harrystottle's favorite democracy pages, page 1

Last login: 13 hours agoHarrystottle: Harry is a guy from Bristol, England, UK.; Likes 3,770 pages, 126 videos, 20 photos • 95 fans • Received 13 reviews; Member since Oct 03, 2005

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http://www.givemeliberty.org/rtplawsuit/courtfilings/quebec1774.pdf: Aug 19, 3:04pm 1 review anarchism, quotations, democracy, liberty
http://www.givemeliberty.org/rtplawsuit/courtfilings/quebec1774.pdf; Genuine historical documents. In this case the words of the founders of the US Constitution presenting a resolution to the inhabitants of Quebec (presumably seeking to encourage them to join the struggle against the Crown) in October 1774. It reveals the true thinking behind the major Rights enshrined in the constitution:

Just in case you can't face reading it yourself, here is the main meat. Italics are the original emphasis. Bold is mine. (and anything in Brackets is mine as well)

"In this form, the first grand right, is that of the people having a share in their own government by their representatives chosen by themselves, and, in consequence, of being ruled by laws, which they themselves approve, not by edicts of men over whom they have no controul (sic) This is a bulwark surrounding and defending their property, which by their honest cares and labours they have acquired, so that no portions of it can legally be taken from them, but with their own full and free consent, when they in their judgement deem it just and necessary to give them for public service, (This is the principle of VOLUNTARY Taxation - the only form which libertarians and anarchists can endorse. Modern example? The UK National Lottery - whose takings are dedicated to the "good causes" and the sporting cultivation which has begun to pay dividends in Beijing).

The influence of this right extends still farther. If money is wanted by Rulers, who have in any manner oppressed the people, they may retain it, until their grievances are redressed; and thus peacably procure relief, without trusting to despised petitions(a particularly interesting phrase, given that I found this document while reading about the sacred right to petition - more on this later)

The last right we shall mention, regards the freedom of the press. The importance of this, besides the advancement of truth, science, morality, and arts in general, in its diffusion of liberal sentiments (this was clearly in the days when all parties understood liberty and liberal values and didn't regard "liberal" as some kind of insult; a truly psychotic modern response) on the administration of Government, its ready communication of thoughts between subjects, and its consequential promotion of union among them, whereby oppressive officers are shamed or intimidated, into more honourable and just modes of conducting affairs

Would someone care to remind the "free press" of the primary political purpose of their freedom?

JoePlummer.com - We Have the Advantage: Aug 19, 1:38pm 1 review anarchism, democracy
http://joeplummer.com/we_have_the_advantage.html; Joe's stuff always seems more motivational than my own version. Certainly shorter...

Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy: Aug 19, 3:00am 1 review law, democracy, jury-nullification
http://instapundit.com/lawrev/conradrv.htm; An in depth history of Jury Nullification...

Clay Conrad: A Guide to Surviving as a Juror: Aug 19, 2:57am 2 reviews democracy, war-on-drugs, police-state, jury-nullification
http://www.counterpunch.org/conrad02052003.html; and a Detailed discussion of the 2003 corrupt trial of Ed Rosenthal with its implications for Jury Nullification...

Jury Independence (Cato-at-liberty): Aug 19, 2:56am 1 review crime, democracy, jury-nullification
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2006/05/09/jury-independence/; More comforting threads in support of Jury Nullification...

Juror Becomes Fly in the Ointment (Cato-at-liberty): Aug 19, 2:34am 2 reviews law, democracy, juries
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2008/08/14/juror-becomes-fly-in-the-ointment/; a major attack on one of the few fundamentally democratic features of the Anglo-American legal system - the powers of Jury Nullification. If this ruling stands, then it makes our task far more difficult.

The American Police State by William L. Anderson: Aug 18, 9:20am 1 review crime, democracy, police-state
http://www.lewrockwell.com/anderson/anderson222.html; excellent review of the damage so far done in setting up the Police State of America. One of the most depressing conclusions I am being forced to is that the complete absence of an outraged public reaction to the widespread availability of reports (and the supporting evidence) for what is going on in the USA and, to a lesser extent here in the UK is a very powerful argument against Democracy.

As I've said elsewhere, "We the People" do not (as the poetic but philosophically illiterate American Declaration of Independence would have it) have any "god given rights" to power. Like all others who sieze power in society, we have to "earn" that right by taking control from those who currently hold it, whether or not they approve. There is no sign whatsoever that we're even edging towards what we might call a "Critical Mass" (in all senses) capable of even promoting such a democratic ambition - let alone achieving it.

Rude financial firms to pay, Ombudsman vows | The Register: Aug 14, 8:03am 1 review economics, democracy, free-trade
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/13/distress_compensation_financial_firms/; Excellent principle. Now we need to apply it to politicians and other "servants" of the State. The decisions need to be made by a Jury, not an "ombudsman" (although they could usefully act as a filter to weed out frivolous cases) and the range of penalties needs to be scaled up to millions and years in prison. Definitely a step in the right direction...

Drug WarRant: Aug 11, 4:53pm 1 review politics, fascism, democracy, police-state, authoritarianism
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/2007/02/17.html; This looks like paydirt: "Altemeyer says "because it shows that if authoritarian followers like the conclusion, the logic involved is pretty irrelevant."

Promises to explain both the control freaks and the sheeplike tendency of the masses to follow them. I'll be reading this one with interest...

The Raw Story | Video shows police punching teen 13 times in face, then tasering…: Aug 10, 5:25am 7 reviews bizarre, democracy, police-state, trusted-surveillance
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Video_shows_police_punching_teen_13_0809.html; what ought to happen (but, of course, wont), in cases like this, is a good old fashioned lynching party, whereby a couple of hundred of the outraged friends and neighbours of the victim/s surround the local police station and rip it apart, or drag the offending bullies out on to the street and rip them apart - or at least subject them to the same kind of degrading violence that they are so keen to mete out themselves.

Let that happen a few dozen times and we might see the police across the nation start to take a more measured approach. Or we'll escalate into the Civil War which is looking increasingly likely and even necessary in the US of A. They clearly need a new Tom Payne to reset their political horizons...