Still standing for liberty in 2016

(My Clovis News Journal column for January 1, 2016)

As 2015 ends, I find myself thinking one thought: I hope 2016 is better.

To the extent I can control it, I will try to make sure it is for myself and for those around me.

A sad fact of life is you can’t control everything that happens. No matter what, bad stuff can (and will) happen to you and those you care about. That’s just life. But you can control how you respond to events. You don’t have to let them destroy you, or take away all your joy. You don’t have to let the bad stuff win.

So, I will try to make 2016 as good as I can, and if I see opportunities where I am able to improve someone else's year, I'll do that, too.

No, I'm not going to stop calling people out for their support of socialism- not even when they call it "fairness" or "law and order". A spade will always be a spade, and making up "laws" to control anything other than aggression or property violations will always be wrong, as will making up "laws" which consecrate wrongs done in the name of governing.

I will try to be as understanding as I can with those who advocate horrendously awful things- understanding that they have their reasons; often due to their loved ones being among the perpetrators of the growing police state. It's hard to think of those you love as the bad guys who are giving their all to the destruction of American society.

There may be other reasons, too. Some are probably scared of liberty and self determination due to years of indoctrination making them fear the lack of a master; to doubt their ability to live without being told exactly what is mandated and what is forbidden in every circumstance. I'll keep trying to help them shed those fears.

I'll do what I can to help people around me discover the tools to reject the superstitious belief in "authority" and take responsibility for themselves. But, I'll try to not be a pest about it; one-trick-ponies can be tedious.

Life is too short to be a bully, or to be loyal to any government or other gang of bullies. Live your life voluntarily, without violating others. Stand up for those who are violated. It's called "doing the right thing". If enough of us do it 2016 will be a great year, no matter what the Universe flings at our faces.

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