The Freedoms or Rights We Have or Do Not Have

[fredk]

A basic title

I've started this thread to discuss the various Rights or Freedoms we have or DO Not have in our various countries because I've noticed we all have some very different laws to follow & obey. It includes basic local or state laws we must follow, not necessarily 'rights' or 'freedoms'

Lets keep basic politics out, no ranting against our local politicians. OK?

And no FREE country is right or wrong. Each of our countries has developed its own set of laws and rules to suit its citizens. Sometimes the laws are wrong and need changed but mostly they work

I'll start with some things but first an explanation. I live in Northern Ireland. It is not part of the independent country of Ireland but is the north east part of the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland is one of the 4 countries which make up the United Kingdom - The United Kingdoms of Great Britain (G.B.) & Northern Ireland (N.I.). Great Britain being England, Scotland and Wales. Still there? still with me?

Northern Ireland is just over 100 years old and since its beginning we have had our own laws. Broadly similar to those of Great Britain but we also have many differences in the laws. Anything I write pertains to N.I. and maybe not to G.B.

1. Guns. We need a permit to have a shotgun and that permit is very hard to get. We are not allowed rifles or any sort of pistols. Only a few specialists are allowed licences for using black powder weapons, usually muskets or small cannon. Air guns; they need a permit just as the shotgun does, and about 3 years ago it was introduced, without any consultation at all, that air-soft and paint-ball guns also need a permit/licence. Hunting is highly regulated

2. Regular bows and crossbows; can only be carried covered up to and from archery clubs or shooting events. No hunting with them permitted at all

3. Sharp blade item. Not allowed to carry a knife with a blade longer than 3.5 inches, except for special reasons, eg a freelance chef can carry his/her knives in a knife roll to a cooking job, or someone going fishing can carry a 6 inch filleting knife in their tackle box.  Even screwdrivers are seen as offensive weapons. Carry any size of screwdriver for no good reason and you can be arrested, obvious exceptions apply

4. Fishing. I can go sea fishing any time I like but freshwater fishing is highly regulated. We need rod licences, permits to fish certain waters at certain times, even permits on how many & what type of fish may be caught for keeping. Most fresh water fishing is catch & release. Our fishing season is much longer than in GB 

5. Unlike GB our police are armed 24/7. All of them. But unlike the US they rarely use their guns. In the last 10 years the police have drawn their guns 4 times and discharged once. Use of the Taser is getting more common, used about 3 times this year. Believe me when I say, the police could and maybe should have used their guns with lethal effect more often but they don't or haven't

6. One of the reasons for starting this thread; the differences in starting a business. Here, all I had to do was, err, start, saying I was a business. That was it. A name for my business, buy product liability insurance if I want it, inform our tax office (HMR&C) of income from my sales. Our tax system is 'Pay-as-you-earn' PAYE, no annual tax returns. We each have a certain allowance we can earn before we have to pay tax. My level is about £12,500. Any income that takes me above that and I have to pay 10% tax just on that extra

I didn't have to inform any local or state authority that I was now conducting business. I should tell the authority, the local housing association, that I'm in business but their attitude is, if it doesn't interfere with the neighbours or generate lots of car traffic - we don't care

Generally, I do have to obey all the common laws and regulations on selling goods; ie a bit of a guarantee, not refusing to make something for someone based on their gender etc,  Here the buyer is King/Queen or other, Queeng? Kineen? Quekin?

7. Other than lots of active terrorists (at the moment busy trying to kill each other) we don't have any insects, snakes, crocs or other wild animals out to kill us. Our biggest, and only, lizard is about 5 to 8mm long

8. Living here can be expensive though. Petrol (gas) or diesel is currently about £6.35 per UK gallon, I think that works out at about $6.60 per US gallon. Electricity is currently expensive. But often basic food prices are cheaper. The price you see is what you pay. We do not have any add on local, city, county, state and federal taxes. I remember being stuck in New York once. I was down to my last $10. I went into a McD. I choose 4 items and by the prices displayed it would come to just about $4.50 but when I paid it was about $9.20. The extra was all the different taxes added on! I believe rents are generally lower than GB. A person in GB has a lot more living expenses than we have so scores of them are moving here. But once you're here you're kinda stuck. Air flights can be relatively cheap but car ferries are expensive

More later . . . . . 

ttfn

[Handstitched]

@fredk

I'm in the Central Wheatbelt of W.A. around 2 - 3 hrs drive from the city. 

1. Here in west Oz,  gun ownership &  licences are pretty strict . Some are used for hunting .  Farmers have rifles, and then theres the gun club, not far from where I am, I can hear them at the weekends. 

2. 

3.I carry a pocket knife,a  ' Swiss army knife ' . Its not just a knife, its a tool box,  I use it daily. Technically, I can get busted if I'm caught, especially in the city,   but I live in the bush, just about  every farmer carries a knife, so there may be  a few exceptions as I do have a genuine reason to have it. 

4.Haven't fished in  years, but its also heavily regulated here. 

5.Our police are also armed with guns, tasers etc. 24/7, (and no common sense)  but quite often things go catastrophically wrong when used.   Eg.   Recently  ,a 95 year old woman in care, with dementia  and other health issues was tasered because she was carrying a steak knife , but she was on a walking frame  and was moving at a slow pace towards the police. When tasered, she fell and hit her head...and never recovered and died .  Officer was stood down and charged.

6.  I was selling my leather goods at a regular market for years before I decided to take the plunge and start a business. A business adviser friend of mine , told me to get  business banner to help promote my stuff for my stall, but later realised  , thats illegal without an ABN .   So,   I applied for an ' ABN'  ( Australian Business Number) . To work from home, I had to  apply for a permit with the local shire council . As I live outside the town boundary , not in the town centre  I was granted a permit under the heading of ' Cottage Industry ' .  I don't think I would be permitted to do what I do in town itself. But, I had a my market stall  regularly in one of the carparks, I had to get a permit for that as well .  Here you can't do a damn thing without a bloody permit !!!!!!!!

7. We have plenty of those, snakes, spiders, crocs  etc.(up north) 

8. Our petrol is hovering around $1.79  up to $ 2.00 per litre  . Fuel companies can't keep blaming covid or the war in Ukraine for ever.   Food: meat is the most expensive atm . *Leg of  Lamb, or roast beef  for example (which are very rare for us  these days), $15- 16 per kg.  up to, $ 28 p/kg . Cost of vegies have also gone up...and up.  Food is a little cheaper in the city.  Power, has gone up, we try to be frugal,  but we get  govt. rebates occasionally. It also  sometimes goes off in bad weather, like we're having now as  I type. We have a Jenny just outside.  For those that rent , rents have gone totally stupid, thats because of  pure greed,  , greedy money grubbing  landlords, causing people to live in cars,  camping in all sorts of places with kids too, in the streets etc.  Thank God we own this house, it was paid off many years ago.  

*we used to have roast dinners nearly all the time, not any more. 

HS

[chuck123wapati]

The US has two sets of laws, State laws and federal laws. Each states laws are different than other state laws. also we have county laws and each town has its ordinances. Each state has a constitution as well as our federal constitution. 

1. Wonderful Wyoming, USA in a small town in the middle of a great big desert.  we can own guns until we become a felon then its illegal. Both under state law and federal law. we need a special federal permit for fully automatic weapons. Here in Wyoming its not uncommon to see people open carrying their firearms. The crime rate is very low here unlike the major cities most folks hear about. hunting is highly regulated but anyone can apply for the licenses and  enjoy if they are lucky. I can buy a gun , own a gun and use a gun if don't break the law and become a felon I can have one or many in fact for my entire life. 

We have the right to defend ourselves with equal force using them for violence is illegal.

2.I shoot my bow in the backyard, i can tote it anywhere anytime. a special 30 day archery hunting season in September before rifle season crossbows included. Bow fishing is only for non game species( Carp) is about it here.

3. Knives are legal to carry also, not uncommon to see a 6 inch blade on someone's side, using them for violence is illegal using them for self defense is not.

4. Fishing is highly regulated depending on location and fish types and creel limit but anyone can buy a license and fish, most towns in Wyoming actually have fishing ponds for the kids and families, they can fish free without a license anywhere. some watersheds have specific rules, like artificial baits only. Any State federal or BLM land is open to the public for recreational activities. 

5. Our cops have the right to defend themselves also and meet violence with equal force. there has been one officer shooting here in the last since i can remember, 40 + years about 6 year ago. 

6. Starting a business, you need a federal tax ID  and you pay state taxes on purchases only, Wyoming has no income tax. Here you can makes as much money as you want but you have to pay federal taxes on all of it.  you can work form home to a point but our towns and land is taxed on it use so residential areas and business areas are different places lol so you cant open a full fledged business in a neighbor hood. If a person makes less than a certain amount every year then they are not taxed its called the poverty level. 

7. We have all kinds of critters, lol but no really big snakes or spiders, no crocs, a few grizzlies however.

8. gas is about 3.50 a gallon right now, all the food prices have gone up at least 100% since our last election some thing 3 or 4 hundred percent.. We pay state federal and some county taxes. our food and rental is pretty high due to the high paying job market and the fact we are out in the boonies and the seasonal vacationers. Its always been that way somewhat and has nothing to do with politics, mostly greed. 

i had to laugh this year, i did my federal taxes online and afterword i got my credit score, its a score based on how much you make and borrow and how fast you pay off your debts. its used by companies to lend you money.  Everything i own is paid for, my house , my cars etc..  I haven't borrowed money in so long I don't have a credit score LOL. I couldn't borrow now if i had to. 

 

[Handstitched]

2 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

Everything i own is paid for, my house , my cars etc.

Amen to that friend     I don't owe a single cent to anyone  .   Even my credit card is well and truly  in the black . 

HS

[fredk]

Here is somat from the police state I live in

1. Basically,  I cannot put out the national flag whenever I want. It might offend someone. However I do live in an area where not putting out the flag is more offensive (which reminds me I need to buy a new one) At most work places displaying the national flag, or a symbol version of it, is a criminal offence. The local council took down the flag pole at our town's war memorial so we couldn't fly the national flag, because some people are offended by the flag. A group of citizens have bought and erected a new flag pole and the flag flies and the challenge is out for the council to dare to take the flag pole down again, against the wishes of the majority of voters who put them in their cozy council seats

2. If three or more people want to walk down a street, strictly they have to apply to a non-legislative government body called 'The Parades Commission' at least 6 months in advance and get their approval. If they do not get the approval the plods can arrest them and its prison. Let me put this in perspective; if 3 of us just walk to the pub, that is generally ok, but if one of us decides to play a harmonica whilst we walk that makes us a 'parade' ! The law is enforced but in a wise horse-sense way, mostly. About 2 years ago around 20 people in a wedding group were arrested. They walked from the chapel to the restaurant, about 200 yards, with a bag piper playing and leading the way. It was an un-approved 'parade', and about 40 to 50 citizens, who stopped to watch the wedding group, were issued with cautions for 'attending' this un-approved parade

[chuck123wapati]

41 minutes ago, fredk said:

Here is somat from the police state I live in

1. Basically,  I cannot put out the national flag whenever I want. It might offend someone. However I do live in an area where not putting out the flag is more offensive (which reminds me I need to buy a new one) At most work places displaying the national flag, or a symbol version of it, is a criminal offence. The local council took down the flag pole at our town's war memorial so we couldn't fly the national flag, because some people are offended by the flag. A group of citizens have bought and erected a new flag pole and the flag flies and the challenge is out for the council to dare to take the flag pole down again, against the wishes of the majority of voters who put them in their cozy council seats

2. If three or more people want to walk down a street, strictly they have to apply to a non-legislative government body called 'The Parades Commission' at least 6 months in advance and get their approval. If they do not get the approval the plods can arrest them and its prison. Let me put this in perspective; if 3 of us just walk to the pub, that is generally ok, but if one of us decides to play a harmonica whilst we walk that makes us a 'parade' ! The law is enforced but in a wise horse-sense way, mostly. About 2 years ago around 20 people in a wedding group were arrested. They walked from the chapel to the restaurant, about 200 yards, with a bag piper playing and leading the way. It was an un-approved 'parade', and about 40 to 50 citizens, who stopped to watch the wedding group, were issued with cautions for 'attending' this un-approved parade

 I'm speechless!

1. We can fly what ever flag we want any time. 

The US flag always is highest on the pole with the states flag below. The US flag has to be lit at night.

2. we need a permit for a parade but it is for a parade, walking to the pub isn't a parade here lol but we can be arrested for drunk in public walking home. Congregating is a lawful practice.

But the cops have their ways here too, we have so many laws they can usually pin multiple offences on a person and they do it regularly just to get a conviction on one or a portion of the offences. We are lucky our constitution and bill of rights were written in reaction to a good portion of the laws Ireland was placed under as an unwilling member of the UK.

[BigBore]

Here in Texas we still have it pretty good.  Especially for a dude like myself that lives to be outdoors toting a handgun or fly rod throughout the year.  

[Frodo]

Here in Mississippi we have the right to assemble and address our grievances with out harrasment

we have the right to open carry with out apermit

we have the right to say what we want with out big gov arresting us

we have the right to get our Burt’s kicked by another for exercising the right of green speech

wrhave the right to refuse intrusion on our bodies like the Covid shot

one question for  @fredk

why do you let them treat you like a sub human?

rise up.band together and reclaim your God given right tobe a Man

[Doc Reaper]

Here in the good ole USA we are not allowed to fly what ever flag we want, I’m from the North and we were taught sooooo very different than what the South was taught. As a child we were taught that republicans were the founders of the KKK - that was a lie! We were told that the rebel flag was used in slavery - lie, it was for battle and territorial!!! We were taught that it’s ok to put an unqualified man into a position he had no business being near  - that was allowed because of affirmative action, some still practice this today - look at our media speaker!!! In NY state to purchase a hand gun you first had to get a permit to get a second permit to legally purchase a pistol!!!!! I say it’s time to end the child sex trade. IT IS TIME TO MAKE GOVERNMENT CRIMINALS FEAR THE PUNISHMENT AND THE PEOPLE THEY GOVERN -  don’t have a rifle - MAKE THEM

Edited June 5, 2023 by Northmount
removed political names, topic is to remain free of political statements

[Frodo]

We are allowed to fly what ever flag we wish

In federal buildings only flags that are from a country an be flown

 a swasticia is not a countries flag neither is a lgbtqrstuvwxyz123;567890 flag nor an antifa flag

states regulate on state property only

on private property you can fly what ever flag you want. Exception is in a HOA