1. 2008-01-27 05:46:40

   Whose Rights Have Been Violated?

   I remember bits and flashes of high school. The good points, a few of the bad, but not a lot of the mundane. One thing I do remember is my government teacher's definition of liberty (wassup Mr. Crippen!!!). He said, "If you were to try to punch someone else in the face, your liberty stops where their nose starts." The non-philosophical meaning of this is that you can be punished by the authorities and sued by the other party when your fist meets their nose, and not before. Doing so would be a violation of the other person's rights, the basic definition of a crime as we know it.

   This got me thinking. In the case of the recent police bust of the San Francisco and San Jose Poker Meetup Group, whose rights, exactly, were violated?

   It wasn't the player's rights. They knew exactly what they were doing and they did it anyway, because it was fun, and – as stated previously – they have discretionary incomes (gasp!).

   The neighbors? Possibly, but what if, instead of playing poker, the group just stayed up late drinking and partying? Would the cops have conducted a 3 month sting operation? No, they would have busted the place a couple of times and had a stern conversation with the owner.

   Oddly enough, the only party to this affair whose rights were violated was the same party responsible for enforcing the don't-violate-the-rights-of-others rule: the state of California.

   You see, it's in the discretion of the state of California to regulate gambling. Because, you know, it's better for us simpletons that way. Therefore, the game that got busted violated the state's right to regulate gambling, where money was freely risked and exchanged. The circularity of it boggles the mind. Gaaah - I think I'll have to leave it at that to avoid banging my head against the wall to get the stoopid out.

   Posted by Ethan at 2008-01-27 05:46:40

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Comments on “Whose Rights Have Been Violated?”

1. • Posted by Jason M g 2008-01-27 23:42:05
   • 

   • Even if some of the players didn't know what they were doing, don't forget...

     "It"s immoral to let a sucker keep his money."

     -Canada Bill Jones (19th century poker player)

2. • Posted by uzjedi (unverified) g 2008-01-27 15:11:21
   • 

   • "I believe each individual is naturally entitled to do as he pleases with himself and the fruits of his labor, so far as it in no way interferes with any other man's rights." - Abraham Lincoln ;-)