First QotD of the New Year! And its a two-fer!
I was just going to borrow this quote from the Samizdata.Net blog
Imagine telling somebody twenty years ago that by 2007, it would be illegal to smoke in a pub or bus shelter or your own vehicle or that there would be £80 fines for dropping cigarette butts, or that the words “tequila slammer” would be illegal or the government would mandate what angle a drinker’s head in an advertisement may be tipped at, or that it would be illegal to criticise religions or homosexuality, or rewire your own house, or that having sex after a few drinks would be classed as rape or that the State would be confiscating children for being overweight. Imagine telling them the government would be contemplating ration cards for fuel and even foods, that every citizen would be required to carry an ID card filled with private information which could be withdrawn at the state’s whim. They’d have thought you a paranoid loon.
Ian B. – Samizdata commenter
He’s partially right. There were people saying these things, they were called Republicans. Unfortunately, by 1992 those fears had largely subsided and, oddly enough, the people who were still saying these things were only then called paranoid.
So take some time and find and old political discussion adversary and pour some water on them.
Why, you ask?
Well, fellow Samizdata commenter “countingcats” supplies the answer in just the first couple comments of the above link, referring to those who denied these things would happen
Seriously, if these people were any more stupid they would need watering twice a week.
And as soon as I get a moment, this’ll be in the rotating comment box file.
Advisory: Please resist the urge to use urine as the liquid for the former adversary.