Replies to post #818 on 'Idea of the day' trading in and out for profit

[sarals]

"How do we know the US will be the way it is 10-20 years from now and not end up as a nazi state? far fetched? I had a neo-nazi room mate in college who went to his camp every week end to hail hitler"

Because there are a whole bunch of us who will fight to the death to keep our freedoms. Fortunately, the way things work in our country, I doubt it would come to that extreme. Yes, your statement is far fetched... there are nut cases everywhere, but they are the minority... just like the terrorists are a minority element.

Sara

[Inho Kim]

It is very easy to become a police state. I don't have any good knowlegdge about recent histories of other dictator-run countries. Some lurkers can help us to understand their domestic politics.
My experience in Korea tells me it is very easy. The constitution under dictators was very clean and straight forward as well as very exellent. Usually constitution scholars collect all good things from all over the world and write it and let ruber stamp congress to vote it to pass. Then the one police and protect the consitution never do their job when human rights are violated. Also, there are laws and status for special cases for security purposes and national defence or undercover agency such as CIA. I believe it is exactly happening here when White house propose to increase more police powers to fight terrorists.
For one thing funny, it is all the time Repulicans who request many times historically, who are supposed to be protectors of individual rights or rights of properties, rights of possessing arms, etc., try to limit the basic rights of freedom. Isn't it ironic or contradictary? But they never acknowledge right of human body to woman whether abortion is right or not. They are the one to jail the flag-burning liberals for the cause of unpatriotic. Who likes flag-buring guys other even with excuse of the free speech?
They encroach basic civil rights one by one? It can be a police states. I cannot remember how many civilains were beaten to death by process of interogation in Korea but it happened. As you said, here the police kill first and ask questions later if the victim alive. Maybe better to be dead for the police because they can make a story, not the dead. If you think it spreads nationwide, it is a police states. The code of silence happened in Korea before at national level. It can happen here anytime, especially in crisis such as now.
Also, Sarah's point is right too. Some people fight so hard to protect our rights and democracy in the same way the other fanatics figth for their own agenda, whoever they are, Neonazi or terrorists. Freedom is the most precious jewel of America nothing else. Wealth, you can get it in other countries.