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September 21, 2006

What's Yours Is Mine And Other Truths Hugo And Mahmoud Don't Want You To Think About

In nations and regimes where the state first claimed property at will, it was only a matter of time before the state determined what freedoms were applicable and to whom. Shortly thereafter, the state claims the right to take your life at will, for any reason they see fit.

[... ] One of the big differences between free and not so free worlds, is the sanctity of property rights. Hugo Chavez, Mahmoud Ahmandinejad and virtually every other member nation of the Non Aligned Nations (NAM) would do just about anything not to have property rights discussed. Why? Because in discussing property rights, the true nature of the kind of regimes Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Ahmandinejad represent becomes crystal clear.

... One of the ways our adversaries maintain their grip on their citizens is to deny them absolute property rights and the absolute ownership over anything. What you own, or what you think you own, is in reality a mirage. In fact, in every tyrannical or oppressive regimes, owning property of any kind is allowed only by the grace of the leader. Deny the the leader or the leader's regime, and you may end up with what you thought was yours, taken away. The threat of having what is yours taken away, is an ever present and powerful threat to human dignity. The implied threat of living under a form of government that canseize your property at anytime, is a kind of terror visited upon a cowed citizenry, by a kind of evil.

In fact, that kind of terror is a threat to human dignity and a threat to plurality- the idea that people can have different ideas and beliefs and still be secure in their personal and property rights and live in safety, free from fear ofretribution . That kind of freedom is only found in free and democratic nations. American and western democracies defend individual and property rights and always allow for disparate views. Irrespective of our beliefs, we remain free from the threat that of being stripped of our rights and property, simply because our views weren't in line with the powers that be. In other words, we live in a tolerant and inclusive society, very unlike the societies of our adversaries. The citizens of those regimes are under the boot of tyranny, in one way or another.

The mindset of the leadership in Iran or Venezuela, for example, have constructed exclusivist societies that demand loyalty and tolerate no dissent or difference of opinion. In the case of Iran and much of the Arab world, decades of indoctrination and the tidal wave of hate taught in school and preached from the pulpit, have resulted in themarginalization and slow decay of those societies.

In the case of these repressive societies, democracy is a threat because in a democracy, there is no real 'us versus them' mentality. Citizens in a democracy understand that they can agree to disagree and not worry about our personal or property rights being violated or abrogated. No matter how contentious, oursociety is inclusive. We respect each other's rights and we respect the freedom to dissent.

One does not need to believe in God to understand that tolerance is the lifeblood of civilized societies. If that were not so, none of us would be here. In order toaccommodate efficient trade between nations, we accept and tolerate differences. In fact, trade, respect of property rights and the free exchange of ideas have done more to expand understanding and acceptance than any other kind of exchange.

We have also learned the hard way that when tolerance and property rights were not respected, we all suffer. Centuries of war, empires, persecution, death and destruction have reinforced that truth.

Related: The Spectrum Of Stupidity - How has it come to pass that the stupid and the willfully blind are once again so unwilling to confront the true malignancy that threatens world peace; even as they forcefully denounce anyone who exposes their delusions?

Posted by Richard at September 21, 2006 9:27 PM