54U3mvn - Cops.txt written by Pip Stuart Cops have authority. They have "freedom" (i.e more freedom than civilians). They get to do what they want. The simple truth is that they deal with people almost all day every day. Sure, they do paperwork to document their proficiency in oppression... but they have an immediately conquering position. They find illegal things all the time. Their business is locating && confiscating contraband. This means that anyone they suspect... anyone they don't like... any enemy or just anyone they want to harass or cause a world of hurt for... they can plant a mountain of genuine evidence on in the event that they didn't find any. Of course it's not hard to find evidence because there are so many laws about everything that people always break them by just living their lives (even without malicious intent or irresponsible action). I'm not suggesting that living free is wrong. I'm saying everyone should live equally free. Cops should not have more freedoms than normal people. Cops should not be able to make a criminal out of people living their lives. If they do anything at all, they should restrict themselves to stopping people who are directly violating others' freedom... not those enjoying it. They reach too far. They benefit themselves && all the authority && jurisdictions they herald from. They are paid to be buzz- killers. Their role is oppressors of freedom. Like I said to Colin tonight... I can't blame most of them directly. They come from a corrupt system. They were born into a system that they can't see or smell or taste. A prison for their mind... but unfortunately for others, a prison for everyone else subject to them. I see three categories of law enforcers (each of which makes some sense to be a member of). The United States may be the "most free" country... which is great. It also may not be. Either way, "most free" or "pretty damn free" etc. are != free. The land of opportunity. Cops are opportunistic like anyone else. It makes sense && is even respectable in context. The problem is a governmental system that mandates enforcement or restrictions, that provides authority to tell people how to live when that approach is fundamentally inappropriate to anyone who desires a truly free life. I resent the immediate representatives, the agents, of governments. So the three categories I imagine are: 0) Honorable. Some cops really want to protect && serve && they try hard to do so. They work around corruption inside the system. They avoid oppression. My cynical side says these are the rarest && best but hopefully this isn't actually the smallest group. 1) Opportunists. Most cops get paid remarkably well. They have enormous retirement plans && benefits. It is primarly a business decision for this group to be involved. They can deal with the job && it's worth the money. Very Capitalistic. Logical. 2) Power-mongers. They thrive on enforcement. They were born to menace. Give them laws... lots of them... the more, the bigger, the more severe the punishments... the better to wield against a prone public. These are the hideous beasts. The proud dominators. They revel in intimidation. They relish the damage they cause. Maybe they were always the bully growing up. Maybe they were bullied so bad that now it's their turn. Maybe they're just men who crave, above all else, power. The power to enslave... to inprison. The bastards. Cops are the enforcers of the self-appointed && self-propagating ruling class. Sure, citizens get to vote... but the gargantuan infrastructure of the system restricts significant alteration or reduction. It only ever grows. Can you imagine the proposal of a bill that says there's too many bills already && that many should just be deleted? Governments are parasites. They tax more && drain their host. They suck our blood. They increasingly deny us freedom of choice. They employ myriad enforcers with the tax money they mostly stole (since I assume most people wouldn't pay taxes given the choice). Their cops are their personal && proximate arm of power. They fear change. They fear anarchy. They fear information distribution but also have grown dependent on it. The internet is a wonderfully double-edged sword (which they deserve mild benevolent credit for but just the nature of technological growth suggests that a global network would have been inevitable regardless of government funding or authorization). We have ideas. We have thoughts that have no price tag. We think && dream && convey. So come shut us down. Close the windows. Hide. Things are fine && they're horrible. Stop oppressing freedom. Let people live. It's simple. If voluntary ingestion of oxygen or food or caffeine or alcohol or weed or coke or speed or crack... or even sleeping or fighting it off (irrespective of ingestable substances)... if each of these do things that people know about && they choose to do them anyway... if they alter their health or their state-of- mind... that is their life. That is their choice. It is mine. Exercise freedom of choice. Choose to live your life as you see fit && please also choose to resist others forcing you into what they think is right. It may be right for them but they need to keep it to themself. Cops generally suck. They should leave us alone.