I'm all for change. I love change. I'll talk about change all you want. But "banning" this and "requiring" that isn't change -- it's more of the same-old-same-old, and it fluctuates as often as the whimsies of the society and of those in power.

Hitler was big change. Lots of change. Restructured the government, gave all legislative power to the executive, combined the executive and legislative heads, and "required" and "banned" lots of things. Not all change is good. Mandated change is most always not good.

Oh, and Bush and I are not eye-to-eye on the quote. The quote references the fact that no matter how you try, Americans will not quit buying big cars and being uber-consumers. Carter tried that, and people still hate him for making them "turn out the lights." IMO, however, the "American way of life" SHOULD change. Every year we eat more, waste more, spend more, use more, spoil more. I certainly would like to change that. I'd like to see our cars get smaller, not bigger -- though we've got a lot of gas-friendly SUVs these days. Heck, at one point in my life, I was accused of wanting to shun all society, move to the woods, and shoot anyone who came near.

But, I will NOT legislate the behavior of others unless I can help it. I want to encourage change, you want to mandate it. Plus, there is the ever-present flaw. If we mandate change, whose "ideal world" are we going to enforce?? Again, if you can answer that question, you do not deserve to answer that question.

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The only thing Id like to say baout this statement is that it is slightly askew....

Not because the founding fathers decreed it...but because of the logic, and principles of why they decreed it.

You mentioned with some aggravation about ammendments....if you were to study the reason ammendments were originally provided for in the constitution, they made sense. They also made it exceedingly dificult to make ammendments because they knew (in their wisdom) that foolish people and greedy dictatorial politicians would invariably try to ceede some of the rights that are so very important to a free society. Im sorry you don't like the constitution Yorick, but it is what we have and live by, and for now, it stands...for how long, depends on how long people want to preserve personal freedoms.


*****SIGH***** This is really a dead horse thread....someone please put it out of its misery?</font>

[ 05-27-2003, 01:16 PM: Message edited by: MagiK ]

All I can say to this post is......... "Effin' A" brother! [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img]

Let me post a new idea on this dead-horse thread.

Most constitutions have been modelled after the US Constitution. State and national constitutions the world over and throughout the US. I have 2 points:

1. I don't like rewriting constitutions because they invariably get longer. More words to argue over the meaning of. Make it complex enough, and he who has the best lawyer always wins. There will never again be the elegant beauty of the US Constituion contained within a document so brief.

2. As a historical wonder, it has great symbolic value that the US COnstitution is still in effect. Yes, many nations have rewritten constitutions in the last 40 years. However, the one that started it all remains. Intact. In effect. And, while it may be out-dated, it is hard to argue the country it governs is. As a piece of history and symbollic point forever, then, I think it behoves us all to have the same Constitution.

Well, the quickest way would be to shoot it... but I dont think Yorick would like that one! [img]graemlins/laugh2.gif[/img]

[ 05-27-2003, 01:25 PM: Message edited by: ElricMorlockin ]

Hope you don't mind, but I'm stealing these for future use. ;)

Hope you don't mind, but I'm stealing these for future use. ;) </font>[/QUOTE]Feel free TL! IMO, that is one of the greatest truths any generation will ever have.

Hope you don't mind, but I'm stealing these for future use. ;) </font>[/QUOTE]My point is they were once live people who wrote a "gospel" of sorts, which has forced countless others to live by it's decrees.

Why are their opinions and judgements held in greater esteem than people today? Humans are just as imperfect, political and greedy as they have ever been, but also just as idealistic, realistic, honest and freedom loving as they have ever been.

I wanted to re-emphasize this part of TL's post. Being occassionally observant, I think its fair to say that one of the greatest problems in the so called "modern day" relationship between men and women is directly reflected in his post. From what I have seen and heard, one of the biggest complaints in a relationship involves one partner or the other wanting to "rewrite" the other person in their relationship. Lose fifty pounds, where more/less makeup, change your hair color, change your eye color, your boobs are too big, your boobs are to small, you need more/less ear piercings etc...etc...etc... In essence change the way you are because I cannot control you unless you do. [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img]
Now *there* is a definite cross reference to the discussion at hand.

Adaptability is a hallmark of human survival.

Timber. Do you presume America will exist forever? I wonder what a Roman in 17AD would have said if asked the same question.

Making changes incredibly difficult now, only makes changes later more so.