The word privilege comes from Latin roots, meaning private law. A society that honors the rule of law cannot have private – i.e., unpublished – laws, for that would make it impossible for a citizen to know what the law mandates and forbids. But a Society of Status, where “some are more equal than others,” will have two legal codes: one for the common man and one for the privileged. The latter code will often consist of exemptions from the laws in the former one.
The Dishonorable Charles Rangel – and no, I don’t care that he served in Korea – who was censured for tax evasion after decades sitting on the House Ways & Means committee, thinks the protection you don’t deserve is his God-given right:
New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel says members of Congress “deserve” and “need” people with firearms protecting them in the U.S. Capitol building, but he does not want law-abiding residents in his own district to be armed for self-protection.Rangel made this distinction when he spoke to The Daily Caller Tuesday night about New York Police Department’s gun permitting bribery scandal....
When asked by The Daily Caller his thoughts on the difficulty of getting a concealed carry permit in New York City and how rare it is for such permits to be issued by the NYPD, Rangel replied, “I’m glad to hear you say that very few people get it.”...
TheDC noted to Rangel he and other members of Congress are protected by armed members of the U.S. Capitol Police.
“Well that’s a little different. I think we deserve–I think we need to be protected down here.” Rangel laughingly insisted.
Well, at least he’s consistent...but wasn’t Leona Helmsley indicted, tried, convicted, and imprisoned for her conviction that the laws are for the little people?
This is also the man who has characterized the Republican Party as wanting to bring back slavery and who said, right out in front of God and everybody, “It’s not ‘spic’ or ‘nigger’ anymore. They say ‘Let’s cut taxes.’” And he’s sat in the House of Representatives with the other privileged characters of our supposedly classless society for nigh upon half a century.
Remember those indecently naked D.C. lampposts, Gentle Readers.
I think Charlie has been some benefit all those years. He's always been a speed bump to legislation ...some of it bad. It's frustrating for me to know he was elected to his post, however, and many others have been elected also. But he is a prime example of voter ineptness at all levels.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the cherry trees in Spring, the scent of the fresh blooms will mask the stench of rotting, bloated corpses, no? And leave them there to fall on their own as a reminder to those who follow!
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