I am not a believer in grand conspiracies, I do recognize trends that manifest certain attitudes. The overcriminalization we see that results in the injustices to Lawrence Lewis, Gibson Guitars, and a lot of others has creeped up on us over the past half century.
Interestingly, the trend was recognized and published 55 years ago, even before it was fully underway. Read on:
Dr. Ferris smiled. . . . . .”We’ve waited a long time to get something on you. You honest men are such a problem and such a headache. But we knew you’d slip sooner or later – and this is just what we wanted.”
“You seem to be pleased about it.”
“Don’t I have good reason to be?”
“But, after all, I did break one of your laws.”
“Well, what do you think they’re for?”
Dr. Ferris did not notice the sudden look on Rearden’s face, the look of a man hit by the first vision of that which he had sought to see. Dr. Ferris was past the stage of seeing; he was intent upon delivering the last blows to an animal caught in a trap.
“Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?” said Dr. Ferris. “We want them broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against – then you’ll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We’re after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you’d better get wise to it. There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now, that’s the system, Mr. Rearden, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.”
from Atlas Shrugged published in 1957. (quote from p. 411, 35th Anniversary Edition, paperback, 1992)(emphasis added). The “new normal”? Who would have thought?
2 replies on “The real "new normal"?”
Oh, please… Has no thought occurred since 1957? When was the last time you were persecuted by your government? For someone who has such a good life, you seem in such fear. I think you'll be OK.
Perhaps. But to paraphrase Martin Niemoeller: “They came first for the guitar makers, I was not a guitar maker, so I did not object. then they came for the toilet cleaners, I was not one, so I did not object. . . . Then they came for me, but who was left to object?”
Actually, I have represented some who were arguably, if not persecuted, were subject to overreaching. It can pay well, for awhile anyway.