NUKE:
Even the adult question wasn't sarcastic. I just don't have an image of who you are and your life experiences, thats all.
I'm in my fifties and have lived in the D.C. area, Atlanta, Chicago, Florida and New Mexico. Been to all 50 states at least once. in case you may have thought otherwise, I am actually very conservative politically (some friends think I'm slightly right of Atilla the Hun), but I prefer to to call myself a 'practical capitalist' or a 'fundamentalist.'
I made those terms up because I feel many have stolen the good name of my 'conservatism' to try to make a silk purse out a radical's ear.
I describe my brand of conservativism (briefly) as this:
1. Support the ideals and defend the common sense principles of the U.S. Constitution - a pretty good document written by some pretty smart guys who knew that even they should not be trusted by the people to always act in their best interest.
2. I believe that freedom of the press isn't free - it comes with an obligation to tell and find out the truth, even if the truth isn't what we want to hear, isn't pretty or makes us cringe or embarrassed as a people.
3. I believe in free enterprise and free markets. I believe that as markets become more free in any nation, the less power any government holds over the people. I run a business and I will gladly pay the salary of 5 people to any man who can take a message to Garcia.
There's more, but that's enough. All else is the world is situational ethics to me.
I just wonder about your view that others in the world do not enjoy personal freedom comparable to those enjoyed in America.
I don't deny that Americans are free. I am not convinced that they are not losing their freedoms though. Freedom is not just what you can do, but what you are free from also. For example, the freedom to walk or drive anywhere at night, unmolested and free from fear, is just as important as the freedom to choose where I want to live.
Do you think that America is really so far above so many other nations in personal freedom?
Being a rational kind of guy, I was wondering how many other countries you have lived in? Not visited, but lived in.
I've visited maybe 18 countries, but I've lived in 3 countries for longer than 5 years each and I've never felt that I was deprived of any freedom in the countries I have lived in. Never even thought about it.
Do you have some specific example of personal freedoms you can list that perhaps other 1st world democracies do not offer?
I guess that's about it and I apologize for being long-winded. Thanks for your patience.
