Uncommon Sense in Radical Ideas
By Steve Gillman
Many of the following opinions seem like common sense to me,
but I am sure that they will seem like radical ideas to most.
I will refer to this then as "uncommon sense."
For example, it seems plain as day that "economic stimulus"
is a farce. It is only a means of shuffling around in time what
happens in an economy, while dampening overall economic activity.
After all, a government cannot spend anything to boost an economy
that it does not take out of an economy. Governments don't create,
but only take from what is created (hopefully to protect our
freedoms to do the creating in the first place). And if they
borrow rather than tax to pay for "stimulus," it only
means that the damage will be done later (that borrowed money
has to be paid eventually from the production of that time).
Here are some other ideas based on my uncommon sense:
Marriage Is No Government's Business
I can't imagine how anyone could really feel that they need
the permission of a government to be together, but what else
can we call a marriage "license?" Get rid of all legal
marriage and let whatever churches or other organizations provide
whatever ceremonies people desire.
Patriotism Is a Crock
What does it mean to patriotic? Should one be proud because
of an accident of fate that caused him to be born in a given
country? Should you support a government because it claims jurisdiction
over you? Should you support a people no matter what they decide
to do as a country? Should we hold flags in higher esteem than
individual rights? Name anything that patriotism means and I
will show you a history of hatred, bigotry and war based on that
ideal.
Democracy Is Mob Rule
Thankfully we have a democratic republic, something which
seems to have been forgotten. Can you imagine if a direct vote
of the people created the laws. Not only would they change from
year to year according to the political fads of the day, but
things such as slavery probably would have persisted for decades
longer than they did. A democracy voted to kill Socrates for
teaching students to think for themselves. Democracy may be a
convenient way to elect leaders, but if it is not severely limited
is nothing more than mob rule of the worst kind.
Religion Destroys Spirituality
Spirituality is something outside of religion, and only at
best hinted at by religious traditions. Usually it is actually
fought against by religions, because it requires above all a
true willingness to follow the truth where it leads - even when
is away from the dogmas of the faiths. Many atheists are more
spiritual than the leaders of the churches. Any beliefs that
cannot be challenged, and any beliefs that lead to the hatred
and destruction of others cannot be a part of true spirituality.
Law Does Not Equal Morality
There are criminals in uniforms all around us. In times past
police and judges returned escaped slaves to their "masters."
Who now would not call this a crime? In time we will look back
on our own criminals in high courts and police uniforms. For
example, we pretend that plants can be evil and so judges put
innocent men and women in prison according to the ones they use,
and quietly take their pills and drink their drugs in satisfaction
afterwards, never seeing that they are the criminals. |
