Modern life not from government

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for January 12, 2022)

The conveniences of the modern world are all around us all the time, but I don't think I'll ever take them for granted.

One of my grandmothers grew up in this area during the Dust Bowl days. Her big family was crowded into a two-room, dirt-floored shack without indoor plumbing or electricity. They traveled by horse-drawn wagon and their water was dipped from a cistern; they didn't even have a windmill. They picked cotton by hand, dragging the heavy sacks behind them. She grew up living basically the same life as someone born in this region a hundred years earlier could have lived.

The Great Depression probably didn't even affect her family, at least it never figured into any of the stories she told about growing up.

When I was a kid, the old shack was still standing and I visited it with her a couple of times.

Their life wasn't easy, but it was good enough.

So maybe it's understandable that I can still marvel at things like indoor plumbing with running water and flush toilets and at electricity.

It's not as though I've ever had to live without those things, but I realize how few of the people who have ever been alive had them.

Anything which has been around such a short time can go away easier than you suppose. There's little chance they'll go away in our lifetime, but over the long term, the chances are fairly high.  If something happens and these modern conveniences go away, the radical socialists who use the environment as their excuse would quickly realize how bad this would be for the environment. Truthfully, I think they already know, they just don't care as long as it kills off most humans.

I'm not content to be dependent on modern conveniences. I enjoy making fire without lighters or matches, but the ability to make fire with primitive methods makes me value the ease of using a lighter even more highly. It's the same with every skill.

I'm grateful to all the researchers, experimenters, and workers who have given us the good things of the modern world. Some others would also like credit.

Government would like you to believe it brought about this modern world's peace, prosperity, and safety. Yet the truth is, when these things are the norm it's in spite of political government, not because of it. Appreciate the heroes, not the freeloaders.

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Covid wrap-up

Covid is a coronavirus, which means it is a cold virus. This is why it's not the flu (which is caused by influenza viruses, not coronaviruses). Arguing that Covid is or is not "like the regular flu" makes as much sense as arguing over whether a whale is or is not like a regular elephant. It's silly and makes the arguers look ignorant.

I doubt Covid was created and released intentionally (but it might have been) even though I consider it plausible-- even likely-- that it came from a government lab. 

I don't believe there was ever any meeting of all the ruling political criminals of the planet where they plotted together to use this as an excuse to grip the populations tighter and ratchet up the tyranny and authoritarianism. I think they just seize any opportunity that they can, without even thinking about it and without needing to discuss it among themselves. It's their nature as political criminals, no conspiracy needed.

Mandates-- beyond the mandator's private property-- are never within anyone's rights to impose. No emergency can justify them. Liberty matters more to me than safety (protection of life). I oppose anything that violates liberty.

The politicized experts lied. Over and over again. As usual.

I lost almost all confidence in doctors and health experts over the past couple of years. I lost respect for many others, too. From scientists and skeptics to celebrities I had previously thought were smart. The government-supremacism that some harbor came bubbling to the surface, then overflowed during this time. If you decry the "anti-science" and "conspiracy theories" of the other side without acknowledging your own, well... too bad for you.

Masks do cause a decrease in oxygen-- I did the tests on myself. Whether or not they reduce disease transmission is irrelevant to the question as to whether it's OK to impose a mask mandate. It's not. Wear one if it makes you feel better, but leave others alone to wear them or not. If you're scared to be around maskless (or "unvaccinated") people, you have the right to stay home.

The Covid shots seem unnecessary and not particularly effective, regardless of whether or not they are safe. That's the same thing I think about the yearly flu shots, and why I have never gotten one. Just not worth it to me. If you want to get a shot that you hope will make you safer, go ahead, that's your business. Just don't try to force others to take the shot, too. And don't impose or support segregation based on whether someone has the shot or not.

After going through Covid myself, I know-- for me-- it was worse than any other cold I've had... for about 6 hours on the second day, during which time it felt like a bad flu. The rest of the time it felt like a cold but without the nasal congestion and leakage, which to me is the worst part of having a cold. Even though those 6 hours were bad, with the flu I feel that bad for 3 days straight. So, it was better than the flu, by far. (I haven't actually had the flu in a decade or more, but I used to get it every year without fail.) The cough lasted a few weeks, but eventually faded away. It's mostly gone now, and hasn't bothered me for the past week or so. It was NOT worth the shutdowns and lockdowns and economic devastation to try to avoid catching (or spreading) this illness. It was not worth the fearmongering and the mental anguish that was triggered by government and the corporate media in the less-resilient members of the population.

"Long (-Haul) Covid" seems to me to merely be confirmation bias. You'll see what you're looking for. If you're a generally sickly person who has a history of health problems, after Covid you'll be diagnosed with Long Covid when nothing has really changed (you and the doctors will just have a label to put on it now). You might undergo more tests which could discover "new" (or previously undiscovered) problems which can be blamed on Covid. If you're generally a healthy person, you'll probably have the same experience with Covid that you do with other respiratory illnesses. When I've caught the flu, it usually takes me a couple of months to feel normal again-- I recovered from Covid in less than half that time.

Yes, there will probably be new variants for us to catch from now to eternity, until a real cure for coronaviruses is found. But what does it matter? That's the case with other colds and flus, and probably lots of other illnesses as well. Life goes on if you let it.

There's only one local business that asked me to put on a mask (about 6 months ago, maybe more). I didn't put one on but immediately left instead, and I haven't been back. And I probably won't go back. I'm done with the Covid stupidity, and have been for a long time.

There's no credible justification for any lockdowns, mandates, or segregation. Stop tolerating it, or ignore the "rules". Refuse to comply with the control freaks and political criminals. They are not on your side.

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Kent's Cabinet of Wonders

I have a little cabinet full of ammunition-- my "Bullet Display". It hangs on my living room wall and has followed me from place to place for many years. through all sorts of upheavals. It gets added to occasionally, but not so often anymore.

Most of the cartridges it holds don't fit any firearm I have. A lot of them were in a big cardboard box of ammo (and other things) an old man once gave me at a flea market. I found homes for the ones I couldn't use-- other than keeping one of anything I didn't have in the cabinet.

People have given me cartridges after seeing the cabinet and discovering it lacks something they have. At current prices, that may not happen much anymore.

People nearly always seem to find it interesting, even if they aren't "gun people".

It's just one of the collections I have.

My son wants to inherit this cabinet and its contents when I'm gone. He hasn't asked for my skull collection or my kerosene lamp collection. Can't figure out why.

Added: After my son read this post he texted to say he would display my skulls and lamps proudly.

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Letting the terrorists define "terrorist"

And it's only gotten worse since 2012

It's telling that pro-liberty has become (to the "mainstream", anyway) synonymous with "anti-government". What this tells me is that government (and pro-government) is anti-liberty.

I believe this has always been the case; some believe there can be a pro-liberty political government.

In recent years government has tried hard to paint everyone who opposes its tyranny as a potential, or active, domestic terrorist. This is a lie.

Government is the domestic terrorist cell. It is the terrorism threat-- the biggest one and the only one any of us is likely to encounter. They try to point the finger elsewhere, at things that aren't a fraction of the threat they themselves pose. 

And why wouldn't they? They can get away with it because they define the crime.

Anyone who supports government is an enemy of liberty.

Not all governments employees are equally bad, though.

There's a difference between a librarian at the public [sic] library and the scum that works for BATFEces. Yes, both live on stolen money, but the librarian provides a service the market would otherwise provide while the BATFEces trash doesn't. Eliminate the state and there will probably still be libraries (of some sort) with librarians, but there would be no BATFEces anymore. 

Libraries serve people, BATFEces serves only the political criminals who believe they own you. Librarians aren't domestic terrorists just by existing, BATFEces employees are. That's a monumental difference.

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Know who I don't trust?

I don't trust government with my health, my safety, my security, my liberty, my property, my money, my information... nothing. 

That's because I don't trust government-- the state-- ever, with anything. I don't consider it legitimate. It's not credible. It is criminal. 

Why would I trust it or depend on it to do things right? I can't think of a reason, either.

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The Constitution's biggest mistake

I was talking to someone a while back and they were complaining that government doesn't obey the Constitution. Of course, this person is anti-"illegal immigration" and I pointed out that this, too, goes against what the Constitution allows government to do. Surprisingly, I didn't get any pushback on this. For once.

Anyway, I said that the only thing that might have saved the Constitution would have been a clause that specified that killing politicians for any reason would never be a crime and could never be punished, and which could never be rescinded without invalidating the whole document (and thus abolishing the "Union"). This shocked her, but she didn't disagree. (I mentioned this same idea in a recent reply to a comment to another post.)

Blaming our forbears for not "defending" the Constitution well enough is just silly. 

Letting government decide what's "constitutional" or not was doomed to fail-- it is always going to keep moving in the direction of more power for itself. It's always going to criminalize anything that would be effective at stopping this development.

There would have had to be a remedy that was beyond the reach of government. One that was in the hands of each and every individual; up to one person, not to the majority.

Would that have been enough? Would it have at least been better? I don't know, but it's the only thing that might have worked. The founders failed to include that, and here we are. It's too late now.

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Can't join Libertarian party, either

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for January 5, 2022)

I'm libertarian, uncapitalized, to separate the ethical philosophy I follow from the political party I can't.

A Libertarian, capitalized, is a member of the Libertarian Party.

Ethical libertarianism is based on the recognition that no one has the right to use-- or threaten-- violence, personally or politically, against anyone who isn't currently violating the life, liberty, or property of another. This is the guiding principle which distinguishes a libertarian from anyone else. Follow it and you're libertarian, don't and you're not.

"Classical liberals", who believe in the legitimacy of a "night watchman" state, sometimes refer to themselves as libertarians. They want a government to claim a monopoly of force and run institutions and services too important for government to be running. This is closer to what the Libertarian Party appears to stand for, but it isn't for me.

The Libertarian Party seems to value "smaller government" over liberty or any guiding principle.

Many Libertarian Party members are confused about why more libertarians won't support their party.

Maybe I would if they were more libertarian. I was once, for a year or so, a member of the Libertarian Party. I couldn't stay with the party because they didn't seem very libertarian and were too political. The politics seemed more important to them than being libertarian; so important they kept nominating candidates with completely anti-liberty positions. They probably did this because those candidates seemed more electable. I felt they ignored libertarianism for a chance to sit at the government table with Democrats and Republicans. If that's what matters to them, they can do it without me.

A half-joking description of political Libertarians goes, "Libertarians; plotting to take over the world and leave you alone". Yet some people are scared to be left alone, wanting to be told how to live, and they are going to see this as a threat. A more libertarian approach might say "Plotting to keep anyone from taking over the world so you can live life as you see fit". As long as you don't violate others.

I don't support politics of any sort. I understand the appeal of winning political office, if only to keep someone worse from getting the power. I don't see any benefit in gaining the office if you betrayed your principles to win. If you're going to act like the people you replaced, why bother? Unless it's only about the power.

Also: Why I can't be a conservative, and Why I can't be a liberal

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Reality and truth are the enemies of w0keness. But w0keness doesn't worry either of them at all.

Choose: prosperity or government

It's gotten to the point where you're going to have to make a choice-- do you want to keep supporting political government or do you want America (or any place where you live) to enjoy prosperity?

Political government is a drain. It's a millstone around your neck; shackles on your hands and feet.

It's expensive to fund and it destroys prosperity wherever it exists. It gets in the way of trade and still demands a cut of every trade you manage to make in spite of its interference. It steals your property to fund gangs who claim to protect your property. It enslaves and molests and calls this "freedom" and "security". It picks fights and then forces you to die in its place. 

It's a parasite posing as the host.

Enough!

Wouldn't you rather build up your society instead of letting government tear it down? I know I would.

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The freak show

Social media is a freak show.

Sure, it's probably always been one, but it only seems worse now. 

I don't have TikTok, but have recently been "treated" to some of its "amazing" content by others. Largely it seems to be a contest to see who can act the most mentally ill to attract views. People actually watch these "content creators" nap, eat, or suck on a baby bottle.

On second thought, it may be that the worse mental issues are on the viewer's side of the screen.

Suddenly girls selling bodily gases in jars almost seems noble.

And I thought Facebook was dumb! (Well, it is, but by comparison, it looks sophisticated and intelligent.)

But, whatever. It's not breaking my leg or picking my pocket. I'm not being forced to participate or fund it. I'm just observing the situation... and backing away slowly.

By avoiding such things as much as possible, I'm gaining an advantage over those pulled in by the time-wasting sites. At least it makes me feel better about myself.

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Criminals on a crime spree-- BATFEces spins out of control

Crime, real crime, is an action that violates life, liberty, or property. Sometimes these actions also violate legislation, not that this matters. Of course, that irrelevant bit is the only part government-- a gang of criminals-- cares about.

Any government making up or enforcing any rules concerning weapons is crime.

The BATFE (they like to be known as the "ATF") is a gang of criminals, founded by another gang of criminals-- in direct violation of that gang's charter-- to commit crimes against gun owners. Their very existence is a crime, and every act they commit is another crime.

Now, this gang of criminals is raiding Amish dairy farms, kidnapping YouTubers, and kidnapping people over little sheets of metal that these goons dishonestly call a machine gun. This reminds me of when these criminals declared shoelaces to be machine guns in an earlier era. Stupid, or just evil? Even if they were machine guns, enforcing any government policy against them-- or any weapon-- is a crime. 

It has also recently been discovered that this gang of criminals is keeping records-- in clear violation of the laws which apply to their actions-- of something like a billion guns (and thus, the owners of those guns). If you ever imagined they weren't keeping track, you're vulnerable to sleazy bridge salesmen.

No good person would work for this gang UNLESS it was as a mole, working diligently to destroy every record they could get their hands on and otherwise saving people from the clutches of the gang. 

The BATFEces needs to be flushed away. Their criminal task not reassigned to anyone else, but abolished, and all records shredded, burned, along with all their computers, which should be ground into dust along with their charred bones. Why would anyone tolerate the existence of this criminal gang?

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Hey Canadians, "Time's Up" is for everyone

Recent events have demonstrated the stunning evil of the government-supremacists, and the depth of their lies.

Some such losers on Reddit were celebrating a truck driver being fired for draping a "right-wing terrorist flag" on his company truck. Because those Reddit losers are so w0ke and informed and all. 

A "listed terrorist entity"? Listed by whom? The Southern Poverty-pushing "Law" Center? LOL!! Zero credibility there.

It was only a "Three-percenter" flag. I disagree with the statism of many (or most) of the Threepers, but they aren't terrorists. (I accept that they might terrorize cowardly Left-Statists, though. But what opposition wouldn't?) I even incorporated the "III"-- with the permission of the originator-- into my proposed coin design that never got off the ground. 

This "terrorist" characterization is a lie just like the dangerous lie about Oathkeepers, another group I fundamentally disagree with, but which I won't lie about for Social Credit points.

I understand that a trucking company has the right to employ whomever it wants, and can prohibit any signs or flags on its trucks. Yes, they are jerks for firing the driver regardless, especially if they allow pro-tyranny designs, but whatever.

Anyway, I got to thinking: Time's Up flags would work just as well for liberty-hungry Canadians. I know the Gadsden flag isn't really part of their history, but this one could be. It applies everywhere, regardless of which authoritarians are trying to stamp out liberty.

Sure, if the corporate media or Left-Statist liars ever discovered the design it would get called "right-wing" and a "terrorist flag" too. Those liars can't think outside of their box, so would be desperate to categorize it in a way that makes sense in their hallucination, no matter how wrong they are. So in a way, I'm glad the design never got famous, even though it has had some close calls over the years. This way it can still have some utility without the baggage.

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Bits and pieces-- Bad neighbors, Neil Young, and Canadian Truckers

Bad neighbors: There are two neighboring households I'd like to feed to the wolves. One can't be bothered to get their trash in the dumpster. Often doesn't even put it in bags, so that it blows around. They also toss in trash cans full of used toilet paper(!), so you can imagine my joy at that blowing around. The other trespasses regularly, just walking through my yard right past the "No trespassing" sign. When they were moving in, they actually parked their cars in my yard. And their visitors-- of which there are many since they often have large gatherings-- park and partly block my driveway for entire days. I've tried being nice and I've also been reduced to telling them to stay out of my yard. No effect. I've also watched them throw fast food bags from their vehicles into my yard. They are just the worst. Thank goodness for the one neighbor who doesn't do anything like these others, but who is nice, respectful, and helpful.

Neil Young: In my opinion, he's a piece of trash, just like anyone who demands censorship (or like my bad neighbors). As far as I know, I've never listened to one of his songs. The only thing I know of him I heard in the song Sweet Home Alabama, which gave me a negative impression of him that has stuck. It looks like he's been doing this sort of thing for many decades. I'm always going to side against the person who says "Do what I demand or I'm taking my toys and going home". All he did by making this demand was make my impression of him even more negative than it was before. I don't need him around, anyhow.

Canadian truckers: How is it "fascist" to demand an end to fascism? Well, that's what it is according to the Covidians and government-supremacists. I'm never in favor of a protest getting in the way of normal people who are just trying to go about their lives. But, in this case, the truckers are trying to stop others from getting in the way of normal people trying to go about their lives, so it's a little fuzzier than usual. And I always hate the control freaks a little extra. See the above about Neil Young.

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For your tool kit

I don't know if you've ever run across it, but I recently found the videos by Academy of Ideas, and all of the ones I've watched so far are excellent. Here's an example: Why We Can't Vote Our Way to Freedom (They are also on Vimeo)

I wasn't familiar with this group/individual/academy before I ran across a video from them a week or so back. Maybe you already knew about them.

It's another tool to place in your kit, alongside TOLFA and (I hope) my blog. Take advantage of it.

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Politics divides

There's a primary election coming up locally. So, there are yard signs popping up like statist toadstools.

This time, there's a twist. You can tell the ethnicity of the political addicts with yard signs by which of the two candidates they are supporting. I also heard someone refer to one of the candidates as "that Mexican". So politics magnifies the problems that already exist-- and how could they not, considering the coercive nature of the ritual?

Politics is just sick. I don't need either of those political criminals to have any power over me.

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Can't call myself a political liberal

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for December 29, 2021)

Once upon a time, the word "liberal" was used to describe people who were "generous", "open-minded", and "accepting of other opinions". It was closely related to the word "liberty". This description no longer applies to political liberals. Describing their backward-thinking as "progressive" or their nightmarish denial of reality as "woke" is equally ridiculous.

This doesn't mean they are always wrong. I agree that everyone has value, but their value has nothing to do with superficial features like sex, race, or ethnicity. They have value because they are human.

I don't agree that historical wrongdoing justifies punishment today. Slavery in our ancestors' day doesn't justify slavery today; calling it "reparations" or "social justice" doesn't change anything.

I agree that drug prohibition is wrong. Drug abuse is stupid, but prohibition is evil. This doesn't mean I am responsible for protecting drug abusers from the consequences of their actions. I am not obligated to pay for their drugs, their needles, their healthcare, or the basic needs they can no longer provide for themselves because of their drug abuse. Nor am I obligated to tolerate my rights being violated because of their choices.

Political liberals seem to not understand: if you shelter people from the consequences of their mistakes they won't learn to avoid mistakes. You get more of anything you encourage.

If you prohibit people from defending themselves with effective tools, you'll encourage more people to commit crimes. Defunding the police wouldn't be a problem if people weren't forbidden to defend themselves (and others). It's not about police, it's about all consequences.

Political liberals today are very defensive of democracy. Yet, democracy is nothing more than mob rule; might (through superior numbers) makes right. The mob gets to decide what rights you are allowed to exercise. This isn't a workable system.

This is why I can't be what is called a "classical liberal" either; I can't believe in the right, or political authority, to govern others. Even if the governing is done lightly, it's still beyond what anyone has a right to do. You have the right to govern yourself, but no one else. Democracy or a constitutional republic can't create this right out of thin air.

So, while I am generous, open-minded, and accepting, and I value liberty above everything, I can't be politically liberal; I understand people too well. Maybe someday liberals will become truly liberal and we can then be on the same side.

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No need to believe in it

I don't "believe in" liberty. 

Like gravity, it just is; there's no need to believe in it. It also-- like gravity-- won't stop being true if you deny it.

That's how reality works.

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They are out there. Somewhere.

Just when I was starting to wonder whether it was worth the effort to keep writing the weekly newspaper column, I got a lot of positive feedback this week. The timing was good.

One was about an apparent reprint of last week's column in the Roswell Daily Record, which I wasn't aware ever printed my columns, and which I can't find in a search. But I got a supportive note from a reader there who said that's where they read it, so it seems it was in there somewhere.

I even got a nice note from someone who was just passing through the area on their way back to Minnesota when they encountered my column-- so that was kind of cool.

Sometimes it seems so pointless to keep writing about liberty as authoritarianism and tyranny rage out of control in this country. Seeing the criminal acts being committed right now by the BATFEces thugs who just make up rules as they see fit while pretending their victims are the criminals has just about pushed me over the edge. So, it's good to see that not everyone is a cowardly government-supremacist. There are still some people out in the wild who "get it". Let's help them spread and multiply.

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Give 'em a canteen of air... maybe

Governments are a threat to life, liberty, and property. But especially to life.

Now governments on the other side of the world are posturing to fight, and the criminal government closer to home feels the need to get involved. To make me less safe, and poorer, just so it can assert its dominance.

I would put all these political jerks in a rocket and strand them on the moon to fight it out. I might even let them have a canteen of air if they begged.

I hate every political criminal on the planet. I hate that they exist, that they continue to live at our expense, and that they feel entitled to rule the rest of us. I really, honestly, without reservation, wish death on every single one of them. From presidents and prime ministers to lowly bureaucrats, tax agents, and ATF thugs. And the FAA.

The world would be better off without them taking up space and molesting the rest of us.

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A New York liar lies.

No, you authoritarian scumsucker, there is no such thing as an "illegal gun"-- there is illegal gun legislation. ALL of it, in fact.

That makes those enforcing it or invoking it-- like YOU did-- the real criminals. Anti-gun bigots are exactly as evil as bad guys who shoot people who aren't currently violating anyone.

It irritates me when liars call any object-- or person-- "illegal". Calling an object or a person "illegal" doesn't magically make it true. Objects can be used to do crime. People can do crime. But the object or person can't be "illegal", and any "laws" declaring them so are, themselves, the real crime.

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