Quote:
Originally Posted by djplong
Richie: Correct me if I'm mischaracterizing, but any time any regulation of any sort comes out of Washington, it's called "socialism" (whether it has anything to do with economics or not). My point was that there IS a role for Washington in setting certain standards - and which standards those are is a matter for debate. I chose that particular example to make a point.
bk: Immediately or over time?
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The thing is; the emancipation of the blacks following the Civil War is a prime and perfect example of the recognition of "rights of the individual", the primary tenet of conservatism as opposed to socialism . The blacks had to be recognized first as equal human beings and then their individual rights were self evident in this "land of the free". This was not a case of the government granting the blacks rights. It was government that allowed their subjugation. They had to be freed FROM the government who's laws facilitated the practice of slavery.