Comments on: NAACP’s Honoring of Van Jones is an Insult to the Black Community http://www.plainpunditry.com/2010/02/25/naacps-honoring-of-van-jones-is-an-insult-to-the-black-community/ Commenting on Social & Political Issues Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:47:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andy http://www.plainpunditry.com/2010/02/25/naacps-honoring-of-van-jones-is-an-insult-to-the-black-community/comment-page-1/#comment-4146 Andy Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:39:06 +0000 http://www.plainpunditry.com/?p=1250#comment-4146 You know, one could argue that slavery could potentially be a good thing. The slave provides service to his master. His master in turn provides food, clothing, and housing to the slave (almost as if they were wages). The slave was unable to improve his situation (unless he ran away), but except in the case of mistreatment, the slave was guaranteed his basic needs. But we know the history of slavery in this country. It didn't work well. Why not? The masters abused their power and instead of treating their slaves fairly, they treated them harshly and in most cases, the slaves were powerless to fight back. In the same way, one could argue that socialism/communism is a good thing. The citizens work. The government provides their needs - food, shelter, etc. The problem is one of power. If we give government the power to feed us, clothe us, house us, etc., they own us. In theory, this can work if somehow you had a government that was omnipotent, benevolent, and fair. But history has shown that this never translates into reality. Either the government is incapable of helping all those in need, or they don't want to, or they simply cannot do so equally. This is why communism has failed every time. The best option then is freedom. You know, one could argue that slavery could potentially be a good thing. The slave provides service to his master. His master in turn provides food, clothing, and housing to the slave (almost as if they were wages). The slave was unable to improve his situation (unless he ran away), but except in the case of mistreatment, the slave was guaranteed his basic needs.

But we know the history of slavery in this country. It didn’t work well. Why not? The masters abused their power and instead of treating their slaves fairly, they treated them harshly and in most cases, the slaves were powerless to fight back.

In the same way, one could argue that socialism/communism is a good thing. The citizens work. The government provides their needs – food, shelter, etc. The problem is one of power. If we give government the power to feed us, clothe us, house us, etc., they own us. In theory, this can work if somehow you had a government that was omnipotent, benevolent, and fair. But history has shown that this never translates into reality. Either the government is incapable of helping all those in need, or they don’t want to, or they simply cannot do so equally. This is why communism has failed every time. The best option then is freedom.

]]> By: Tim Haile http://www.plainpunditry.com/2010/02/25/naacps-honoring-of-van-jones-is-an-insult-to-the-black-community/comment-page-1/#comment-4145 Tim Haile Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:26:28 +0000 http://www.plainpunditry.com/?p=1250#comment-4145 Ironically, the Democratic party, the party that purports to be so very interested in the betterment of the Black community, is in fact advancing policies that will once again ENSLAVE the Black community. Their policies constitute economic slavery. High tax, big government policies hurt Blacks as much as they do Whites. Many Blacks, like Whites, simply want the opportunity to compete on a level playing field. That is, an arena of action and ideas in which the same rules equally apply to all parties. Obama's crony capitalism/socialism, with its preferences for certain groups and businesses, does not provide such an opportunity. Ironically, the Democratic party, the party that purports to be so very interested in the betterment of the Black community, is in fact advancing policies that will once again ENSLAVE the Black community. Their policies constitute economic slavery. High tax, big government policies hurt Blacks as much as they do Whites. Many Blacks, like Whites, simply want the opportunity to compete on a level playing field. That is, an arena of action and ideas in which the same rules equally apply to all parties. Obama’s crony capitalism/socialism, with its preferences for certain groups and businesses, does not provide such an opportunity.

]]>