Are we the Land of the Free

Serious question.

I don’t think we are anymore.

Where I live you can’t fish or even have a fire without a permit. Want a puppy or cat, not without a permit, if not several.
Want to work as a teen, Better have a permit.
Want to hear news from differing viewpoints, nope.
Don’t like what someone does or says, cancel them.
Own a house, nope, you will always have to pay property tax.
Kid wants to have a Lemonade stand, nope.
Want to braid someone’s hair and they give you money for your time, nope.
Wan to sell muffins to your neighbors, NOPE, NOPE, NOPE………….
Want to work without sacrificing your own medical decisions, NOPE


Add a couple thousand other things, and how we consider ourselves free anymore is beyond me.
Someone said that they will make it so you don’t own anything, folks, I think we are already here.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Serious answer, No We are no longer the land of the free. We have never had freedoms in this country we have only ever had privileges that can be revoked anytime.

We have also never had ownership of anything in this country, if you think you own your house even after paying it off try not paying property taxes and see how much you own your home.

originally posted by: faloson
a reply to: JAGStorm

Serious answer, No We are no longer the land of the free. We have never had freedoms in this country we have only ever had privileges that can be revoked anytime.

We have also never had ownership of anything in this country, if you think you own your house even after paying it off try not paying property taxes and see how much you own your home.

Slow walk to the gallows. They have been turning up the heat slowly.

They have got us to the "You will own nothing" part. I don't think they are going to care about the "and you will be happy", part.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Maybe we are, relative to some other countries. Some freedoms are not good to exercise.

We are if you put up fight in order to be. We aren't if you say "we aren't."

About fishing permits and such, in the interim, there are a certain number of regulatory things I'm willing to put up with that have come about. I think that the working as a teen thing came about to protect teens from being overworked and not paid. Again it's not ideal, but I am willing to put up with it.

About the hair and lemonade that seems to be an either or thing, coronavirus notwithstanding. If we didn't have this coronavirus issue, someone somewhere may tip the balance of regulators because they have: too many clients, dead animals, you name it, it's hard to gauge. Again not ideal but I doubt if you had some practice on the down low that was just a few spry individuals with a spring in their step coming to get a cut it would matter. Same with just 2 kids and a back country lemonade stand.

As for the canceling I agree. It is stupid. I can't believe adults are falling for it. Remember when there was a somber tone around things of a measure that could get someone fired? Well for our sake it needs to return. Certain imagery of a stable nation and things progressing as usual became a symbol of derision. I don't really think it needs to be this way.

Also, different minds, different perspectives. I'm not sure where you are but I haven't seen much of an issue besides the BS. Cheers.

Freedom? Sure, pepsi or coke.

However there is still enough freedom for this to happen.

''Brass Against Apologizes After Lead Singer Pees on Fan’s Face Mid-Show''

frontier.yahoo.com...

For those who don’t think you have “ Freedom “ in the USA go to a third world country then lemme know

a reply to: JAGStorm

As long as we "elect" blatant communists, no we are not a free country. As long as we allow the government to dictate and require us to purchase something or be penalized for it, we are not free. As long as our government forces us to remain within our homes, we are not free.

a reply to: billxam

As long as we "elect" blatant communists

What if we've been electing hidden communists.
These things did not happen overnight. They happened with many different adminstrations.

a reply to: JAGStorm

No

Second Line

a reply to: JAGStorm

And yet

We never were free.

Only the rich are free because the little guy made them free. But even then, you could have all the money in the world but you'd have to give it back, just to keep the game going.

It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.

We had a genuine shot at freedom in the 60s and 70s but that generation dropped the ball.

George knew it.
youtu.be...

Bill knew it.
youtu.be...

a reply to: Enduro

Don't need to.

Look at the lives of Japanese Americans during WW2.

They're aren't rights if the government can take them away like that.

Absolutely free.

Freedom does not guarantee that you cannot fail. Anything can step in the way of your success. Your lemonade stand bypasses the overhead of a brick and mortar establishment, the health inspectors, license clerks, tax collection, etc.

Fishing licenses pay for conservation and regulation to ensure you don’t catch over the limit or undersized fish so I can catch some fish too.

And it goes on from there. For meeting common reasonable regulations. But where do freedoms end!

When protections are weaponized to prevent success. If I were to write and hand out pamphlets explaining how I feel the Insurrection wasn’t entering the Capitol on Jan 6 but the National Guard Occupation of DC for the next five months, that is fine. Unless I am prevented from getting the word out by “targeting by ability to buy paper or toner” for the self publishing of pamphlets.

Why in quotes? Because what if tax dollars were spent on a social media platform that denied access on an opposing political viewpoint? Is that different? That my tax dollars were spent in a way as to block my opinion?

What if I do a podcast that is deplatformed by iTunes or IHeartRadio? How about a live chat on Discord? Or Zoom? Would it make a difference if instead of podcasts they were live simulcasts? Does that make me “the Press” at that point! Why not pamphlets? Are Twitter and Facebook followers an audience?

Those are questions of freedom, especially when there is a very obvious lopsided application among political ideologies.

a reply to: Ahabstar

What does Free mean or Freedom?
Here are some definitions:

not under the control or in the power of another; able to act or be done as one wishes.

exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.

the power to determine action without restraint.

2. not or no longer confined or imprisoned

without cost or payment.

the power of self-determination attributed to the will; the quality of being independent of fate or necessity.

absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Socialism is like a mouse trap. The reason it works is because the mouse doesn't understand why the cheese is free.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Is anarchy freedom?
Protections to have equal opportunity isn’t the same as suppression to prevent participation.

If you have five bass over seven inches in length as a catch limit then I might have a chance for the same. If you can take forty or more bass every day of whatever size, what chance do I have fishing the same lake?

a reply to: Ahabstar

Is anarchy freedom?

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