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Politics : Right Wing Extremist Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DMaA who wrote (14970)	8/22/2001 5:25:36 PM
From: PROLIFE	Respond to of 59480

I agree with you.

To: DMaA who wrote (14970)	8/22/2001 5:34:19 PM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 59480

From another thread, with edits (I thought you'd like it): We actually know what happens when the "Be True to Yourself" viewpoint becomes pervasive, and begins to seriously vie with the "Do Your Duty" viewpoint. We tried it in the post- War period, especially during what are called the 60s, although it started earlier with Dr. Spock, Hugh Hefner, the Beatniks, the popularization of Freud, and such other 50s phenomena. Since autonomy is the watchword, we are not supposed to impose discipline, beyond what is unavoidable, but instead we are to help children discover themselves and their values. We are not supposed to be judgmental, and therefore impose informal "social sanctions" on our acquaintances. People decide that their mission in life is to find themselves, and engage in various therapies, fads, and boondoggles, some merely fatuous, some quite dangerous, like "Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out", assuming you do not lose your wits in a bad trip or become a stone- cold junkie. The divorce rate accelerates, as does the rate of out- of- wedlock births. Drug use becomes pervasive, and increasing numbers succumb to serious abuse. Children increasingly grow up in emotionally insecure and financially deprived circumstances, and the rate of juvenile crime accelerates, with the startling emergence of "superpredators", an unusual number of youthful sociopaths. A new coarseness is introduced into public life, as sincerity is valued over courtesy, and self- expression becomes more valuable than having anything much to say. Cynicism about the motives and personalities of those who profess to live by duty or call upon others to fulfill theirs becomes pervasive, and spills over into cynicism about all culture- forming institutions: the government, the churches, the schools, the family. The sense of the rightness of democracy is damaged, and doctrines like "moral equivalence" lead to a relaxation of vigilance in dealing with the Soviet Union that encourages adventurism and threatens to rend NATO. The sense of having advanced as a society is damaged by constantly harping on historical iniquities like slavery or the Trail of Tears, so that Americans will feel like hypocrites and get off of everyone else's back. Then everyone can do their own thing! Fortunately, of course, the "Dutiful" fought back, and, in the 80s, elected Ronald Reagan and George Bush. But then came Clinton, who held the Bible and talked about those who play by the rules, but turned out to be an "Yourselfer" extraordinaire, with the moral compass of a Tinker Toy......

To: DMaA who wrote (14970)	8/22/2001 7:18:48 PM
From: CVJ	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 59480

All this anti-lottery moralizing sounds a lot like a left-wing I-know-what's-best-for-you. I buy lottery tickets (damn few) in place of alcohol or 15 pay-per-view premium channels on tv. It's recreation for me and for a lot of people, but not all for sure. If it were not for the lotteries, the people who have a gambling problem are likely to be risk takers who would find another way, possibly more harmful to themselves and society, to satisfy their need or desire to take a risk.

To: DMaA who wrote (14970)	8/22/2001 7:34:55 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Respond to of 59480

Agreed. I think you may have just launched the latest thread war.

To: DMaA who wrote (14970)	8/22/2001 7:54:39 PM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 59480

Lotteries are bad policy There's something to be said for letting people who want to line up to make voluntary tax payments do so. Karen

To: DMaA who wrote (14970)	8/22/2001 11:38:44 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 59480

Lotteries are bad policy and harmful to individuals and society in general. I think significantly harmful. I agree. But I also think people have the right to play them if they want to. Just as they have, or should have, the right to drink, smoke, day-trade, and engage in all sorts of other destructive activities.