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Conservative Pennsylvanians Pass ‘Radical' Laws Defying U.S. Constitution

Submitted by Mum, Jul 20, 2007 15:04

With regard to Mr. Kauffman's comments about categorizing the Pennsylvania actions as "radical," the headline writers at The Sun were right, even though they may not have intended it. The word "radical" has unfortunately accrued mostly negative connotations, but in the case of Pennsylvanians refusing personhood to corporations, it is probably the best word to use. The first dictionary definition of "radical," in my American Heritage Dictionary, as "arising from or going to a root or source; basic" and in linguistics it refers to a root form of a word. And in going back to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, our founding (radical) documents, Pennsylvanians are being "radicals," "departing markedly from the usual or customary" (the second definition form the American Heritage Dictionary), where that which has become "usual or customary" is a distortion of the "radical" intention of our founders and the founding documents. So, Mr. Kauffman, don't be afraid of the radicals; they will probably save our country. They have done it before.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
Thanks, Channing, for writing up environmental defense with local folks taking responsibility to drive out the chief offenders---corporate dumpers. But... [MORE]	David W. Lewit	Jul 27, 2007 22:26
i also say hurray! cities towns counties and states must take matters into their own hands when the federal government... [MORE]	Peter C	Jul 25, 2007 12:38
Be mindful of unintended consequences when praising these Pennsylvania podunks. The article uses the antebellum abolitionists as the model emulated... [MORE]	Daniel Martin	Jul 21, 2007 04:33
With regard to Mr. Kauffman's comments about categorizing the Pennsylvania actions as "radical," the headline writers at The Sun were...	Mum	Jul 20, 2007 15:04
Hurray for Mr. Morrison, Tamaqua, and those challenging corporations. The "rights" of corporations were given by a mistake in the... [MORE]	Evelyn J. Dymkowski	Jul 17, 2007 19:36
Our Founding Fathers in framing both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution explicitly granted "inalienable rights" to individuals and... [MORE]	Susan Kidder	Jul 17, 2007 11:55
Please quote the portion of the constitution in question. [MORE]	Exotic Electron	Jul 17, 2007 11:44
Good to see an article on this important and tricky subject. Well done! [MORE]	Jon Swan	Jul 17, 2007 10:25
Dears Sirs: I can assure you that conservative Pennsylvanian legislators would not pass something that is "RADICAL". Controversial is different... [MORE]	Tim Kauffman	Jul 17, 2007 07:54
From the article:"More than 100 largely Republican municipalities have passed laws to abolish the constitutional rights of corporations" Corporations are not... [MORE]	Concerned	Jul 17, 2007 05:29
Good article! It's about time for real people to take rights away from the corporate aristocracy and corporate rule and... [MORE]	Michael Malloy	Jul 17, 2007 00:51

Reader comment on:Conservative Pennsylvanians Pass ‘Radical' Laws Defying U.S. Constitution

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Conservative Pennsylvanians Pass ‘Radical' Laws Defying U.S. Constitution