"Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "we want them broken. There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. When there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted--and you create a nation of law-breakers -- and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Reardon; that's the game and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with."
Although Dr. Ferris of the State Science Institute speaks these words to Hank Reardon in Ayn Rand's famous philosophical novel
Atlas Shrugged you'd think it was something that Ted Kennedy would say to Bill Gates.
"When there aren't enough criminals, one makes them." If one tries just a little bit one can think of the following actual examples of how we are made to be criminals: substance abuse laws, antiporn laws, taxation laws, licences, racial quotas, environmental laws, or what about the biggest doozie of them all the antitrust laws. I'm sure you could come up with more off the top of your head if you really tried. A popular one today are the imminent new immigration laws.
What's going on in Washington with their firebreathing rhetoric on how Mexicans are pouring in here to work you'd think that work will be outlawed next. I know Mexicans, Colombians, and other South Americans who are more hard-working than many born and bred Americans and yet we would brand them criminals as well as the business owners who hire them for the mere desire to earn a decent living working in America. This is nothing but another form of power grabbing by our corrupt politicians who seem to have forgotton that our nation IS a country of immigrants.
This is how politicians gain ever more and more power - by creating a nation of law-breaking people. Pretty soon you wake up one day and find it hard just to get through the day without breaking some law. Sounds like Nazi Germany doesn't it?
3 comments:
While I certainly agree with Rand's and your point, I think you have misapplied the principle here. People who cross the border illegally ARE criminals, as are employers who hire them. This country certainly has many, many BAD, subjective laws (you name a few doosies), but governments have the right to set citezenship requirements, and the US has very open arms. People who aren't even willing to sign the guestbook on the way in (as hard working as they may be) actually DESERVE to be treated as criminals.
Remember, Ayn Rand herself immigrated LEGALLY to this country. And not without a great deal of effort on her part I might add.
Anyway, my 2 cents. Keep up the great blog.
Sean
thanks for your comments. I agree that the Mexicans are breaking the law but these are non-objective laws aren't they? Why do we make it so hard for these people to come in to the USA? Politicians only have these laws on the books to appease the anti-immigrant crowd and therefore for vote-getting.
The fundamental question is: are we a nation whose basic principle is the right of all individuals to freedom or is that not our basic principle? If it is there should be no laws restricting entry to honest people looking for work. If it is not our basic principle then we need to say so out loud and not pretentd that we want immigration yet say we have these laws that you have to follow and which will make you a grandfather before you might be allowed to come into the USA.
The hypocracy drives me crazy!!!
Sarita
Remember when you point, there are 3 fingers pointing back at you....
People who drive faster than the speed limit ARE criminals. If you have taken a coin from the change slot of a vending machine or pay phone that you didn't put in, you are a thief. You just don't know who's money it is you stole, none the less you took something that didn't belong to you!
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