labrys

I answered this question in my original post and in another. I'm trying to pull my weight and take responsibility for my actions. I'm not claiming to be doing anything that they aren't doing. I don't display anything at my house or on my car that announces my support. Are you saying that support only counts if it's monetary? Owned by Remi #?

Who? WTF are you talking about? Owned by Remi #?

Mine does Owned by Remi #?

It's possible Yes Yes Owned by Remi #?

Nope, I'd kill him too. But I wouldn't kill someone because they were standing on the sidewalk in front of my house and I thought they looked like they were up to no good. Owned by Remi #?

I really wasn't trying to say "Here's what I think and what I think is an undisputed truth" I was sharing my thoughts. Owned by Remi #?

You're only supporting my point with that one. Owned by Remi #?

I already conceded that. Do you have something empirical to share? Owned by Remi #?

Because 3/4's of my neighbors within a 5 block radius on every side of my house have them and I interact with them. We have block parties and neighborhood meetings and we go to local school events together and all that stuff. I'll concede that maybe it's just a fluke and that the quiet, midwestern town I live in could be some sort of statistical anomoly. Owned by Remi #?

No, and in my original post I acknowledged that some do. They are a minority. Owned by Remi #?

I did that and I'm not married Owned by Remi #?

So many contradictions, so little time. I never said I was "entitled" to anything. I said I was willing to sacrifce for what I believe. You want it both ways. You want to do whatever you want without having to make any sacrifice at all. What's a suspiscious type? Someone with dark skin? I don't have any problem with detaining or questioning anyone acting suspicious. I don't have a problem with cavity searching EVERYONE who wants to get on a plane as long as I know it's one of the rules everyone has agreed to follow. I have a problem with picking out a group and treating them differently so that busy white people feel safer when they travel. Owned by Remi #?

Tell the elected officials who represent me how I feel. Vote for the candidates who come the closest to representing my views. Back up my words with actions. Be willing to accept that everyone has rights and honor those rights even if they make my life more difficult. Not ask them to risk their lives for freedom if I'm not willing to risk my own. What else can anyone do? I supported our troops in my youth by being one of our troops. Is that exact enough? Owned by Remi #?

I've been home sick today and have spent too much time on the forums, for sure. At least I thought it was too much time until I realized that the couple of threads I've been gnawing on have helped me articulate one of my most deep-seated beliefs about what it means to be a citizen and patriot here in the USA. Every time I see one of those "I support our troops" signs on someones car or yard I want to roll down my window or knock on the door and ask what it is, exactly, that they are doing to support our troops. I think that some, but very few, would have a legitimate answer. I suspect that most people displaying them are doing it advertise themselves as Good Americans. If you have one of these signs ask yourself why. What are you doing? Are you making a difference or just telling your neighbors what a great person you are and enjoying the benefits of freedom of speach without pitching in and lending a hand? I hear, over and over, that "Our Troops" are brave and noble people who take up arms and put themselves in harms way in far away places to defend our freedoms. And when they die, most accept their deaths as a natural result of war in the name of freedom and democracy. My personal belief is that if I want to really support our troops, I have to decide to take some of the burden myself. I don't think it's fair to call a soldier a hero and then call myself a patriot if I'm not willing to sacrifice for the good of the country as the founders intended it to be. What sense does anyone have to admire a soldier for defending freedom and then demand that some peoples freedoms be diminished to make their own lives easier? If you want to call someone a patriot beause they're out fighting for freedom, great. Just don't call yourself one unless you're fighting for freedom too. It's like our legal system. Innocent until proven guilty and trial by a jury of peers. If you agree with that concept, then you have to accept that some innocent people will be proven guilty by mistake and some guilty people will go free. You can't demand the fairest legal system and then demand it does not ever fail. You also can't admire the concepts of freedom and democracy unless you're willing to accept that innocent people might die, including yourself. /end ramble Owned by Remi #?

One stop shopping for all these goodies: Here are a few of the 1,049 benefits the United States government provides to couples in a heterosexual marriage: Access to Military Stores Assumption of Spouse’s Pension Bereavement Leave Immigration Insurance Breaks Medical Decisions on Behalf of Partner Sick Leave to Care for Partner Social Security Survivor Benefits Sick Leave to Care for Partner Tax Breaks Veteran’s Discounts Visitation of Partner in Hospital or Prison Here are a few of the state level benefits within the United States: Assumption of Spouse’s Pension Automatic Inheritance Automatic Housing Lease Transfer Bereavement Leave Burial Determination Child Custody Crime Victim’s Recovery Benefits Divorce Protections Domestic Violence Protection Exemption from Property Tax on Partner’s Death Immunity from Testifying Against Spouse Insurance Breaks Joint Adoption and Foster Care Joint Bankruptcy Joint Parenting (Insurance Coverage, School Records) Medical Decisions on Behalf of Partner Certain Property Rights Reduced Rate Memberships Sick Leave to Care for Partner Visitation of Partner’s Children Visitation of Partner in Hospital or Prison Wrongful Death (Loss of Consort) Benefits Owned by Remi #?

Huh? You're the one with the "entitlement" attitude in my opinion. You want to be entitled to travel safely at the expense of civil liberties. You said yourself that flying is a privledge and not a right. Don't exercise your "privledge" to travel if you aren't willing to accept the risk. If I want to get on a plane, I accept the risk. I don't think I have the right to be safe at someone else's expense. Owned by Remi #?

Weak defense? Defense of what? My personal safety and yours? I'd rather die than have some leather-coated Homeland Security Goon at the airport standing around asking people for their papers. I'd rather die in defense of freedom. I'd rather die than condone unlawful search? Um, yup, as a matter of fact, I would. I'f you'd rather live, your choice. Got your papers in order? Owned by Remi #?

Allow what sort of nonsense? It's the TSA in question here, not the airline. What did these guys do that you would define as "nonsense" before they got on the plane that should have provoked suspicion? Owned by Remi #?

I read what he said as "Who thinks banning gay marriage will defend hetero marriage?" But i've been working pretty hard to increase my ETOH level this afternoon. I may have misread. Owned by Remi #?

Nothing. As long as it's done for a reason and the reasoning is applied fairly and without discrimination to everyone. Where did I say it was wrong? Owned by Remi #?

Anyone, anyone? Bueller? Owned by Remi #?

My first thought was that no one should be allowed to vote because it's just not natural. Animals don't vote, so neither should we. That's another thread though. Owned by Remi #?

Not unless you don't mind bending the rules a little. Owned by Remi #?

Banning divorce would pretty much end the institution of marriage. I'm all for it. If I can't have legal rights, no one gets 'em. I like that idea. Edited to add.... my answer isn't really "legal" because I'm not for banning gay marriage in the first place. Sorry, Keith. Owned by Remi #?

I agree with you all the way. No one should live in fear. I said what I said about risk because I thought that the author was implying that she felt racial profiling might be acceptable because of what she witnessed. I don't agree with that. I'd rather accept risk, not fear, than agree to stomp all over someone's rights. Owned by Remi #?