Amen,.... I've spent a great deal of time trying to understand this concept of bringing socialism to the Free State and it simply doesn't make sense to me. I understand that they claim to desire only a self-contained socialist community where they all agree the needs of the collective supercede the needs and rights of the individual, however...... If one is truly of this mindset, why come to the FreeState where we are attempting the complete reverse?
So they can implement their version of socialism. For instance, a religious commune, a group marriage, a "back to nature" commune, etc.
Hell, you're already 50 to 75% of the way to socialism in the States as it is, I would advise that you wait a few more years, stay put where you are... socialism should be in full swing before you know it!
That doesn't even make sense. Take for example a small group of 30 people. They want to form a strict religious commune, with prayer twice daily, 10% tithing of income, church for 3 hours on Sunday, no dancing, no swearing, etc. Can these 30 people change the laws of the US so that everyone around them follows these rules? Of course not. But in the Free State, they can form a little walled community that provides its own schooling, own internal welfare, and insists the moral codes be followed as well. THIS is voluntary socialism; giving up VOLUNTARILY for the good of a *select* group.
I am quite agreeable to people living their lives as they see fit BUT, I have great reservations about setting up socialist communes in the Free State.
Would you hold a gun to their heads to stop them? If you think "there oughta be a law against it", that's exactly what you're advocating.
I don't know that this would be beneficial to either the socialists
And precisely what are you advocating, when you are presuming to decide what would beneficial to "the socialists"? Shouldn't THEY be allowed to decide what is most beneficial?
or those who desire freedom and independance, free from demands that we all serve the collective. And no, I am not forgetting that the claimed desire is to simply set up self contained socialist communes.
Just because they want to live their lives a certain way does NOT necessarily mean that they will insist on everyone else doing the same.
Quite honestly, let us ask ourselves... If those who feel that the needs & rights of the individual are subserviant to the needs of the collective, when they vote their conscience, what will happen when we try to implement reform through voting?
If we don't have enough people to overcome those votes, we lose. But if out of fear of losing we start deciding who will be allowed to voluntary associate, and use the power of the state to enforce it, we've already lost. Besides, how are you doing to determine if a particular group of people is a "socialist commune?" Interviews? Socialism police?
Please, if I have not thought this out thoroughly, someone let me know where I may be going wrong in my thought process. I truly do not want to sound unkind but I simply cannot get past this paradox.
Break it down to its simplist form. In a Free State, socialists communes may form. You may not like it. But are you willing to use force to prevent them from doing so?