"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." ~ H.L. Mencken
No One Should Be Forced to Act against His Conscience
"A question arises from the recent controversy between President Obama and the Catholic Church that aches for an answer: If Catholic institutions have a right to abstain from paying for what morally offends them, why don’t the rest of us?"
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A. The Catholic Church is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. This means it is exempt from corporate income and property taxes. However, the Catholic Church must pay taxes on unrelated business income from any non-religious activities. Individuals (e.g., priests, deacons) do pay regular income taxes.
"The U.S. government should be stopped from engaging in such brutality. But short of that, those with a conscientious objection should be free to opt out of financing these crimes." ~ Sheldon Richman
Secession. The act of withdrawing from membership in a group. ~ Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition (c.1991)
According to the natural law every individual is free to withdraw from membership in the group and is free to refuse member-only benefits and privileges. In so doing, he has opted out of financing these crimes; he is no longer a dues-paying member.
Invito beneficium non datur. No one is obliged to accept a benefit against his consent. Dig. 50, 17, 69. But if he does not dissent he will be considered as assenting. Vide Assent[1]. ~ Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary
Implied assent. That which is presumed by law, and proved by conduct of the parties. See Consent (Implied consent[2]) ~ Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition (c.1991), page 116
Why would one need to refuse member-only benefits and privileges? Because if one takes the benefits and privileges offered by the STATE it proves by conduct of the party that he assents to membership in the STATE. (See Implied assent definition directly above and Implied consent definition in footnotes.)
Cujus est commodum ejus debet esse incommodum. He who receives the benefit should also bear the disadvantage.
The "disadvantage", of course, is allegiance.
Allegiance. Obligation of fidelity and obedience to government in consideration for protection that government gives.
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[1] Qui non prohibit quod prohibere potest assentire videtur. He who does not forbid what he can forbid, seems to assent. 2 Inst. 305. ~ Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary
Non refert an quis assensum suum praefert verbis, an rebus ipsis et factis. It is immaterial whether a man gives his assent by words or by acts and deeds. 10 Co. 52. ~ Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary
[2] Implied consent. That manifest by signs, actions, or facts, or by inaction or silence, which raise a presumption or inference that the consent has been given. An inference arising from a course of conduct or relationship between the parties, in which there is mutual acquiescence or a lack of objection under circumstances signifying assent. Allstate, Ince. Co. v. State Farm mutual Automobile Ins. Co. 260 S.C. 350, 195 SE2d 711, 713
"You assist an evil system most effectively by obeying its orders and decrees. An evil system never deserves such allegiance. Allegiance to it means partaking of the evil. A good person will resist an evil system with his or her whole soul." ~ M.K. Gandhi
And to Evan, Samarami and any others who have lost respect for Rob for banning WI, if in fact he did ban him; I am a "dissenter", constantly putting forth my same concepts in as many step-by-step ways as I can find.
So, why am I not booted and banned from Rob's website? Because I am polite about my dissension; I'm not constantly antagonistic, or telling the other members, here, how ignorant they are, or bad-mouthing all their heroes, in order to gain attention. It's called making a "constructive contribution", as one member here called it. Had WI shown just a little common courtesy, I'm certain that he would still be here. So, I think the Germanic word for what I am trying to say to you folks is, quitcherbitchen.