without Miranda, due process or any of the protections of the Bill of Rights, any citizen the President decides is an "enemy belligerent" or "terrorist"?
That means YOU, if Der Holy Mother Schtaat so rationalizes.

Kinda makes you wonder what we have to look forward to from future elections...; June 25, 2010 at 12:50 AM

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Robert Heinlein

"Do not confuse "duty" with what other people expect of you; they are utterly different. Duty is a debt you owe to yourself to fulfill obligations you have assumed voluntarily. Paying that debt can entail anything from years of patient work to instant willingness to die. Difficult it may be, but the reward is self-respect.

But there is no reward at all for doing what other people expect of you, and to do so is not merely difficult, but impossible. It is easier to deal with a footpad than it is with the leech who wants "just a few minutes of your time, please — this won't take long." Time is your total capital, and the minutes of your life are painfully few. If you allow yourself to fall into the vice of agreeing to such requests, they quickly snowball to the point where these parasites will use up 100 percent of your time — and squawk for more!
So learn to say No — and to be rude about it when necessary.
Otherwise you will not have time to carry out your duty, or to do your own work, and certainly no time for love and happiness. The termites will nibble away your life and leave none of it for you.

(This rule does not mean that you must not do a favor for a friend, or even a stranger. But let the choice be yours. Don't do it because it is "expected" of you.)"