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Punishment Culture

Punishment enthusiasm seems ubiquitous.

Right-wing socialists get excited to hear about executions, brutal police action (like the illegitimate "War on Drugs"), wars of retribution, and bad guys "getting theirs".

Left wing socialists salivate over big business getting fined for profiting "too much", over gun owners being arrested and demonized, over the racists they don't like being put in their place.

Even I have a difficult time not enjoying seeing socialists suffering the consequences of the world they have created for all of us.

"Punishment" is not the same as stopping an attack. If you see an innocent person being attacked and you jump in and kill the attacker, that is not "enjoying punishment", but is "ending a threat". Human predators deserve to be neutralized when caught in the act.

In some cases, punishment is appropriate (added: I no longer believe this). In many other cases, it is just revenge. It may even be directed against the wrong person unless the guilty person is caught in the act and stopped immediately.


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The War on Free Speech (and Guns)

David Codrea's blog, "The War on Guns", is one of my favorites. Unfortunately Google/Blogspot has decided it is spam. He is blocked from posting until or unless they decide to allow him to continue posting again. It is their right to block him if they choose, but their decision is based upon a lie, false information, or an agenda of blocking speech they don't like. That is wrong.

If they don't unblock him, I will try to move my blog to another host. Maybe if I can figure out how to put it on KentForLiberty.com, that would be my best choice, but I would probably lose all the comments.


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Tobacco: Time To Grow Your Own?

With the recent legislative monkey-business from the Swamp of Corruption, it might be time for smokers to grow their own. It might even be time for non-smokers to start growing tobacco just because it will make the meddlers angry. Become a grower before it is illegal. Then continue after it becomes so, if it pleases you.

Of course, similar arguments could be made for lots of activities that are "capital crimes" judging from the state's behavior.


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Don't Call Me a "Citizen"!

I try to avoid using the word "citizen" when I speak of the people who inhabit a region. The Dictionary.com definition I linked to defines "citizen" as someone who "owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection". By that definition I am quite positively NOT a citizen. I owe no government anything but contempt, and I am not "entitled" to anything from any government but to be left alone.

Another of the definitions is "an inhabitant". I do inhabit this area, although I don't worry about the local (or other) Rulers who, while lording over the compliant inhabitants, may think they have authority over me. As an inhabitant, I could be considered a "citizen", although that usage sounds silly.

I am just me. There is no need to label me because of where I live.





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Nothing to Hide?

Some government sympathizers scold the more sensible among us for not wanting government snoops poking around in our private matters by saying "If you are doing nothing wrong, why do you care?" or by proclaiming "I have nothing to hide!"

Fine. Then let me come to your house and look through your underwear drawer, medicine cabinet, computer files, and under your mattress. After all, if you have nothing to hide, why would you care?

Or do your doors open only for those who can kill you if you refuse? Why does it matter?

Think about it.



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Don't Let Anyone Tell You "Driving is not a Right"

When I am reading about "sobriety checkpoints", "drivers' licenses", or other statist nonsense, I notice some person always makes the comment that "driving is a privilege, not a right". What utter balderdash.

If the right to travel freely is not really a right, then there are no rights. And don't say that you can walk wherever you wish to go, but to drive a car you need government permission. If cars were a recent invention, and were not so necessary to integrate yourself into modern life, that might hold water. But that hasn't been true for many decades. Nope, operating your car without asking permission from anyone is a right. Neither can you claim that because the state has a monopoly on road ownership, that they can set the rules for travelling on their roads. If they didn't maintain that monopoly with coercion and theft, that might be true. Aggressors are not allowed to set the rules in a free society.

That doesn't mean that owning a car is a right. Just like the right to own and to carry firearms, no one is obligated to give you a car. However, if you can afford to buy one and fuel it, no control-freak has the authority to stand in your way. Get the coercion out of the equation and cars would be affordable enough for anyone, and fuel cost wouldn't be an issue.

If you own a car, or are loaned one for your use, using it to travel wherever you want to go, as long as you are not trespassing or harming innocent people or their property, is an absolute human right not subject to regulation by the state. Anyone who doesn't understand that is simply trying to give the state power over your life.

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Added: Eric Sundwall posted this excellent link on my Haloscan comments: http://www.voluntaryist.com/articles/119a.php
I recommend you read it.
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My Responsibilities

When you refuse to allow the state to use you as an excuse to tyrannize your neighbors it means you take on some responsibilities. These are not difficult. Nor are they unusual. Just a few years ago, they were "normal", but they are not recognized too frequently anymore.

It is my responsibility to watch out for drunk or otherwise dangerous drivers while I travel. I do not ask the state to conduct immoral checkpoints on my behalf. I may not see all danger coming, but neither can the state protect me from all potential dangers. I'd rather take my chances with random accidents than with intentional bullies with badges, attitudes, and roadblocks.

It is my responsibility to protect myself and my family from attackers and thieves. I do not need the state to use its enforcers to oppress the community, or the world, pretending that it does this for my "safety". If they continue to do this, it is not for me. Just get out of my way and let me do my duty.

The foods, chemicals, and other substances I put into my body are my responsibility. If they make me obese, insane, or dead, it was my poor choice that did it. Don't kick in my neighbors' doors or kidnap their children to protect me from these things.

It is my responsibility to educate my children. Don't demand a ransom from my neighbors' houses on my behalf to pay for your government indoctrination centers. Don't expect me to train my children to salivate at the tone of your bells, either.

It is my responsibility to find food and shelter without taking money stolen from my neighbors by agents of the state. That may mean I live in my car and eat weeds that grow wild. It wouldn't be the first time. I will try to avoid that situation from now on, but if it can't be avoided, it is still preferable to living off the fruits of coercion.

Obviously, this is not a complete list. I am not suggesting that your list would be the same as mine, but I imagine there would be substantial overlap.




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Pathetic Statists

Whenever a liberty advocate points out the folly or the evil of the state, some pitiful creature will always respond with a "but my child was killed" story.

That is sad, but does not excuse the existence of the state. Obviously if your child died from an act of non-state aggression, the state's liberty-crushing efforts did not prevent it. Why sacrifice my children on the altar of tyranny? Is this your idea of "an eye for an eye"?

Whether it is "sobriety checkpoints" or victim disarmament schemes, children still die.

There are thousands upon thousands of draconian, immoral, unethical, stupid, and evil "gun laws". They don't stop death from happening, and in many cases actually empower the attackers. They give renegade federal agencies permission to destroy gun owners.

Those disgusting checkpoints don't stop drunk driving; they destroy an absolute human right to travel unmolested. They also give the Liberty Eradication Operatives (LEOs) "exciting" new ways to snoop and intimidate normal, peaceful people. That may be their real purpose: to desensitize formerly free people to living under the boot of the police state. Even if that is an unintended consequence, it is enough to condemn such abominations.



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Pro-Liberty

Even though I have been called "anti-government", and have even referred to myself that way on occasion, I am not ... really. I am just extremely "pro-liberty". If government were a way to increase liberty, instead of the greatest threat to it, I would be all for it. Unfortunately, history has shown a clear picture of what happens when liberty and the state meet. Oil and water? More like gunpowder and flame.

Some have tried to establish governments in order to "secure liberty". It's like trying to get healthy by giving yourself cancer. It is doomed to fail every time. This tactic has been tried because some people fear bad people so much, feeling that the world is crawling with them, and imagine that there is no defense without the state. The solution doesn't lie in giving the most crafty of those bad guys an incentive to seek political power with which to prey upon the decent people with near-impunity, but in freeing people to take care of themselves without fearing reprisals from the state.

If you think I am joking about "near-impunity", just watch what happens when someone tries to make a video of police "doing their jobs". Point out that "sobriety checkpoints" are wrong and ineffective for the stated purposes, but excellent conditioning for soviet-style society. Or suggest that some congresscritter is a traitor who should be held accountable. Or notice how often LEOs are found to have done "nothing wrong" when committing acts that would get you or I many years in prison, IF we were not shot on the spot. Point out the many crimes of the state and you will be treated like a criminal, not just by the oppressors themselves, but by the majority of society who will deny the existence of tyranny as it loads them into the cattle cars. Question not thy masters. That is pretty close to impunity if you ask me.

I will continue to be "pro-liberty". If that seems "anti-government" to you, you may be a statist.





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Good Neighbors

Not that I have any personal experience, but I would think that libertarians would make excellent neighbors. Who doesn't want a neighbor who minds his own business and is willing to help out? And don't underestimate the value of a neighbor who will work things out if there is a problem without getting the enforcers involved.

One problem might crop up if your libertarian neighbor chooses to use his property in ways you don't approve of. I have been "guilty" of this. But it was my house and, except for offending the neighbors, it was causing no harm. I didn't even complain when the neighbors used pneumatic power tools on their cars late at night, but they sure squealed about my tall grass and poultry. "If you mow your yard and find a car, you might be a ....." well, you know the rest. Add to that the occasional gunshots, campfires, and somewhat unconventional landscaping. Hey, the neighbors annoyed me, too.

So, on second thought, I was probably wrong. I guess libertarians would make excellent neighbors for other libertarians, but a major pain in the posterior for control-freak types. This is why I know that I should only live in the boondocks far from "more civilized" types.


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"To End War, Prepare For Peace" by L. Neil Smith

Here is another great article by L. Neil that has some very fun suggestions for ending government tyranny.

You Know What They Say About ..... Statistics...

"People can come up with statistics to prove anything. 14% of people know that." ~ Homer Simpson

During a recent endeavor I was told that I needed to cite statistics and quote experts in order to bolster my credibility. I tried, but I guess I am not cut out for statistics. That, plus the government agency I was trying to get the statistics from either had no data to share or the real data showed they were full of male Bos taurus fecal matter.

The problem I have is that I don't tend to believe statistics when I read them. They are so easy to manipulate. And when they come from government.... well, any possible believability just flew right out the window.

Oh sure, I will cite a statistic now and then, when the mood strikes and the statistic is easy to find. Don't believe the ones I post either. Here's what to believe: your own experience. Or that of people you trust. Don't trust agencies or groups who have an agenda, especially when the statistics cited would give them an excuse to have more power to control your life. They might be (gasp!) lying to you!

The point is, I am not here to quote statistics or to tell you what the experts think. I am here to tell you what I think and to get you to then think for yourself.

Therefore, I will leave you with another quote from an expert:
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." ~Mark Twain

The Solution to "Government"

I am becoming convinced that the solution to the problem of "government" is to just get over the delusion that it is necessary. It's not, even if you can't currently imagine life without it. For every argument for government, several alternatives present themselves if you spend a little time thinking outside the carefully constructed, mirrored, box.


Those government indoctrination centers that we are encouraged to call "public schools" cripple our critical thinking skills where government is concerned. I'm sure that isn't accidental.


I'd love the chance to see what one month of absolutely zero government at any level would bring. You can bet that the former Rulers would try their hardest to monkeywrench the experiment. That might present some wonderful opportunities for ridding ourselves of that type of destructive parasite altogether. Would you allow your glorious anarchistic liberty to degenerate into chaos? Me neither.

Together we could teach the truly aggressive individuals that they had better shape up or be darwinized. Then, even if by some tragedy government came back, society would still be better for lack of bad guys. I wonder if any cops would survive the vacation from tyranny. A few might be able to behave themselves for a month.


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Uphill Battle? It's a Wall!

The article was about a "meth lab bust". My comment was "Prohibition deja vu. Sigh. Outlaw something that people want and are willing to pay for; the price goes up and bad people (and some not-so-bad people) get involved in providing the product. Lessons learned? I guess not."

One brilliant ninny* wrote back "....you either have a strange sense of irony and humor, or you really are that stupid and ignorant. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance with devastating consequences, which include anxiety, violence and psychosis. Give reading a chance." He then posted a link to a government information site. (Yeah, you'll get "truthful" info there! LOL)

Blind, deaf, and illiterate ignorance displayed all in one paragraph! He's probably a LEO (Liberty Eradication Operative) or a relative of one. Where does this person read in my comment that I think that using meth is a good way to spend your weekend? Acknowledging the futility (and evil) of the War on (some) Drugs does not equal an endorsement of using them, Taterhead! Yet, this is what most people probably think first when confronted with the truth. The thought that killing people over chemicals might be stupid and evil never crosses their "mind". Their knees jerk and force words out of their mouths instead of their brains forming thoughts that turn into words.

This probably made me more angry than is warranted, but it gets tiresome fighting against such deeply ingrained stupidity on a regular basis. When someone posts a comment like that, he should be buried under an avalanche of ridicule and derision. Yet, there is only silence. Are people even awake?

Why is meth production profitable? Prohibition.
Why do violent aggressors get involved in the production and distribution of meth? Because Prohibition keeps out the nicer people.
Why do people choose to spend their money to purchase meth, knowing (yes, they know) that it will harm them? For the same reason that humans have always used mind-altering substances: it is a hard-wired part of being human to seek these experiences. No "law" or "war" will ever change that no matter how badly the control-freaks wish it were so. To pretend otherwise, and make policy decisions based upon that fantasy, is delusional. The harm those policies cause to civilization is inexcusable.


*This waste of skin posted a comment today making fun of the winner of the "Ms. Plus America" pageant. I guess his stupidity and rudeness knows no bounds.
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Messy Freedoms

There is a bell-curve of acceptance of liberties. It is shaped like the cross-section of a sunny-side-up fried egg, with the yolk being those things that no sane person doubts: the right to not be raped, murdered, kidnapped, or stolen from.

The "egg white" is the liberties that are really the same, but with the understanding that government and its agents are also not allowed to be doing those same things to anyone while calling them "taxation", "arrest", "law enforcement", etc.

The "messy freedoms" I speak of are the ragged edge of the egg where the grease has spattered and bubbled: the freedom to trade sex for money, the freedom to own and carry a fully automatic gun as you walk around town, the freedom to destroy yourself with chemical abuse, the freedom to end your own life if you decide to. These things are just as important as the ones that the majority agrees on. Maybe even more so for the simple fact that while the timid may deny it, the rights are the same: the right to live your own life however you see fit as long as you do not harm another innocent person. "Harm" does not include offending someone's sensibilities, or violating their sense of morals, either.

Maybe you could call these things "fringe liberties". These are the things "polite society" tries to prohibit, control, or otherwise regulate, but in doing so, initiates force against those who choose to pursue happiness in those things. That is wrong, no matter how you slice it.




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Me, a "Bad Example"

I was recently reminded that I am used as a bad example by some people. "You don't want to turn out like Kent!" goes the warning.


Well, if you want to turn out to be a "citizen" who belongs to the state, then I would be a bad example. If you want to worship Rulers and their "laws", then you might want to choose another person to emulate. If you want to control the lives of others even though they are harming no one but themselves, you need another hero. If you idolize the military or "law enforcement", then I am not your man. If you want to be rich, not that there is anything wrong with it, then look elsewhere for a model. I don't dress like a typical 21st century American, so you might want to look at GQ or something for fashion ideas.

I am not wealthy, or even successful. I have had failed businesses, marriages, and quests. On the other hand, I don't beat my kids or my girlfriend. I do take charity from family sometimes, but I don't accept welfare. I try to help people when I can, even at risk to myself. I have never hit anyone in anger, although I have come close. My friends like me, and I make new friends easily when given the chance. Even people who don't like me are given a chance. Life is too short to make enemies. Why waste the time and energy?

Really, it seems the only people who don't like me are those who have tried to cheat me and were thwarted. I don't really care for them too much, either, if you get right down to it. The difference is that they can't get over it, and I have.

I am living life to the best of my ability, using what I have. If that is not good enough, then I don't know what to say.


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Ambassador For Anarchy

I don't always live up to what I am trying to do, but....I am trying to be an ambassador, not a sniper, for anarchy. That means not shooting the fence-sitters. That means I sometimes listen to what others are saying about the state without giving my (wonderful, informed, well thought out, insightful) opinion. You wouldn't believe how hard that can be. Well, yes, I'm sure you know exactly how hard it is.

In my moments of listening I find that, even among the government sympathizers, dissatisfaction is running high. They know something is wrong, but are too blind (or brainwashed) to see what it is.

It is not "which scoundrels" we elect; it is the entire idea of electing Rulers to control our lives that is disastrous. It is the fact that we have been lied to and deceived into believing that every problem can be solved by passing a new law. A "law" to control or restrict the other guy; to steal a little more of his liberty to enrich our own lives in some way. It does not work and never will.

Each piece of "the other guy's" liberty we steal is also stolen from our own liberty. As Ambassadors for Anarchy I hope we can steer others to find the real solution. Otherwise, it's gonna get messy.

Anarchists and Lotteries

I can understand why people still pay taxes. The guns of the state pointed at your back if you refuse and all that. Less understandable is why people play the state lottery.

I started thinking about this after standing in line waiting to pay for my milk while some guy bought $36.00 "worth" of lottery tickets. One ...... at ...... a ...... time. OK, not quite one at a time, but not quickly either. I am not an impatient person; just ask anyone who travels around with me. I can happily wait for a whole line of cars to pull into the intersection. Or I can invite people to cut in front of me, especially if I am having a lazy day. I was just thinking how much money the guy was wasting, and what he might use the money for if he hadn't been handing it over to the Rulers. Anyway, back to the topic.

Someone once called a lottery "A tax on people who are bad at math". When you realize your chance of winning is less than your chance of being obliterated by an asteroid strike you should put that money back in your pocket. Or buy something useful, like ammo.

The other thing is that it is a completely voluntary tax. There are no goons with guns forcing you to pay. You are walking in and voluntarily handing your money to the state. Money that you could use better and that the state doesn't deserve. Yes, I realize there is a tiny chance of a payoff, and I have succumbed to the temptation a couple of times. Still, that is money that is going to the state, and we who know better should not give a cent to the state voluntarily.

Just something to think about.


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Mottos

Here are some new mottos for government programs, agencies, and people.


The USA PATRIOT Act: "Protecting you from liberty." or "Giving the government more ability to combat Liberty."

The IRS: "You would have just wasted your money on food and rent anyway."

TSA: "Making air travel safe for terrorists."

BATFE: "Ensuring the government's monopoly on force grows stronger each day."

FDA: "Making your life and death decisions so you and your doctor won't have to."

CIA: "Creating foreign terrorists for the next generation."

The military: "Helping tyranny in the name of freedom."

Department of Education: "Creating submissive serfs through ignorance".

The Federal Reserve: "Making your money worthless to enrich ourselves."

The Democratic National Committee: "Still pretending we are different than the Republicans".

The Republican National Committee: "Still pretending we are different than the Democrats."

The Libertarian Party: "Pretending to still have principles."

The Supreme Court: "Grabbing power that is not ours to take since 1803."

Congress: "Still the opposite of progress."

EPA: "The world's worst polluter ordering you to protect the environment."

Department of Agriculture: "Preventing preparedness through bribery."

Department of Energy: "Innovation in private hands scares us!"

DEA: "Killing for chemicals."

Department of Justice: "Oops. We meant 'just us'"

Border Patrol: "Your friendly jailers."

Police departments across the land: "We are the 'standing army' your founders warned you about!"

National Firearms Act of 1934: "Infringing on your 'militia-appropriate weapons' just to see if we could get away with it. And we have for 74 years and still counting!"

Gun Control Act 0f 1968: "What 'slippery slope'?"

The Brady Act: "Look where momentum will take you."

Obama: "It depends what you mean by 'hope' and 'change'."

McCain: "I hope you mean to change my Depends."

Barr: "I hope and depend on a change in what 'liberty' means.



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