Posted: 12/13/2010 3:04:32 PM EDT
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/dec/09/walter-williams-on-self-ownership-ar-703880/Walter Williams on self-ownershipImmorality in government lies at the heart of our nation's problems. Deficits, debt and runaway government are merely symptoms. What's moral and immoral conduct can be complicated, but needlessly so. My initial assumption is that we each own ourselves. I am my private property, and you are yours. If we accept the notion that people own themselves, then it's easy to discover what forms of conduct are moral and immoral. Immoral acts are those that violate self-ownership. Murder, rape, assault and slavery are immoral. So is theft, broadly defined as taking the rightful property of one person and giving it to another. If it is your belief that people do not belong to themselves, that they are in whole or in part the property of theU.S. Congress, then all of my observations are simply nonsense. Let's look at some congressional actions in light of self-ownership. Do farmers and businessmen have a right to congressional handouts? Does a person have a right to congressional handouts for housing, food and medical care? <SNIP> |
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I love WW.
I use that argument when I'm screwing with lib's. If you own yourself then...doesn't that mean that you own the fruits of your labor (Time) as well? They ALWAYS back up and say (After agreeing initially that they DO own themselves) "well, ...um....see...it's like this...." 
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Quoted: I love WW. I use that argument when I'm screwing with lib's. If you own yourself then...doesn't that mean that you own the fruits of your labor (Time) as well? They ALWAYS back up and say (After agreeing initially that they DO own themselves) "well, ...um....see...it's like this...." And after the "well, ...um....see...it's like this...." you generally get the Bush or Palin bashing. |
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Quoted:
According to Dave_A, we can't own ourselves. So Walter Williams is clearly wrong and the case is closed. He will go on about it being some Populist notion perpetrated by libertarians who dont want to take responsiblity for their actions. I cant say i disagree with Dave_A on everything. In fact i scroll down to his posts to see what he has to say, but he just baffles the crap out of me on some points and anything to do with libertarianism. |
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Quoted:
According to Dave_A, we can't own ourselves. So Walter Williams is clearly wrong and the case is closed. Yep. None of us are inherently equipped any rational decision making ability (free will) to control our own actions. That would mean that we're each meant to be individually in charge of ourselves (can I use that word "ourselves?" It implies self-ownership). So, the only possible outcome is that Mr. _A owns us. I guess people have to rationalize their control freak tendencies somehow. |