Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site oliven.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!tektronix!hplabs!oliveb!oliven!danw From: danw@oliven.UUCP (danw) Newsgroups: net.politics.theory Subject: ring.of.power Message-ID: <815@oliven.UUCP> Date: Sun, 3-Mar-85 19:55:44 EST Article-I.D.: oliven.815 Posted: Sun Mar 3 19:55:44 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 8-Mar-85 03:49:12 EST Organization: National Cobalt Testing Range Lines: 46 [] Many many years ago in a place called middle earth there existed a ring of evil power. Whoever possessed this ring had great power over the lives of others. Unfortunately, the wearer of the ring invariably turned to evil. ( There was a long and unbroken history of this happening) . There was a group of good guys who realized that the ring, as long as it existed , would continue to cause unhappiness. The good guys banded together with a common goal: to destroy the ring by casting it into a sacred fire. The good guys were opposed by a group who banded together with a common philosophy: they felt that the past failures were the result of evil men. By proper application of their philosophy, they felt they could select from among their members, individuals who were so good that they could wear the ring of absolute power. THEY would do only good to their fellows, and never-ever abuse the absolute power. The good guys said they were only interested in power, and all the rest was only words. A great battle resulted with no clear winner. ------- Many years passed. The good guys now call themselves Libertarians, and they claim the ring of evil power is really coercive central government. They claim the sacred fire is the enlightened self-interest of the democratic majority. They claim that centralized government has always and will always cause great harm, if given enough time and power. ------- The good guys are opposed by a group who call themselves socialists. They claim that all of the above is just a fairy tail. All we have to do is give the socialists the right to take property and liberty from us at will ( they will pick who and when ) and the result will be more good for the majority of us. One wonders who is REALLY telling the fairy tail. danw