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In the 1500's a man called Étienne de la Boétie wrote, in a then-inflammatory "Discourse on Voluntary Servitude": Obviously there is no need of fighting to ove
by swombat 16y ago
In the 1500's a man called Étienne de la Boétie wrote, in a then-inflammatory "Discourse on Voluntary Servitude":
Obviously there is no need of fighting to overcome this single tyrant, for he is automatically defeated if the country refuses consent to its own enslavement: it is not necessary to deprive him of anything, but simply to give him nothing; there is no need that the country make an effort to do anything for itself provided it does nothing against itself. It is therefore the inhabitants themselves who permit, or, rather, bring about, their own subjection, since by ceasing to submit they would put an end to their servitude. A people enslaves itself, cuts its own throat, when, having a choice between being vassals and being free men, it deserts its liberties and takes on the yoke, gives consent to its own misery, or, rather, apparently welcomes it.
(http://tmh.floonet.net/articles/laboetie.html http://tmh.floonet.net/articles/laboetie.html)
- dpatru 16y agoFantastic quote. Thanks!
- acabal 16y agoA nice quote, but we've already given the TSA a lot. Now it's a fight to get it back. Hopefully it's not too late.
- andreyf 16y agoThe TSA is obviously staffed by bureaucrats who are simply following bad rules. This should call for a restructuring of the organization, not a lash out against The TSA or (worse) The Government. Let's figure out what is wrong with the process, and how we can fix it. Enough being scared and pointing blame.
- olefoo 16y agoHow about disbanding it as a waste of tax money, and as an unnecessary institution ill-suited to being part of a society dedicated to the idea of individual liberties?
- brown9-2 16y agoIf the TSA is disbanded, then how do you suggest handling airport security? Who is in charge of it and who is responsible?
- jamesbritt 16y agoAirlines.
- nodata 16y agoAirlines are the key. I bet you that if someone setup website offering reasons not to fly, along with alternatives to flying - along with a catchy domain - and publicised the hell out of it in stories like these, the pressure from the airlines would become so great that the TSA would be gone (in its current form) within a month.
- lhnn 16y agoUS Marshals? Actual law enforcement, or some organization that has some standards for admittance?
- zcid 16y agoThere was plenty sufficient airport security 10 years ago. The airlines and airports were perfectly capable of handling it then just as they are now.
- gcv 16y agoFar be it from me to defend the TSA (its behavior and policies are outrageous), but your comment is simply wrong. Before September 11th, private companies handled airport security. After September 11th, airlines and airports were heavily criticized for relying on inadequately trained, low-paid employees for something as essential as security. Everyone in the world agreed that a federal agency must step in to do a better job, and the TSA is the result.
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- gwtw 16y agoThe other shoe to drop soon is the "the solution" to this crisis: electronic identity cards and discreet profiling. What was great about America, regardless of how you view her history, was that it was that one place in this world were people were not continually hassled by the government. Soon we'll need permission from the local police department to change apartments, no doubt. (Alarmist? Am I?)
- GrandMasterBirt 16y agoWe're not fighting back. The point of the quote is that power comes from the people. If the people don't give the tyrant anything then the tyrant is powerless. As long as the Tyrant knows that if he shoots at us, we shoot back, he can demand and demand and we give nothing and thus he becomes moot. Same with the TSA. We need a 100% national opt-out day. Not scanners. I mean same statement as the guy made. EVERYONE. The airlines will go nuts as most their passengers will be missing from the flights. Or something to that extent. Its not fighting back, its just refusal to give them power. And I bet we can ask for refunds. Nowhere on the ticket does it say that a delay in the airport due to constitutional rights violations warrants a no-refund. Just like with 9/11 now is the same issue and we must handle it as Americans, like we did threats before it. Never surrender even an ounce of freedom, they will take our freedom from our cold dead hands only. I have to quote Franklin on this one "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- teralaser 16y agoLA Times, 2010: "Shut up and be scanned". LA Times, 1942 "shut up and go to your internment camp" http://www.theagitator.com/2010/11/22/shut-up-and-be-scanned/ http://www.theagitator.com/2010/11/22/shut-up-and-be-scanned...