'Red flag' laws violate human rights

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for February 5, 2020)

New Mexico politicians are hopping on the "red flag law" bandwagon; scheming to commit wrong in the name of imagined "safety".

Red flag legislation is all the rage, politically. I don't call them laws because they aren't laws. Laws can't violate natural human rights; this legislation does. Imposing or enforcing legislation which violates life, liberty, or property in any way makes you the wrongdoer. It doesn't change matters to write words giving yourself permission to violate people. Legislation can't make wrongs right, and it is wrong to punish someone for something you imagine they might do.

It's misguided to violate someone's rights because they've done wrong. To do so before they've done wrong is pure evil.

Yes, unhinged people cause tragedies. The correct approach is an unyielding commitment to human rights. Don't build a legislative maze making it harder for people to possess the proper tools with which to defend themselves. This is what red flag legislation does. It causes tragedies everywhere politically unhinged people impose it.

Many people see an attempt by badged government employees to steal their property-- to seize their guns-- as a line in the sand which can not be tolerated. It has already played out with tragic results in the states where such policies have been implemented.

It's never about "public safety", but about asserting government supremacy. However, both sides need to remember: the people always remain supreme over government.

While it's claimed this legislation only targets those making violent threats, it will be abused.

The easiest way to make sure your intended victim can't fight back is to report them as a risk and let legislation enforcement officers disarm-- or kill-- them for your convenience.

This legislation will also become "The Bitter Ex-Wife Revenge and Empowerment Act".

The hijacked firearms are supposed to be returned to the rightful owner once the threat is over, but it doesn't always happen. A friend of mine was acquitted after defending himself, without firing a shot, from an attacker. The attacker filed a false report after the incident. Upon acquittal, my friend was told he had to jump through months of bureaucratic hoops to get his property back. He did everything demanded of him, but by then his gun was mysteriously missing. The state's response was "Tough luck".

Enemies of liberty often embrace communistic red flags. This time it's the same story. Respect liberty-- reject the red flag. There's no legitimate reason to support this kind of legislation.

-
Thank you for helping support KentforLiberty.com

Early-Worm appeasement time

Don't forget, children, to mis-set your clocks because Big Daddy Government tells you to.

As if pretending one day per year is only 23 hours long so that time "changes" thereafter is anything but delusional.

Why can't the Early-Worms who want to go to work an hour earlier and get home an hour earlier just, you know, GO TO WORK AN HOUR EARLIER AND COME HOME AN HOUR EARLIER without coercing everyone else to mis-set their clocks so they can pretend this isn't what they are doing?

I resent having to mis-set my clocks to appease those who aren't responsible enough to just change their business hours if they want to open earlier during Spring, Summer, and Autumn.

In the past I have tried not mis-setting my clocks, but it doesn't work well because almost everyone else mis-sets theirs when told to do so. And it's already confusing enough here, straddling the time zone line like I do.

No, picking Daylight "Saving" [sic] Time to stay on year-round isn't just as good as getting rid of it entirely. It just goes back around to that same point-- if you want to get up an hour earlier and get home an hour earlier so there's more daylight left after work, just do it. Don't expect the whole planet to accommodate your desire to set your clocks wrong.

Maybe morning people aren't affected this badly, but I am. Even when I manage to go to sleep an hour earlier, I still need to sleep until my body knows it's really time to wake up, regardless of what the lying clock says. That doesn't change just because I went to bed earlier and slept the regular number of hours. That never worked for me. I'm going to be grouchy and feel bad for a couple of weeks (at least) over this silly, outdated authoritarian ritual. It's long past time for it to die.

-

Writing to promote liberty is my job.
YOU get to decide if I get paid.
I hope I add something you find valuable enough to support.
♡2020 by Author/Artist. Copying is an act of love. Please copy.