Political Prisoners

Speaking of counterfeit "laws".... How many of us know someone who is in jail or prison for violating some counterfeit law? I would guess most of us do. How many of us have been fined for some imagined infraction? For crimes of force, jailing the violators is usually necessary. For crimes of fraud, restitution would be much more sensible. Everyone else in prison is a political prisoner. They are guilty of nothing other than living independently of the edicts of government stooges. For violators of counterfeit "laws" immediate release is the first step in finding justice. The next step is punishing those who kidnapped the victim of government. Using the real laws against force and fraud, anyone who arrests, fines, jails, harrasses or kills anyone who violates a mala prohibita law becomes the aggressor and therefore is subject to the consequenses. The third step is restitution where possible from the government criminals. From their OWN pockets, not from mythical "public funds". Anyone who assumes "authority" over another must be held to a higher standard, and must be extremely careful to avoid any violation of rights. If they are not willing to pay the price of their transgressions, they need to get a legitimate job.

Counterfeit "laws" include, but are not limited to, laws regarding: guns, consentual sex, drugs, licenses and permits, private property uses, consentual commerce, taxes, broadcasting, unpopular speech, marriage, free travel, etc.

Property taxes

When I was around 10 years old I had already developed a sense that I wanted a cabin in the mountains where I would hunt and gather my own food, make my own buckskin clothes, and just be left alone when I wanted (much to the eternal distress of my conventional parents). I had it all figured out ... until my parents informed me that if I didn't pay property tax on the land, the government would take it away from me. Even at that age, I knew that was ridiculous. If you own something, you OWN it. You don't have to pay a yearly ransom to keep it!

I think property tax is fundamentally more evil than other taxes. ALL taxes are theft-by-government at gunpoint and not justifiable. Consider this: If you do not want to pay sales tax you could theoretically barter and trade for all the good that you couldn't produce for yourself. Hate the income tax? Do what I did and reduce your income to zero. But how to have a HOME and not have property tax? You could be a squatter. You could rent. You could be a permanent tourist. These strategies work for many people. Unfortunately the desire to have a homestead is one of the strongest urges for humans. We are very territorial creatures. How many wars are being fought today because of someone violating someone else's territory?

Counterfeit "laws"

How many people do you know who claim that murder is OK? How many would argue that rape is a good thing? Or that "armed robber" is a good career choice? What about someone who scams elderly people out of their life savings? Just about every person would agree that these things are wrong. It does not matter whether a "law" is passed to say it is OK or if the death penalty is applied if you do one of these things. Wrong is wrong. This is called "mala in se".

Then there are other actions that people are divided in their opinion of. Is it wrong to smoke marijuana? Do you deserve to go to jail for hiring a prostitute? What if you don't choose to wear a seat belt? Is is good to have laws to punish you for these things? Once again, it does not matter if the "law" says these things are OK or not. These are things that are only "wrong" because the law says they are bad. This is called "mala prohibita".

I think there is even a simpler way to describe mala prohibita laws: they are counterfeit. A law is counterfeit when it prohibits, regulates, or controls something other than actual force or fraud. No one has any moral obligation to obey counterfeit "laws". I choose to wear a seat belt. I feel more secure that way. Other people feel trapped by them. That is OK. That is personal choice using YOUR best information. No "law enforcement officer" is justified in punishing anyone for violating any counterfeit "law". Once they do, THEY become the criminal. Real laws do not need enforcers. Would you intervene to stop a rape? Me too. Would you hold a person at gun-point while calling for back-up if you see him sitting in traffic without his seat belt on? Of course not. Only a mindless drone of the state would do something that evil.