fairy tattoos

[GreyGross]

What's teh distinction between Society and Government? The more I think
about it, the more my head hurts...it's like i'm seeing Fairy tattoos ( instead of stars ) - Could someone pls enlighten me....

[Gnome]

Of the Origin and Design of Government in General. With concise Remarks on the English Constitution ~~~Thomas Paine



Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher.

Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamities is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer! Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built on the ruins of the bowers of paradise. For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform, and irresistibly obeyed, man would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, he finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest; and this he is induced to do by the same prudence which in every other case advises him out of two evils to choose the least. Wherefore, security being the true design and end of government, it unanswerably follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with the least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others.

In order to gain a clear and just idea of the design and end of government, let us suppose a small number of persons settled in some sequestered part of the earth, unconnected with the rest, they will then represent the first peopling of any country, or of the world. In this state of natural liberty, society will be their first thought. A thousand motives will excite them thereto, the strength of one man is so unequal to his wants, and his mind so unfitted for perpetual solitude, that he is soon obliged to seek assistance and relief of another, who in his turn requires the same. Four or five united would be able to raise a tolerable dwelling in the midst of a wilderness, but one man might labor out the common period of life without accomplishing any thing; when he had felled his timber he could not remove it, nor erect it after it was removed; hunger in the mean time would urge him from his work, and every different want call him a different way. Disease, nay even misfortune would be death, for though neither might be mortal, yet either would disable him from living, and reduce him to a state in which he might rather be said to perish than to die.

Thus necessity, like a gravitating power, would soon form our newly arrived emigrants into society, the reciprocal blessings of which, would supersede, and render the obligations of law and government unnecessary while they remained perfectly just to each other; but as nothing but heaven is impregnable to vice, it will unavoidably happen, that in proportion as they surmount the first difficulties of emigration, which bound them together in a common cause, they will begin to relax in their duty and attachment to each other; and this remissness, will point out the necessity, of establishing some form of government to supply the defect of moral virtue.

Some convenient tree will afford them a State-House, under the branches of which, the whole colony may assemble to deliberate on public matters. It is more than probable that their first laws will have the title only of Regulations, and be enforced by no other penalty than public disesteem. In this first parliament every man, by natural right will have a seat.

But as the colony increases, the public concerns will increase likewise, and the distance at which the members may be separated, will render it too inconvenient for all of them to meet on every occasion as at first, when their number was small, their habitations near, and the public concerns few and trifling. This will point out the convenience of their consenting to leave the legislative part to be managed by a select number chosen from the whole body, who are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed them, and who will act in the same manner as the whole body would act were they present. If the colony continue increasing, it will become necessary to augment the number of the representatives, and that the interest of every part of the colony may be attended to, it will be found best to divide the whole into convenient parts, each part sending its proper number; and that the elected might never form to themselves an interest separate from the electors, prudence will point out the propriety of having elections often; because as the elected might by that means return and mix again with the general body of the electors in a few months, their fidelity to the public will be secured by the prudent reflection of not making a rod for themselves. And as this frequent interchange will establish a common interest with every part of the community, they will mutually and naturally support each other, and on this (not on the unmeaning name of king) depends the strength of government, and the happiness of the governed.

Here then is the origin and rise of government; namely, a mode rendered necessary by the inability of moral virtue to govern the world; here too is the design and end of government, viz., freedom and security. And however our eyes may be dazzled with snow, or our ears deceived by sound; however prejudice may warp our wills, or interest darken our understanding, the simple voice of nature and of reason will say, it is right.

I draw my idea of the form of government from a principle in nature, which no art can overturn, viz., that the more simple any thing is, the less liable it is to be disordered, and the easier repaired when disordered; and with this maxim in view, I offer a few remarks on the so much boasted constitution of England. That it was noble for the dark and slavish times in which it was erected is granted. When the world was overrun with tyranny the least therefrom was a glorious rescue. But that it is imperfect, subject to convulsions, and incapable of producing what it seems to promise, is easily demonstrated.

Absolute governments (though the disgrace of human nature) have this advantage with them, that they are simple; if the people suffer, they know the head from which their suffering springs, know likewise the remedy, and are not bewildered by a variety of causes and cures. But the constitution of England is so exceedingly complex, that the nation may suffer for years together without being able to discover in which part the fault lies, some will say in one and some in another, and every political physician will advise a different medicine.

I know it is difficult to get over local or long standing prejudices, yet if we will suffer ourselves to examine the component parts of the English constitution, we shall find them to be the base remains of two ancient tyrannies, compounded with some new republican materials.

First. — The remains of monarchical tyranny in the person of the king.

Secondly. — The remains of aristocratical tyranny in the persons of the peers.

Thirdly. — The new republican materials, in the persons of the commons, on whose virtue depends the freedom of England.

The two first, by being hereditary, are independent of the people; wherefore in a constitutional sense they contribute nothing towards the freedom of the state.

To say that the constitution of England is a union of three powers reciprocally checking each other, is farcical, either the words have no meaning, or they are flat contradictions.

To say that the commons is a check upon the king, presupposes two things.

First. — That the king is not to be trusted without being looked after, or in other words, that a thirst for absolute power is the natural disease of monarchy.

Secondly. — That the commons, by being appointed for that purpose, are either wiser or more worthy of confidence than the crown.

[xen]

way to enlighten the newb gnomey!

[Gnome]

I suggest a policy to consider

A true noob has to have at least 2 post :lol:


less than that it's spam

[xen]

why don't we have more newbs??? I can't think of a more laid back place than here...
sometimes you just need a break from the interweb bullshit and this here's the perfect place.

[MamaBush]

I know I come here to relax when GG is getting stupid.....but, it seems I'm always here ALONE....*sobs*

[Gnome]

there is indeed a lot of members here with no post count. I think peeps sign up looking for pron or such then lurk about and do nothing.

No one wants to contribute to our 'witty' dialog

[MamaBush]

well, thank God we have each other

[Gnome]

yea, we'll keep this forum alive!

or it will disintegrate into my personal blog

:lol:

[MamaBush]

seems you and I are the only regular posters these days

hey, wanna make out?

[xen]

:mad: :mad: :mad:

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[MamaBush]

[QUOTE=xen]:mad: :mad: :mad:

:cry: :cry: :cry:[/QUOTE]I WAS PLAYING.....JUST PLAYING

I only make out with you and you know that mannnnnn :kiss:

[i`m a wannabe]

oh no xenry got competition in here now :p

[MamaBush]

dammit, wannabe.....quit trying to stir shit up....:grrrr:

[Gnome]

holy shit!

everybody unclench for fucks sake! You know Season of Peace and all? :D

I aint in on nobodys beeyutch ya'll dig

I gots me some my own fine sugar :p

[MamaBush]

my sugar's the finest though


but, only Xen will ever know the truth about that

[Gnome]

Turbinado?

[MamaBush]

ummm....what's that?

[Gnome]

raw unprocessed sugar

[MamaBush]

ha...for the most part, I guess that's my sugar

but, I can be refined sugar if need be

[Gnome]

the best is honey

pure

unrefined


honey

[MamaBush]

mmmm...honey always reminds me of baklava

made a big pan of that for my daughter for Christmas....she begged me for it, so I had to make it, right?

[Gnome]

absolutly, sometimes you have to step up for a good cause

I'll bet it's all gone now :(

mmmmm baklava and a cup of joe

[MamaBush]

she said it's almost gone....the first time she ever had it was when I made it by hand several years ago. I used to make it when I was younger...and forgot how lovely it tastes

mmm...that crispy honey drenched filo...to die for

[Gnome]

drool

i've never tried to make it, mostly 'cuz the Mediterranean market where I go has it already made :lol:

drool

[MamaBush]

oh,, but fresh out of your own oven....mmmmmmmmmm

[Gnome]

ah the smell of baking baklava

fuck me



But today the smell that permeated the household, a family tradition for new years

saurkraut in the crockpot cooked all day long, with a pork loin and some beef brauts, to dump on top of garlic smashed taters and a nice pinot grigio

I have to finish the champagne now, half a bottle. the ol' lady has gone to bed ^_^

tommorow (today) I need to go find some black eyed peas

[MamaBush]

mmmmmmm......hell, that all sounds so good.

Black eyed peas are great

[Gnome]

didnt get to any peas

but had a nice slab of grilled Mahi with some of the best damn green beans I've had in a long time