It is a simulated substitute for the real act. The act of shooting and blowing up tyrants and their enforcers.
Shooting off fireworks- especially "in accordance with local laws"- has nothing to do with the act of rebellion to government that "Independence Day" is supposed to commemorate. It doesn't do anything for Rightful Liberty. It is a pathetic substitute for the real thing.
Yes, fireworks are pretty. And sometimes awe inspiring. And killing tyrants and their enforcers is messy, and unpleasant, and innocent people will inevitably get killed in retaliation. "Independence Day" is a cuddly alternative to the real spirit of independence.
But I miss the spirit of people willing to send tyrants and their hired bullies, either to another corner of the globe, or to the grave.
Until or unless "Independence Day" becomes about independence, I'll think of it as "Independents' Day" instead.
.
Nearly all holidays are statist wank-fests. The repeated F-16 flights over our house have been saluted in the appropriate anarchist fashion. The government fireworks scare the our pets. Our valleys air is worse than Beijing, China's. Salt Lake City instituted a no-wood-burning-at-any-time ordinance, July is Clean Air Challenge month on the Wasatch Front with everyone being asked to bike if they can for clean air.
ReplyDeleteConcurrent with this, the local municipalities pollute our air usually for several days around the 4th of July, and Pioneer Day, the 24th of July, aka Mormon 4th of July.
There is a dark cloud over the valley that lingers for days each time.
But its all OK if we are celebratin' 'merica right?
Some of the colonists did not like to obey King George's authorities and his hired guns who enforced his laws. They did not like to be treated as second class citizens in their own land. These colonists used their weapons to kill the hired guns; that is something to celebrate, Libertarian.
ReplyDeletePrint a seditious pamphlet and pass it out, Kent.
Isn't that pretty much what blogs (such as mine) are today? ;)
DeleteBlogs are what people choose to read because they already agree with you. Handing out pamphlets is a confrontation.I place my pamphlets on officials desks and attendees seats at public meetings. These are the people who are most interested in local affairs. This venue allows me to be effective in holding the overlords to ridicule. It was so effective that they got an order of protection against me. Prior to that, the police chief ordered me out before meetings started.
DeleteYou will never confront your overlords face-to-face because of that libertarian streak that runs down your back. You will always timidly hide behind your keyboard. You impart your wisdom with the hope of provoking some brave soul to do what you won't do.
I can see the value of pamphlets. And, yes, maybe I should do that, too. However, I don't have "overlords". There are bullies who believe themselves to be overlords. Thinking of them as "overlords" would only give them unwarranted power over my life.
DeleteIf you believe I timidly hide behind my keyboard I can assure you the local wanna-be overlords know who I am, they know me by sight, and they know my opinion of them. I gave up my anonymity years ago. I don't waste my time directly confronting them because they simply aren't worth it. I avoid and shun them, instead. I no longer flip off cops, because they aren't worth the effort, and giving them that much attention takes my attention off better things.
But that's me. You may feel differently, and if so, do whatever makes you happy.
Also, I don't want to provoke anyone to do anything other than see the bullies for what they are and stop giving them attention (which they feed on) and support. If you shoot them, the others gain power. And they will send their gang after you until they have kidnapped or murdered you. How does that benefit liberty? Now, if there were a "general uprising" the dynamics would be different- but I still wouldn't shoot anyone not currently initiating force or property violations- I don't do revenge.