Free Market

I'm on my way out the door to the modern American version of the street market: the flea market. A place where you can engage in free trade and find good products; many that were made before manufacturers discovered flimsy, plastic substitutes for wood, glass, and metal. There is a bit of an outlaw feel to the whole thing. You can haggle over a price instead of simply accepting the price that the barcode scanner demands. You can suggest a trade, or pay with your silver or gold coins. You can stumble upon treasures never imagined to exist if you dig through the boxes that no one else wants to take the time to explore. You can meet vendors who can't fit into the mainstream job market (for whatever reason) and who are more interesting for their differences.

If there is a flea market in your area (and I am sure there is) give it a try, if you haven't already. In its own way, it is a little bit of anarchy in the best sense.

An Apology (Re-Posted From My Comments)

JK Pratt - I owe you an apology. You were simply asking a valid question and I responded sarcastically. I am truly sorry.

I have been thinking about this issue and I will say I do not believe that people get killed very often for refusal to pay taxes, since I am sure most people are intimidated into compliance sometime during the process long before it reaches the fatal confrontation. If they did not ever give up, then, and only then, would they be killed.

Thank you for making me think more about this.

Rights Redux

I suppose that in light of recent discussions I should make clear that I do not think that "rights" come from government, nor do I think that government has any authority to restrict rights. I have written this all before, I realize, but it bears repeating, I suppose. Rights existed before government and rights will outlast government. The problem we have is that government does not want you to recognize this fact. Government wants you to think that they grant you a right, perhaps by passing a "Bill of Rights", and that therefore, government can take away or restrict that right. This is not a description of a "right, but of a "privilege". Privileges can be restricted or outright revoked. Rights can not.

People do not always use their rights in a good way. This is illustrated by the ubiquitous example of "shouting 'Fire!' in a crowded theater". This would be a stupid and evil thing to do, but this also doesn't mean that everyone who goes into a theater must have their tongue cut out in advance to keep them from shouting "fire". If guns offend you, you have a right to not own one, but you do not have a right to forbid your neighbor from owning one. I have a right to carry an AK-47 down the streets in New York City if I choose to do so, though the city would undoubtedly choose to immorally arrest me if I did, but I do not have a right to point that gun at innocent people. The citizens of New York City do not have a right to not be offended or frightened by the sight of a gun. No one has rights that are more important than anyone else's rights. "Your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose."

Rights are absolute, but not everything is a right. You have a right to live, and to defend your life. You have a right to live as you see fit, as long as you do not infringe on the rights of others. You have a right to do what you enjoy as long as you do not violate the rights of others. You have a right to avoid involuntary servitude: the fruits of your time and labor belongs to you alone, unless you choose to share or give it away. On the other hand, you do not have a right to "universal government paid health care", or a right to walk through a crowd swinging a sword, a right to not breathe second-hand smoke, or a right to not be offended. Stop and think a moment and it is easy to see the difference between a right and something that is not a right.

Are some people so devoid of personal responsibility that they fear that if they own and carry defensive weapons they will suddenly lose control of themselves and become murderous maniacs? Or is this what they fear that you and I will do?

I believe that by looking at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights we can see how far America has fallen from what it was established to be: a beacon of liberty. If we could somehow get America back in line with the Constitution, I could live with that. I really want a truly free country where no one would ever need to fear the government as long as they are not initiating force or fraud on another person. No constitution can ever guarantee that. Personal responsibility can.

Firefly

I highly recommend that you watch the cancelled FOX network TV show Firefly. It is a science fiction/space-western. The principles are not strictly libertarian, but it is pretty good entertainment without the state-worship so prevalent today. Plus, it is just very fun to watch. There is also a feature movie, Serenity, which is a sequel to the series.

I am not associated in any way with anyone who gets money from a purchase or rental of Firefly, but plug it here strictly for your anti-state enjoyment.

As a point of interest (or, perhaps, not): Many of us "Freedom Outlaws" now refer to ourselves as "Fireflies", in part because of this show, and a suggestion from Claire Wolfe, the demi-goddess of freedom.

More on the Second Amendment

I suppose the whole issue of "interpreting" the Second Amendment is very upsetting to some people. Funny. Since that is what courts have been doing for years. The Second Amendment is not difficult to understand. The opening statement, by mentioning a "militia", seems to be a big part of the contention, even though that only explained why the founders thought it was necessary, but didn't limit its scope in any way. It would be like me saying "Gold coins being necessary for the purchase of a good meal, the right of the people to own and to spend gold coins shall not be infringed". It does not limit the owning of gold coins to only people who wish to eat "a good meal".

Another problem I have is that it seems very few people understand what "infringed" means. Let's go back to my gold coin analogy. Suppose your "right" is a gold coin. If someone shaves a little bit off the edge, they have infringed that coin. It may not even show up without a microscopic examination, but the damage is done. Those shavings can never be returned to their proper place, and each one steals a bit of value from the coin.

People who have an issue with my interpretation of the Second Amendment should read the writings of the founders from the time of the adoption of The Bill of Rights if they don't believe me. You will find that they did mean for it to be understood just as I understand it. You might find that I am a radical; yet I am not wrong.

I Am a Radical

I am a radical. There is no sense denying it. Like most of you, though, I am not a violent radical, unless I get attacked. I think radical actions need to be taken in order to save America from government extremism.

First of all, Americans need to be educated about what freedom really is. Then they will see that government is the opposite of liberty. This is what I attempt to do every day.

Second, they need to be shown that there is always an alternative to government intervention and control. We do not need to roll over and cooperate every time some pin-head with a badge or a zombie with a title gives us an order. Think before you comply.

For years I tried to fit into the mainstream of "average Joe-American" political thought. It didn't work for me. I could see the "man behind the curtain" too clearly, and could see that he was totally without merit. So I sit here sharing my awakening with you, hoping that it will make you think; even if you don't agree with me. This is what makes me a radical.

As has been often quoted and paraphrased: "I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!"
Karl Hess for Sen. Barry Goldwater; attributed to Cicero.

Visit My Website

I keep running into people asking questions about things that I have previously explained on my website. It is there so that you can read my views on issues that remain fairly constant. This blog is for things that just strike my thoughts in passing, or breaking news items. If you are interested in what I have to say, my website is a good place to start. Then, if you wonder what I think about the news of the day, my blog should address that. If it doesn't; ask me.

The Second Amendment (for the Learning Impared)

"Because a Very Effective, Armed, Population is Essential in order for America to stay Free and safe, the Absolute Right of Everyone to Own and to Carry any type of Weapon they choose, in any way they wish, anywhere they see fit, cannot be regulated, licensed, or even questioned in the smallest way!"

Potential Allies or Tinfoil Hatters?

A couple of years ago I had a friend who would talk with me about his displeasure with the governmental status quo just about anytime we got to talk. I trusted him and thought he sounded pretty reasonable. He had told me he had been diagnosed as "paranoid/schizophrenic", but that he really wasn't. My only early warning was when he mentioned that he had an "alien implant". I thought he was joking, and didn't think more of it. Until "the incident".

He had loaned me, without prompting, some money to use to help a family that we both knew. I used it to buy food for them. The next day he asked what I had spent the money on and I told him. He seemed a little agitated. I still had the receipt and I offered it to him. We talked and he started claiming I had tricked him into loaning me the money. I was a little shocked as it had been his idea. Then the real fireworks began. He started saying that I was controlling his mind through his "implant" and that I was a "Martian". I told him that I was pretty certain I was human. He said "Why would you say that? Are you not positive?" I said I was, and he said "That is just what a Martian would say". He became more and more upset. He was talking about being in Army Intelligence back in the early '70s, and that he was still "in", but it was a secret. The more he spoke, the more unreal his claims became. He claimed to be killing people "in high government positions" with mental feedback through his implant. He asked me to kidnap him and a girl he wanted, and take them somewhere they couldn't be tracked. He spoke of the significance of his name and his initials. He said he couldn't "claim to be God". He was getting extremely angry, too. He began pounding his fist on the table and his face was very red. I was trying to just get him calmed down at this point, but everything I did he saw as me trying to use my "Martian thought-control powers" to manipulate him. He did eventually calm down and I got out without harm. I immediately called and warned the girl he wanted me to kidnap with him. He mentioned blowing my head off to mutual friends a few times, but no one else ever saw his bizarre behavior, and downplayed it.

I learned a valuable lesson from this: Not everyone who seems to be in agreement with you, is really on your side. Don't divulge too much too soon. Sometimes you can get a shock even after knowing someone for a few years. Also, beware my awesome "mind control powers".

Capital Punishment

Capital punishment is nothing but revenge institutionalized. It is dead wrong; no pun intended. Now, before I get accused of being a bleeding heart, I will tell you; if you are being attacked, you have the absolute right to fight back in any way you need to in order to end the attack. I would even support your decision to use deadly force to stop vandalism or theft in almost all cases, since property crimes are stealing your life and security. Death at the hands of the victim or a rescuing hero at the scene of the crime is a fair outcome for someone who has decided to initiate force. However, once the criminal leaves the scene, there will always be some doubt, somewhere, as to guilt.

No government anywhere is so pure that it should be trusted with the authority to decide to kill someone as punishment. Once a person is caught and charged with a crime, all the government cares about is conviction. The fact that many defendants are found "not guilty", despite the best efforts of the jury-tampering judges, shows that the system can still work. However, no jury is above being influenced by a judge or prosecutor who is looking to advance his career by being seen as "tough on crime". If a defendant is found guilty of a "capital" crime, send him to prison for life and let those who believe in his innocence, or his family, pay for his upkeep.

Governments lie. They manufacture evidence, intimidate witnesses, play on some people's "authority worship", and set-up innocent people who dare to stand against their edicts. Show me a perfect, just government that I would trust with the power of life and death, and I will show you a government that has no desire for revenge.

Environmentalism

When I was younger, I was an enthusiastic environmentalist. I drove an electric car. I tried to convince my family that pesticides were worse than the "pests" they were used against. I almost fought with people whom I saw littering. I may have even thought more environmental regulations would be a good thing, but my mind can't force itself to even accept that possibility anymore, and I honestly can't remember if I ever thought that way.

I still hate to see the destruction and pollution of the natural world, but I have come to understand that laws are not the best way to "save the planet". I don't litter, and if you want to see me freak out, throw some trash out the car window while I am riding with you. In most cases, I will absolutely refuse to use pesticides of any kind, unless I am sure that the pests are a much greater health risk than the chemicals are (which is true in some cases). When I have owned a piece of property, I have spent a lot of time cleaning up trash that others have left behind, and repairing other kinds of damage that I find. This is not to say that I do not alter the land to suit my purposes, because I do. I just try to do it in a way that I find more appealing; which usually means in a way that appears more natural.

I don't know if humans are causing, or if they are even capable of causing, global climate change. The global climate is much more complicated than media-heads can grasp. I do know that I dislike waste and destruction. Handing over control of our environment to the most wasteful, destructive force the planet has ever endured (government) is not the way to save anything. Most environmental laws have zero to do with helping the environment and everything to do with controlling your life, stealing your property rights, and making you dependent on government.

The environmental mindset of government was witnessed years ago when some "ivory smugglers" were caught. In order to "save the elephants", ivory had been tightly controlled. Some government now had "confiscated" tons of a precious material. How could they have destroyed the market for ivory and put the poachers out of business? (Not that I believe they should, just as a thought experiment) They could have released all that ivory into the market and caused a glut, sending the prices down and making it less profitable to kill elephants. What did the governments actually do? They burned the ivory*. There, in a nutshell, is how governments think they will save the planet.

I believe that people will take care of the environment when it is in their best interest to do so; financially, aesthetically, and whatever else may motivate them. Lead by example and show people how it helps them to keep a clean, healthy planet and they will find real solutions.

*Update: It's now 2013, and it's STILL happening!  Idiots!

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Is America Ready to Be Free?

Are YOU ready to be free? What about your family? How about your friends, neighbors, or co-workers? Is America, in general, ready for freedom? I don't think so. I wish it were. Freedom is expensive. It costs a lot in terms of responsibility. Slavery costs even more, but the cost is hidden because you can blame all your problems on the "master" when you are a slave. This makes it easier if you would rather complain than DO something. If being free became important to even a tenth of Americans, we would free America from the clutches of the United States in short order. There would be massive rejections and refusals of permits, licenses, and taxes. Cops and the military would walk out in defiance of their "superiors" and of the counterfeit edicts they are expected to kill Americans to uphold. Politicians and bureaucrats could spend all day screaming about this "law" or that "phantom-of-the-week" and we would ignore them or laugh in their puffy, red faces. If America were ready to be free, we would be free today. Our task is to make people realize that they deserve to be free. This is the way to get there from here. Once enough of us want to live in liberty, we will.

Working "Within the System"

I frequently hear people discussing options for getting America back on track to being the free country that it was supposed to be. They speak of "working within the system" to accomplish this. They talk of voting for pro-liberty candidates (but then usually vote for Democrats or Republicans instead). They advocate using the jury box, but it is difficult for a free-thinker to sneak onto a jury. They blog, write letters to editors, and agitate for liberty in a thousand ways. I am all for that. We have been doing this for years as the authoritarians throw freedoms away like yesterday's dead goldfish. The dirty secret is that, if you read the Declaration of Independence you will see that the founders of America recognized that revolution, underground or open, is also within the system. It is enshrined in the writings of the minds that gave us our system. This is the reason they forbid government the authority to pass gun laws. This is not a pleasant option, but only a last resort. It is not possible for government to legitimately "outlaw" this option, either, however they might wish to do so. The only thing they can do is to punish those who choose to exercise this part of the system. It is simple desperation on their part, and exposes their refusal to stay within the bounds established for government.

Article on Personal Freedom (and Happiness)

Here is a great article about taking responsibility for your own freedom and happiness.

Personal Freedom by Retta Fontana

Not Going Away Yet

News of my departure from the presidential race is premature. My point was mainly that I feel I need to do something stupenously ridiculous in order to draw attention to my campaign since reasonable measures do not seem to be working.

The main reson I decided to run (back in November 2004) was my frustration over the electoral loss of Micheal Badnarik. Never before had I been so excited over a candidate for any office as I was by him. He is actually intelligent, reasonable, kind, humerous, and shared my views so well that I had no reservations whatsoever endorsing him for president. I even called Colorado LP delgates for him to see if they would vote for him. (Not a single one of them would state anything one way or another, even if I did get ahold of them. It was like trying to talk to Congresscritters and get a straight answer) Back when I started my campaign, I had in mind that if Badnarik decided to run again, I would drop out and endorse him again. I would also step aside for an L. Neil Smith candidacy. Other than that, I would probably not endorse anyone, but would support any candidate who was truly working for liberty as I envision it.

Don't get too excited yet, though. I am still here, and am really no threat to anyone. I don't mind giving ideas to other campaigns, either, if you wish to adopt my views as your own.

Merry Christmas

I wish all my readers and all the other candidates a very merry Christmas, a wonderful winter solstice, a joyous Yule, a happy Hanukkah, a kickin' Kwanzaa, a grievance-lite Festivus, and a cozy "get-ready-to-hunker-down-for-winter"! Let's light some bonfires of Liberty in the coming year!

So, How Do We Fix It?

What would I do to "fix" America? I would force the government to stay within the bounds of the Constitution and The Bill of Rights. I would eliminate every agency, bureaucracy, program, "entitlement", cabinet position, or post in the government that is not in absolute, complete and strict compliance with those documents, as written, not as "interpreted". The Supreme Court's "authority" to judge "Constitutionality" must be challenged and eliminated. No more weasel-words will be permitted when judging whether something is Constitutional or not. If the average, government-educated person on the street can see that a given government law or agency does not specifically have a Constitutional mandate to exist, then it is gone. A president will not have that kind of authority, so it is up to Americans to demand this action, and not be appeased in any lesser way. People need to be shown that it is really in their best interest to rein in government instead of continuing to allow it to overreach its authority. This is something that a president can do. I would blog and speak at every opportunity reminding Americans that they run America; the US government does not. I would remind them of their duty to refuse to convict, through jury nullification, defendants who have been arrested for violating counterfeit laws. I, as president, would encourage every American to own and to carry, any type of weapon they see fit, in any way they choose, anywhere they desire, in any way they wish, without seeking anyone's approval. And I would give immediate presidential pardons to anyone in the criminal "justice system" whose only "crime" is violating one of these abhorrent victim disarmament "laws". I would also hand out pardons for drug offenses, tax abstainers, and anyone else who I feel is a victim of "law pollution" in America.

Small "Time's Up" Flags

In addition to my regular 3 by 5 foot "Time's Up" flags, I now have small stick flags that measure 4 by 6 inches. The quality is lower, but so is the price. You can check them out here.

Publicity Stunt!

I have recently been having doubts as to whether there is any point in continuing my campaign. I hand out lots of cards and have conversations with people who seem to be genuinely interested in what I have to say. Yet this translates into almost no visits to my blog. The apathy is deafening. Perhaps I should pull a giant publicity stunt. Picture this scenario: Me, Kent McManigal, wearing only a breechcloth while standing atop the torch of the Statue of Liberty and waving a bright yellow "Time's Up" flag while shouting "Freedom!" at the top of my lungs. OK, so it will never happen even if I managed to overcome my fear of (man-made) heights. Still, it would get attention. When I got out of the hospital's psychiatric ward, I could see if it generated blog hits. Short of this, I am depending on you; my readers, supporters, detractors or whatever to get the word out about my campaign. If you think there is any value in continuing this effort, help me out.

America: Freedom to Fascism

Last night I watched America: Freedom to Fascism. It is a very powerful film. I highly recommend that you see it as soon as possible if you haven't yet. I got it through Netflix. I feel it is a good movie for several reasons: it shows the contempt that the IRS (and by extension, the entire US government) feels towards Americans in general, the folly of turning away from real money in favor of fiat IOUs, and it explains the dangers facing us in the very near future if we do not take steps to derail the national ID card and ID chips. I doubt it will change your mind about much since I assume that most readers of my blog are already aware of these issues, but it will give you the intellectual ammunition to fight against the authoritarians more effectively. Don't be fooled, though. Government will never admit to being the criminal force. Stand up to them and they will do whatever they feel it will take to bring you to your knees. It is a good thing there are so many of us.