Freedom has limits. You are free to do anything you want, as long as it doesn't go against the will of others.
Simple enough. You want to kill someone, you kill them, and are prosecuted by the law. You say you lost your freedom, but freedom has its limits.
rodeoclownicp has promised to not insult or attack anyone else verbally on this forum, be it me or someone else. I have not insulted him, I have just debated with him, but he just threw insults at me.
However, I have forgiven him, and I consider this matter closed.
Begin somewhat offtopic rant.
I think, pbmining, that this is the first time I've severely disagreed with your stance
. If you changed that to
as long as it does not HARM others I would accept your axiom. But for the former to be true, that would state that you must conform in word, deed, and thought with the majority REGARDLESS of merit. This paradigm, while common, has led to the greatest atrocities in the history of our species. None other than Thomas Jefferson, the author of the First Amendment, argued that it was indeed intended to protect the absolute right to hold UNPOPULAR opinions. Unlike me, he championed Democracy. And even so, saw the folly of what you just stated. I, as I've pointed out elsewhere, see unfettered democracy as the most tyrannical system possible IN IT'S VERY CONCEPTION. If we are to follow the precept of the "will of the majority" on anything, we must look to to it's ultimate consequence. Thankfully, most people are significantly smarter than that. But Let's look at it, shall we? This is what Democracy truly means if not fettered by other systems. Ten people get together and decide that one of their number is to die. There need not be reason nor justification, it's the will of the majority. If that person objects to being killed, by the precepts of democracy HE is wrong, and THEY are right.
On a more practical nature, every democracy, however conceived, has eventually failed or become so decadent as to render it non functional. It happens the day after the majority realize they can pick the pocket of the minority with impunity. The very existence of so called minority protections and "hate crime" laws demonstrate that not even the proponents of this screwball system actually believe in it's ultimate merits.
There are limited, VERY limited, circumstances in which a democratic system is of value. Organizing a society, and regulating it, is simply not one of them. History has proven it over and over again.
End rant.
On topic, I'm glad the whole thing is resolved. Things got a little heated over basically a disagreement on method. It happens.
EDIT: I was guilty of what I attributed to others. Rather than sanitize it, I'll note my error and apologize. My response remains the same, but it was Byte411 who I quoted, thinking it was pbmining. I'm usually more careful in pulling the trigger.