[richlevy]

Originally posted by Undertoad
They did a great job of ignoring the law in post-Saddam Iraq and it was helpful to this ex-Libbie to see what an armed society does in the face of complete lack of rule of law. I don't think I would want to live in such a situation and don't think it would feel very free. Sure looks like it was helpful to have Democracy prodded at them and that it would never have evolved naturally into a desireable society.

Of course it is also interesting to see what happens when 'conservatives' seize power and subvert the law. Which is why we have separation of church and state and three branches of governement, with many checks and balances. Much of what Hussein did was technically legal because he was an autocrat with a tame ruling party who was able to subvert the legal system and create his own laws to reflect his prejudices.

In some countries, now and in the past, it was actively discouraged or even illegal, to belong to the 'wrong' religion. Here again we have the bias of a ruler and/or ruling party being reflected in law and custom.

True conservatives and liberals of the Republic of the United States of America have an obligation to keep these barriers in place for the common good, and to oppose the efforts of a vocal minority to subvert the laws and institutions to single out other minorities for special treatment, whether it is oppresion or favoratism.