Best Laid Plans....

I am really sorry I missed oput on the Ammo Day/Exercise-Your-Gun-Rights-Day celebration. My new daughter chose that day to be born. It was a pretty nice trade off. Maybe it is a sign of her future hobby. I hope someone bought some extra rounds on my account!

I am so far behind on all the news that I may not catch up. Have patience with me, please.

Update Soon...

Due to circumstances beyond my control I will probably not blog for a few days. IT'S A GIRL!!

Buy Ammo Today!

Today is the day. Buy ammunition. You KNOW you need more. Sorry I posted this late!

Tomorrow is "The Day" - Buy Ammo

Don't forget: Tomorrow, August 28th is the day to buy ammo. Let's clean the store shelves to send the Brady Mass-Murderers Fan Club a clear message.

Societal Fairness vs. Authoritarianism

Whatever you wish to call my philosophy, libertarianism, anarchism, impractical simpleton-ism, it is the only one I have found that is completely consistent. I never take any rights or liberties that I do not also assume for everyone else. To me this shows that it is the best. There are no rivals.

I try to answer any and all objections to my views. I listen to the arguments against them, but I have never run across any argument that does not include some type of justification or exception where priviliged groups or classes of people are allowed to do things that are prohibited to other, less elite, people in the society. If the "lesser" people have been conditioned to expect this foul treatment, they may not notice it. Even if they do notice they may not complain because "this is the way it has always been done".

This strikes me as "unfair". How do you like that word? I know that life is not fair. Good people sometimes die young of terrible diseases, while a child molester may live into old age. A car wreck can kill the sober mother of three, while the drunk politician walks away unhurt. That is life in the universe. Where I expect fairness is where people make a conscious choice in some matter. The universe does not care, but people should.

When designing a political system to base a society upon, it should be set up in a fair way. A choice is being made. There should not be certain people who are officially allowed to steal while it is forbidden of others. There should not be a special class of people who can walk around with guns for the safety of themselves and others while everyone else is expected to be a potential victim, waiting to be rescued. The same rule or rules must apply to everyone in that society, from the exalted Decider to the "lowliest" gum scraper. Otherwise, keep looking for a better system.

Peace Officers or Law Enforcement Officers?

Back when there existed the "peace officers" there was no widespread hatred of cops. Now that there are "Law Enforcement Officers" instead, there is. Why is that? The cops would probably say it is because our society has degenerated into one where no one in "authority" is respected. Or that "drugs" have made society more dangerous. Is it possible that the cops themselves, with their grossly inflated attitudes of authority, could be to blame? If you walk into an area with a swagger, hand on the butt of your gun (wearing those leather biker gloves, of course) acting like you are looking for trouble... well... why should you be surprised when trouble finds you? People generally don't like trouble-makers. On an instinctive level most people are coming to view cops primarily as trouble-makers. Trouble makers of the worst kind because they have a near immunity from the consequences of their actions. Shoot an innocent person: it looked like he was going for a gun. Kick in the wrong door: they acted on good faith that the information was correct. Examples abound. Only the most blatant examples of "bad cops" get punished in any meaningful way. And then, if there is a way to "justify" the criminal actions, it will be found. The cops who disarmed the people of New Orleans after hurricane Katrina should have been dealt with like any other violent home-invading thief. Yet they still live (for the most part) and go about their "jobs" as if they committed no crimes. Many people are also beginning to recognize the absurdity of the majority of "laws". If a law must be enforced it is probably not a good law to begin with. Those enforcing the bad laws are themselves a huge part of the problem. "Just doing my job" didn't cut it in the past and will not cut it in the future. Think about that, Officer.

Campfire Lessons

There are many hours I have spent around a campfire. With friends, my kids, and alone. From time to time I took a good book with me. I suppose some people might think I am wasting my time sitting there.... talking, daydreaming, even napping. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the way that sleep, with dreaming during REM sleep, clears the cobwebs out of your mind, these campfire times clear the garbage from my soul.

There is something about a campfire that reaches a primal part of your being that nothing else can. I take it a step further by usually wearing buckskin clothes, only using primitive methods to start the fire, and surrounding myself with things that I enjoy. I had built a wikiup beside the river, behind my house. In front of its door I had a small firepit and some driftwood logs arranged around the fire to sit on. There was a tripod I set up to hang my rifle and whatever else I had with me upon. Truly a sanctuary from the dreary aspects of modern life.

I remember the day 10 years ago when I was sitting at my fire when a friend of mine came up and told me that John Denver had died in a plane crash. I had just been riding along in a car the day before singing his song "Grandma's Feather Bed" with my sister.

I watched the year 2000 come in while dressed in buckskins beside my fire. I wouldn't have known when midnight arrived except that I began to hear gunshots and fireworks. That was the best way I could think of to bring in the year 2000.

I had heart-to-heart talks with both of my kids there. Times that are precious to me for the simple fact that they were forced to stop so suddenly. I used to make up silly stories for my daughter that she still mentions occasionally.

There were a few times that sudden rain made me retreat into my wikiup, where I usually fell asleep. Snowstorms - I either sat in the wikiup or just let myself get covered. The voles who also enjoyed my wikiup were like slightly annoying friends when I was napping.

I had some fun times with girls beside the campfire (and in the wikiup), too. I'll spare you the details. ;)

My friends knew that when they came to my house, they should check out by the wikiup first before going to the door. They knew where I was more likely to be.

I have worked out some of my life's deep questions, and honed my philosophy of life and liberty, around those fires. I've daydreamed myself into trouble there, too. My current situation prevents me from indulging in this activity right now.... and I feel it.

Hung Up On the Details

I know, I do this too. I see a lot of people getting all excited over the one detail that is their particular "specialty". Whether it is precise language usage, knowing exactly how "X" will work in a free society, or "but what about the children/handicapped/sick?", it seems something always detours freedom fighters from the road to Libertopia. These things may be really important. The problem occurs when or if they distract us from our true goal: unfettered liberty. Am I just imagining that this is the goal? Am I speaking out of turn? If this is not your goal, I apologize for presuming to speak for you.

Why do these detours happen? Part of the reason is that, in general, freedom oriented folks are more intelligent than the average person who is content to be told what to eat, how to dress, and when to pee. They have to be in order to survive in the midst of authoritarian society. Yes, there are some dimwits among the fireflies, but they are more rare in this movement than they are in the general population. That intelligence means fireflies can get caught up in details more easily.

I get bogged down in absolutely refusing to accept any limits on my right to own and to carry any weapon I wish. Then there are those who run up against this insistence and get bogged down in worry that I will stick a nuke in my hip pocket and stroll through the mall. (How about I make the promise right now that I will never attempt to own a nuclear weapon? Now, stay out of my gun cabinet, OK?) I also get tangled in my firm insistence that all taxation is theft and is never right under any circumstance. I am sure there are more examples.


I can overlook or forgive a lot as long as you are moving in my direction. I hope you would give me the same courtesy. If you wish to stop before I have reached my destination, I will not hold it against you as long as you don't try to force me to stop when you do. You might just discover you want to come along anyway.

Toxic Toys From China

Why does no one notice that these toys come from an authoritarian country where personal responsibility has withered away under tyranny? Why is the first reaction always "More Laws! Government save us from this!"? More tyranny will make this problem go away, how? The company caught the problem and is working to resolve it. Thier reputation has been harmed by this and I can assure you they will go overboard trying to make certain this doesn't happen again, laws or no laws. The market works.

Definitions

For purposes of clarity I will put into writing some of my definitions. This is what I mean when I use these words:

Libertarianism - An absence of belief in the legitimacy of government.

Authoritarianism - The belief that some people are entitled to wield power over others, such as in a government.

Anarchy - No rulers. See also "Libertarianism".

Chaos - Either a complete lack of rules or more dangerously: arbitrary or unnatural rules. See also "Authoritarianism".

Evil - That which goes against human nature and is harmful to the individuals it is directed against. See also "Authoritarianism" and "Chaos".

Government - An organization of people who wish to tell others how to live, and enrich themselves in the process, using "laws" and rules that they establish without regard for those they attempt to control. Its defining characteristic is that it rules by force or threat of force.

Police/Cops - The enforcers used by government as the first line of control against the people.

Leader - Someone who sees a problem and offers to show others the way out.

Ruler - Someone who sees or creates a problem in order to increase his/her power and control over the local population.

War - An all-out celebration of government resulting in much chaos and evil.

Freedom - Living life as you see fit without harming anyone else in the process.

Slavery - Living life as someone else sees fit for you to live, within the parameters they have established for you, without regard for the harm it may do either to your body or your "spirit". See Rudy Giuliani's definition of "freedom" to understand the slave-owner mentality. ("Freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do."-Rudolph Giuliani)

Terrorism - Attacks by free-lance or government agents against ordinary people (who are not doing "government work") for the purpose of scaring them into compliance. Attacks against government employees or installations are not "terrorism".

Rights - Something that you can do, simply because you were born human, without asking anyone's permission. Rights can never overlap, as in: your rights can never violate someone else's rights.

Personal Anarchy

In your day-to-day life, why do you behave? Is it fear of being arrested? Is it fear of being beaten by your victim? Or is it because you are mostly a good person? I don't think most of us alter our behavior on a daily basis because of "laws". If fact, I think that the main reason we obey the "laws" as far as we do is because they don't get in our way too bad. As long as we can ignore them, we do. Once "laws" become too unwieldy and intrusive - where they start seriously impacting the lives of the apathetic average person like they do the Freedom Fighters, there will be an outcry and widespread "lawlessness". Then the authoriturds will start cracking skulls even more, and by doing so bring about their own destruction.

The Road to "Here"

How did I become an anarchist or a libertarian or whatever I am? I think it was by a careful examination of the way things are, and the way things work. Coupled with a respect for the absolute rights of everyone, even my "enemies" to live free of coercion. I don't expect anyone to respect any rights of mine that I would deny others. If I want to do something I can step back and think "Would I allow someone else to do this?" If the answer is "yes", then I can do it without any guilt. If the answer is "no" then I should not do it or I should examine why I answered "no".
I think the libertarian philosophy is the best for me personally and for everyone else as well. It doesn't "level the playing field" like some other philosophies, but lets everyone choose whichever playing field or hill or valley that suits them best. Only in the absence of coercion can someone rise to their full potential.
It is also the only philosophy that recognizes that every "rule" applies to everyone. No privileged class of overseers who are immune to the rules they impose on everyone else. There is only one basic rule: The Zero Aggression Principle: "No human being has the right - under any circumstances - to initiate force against another human being, nor to threaten or delegate its initiation." This same idea has been stated in many ways by many cultures. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"... "An it harm none, do what ye will".. Same message; different words, because this is the one rule that is inborn in us all. It is why children cry "He started it" when they disagree. We all understand at an instinctive level that "starting it" is wrong.
I can't understand why it is so hard for authoritarians to get out of the way of people's liberty. Some people just have a pathological desire to control the lives of those around them, I suppose. It sounds like a mental illness to me. Is there a treatment for that? I know there is an academy where you can learn to escape the chains of authoritarianism.

Libertarianism: The Clean Slate

I believe that libertarianism is the default position of human existence; the "clean slate" we are all born with. Culture, society, your family, and your experiences immediately begin to scribble things on that slate; some are true but most are complete nonsense. We may never be able to erase everything that is written on the surface, nor may you feel it necessary. I do think you need to realize that the things written there are not "givens", but should each be evaluated upon their own merits. You may spend your life adding to the slate and erasing things that have proved to be useless. Don't leave the garbage written there; it will make it harder to read the important things. It is up to you to keep your slate as clean as possible.

Forgive Me, For I Have Shrugged

I apologize for shrugging my blogging duties a lot recently. This thing called "life" sometimes takes precedence over philosophizing. That doesn't mean that the philosophizing is less important to me, just that there is a hierarchy to life. This is what "Living Liberty" is all about.

The same old evils are still out there: activists decry self-defense, taxes are increased and collected, people are killed because of the medications they choose. Until WE change these things, they will not change. The statists are only too happy to stay on course for destruction. Yet, the simple act of living your life the best you know how has great power to defang the authoritarians. This is and always will be my core message. The state and its enforcers can imprison or kill your body. That power does not make them right, it only demonstrates how low they are willing to sink. Your mind is untouchable. The state has only the power over your mind that you give it. Psychological torture so loved by authoritarian monsters notwithstanding.

August 28th ... Buy Bullets For the "Brady Bunch"

Over on The War on Guns blog, David Codrea has suggested an action that you and I can take to combat the Brady Mass-Murder Cheerleaders "national day of protest" against guns planned for August 28, 2007. Buy ammo on that day. Yes, I realize there is already National Ammo Day, but you always need more ammo, right? Especially with idiots running around blaming you for the crimes they enable.

Religion Debate Forum

Regardless of where you find yourself on the spectrum of religious beliefs, there is a fascinating forum where you can debate with people who disagree with you. It is the "Why Won't God Heal Amputees?" Forum. Why not go browse around. Maybe you can join and dazzle them all with your brilliance.

I Believe...

That everyone is capable of running their own lives better than government can run their lives.... That there is nothing government can provide better than the market... That politics is a sad thing to waste an entire life on..... That everyone needs toys of some sort..... That a human's main job is to pursue happiness, without harming anyone else.... That work is a terrible thing to build an "ethic" around.... That love makes the world go 'round, or at least makes it worth the ride.... That good conversation is better than a great meal..... True friends are worth dying for.... That libertarianism needs to be served more gently to some people..... That the best things in life are not always free; sometimes you get what you pay for..... That something well-made and useful is more beautiful than a beautiful, useless object.... That I will never really "grow up".... That I have an almost magical ability to repel money.... That words are meaningless if not backed up by behavior.... That liberty, REAL liberty, is the best choice in every single situation imaginable and that the ZAP is always applicable.

Take the Future. It's Yours

Let's move boldly into the future; not waiting on the ponderous, peanut-brained Governmentosaurus retch to reluctantly lead the way. Government, by its very nature, cannot lead the way; it can only react by chasing the true leaders; free individuals. Technology; society; philosophy; liberty; we must take the lead in all these areas if we are to survive as a species. This means ignoring "laws" that are toxic to individual liberty and empowering to government. This means resisting with as much force as is necessary to free the 21st century slaves called "citizens", "voters", or "taxpayers". This means that each and every good person will become an "enemy of the state" because the state has become an "enemy of the decent individual". Real progress is up to free people now, just as it always has been throughout history. If humans are to reach space ahead of government, we can't wait on government to take us there. If "laws" are enacted to keep us grounded, we must fight against those "laws" as if our very lives depended on it, because they do. If humans are to invent new wonder drugs in the new dark age of prohibition, we must do the work without government sanction; beyond the prying eyes of the control-state. Great rewards come at great risk. They always have and always will. Looking to the government safety-meddlers will only kill us in the long run. I plan to leave a freer world than I was born into; not a global concentration camp. How about you?

New Constitutional Amendment

By way of The Libertarian Enterprise:

— A PRIVACY AMENDMENT —
To the Constitution of the United States of America

It shall be unlawful for any official, elected or appointed, at any
level of government, or for any government employee, or for the employee of any
company working for the government, to take the likeness—photographic, or by any
other means—of any individual, without that individual's explicit, written
permission.
The yielding of such permission may not be made a condition of
exercising any right, or receiving any service otherwise due to that individual.
Any attempt to violate or evade this measure on the part of any official,
elected or appointed, at any level of government, or for any government
employee, or the employee of any company working for the government, shall be
punishable by no less than 25 years at hard labor, without possibility of
parole, in that prison which currently has the worst record for deadly criminal
violence.

We Are NOT "Losertarians"

Unless we allow ourselves to be. We are the ones with consistent principles. We are the ones with an internal morality that doesn't rely on what is "legal" or dictated. That makes libertarians the winners. Authoritarians such as Republicans, Democrats, and other fascio-socialists sometimes resort to calling libertarians "losertarians" because of our lack of representation in the realm of electoral politics. The fact that most voters vote for the wrong people doesn't contradict this. The only way they can continue to do so is if we continue to allow ourselves to be judged according to "their" rules; in "their" game. Authoritarians have no defense for their monstrous desire to rule over the lives of others, so they try to attack us on election results. They can't honestly attack libertarians on principle; they don't know where that is. They come to the battle of principles unarmed.

"The Gang" Trailer

Courtesy of Red's Trading Post.

Sidetracked By a Statist

The title above refers to the years I spent wandering in "conservativeland" because of a statist's assessment that since I hated government, I was a conservative. Keep in mind that the statist in question was in college and heading toward a life in law offices and politics. His world view had been shrivelled by his blinders.

This person sat behind me in my "World History" class in college and I had made an impression on him because of my buckskin jacket and coonskin cap. (As an aside: It is so much fun watching a state senator twitch and squirm because of the nut-case wearing buckskin, sitting front and center in the class he has agreed to speak to! This is probably "illegal" because of the PATRIOT act now.) When I began dating the classmate's sister (future wife numero uno) he felt it was his duty to assess where I stood politically. I told him I hated government. Some things don't change, you see. He informed me that that made me a "conservative". I said I doubted it, but he assured me that was what conservatives believed, so I simply accepted this without looking into it. I wasn't too concerned about labels even then.

So I spent years watching the conservative "leaders" and wondering why they always betrayed me and made me more angry with each passing year. Had I stopped to think for myself at that point, I would have seen that I was not a "conservative", but an anarchist, or at very least a libertarian. Obviously, I have seen the light in the intervening years (Thank you, L. Neil Smith!). At least I didn't do any damage to freedom as a fake conservative. I didn't contribute anything to the conservative cause since I was fighting it from within, and wasn't inspired to be active in any way.

I am glad that I finally became concerned enough to actually step back and look at what I believed, as opposed to what someone else had labelled me.

Supporting Ron Paul

Yes, I support the campaign of Ron Paul. Do I think he would be "the best President" for 2008? No, I think I would be. However, that is the wrong question. Do I think he would be better than any other Demopublican who is running? Absolutely, with no contest! I also like the fact that he is stirring up debate and making many silent libertarians speak up. I like the fact that he is causing havoc on the internet and is exposing the hypocrisy of the mainstream media. I like the fact that he is exposing the other Demopublicans as the tyrant wanna-bes they are. I like the way his campaign is forcing people to examine their views in ways that no other Presidential campaign has ever done. All of these things are good. Still doubt I will vote for him, as I will probably write in my own name.

Real Liberty - Fear of the Unknown

Some people undoubtedly fear the changes that will come with true liberty. As unnatural as that seems to me, I do try to anticipate these fears.
Evil government thugs and bureaucrats may fear the loss of being able to order others around; the loss of power, control, bribes, the protection racket, petty meddling, and just generally being "above the law". Recognize these miscreants and don't let their fears or fear mongering stop us. After all, criminals always fear strong individuals. They prefer prey, because prey doesn't shoot back.
Some weak or overly emotional people will be afraid of living without the false security of the "safety net" that government pretends to provide. Point out the failure of government to really help the weak and the sick, and educate them on the true costs of relying on an inefficient bureaucracy versus the charitable nature of people when they aren't being coerced. Also show them what they can do with 8 times more wealth in a free market.
Those who have been brainwashed into believing that they can't protect themselves may fear freelance criminals running amok after the state sponsored criminals are gone from the landscape. Take them out shooting. Teach them the importance of paying attention to their surroundings (this enriches life exponentially, anyway, while scaring away thugs).
Life is too rich and too short to put up with government. Don't let your fears, or the fear of others, hold you back.

Trying to Keep My Blog "Polite"

A lot of libertarian blogs are filled with language that offends some people. That is OK with me, of course. Use any words you want in my presence. I don't really believe that some words are "bad" and I am not offended by anyone's language usage. (Well, that may not be totally true as some people's disregard for others can offend me at times. That isn't what I am talking about, though.) I think the FCC's rules for broadcast "standards" are complete nonsense and should be flushed back to where they belong. Back to my blog: Out of respect for readers who might not wish to expose their families or prospective libertarians to those words, I choose to not use them. I don't delete them from the comments, however, so tread there at your own risk.

I would like for people to be able to direct anyone to my blog without fear that my language would turn them off before my ideas have had a chance to shock and offend them. If you have friends or family who you think might be interested in libertarian philosophy, but who don't want to see "the F word" in every post, send them the links to this blog and my website. Freedom needs all the supporters it can get. Maybe later they will come to realize that it is pointless to fear certain arrangements of letters. Then they will be ready to visit some of the more colorful blogs.

That being said, I still am way more crude than the rest of my family. Such is the role of a black sheep.

US Department of Laughs

I'm not sure if I have ever posted three blogs in one day before, but I just had to pass this along. Here are "warning signs" from the US Department of Laughs. They are real signs that are confusing at best. The helpful USDoL has written new interpretations for them. I may be twisted, but I laughed til I cried!

Two by "El Neil"

Here is an article by L. Neil Smith, published by JPFO: Living Off the Interest, and a link to another article by L. Neil in a similar vein: Unanimous Consent and the Utopian Vision. These are the kinds of things that make me certain that we MUST attain a free world. Read it for yourself and see why I feel this way.

"It Has Never Been Tried Before"

The most pathetic argument against a stateless society is the one that whines "It won't work because it has never been (successfully) tried before". So? Every new invention "has never been tried before" either. Would you insist on staying in the stone age because the alternatives "haven't been tried before"? What's the difference?

I think it is time to try liberty. And not in some half-hearted "limited government" kind of way, either. Supposedly that is what the Constitution was about. Nope, this time we should try all-out freedom. No government other than self-government. Glorious anarchy instead of government-induced chaos. No badges for the criminals to hide behind. No "laws" setting up mini (or not-so-mini) kleptocracies. No tiny-souled bureaucrats taking out their frustrations on productive people anymore. We wouldn't even need to punish those who would inevitably keep trying to establish a government of some sort. Keep them around to remind ourselves what has been tried and seen to fail time after time, for thousands of years. Study them like a smallpox virus. They are in reality much more deadly, but only if we choose to follow them.

"Supporting My Brothers"

I was reading an exchange between someone who is joining the military soon and some other people who were commenting on his decision. He was asked whether he supported the government or its war in Iraq (among other places). He replied that he did not. He said he was not joining the military in order to fight for the government or to "fight for freedom", but to "support (his) brothers" in the military. So, who are his "brothers" fighting for? If they are all just supporting one another then everyone is chasing their own tail. Someone somewhere is fighting for the government. After all, that is the organization which is signing the checks.

There are better ways to support your brothers. How about trying to get them home alive? Signing up for a war that serves only government interests does not "protect freedom" in America or anywhere else. Staying in America and fighting against the implementation of the US police state does. Bring your "brothers" home and then all of you surround DC to contain the malignancy that is centered there.

Need Evidence That I Am Crazy?

Here is a little "human interest story" for all of you Kent-watchers out there.

Dimensional shift makes man feel like he's not alone
Jason Offutt
The Examiner

Time is not always as it seems. The human invention of chronicling time by
the movement of the planet fits well with our linear lives, but sometimes things
aren't so linear.

Kent McManigal lived in his pet store in Gunnison, Colo., the spring of
2004 when he experienced something he couldn't explain.

Now, I will say there are a couple of details the reporter got wrong: The catalogs in question were for different, unaffiliated companies. The web address from the missing knife catalog was in my generic "favorites" folder but I had not moved it to its specific "favorites" folder yet. That was also confirmation that it was the newest "favorite" I had added. I don't know what the reporter means by this making me feel I am "not alone". I never felt anyone did this to me. As I have said before, I have never seen a report that got everything right.

Now, did I imagine this? Am I lying about it? All I can say in my defense is that I do not believe in supernatural occurrences, but I got the strangest feeling as soon as the odd events started to unfold. I don't have any explanation for what happened, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a rational explanation. At least I would never base national policy on or start wars because of bizarre events.

TOLFA: The Next Step

I have finished my studies with TOLFA (The On Line Freedom Academy). I think it is a very good concept, plus I enjoyed it. I really think that this could be a major help in educating people about the ideas of liberty. The more of us who go through this, the faster government will lose its veil of legitimacy. For my part, I pledge to keep encouraging people to "enroll". Please consider trying it out. If you have wondered what you can "do" to promote liberty, well, this is one thing. Let me know if you decide to try it.

"Get Your Filthy Government Off Me!"

I don't wish to have any coercive government in my life. It is completely unwelcome. I am expected to feed it; house it; obey its whims; excuse its "messes" and the "accidents" it leaves everywhere. I'd rather have a spoiled 4 year-old with a gun in my home than the "nicest" government agent or employee within sight of my house.

I don't need or want government's "justice system", "law enforcement", "services", or whatever else it tries to convince me I can't survive without. I would rather take my chances with free-lance criminals I can shoot at in a free, "anarchist" world than have government forcibly inserted into my life. I am fully capable of taking care of myself and of controlling my behavior. I do not depend on government to dictate my morality. Neither do you. Admit it: you know right from wrong, and if government suddenly dropped dead (happy thought!) you would not go on a killing spree would you? What about the truly bad people? You know, the ones not included in the governmental "dropping dead" mentioned above. You and I would be able to end a criminal's career if he foolishly thought that without government there to protect him he could get away with aggression, wouldn't we?

So, when do "we" start driving government from our lives? When does the foreign, occupying force known as government get handed notice that it is no longer welcome? The sooner the better. Don't you think?

Don't forget: Starve the terrorists of the ATF!

Owning Private Property

In a recent exchange, someone told me that they have similar views to mine except that they do not believe in "private property". He referred to himself as a "left anarchist" (there are those seemingly mutually exclusive terms again!). I invited a discussion since this is such a bizarre concept to me. Sadly, I have yet to hear back. I wanted, and still want, clarifications. Does he mean any kind of private property or only real estate? Does that mean I can live in "his" house with him? Or at least set my tipi up in "his" yard if I want to live there? Can just anyone use "his" car if they wish to? What if I browse around "his" house and take what I think I need? Does he really mean that nothing can be owned? How can you consume food if you can't own it? Where does that leave the foundation of libertarianism: that we each own our own bodies and lives? Can we even say "my own body" if we hold this belief? What would make someone come to this rather odd conclusion?

To be honest, I have always considered this type of argument to be the whinings of someone who doesn't own everything they want, so they declare that they are against private property for everyone. It is what makes a communist a communist. I concede that I could be wrong. I would like to own a lot more than I do, especially real estate. I feel it would be phony of me to be against private property.

Shunning: Exercise Your Right of Association

In my call to Starve the ATF, all I am suggesting you do is to exercise your basic right of association. You have the right to associate with anyone you want. You also have the right to refuse to associate with anyone you do not want around you - for any reason. You own yourself and you can (and should) choose who to let into your life. Your reasons may be good, or they may be stupid or racist, but the right is still yours. Others also have the right to choose to not associate with you, so don't engage in foolish shunnings lightly. Government tries to violate your right to associate with whom you choose in every way possible, usually by forcing its minions upon you. Shunning does not violate the ZAP in any way. Even if you choose to shun the family members who may be enabling the jack-booted behavior of ATF terrorists.

Some have suggested to me that to capture the agents' actions on video to shine the light of day on their behavior is a better, nicer, method of dealing with these vermin. I think surveillance can play a part in bringing them down, but I don't feel it is enough. You do what you feel is right of course, but please, do something.