Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cepu.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!akgua!sdcsvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!bmcg!cepu!scw From: scw@cepu.UUCP Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Re: gunpoint Message-ID: <345@cepu.UUCP> Date: Thu, 27-Sep-84 11:06:03 EDT Article-I.D.: cepu.345 Posted: Thu Sep 27 11:06:03 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 29-Sep-84 09:34:33 EDT References: <542@gloria.UUCP> <29200147@uiucdcs.UUCP> Reply-To: scw@cepu.UUCP (Stephen C. Woods) Organization: VA Wadsworth Med. Center; LA CA Lines: 39 In article <29200147@uiucdcs.UUCP> renner@uiucdcs.UUCP writes: >> >> Perhaps we who are libertarians are just a little more >> >> concerned at how tacky it is to point guns at people and force >> >> them to go along with us (however well-intentioned the cause). >> >> "Tacky" is hardly the word! And those of us who are not libertarians >> accept that in any society the people with guns and followers will >> force us to go along with them. When central goverment relinquishes >> or loses this power, gangs assume it. >> -- Col. G. L. Sicherman > >Any group with guns and followers that chooses to force others to "go along" >with them *is* a government. This is the distinguishing characteristic of >governments. When "central government" is replaced by "gangs," all we >really have is a change of government -- most probably, a change for the >worse. > >But it wouldn't have to be that way. There is no reason why I couldn't >gather guns and followers in group self-defense. Others could come to >trade, or join if they accepted the rules of the group. Those who came >to steal or subdue would be fought. All without the protection of >"central government." > >Scott Renner >ihnp4!uiucdcs!renner This is called Feudalism, but Feudalism is much more difficult to practice when you can't build semi-invulnerable castles (that only require a few people to defend). Of course, as the Man said, "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.". '...For might makes right until the've seen the light...' -- Stephen C. Woods (VA Wadsworth Med Ctr./UCLA Dept. of Neurology) uucp: { {ihnp4, uiucdcs}!bradley, hao, trwrb, sdcrdcf}!cepu!scw ARPA: cepu!scw@ucla-cs location: N 34 3' 9.1" W 118 27' 4.3"