I think I need to amend something. I'm not insulted by people who don't want to raise children - some people just don't have what it takes, or there is something wrong that doesnt' allow them to have children.
What I'm appalled with are the people that choose not to have the children but take the attitude they have no responsibity with children in the form of paying taxes or whatever. The childless person is still apart of this civilization and has these responsibilities with no choice. Without our children, our civilization dies.
Originally Posted by: DakotaT
1'll concede a moral responsibility to aid in the offering of opportunity to those who can't yet provide for themselves, e.g. children. Given that I'm a teacher (of sorts), I can't very well deny said responsibility.
But the existence of said moral responsibility does not provide a justification for taxation. Not by itself. Sorry.
Because before you can get there you still have to satisfy the burden of proof for the following:
1. That said offering of opportunity is not happening otherwise. (Ok, that's the easy bit. It's not hard to point out lots of cases where kids get screwed. I'll concede on it, too.)
AND
2. That coercion of moral scumbuckets like me is the only way to provide said opportunities.
AND
3. That said taxation (property, sales, income, whatever) is the only way to do so.
Pointing out that we have used taxes to provide education in the past is not a justification for continuing to do so. The fact that coercion has been practiced in the past does not justify it's continued use. If it was, then all a bully would have to do to justify his bullying is say, well, "people have been letting bullies get away with it for years. Ergo, it's necessary for me to be a bully."
Again, it is NOT my burden to offer an alternative to coercion via taxation. It's YOUR burden to show that there is no alternative AND that your desired taxation is the least onerous way to coerce us morally responsible sorts of people.
Try again. [grin1]
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)