I've been noticing a dangerous almost sinister turn of events pop up in 
these here Politically Correct 90s, and it is, ceding or willingness to cede
a constitutional right in exchange for a peaceful environment.

 Example: A lot of people would gladly give up thier rights to bear arms
because they feel that they cannot handle owning a gun.

 A person accused of a crime immeadiatly is assumed to be guilty especially
if this crime involved a child, or the assault of a woman. Even if the person
is later exonerated, thier life is ruined, because the accusations usually
have been played so much in the media that the alleged accused would have
no chance of getting a job on the moon. The Law in this nation is : You are
Presumed INNOCENT, not the other way around.

 IN 86% of this country it is illegal to have an abortion, yet this is a
COURT ORDER that tenders the right to any woman.

   It is becoming more and more unfashionable to say Black, White, Hispanic
whatever in trade for African American, English American, ad nauseam. When
will we cede the rights to our speech?

12 responses total.

I first noticed the quilty until proven innocent concept becoming
fashionable in the 1980's when a person had to prove they didn't
take drugs to get even a clerical job.

 I have heard rumors that employers now do a credit check before they make
aa hiring decision, figuring: Good credit= good employee, Bad Credit, bad
employee. I ask you, How many good, qualified people have been turned away
from decent jobs, just because of a lack of, or bad credit report?

re #0:  Um...  It is better put that a lot of people are willing to give up
        their right to bear arms because they feel *others* can't handle
        owning such weapons.

        And people have always had the stigma of accusation or arrest, even
        if later found "not guilty."  (There is no verdict of "innocence,"
        after all.)

        As for the "right" to abortion, I am at a loss to find it in the
        text of the Constitution, or in the federalist papers, or in the
        legislation of any state around the time the Constitution was
        adopted....

        It is ironic that you perceive a "reduction" in our rights at a time
        when, due to several decades of liberal interpretation by the
        Supreme Court, they are at or near an all-time high.

  Look under Roe versus Wade. Supreme court, early 70s.

 I disagree about the right to bear arms. Like it or not, we have guns, and 
the NRA is going to see to it that we keep that right. As the son of a gun
owner/hobbyist, I learned at an early age about how to properly handle a gun.
I was 13 when I got my very own .22 and 14 when I got a .410 shotgun. I
 kept my guns in a closet that was locked. My father kept the ammo under
lock and key. 
 What I am saying here aaron, is that there needs to be education rather than
a ban. If we, as a society starts to legislate away our problems then
sooner or late, well be exactly like the USSR, unable to do anything because
it violates a law. EDUCATION IS THE ONLY WAY we can hope to deal with this
problems. By starting a firearms education course in the 5th grade, or
earlier seems to be what could be done. I took a Hunter safety course while 
I was in 7th grade, passed with 100% and neve shot anything off, except
my mouth, which seems to be one of my worse habits.
 
 about rights in general.
   I am a white male. I would love to follow in my dad's footsteps and 
become a Scout leader. But, because the common perception of society says
that "All scout leaders are pedophiles" I choose not to be under that scrutiny
even though I have never done anything to a  I wanted to be a Big 
Brother, but again, the same thing comes into view. Never mind about community
service, I will just choose to ignore that as well. 
   How many people are in prison because of a child falsly accusing a person
of fondling, and abuseA lot more than you think. And people wonder why
this nation is going to hell in a handbasket

  aaron, maybe I am a twi But what I see from heI'd rather let a child
be taught by his/her parents tn volunteer my time/efforts  to some
thing that could impact on my employability in the future.

Jim, that is no excuse.  If you truly wanted to volunteer your time, you
shouldn't let that stop you.  By doing so, you're just buying into the
hysteria.

   Yep. And I'll be free of being labeled a potential pedophile.

and I think that my employability factor is paramount to the needs of
society. Pardon me for being selfish, but I refuse to spend 1 second
in prison because of a false accusation.

 .

Jim, what does being a white male have to do with anything?
 
  Hmmm, Jim doesn't want to be a Scout Leader, because he will be accused
of being a pedophile & locked in prison?     Jim I have an occupation
suggestion for you...


                STAND-UP COMEDY!

You can make fun of Jim if you want to, but I think he's serious and
I think he's making a valid point. That being that children can be
coerced into making charges that will hold up in court, and that
this is routinely happening. I believe it.

Evidence presented in court by very young children is not
particularly reliable, and yet it seems to be the only way to convict
pedophiles. I worry about this a lot, because some of the convicted
are not guilty, I suspect rather strongly.

  20/20 did a frightening story a few weeks back with regard to the state
accepting the testimony of children against teachers, and parents. All a
child has to do is point a finger and say that he/she was fondled/abused/
molested, and then the state embarks on an investigation. In the course
of that investigation, you may lose your job, business, children, and 
credibility in the process. Yes I am scared, and anyone who is not is
ignorant of what could really happen should a child get an idea to accuse
someone for the fun of it.
  I do recognize that there is a problem with regard to pedophelia, but
the Scouts of America has to institute better screening of those who would
care to serve, and still, despite that so-called clearance, a child still
could accuse you, and you wouldn't be any farther than you were than when
you started.

   As for Stand Up comedy-- I don't think so, Tim. I am funny, in the respect
that I can write certain things that can be percieved as funny, but when
I am writing in this conference, funny is the last thing I am.

Yes, there is cause for concern, but if people let this type of thinking,
then nothing good will ever get done.  There are risks in every good 
deed.

I actually agree with you danr, and would add my voice to those
attempting to convince aa8ij that his statement is an overreaction.
But what about others out there who don't BBS with us but feel as
aa8ij indicated. This is another big danger of the course we're on
(besides punishing innocents).

(what makes something a "right"? as far as I'm concerned, I still have
the right to do anything I want, and I don't believe I'd be stopped
before I'd accomplished my task. have any of my rights been taken
away? I don't think so. only in the collective mind of the public.)

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