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> You can do that under the flag of free speech? Not legally, but the Declaration of Independence states that it's the right thing to do sometimes. Disclaimer

> You can do that under the flag of free speech? Not legally, but the Declaration of Independence states that it's the right thing to do sometimes. Disclaimer: I'm not informed or invested enough to have an opinion in this case, at least not yet.

nemo44x 9y ago
What's really great about the Declaration of Independence is that that it lays down the rights of people and then spells out in a bulleted list more or less exactaly why those rights are being violated and therefore why the rebellion is justified. However, my favorite part of that document is this: "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." I love it because it says to use caution and that rebelling for small things and things that will pass soon is not a just reason to rebel. And that a long standing government which is stable should be respected. But it then switches gears and says people are more inclined to not do anything about it and that revolution is in fact a very scary thing - that suffering a bit is probably better in most peoples eyes. And then the last part - when it has gone too far and the people have been abused so much that their claim to life, liberty and happiness has been taken from them under the thumb of a despot, then they must act in violent manner. Saying that, today in the USA we are quite far away from crossing the "light and transient" part so a conspiracy to overthrow the USA government would not be justified. You could make the argument Venezuela is in a transient phase as well since this is a monetary crisis created by very bad policy. However, their leader is making some pretty dubious claims to power currently, using a crisis to consolidate his parties rule on the people.

nemo44x 9y ago

What's really great about the Declaration of Independence is that that it lays down the rights of people and then spells out in a bulleted list more or less exactaly why those rights are being violated and therefore why the rebellion is justified. However, my favorite part of that document is this: "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." I love it because it says to use caution and that rebelling for small things and things that will pass soon is not a just reason to rebel. And that a long standing government which is stable should be respected. But it then switches gears and says people are more inclined to not do anything about it and that revolution is in fact a very scary thing - that suffering a bit is probably better in most peoples eyes. And then the last part - when it has gone too far and the people have been abused so much that their claim to life, liberty and happiness has been taken from them under the thumb of a despot, then they must act in violent manner. Saying that, today in the USA we are quite far away from crossing the "light and transient" part so a conspiracy to overthrow the USA government would not be justified. You could make the argument Venezuela is in a transient phase as well since this is a monetary crisis created by very bad policy. However, their leader is making some pretty dubious claims to power currently, using a crisis to consolidate his parties rule on the people.