From: b645zaw@utarlg.uta.edu (Stephen Tice)
Subject: Re: COUNTER BLITZ  -= Strike out against Pork-Party-Politics =-
Organization: The University of Texas at Arlington
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Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 03:10:00 GMT
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In article <1angriINNpl5@network.ucsd.edu>, spl@ivem.uucp (Steve Lamont) writes...
>In article <4OCT199213290297@utarlg.uta.edu> b645zaw@utarlg.uta.edu (Stephen Tice) writes:
>>In article <1aijk3INN6vg@network.ucsd.edu>, spl@pitstop.ucsd.edu (Steve Lamont) writes...

>I don't think it's the numbered districts themselves that are evidence
>of the politics of division... it's the egregious gerrymandering that
>makes for divisiveness.

You make a good point and I learned a new word (`egregious' ie. flagrant).

>The point here is that until we have a political system that
>accurately relects the views, needs, and desires of every person,
>rather than just one that serves the right and extreme right wings of
>the propertied, tinkering with the mechanics, as laudatory as that
>might be, is simply a waste of time, rearranging the chairs on the
>deck of the Titanic.

If you'd said "just the extremes" I'd agree completely. 
As to macroeconomic doom (re. `titanic'), I'll agree the problem
is more important, and add that it arises because of the abuse
of the taxpayers -- just as their voting rights are abused.

>What we need is a system that is capable of critical examination of 
>those dissimilations, misrepresentations, and outright lies and isn't 
>afraid to tell what it has discovered.  

Yes. Absolutely. One way is through dialog. Another similarly, is
in open forum. I reckon the real impact will come when each individual
acts as a reporter of what they see happening. Then we can compare 
stories and get to the facts. 

This can be powerful, consider the Rodney King Beating video. We have 
the tools, and some are starting to use them. The media did not offer
the obvious conclusion in this case: those people who are not allowed
to be part of the system, will only look to their own good when 
trouble comes.

A powerful message. Which is why an unrestricted vote is an important
step (though only that). It demonstrates clearly that every person
without exception has the right to be heard. More powerful than the
vote is having opportunity to voice one's personal viewpoint (note,
I did not say belief). At most, the media allows that through cartoon 
"representatives" such as Rush Limbaugh, (though even with this the 
control over the people is beginning to fissure as talk-radio opens 
up to the more and more callers). 

There is a still more powerful people's media, one which provides 
simultaneous access much like broadcast. One that allows time shifting
like video tape, and interaction like talk-radio. We all use it barely 
aware of the impact. There might be several million of us here on the
net. If nintendo had a modem-cartridge-and-keyboard option. There could
be a hundred million via the local nets. The most liberting thing we
can do is push for cheap terminals. Then there can be no overcontrol
unless the phone system is flat shut down. We are that close. 

>What we, the people, are privileged to observe and participate in
>during our periodic "elections" is most often just an internecine
>squabble between petty and increasingly indiscernible factions of the
>Property Party, to paraphrase Gore Vidal.

Gore Vidal is bitter and jaded now having turned from the spirit 
-- in doing so he is directly opposite me. But he is a strong proponent
of pluralism, with which I agree. I think in a way he reaches for a
common spirit in his rejection of God, or perhaps he has only rejected
the Image of God offered by those who idolize Life. Likewise, I have
rejected the One Government offered by those who idolize Power. So I
hope that Mr. Vidal will again open his heart. In the mean time, I
welcome hearing the voice of the people set free (*).

The media can not stop this.

>Steve Lamont, SciViGuy -- (619) 534-7968 -- spl@szechuan.ucsd.edu
>UCSD Microscopy and Imaging Resource/UCSD Med School/La Jolla, CA 92093-0608

Profession of religious faith follows...



 * - And hopefully the Truth resonating from the chorus in Praise of 
     the Glory of God. 


   |                        Because of his love for us his children,
-- J --                     God, the Greatest Spirit, entered life as we  
   |     Stephen D. Tice    know it in the body called Jesus. For those 
   |     Arlington Texas    born of the Spirit, through Jesus your body
                            shall be remade. All you need do is accept
                            God's gift of love in Jesus, and you will
                            share life again with us when Heaven and
                            Earth are remade (*).


   *  And if you're a programmer, all this means that there's a
      virus in system, so it's going to get rebooted. The sysadmin
      loves this code, so much as to become part code to fix the
      problem. So if you want to be around after the reboot, then
      say so and believe -- works kinda like a macro. The rest of 
      us code-lings would like to have you there.  -- Sdt  =-)