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Old 4th November 2009, 10:10 AM   #1
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Jesse Ventura - A vote by the people would lead to slavery

Jesse Ventura was on Larry King and he remarked (in reference to Maine's voting no to legalize same sex marraige) that:

"If you put it up to a vote by the people, we'd have slavery again".


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Old 4th November 2009, 10:13 AM   #2
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Why isn't Jesse helping fund a new investigation into 9/11?
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:19 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by applecorped View Post
"If you put it up to a vote by the people, we'd have slavery again".
Jesse Ventura: the opposite of eloquence.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:23 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by applecorped View Post
Jesse Ventura was on Larry King and he remarked (in reference to Maine's voting no to legalize same sex marraige) that:

"If you put it up to a vote by the people, we'd have slavery again".


Whilst I doubt you'd have slavery I thought part of the rationale behind the system of USA government was indeed to prevent the "tyranny of the masses"?
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:23 AM   #5
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There is a valid point hidden in the wrestler's distorted thinking, though. That point is, we shouldn't allow the majority to take away the Lockian "natural rights" of any minority.

We just passed a ban on smoking in restaurants and many other businesses, and some smokers are making this same argument. Of course, in this situation the question is about whose rights are being taken away. You're free to smoke, but you are not free to require me to smoke.

Your religion is free to define marriage however it wants, but it is not free to force others to accept that definition (especially if in doing so, they want to take away the rights of a minority).

ETA: I see Darat said the same thing with a lot fewer words.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:28 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by JoeTheJuggler View Post
There is a valid point hidden in the wrestler's distorted thinking, though. That point is, we shouldn't allow the majority to take away the Lockian "natural rights" of any minority.
Sure he is attempting to address the Tyranny of the Majority. He just is doing it in a remarkably ineloquent fashion.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:28 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Darat View Post
Whilst I doubt you'd have slavery I thought part of the rationale behind the system of USA government was indeed to prevent the "tyranny of the masses"?
Those damn, tyrannical Maine-iacs.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:31 AM   #8
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So marriage is slavery. Who'd a thunk it.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:32 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Eyeron View Post
So marriage is slavery. Who'd a thunk it.
ever been married?
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:37 AM   #10
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Has nothing to do with the statement. It was a paraphrasing of Ventura's words.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:45 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by ponderingturtle View Post
Sure he is attempting to address the Tyranny of the Majority. He just is doing it in a remarkably ineloquent fashion.
Maybe so. It wouldn't take much to clean it up. If we'd allowed the states to vote on slavery in the 1950s (and later) it's very likely several states would legalize slavery.

I don't find his version of it so remarkably ineloquent. Especially not if we consider what the people opposed to gay marriage say. (It's "unnatural"; the Bible condemns it, etc.--you know, all the stuff the pro-slavery people said about abolition.)
----------------------
Originally Posted by Eyeron View Post
So marriage is slavery. Who'd a thunk it.
I think rather the point is that refusing to allow certain groups of people to get married is a restriction of the natural rights of a minority by a majority just as slavery would be (at least at certain times in history) if we left it up to the states to let a majority vote decide that issue.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:45 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by Eyeron View Post
So marriage is slavery. Who'd a thunk it.
Reply deleted; I think my wife might read JREF sometimes.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:45 AM   #13
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Lary King is defintely a fan of vapid and venal wrestlers. He was equally deferential to Hulk Hogan's rantings last week as he is to Ventura's this week.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:46 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by JoeTheJuggler View Post
There is a valid point hidden in the wrestler's distorted thinking, though. That point is, we shouldn't allow the majority to take away the Lockian "natural rights" of any minority.
Locke wrote the state charter for North Carolina, which allowed for slavery. People tend to underestimate the power of the status quo bias. If we had a system of medicare for all in place, then it would take Republicans generations to destroy. People are inherently conservative in that we're resistant to change, unless things are manifestly bad. What I'm saying is... people probably wouldn't vote slavery back in.
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Old 4th November 2009, 10:54 AM   #15
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Quote:
Reply deleted; I think my wife might read JREF sometimes.
You realize there is some irony in that statement, don't you?
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Old 4th November 2009, 11:00 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Eyeron View Post
Has nothing to do with the statement. It was a paraphrasing of Ventura's words.
Then you're doing a very poor job of it. He wasn't in any way comparing marriage to slavery. Even if he was, it would be comparing a vote against marriage with a vote for slavery.
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Old 4th November 2009, 11:00 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by Cain View Post
Locke wrote the state charter for North Carolina, which allowed for slavery. People tend to underestimate the power of the status quo bias. If we had a system of medicare for all in place, then it would take Republicans generations to destroy. People are inherently conservative in that we're resistant to change, unless things are manifestly bad. What I'm saying is... people probably wouldn't vote slavery back in.
Hell I heard the rather strange thing of republicans objecting to cuts in medicare spending. What happend to personal responcibility? Shows how the status quo trumps ideology with out them even realizing that it is doing it.
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Old 4th November 2009, 11:04 AM   #18
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Robert Heinlein made the same point about Tyranny Of the Majority, but made it much better then Ventura did.
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Old 4th November 2009, 11:16 AM   #19
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slavery? no.

segregation? yep.
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Old 4th November 2009, 11:25 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Darat View Post
Whilst I doubt you'd have slavery I thought part of the rationale behind the system of USA government was indeed to prevent the "tyranny of the masses"?
Yep, and any time this gets changed, like in our ever so popular lately ballot measures in certain, more populist areas they lead to reductions of personal freedom, in every single case where a reduction in personal freedom is a choice.
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Old 4th November 2009, 11:35 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by dudalb View Post
Robert Heinlein made the same point about Tyranny Of the Majority, but made it much better then Ventura did.
You mean:

"Does history record any case in which the majority was right?"


He also said:

"An armed society is a polite society."

"The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire."

"First, what is it you want us to pay taxes for? Tell me what I get and perhaps I’ll buy it."

"There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him."
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Last edited by Cicero; 4th November 2009 at 11:37 AM.
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Old 4th November 2009, 11:36 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by Cain View Post
Locke wrote the state charter for North Carolina,
John Locke died in 1704, so I think you mean to say that he contributed to the writing of the Fundamental Constitution of the Carolinas (which predated the formation of the United States).

At any rate, the fact that Locke's political views on slavery were inconsistent with his philosophy of natural human rights is irrelevant.

ETA: Or maybe not irrelevant. It shows again the tyranny of the majority in his day and age.
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Old 4th November 2009, 12:11 PM   #23
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If we do get slavery back, I'm gonna get me a few. Especially one who can keep my place clean.
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Old 4th November 2009, 12:26 PM   #24
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The US System of Government is supposed to be a Representative democracy in which majority is generally supposed to rule, with protections for the minority against a tyranny of the majority.

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Old 4th November 2009, 02:13 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by The Central Scrutinizer View Post
If we do get slavery back, I'm gonna get me a few. Especially one who can keep my place clean.
Unfortunately for you, the way I read the proposed law you would end up being my slave, which kind of sucks for me since you can't even keep your place clean.

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Old 4th November 2009, 02:50 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by Darat View Post
Whilst I doubt you'd have slavery I thought part of the rationale behind the system of USA government was indeed to prevent the "tyranny of the masses"?
Agreed, and I don't think he literally meant today people would bring back slavery with a vote, but rather if slavery had been left up to popular vote, it may never have completely gone away.
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Old 4th November 2009, 02:53 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by Cicero View Post
Lary King is defintely a fan of vapid and venal wrestlers. He was equally deferential to Hulk Hogan's rantings last week as he is to Ventura's this week.
I don't doubt that, but then I've yet to see a guest to whom Larry was not deferential.
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Old 4th November 2009, 02:57 PM   #28
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Oh yeah, the unruly peasants had once again (like in every state they were actually allowed to state their opinion, no pun intended) decided not to recognize gay marriage.

Clearly they got the wrong answer. Isn't there a judge somewhere who will overrule the peasants and declare their view "unconstitutional"? There usually is.

Of course this begs the question why the people were even asked in the first place, when there is only one correct answer allowed and everything else is unconstititonal and evil and not at all nice.

Such a waste of taxpayer's money.
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Old 4th November 2009, 03:14 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by The Central Scrutinizer View Post
If we do get slavery back, I'm gonna get me a few. Especially one who can keep my place clean.
So long as she is named Rebecca.
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Old 4th November 2009, 03:15 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by The Central Scrutinizer View Post
If we do get slavery back, I'm gonna get me a few. Especially one who can keep my place clean.
He said slavery, not torture....
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Old 4th November 2009, 03:36 PM   #31
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As I understand anti-prejudice concepts, We The People have decreed that we should not discriminate against folks who have natural differences. A Black man didn't choose to be black. A child with birth defects didn't make that choice. Nor other handicapped. No job/housing/schooling discrimination based on male/female genes.

Discrimination is legal, if based on choice, NOT genes. You choose to rob banks, you become a felon and lose rights. You choose to molest children, your life turns to crap.

So, until there is a proven scientific cause for homosexuality, I don't see how the choice of sexual partners counts towards discrimination, or the lack there of. (Hmm, if homosexuality were once more considered a disease, ADA might help out?)

Of course, the simpler way around the question of gay marriage might be to abolish any legal distinction for marriage at all. No "married filing jointly", no automatic inheritance. Parenthood decided by genes except by contract. Prostitution legalized. Marriage would be a personal contract.

Contract "til death do you part", or for a chosen term? Hmm, with prenups as they are, "Term Marriages" are probably legal now, aren't they?

Of course all that I said is subject to the laws passed by We The People. Not many people seem to want to change the gay marriage situation. Or the hetero rules either.
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Old 4th November 2009, 03:55 PM   #32
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Originally Posted by Darth Rotor View Post
Jesse Ventura: the opposite of eloquence.
He ain't got time to bleed
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Old 4th November 2009, 03:56 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by Eyeron View Post
So marriage is slavery. Who'd a thunk it.
I'm my wife's love slave... and it's AWESOME!
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Old 4th November 2009, 04:11 PM   #34
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Originally Posted by casebro View Post
As I understand anti-prejudice concepts, We The People have decreed that we should not discriminate against folks who have natural differences.
You have made a flaw in your reasoning. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Religion is a choice.
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Old 4th November 2009, 04:28 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by casebro View Post
So, until there is a proven scientific cause for homosexuality ...
I dub this the Philip Morris Fallacy ...

Moreover, consider how this line of reasoning affects the exemptions you make for race and sex. Would sexism have been OK until the XY system of sex determination was worked out? Was racism OK until the genetics of human skin pigmentation were understood (in fact, this is not yet completely understood, so I guess we can be a little bit racist). You mention handicaps --- would it have been OK to discriminate against a "thalidomide baby" before the causal role of thalidomide had been discovered?
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Old 4th November 2009, 08:36 PM   #36
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Originally Posted by Skeptic View Post
He said slavery, not torture....

I'm pretty sure that if torture were put up for a vote, it'd be in like a flash.
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Old 4th November 2009, 08:59 PM   #37
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Originally Posted by Skeptic View Post
Of course this begs the question why the people were even asked in the first place, when there is only one correct answer allowed and everything else is unconstititonal and evil and not at all nice.

Such a waste of taxpayer's money.
Its amazing that these state senators and councilmen and other jerks continue to draw a salary when they are too afraid to do their jobs and then just make them ballot measures. Clearly unconstitutional, but noone cares

It didnt help that when the people voted down a tax increase to pay for some rich guys' stadium down here (who still has the nerve to charge us admission!) the council put it thru anyway, resulting in someone shooting one of them in the ass
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Old 4th November 2009, 09:06 PM   #38
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Originally Posted by pipelineaudio View Post
Its amazing that these state senators and councilmen and other jerks continue to draw a salary when they are too afraid to do their jobs and then just make them ballot measures. Clearly unconstitutional, but noone cares
Could you elaborate a little on this theme? So that we know what you're talking about?
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Old 4th November 2009, 09:28 PM   #39
Puppycow
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Originally Posted by Dr Adequate View Post
Could you elaborate a little on this theme? So that we know what you're talking about?
I think he's saying that decisions should be made by representative bodies rather than by plebiscite.
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Old 4th November 2009, 09:31 PM   #40
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Originally Posted by Puppycow View Post
I think he's saying that decisions should be made by representative bodies rather than by plebiscite.
Perhaps; but in that case why the charade? Why ask the people at all? It's not like those suddenly against ballots oppose all popular ballots about everything. They just oppose those ballots (and praise to the sky the "moderating influence" of "representative democracy", etc.) where they fear public opinion is not "advanced" enough to see "the truth" that the courts and the left-leaning legistlature had recognized.

To hear these folks, the fact that in every single state where gay marriage was legalized, it happened after legistlative or -- usually -- court action, and that in every single state where the people were asked in a ballot what they think, they rejected it, can mean only one thing: the people are stupid and racist, and should be forced to do the right thing by their betters.

A rather surprising view from those who, on every other matter whatever (the war in Iraq, say), keep praising public opinion polls as "the people's will", while claiming that congress not deciding to agree with them immediatelly is just proof of how "corrupt and out of touch" politicians are.
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