When America was free . . .

Discussion in 'Pandora's Box' started by Fizzly, Aug 26, 2015.

  1. #1 Fizzly, Aug 26, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 26, 2015
    I was watching "Happy Days" tonight on ME TV, a sitcom made in the '70s, showing what life was like in the '50s and '60s (when I grew up). When I watched the original episodes back then I thought nothing of it, but watching it tonight it struck me how much this country has changed in my lifetime -- and not in a good way.


    This is typically how tyranny works: bit by bit, year by year, decade by decade, more and more laws are passed "for our own good" (or "safety"). You have to be fucking old, unfortunately, to be able to really see it.


    This is how it was back then before the Nanny State strangled our daily lives. As kids we rode in the back of pickup trucks all the time, just like the kid in this shot of "Happy Days" is doing. If somebody tried this today they'd send the fucking SWAT team out.


    [​IMG]




    And Fonzie with no helmet, although there are still some states where they are not required. NYS, where I've been all my life, made it a law in 1966 I believe.


    [​IMG]

     
  2. I'm from NC and live at the stateline of NC and SC...

    NC has helmet laws, but you can ride in the back of trucks except for kids under 12...

    And in SC people ride without helmets all the time and ride in the back of trucks so I guess it all depends on where you live and grew up
     
  3. I guess so. Can't do it here in NYS because of the seatbelt law, among many others I'm sure. I don't travel anymore so I don't know what's going on outside of my county pretty much. :(

     
  4. #4 -13 Amp-, Aug 26, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 26, 2015
    I will say though, this area is called "the bible belt" so were behind in many other things, as stupid as in both NC and SC atheists are banned from holding public office and testifying in court...

    Also in SC you'll go to jail over a roach, and in other states its legal or medical...

    Ill trade ridin in the back of trucks for legal weed
     
  5. Great post I am only 21 but my father and I talk about how great it was in the 50's as well.
    After 1945 WW2 was over destroying pretty much all of Europe creating a bountiful time here is an example: My father grew up in a middle class neighborhood and on his block was a janitor with a wife and three kids; the wife did not work and the family lived a comfortable middle class life style. Besides dealing with the great depression and WW2 those folks had it easy and if you did not become rich back in those days you really screwed around and failed. Real estate went up if you were in a union you were at the top of the list for promotions their were plenty of jobs to go around. As well as inventions most had not yet really been perfected or even were not around.


    Anyways thank you for that awesome post hopefully wake people up and take back this bitchin country that belongs to us Americans!
     
  6. I'm only 27 but I can already see many changes from my childhood.

    Especially raising a duaghter now.

    I used to think it was insanely retarded how strictly our schools babied us.

    Now its ten times worse. I feel sorry for my daughter having to go to our public schools now days.

    Its OK tho I'm going to take her shooting soon. She's almost 6 so she should be good

    -Yuri
     
  7. #7 VikingToker, Aug 26, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 26, 2015
    With respect to age and all that -


    It's a real common thing to think wistfully of the old days, and psychological studies reveal that generally people tend to enhance the good and forget the bad.


    Was it, for example, all that cool being African American in these glorious 50's? [​IMG]


    I think your post lacks the proper facts and context to be taken with weight, but I'm happy to be corrected!


    Edit: Might be a bit of culture thing, but I'm blown away by someone being genuinely upset about seatbelt laws, seems real petty to be worrying about when the NSA has cameras down your throat and corporations have their moneyjizzing dicks so far up your ass
     
  8. How many died riding on back of trucks though.

    I agree that health/safety and the PC brigade are getting beyond ridiculous with there petty gripes.
    Some changes and rules were necessary.
     
  9. Who cares?
    <blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >
    I agree that health/safety and the PC brigade are getting beyond ridiculous with there petty gripes.
    Some changes and rules were necessary.
    </blockquote>
    There is a very specific line between endangering yourself and others.

    Driving drunk endangers others.

    Riding without a helmet only endangers yourself

    No one has a right to force you to be safe unless your reckless behavior endangers others

    -Yuri
     
  10. Maybe its not solely for your benefit.

    Im pretty sure the emergency services would rather not be scraping up people from the road.
    Also not that convinced your only endagering yourself.

    Not being a buzz kill btw lol
    I just think common sense seems to be ignored a lot.
     
  11. I'm so glad I came into this thread just for this. Funnest thing I've read in awhile
     
  12. I've never really got this argument. I mean I understand where you're coming from but from my conversations with some emergency workers they get pretty numb to that type of stuff. You kinda have to. Car accidents with seat belts can result in some pretty gnarly mangled bodies, same goes for bike crashes with helmets. Ultimately will it save lives and help. Sure. My problem is I don't need the government to dictate to me what is safe or not in the firm of a law. It's just money grubbing bullshit man they don't give a shit about people's safety if they did they wouldn't have let the roads we drive on get as shitty as they did.
     
  13. And completely, hilariously true! That comment was definitely worth my time.

    Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
     
  14. "These are the good old days."
     
  15. Just for contrast, here, not looking to start an argument -


    The opposite is the rule here, man. When you say that's some moneygrabbing shit from the government, the inner American in my head goes "yeah, if American government and police are evil, that would bring in money, sure", but that at once becomes contrasted with Europe,


    where not wearing a seatbelt makes you equivalent to the village idiot. Like, why wouldn't you want to wear a seatbelt other than it's a bit uncomfortable?<span class="redactor-invisible-space"> is my thought, and I think what boydamien touches on when he speaks about common sense.</span>

    <span class="redactor-invisible-space">
    </span>
    <span class="redactor-invisible-space">The more time I spend here on the politics forum engaging with Americans, I get the sense that freedom<span class="redactor-invisible-space"> is the dominant virtue, and that safety and practicality sort of have to take a humble second place.</span></span>
    <span class="redactor-invisible-space"><span class="redactor-invisible-space">
    </span></span>
    <span class="redactor-invisible-space"><span class="redactor-invisible-space">You might find this interesting, this is one of the many billboards the government puts up around Norway about traffic safety:</span></span>
    <span class="redactor-invisible-space"><span class="redactor-invisible-space">
    </span></span>
    <span class="redactor-invisible-space"><span class="redactor-invisible-space">
    </span></span>
    [​IMG]



    They also show very graphic traffic accident commercials before cinema, showing a situation where either drunk driving or breaking the speed limit or some such thing has resulted in heart-rending tragedy.


    I support it wholeheartedly as a way for the government to enlighten the people about the dangers of flying over asphalt in a ton of metal. It kills people every minute of the day, and has to be taken seriously.


    (is our sentiment, for contrast)
    <span class="redactor-invisible-space"><span class="redactor-invisible-space">
    </span></span>




     
  16. No argument whatsoever i know i might be newish t9 this side of the forums but i love discussions. I think misunderstood me. I completely agree that not wearing your seat belt is stupid. I wear my seat belt everytime I get into a car because it's smart.

    My point is a lot of stupid things you can do are legal so why is this equally stupid thing illegal? And if it's so bad why isn't it illegal across the board? Same goes for motorcycle helmets. It's not illegal in some states but it is in others. I don't need the government to protect me from myself. I haven't really heard any real reason for this law other than its common sense so law and that doesn't jive with me.

    That's why in my opinion it's just about the money. It's something little they can pull you over for and give you a ticket. Nothing more nothing less. Do you truly believe they made a law like this out of our own interest?
     
  17. I can't edit but I forgot to answer one of the points...

    Drunk driving and speeding directly effect other people. If I'm following every other law but not wearing my seat belt what's the harm to others?
     
  18. Well, we can both agree that sometimes governments are run by idiots, and sometimes even smart governments make idiot decisions.


    To clarify - you say that because some stupid things are legal, all stupid things should be legal? I don't know if I give that argument much weight, it doesn't seem so solid. I think the aim is to have as few stupid things endangering your population as possible, right? Or no?


    In Norway these laws are made for our interest, and these commercials I pointed out are favored by the people. The fee for being caught without a seatbelt is, furthermore, quite minimal, $90 in a country where the average monthly wage is $7k. So - very little money is being extracted.


    You don't need the government to protect you, because you're a wise motherfucker, you can gauge danger well and know when not to fuck around. But, not everyone does:


    The only solid counter-point I have in this argument is how people treat the children they raise and bring in their car. Some people are - believe it or not - really dumb, or really rebellious, or for whatever reason feel that kids don't need to wear seatbelts. And when your kid goes flying through the windshield for no fault of his or her own, but for being raised by an idiot, I feel that needs to be regulated.


    How does that argument bounce off of you? Is it making a small problem into a big one? I don't have any numbers on this from scientific literature, but I'm sure we could find some.


    Since we are going deep about seatbelts, now. [​IMG]
     
  19. Wait is this for real? You really can't hold public office or testify if you're an avowed atheist? That's fucking crazy if that's legit, I never heard of that. Suprised no one has taken that to the Supreme Court if it's a real thing.
     
  20. The same crowd who pushes these laws often push anti drug laws. They use emotional arguments like think of the kids instead of looking at the cost and benefits of such a program. I think that cops should just advise kids to wear helmets but it shouldn't be some enforceable punishment because it just leads to money grubbing by police departments and another ticket to slap on to people. People are definitely getting too damned sensitive in this country and need to learn to live with the risks of life. I used to walk home from middle school, shit would never fly today sadly. At the end of the day there is always risks and we shouldn't try to legislate away this risk unless there is clear evidence that legislating that risk has benefits, because risk is inherently part of life. Making a law for helmets is like making a law for pot. A large part of the population who already wouldn't smoke wouldn't often be the same group who already wears a helmet and wouldn't be affected by this law. On the other hand you have people who don't give a fuck about the law and would rather risk being caught than wear a helmet. These group of people won't be stopped by legislation. At the end of the day I think laws should generally be made to protect people from each other and not from themselves although I think there are some rare exceptions.
     

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