Jose wrote:

It wouldn't be impossible if all of us were the same... followed the
same religion, had the same values, and spoke the same language. But
that's not what freedom is about, is it? It is not =necessary= to be
different in order to be free, but it has to be possible.

Well there ya go... the word 'freedom'. If in fact we actually had real
freedom in the countyr and LESS government regulation, micromanaging
and forcing rules of so called 'fairness' and political correctness
down our throats then the natural course of freedom WOULD bind us closer.

But that is not what happens... politicians play one socio-conomic
group against another, one income strata against another (remeber the
"two Americas" John Edwards is always talking about?). If you don't
recognize this as a problem you are part of it.

That doesn't mean that the government should pick up the tab for every
whim. However, the government is there to serve =us=. =All= of us.
That's what we pay taxes for in the first place.


The word sir is freedom... freedom from government trying to "serve" us.
The job of government is not to "serve" us.. its job is to provide
national security so that our citizens can thrive using their own hard
work and get to keep as much of their OWN money as possible. Thats it.

As pilots, we expect accomodation (by the government) for our pastime.

Why should I have to have a government "accomodate" my pastime?

We make noise about how it is an economic benefit for the rest of the
country that GA is supported and unimpeded, and it may well be true.
Much benefit is under the radar. But that's sort of besides the point.
There are many things I do =not= do, that my taxes go to support. I do
not have children, for example, but my taxes support the education and
entertainment of other people's children. I accept that as the nature
of things, as the government is not here =just= for me.

Maybe you accept the fact that your taxes should support the education
and 'entertainment' of other people's children but I don't. It is the
responsibility of the parents... a concept that requires self reliance
and belief in the concept of personal responsibility. Publically
requiring people to accept personal responsibility is politically
IN-correct today and you know it.

There are many people for whom a Spanish language version of the
government supported weather operation =is= a service. There are
probably many more such people than there are pilots. It is probably
dirt cheap to provide this service, and I certainly do not begrudge it
to them.

Sure and I'm sure you can find all kinds of people that would LOVE
to have to government (AKA other taxpayers) provide for and support
additional services that benefit them. But that is not real freedom.

Benjamin Franklin stated that "those willing to trade some freedom
for the promise of security deserve neither freedom nor security".

Were we to advocate hacking away at non-mainstream services, we may well
find ourselves without airspace to fly in, so that the leaf blower
brigade doesn't have to listen to the occasional 172 overhead.


You are just wrong Jose... the more responsibilities for so called
"mainstream services" you want to hand over to the government
simply translates into less freedoms you as an individual will have
to chart your own destiny.

"Those willing to trade freedom for the promise of security deserve
neither freedom nor security".