Where is Liberty and freedom? Will it someday become extinct?

[Twilight Hue]

Mapped: The world's most (and least) free countries

Is freedom on the rise, or is it in Decline?

There is no doubt the United States has lost a fair amount of freedom the past few decades and has slipped in it's ratings as a free and open country.

Opinions?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Sorry for title. Posted by accident before I could correct it.

Intended title....

Where is Liberty and freedom? Will it someday become extinct?

 

[Buddha Dharma]

Where is Liberty and freedom? Will it someday become extinct?

I will say that in a disturbing trend- authoritarian nationalism does seem to be on the rise in the West again. Especially in the US at present, but also in Europe enough to be troubling. It's ironic that this nationalism is thoroughly right wing, but the left gets blamed for the death of liberty. Conservative and right-wing movements are fueling and furthering this change. No one minds paying the cost of 'feeling safe' when it comes to Muslims and immigrants it seems.

 

[Stevicus]

Mapped: The world's most (and least) free countries

Is freedom on the rise, or is it in Decline?

There is no doubt the United States has lost a fair amount of freedom the past few decades and has slipped in it's ratings as a free and open country.

Opinions?

I've followed the rankings at Freedom House for many years now. Freedom in the World 2018

• Democracy faced its most serious crisis in decades in 2017 as its basic tenets—including guarantees of free and fair elections, the rights of minorities, freedom of the press, and the rule of law—came under attack around the world.
• Seventy-one countries suffered net declines in political rights and civil liberties, with only 35 registering gains. This marked the 12th consecutive year of decline in global freedom.
• The United States retreated from its traditional role as both a champion and an exemplar of democracy amid an accelerating decline in American political rights and civil liberties.
• Over the period since the 12-year global slide began in 2006, 113 countries have seen a net decline, and only 62 have experienced a net improvement.

So, yes, it would appear that freedom is on the decline and could even get worse in the years to come.

It's hard to gauge just how much freedom and liberty one can expect in the coming decades. Our government always seems to be able to play the national security card whenever they want to get things their way, so our freedom and liberty seems to hang in the balance.

Technology also makes some things more feasible for a government bent on taking away people's freedom and liberty. But they'll also likely want the people to still believe that they're free.

 

[Sunstone]

In America, the Uber-Rich and Large Corporations are substantially destroying freedom and liberty already -- while, however, maintaining a facade of it.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I've followed the rankings at Freedom House for many years now. Freedom in the World 2018


So, yes, it would appear that freedom is on the decline and could even get worse in the years to come.

It's hard to gauge just how much freedom and liberty one can expect in the coming decades. Our government always seems to be able to play the national security card whenever they want to get things their way, so our freedom and liberty seems to hang in the balance.

Technology also makes some things more feasible for a government bent on taking away people's freedom and liberty. But they'll also likely want the people to still believe that they're free.

It does seem to coincide with the increases in technology. Surveillance, police, military.

The map was kind of an eye opener. Looking at it it looks as if freedom and authoritism are meeting the halfway point and what appears to be almost equal measure with each other.

 

[Terese]

Fixed title

 

[Skwim]

Sorry for title. Posted by accident before I could correct it.

Intended title....

Where is Liberty and freedom? Will it someday become extinct?

FYI for the future.

On your OP page right above the right-hand box with your "joined," "messages" etc. information you'll see three items listed "Top Posters... Thread Tools Unwatch Thread." Click the "Thread Tools" and choose "Edit Title."

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[Twilight Hue]

FYI for the future.

On your OP page right above the right-hand box with your "joined," "messages" etc. information you'll see three items listed "Top Posters... Thread Tools Unwatch Thread." Click the "Thread Tools" and choose "Edit Title."

.

Thanks tons. Would have never known if you hadn't told me. :0)

 

[Twilight Hue]

I will say that in a disturbing trend- authoritarian nationalism does seem to be on the rise in the West again. Especially in the US at present, but also in Europe enough to be troubling. It's ironic that this nationalism is thoroughly right wing, but the left gets blamed for the death of liberty. Conservative and right-wing movements are fueling and furthering this change. No one minds paying the cost of 'feeling safe' when it comes to Muslims and immigrants it seems.

Europe especially.

I think extreme left or right-wing is disastrous and authoritarian. It seems there is a pattern where countries start out with freedom and liberty and eventually wind up being authoritarian and despot nations over the course of time.

 

[Father Heathen]

Mapped: The world's most (and least) free countries

Is freedom on the rise, or is it in Decline?

There is no doubt the United States has lost a fair amount of freedom the past few decades and has slipped in it's ratings as a free and open country.

Opinions?

Well, that all depends on how much power that the people are willing to hand over to the right, considering their record of trying to repress LGBT rights and women's rights, trying to prevent or repeal laws that protect equality, their 'witch hunt' regarding victimless crimes and attempts to stiffen penalties for such, trying to enact laws that would impose religious views, their attempts to undermine the quality of information and education available to the public, attempts to censor science, etc.

 

[shmogie]

I will say that in a disturbing trend- authoritarian nationalism does seem to be on the rise in the West again. Especially in the US at present, but also in Europe enough to be troubling. It's ironic that this nationalism is thoroughly right wing, but the left gets blamed for the death of liberty. Conservative and right-wing movements are fueling and furthering this change. No one minds paying the cost of 'feeling safe' when it comes to Muslims and immigrants it seems.

Well, lets look at history. soviet Russia, leftyś, China, ditto, nazi Germany, alledgedly right wing, but is parallel with communist China and Russia right down the line, national SOCIALISM.

Today the left is mobilized to eliminate the freedom of speech, the freedom to dissent except for their partisans, the freedom of religion, the right to bear arms.

Most immigrants are welcome in the USA and always have been, when they are here LEGALLY. Statistically it is easily proven that illegals bleed off many more tax dollars in services and welfare than they contribute back, to the tune of billions. Most illegals are poorly educated, or completely uneducated, and have difficulty supporting themselves. It is purely a financial issue, and the American taxpayers have no obligation to expend money on non Americans here illegally. Welfare and other services for the poor are paid for by taxpayers for Americans, not citizens of other countryś here illegally.

Muslims are a special case. Their holy books, the koran and hadith are perfectly clear. No muslim can ever have alliegence to any nation, unless it espouses both the religious and governmental system of islam. a theocracy. These books also make it clear that muslims in countryś outside of islam are to work tirelessly to make them islam.

Multiculturalism totally fails with muslims, because it is hated by them, they are interested in having only culture, theirs, one nation, theirs. This isn´t a choice for a muslim, the only choice is to cease being a muslim and assimilate and become a patriotic citizen of the nation they are in, or remain true to the teachings. There is no compromise

 

[Stevicus]

It does seem to coincide with the increases in technology. Surveillance, police, military.

The map was kind of an eye opener. Looking at it it looks as if freedom and authoritism are meeting the halfway point and what appears to be almost equal measure with each other.

It's hard to know what the long-term effect will be or what "freedom" may look like 20 or 50 years from now. The police have become more militarized, and there seems to be a lot more surveillance and security these days.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's hard to know what the long-term effect will be or what "freedom" may look like 20 or 50 years from now. The police have become more militarized, and there seems to be a lot more surveillance and security these days.

I often wondered why the police are looking more like military soldiers everyday. Are criminals really becoming that sophisticated and dangerous to warrant it all? Much of it seems overkill to me.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Who ever would have thought we'd have a decline in freedoms with so many liberty and freedom preserving guns around?

 

[Father Heathen]

Today the left is mobilized to eliminate the freedom of speech, the freedom to dissent except for their partisans, the freedom of religion, the right to bear arms.

Care to substantiate any of those claims?

 

[Father Heathen]

Who ever would have thought we'd have a decline in freedoms with so many liberty and freedom preserving guns around?

It's the only freedom that matters to the right. I suspect that they would even sacrifice the 1st amendment if it meant preserving the 2nd.

 

[Stanyon]

It's the only freedom that matters to the right. I suspect that they would even sacrifice the 1st amendment if it meant preserving the 2nd.

Care to substantiate that claim?

 

[Father Heathen]

Care to substantiate that claim?

Donald Trump thinks banning violent video games and films will stop shootings | Metro News

 

[godnotgod]

I think that part of the problem is that the right is primarily the Christian right, and we all know that they consider Free Will the problem that began in the Garden of Eden story. IOW, they are confusing Free Will with Freedom. So they think they need to control Freedom lest it lead to chaos, ie 'sin'. From their POV, they equate this chaos with the civil unrest, disobedience and disrespect in the world against unjust conditions. So they think even more control is needed, mostly by force, in order to create order and respect for 'authority'. It's a vicious circle we all are caught in.

Freedom for the right is not real freedom, but license.