Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!floyd!vax135!ariel!hou5f!orion!houca!hogpc!houxm!hocda!spanky!burl!duke!unc!tim From: tim@unc.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Reagan"s Press Conference Message-ID: <5496@unc.UUCP> Date: Mon, 4-Jul-83 15:08:06 EDT Article-I.D.: unc.5496 Posted: Mon Jul 4 15:08:06 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 7-Jul-83 02:53:53 EDT References: hou5e.625 Lines: 100 I could never vote for anyone who has repeatedly shown a lack of commitment to the principle of freedom, as Reagan has. Freedom to him is just what makes us better than the Commies, not a thing that needs to be practiced in real life. Let us not forget that this man was an eager participant in the hysterical excesses of McCarthyism in the early fifties. He deliberately caused the black listing of many alleged "Communist dupes and fellow travellers" in the entertainment industry. "Evidence? Hell, what are yuh, a Commie? We don't go fer that nonsense round here." What's more, he's still using the same overly-simplistic Commie-baiting lines today! The only thing that's changed is that he doesn't have HUAC, but I hear they're reviving that one -- just rumors, though. Then of course there was his opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. A charming thing, that. I have little doubt that this man is either a racist, or not inclined to disfavor racism. Look at his attitude towards Welfare. Why is it that blacks are so strongly against Reagan? Because in his scheme, what happens to them is really not that important. And if you doubt still, look at the Bob Jones University atrocity -- advocating tax-exempt status for practicing racists. It'll probably help with the laundry bills there. Those damn countoured sheets are hard to move around in, though.... There was that amusing moment when he was being briefed by Jimmy Carter on the critical issues facing his new presidency. Reagan took little interest except to admire the political climate in Korea that allowed the President to respond to university striking by shutting down the universities and drafting the protestors. Shades of Berkeley! (By the way, whatever else you might say about Carter, I don't think you would call him a liar.) I particularly like the way that he declared this National Bible Year. Great! Now when is the year for MY scriptures, guy? "Freedom of religion" carries an implicit modifier of "provided it's Christian (or Jewish) and not too strange" when charming folks like Reagan come into town. Or were you unaware that that the New Right is into making the Bible an explicit and binding guidebook for legislators and justices in this country? Since when is it the government's business to honor an establishment of religion? Before answering that, you might want to re-read the First Amendment. And lest we forget -- the Squeal Laws. Yes, you too can cause great and needless human suffering for no reason, and in the privacy of your own government! It was particularly warming to see Reagan justify this by saying that NON-notification was an untoward meddling in family affairs. Say what, friend? And if I don't give nuclear secrets to the Russians, that is untoward meddling in international affairs, right? How about if I don't give your briefing books to the Democrats -- is that untoward meddling in the campaign? For Reagan and friends, there is no place for rationality except to justify what they've already decided to do. The toll in teenage pregancies is an abstraction to them -- what is important is Fighting The Rising Wave Of Sexual Permissiveness, using ignorance and fear because that's all the little sluts understand. I find this genuinely appalling. I could go on for a while, but if these didn't convince you nothing will. This is a very frightening time for me. I treasure my freedoms above all else, and I see them eaten away slowly with each passing month. These new random "drunk driver" tests that lead to less than a 1% conviction rate are very worrisome. Since when do the police have the right to stop cars and subject drivers to tests without probable cause? Since the New Right came into power. When will it stop? Will it? The fact that this is America and we have this really neat Constitution doesn't mean that "It can't happen here". Americans are human, and one human trait is the willingness of many people to trade their freedoms, or even better other people's freedoms, for conveniences without even thinking about the matter. It happens in other countries, and, yes, it happens here! "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance" -- this has become a war chant against the Russians in the hands of the right-wing elements of this country. The true meaning has been swamped, but listen -- the one who has to be vigilant is you. Eternally. You are not above flaw or suspicion any more than I am. When a new law is proposed, when the power of the police is extended, think deeply on the matter. Does the potential gain offset the risks of yet more freedom loss? Many small things sum to one large thing, you know. There seems to me a very good chance that this country will become much like Soviet Russia unless people start to speak out for their freedoms. This is not presented to scare you. It is my honest belief, and one of my greatest fears. Look around you with an eye to your freedoms. How do you think they were lost elsewhere? By degrees; by human frailty; by lack of vigilance. Don't let it happen here. Don't vote for Reagan in 1984 -- he has repeatedly and unashamedly acted to destroy freedoms in the name of convenience, and for the sake of archaic ideas about "proper" and "improper" behavior (which, regardless of their value, should never be forced on any person). Freedom is fragile, but infinitely more precious than any other thing. ________________________________________ The hard-working keyboard of Tim Maroney duke!unc!tim (USENET) tim.unc@udel-relay (ARPA) The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill