The tragedy that is law.. (more lofty thoughts)
As per this document, the government once considered Einstien to be a felon because he supported Communism.
I really get angry whenever I think about the ’50s and communism. First of all, the U.S. is supposed to be based on freedom – ostensibly, freedom of speech, freedom to peacefully assemble, freedom of religion – and the state religion is capitolism, this we know, but, why should it have ever been a felony to hold a economic ideal contrary?
In fact, it seems likely that armed with good computer networks, you could make communism work. The basic idea is just ‘everybody works, everybody eats’ – it’s just the implimentation that gets tricky.
In any case, I’m glad that I can now be a member of the comunist party if I want to without fear of government repraisals. (Well, unless the NeoCons get their way, in which case I will be thrown in jail for a list of offenses too long to mention here, almost all of them informational in nature)
The FBI has a long history of chasing down people that the public likes – Einstien and John Lennon are a couple that jump to mind, but there are a lot of them. I’ve come to think of the U.S. government as basically evil on all fronts, a beast that must be put up with because there is no way to get rid of it that doesn’t cost more blood, sweat, and tears than it is worth. I hope that over time, the next generation, which has grown up with many tools and ideas that the last generation did not have, will replace the government with something that’s worth having – somethign that doesn’t lie, doesn’t define actions as crimes unless they hurt other people, something that tries to minimize the number of laws and always go for simplicity in defining them, something that doesn’t permit corperations to put acquisition of wealth above the needs of their human components..
I don’t know. I really hope that things continue to get better with time. But I see Dubya. And he lied, and everyone.. liberals, conservatives.. everyone.. knows that he lied, he started a war on false pretenses, killed thousands of innocent people – and nothing bad is happening to him. Nothing bad will happen to him. He’ll get rich, and other people will get the idea that what he did is right and good and proper.
I mean, the only way I can make dubya make sense is if we’re all living in the matrix and he just exists to try to make me angry so that I’ll generate more energy. I can’t understand why no one is stopping him.. why soldiers are still willing to fight.. why people are deluding themselves that this battle is morally right – or neccesary – or economically wise.
[sigh]
Next problem: Kayti wants to move back to Colorado – and I don’t – but I don’t want to break up with her. I don’t want to give up the band, and the good sushi, and all my friends in Seattle. But… argh.. it’s very upsetting.
December 27th, 2005 at 11:01 am
There’s a bit in Serenity where the question is asked, “What is a government? A government is just a bunch of people.”
The same issue is raised in Stranger in a Strange Land, when the protagonists are trying to take the measure of their opponents.
I prefer to think of government as a tool that, like any other tool, can be used for good or for ill. Right now, the representative democracy we’re taught about in high school civics class still does exist, it’s just that corporate agendas find their way to the ears of our elected spokesfolk much more easily than the people’s business.
I could talk for hours about this, but The Corporation says it all much better than I have time for. Short version: the actions of the hand inside the glove may get some blood on the glove’s fabric, but attacking the glove doesn’t stop what the hand is doing. Corporate fist, government glove.
December 27th, 2005 at 2:19 pm
“Good Night and Good Luck” is very good, and is playing at the metro. It might give you some home, I dunno. Or it might make you even grumpier.
December 27th, 2005 at 2:20 pm
*hope
December 29th, 2005 at 8:21 pm
Re: your relationship–
I’m sorry to hear you’re having to make some difficult choices. I hope you can find a solution that is good for you both. Good luck.