Posts by Steve Barnes
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I'm spending a few minutes trying to figure how you get to the conclusion I want all the decisions made for me. It is of course exactly the opposite.
By making things such as Student Associations voluntary you remove the passion. Without that passion all becomes grey. When all is grey your choice becomes mere window dressing so you have no real decision to make.
You will be telling us that the Bar Association should be voluntary next...
Oh, hang on, it is. No wonder the legal system is in such a shambles.
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And the freedom to choose to live in a country that practises [insert some human rights indignity here]?
If you must, I don't see the comparison but I also don't see why you should not, if that is what you choose to do. However distasteful it may be.
Why should someone who wants to be a vet (only available at Massey-Palmy) have no choice while others do? What if a majority of students (who can be bothered to vote) at each university opt for compulsion? What if the only reason you can study at a university is you're working nights to pay for it all? What if your kids like seeing their father?
I you choose to be a vet and that's what it takes then what is the problem. It's your choice.
Should the parents of your local state primary school be permitted to decide whether there should be compulsory instruction in Christianity? You can just move house. Only one school in your town, or several that have all decided the same way? Move town and get a new job.
Why not?. It comes back to the same thing, choice. Are you saying we should be forced to live in a wishy washy world where nobody has to think that hard, where all the decisions are made for you?. You seem to be conflating "freedom of association" with "freedom of choice as to which association or not you choose to be a member of" a big leap there.
I think you are either in danger of destroying your own argument or you're just winding us all up. -
One subtle difference between a State funded Church and a student funded Association is you can chose which university you go to. A university is a place of learning and living under differing political structures by participating in them is a learning experience.The decision of which institution you choose to study at is not just based on the course work but also the social environment. We should retain the freedom to attend a university that has compulsory association membership. Even if you choose not to participate you can experience the joy of having to pay for things you don't want. A bit like real life if you like.
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"I'm seeing spots before my eyes,"
"have you seen a Doctor?"
"No, only spots" -
Steve, in such an exhibition, how many true dalmatians would you spot?
101 probably.
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Perhaps people dislike being told they are bad, antisocial, dangerous, bloody stupid, irresponsible, selfish, criminals, murderers, baby killers and so on. Perhaps the nearest pub is 10 Kms away, there is no public transport and the pub is the only place they have a social life. Perhaps they have driven for years with a few pints inside them and have never been in even the slightest vehicular mishap. Perhaps the powers that be could actually look at the statistics and realise that drink or drug driving is not the main cause of accidents (driving whilst stoned and drunk while texting and reading a map at the same time as smacking a child unrestrained in the back seat without a driving licence in an unregistered car doesn't feature at all in the statistics).
I would contend that one of the main causes of accidents is arrogance , I have right of way so it is my right to smash into your car as hard as i can and it is all your fault, kind of thing. -
but how many times in your life do you get the chance to see that many Dali's in a single show?
I find an exhibition of peoples from the former Yugoslavia somewhat demeaning.
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I'm pretty much one of those munters who'd say 'it never did me any harm', but when I think back maybe that was part of the reason I hit my younger sisters when I was a young 'un
Which is why we must break the cycle. In my, god knows how many years, of bringing up kids I have never resorted to violence, there was no violence in my family, my Dad and I only came to blows much later in life but that is another story.
What any sane person would call a light smack is not and never would be a criminal offence in New Zealand, a thwack round the ear with an open palm the size of a cristmas ham, on the other hand, would be.
As for Mr. Baldcock and his threat to John Key, well what can I say. This guy is quite prepared to beat on kids for what he thinks is right I don't think he would think twice before putting John boy over his knee and giving him the "Hiding of his life" for not doing as he was told.
Baldcock and his, oh so rightious, band of holier than thou nutjobs need to be given a stern talking to and sent to their room without pudding. -
The problem is, of course, that if you teach kids that taking something on faith alone is as good as rational understanding then you open them up to all the crazy whacko shit, Koolaid anyone?
Organised religion is social engineering. It amazes me that those same nutjobs who rile against "the nanny state" will take the rantings of a guy in a dress as gospel, literally. -
@Steve P
Avatar does look interesting, I may even go to the cinema for the first time in years. Shame the link was for those with fruit flavoured computers though.
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