2004: Year of the Slave

[kalian]

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/yearoftheslave.html

You are a slave.



I know that’s not what you want to hear as you hoist your New Year’s champagne, but it is the unpleasant truth that we all face going into 2004.



Movies and public school like to portray slaves as bound by chains and beaten with whips, creating a polarized image of slavery that can be pointed to with the comment, “You are not like that, therefore you are not a slave.” But history shows that slaves have been treated in all manner of ways, some more cruel than others, yet even with the most kind treatment, a slave remains a slave.



Setting aside the stereotyped image of a slave as a bleeding chain-bound wretch, slaves throughout history are often hard to recognize. In some cases, such as the Medieval Serfs, they were held slaves to the rulers by religious belief, and did not see themselves as slaves even though they were treated as such. The favored slaves of Asian potentates wore jewels to make a movie star gasp, yet were still slaves for all their finery and comfort.



So, what is a slave? How do we define a slave? What test do we use to tell if someone is a slave. What makes them different from free people?



Free people can say “no”. Free people can refuse demands for their money, time, and children. Slaves cannot. There is no freedom without the freedom to say “no”. If someone demands that you do something and you can say “no” and refuse to do it, then you are a free human being. If you can be forced to do something or surrender something that you do not wish to, then you are a slave. No other test need be applied.



When you are forced to surrender half your life’s work to the government in ever-increasing taxes, then you are a slave. Throughout history, slaves were expected to perform the work needed for their own upkeep, then perform additional work for the rulers. For Roman slaves, the ratio of work-for-self versus work-for-rulers was about 50-50. The same ratio applied to Medieval Serfs, and even to the slaves of the American south. And, when you add up all the overt taxes, covert fees, tariffs, excises, plus the increased price you pay for products to pay the taxes of the companies that make those products, you will find that Americans are at that same “half-for-self” versus “half-for-rulers” ratio! Can you say “no” to the confiscation of half of your life? Can you even get the masters to maybe reduce the burden by a significant amount? No? Congratulations. You are a slave.

[lcordero]

1. My favorite comment in wrh was this one:

These last few years, people in Britain (and the US) have been taught a painful lesson that no matter how hard they work, corrupt government can taike it all away at a moment's notice. People are looking at forclosed homes, repossesed property, empty 401(K)s, and realize that they might as well not have worked so hard after all. Men and women who overworked themselves into ill-health now see their lives as materially little better than those who took life easy. The lesson learned (and don't for a moment imagine that the kids aren't seeing this) is that hard work doesn't improve your life, in the face of a government that is driving the economy into ruin with over-borrowing and over-taxation.

People have always wondered about the "slacker generation". The truth is that the "slackers" always saw through the lies and never cared to chase a carrot that never will belong to them.

[kalian]

2. Wise observation there....

and I agree. :toast: