What if you owned your own country...?

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

You'll want me later, Tessar.

Brown Jenkins, I'm over here, designing tourism posters and a flag for your country. Think of me as Betsy Ross, but web savvy.

Marketing a country with no restrictions on porn or prostitution, and an age of consent at 13, is child's play.

But it's calling it "BJ LAND" that makes the graphic design so interesting.

[HOBBIT]

I'm a bit surprised by yor country, Lief. This is a fun silly thing, but still. I'm not sure if you meant yours as a joke - but many could find it offensive. Not being christian, I find it mildly offensive.

just the top stand out things:
All religions but christianity illegal?
Illegal to have sex out of wedlock?
Homosexuality illegal?
Cursing illegal?
Women mostly kept out of politics and military?

Being Jewish, it would be illegal for me to become a citizen. Perhaps even illegal to visit since ALL non-Chrisitan religions are banned?

[Lief Erikson]

Me . . . banished . . . from Tessar's land . . .

*Weeps great salt tears.*

[Tessar]

Hobbit, you're also banned from my country, now, for being a party pooper, like SaCaA .

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by HOBBIT

I'm a bit surprised by yor country, Lief. This is a fun silly thing, but still. I'm not sure if you meant yours as a joke

I think very few of the countries here are jokes, so I don't know that I've done anything wrong by being serious about mine.

Originally Posted by HOBBIT

- but many could find it offensive. Not being christian, I find it mildly offensive.

just the top stand out things:
All religions but christianity illegal?
Illegal to have sex out of wedlock?
Homosexuality illegal?
Cursing illegal?
Women mostly kept out of politics and military?

Being Jewish, it would be illegal for me to become a citizen. Perhaps even illegal to visit since ALL non-Chrisitan religions are banned?

I'm sorry to have offended you.

You and I have highly divergent views about what is right. You believe and do what you think is right, just as I do. We both must do that, even where our different perspectives create disagreement. I can't deny my beliefs because they offend you, and you can't deny your beliefs because some of them offend me. We have to believe and do whatever we think is right, regardless of popularity or unpopularity, conflict or peace. So let's please try to do that and continue to get along in spite of our disagreements.

Everyone certainly is partly misguided, definitely including me. And I might be wrong or you might be wrong, and we're both probably wrong about some things and right about others. But I think we can get along here regardless .

That said, I am really sorry that some of my views offend you. I don't know that there's anything I can do about that while remaining honest . . . except perhaps shut-up. Though I have strong doubts that that's the right thing to do.

[HOBBIT]

It is just a scary thought to me, nations that would ban certain religions or sexual orientations - or limit what profession you could have based on gender.

I was just saying how it could very well offend people and mildly offended me. Because of my religion I would be banned from your proposed nation - thrown in jail if I went there.

You are certainly entitled to be honest and serious about what you post. It just shocks me to see that that would be your ideal perfect nation.

I kind of assumed that everyone was joking at least in part, due to the nature of the topic. I personally spent just a few minutes filling out the questions and didn't really give much thought to them.

[Tessar]

Well, then don't move to Lief's country.

COME TO THE GREAT COUNTRY OF TESSAR!

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Tessar

Hobbit, really, lets not get all emotional because Lief... who I might mention has no power over -any- real nation... has a utopia that involves only letting his clone army live there .

All silliness aside, lets not get worked up. I disagree with Lief's ideas too, but then again I didn't fill out the survey--Lief did.

But Tessar, how people respond to prejudice depends on a lot of things. Now, since you banned me because of my good sense, I don't take offense. Resisting good sense is common.
However, if the basis for keeping me out is that you don't like people over 7 feet tall...well, I might resent that. Us tall folks have enough trouble, being unable to buy shoes or Fiats.
How does Hobbit's response differ from your "party pooper", essentially?

[Tessar]

I love how you managed to quote me right before I went in and edited what I said .


... and you still can't come into my country.

[Legoles]

1 - What would you make the legal drinking age? I like Germany's policy, If you can pick up the mass (1 liter of beer) you can drink it. This actually generally discourages drunkness. If they DO get drunk however, if caught driving they will serve a long time in jail.
2 - Driving age? 17 (the driving test is very hard, study up kiddies!)
3 - Age of sexual consent? 16 (The same as where I live... sure, why not)
4 - Voting age? 18 (They need to learn to be responsible before they can vote)
5 - At what age would someone become an adult (free from parental control)? When they can support themselves.

6 - What types of recreational drugs (if any) would be legal?
NONE

7 - Can people have guns? Yes, pistols rifles, general hunting. No submachine guns, machine guns, or sawed off rifles.

8 - What would be the name of your country?
Schwaninsel

9 - Would you have the death penalty?
NAY, I banish people... to somewhere yet undecided... the Bermuda triangle?

10 - What would be the speed limit?
Depends on terrain and type of road.

11 - What types of religions would be permitted or restricted?
Freedom of religion.

Which of the following would be legal:
12 - Porn? Yes
13 - Prostitution? Maybe...
14 - Polygamy? No
15 - Homosexuality? yes
16 - Stem cell research? yes
17 - Human Cloning? no
18 - Cock Fighting? no
19 - Slavery? no
20 - Hunting? yes
21 - Fishing? yes
22 - Eating meat? yes
23 - Littering? no
24 - Unisex bathrooms? yes
25 - Suicide? no (but if they do it, nothing happens to their families.)
26 - Gay marriage? yes
27 - Abortion? yes

28 - What types of sexual activity (if any) would be illegal? sexual activity with a minor, necrophilism, rape of any kind.
29 - Would your county be clothing optional or clothing mandatory?
Clothing optional
30 - Would you have obscenity laws?
Yes, just restricts sexual activity in public. Kissing, fine, sex - nono.

31 - What system would you set up for collecting taxes?
Graduated system. The more you earn the more you get taxed.
- Income tax? 5%
- Sales tax? 7%
- Import/Export tax? 10%

32 - What criteria would someone need to pass to become a citizen? No reports of serious crimes on their records, can not be on the run, must show literacy to an extent, not addicted to any drugs
33 - What types of people would you allow (or not allow) into your country?
Not allow - criminals of any shape or size, no druggies. Allow - anyone else.
34 - What type of government would you establish?
Democracy. It might leave half the people unhappy, but they can deal with it.

35 - To what degree would your government be allowed to censor or restrict the media? Only extremely graphic violence, or graphic sexual activity (for those under 18.)

36 - Aside from laws - what sort of unofficial (and unenforced) cultural rules and traditions would you like to establish? If you enter another persons house, please take off your shoes, and be clean in general. When in your yard, do not put any gaudy lawn ornaments such as pink plastic flamingoes.

[Lief Erikson]

Originally Posted by Legoles

34 - What type of government would you establish?
Democracy. It might leave half the people unhappy, but they can deal with it.

Well said . Doing right cannot be allowed to depend on how many people are happy or unhappy with what you do. I don't know if democracy is best myself, maybe or maybe not, I don't know, but I definitely heartily approve of your placing right above popularity! Well said on that.

Originally Posted by HOBBIT

It is just a scary thought to me

A lot of the way current society is arranged and the direction it's traveling in scares me too. But we'll have to just live with those differences.

I could explain why I have those views, but I don't think that would help either of us. Plus it would be off-topic. But I feel certain we can still get along fine in spite of finding some of one another's views disturbing.

Originally Posted by Tessar

I love how you managed to quote me right before I went in and edited what I said .

That's what comes of completing editing after having posted . I do that all the time . . . it's a terrible habit .

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Tessar

I love how you managed to quote me right before I went in and edited what I said .

LOL

... and you still can't come into my country.

Tessar, I spent years in your country. I'll stick to the sidelines, now.

I have a question, magnificent mooters.
Nowhere here is education dealt with. Will there be public education? Private? Supported by taxes? Provided until majority?

[Lief Erikson]

Public school offered in my country and supported by taxes, but homeschool definitely allowed as an alternative. Private schools also would of course continue to exist.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Lief Erikson

Public school offered in my country and supported by taxes, but homeschool definitely allowed as an alternative. Private schools also would of course continue to exist.

Can non-citizens homeschool?

[brownjenkins]

Originally Posted by sisterandcousinandaunt

But it's calling it "BJ LAND" that makes the graphic design so interesting.

It does have a certain ring to it.

[brownjenkins]

Originally Posted by HOBBIT

I'm a bit surprised by yor country, Lief. This is a fun silly thing, but still. I'm not sure if you meant yours as a joke - but many could find it offensive. Not being christian, I find it mildly offensive.

just the top stand out things:
All religions but christianity illegal?
Illegal to have sex out of wedlock?
Homosexuality illegal?
Cursing illegal?
Women mostly kept out of politics and military?

Being Jewish, it would be illegal for me to become a citizen. Perhaps even illegal to visit since ALL non-Chrisitan religions are banned?

Just think of it as a Christian Iran.

I'm curious Lief, what sort of punishment would you institute for those who have sex out of wedlock?

[The last sane person]

Funny, that's exactly the kind of government that America wants to wage a new war against. Only problem with Iran is that the majority of the people dont buy into it. ONLY the people who buy into it would be in Lief's country, so it would be far more dangerous.

[Lief Erikson]

I DISAGREE WITH YOU ALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by The last sane person

Funny, that's exactly the kind of government that America wants to wage a new war against. Only problem with Iran is that the majority of the people dont buy into it. ONLY the people who buy into it would be in Lief's country, so it would be far more dangerous.

I have no interest in exporting violence into neighboring countries, supporting terrorism or building illegal nuclear weapons. Those activities are loathsome, and certainly not on my country list. And I don't know how Sharia compares with Christianity, but I have no doubt that there are more than a few differences. So I don't tend to agree with your reasoning. Or yours, BJ!

But be that as it may. I'm rather curious about how some of you would respond to sisterandcousinandaunt's question about how your countries would respond to education.

I might go for the No Child Left Behind Act, but I also feel certain that much of the impetus to excell in education must come from family upbringing. I tend to think that top down solutions aren't as likely to be effective as bottom up solutions.

[sisterandcousinandaunt]

Originally Posted by Lief Erikson

I DISAGREE WITH YOU ALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have no interest in exporting violence into neighboring countries, supporting terrorism or building illegal nuclear weapons. Those activities are loathsome, and certainly not on my country list.

And yet, domestic terrorism in this country has been almost exclusively the province of the far (and Christian) Right. The Olympic Park bombing, the bombing of the Murrah Federal building in Oklahoma City, and all the activities of the group "Operation Rescue" are clearly terroristic in nature. Making them official government policy doesn't much alter the fact that they are designed to destroy average people with a different POV. Any more than illegal actions at Guantanamo (or breaking into the Watergate hotel) are, because politically sanctioned, legal.

I tend to think that top down solutions aren't as likely to be effective as bottom up solutions.

Interesting POV for an aspiring theocratic dictator.

[Tessar]

He should drop the theocratic part and just stick to dictator, like I do ^_^.


One Nation, Under TESSAR!