"If a person cannot walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm, then that person is living in a fear society, not a free society. We cannot rest until every person living in a "fear society" has finally won their freedom."

Condoleezza Rice, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outposts_of_tyranny [wikipedia.org]

Should the USA be on that list?

5/2/2007 4:56:28 PM

Depends on the town square in question...

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 4:59 PM. Reason : V My response was facetious.]

5/2/2007 4:57:16 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Speech_Zone

Quote :

"(also known as First Amendment Zones, Free speech cages, and Protest zones) are areas set aside in public places for political activists to exercise their right of free speech in the United States. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law... abridging... the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." The existence of free speech zones is based on U.S. court decisions stipulating that the government may regulate the time, place, and manner—but not content—of expression."

5/2/2007 4:58:17 PM

Why dont you go to downtown Raleigh or whatever city you're in and go downtown and express your views and then the painfully obvious answer of "No, the USA should not be on that list" will be clear to you

5/2/2007 4:59:48 PM

So long as that city isn't L.A.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=182_1178118068&p=1

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=90c_1178121179&p=1

5/2/2007 5:00:34 PM

every empire falls......i fear that it is time for the US

5/2/2007 5:06:37 PM

every empire falls......i fear pray that it is time for the US.

5/2/2007 5:08:17 PM

how bout just move to another country since its SOOOOOOOOOO BAAAAAAAAAAAAD here in the US



I know what real pain is

5/2/2007 5:09:21 PM

That black whore is so full of shit

I bet if I walked into the middle of almost any town in the US, and held a banner saying "Saddam was a good man", or "Let's negotiate with Bin Laden", or "God loves all humans, including Bin Laden", or anything similar, but not outright supportive of terrorism, the follwoing would happen:

1) I will probably be beaten up by some rednecks, and even common normally sensible people.
2) Someone will call the FBI/CIA, and they will probably come in cars with tinted windows, and ask me to come with them, if not outright abduct me forcefully in the middle of the street.
3) If and when I am released, me and all my relatives in 4 different countries would be put under draconian surveillance, with all out phone calls, emails, and even SMS intercepted and recorded.
4) I might even be locked up on trumped up charges of being a terrorist sympathizer or even a terrorist.

and probably a lot more.

Yeah I know that if I said something anti-Muslim in a Muslim country in public, I might be beaten to death by a mob, but that doésn't excuse the sheer absurdity of what Bush's black trophy said.

There is NO FUCKING country on the planet where at least one view expressed in public out loud would not lead to arrest and/or imprisonment and/or physical harm.

So, she should just STFU.

Hell, in a lot of European countries, if you deny the holocaust, you go to jail. No matter how crazy that opinion might be, aren't people entitled to have it if they so wish?

So when is the whore going to ATTACK EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND MAKE THEM FREE???

Fucking bitch.

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:12 PM. Reason : ]

5/2/2007 5:11:29 PM

OR we could try to fix it here.

5/2/2007 5:11:43 PM

The existence of free speech zones is based on U.S. court decisions stipulating that the government may regulate the time, place, and manner—but not content—of expression.

---------------------
So we are all on for that meeting behind the Burgaw, NC sheriff's office at 3am??!

TreeTwista, bring your trees.

5/2/2007 5:11:44 PM

Quote :

"I bet if I walked into the middle of almost any town in the US, and held a banner saying "Saddam was a good man", or "Let's negotiate with Bin Laden", or "God loves all humans, including Bin Laden", or anything similar, but not outright supportive of terrorism, the follwoing would happen: 1) I will probably be beaten up by some rednecks, and even common normally sensible people. 2) Someone will call the FBI/CIA, and they will probably come in cars with tinted windows, and ask me to come with them, if not outright abduct me forcefully in the middle of the street. 3) If and when I am released, me and all my relatives in 4 different countries would be put under draconian surveillance, with all out phone calls, emails, and even SMS intercepted and recorded. 4) I might even be locked up on trumped up charges of being a terrorist sympathizer or even a terrorist. "

your blind and ignorant hatred of the US sickens me

5/2/2007 5:14:29 PM

Quote :

"your blind and ignorant hatred of the US sickens me"

5/2/2007 5:15:56 PM

^^your ignorance never ceases to amaze me. Maybe you need to lay off the pipe for a while.

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:16 PM. Reason : ^^]

5/2/2007 5:16:11 PM

i like to comment about peoples' screennames when i have absolutely nothing else to say

5/2/2007 5:16:44 PM

see: treetwista's profile....i wonder how i draw conclusions.

5/2/2007 5:17:16 PM

I am not sure why Tree thinks he is being patriotic by standing behind the police state we are becoming - so I'm going to have to go with: he is being sarcastic or ignorant.

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:19 PM. Reason : not dumb, just ignorant]

5/2/2007 5:17:27 PM

WE'VE GOT IT SO BAD IN THE USA

5/2/2007 5:18:07 PM

just dumb...just another of the idiot America

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:18 PM. Reason : plz stop with the southpark pics....nobody cares]

5/2/2007 5:18:14 PM

dont like the country? gtfo!

5/2/2007 5:18:31 PM

PLEASE START MAKING SENSE OR BRINGING DECENT REPLIES OR STOP POSTING IN THIS THREAD, TROLL

5/2/2007 5:19:11 PM

^^ Do you take issue with his concern about the way we're handling things as a nation, or just the inflammatory tone?

5/2/2007 5:20:26 PM

so let me get this straight...a few people, like Deshman, OEP, randomguy...think we are headed for some police state and that we have no freedoms, etc...why dont you go downtown and express your opinions vocally and see what kind of response you'd get...i mean shit there have basically been people who have held up similar signs to the ones OEP mentioned during anti-war rallies and the only consequences they've suffered is a little verbal shit talking, which is simply free speech on the other side...but you guys make it seem like people would be arrested and beaten down and who knows what else

hence the need for the southpark picture...a bunch of people who THINK they have it bad, but really dont know much of shit...if you hate the US, move away...its a free country, that means you're also free to leave...then go live in any other country, and share all your ideas there and see what happens

5/2/2007 5:23:07 PM

he just likes to bitch....just sit and bitch.

5/2/2007 5:23:35 PM

who's bitching? yall are constantly bitching about how bad this country is...bitch bitch bitch...the USA sucks bitch bitch bitch...i hate the US bitch bitch bitch

well then stfu and do something about it, i'm sick of all your bitching

5/2/2007 5:24:22 PM

find another single thread about my bitching and I will stop posting in this thread...you won't and can't.

what about this:

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/07/05/02/1839251.shtml

where's the freedom of speech here?

5/2/2007 5:29:26 PM

1) No one said they didn't like this country.

2) The topic is whether or not our country has become tyrannous, and regardless of my political affiliation, I can see that it is in fact becoming a nation where freedom is not truly freedom, more and more by the moment... I agree this is probably happening all over the world.

3) It is not a matter of one person going and voicing an opinion, but a great number of people voicing that opinion, that will draw the police in full force.

4) I suspect if TreeTwista's name or profile are any indication, the police would break down his door if they knew where he lived, and then he can see how great he *does have it. Post your address - I dare you.

*sarcasm noted

5/2/2007 5:30:25 PM

treetwista, stop putting words in my mouth.

i never said the US is a police state. heck, i even acknowledged indirectly that it is freer than most countries, and definitely more so than any muslim country ever.

BUT, if i, a person with brown skin, DID hold up signs like that, everybody knows something bad would happen, whether with the public, or with law enforcement. and by bad, i am not talking about shit-talking, but some physical harm and/or arbitrary detention.

if you deny that, you truly haven't been following the news for the half a decade plus.

where did i say i hated the US? pointing something worng/negative out about a person/place doesn't mean you hate that person/place. if anything, it means that you want them to improve, to become even better than they (person/place) are.

there is lots of freedom in american, but it isn't some utopia that Rice is making it sound like. there is no country like that as what she described. asi said earlier:

Quote :

"There is NO FUCKING country on the planet where at least one view expressed in public out loud would not lead to arrest and/or imprisonment and/or physical harm."

her criterion/standard is just too high. there is no country like that, never has been, and never will be.

5/2/2007 5:31:50 PM

he'll hide in his house, smoking his herb and hate on the rest of us.

5/2/2007 5:31:53 PM

lol I think instead of putting down the pipe, he needs to call his connection and get hooked up QUICK!

5/2/2007 5:31:57 PM

Quote :

"the police would break down his door if they knew where he lived,"

wow talk about paranoid

tell salisburboy i said whats up at the tinfoil hat convention

5/2/2007 5:32:04 PM

you, sir, are an idiot

5/2/2007 5:32:57 PM

no address.

5/2/2007 5:33:36 PM

its obvious that you guys think you've got it bad, when in reality you dont

i just wish you wouldnt bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch all the time about how bad you think you have it...it gets really annoying

go live in a 3rd world country and see how you like it

or just sit in your air conditioned houses without a care in the world, while posting on the internet how you have so many cares and worries

and yeah i have air conditioning too...but im not the one bitching about how horrible the USA is

OUTPOST OF TYRANNY...GLOOM AND DOOM...POLICE STATE...BUSH

stfu

5/2/2007 5:34:37 PM

we dont think that we "got it bad"....

we are stating that we think that the country is in a downward spiral. I never said that I have it bad....you just like to put words in people's mouths because you have nothing valid coming out of yours.

5/2/2007 5:38:30 PM

Has anyone said it is bad here? I think the distinction should be made between what you think you are reading, and what is actually on your screen.

Tree: Everyone except you has posted some feelings/insight about a state of affairs, and barring the interruptions of your ignorance, may be able to discuss possible solutions. Other than your suggestion of running from the problem, do you have something of value to add? Or are you just trying to give potheads a bad name? You sound like a parrot, Mr. Numb-from-the-baggie. What are you running from?

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:41 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2007 5:39:59 PM

the police state?

5/2/2007 5:40:36 PM

Quote :

"we are stating that we think that the country is in a downward spiral"

well i'm stating that you're drinking the alarmist kool-aid and you dont know what youre talking about

Quote :

"Other than your suggestion of running from the problem"

what problem?

OEPI11 how can you even try to say you dont hate the USA? I mean wtf you hate the US with a passion

[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:41 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2007 5:40:41 PM

that's an easy comeback...please...before you talk to someone, that is obviously more intelligent that yourself, put some thought in to your replies.

5/2/2007 5:41:29 PM

^

5/2/2007 5:41:56 PM

Quote :

"you just like to put words in people's mouths because you have nothing valid coming out of yours."

Quote :

"Has anyone said it is bad here? I think the distinction should be made between what you think you are reading, and what is actually on your screen."

Quote :

"Tree: Everyone except you has posted some feelings/insight about a state of affairs"

5/2/2007 5:42:38 PM

i know his answers to all of those

1. bitch bitch bitch
2. live in another country
3. hide in your houses

5/2/2007 5:43:31 PM

Quote :

"where did i say i hated the US?"

gimme a fuckin break jorge...you literally spew hatred about the us/govt any chance you get...why are you even ATTEMPTING to act like you dont?

^meh...i shoulve just posted that southpark picture and left the thread...cause thats concise and to the point

5/2/2007 5:44:01 PM

Quote :

"OEPI11 how can you even try to say you dont hate the USA? I mean wtf you hate the US with a passion"

are you like my psychotherapist or something? i think i would know what i hate and i what i don't hate, right?


^ GG DUDE. instead of addressing my valid analysis and points, just go on attacking me. maybe someone lied to you, but ain't gonna get no cookies for the way you are handling yourself in this thread.


[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:46 PM. Reason : ]

5/2/2007 5:44:45 PM

then why are you lying about your hatred of the US?

i mean your first line of your first post called Rice a "black whore"

that was a term of endearment, right?

let alone your stereotypes about "probably be beaten up by some rednecks"

but hey, at least you moved away from the country you hate, thats something proactive

5/2/2007 5:46:13 PM

Quote :

"then why are you lying about your hatred of the US? i mean your line of your first post called Rice a "black whore""

RICE = US???

OMGWTF YOU FUCKING IMBECILE

WHY DO YOU HATE IRAQ???

I MEAN, ACCORDING TO YOUR LOGIC, SINCE YOU HATE SADDAM, YOU HATE IRAQ TOO.

5/2/2007 5:48:00 PM

but hating saddam would be like hating bush in a sense (presidents)

plenty of people hate bush and dont hate the US

but then you notch it up to "probably be beaten up by some rednecks"

doesnt sound like you're simply attacking the govt there buddy

that would be like me saying "i'd probably get beheaded by some towelheads"

which would seem like i hated iraq

just like you hate the US

i just dont know why you're trying to hide it...oh wait, probably because of your fear of the police state!!

5/2/2007 5:49:34 PM

so you have never used the phrase "those fucking terrorists" or "why are those islamic extremists blowing people up?", etc?

same way, i used my redneck phrase to describe intolerant/ignorant/xenophobic people in the US.

STFU.

anyway, i gotta go sleep dude.

good night.


[Edited on May 2, 2007 at 5:53 PM. Reason : ]

5/2/2007 5:51:08 PM

Thanks for your feedback and I welcome you to leave the thread.

Ignorance is bliss and it's time for me to go home and rip a tube and forget about any injustices of the world.

5/2/2007 5:56:24 PM

this thread has been hijacked

5/2/2007 5:57:22 PM