Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Making laws much like littering

(My Clovis News Journal column for April 22, 2016)

I always try to leave my surroundings a little better than I find them. If I see a problem needing to be fixed, I do my best to fix it.

Sometimes leaving the world better means picking up litter, or hooking a loose seat back on a swing for the kids.

Other times there's not much I can personally do and I have to be content pointing out the mess so others can help. Such as when encouraging people to stop littering the world with "laws".

I see laws the same way I see other litter: as clear evidence irresponsible people have been here and left their mark. They toss their trash on everyone else without the slightest hint of awareness of what they have done. Or, in the case of laws, even suffering the delusion they are doing something useful.

While it's easy to walk around and pick up paper and plastic litter, it is harder to put "laws" in their place. Too many people want to leave them where they lie, and get offended if you suggest there's a problem with an obvious solution.

Since I can't physically pick up a law and toss it in the burn barrel, what can I do? I can point out the mess to others so they won't step in it; I don't comfort those who pollute the world with laws, and I don't support those who insist on enforcing them. This helpfulness comes with risk.

Of course, I have cut myself on other forms of litter too. Anything worth doing carries risk.

One thing I haven't experienced yet is having someone see me picking up litter, then running up to knock the trash out of my hand and attack me for what I am doing. This is very different than the reaction when you become aware and concerned about law pollution. Stockholm Syndrome is deeply rooted where laws are concerned.

If you make up a law which must be enforced, you can be sure it isn't a real law. No law is necessary to give you the right to defend yourself or others from attackers or thieves, nor to demand restitution. But, without a law backing them, few would get away with stopping travelers for going a little faster than some arbitrary rule allows, and taking money from them. There are only two kinds of laws; the harmful and the unnecessary. Which of those do you pollute our world with?


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Get the message? This is what they are saying

This IS what they are telling you.

This is all I see,  just about everywhere I go. Except that often there is no image, just an poster-sized page of small print citing the Texas law that justifies and legalizes their anti-social behavior.

And it is like a slap in my face.

I am almost tempted to have a bunch of stickers like this printed up and stick them over every anti-liberty bigot's "no guns" sign I see. No, I won't because of property rights, but I am so sick of not being welcome anywhere in this region, it is seriously disgusting.

There is now one exception, which I have been rewarding with my business since they quietly removed their "no liberty allowed" signage a while back. Too bad they are so expensive and don't stock everything I need.

Apparently, from what others have told me, other stores owned by the same companies in other places welcome guns... but not around here. Nope. Almost every door you approach has a anti-rights sign posted.

On the other hand, this is something I'd like to see, but have about given up on, in this extremely anti-gun area of Texas/New Mexico:
Wouldn't it be nice to matter?

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If you get any value from my labors, consider rewarding me with your financial support. This blog is in its 10th year now. If you believe I have contributed anything to the conversation regarding liberty during these ten years, and believe I have more to contribute, help me stay online.