Governments seem to do the opposite of what they say

Started by zarus tathra, February 15, 2014, 01:29:34 PM

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zarus tathra

Whenever a government says that it promotes a certain interest, it generally ends up doing the exact opposite.

The People's Republic of China has the most repressive, elitist government in the world.

America, Land of the Free, has more prisoners per capita than anyone.

"Civil rights" has spread racial tensions throughout the country.

People who rely on HUD have the worst housing in America.

I propose that we create a political movement dedicated to everything that we hate so that we might decrease their incidence wherever we are active.

Let's support increased pollution, increased suppression of technological change, increased suppression of the free flow of information, increased racial tension.

What else?
?"Belief is always most desired, most pressingly needed, when there is a lack of will." -Friedrich Nietzsche

Ideals are imperfect. Morals are self-serving.

Thumpalumpacus

<insert witty aphorism here>

AllPurposeAtheist

QuotePeople who rely on HUD have the worst housing in America.

Not true. Many HUD properties are in very nice areas and are clean and modern. Many are not, but saying it's the worse possible place to live in the US just because HUD funds them flat out bullshit.
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Hydra009

Quote from: "zarus tathra""Civil rights" has spread racial tensions throughout the country.
:-s  As opposed to the far more cordial racial relations during segregation and slavery?  :-k


Damarcus

Quote from: "zarus tathra"Whenever a government says that it promotes a certain interest, it generally ends up doing the exact opposite.

The People's Republic of China has the most repressive, elitist government in the world.

America, Land of the Free, has more prisoners per capita than anyone.

"Civil rights" has spread racial tensions throughout the country.

People who rely on HUD have the worst housing in America.

I propose that we create a political movement dedicated to everything that we hate so that we might decrease their incidence wherever we are active.

Let's support increased pollution, increased suppression of technological change, increased suppression of the free flow of information, increased racial tension.

What else?
they already have that in america, it's called the republican party. Politics is complicated business, if you want to change things, change how people think about issues. You'll do a lot more good teaching people rational thinking skills.
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SGOS

The government has an agenda of it's own.  It's not all about working for the people.  Much time is devoted to manipulating the masses.  I think it's much worse than people realize.

Jack89

Quote from: "Hydra009"
Quote from: "zarus tathra""Civil rights" has spread racial tensions throughout the country.
:-s  As opposed to the far more cordial racial relations during segregation and slavery?  :-k

[ Image ]
Do you really think that's what he meant?  I don't think it was considering the subject line.

zarus tathra

Also, the Nazi regime killed white people far more efficiently than any other government besides maybe the US.

I'm not saying that things were "better" before, but it's hard to make the case that things have improved because of civil rights legislation rather than in spite of it. People naturally become well-disposed to people they make contact with, especially if they expect the worst and don't get it; when you turn everything into a "revolution" then you create an atmosphere of fear, distrust, and greed.
?"Belief is always most desired, most pressingly needed, when there is a lack of will." -Friedrich Nietzsche

Ideals are imperfect. Morals are self-serving.

SGOS

I have one close black friend.  He's in his late sixties and thinks things are dramatically better.  He's told me about some of the hardships he endured in his youth, things that are hard for me to imagine.  It's nothing like it was according to him and from what I can remember.

Is it in because of the civil rights movement?  I would think so, but not totally.  It's more fundamentally about changing attitudes.  The civil rights movement was not something our government started out of compassion.  I doubt that politicians gave a shit about blacks any more than they do anyone else.  They only reacted because of overwhelming pressures from the masses.

Shiranu

Quote... but it's hard to make the case that things have improved because of civil rights legislation rather than in spite of it.

Yeah, I'm sure the fact that you can no longer legally bar a person from voting, working, shopping, drinking from your fountain, riding your bus or literally anything else where they may come in contact with something for "your race" because they are "the other race" has REALLY not done much to improve the standard of living of African Americans...

QuoteThe People's Republic of China has the most repressive, elitist government in the world.

Wrong, NK... Uzbekistan... possibly Mongolia, given they are the most corrupt nation in the world... and some African countries (probably a couple of Asian as well) have worse governments in terms of representation and treatment of their civilians.

QuotePeople who rely on HUD have the worst housing in America.

Wrong again, Bob.
"A little science distances you from God, but a lot of science brings you nearer to Him." - Louis Pasteur

Atheon

Quote from: "zarus tathra"The People's Republic of China has the most repressive, elitist government in the world.
No. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is considerably worse.
"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." - Seneca

AllPurposeAtheist

Undoubtedly one of the worse possible places to live, a HUD property. Just look at how shabby everything is! No maid service,  no butler, the stove isn't gleaming stainless steel nor is the fridge. Everything works, but probably only for another 20 years or so. It's my friend John's new crib.
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Jack89

Quote from: "Shiranu"
Quote... but it's hard to make the case that things have improved because of civil rights legislation rather than in spite of it.

Yeah, I'm sure the fact that you can no longer legally bar a person from voting, working, shopping, drinking from your fountain, riding your bus or literally anything else where they may come in contact with something for "your race" because they are "the other race" has REALLY not done much to improve the standard of living of African Americans...
I think I would credit the change in public sentiment to the civil rights movement, that forced legislation, rather than the legislation itself.  The irony is that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 got rid of Jim Crow laws, government legislation mind you, that made discrimination legal.  Those same Jim Crow Laws that were earlier upheld by the Supreme Court.

To credit government legislation for equal rights is kind of like putting a reformed wife beater on a pedestal.

AllPurposeAtheist

Government policy is part of the changes in civil rights and race relations, but to say it's the only reason is like saying earth is just a tree because there are trees on earth. The media plays a role, immigration plays a role, peoples proximity to each other plays a role and other nations play a role, but without government policy the changes would have been much, much slower in coming.
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Insult to Rocks

That line about America having the most prisoners is pretty ridiculous. How does that statistic, taken in or out of contex, disprove anything? It could just mean we have the highest population of psychotic ax murders in the world (though I'm pretty sure Columbia holds that record). You can't just list random statistics and hope that they prove your point for you.
"We must respect the other fellow\'s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart."
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