Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/01/31

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Subject: Re: [Leica] asked for ID? [OT musings on personal freedoms]
From: Jeff Moore <jbm@oven.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2000 00:26:10 -0500

2000-02-01-01:18:22 D Khong:
> I have found that when police officers have the power to do this and
> do it well, the society is generally safer to live in. It is a small
> price to sacrifice some degree of personal freedom for overall peace
> of mind.  Visitors from abroad tell me that I am fortunate to live in
> one of the safest places on planet earth.

Interesting mindset.  I think that many in the US (and I'd certainly
be among them) see even the slightest erosions of personal freedoms as 
dangerous ratcheting movements, never likely to be recovered from,
down a slippery slope toward a police state -- which, however benign
its face, is nonetheless anathema.

Which brings up the only real reason I have to despise Clinton: his
cheerful willingness, nay enthusiasm, for giving away the rights of
individuals (and thus the very stuff which makes the US what it should 
be) for "the good of the community".  Big Brother with a goofy grin is 
more, not less, dangerous than a scarier, sterner figure.

Anybody see that article by William Gibson about his visit to
Singapore, describing it as "Disneyland with the Death Penalty"?
Scared the crap out of me.  Seems like the vision Giuliani has for New 
York, too, which is why he *annoys* the crap out of me.

<glass-half-full-mode>
 Nice to be a few pounds lighter, I guess.
</glass-half-full-mode>