People on here keep talking about the freedoms they are losing.?
832105
you are asking this question at the wrong place. all of us in here are free. it goes without saying.
836642
I only disagree with you 5% of the time (LOL!!).  I'll let you guess who agrees with you then.\n\nJ/K\n\nIt seems this place lost its sense of humor, along with its intelligence.\n\nI'm glad you got your account back, and I wish you could go back to using your name.\n\nI never saw you post anything that could be considered obscene by anyone, ever.
790549
I'm hoping it will stop now that the elections are over.  Many people went over the line to "OMG, If you don't agree with my you're just an Idiot and should be reported", but I think it was because of the stress of the election.  I hope we can all go back to just disagreeing like normal rational people.   We'll see....\n\nI might miss a little of my, "you neo-con" hate mail though.  It gives me a laugh.
1088159
We lost this war as soon as we started it, planksheer. Ignorant, cowardly, pseudo-patriotic scum like melonhead_ss wave their flags and espouse the glory of their idiot king, while others make all the sacrifices, including the supreme one. It is sickening.\n\nThis despicable gambit by the vile bush and his twisted, impotent advisers was a complete failure from day one. There was never a proper plan, let alone an exit strategy, so it was doomed from the outset. I hate these people for the harm they've done to my country.\n\nNote to planksheer: I wish I'd been able to contact you privately but I'll have to make do with this forum (at least until the yazis censor and remove both my post and my account). As you've doubtless already detected, they are protecting their pet, melonhead_ss, because they have been trying desperately to entrap me so they could "justify" my banishment from this site. I held fire -- until today. \n\nPlease consider the full ramifications of what I am saying here and what this means for ALL of you. This is by far the most abysmally administered website I have ever had the misfortune to waste my precious time and energy on. I wish now I'd never spent a minute here, though I can take small comfort in knowing I made my mark.\n\nBeware the double standards, the petty biases and the totally unethical and unprofessional conduct of the truly loathsome yazis (aka yahoo answers team). These people are beneath contempt and I need only call your attention to the example of their proxy, melonhead_ss, to perfectly illustrate my point. Had I attempted even a tenth of what that pitiful excuse for a human being has gotten away with on this site (and off) over this past week, my account would have been terminated immediately. \n\nAs it is, because I've finally reached the point of being fed up trying to achieve justice through the bogus and corrupt "system," I am certain to have my voice here silenced forever. So be it. I've posted enough over the months I've squandered my precious free time here to leave something of a legacy. My only regret is in not voting with my feet much sooner.\n\nGood luck to you, amigo. It was a privilege to stand at your side and fight the forces of darkness and ignorance for a time. Be well.
1089978
They haven't done squat, but allow whiners to have more "freedoms".  They say it's defending their rights, but that is just BS.  Some "rights" aren't deserved.  Just because you want to do something doesn't mean you should be allowed to do it.  For crying out loud, grow up!
527535
It is called freedom of speech, the same thing you are practically using now. No. They aren't jealous, but remember that each and everyone that hates the US have a different excuse, based on their upbringing or political belief. It is hard to just quantify them wiht a single label.
443823
right on, q! \n\nthat's the one similar thing i've seen with the flaming republicans on the site. freedom, toleration, and the right to live a good life is for everyone, and not just for the people who are in the same mind frame as they are.\n\nif they put a little compassion or toleration into their ideas, it would make them look LESS ridiculous!
898090
Yup.Free speech is for them only, don't ya know that??\n\nThats why you have had 5 accounts suspended..
976483
I understand how you feel.  Nothing like waking up to all this subversiveness and hate, is there.\n\nIs it me, or is this site being overrun with terrorist sympathizers?
1139497
there's too much of this liberal/conservative, right-wing/left-wing, democrat/republican BS that it has caused people to stop thinking about the main point, which is \nPEOPLE'S RIGHTS.\nas soon as that starts then everyone can be happy again. let's start by all becoming libertarians, shall we?\n\ncheers!
1179477
"through the use of fear, societies gave up their rights under the guise of security."  i think this statement sums up best all the uproar over what the bush administration is or isn't doing to 'protect' us as americans. there is a fine line being walked (and not very delicately if you care to notice the details) between "security" and "loss of freedom". and the culture of fear and separation noted in the article is all too apparent today... after all you're either a "patriot" or you "support the enemy". \n\n"those in power are of a smaller segment of society, but they hold the wealth and control" is an accurate description of where america is today. a minute percentage of people possess the lion's share of the wealth: the inequality has always been present but never to this degree. if this is indeed a part of the definition of fascism, you could argue that we are getting closer...\n\n"fascist nations... typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections." let diebold reign! here's to florida, and to ohio, proud supporters of the winning side!\n\n"governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion...." and how often to religious leaders echo the sentiments exactly of the us government? do you watch the 700 club?\n\nwhere did the platform for intelligent discussion of the issues facing the US go? why are people (being manipulated?) becoming so polarized? where has 'the beauty of the gray' disappeared to? isn't it funny how so many things in life are suddenly black and white, like apples and oranges?\n\nif you deceive often enough and use the proper (official?) channels, one of two things will happen. they will come to believe it as gospel ("this is a delicious orange! when did they start growing stems?") or they will use the knowledge they already have to resist ("THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!" -jean-luc picard) the lies. \n\nare you really willing to doubt that this is in fact an apple? and will we be reluctant to let go of a moniker we've worn proudly for over two centuries? stay tuned...
363380
Even freedom of speech has its limits in to days world.\nFreedom of Expression has virtually disappeared.
300036
Wow - \n\nYou must be mistaken.  I am totally shocked that a liberal, open minded, free thinking member would have anything to do with squelching your individual rights of free speech that were manifested in a forum specifically established to inquire about such matters.  \n\nParticularly because it was such a seemingly relevant question considering the happenings in the world today.\n\nI suppose I shall have to reconsider my opinion.  I wonder if I'm allowed to do that?
736459
You're a bigger person than most on this forum.  There's some mighty thin-skinned wieners running loose here.  Hopefully your thoughtful comments will make them reconsider abusing the privilege.
792225
It is the nature of this forum, unfortunatly. I log on when I have some down time at work. I do so, with the hope that we can engage in an intellectual debate about the issues, and so I can learn other points of view. What happens, almost every time I log on, is that after reading or answering a few questions, I just become more and more irritated at the slams, the bashing, and the downright blatent namecalling.\nI had no idea, before I came here, that my position on Iraq- that is that I think we should relook at how we are handling it, and bring our troops home, made me a "supporter of terrorists".\nI had no idea, before I came here,  that my Pro-Choice position made me a "baby killer".\nThe list goes on and on.\nWhenever a negative issue is brought up, regardless of side, the bashing starts, instead of intelligent conversation. It's really too bad.
492830
Unfortunately, we are losing our freedoms and we don't seem to care or are too ignorant to see that fact (as evidenced by some of the earlier responses).  There have always been attempts to make inroads into our civil liberties (guaranteed to us by the Constitution of the United States), but at least during most of those times past those attempts were veiled.  Now, there is absolutely no attempt to cover the erosion of American freedoms.  What's scary is the fact that the majority of Americans don't seem to be paying attention and the majority of the ones who are paying attention don't care.  We point a finger of shame at other countries that deny these rights to their people and then we turn around and remain silent while our government does the self same thing.  Yes, these things are not done to the same degree in most cases, but you have to realize that erosion's of freedom ALWAYS start small.  Saddam Hussein didn't start where he finished.  Do I think that the United States will ever get that far? Of course not.  But, we have already come so much farther than our Founding Fathers wanted to go.  Even worse than all of this is the fact that the few people who see what is happening and are speaking out about it are IMMEDIATELY and FALSELY labeled as terrorist.  Terrorism/McCarthyism; same thing different generations.
1186978
"I disapprove of what you say. I disagree with what you say. And I defend your right to say it."\n\nThis is the essence of free speech in a free society. I am very sad reading the posts here from people born and raised in America who still can't understand this basic concept.