RE: The Fulcrum and the Lever

From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Sun Mar 02 2003 - 11:29:22 MST

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    Brett writes

    > Samantha Atkins wrote:
    >
    > > What really needs to be stopped is the very idea, any legitimacy
    > > granted at all to the idea that it is a reasonable function of
    > > government, to wield any such broad powers... Chain it and quickly.
    > > How? There's the rub.
    >
    > How do we be *effective* within democracies? Excellent question.
    >
    > We have just one vote each.

    Nah. Voting is for sissies. If all you do is vote, then
    you won't have any more power than any other citizen. As
    we are wiser than they, mere voting is practically immoral.

    > But far, far more importantly, we have in open societies
    > the right to free speech, including free speech about
    > government and free speech about policy.

    Yes, right on. But still, just freely expressing your opinion,
    writing articles in magazines, giving speeches, publishing
    books or news pamphlets, joining on-line discussion groups,
    posting a blog, meeting with friends, acquaintances, and
    "action" groups---this is still pretty wimpy if you really
    want to get something done.

    How can we in good conscious merely restrain ourselves to
    that, when people may die, and many developments unhealthy
    for children and other living things are occurring?

    > The right sort of knowledge can be power indeed when it is coupled
    > with passion and a willingness to effect policy through the prudent
    > exercise of the right to free speech.

    Prudent? Prudent?? That's the problem. People are being
    responsible and prudent.

    To have more effect, (1) take to the streets whenever possible
    to obtain the maximal media exposure (2) wage noisy and loud
    campaigns to inconvenience as many citizens as possible; this
    is what really gets your message out (4) use spam and telemarketing
    (4) finally, as opposed to (1) and (2) and (3), have the most
    impassioned, idealistic, and dedicated members of your organization
    break laws, commit mayhem, sabotage competing groups through
    disinformation and propaganda.

    It is the responsibility of those who have superior moral
    consciousness to raise the consciousness of everyone else.
    It is up to the vanguard. Now, lots of other people might
    think that *they* are right (or in the vanguard), but it's
    really us who are. Therefore, instead of meekly following
    the "prudent" and "responsible" course above, we must lead.

    Lee

    P.S. All of the foregoing is written in the tone of the
    greatest possible sarcasm. A republic descends to mobocracy
    the moment that a sufficient number of people begin to think
    like the above.



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