Dear All;
Below is copied an article from this issue of the
Advocate. The wise use of the two words -
Once Again - is demonstrated.
As an example: instead of saying -
legalize drugs - say when drugs
are once again legal...
See the article below for more on - Once Again.
A couple that come to my mind right off the bat are:
When America is once again back on the gold
standard we can expect greater prosperity for all of us.
When America is once again free of trade unions
and federally mandated protectionist union job
laws we will see more jobs and greater prosperity
for all of us.
When America is once again free of supporting
people on welfare we all will have better standards
of living.
When America is once again free of all employment
and wage laws we will all have better access to
jobs and better incomes.
When America is once again free from educrats
dictating to local school boards and turns control
of local school boards to local parents education
for all will improve.
When America is once again free from all
protectionist trade and tariff laws American
manufactuerwers will be able to sell their
products more freely worldwide.
Obviously there are far more but the use
of the words Once Agian is a powerful
way to introduce Libertarian ideals principles
philosophies less radicallly.
Ron Getty - SF Libertarian
Hostis res Publica
Morte ai Tiranni
Dum Spiro, Pugno
Word Choices: Using "Once Again"
by Sharon Harris
Change makes many people uncomfortable.
Some people are unable to easily see how
bold change can take place. Many lack the
historical perspective or the imagination.
They are unwilling to let go of today's failed
policy, for fear that the proposed alternative
may be worse.
This can make advocating some libertarian
ideas difficult.
It is therefore very useful to let people know
that some "radical" libertarian ideas were
actually the status quo, not so long ago.
One excellent way to do that is illustrated
in the question Mary Ruwart answers in
her column in this issue.
The question is on the difficult issue of drug
legalization. The questioner asks what will
happen if drugs are "once again" legal in America.
That use of "once again" is a marvelous choice.
Saying "I believe the use and sale of drugs
should be legal in America" is scary-sounding
to some people. It sounds like you are calling
for a radical, unprecedented change in the
status quo.
But saying "I believe the use and sale of
drugs should once again be legal in America"
adds great power to your argument. It makes
it plain that this was once the norm in America.
That you are calling for a restoration of the status quo.
This then offers you the chance to point out that
all drugs were legal in America until well into
the twentieth century, and there were no
federal laws against marijuana until 1937.
And America was freer and safer because
of this policy. (Only 16 states had anti-marijuana
laws as late as 1930; by 1937, increased
federal pressure led the rest of the states to
adopt such laws.)
Of course, you will need to have your facts
ready on this. The article recommended in
Mary Ruwart's column
"Thinking about Drug Legalization,"
by James Ostrowski, is a great source of
information on this issue.
For a similarly useful word on the drug
issue, we have previously discussed
the use of "re-legalization."
Regarding the "once again" phrase,
here are some suggestions:
"I believe Americans should once again
be free of the federal income tax."
"I believe Americans should once again
adopt our traditional American foreign
policy of a strong national defense but
no interference in the internal affairs of
other nations."
"I believe the residents of my state should
once again be free from a state income tax."
You can come up with more. Make the
"radical" sound like what it so often is --
a return to common sense -- with this
very useful phrase.