All Hail the People's Revolution in Nepal!

[chequita guevara]

Goingonit, Armed revolutionaries need to eat and to hide. If they do not have the support of the population, they will quickly be destroyed. It's a very old story.

Lonestar, the number of Russian sponsored terrorists and death squads (and they did exist) were nothing more than a drop in the bucket compared to Western back ones. Even the Islamic terrorists are ametuers compared to the US. Taking one example, The US and South African backed terrorist group, UNITA in Angola, is responsible for the deaths of almost a million people, maybe more. Toss in RENAMO, the Contras, the Chinats, etc., etc., etc., and US backed terrorists and death squads have a death toll equalling Hitlers death camps.

[Ramo]

The point, as you can see on the AI site and on Human Rights Watch, and as I mentioned in a previous post, is that there is no evidence of any such activity by the government prior to the Maoist insurgency. So this cannot be sluffed off as a case of "everybody is equally bad". The responsibility, as I said before, lies squarely on the backs of the Maoists.

Well, seeing as how the Maoist rebels popped some 5 years after the absolutist Panchayat system collapsed, don't you think you're being a little rash? By judging 5 out of the 12 years of the government's existence, you think you can say that rebellion is the sole cause for state repression?

Even if the state was somewhat more tolerant of peaceful dissent prior to the Maoist insurgency, we're stilling dealing with a feudal regime, that needs major changes. The Maoists' solution is certainly one I disagree with, but make no mistake that state incompetence is the reason that the people considered other options in the first place.

Furthermore, attributing exclusive blame in this situation is absurd. Were the Bolsheviks innocent of their atrocities because of the actions of White armies?

Taxes are voluntarily, though not necessarily happily, agreed to. Extortion, in this case, proceeds from the barrel of a gun. This has direct bearing on the alleged democratic nature of society in rebel-held areas.

Taxes are voluntary? Really? So if I tell the IRS to **** off, I won't be hauled off to prison?

As far as I can tell, the only distinction between extortion and taxation is that an authority that "taxes" has much more power than one that "extorts."

[DinoDoc]

Ramo, aren't you at a public college?

[KrazyHorse]

Dino, the funds the Maoists extort can be called contributions to the general defense fund...

[Goingonit]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Goingonit, Armed revolutionaries need to eat and to hide. If they do not have the support of the population, they will quickly be destroyed. It's a very old story.

If someone points a gun at you and says, "give me food and a place to hide", what do you do?

[KrazyHorse]

Say "Go away dad, I'm busy".

[Ramo]

Ramo, aren't you at a public college?

Yes...

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Ramo
Yes...

Then by your own statements, aren't you helping to perpetuate an immoral system by reaping the benefits of it?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Ramo, aren't you at a public college?

[Ramo]

Then by your own statements, aren't you helping to perpetuate an immoral system by reaping the benefits of it?

First off, I don't see how reaping the benefits of a system helps to perpetuate the system, exactly.

Secondly, I advocate a system of minimal coercion. I do advocate taxation to a limited degree. Taxation is coercion, but in moderation, sure beats the alternatives.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Ramo
First off, I don't see how reaping the benefits of a system helps to perpetuate the system, exactly.

It's the same as a person who knowingly buys stolen goods at a bargain price perpetuates theft.

Secondly, I advocate a system of minimal coercion.

In your opinion we do not yet have such a system. Therefore by attending a public university and reciving State and Federal aid, are you not spending the equivilant of "blood money?"

[Ramo]

It's the same as a person who knowingly buys stolen goods at a bargain price perpetuates theft.

Well, he increases the demand for stolen goods... I'm not increasing the demand for coercion.

In your opinion we do not yet have such a system. Therefore by attending a public university and reciving State and Federal aid, are you not spending the equivilant of "blood money?"

Seems like an awfully abstract discussion to me.

You use subsidiezed federal loans and supported the latest federal tax cut, right? Were you using "blood money" before the tax cut? Do you support no more tax cuts, or are you still using "blood money?"

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Ramo
You use subsidiezed federal loans and supported the latest federal tax cut, right?

I'm not the one that considers taxation the equivilant to criminal extortion, am I?

[Ramo]

Granted.

Anyways, my moral objection to buying stolen goods is that I'd be encouraging people to steal more.

This "blood money" business sounds like nonsense to me.

[Imran Siddiqui]

In your opinion we do not yet have such a system. Therefore by attending a public university and reciving State and Federal aid, are you not spending the equivilant of "blood money?"

He should be going to a private university and pay for it himself, so that he doesn't have participate in such an extortionate act as public schooling .