Takes time to build liberty cathedral

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for July 15, 2026)

There are times you’ll begin, or join already-in-progress, a project and discover it’s bigger, more difficult, and is going to take longer than you expected. Often, much longer. Sometimes you’ll realize it won’t be completed in your lifetime- if ever.

And it's still worth it.

Your part is to be a vital link in a long chain of people down through the years, working toward something you’ll never see the benefit of. Think of all those nameless laborers who helped build awe-inspiring Medieval cathedrals.

Such is the case with spreading liberty.

It turns out, spreading a love for liberty is a bigger job than I'd thought. A lot harder, too. As many before me had also discovered.

When I understood what liberty was and it clicked within me, I was sure it would click with anyone who wasn't brain-damaged, a criminal, or a politician. All it would take is exposing them to the knowledge and the self-evident concepts.

I may have been wrong.

Unlike many, I had no inborn bias toward being kept safe, being provided for, or needing decisions to be made for me. I had no compulsion to feel like I am part of a cruel gang which crushes anyone who stands in its way. I'm different.

Many people are too afraid to consider liberty. Too many are dependent on the state. Most believe the lies they were told in government schools-- and by people brainwashed by those government schools. It's not surprising that a group motivated by power would lie to protect the power it has gained. To sell itself as essential and good.

Some people fear that without Big Brother watching everyone all the time, others will be irresponsible, without realizing that responsibility is, along with freedom, half of liberty. Responsibility means defending yourself and your property from those who refuse to be responsible, while not being the one anyone else needs to worry about. It's liberating.

For whatever reason, liberty isn't a short-term project. It can't be advanced by violating its principles for transient success. You either get in for the long haul, play a small part and then step aside, watch from the sidelines, or you become a roadblock to liberty, helping governments turn humanity into cattle to be herded, corralled, branded, and sold for slaughter.

It turns out, being a nameless laborer working to build a love of liberty isn't as bad as the alternative.

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A lesson in government's "economics"

A while back, my dad said that I should tell my daughter to be thankful for how much money she's making at her job, because his first job was driving a tractor around a field for 11 hours per day, for 50¢ per hour.

This was in the early to mid-1950s.

Once I pointed out how much the silver in two quarters would be worth today, he changed his tune a little. That would be equal to about $23.40 per hour. Much more than my daughter is earning.

If you're only adjusting for inflation- like if the guy gave him FRNs instead of hard money- that's only about $6.23 per hour. Not as good. In that case, my daughter is coming out ahead.

Anyone should still be grateful for their job, whatever it pays. No one is obligated to hire you. It is nice, though, if you make enough money to make the job worth the effort. It's sad how much of that pay gets stolen by the state, just because the state exists and feels entitled to your property.

Government sure likes to steal our money, one way or the other.

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Yes, you do have a right to privacy from government's spying

The scaredy-trolls who support Flock spyware (and similar spyware from other companies) like to claim that there is no right to privacy in the Constitution.

Perhaps they forgot the Ninth Amendment.

Whether that’s the case or not, they are making two big errors.

Their first mistake: Unless the Constitution explicitly allows government to do a thing, it is prohibited for government to do that thing. They get this backwards, pretending that government is allowed to do anything not explicitly prohibited and that only those things specifically listed are your rights. This is where the Ninth Amendment comes in. They ignore that one.

The second huge mistake they make is that even if the Constitution explicitly allows government to do something which violates life, liberty, or property, it’s still wrong for government to do that, and the Constitution is wrong for allowing it. That is a counterfeit “law”; a rule with no ethical foundation whatsoever.

If the Supreme Court takes government's side, it is wrong. 

If someone insists that you obey such a rule until it gets changed, just like you should turn in runaway slaves until it's no longer "the law" to do so, you know they are on the wrong side. They are the bad guy here.

This is how you can tell such a person is a government supremacist, and probably a Statanist. 

You have the right to privacy because that right doesn't violate anyone else's right to life, liberty, or privacy in any way. That's the bottom line, not the opinions of political criminals who want to spy on you to find (or invent) a "crime" to use against you.

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Bitcoin magic

Whenever I check the price of Bitcoin, it's down for the day (or week or month). But somehow, over time, it's not losing ground. 

It must be magic.

I'm sure I always manage to check at "bad" times. But, it seems rather odd that I never coincidentally check when the price is up.

I'm still sold on Bitcoin. Perhaps I'm foolish. However, I'm willing to wait out the bad times. (And really, how "bad" is it when Bitcoin keeps hovering above $60,000?)

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Letter to the Editor- Water

I'm sorry for another local-interest post. There's a lot of bad stuff going on in this town right now. Posted below is my letter to the editor of the State Line Tribune- Farwell, Texas/Texico, New Mexico, Thursday August 13, 2026:

It appears all my efforts to cut back on water usage are for nothing. There's been no improvement in the water situation at all. At least, that's the message I got from the latest dispatch (8-11-2026) from the City of Farwell.

They warned us our water usage was being watched- digitally, daily- so they know where the excessive water usage is happening. Why scold the rest of us?

It appears the answer is, as it is so often, politics.

The town government wants more land- or the water rights- for more water wells, and it looks like they're going to hold the residents hostage until they get what they want. To punish us for not being able to afford letting them do what they want.

If they're going to spend the money regardless, why not use the money they would otherwise spend on more water rights and wells into the rapidly dwindling Ogallala Aquifer, to instead drill deeper into the Dockum Aquifer and build a desalination facility so that water is usable? It's not a perfect solution, and might even cost more, but it's better than doing more of the same thing and expecting different results.

Unless the Ogallala is healthier than we've been told.

I probably can't afford that approach either, but at least it seems a better use of the money. A longer-term bandaid for a problem that won't be solved without more, and more dependable, rainfall over a large region over a long span of time.

If that doesn't happen, this area will not continue to be livable without a technological breakthrough. Will Farwell still be here in 2126? That probably depends mainly on the water supply.

Kent McManigal

Farwell

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The Ancestral Enemy's eyes are also in Farwell, Texas

The domestic enemies who rule this little town have crossed a line. The politicians and all the legislation enforcers have declared war on the residents.

This is a line that makes me incredibly angry with everyone involved.

These new Flock spy cameras have been installed right at the state line. It's possible one of the reasons is to catch people who visit the weed store in New Mexico, then molest them if they cross into Texas.

Or, maybe it's more general than that; just basic authoritarian surveillance and rights violations. Watching people crossing a "border" that is otherwise uncontrolled (for now).

This business, Tireworks Tire Pros, is one I've used for years. Really nice people. They are also the only local FFL. I can't in good conscience patronize them anymore if they are willing to sell me out to those who want to track us all. Don't partner with the enemy and expect me to ignore it. Or forgive you without an apology and a simultaneous change in behavior.

I want these cameras gone. I don't want them replaced with something from another brand. If anything, place them to watch police stations and officers' and politicians' homes. But they can not be allowed to watch the rest of us.

These cameras are clear evidence that government is your mortal enemy. The Ancestral Enemy. It needs to die. Even if it "only" rules a tiny town on the Texas/New Mexico state line in the middle of nowhere.

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A set of rights violations masquerading as Law

If someone wants to live under Sharia "Law", I say let them. But don't apply those rules to anyone who doesn't explicitly agree to them. Their rules don't apply to other groups.

The same applies to any other set of "laws".

Counterfeit "law" from any source doesn't apply to anyone unless they agree to it. Since all counterfeit "law" is based on religious ideas rather than ethics, it's all actually a sort of Sharia anyway. It only applies to the believers.

But they'll say we can't live without rules. They'd be right.

Real Law- natural law- applies to everyone. Don't murder, kidnap, steal, attack, defraud, govern, or otherwise aspire to violate life, liberty, or property; don't archate. Not even if your religious "law" says you're allowed or obligated to do so. If you do any of these things anyway, you owe restitution. Pay it.

Counterfeit "law" violates natural law, so it is all null and void before it even begins.

But its cult will rob, cage, and murder you for breaking it, and the brainwashed masses will cheer and say you should have complied. That's how you know this isn't real law, but a set of rights violations on a pedestal.

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Problem? Government the worst solution

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for August 12, 2026)

Relying on government for anything essential seems foolish. It certainly never works out well.

Most of the western parts of America, including our local area, suffer water shortages created by government policies. The solutions government imposes won't solve the problem, either, but will only cause more problems.

New York City may soon learn what happens when you let government run grocery stores. I can see where it's headed. Can't politicians?..read the rest...

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LPR (Flock) cameras are watching you

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for July 8, 2026)

One of the most important fights in our lifetime, a fight for the future of America, is shaping up right over our heads. It's the fight against license plate reader cameras and the related spyware that is already being used against you and your liberty.

This may even be more important and urgent than defending the natural human right to own and to carry weapons without government interference. These data collectors will be used to violate your right to bear arms and all your other rights as well. If this is to be stopped, it must be stopped now. Before long, it will be too entrenched to stop. Public attention is fleeting. Outrage fades. Political criminals will say, "But we've done this for years, and no one cared before."

Maybe you imagine this is only an issue in big cities you rarely, if ever, visit. If so, I have an unpleasant surprise for you.

If you check out the interactive map available at deflock.org, you'll see that they document 22 of these Fourth Amendment violations right here in Clovis, New Mexico. A flock of them, watching you, every time you pass one. Scooping up your data. Without a warrant. That's unacceptable,

Constitutionally, it's a criminal act.

Any politicians, including police department officials, who are using your confiscated money to steal your privacy are your enemies and a serious threat to your rights.

They claim it's "for safety", but you may have noticed how few real crimes are solved this way. Even if they were, it's not worth it. Not even close.

Instead, the spyware is being used to collect data to use against you. If not today, then next week or next year.

This is not for your benefit.

It would be better for you, your safety, and your liberty, if every one of these cameras-- and whatever comes next-- were removed from public spaces and placed inside government offices and chambers for all to see and record what goes on there. Watch the watchers, not the people. You have a natural human right to privacy; government officials have none.

Groups are organizing across the country to fight these unconstitutional spies. Find one and support its efforts. You might not realize how important this is, but your grandchildren and future generations will. Will you fight for them or betray them? You're making the decision now, whether you realize it or not. Choose wisely.

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Don't perform for government

It's apparently easier to blame other "races", ethnicities, etc., than to blame the people actually, visibly archating at this moment.

Especially when you hate other people more than you value liberty. And when you desperately want to justify some sort of archation/government.

Watching this play out has always bothered me, but as the heat gets turned up, I see it happening more. And with greater intensity. It's going to get innocent people killed.

People are getting mad at the wrong people. 

It's like two ants of different species trapped in a jar and shaken by the nasty kid, attacking each other instead of the real enemy. The one who put you in the jar and shook you is the enemy, not the other victim in the same jar. 

Don't entertain the Ancestral Enemy. Don't perform for it. That's what government wants you to do. 

And most people oblige.

I really think it's because it's easier than being consistent, ethical, and rational.

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Politics is a drug

I'm usually nicer to statists than other statists are.

That doesn't make sense to me.

I don't hold back or coddle them when they come at me with their delusional statism, but I'm not going to blame a drunk for the things he says while drunk. Even though there are consequences. 

And politics is a drug. People under the influence aren't rational. They can't be. And the impairment doesn't wear off with time. It has to be treated with an antidote; taken voluntarily or not at all.

I can know someone is a statist, but until they force me to defend myself from them, I can be nice. I can smile at the crazy thoughts they express without confronting them. They might even misinterpret my smile as agreement. It happens.

Statists already hate other statists just because they prefer a different flavor of slavery, and they never stop going at each other's throats because of it. There's always a tension there, which seems odd to me, since I see them as all on the same team. They are like twins who get drunk and start fighting over their shared misunderstanding of a dream someone once told them about.

I'm there to remind them that they have more in common than not.

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Water troubles, exacerbated by government screw ups

When government screws up, the people pay the price. Often, literally.

My little town- population just over 1400 or so- is in a water emergency. Because its government screwed up.

Now, we residents are ordered to reduce our water usage by at least 20% and stop ALL outdoor use of water, or else.

The "else" includes warnings, increasing tiers of "fines", and having your water shut off until the crisis is over. Will it ever be over when they've been saying for years that the wells are running dry because the aquifer is being drained? Maybe once the water towers are full again they'll remove the penalties. I can hope.

I'm not too worried about water in the short term. I have as much water stored as I can fit in the nooks and crannies of my house, and I have several cases of bottled water for drinking. And several filled canteens.

The bigger issue is making sure my parents are set- and discovering they'd dumped the two 6-gallon cans of water I'd filled for them. They still have an 8-gallon jug, though. I've also helped them arrange to refill the other two at my sister's house in the bigger town across the state line that isn't currently having an immediate water emergency. But, seriously...

Less than two weeks ago, I was chewed out for all the stored water in out-of-the-way spots around the house that weren't as out of the way as someone would have liked. Funny how quickly that tune changed with one notice from the local Rulers. This has been a recurring theme in my life. "Why are you doing this? It's inconvenient and stupid!" to "Yes, we were prepared, so we're OK."

If I only had to watch out for myself, things would be so much smoother.

Anyway...

If it would rain, I would also catch rainwater to use, but that's historically the root of the problem in the region.

I'm doing my best to cut back, even while understanding that "the tragedy of the commons" means many residents won't. I'm using stored water to keep the birdbath filled- I'm sneaking out after dark to fill it. I'm also, at the same time, using stored water to try to keep my struggling sunchokes going. And I'm giving water to the stray cats on my porch. I'm abiding by the rules, but since my Jedi powers aren't strong, there's no point in attracting imperial attention and having to answer questions about where the water came from.

Of course, a couple of years ago, the town added electronic spyware to our water meters, supposedly to make it easier to bill us. Now they are saying they are digitally monitoring our water usage on a daily basis, to see who is complying and who isn't. I warned locals that this would happen. No one cared. You know how it goes.

Anyway, I'll bet I've cut my water usage (through the meter) by much more than 20%. Coincidentally, I fixed my dripping faucet last weekend, just in time, apparently. Later, I'll increase my usage when I'm storing up water again. It's just what I do.

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Government's supporters are all socialists

Government is socialism; if you support the existence of government, you are a socialist.

I posted this observation on X a few days ago and upset someone with whom I normally agree. I guess he wants to believe government can be legitimate more than he values liberty.

Anyway, here's how it is:

Socialism is, according to dictionary.com, "a theory or system of social organization that advocates the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, capital, land, etc., by the community as a whole, usually through a centralized government." (Although socialists get a little slippery whenever they don't like a specific definition. They don't like being pinned down.)

Statists claim government has the "right" to tax and regulate businesses. The power to tax and/or regulate is the power to control and destroy. The right to destroy or control something is a hallmark of ownership. The "right" to tax and regulate is an expression of government's claim to ownership (even if generally hidden from view). Government heavily taxes and regulates businesses. Government- ALL government- thus seizes the means of production- while pretending this isn't what it's doing.

On X, I was told I was using the wrong definition of socialism, so I asked how he defines it, and he never responded. As I pointed out above, no matter how you define it, someone will complain.

Government is socialism. All governments are socialist.

Statists- those who believe governing others is a legitimate human endeavor- are therefore socialists.

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Why is life so expensive?

Maybe the reason a family can’t make it on one income- besides the monumental counterfeiting operation known as the “Federal Reserve” and the crushing level of theft called “taxation”- is that now everyone “needs” internet service, streaming services, cell phones, computers, multiple cars, TVs, bigger houses, bottled water, interesting food, and a lot of other things previous generations didn't even have as an option.

Just maybe that has something to do with it.

I’m not saying those things are wrong, (except the Federal Reserve and taxes) just that previous generations didn’t have those things siphoning off their money.

Without the Federal Reserve and taxes, I doubt those "luxuries" would even be a problem.

Government is the "luxury" we can't afford.

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A mind poisoned by politics

Look into the background of any "nice, quiet" person who later chooses to become an evil loser, and you'll probably find a mind poisoned by politics. 

Either straight-up politics, or politics posing as another religion.

There may be other factors, as well, but even those may be influenced by politics.

Sometimes you can see this is the case by the targets they choose. Other times, it's not obvious until you find a manifesto or social media postings exposing their political leanings and delusions.

Once you believe it's sometimes OK to violate life, liberty, and property "for a cause", it's a short hop to feeling justified in killing people who might disagree with you on the specifics.

Politics is nothing but justifying the violation of rights. If you are opposed to having some rights violated and you believe the solution is to violate other rights, you're not really disagreeing with your opponent. You're negotiating. You're still being political.

If you reject ALL excuses to violate rights and defend everyone's life, liberty, and property, you're not being political. You're saying "no" to politics. 

Politics is a cult. A death cult. It leads inevitably to violating human rights.
Standing against politics is ethics in action.

Don't tread on ANYONE!

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Maintaining liberty your responsibility

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for August 5, 2026)

Every system people create takes effort to keep working. Someone must keep fixing the problems which otherwise pile up until the system fails. None are "set it and forget it". This is true for all systems of government: democracies, constitutional republics, monarchies, and communist dictatorships.

It even applies in the absence of a system of government, as detractors of anarchy like to point out while they carefully ignore how the same applies to the system they prefer...read the rest...

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Politics is Mr. Hyde without Dr. Jekyll

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for July 1, 2026)

Politics- and specifically political opinions- can turn people into monsters. It's almost guaranteed. No one is ever a better person because of their political opinions or because they're involved in politics.

In his story, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson was writing a morality tale about the good and evil within each individual and the dangers of drug abuse, but it could apply just as well to politics. Politics is a powerful drug, and it brings the evil within each individual to the surface.

Someone may be a decent person, but add some political opinions and they can turn into beasts who want people robbed, caged, or killed because they don't have a compatible political opinion.

The more I see it happen, the less I want politics near me. I wish I could inoculate people against politics. Political addicts are hard to reach and harder to help.

Politics comes down to fighting over how best to govern other people. Since no one has a right to govern even one other person, this is a fight over how to do something no one has a right to do; an imaginary right that can't be created. It's like arguing over the best way to run your slave market. The best way is not to be involved in slavery at all; to be an abolitionist.

Well, I'm an abolitionist.

You have the right to run your life as you see fit, as long as you don't violate anyone else's life, liberty, or property. You have the right to defend yourself from anyone who tries to violate you. Anything else invariably ends up violating someone's rights.

You can't change the nature of a rights violation by framing it as a political opinion. You can't make armed extortion ethical by calling it a tax. You can't excuse censorship in the name of safety without making it political. Politics can make someone accept unethical acts as if they are necessary or desirable.

You have the right to live your liberty to the fullest. The other half of liberty, alongside freedom, is your responsibility to not violate anyone's rights. No political opinion can change this. Nor does your fear of what they might do unless you violate them first.

Don't let politics turn you into something you wouldn't want to become. The first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem.

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Racist anti-gun bigots grasping at straws

After Saturday's shooting in Idaho, I saw a couple of racist anti-gun bigots taunting "white" people, asking what they would say now that this shooter was a "white" guy with a "white" name.

Yeah, they were weird comments. There are a lot of evil losers, and many of them are, and have been, "white". So?

I don't personally care who the evil loser is or what he looks like; I'm going to call him out as an evil loser. 

Skin color is one of the most irrelevant superficial traits there is. You don't choose that the way you might choose a religion or a political ideology. It's an accident of birth and has zero bearing on WHO YOU ARE. Anyone of any "race" can choose to be a positive force or a negative one; a good person or an archator. No one is locked into a particular path because of their skin color, their ethnicity, or where they were born.

An evil loser isn't one of "my people" even if he looks exactly like me. We have nothing of importance in common.

Racism is stupid and evil, and so is anti-gun bigotry. Racists and anti-gun bigots are left grasping at straws, while better people look at them like they are freaks.

Imagine being so useless that you care more about the "race" of a murderer than about his actions. Getting giddy at the thought that this one doesn't look like your relative isn't a win.

Imagine wanting regular people to be helpless when confronted by evil, or imagining they should be forced to wait for the Blue Line Mafia to finally arrive to draw chalk lines and "save them". All because you hate guns more than you care about people- of any "race".

The racist anti-gun bigots should be ashamed, and probably would be if they were smarter.

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Good guy with a gun

Good guys carry guns and don't wear badges. And sometimes, they wear hats!

That the evil loser took time out of his murder spree to shoot Tesla vehicles tells you everything you need to know about his motivation. Yeah, it was at least partly political (Politics makes people stupid and, usually, at least a bit evil).

When I did a "search" for the incident, I had to go halfway down the page before it even mentioned or showed the hero. 

When I specified I wanted news about the hero, it kept pairing photos of him in his shooting stance with the words "Idaho shooter causes multiple fatalities". Not clarifying that this man wasn't the shooter, but the hero who saved lives with his gun.

It feels intentional.

Because it is.

I've noticed the anti-gun bigots are really mad over this incident- not at the evil loser, but at the good guy and his gun. They are clearly signaling that they are also evil losers. And they v*te.

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The untrue "truths" of statists

The Left, Right, and most of NOTA reject reality in favor of ideology.

I can see it. I'm sure you can see it, too.

Those who are deep into it- hypnotized by it- can't see it. Reality is an inconvenience to their ideologies, so it will be ignored as though it doesn't exist.

New "truths" will replace reality in their minds. Untrue "truths" that make them more comfortable, but don't equip them to live in the real world very well, even as they try to make the real world operate as though their dishonest "truths" are reality.

They'll hate you for rejecting their "truths". But that's fine with me.

It's still a lie that anyone has the right to govern another, that taxation isn't theft, that cops are the good guys, that spyware makes you safe, that only government should have guns, and that democracy is a good thing.

It's almost amazing to watch them twist and turn, trying to force reality to bend to their wishes.

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Possible, but apparently difficult

Did you realize it’s possible to oppose Donald Trump and the "Right" without jumping down the Well of Leftism?

It is!

Just watch:

I oppose Trump's wars, his obsession with "America's greatest ally", his tariffs and associated lies, his "law enforcement" fetish, his continuation of generational anti-gun bigotry (while pretending he's different), his border crackdown, and his strange religious hypocrisy. I oppose theocracy of any sort, governments of any variety, and cultures that normalize treating people as property or rightsless children. I oppose spyware watching people to see if they can be caught committing a "crime". I oppose pretending government has "rights", can own property, or make up policies. I oppose all this and other things too numerous to list.

And I can say all this without rainbow-colored hair, a single facial greebly, making abortion a rite of passage to be checked off the bucket list, or "gender" pronouns in my bio.

More importantly, I can say it without supporting Palestine (or any other State or quasi-state), and without coddling the behavior of government-imported third-worlders who prefer crime to fair trade and mutual consent.

I can say it without believing that people who have shown they have no intention to stop archating should be given chance after chance to change (or be kept safe from their next intended victim's weapon, in a cage, at my expense!). 

I can say it without advocating socialism/communism; without having a democracy fetish and believing that v*ting is a right. Without hating rich people or successful businesses. Without pretending that taxation is anything other than aggressive extortion at gunpoint. Without supporting Democrat politicians who are just as bad as the Republicans, but in slightly different ways.

"Right" and "Left" are two sides of the same cow pie, but far less useful. You don't need to climb a lightning rod or jump down a well to signal you're on a "side". You just need to respect liberty and defend it from all archators, liars, and censors.

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Make their heads explode- figuratively, of course

I'm an anarchist. I don't believe anyone has the right to rule others. My behavior is my responsibility. I can't pawn it off on someone else.

I'm conservative. I believe there are some things worth conserving, such as liberty, some aspects of some cultures, and good ethical principles. There are good things about the past that I believe should be preserved.

I'm liberal. I believe in respecting the liberty of others. I believe in the goodness of overflowing generosity and kindness.

I'm a progressive. I believe progress can be good, as long as it doesn't sacrifice the rights of the individual. There is potential in the future that should be explored.

I'm an individual. I believe society is nothing without the individuals who comprise it. The individual is the smallest minority; the only one that counts.

I'm a sentinel. I believe in the right to address aggressors quickly, harshly, and with finality. On a one-to-one basis, at the scene of the attack without getting government involved.

I am an outlaw. I have zero respect for counterfeit "laws" or any rules that violate the natural rights of humans.

I'm a collectivist. I believe cooperation is good and useful because there are things no individual can do alone. If you're forced to participate, it isn't cooperation, but slavery.

You may have noticed I'm using those words differently than the way the toxic factions associated with those words generally use them. So be it. Do as you will, but don't be toxic.

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Both are tools

Statists- especially anti-gun bigots- like to compare government and guns. They'll point out that both are tools. Everything depends on how they are used.

I agree.

You have a right to form a government.
You have a right to own and to carry weapons, including firearms.

You have no right to impose your government on others against their will.
Just like you have no right to start shooting randomly into a crowd of people.

You have a responsibility to govern yourself, but no right to govern others. You have no right to force your government on others, even if they refuse to take that responsibility upon themselves. (In that case, you have the right to defend yourself from them.)
You have a responsibility to stay armed so you can defend yourself and others, but you have no right to start shooting random people just because you have a right to "keep and bear arms". You also have no right to force others to own and carry weapons- even though it is their responsibility to do so.

V*ting, as an expression of your right to form a government, is the same sort of behavior as shooting random people as an expression of your right to own and to carry weapons. It's archation in both cases.

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Good rule of thumb: Mind your business

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for July 29, 2026)

People who believe they have a right to not see or hear something they don't like are one of the biggest roadblocks to liberty. They imagine they have a right to not be offended. This nonexistent right is more important to them than letting others use their own property as they wish...read the rest...

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Rich people are not a problem

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for June 24, 2026)

The most economically ignorant opinion ever is the call to tax wealth above a certain amount at 100%. The people calling for this don't understand how anything works.

Some excuse this by saying, "No one needs a trillion dollars". Some scale it down to a billion or even a million dollars.

Do you want to talk about "need"? What I need is for government to keep its hands out of people's pockets. Government doesn't need to steal money to pay for things government's supporters believe they need.

No one gets to decide what others need. As long as they aren't stealing it, it's none of your business.

If someone earns a quadrillion dollars by giving customers what they want and by filling a niche, they aren't a problem. It's a positive thing for society, and only ignorant people get upset over it.

It's trendy to hate rich people. It's also incredibly stupid. Most of the people upset over "excessive" wealth- such as the tax-addicted politicians and their followers- contribute nothing. Takers envy makers. 

For a millionaire politician to demand that a billionaire entrepreneur hand over some percentage of his money is dishonest. The entrepreneur contributes; the politician is a parasite who only takes.

It isn't "greed" to want to keep what's yours; greed wants to steal and hoard other people's property. The only rich people who can oppress anyone are rich politicians.

Yes, I realize there's no rich person in today's world who doesn't get a substantial portion of their wealth by helping government. Government is the problem, not the wealth. The solution isn't to steal a percentage of their wealth and hand it over to that same government.

Do these tax advocates really believe it's a good idea to tell an entrepreneur that one successful business is enough- there's no benefit in starting more, or even expanding his existing business? If there's no way to make and keep the profit from one's business, there's nothing left to put back into the economy. And no motivation to do so. It costs us all.

These political lies based on envy could destroy the future.

The only ethical level of taxation is, and has always been, 0%. It doesn't matter if you believe the people you're being manipulated to envy can afford it. Instead of begging politicians to rob others, start contributing something to the world. Then you can give your own money to whatever you like.

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Worse than a stopped clock

On any topic, if it's up for a government decision, government will get it wrong. Even if it appears at first that they got it right, just wait. They didn't. They'll screw up anything left to them.

It's so predictable that anyone who doesn't expect it must be living in a cave.

I never trust them to make the smart or ethically correct choice, so I'm not disappointed. But I am disgusted.

Even a stopped clock is right once (or twice) every day. But government? Nope.

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See how I've grown?

Yesterday was the annual family reunion.

It's a stressful day for me. But I go anyway- I don't always avoid doing things outside my comfort zone. I think it's good exercise.

It was fine. Lots of food, and too many people. But I think I did well.

There's only one relative I can't bring myself to speak to. Years ago, back in the MySpace age, I had reached an agreement with his siblings to rent a house that their parents had lived in (their mom was in a nursing home). Everything was set, and I was happy because the house was far out of town- just like I prefer (or need).

But then this clown found out about the deal and chimed in. He didn't like my MySpace page. He said that because I was anti-government, I would be cooking meth in the home. So, since he was the eldest sibling, the deal was pulled out from under me at the last minute. 

Yes, it was partly his property, but we had a deal.

It caused me problems and cost me. But he imagined himself the Good Guy in his white hat.

I'm still angry about it (if I see him). I sometimes wonder if he now realizes he was wrong, or if he even remembers breaking the deal. Either way, he's not worth my time. I never think about him unless I see him, and I only see him at these reunions. He can go in peace- as long as he goes.

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I decline to participate

I'm really good at staying out of the way of people who want to do things I dislike. Even self-destructive things. Until they try to involve me. 

Then they could mistake me for someone who is "closed-minded" and wants to control others. They would be wrong.

You have the right to perforate yourself in the cranium with a cordless hole puncher.
I'm not going to help you do so. 
I'm not going to do it for you- except in self-defense or in defense of an innocent victim.
I'm not going to make you feel better by encouraging you to do so.
If you ask my opinion, I'll tell you not to do it.
I may even hurt your feelings if you whine about me not supporting your desire to harm yourself (or others). Yes, I'll probably tell you it's a stupid thing to do.

The same goes for many other socially popular methods of self-harm.

I oppose legislation violating your right to harm yourself, whatever your chosen method. (For that matter, I oppose ALL legislation.) It's none of the State's business or concern. That's not the same thing as thinking you should do harmful things to yourself. Those are completely different issues.

I'll stand up for your right to do something I think is stupid or self-destructive. Just don't think I'm going to participate or keep my opinion to myself.

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Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’…

I had wanted to make a knife sheath out of rawhide for a while, but had never done it. 

Rawhide is tough to work with. 

But I needed a distraction this past week, so I dug out some rawhide, made a pattern for a sheath for a Russell’s Green River Hunter knife, and got to work. 

It took a few days for the rawhide to dry and give me the final results, but I think it worked well. I like how it turned out.

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“I wish there were more rules”

And this is why we can’t have nice things.

This town may be threatening to impose a lot more property rules on the residents. Seeking to punish anything they subjectively don't want to see. Things like "disrepair", "clutter", and so forth.

I overheard two people talking about this, and one of them- from another town- said about her town, "I wish there were more rules". Then went on to complain about a neighbor who uses his property in a way that she doesn't approve of. She is burdened by what she sees when looking in that direction.

The one from here was practically salivating over all the potential violations she can see around town, saying, "They won't be getting away with this anymore".

This attitude disgusts me.

People have a right to use their property as they see fit- as long as doing so doesn't violate someone else's REAL rights to life, liberty, and property. Being offended by seeing something isn't a violation of your rights. It's a character problem.

"But it brings down property values." Good. Then property taxes will be lower.

There's hardly a house in town that wouldn't be targeted for one thing or another, mine included. And since it's subjective, there's really no way to anticipate what's going to get under the mayor's saddle. We've gone through various enforcement obsessions, where the current rulers get tough on one ridiculous thing or another for a year or so, until they pick something else to be up in arms about, and forget about the previous emergency enforcement situation.

I'm already mad at the town rulers for vandalizing two streets this past week by installing "speed bumps". What's next? Flock spyware?

If the town does go through with it, I will be photographing every "violation" at the mayor's property and putting it online. Yes, I will go to war.

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Supporting your mortal enemy

If someone hasn’t yet figured out that government- all government- is their Ancestral Enemy and will murder them for its own convenience, there’s probably no hope for them.

It's a tragedy to see. 

I just wish there was a way to avoid being collateral damage during their carnival of self-destruction.

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Don't participate in violating liberty

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for July 22, 2026)

Liberty is a big jewel with many facets. All its facets are important, but you can pick favorites. I do. Even then, don't try to dull the shine of the facets which don't affect you as much. To someone, those are the important ones...read the rest...

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Find better solutions without government

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for June 17, 2026)

I hear a lot of people saying the local community should have this or that. Or pointing out things they believe should be improved. But they always seem to want government, or at least someone else, to provide what they want or to fix their problems.

If you have complaints about the local community, don’t wait for government to fix them. See what you can do for yourself, maybe with help from others, with or without government permission.

Government wants you to depend on it for solutions, but its solutions can be worse than the original problem. Plus, it will use your money for any solution it tries. It would be better and more efficient to use your money directly, rather than filtering it through the waste machine of government bureaucracy.

The responsibility is yours. It always has been. Keep in mind, taking responsibility can be dangerous.

If your solution is effective, government will probably try to punish you. Just like the people around the country who've been punished for repairing potholes that local government has ignored for much too long. In some cases, government crews even dug out the repair work and returned the road to its damaged condition.

When I lived in Colorado, residents were prohibited from plowing the snow off the road to their house if local governments insisted that the road not be plowed beyond a certain point. Some defiant souls did so anyway and were punished. Others left their vehicles abandoned at the end of the plowed road all winter and used snowmobiles to cross the distance between their car and house.

You aren't "authorized" to solve problems this way. This is how you can tell that solving problems isn't government's priority.

Government is not on your side. It always has sketchy justifications for what it does.

If you come up with a good solution or improvement, and you aren't punished for it, be aware government may try to take over and claim the credit before ruining it. Then you can start over.

One of the very worst things anyone can do is to take something good and hand it over to government to administer and ultimately squander. If you have something good, whether it's an invention, a solution, or real estate, don't give it to government. Take back your control. Stay silent and don't ask government for anything, and soon you'll realize it has always been an unnecessary evil.

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Irresponsibility

Being responsible- accepting your responsibility- is best. No question about it!

However, I believe everyone has the right to be irresponsible... in certain ways. By this I mean, not all irresponsibility automatically violates someone else.

But no one has the right to violate others in an attempt to avoid the personal consequences of their own irresponsibility.

That’s where I see so many go wrong. Including most of those who support, pass, and enforce "laws" designed to punish irresponsibility.

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Misplaced respect

Statists really can't comprehend when someone doesn't fawn along with them over some harmful part of government- such as the police or the military.

It's completely beyond them why anyone would oppose those things. (Some feel the same about the spyware.)

It doesn't matter how clearly you explain. Some say they supposedly "hate government", too.

They have a deep-seated desire to "respect" those who are the greatest danger to their liberty. A much greater threat than anyone in any other country.

In TV and movies, there are good cops and good military pawns. That's called fiction. Many people fall for the propaganda because they can't distinguish between reality and fiction.

I blame govschooling and the media.

Yes, I realize some of those government personnel were fooled into joining. Some were pressured and couldn't resist. Some didn't see another path. Some needed the money. Some thought it would make them respected. They were innocent victims... at first.

Some wanted to do good. They failed. 

Some craved the power they saw coming from such a position- either immediately or down the line. Those are the truly evil ones.

The harsh reality is that they are all hurting, not helping. They are empowering the state by remaining on the "job". That's not an ethical thing to do. It doesn't earn my respect or my thanks. Please quit!

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