🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Aug15.174436.5181@news.unomaha.edu>, 
trajan@cwis.unomaha.edu (Stephen McIntyre) said:

> While it is true that inhumane laws have and still exist throughout
> the world, even being passed through by dictatorships and
> democracies alike, the majority of Western democracies have done
> away with such laws.  You [Gary Strand] mentioned, for example, the
> U.S. and its treatment of slaves (sorry I erased it).  What you
> failed to say was why the slaves were treated the way they were:
> human ignorance (this, BTW, is no excuse for the nation's behavior.)
> You also neglected the fact that 1) the U.S.  did away with slavery
> (human enlightenment) and that 2) legalized slavery will never be a
> part of this nation again (The Constitution has this covered.)

Tell that to anyone who's ever been conscripted into military service.
Or, for that matter, anyone who's been sucked into jury duty against
their wishes.  Or to the high school students in Maryland who soon
will be required to perform 75 hours of "voluntary" community service
as a prerequisite for getting their diploma...

The important point, though, is this: although Western civilizations
have, mostly, progressed to the point where governments no longer
advocate or condone slavery or genocide, there are still a _lot_ of
laws out there in the United States and elsewhere which are repugnant
to the concept of human independence, rights and dignity, and yet
which appear to have the support of the majority of the populace.

How will your World Government deal with the fact that a lot of
people, perhaps a majority, just plain don't want homosexual or
bisexual behavior to be legalized or condoned by the government?  Or
don't want to see the expression of disturbing ideas or beliefs
protected by the state?  Or don't want people to be free to do what
they want with their own lives and bodies?  Et cetera, et cetera...

> Our government is controlled by using a system of checks and
> balances, making the each of the three branches of our federal
> system watch and counter- balance one another (how else could we
> stop the government from taking away our rights?).  This same form
> of checks and balances could also be applied when creating a world
> government; see earlier postings of mine on this subject.

You think the United States model prevents the government from taking
away our rights?  When was the last time you tried to grow marijuana
in your front yard?  Or negotiate and consummate a sex-for-money deal
with a consenting adult?  Checks and balances don't mean diddley-squat
when a government's evil actions have popular support.

-- William December Starr <wdstarr@athena.mit.edu>