Hillary- worst among the horrible

(Previously posted to Patreon)

This is a bit of a break from my usual. Because this time I will talk politics.

I don't v*te, and I don't endorse candidates, so it really doesn't matter, but...
I dislike Hillary Clinton much more than I dislike any of the other candidates.

Part of that is because I have disliked her far longer than I have ever known of any of the other candidates.

You see, although I am not from Arkansas, I lived in Arkansas as Bill Clinton was climbing the political ladder. I have known people who were close to the Clintons during that time, and even a few who called the Clintons "friends", but even they said to NEVER trust either one of them.

I talked to Arkansas State Police officers who were on the governor's security detail. They universally hated and distrusted him. They told me tales about setting up "visits" of women who went to "meet" Clinton. I asked how they could stand being responsible for keeping him safe and alive. I told them to accidentally duck if anyone ever tried to "off" him. They just smiled.

I even met and visited with the amusing little man who interrupted Clinton's run as governor, causing Bill to run and hide when he found out he had lost the election. Unfortunately, he came back next time the office was up for grabs.

My dad worked for a big utility company during that time (Arkansas Power & Light), and had many brushes with Bill Clinton's minions forcing the company executives to favor those he wanted to get support from- to the point that when Bill Clinton said "don't shut off this person's electricity", the company executives would let certain favored folk have free electricity. Forever.

And, all during that time I remember miserable Hillary.

I remember what a nasty harpy Hillary was when she tore into people who called her "Hillary Clinton", insisting that she was "Hillary Rodham"- no "Clinton" at all.

She always came across as a hateful, lying, ill-tempered shrew. And my opinion of her has only gotten worse through the years.

I left Arkansas near the beginning of the 1992 presidential election, and was absolutely shocked to discover that people were actually serious about supporting Bill. Arkansas people joked that they wanted him elected president so he'd leave the state for good, but I never dreamed anyone outside of Arkansas took him seriously. I was also shocked that no one knew of the scandals that were common knowledge in Arkansas.

So, even though I dislike all the candidates to one extent or another, I have a special loathing for Hillary Clinton- just because I have been aware of her vile existence for many years longer than I have known of any of the others, and my impression of her has been universally negative. She is utterly disgusting in a way no other current candidate can even approach.

Now, I'll go wash my hands, since I feel dirty.

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I recently helped someone out, and now find myself in dire need of money. Again.
I'm not complaining; I knew the bind this would put me in when I did it. If anyone is in the position to help, and wants to (yes, please meet both conditions, and never feel bad if you don't), please donate and/or subscribe today. This time, Paypal would be best for me. Thanks so much!

Also, I'm not posting this blog post on Steemit for obvious reasons, but if you can, go there and upvote any of my stuff that you like. Thanks, again.

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"We have to have some kind of government..."

Yes, someone just said those words to me.

I wish I had been able to take the time to dig deeper into why he thought this was so, but my daughter was waiting in the car.

Is it because "we" have always had some kind of government, and he can't imagine life without it?

Is it because he believes that without government, society would collapse?

Is it because he believes there are things he (or others) requires which can only be provided by government?

Is it because of the "sunk cost fallacy"? Does he feel we have put too much time and effort into building governments to just give up on them now?

Is it because he feels he has paid into things like "social security" and "medicaid" and doesn't want to end them just before he begins to get something back?

I can think of a lot of things along those lines which might cause a person to believe they "need" government, but I don't know which (if any) applies in his case.

Is there some other reason a person would hold such an illogical belief?

I wish I had been able to talk to him to see exactly why he believes this.

You need to govern yourself. You need to defend yourself and your property from those who refuse to govern themselves. I hope you'll also defend others from violators when you have the opportunity. There are some projects too big or expensive for most people to do them alone, so cooperation is necessary. But none of that requires establishing an institution based upon theft and aggression.

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Statism is unacceptable

There are many behaviors which are simply unacceptable.

Rape, murder, theft, kidnapping... the list includes all violations of life, liberty, and property. There is simply no justification for them that holds water.

Yet, there is a belief system which excuses all of these within certain parameters: statism.

In fact, without those behaviors, statism would cease to exist as anything real. It wouldn't be able to hurt anyone, except the person who holds the belief in statism in his own mind.

Statism is anti-social and uncivilized. If there were such a thing as a "social contract", statism would be the breaking of that contract.

Statism is just unacceptable.

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If you get any value from my writing, consider rewarding me with your financial support commensurate with the value you receive. You can also do that with zero cost to yourself by upvoting my posts on Steemit. 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 keep writing without the fear of saying something to get fired over. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always helping out.

Refusing to vote is vote for liberty

(My Clovis News Journal column for July 8, 2016)

In last week’s column valid alternatives were offered to those hesitant to waste a vote by endorsing an evil-- lesser or not. For some reason almost everyone focused on the point that it isn't smart to keep playing a game you know is rigged.

Overwhelmingly, the people demand their right to keep losing to known cheaters.

They apparently see voting as essential to liberty rather than recognizing it as a tool to empower the opposite.

Fair enough.

I won't demand you not vote; I'm saying if you vote, please don't stop there. Learn, think, and reason-- no matter where it leads. I hope you do this because I believe the more you know, the more you'll practice rightful liberty and the more you'll ignore politicians and their arbitrary opinions called "laws".

You don't need a professional bully class to control you and your neighbors, and I hope for the day you realize it. The truth will set you free.

Many people view the refusal to vote as "doing nothing", when nothing could be further from the truth. Back when most doctors believed bloodletting was an effective treatment, those who declined the disastrous procedure weren't doing nothing, they were refusing to make matters worse. It's an important distinction. Don't make matters worse by doing the wrong thing.

The refusal to sanction a politician, or an office for a politician to hold, is voting for liberty and independence in the most effective way. It is the individual withdrawal of consent.

If you are happy with how things are, vote and go home. Be content in the knowledge that you have helped ensure no real change can threaten your familiar world. If something unexpected crops up you can believe it wasn't your fault. You did your part to prop up the status quo.

If, however, you want things to change and bring a chance for a better life, there are plenty of options. Before, after, or instead of voting, get out there and tell people what you stand for, and what changes you want to bring to the world. Explain why the status quo is not good enough. Then show everyone you mean it by acting on it. Live as though the world were already as you advocate-- but be smart. There are those who will use laws to punish you for daring to threaten the status quo and the cozy police state they've built around you. And they vote.

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Taking government seriously. Seriously?

(If you use Steemit, please go there and upvote this post.)

Really, people. How can you take government seriously?

You have the clowns campaigning for president. An unhealthy old harpy, and an orange blowhard. Both statist to the rotten core.

Then, just look at your state and local politivermin. They are no better, and if you believe they are, it's a sign you are delusional.

Some around here are having an adolescent cat fight. I've seen two year-olds act more mature. Yet, somehow, people look to these morons for guidance, and believe their opinions have weight.

I absolutely don't get it.

Yes, I realize they are making up "laws" that their hired guns are perfectly willing to murder you over, and they steal your money and violate your property rights in myriad other ways, too. This means they are a mortal threat to your life, liberty, and property. So are other bad guys- they aren't special.

They fear you being armed, and so they do all they can to make sure you give up your weapons. The only reason anyone wants you unarmed is so they can do things to you (or your loved ones) which you wouldn't ever allow if you were able to resist. And you CAN resist if you have effective weaponry. Even if it only costs one bully his life before you are killed by his gang, it still cost that one. One less bully in the world, and probably at least one person will decide to pursue honest work rather than join the gang.

But you can also resist in other ways. As long as a government employee isn't looking directly at what you are doing right this minute, why comply? Nibble away at their power, and laugh away the respect your silly family, friends, and neighbors give them. They don't deserve it. They haven't earned it. Quite the opposite. They are ridiculous.

Treat them like the absurd fools they are. It's what they richly deserve, and have worked to earn.

And never forget: Government is nothing more or less than a club for drama queens who like to try to run other people's lives while spending stolen money.

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Patriotism

(If you use Steemit, please go there and upvote this post.)

Blind patriotism is bizarre to me. And, I think all patriotism is blind.

"My country, right or wrong" is a great example of this. It means the person uttering this phrase values a "country" more than rightness. It means they are willing to overlook wrong- evil- just because of who is committing it. It is totally devoid of reason or ethics.

It's like supporting a person to the point of covering for that person, even if he is a mass-murdering psychopath. It's like supporting cops.

A country, which is to say a State (which is what most people mean when they say "government") can never really be right, since countries are built on a foundation of theft and other property violations, and are maintained through aggression.

But maybe they actually mean "America"; the people who live here on this landmass. Can "America" be anything? Individuals can, and enough individuals acting in concert can affect the flavor of America, but it's still just individuals. I have trouble seeing "America" as a unified thing, and even more trouble seeing a "country" as anything real and concrete. So, forget the country.

For the purpose of argument, I'll say I can support America when America does right.

But I don't excuse evil, no matter who is doing it.

I can discern between "America" and the US government, and in fact I see them as mortal enemies. Most people don't seem to make that distinction, just like they conflate "government" and "society". There are no good States. Not one. But don't hate the people suffering under those States. They are victims.

I don't support countries any more than I support any evil act- and governing others is one of the most evil acts you can commit.

If you support any country "no matter what", you do a disservice to the cause of rightness, and to your neighbors. Rational supporters insist on a standard of behavior. Rational supporters require no evil be committed.

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Also, just as an aside- You can't have "patriotism" without "riot". Interesting, that.

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If you get any value from my writing, consider rewarding me with your financial support commensurate with the value you receive. You can also do that with zero cost to yourself by upvoting my posts on Steemit. 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 keep writing without the fear of saying something to get fired over. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always helping out.

Here's an idea...

I'm going to be trying out Steemit-- cross-posting all my blogs there. At least to see how it works for me. It appears some people are making decent money over there, and I'd like to see if it can work for me.

This is a way you can apparently help me make money without spending a cent. Just upvote and share the blog links.

For a while I will include a link to the Steemit blog post with every blog post, and I would really appreciate if you'd go there and upvote everything I write.

Thank you, very much!

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Where did humans go wrong?

Somewhere along the way-- beginning long, long ago and continuing into the present day-- most humans got the bizarre notion that things which could never possibly be any of their business, were their business.

And not only that, but so critically "their business" that they should murder people over these things.

Things like...
Which invisible beings they believed in, and how they showed their belief.
Which things they ingested.
Who they loved and/or had sex with.
How they comprised their family units.
Which tools they owned, and how they carried them.
What they lived in, and what they surrounded their living quarters with.
What they traded, and how.
Where they were born, and what languages they spoke.
Which banners they flew.
Which symbols they revered.
Which songs they sang.
And all manner of other things.

I'm not even saying these things don't matter, but that they should be individual matters. Not subject to control by anyone else, and certainly not justification for murder!

All they should have been worried about the whole time was whether the other people initiated force or violated property or broke their agreements. But that was too sensible, and didn't allow for the rise of a bully class (who tried to make the non-issues become Big Issues).

It's really long past time for the human race to grow up and get over the childish desire to meddle and control. And we can- one individual at a time.

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If you get any value from my writing, consider rewarding me with your financial support commensurate with the value you receive. 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 keep writing without the fear of saying something to get fired over. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always helping out.

Claire Wolfe's new site!

I am guilty of assuming everyone was already aware... but then I realized I was wrong!

Claire Wolfe has a new website and has moved her "Living Freedom" blog.

Her site is still being worked on, but the blog is up and running full speed. Go check it out, and add it to your daily "must reads". You won't regret it.

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If you get any value from my writing, consider rewarding me with your financial support commensurate with the value you receive. 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 keep writing without the fear of saying something to get fired over. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always helping out.

Statists mis-define words

"Freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do." ~ domestic enemy and terrorist, NYC's Rudolph Giuliani, March 1994

If you let the bad guys define your terms, you have lost.

They will always define words to put themselves on top. To make you do what they want.

They want you to believe anarchy is chaos and destruction, rather than self-ownership, personal responsibility, and voluntary interaction.

They want you to believe "liberty" means a government-granted privilege, rather than unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others.

They'll always define cops as the good guys, standing between you and horrible death- when cops are actually the worst gang out there, more likely to deliver your horrible death than any other evil gang.

They believe in silly things like "authority" and States and "laws". They worship flags and documents and people who do evil deeds for them.

And way too many people still listen to them and act as though they are the reasonable ones. They aren't. They are insane, ignorant, or evil. Or any combination of the three.

But, I know from personal experience some can be reached, in spite of the protests of those who don't believe they can. It has happened. Most of us were once statists, to one degree or another. If we got over it, so can others.

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If you get any value from my writing, consider rewarding me with your financial support commensurate with the value you receive. 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 keep writing without the fear of saying something to get fired over. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always helping out.

"Fighting" for liberty?

(Previously posted to Patreon)

Fighting for liberty may not be smart. Maybe, if you have to fight for it you're doing it wrong.

I just lost one of my online friends in this fight for liberty to suicide. There were several times he hinted at it, and anytime I saw it, I tried to make sure he knew he was valued and appreciated. Well, apparently I missed one time too many. I suspect it was something he was just going to do eventually, no matter what.

I never met him in person, but over the past few years we had discussed various liberty-related subjects online, often concerning the evil of "law enforcement" goons, and we had each other's backs when a kinda-sorta "famous" "pro-liberty" phony attacked us for calling him out. And he sent his condolences when my daughter died.

I do think he had the sort of personality that made things more difficult. To me he seemed rather volatile, and more than a little angry. And deeply frustrated.

I don't want to end up like him.

Liberty should be fun- in the way any worthwhile struggle can be fun. No, it's not going to be easy, because there are too many bullies out there trying to make sure it isn't easy. It's a fine line between knowing they can destroy your life and kill you, and giving them too much attention and power. They are serious, but shouldn't be taken too seriously, if you know what I mean.

You can fight with a smile on your face. You are on the right side. You have all the reason, logic, ethics, and morality on your side. The anti-liberty bigots have lost, but refuse to accept it and lie down. That just means they lose again and again, and are making themselves more tired. They just keep making fools of themselves, but aren't bright enough to know it.

So, if you fight, fight smart. Try to find the humor in it.

And, if the fight starts taking a toll, take a break. Find things to laugh about and enjoy. Stop and eat the flowers.

So, if you see me treating any violation of Rightful Liberty too lightly for your tastes, remember that sometimes you've got to smile, or point and laugh, at the bullies. If you let them rob you of all your joy, they have won.

Please don't hand them a victory they didn't earn.

And, if I can ever help you get through a bad spot in life, let me know.

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Helping others makes me happy

I love helping people. I really do. It's one of the happiest things I can do. I love the feeling of being useful and seeing how happy I can make people when I solve a problem they are facing. It doesn't have to be a life or death crisis, either.

I sometimes spend money I probably shouldn't spend just to be able to help people.

Very recently I was able to loan a back up battery to someone whose phone was dying so she could talk to her son in the midst of a problem. I also have adapters so my back up battery (actually, the USB cord) will fit other people's phones if theirs aren't the normal mini USB.

A couple of weeks ago I was able to help someone who couldn't get their car door to latch. I lost a tiny bit of blood with that one, but I felt wonderful that I was able to solve a problem. (And almost amazed that I knew how to solve a car-related problem.)

And, this is why I educate people about liberty. Liberty helps. It solves problems. Liberty makes me happy, even though it doesn't create Utopia. Sharing liberty makes me happy, and I want others to be happy, too.

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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. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always stepping up.

Only intelligent choice is no vote

(My Clovis News Journal column for July 1, 2016)

Trump or Clinton? It's the question which seems to be on a lot of minds. Not which candidate would would be best as president, but which would be the least bad.

It's a false choice.

First of all, pretending those are your only choices is like saying you can only choose between hamburgers and tacos; nothing else. You are pretending the menu doesn't exist.

Yes, there are other choices. Insisting you choose between those two, because "Democrat or Republican is the only realistic option", is a self defeating belief. It will remain true as long as you believe it's true, not a moment longer.

For those who are upset with the Republican wing of the Boot-On-Your-Neck Party for nominating non-Republican Donald Trump, you could always vote for the actual Republicans who are running. This year, the Libertarian Party did something the Republicans failed to do: they nominated Republicans for the presidency and vice-presidency: Gary Johnson and William Weld, respectively. A disaster for the Libertarians, but a gift to the Republicans who are paying attention.

Or, you could finally realize voting for the lesser evil, whoever you believe that to be, is still voting for evil and stop playing a rigged game. At some point, rational people realize the only winning move is to not play at all.

I can hear you say "But someone is going to win whether I vote or not". So? Someone will become president of the Meshoppen, Pennsylvania quilting circle, too- if such a thing exists. It only matters if you believe it matters, and only if you believe their club has any authority over your life. Only if you feel obligated to act as if you are subject to government and its counterfeit laws can you really be affected by who is its president.

In fact, the person holding the office of president is about as inconsequential as it's possible for a person to be. The existence of the office is the problem, not the individual politician occupying it. The president is a figurehead. The real harm is done by advisers, congress, and the courts, and by those among us who go along with whatever they say we must, or must not, do.

So, no, I am not going to make a recommendation of who you "should" vote for. It would be as ridiculous as suggesting you ought to eat plutonium rather than cyanide, when the only intelligent choice is to eat neither.

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Added- Here is the perfectly predictable response I got on the CNJ page:
"If you don't vote then you have no room to bitch, whine, and complain when things aren't going your way. The system we have is far from perfect but it is what we inherited."

And my reply:
Actually, if you do v*te, you are consenting to the outcome. You are saying the result is legitimate, no matter what it may be, and you agree to abide by it. That's just not acceptable or rational.

If you go into a game of poker, knowing the rules, and also knowing your opponent hasn't actually played without cheating for decades (if ever), yet you play anyway, what does that say about your common sense?

No one can ever lose their right to complain, but if that were possible, it certainly wouldn't be the people who are aware of the scam and refuse to participate who "lose the right"- it would be those who keep propping up the scam and empowering the bad guys to keep pushing people around and stealing their property by keeping up the appearance of legitimacy by their participation and support.

If you v*te, you are part of the problem. The current situation is squarely on your shoulders. You really have no one else to blame.

"We" didn't inherit anything, but perhaps you did. If you inherit a rabid skunk, do you let it sleep in your child's bed, or do you resolve the problem? This is the same sort of situation, like it or not.

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The cure

V*ting is a symptom.

If you v*te you are showing you believe in the "system". Because you do.

When you stop believing in it, you'll stop going out of your way to prop it up. It's an entirely different mindset.

You will no longer really care what opinions the politicians turn into "laws"- you'll see politicians for what they are: bullies with some power.

Most of their power doesn't actually come from their guns, it comes from those who still believe in them. When enough people stop believing in them enough that they stop v*ting (for or against, it doesn't matter), nothing they can do will be enough to keep control.

I no longer believe in them. Not in the way they would want. I know bullies are out there, willing to murder me if I ignore their opinions, but they can't have any sort of legitimacy. Because they just don't. They are nothing but bullies with armed drones. Nothing more than a disease in need of a cure.

You can't cure everyone simultaneously, but you can absolutely cure yourself. Today. And, when you are cured, you won't show the symptoms anymore.

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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. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always stepping up.

The Truth

Those who want me to doubt that anarchy (self ownership and individual responsibility) is the best, most moral, and ethical way to live among others are asking me to accept that theft, aggression, superstition, and slavery are perhaps better.

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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. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always stepping up.

Don't worry. It won't happen because it hasn't yet.

Just as soon as someone reassures me that because something bad hasn't happened yet, it's not ever going to happen... it happens. This happens to me personally all the time. Yay, right? I don't like being reassured because of this trend.

So, I wonder if that applies in the larger world as well. The US dollar hasn't yet experienced hyperinflation- even though by all measure, it should... so will it simply because "experts" assure me it won't?

And, I wonder if it might apply for things that would arguably be bad, but which I wouldn't mind seeing. Like a nice solar flare knocking out technology for a while. Tell me that it won't happen because it hasn't happened. (I know about the Carrington Event.)

Of course, I tend to believe that this also might mean that good things which haven't yet happened are always a possibility. Maybe not today, or this year, but sometime. Conditions change, even if humans really don't. What was nearly impossible a century ago, might be likely tomorrow. It might even have already started and be unstoppable.

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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. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always stepping up.

Harping on cops

I really hate focusing on cops so much recently. But... cops are THE biggest threat to Rightful Liberty and a voluntary society. Nothing else even comes close. Not a president, not federal judges, not congress. Nothing else.

Cops are where the boot heel of tyranny meets the human face.
Cops are how politicians impose their arbitrary opinions on you and me.
Cops are the occupying army of domestic enemies we should have been fighting off before they got too big to beat. Or, at least, too big to beat without becoming a martyr.
Cops are nothing but a criminal gang- criminal in the real sense, not the artificial "legal" sense.

Exposing the reality of what cops are and what they do is important. The veil of legitimacy that too many people allow cops to hide behind must be undercut. Good people need to be shown why supporting cops is wrong. People who traditionally have thrown unwavering support behind cops need to be shown why it is long past time to wise up and stop doing so.

"Cop" isn't a person- it is a set of behaviors, just like "rapist". Don't commit the acts and you aren't the bad guy. If you stop committing rapes, you aren't a rapist. If you stop committing acts of "law enforcement", you are no longer a cop. But, no one can refuse to commit the acts and expect to remain a cop for long. And, stopping doesn't erase the debt your past acts have created- although I'm willing to forgive a lot, if the violator is truly sorry and repudiates his past actions, and doesn't return to his evil ways.

Being honest about cops has cost me. Personally and financially. But I couldn't live with myself if I turned a blind eye to the evil that is "policing".

So, yes, I am likely to keep harping on it.

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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. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always stepping up.

Market for aggression

(I know the video is dark and back-lit, but I was going for something different, and looking at me isn't really the goal here, anyway.)

There will always be a market for theft and aggression, because people want the benefits it can gain them without taking the risk of doing the evil themselves. So, people without principles will offer to commit aggression and theft for a price to meet that "need".

Cops are one example, but not the only one.

Mafia hit men, government troops, and anyone else who commits violence- in exchange for money or favors- against someone who isn't already using violence (no matter how much you might dislike the peaceable, property respecting things they are doing) is marketing aggression.

And that can't be preemptively prohibited without crippling the rest of the market. You can't legitimately "prohibit" anything, anyway.

However, what you can do (although it isn't always wise) is defend yourself from those aggressors. You always have that right, no matter what anyone tells you.

The current cost of aggression is artificially low. Especially if you can pretend to be a "legitimate employee of government" [sic]. If the cost were raised to where it reflected the reality, fewer people would be able to afford the services of aggression peddlers, fewer aggression peddlers would remain in business, and society would be better off.

Self defense against aggressors (and thieves) is the way to raise the cost back to where it should be. At least, if self defense occurs regularly enough, some will get out of the aggression market, or choose to find an honest job, instead.

Considering that Utopia isn't an option, that's probably the best outcome possible.

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Fred Reed goes all copsucker on us

Fred's off his rocker this time.

"Do you know any cops? Have you ever known any? I mean known them well enough to have a beer with after work, or to invite to a get-together at your house. Have you ever really talked to a cop?"
Yep. It was a big part of my education and wake-up call where cops are concerned.


"Has it ever occurred to you that there might be another side of the story?"
Yep. Rapists have a side to their story too. I don't have to become a rapist to know rape is wrong.


"Now, why don’t you know any cops? For at least two reasons. As a Pathologically Virtuous White (PVW), you are almost certainly a college graduate."
As I say, I have known cops (and ex-cops who loathe cops more than I do). And, no, I am not a college graduate.


"Further, cops are masculine,..."
LOL. O... kay...


"They are conservative and like guns."
They are statists who love Big Government, and only like guns in their hands. Cops are NOT the individual gun owner's friend. Who do you think enforces the anti-gun "laws"? It's not Obama or Chuckie Schumer.


"So you know nothing about them, their jobs, or the conditions in which they work. Especially the latter."
Again, do I have to walk a mile in a rapist's shoes to condemn rape?


"On the street, cops have to be hard-nosed or they lose their authority."
"Authority" is a superstition. The most dangerous one.


"Citizens are a pain in the ass when interacting with cops. They will lie, argue, bluster, threaten, and weasel."
Cops lie. It is an accepted part of their "job"- even under oath in government courtrooms. "Citizens" should be truthful to pathological liars?


"Now, let us go off the deep end and imagine that you,were required to don a cop’s uniform and spend three months walking a foot beat with a real cop in, say, Newark or Chicago or Detroit, downtown. How would this affect your mind?"
Yes, it would damage my mind to commit acts of enforcement. Might I begin to believe I have to right to impose arbitrary demands on people? Sure. That's why I wouldn't lower myself to become a cop. Or a rapist. Just because you can see things from the bad guy's perspective doesn't mean you are innocent when committing the acts that define a bad guy.


"People would not look friendly, especially the young men."
How should people look when confronted with a predator? A predator with a license to kill, who will demand compliance and molest you for doing things you have every right to do, and will then get a paid vacation and be found "innocent of any wrongdoing" no matter how much evidence is against him?


"You will realize that the police are not heavily armed thugs intimidating a helpless and cowering black public."
Right, they are heavily armed thugs intimidating a helpless and cowering... everyone who isn't them.


"Cops are vulnerable. Anybody passing you on the street could stick an ice pick into you, or blow your head off from behind."
So quit. Find an honest job that doesn't make you the enemy of the public.


"Hanging out at the Fraternal Order of Police, you would find that most cops are likable. This discovery would probably disturb you."
Not at all. Most cops are nice, but none are good. If they weren't nice- especially to their own gang, they wouldn't survive. It's common sense.


"You will see things that will change you."
Undoubtedly. But to molest people because you have psychological scars isn't excusable.


"But you would know what you were talking about–and you would find it a novel experience."
Because until you become a rapist, you have no right to criticize rape.


Sorry Fred, but this time you went full potato. I hope it passes.

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Time's Up, plus 10 years

It was 10 years ago this summer that I created the Time's Up flag. I don't remember the exact date- although if I looked back through some photos and such I could figure it out within a day or two. It's not that important.

But, I know exactly where I was when the idea of making the Gadsden flag's snake stop rattling and strike first hit me.

I was sitting in a folding chair, in front of my parents' motorhome, in an RV park on the western outskirts of Albuquerque. I was looking at the Gadsden flag flapping on the front of the motorhome- I had hung it there to balance out the federal flag my dad likes to display.

I was thinking "Don't tread on me? That snake has been tread on nonstop for over 200 years, and he's still just sitting there rattling about it. It's about time he took action."

So, I pulled a scrap of paper out of my pocket and sketched it out. Then tried to decide the best wording to put under the striking snake. Besides "Time's Up", I thought of "Liberty" and a few other things. But my friends on The Claire Files forum helped me settle on "Time's Up".

The first version

The updated version

I have had the flags made and sold them. I have had patches made for sale, too. I have let people use the design on shirts, caps, and flags to sell. I have seen modifications of my original design that I liked, and have seen some modifications I didn't like. I have seen the flag used (with my permission) in comic strips. I have seen it used as people's profile picture on social media- by people who wouldn't have any clue about who I am, and wouldn't care if they did know. I have seen the design embraced by people who wouldn't like the principles behind it, such as "Tea Party conservatives". I have also seen it used by people who "get it".

I may not have made many real contributions in my life, but I think the Time's Up flag may be the one contribution which will outlive me.

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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. I really, desperately could use some more help; please don't depend on the same people always stepping up.

You know what would be really helpful right about now?

I've been trying to avoid writing a post specifically to ask for money, however... donations are down and subscriptions are, too. But the cats still need to eat, and my daughter still needs and/or wants some things (and so do I), we still need gasoline to get to where we need to go, and there are still way too many bills to pay.

So, if you can, and only if you want to, please make a one time donation or become a subscriber. There are a few options over there to the right.

If you can't or don't want to, no problem. I understand both.

Thank you to all my donors and subscribers for all you have done!

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Don't live down to the expectations

I care that you live by the Zero Aggression Principle and don't violate property.

I don't care about your "race", gender/sex, culture, job, wealth, "nationality", or anything else... as long as you live by the Zero Aggression Principle and don't violate property.

It's so simple.

However, if you use any of those trivial (or imaginary) categories mentioned above as justification for initiating force and violating property, I'm not going to excuse you based on your "race", gender/sex, culture, job, wealth, "nationality", or anything else, either. I know you can be a good person, and I expect you to live up to it.

When you use those excuses as justification for initiating force or violating property you are also spitting on others who don't commit those acts, but who will probably be unfairly grouped with you by ignorant observers.

None of those things require you to be an aggressor or a property violator- with the possible exception of your "job", and you are free to quit any "job" that requires you to be a bad person to do it. And you should.

You don't have to be a bad guy, no matter what you believe others expect of you. So, don't.

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No one has right to violate others

(My Clovis News Journal column for June 24, 2016)

In the wake of the Orlando nightclub massacre, popular opinion seemed to blame either guns or the murderer's religion. It's good neither is subject to popular opinion, because opinion is fickle.

You have a right to choose and exercise your own religion, and you have a right to own and to carry any weapon you see fit, whether the majority agrees or not.

In fact, you have a natural human right to not be prevented from doing whatever you want as long as you aren't violating any other person's equal and identical rights while doing so. This is an infinite number of rights; more than could possibly be listed in one lifetime.

Your rights aren't dependent upon being written down on parchment. They exist even if government declares they don't. They exist even if cops arrest you and have you thrown in a prison cell for the rest of your life for exercising them. You aren't wrong for exercising your rights; government employees are wrong for violating them.

This is the nature of rights. They are not privileges. They are not subject to opinions or laws. They can't be limited, licensed, rationed, or eliminated for "the common good". They can only be respected or violated. The Bill of Rights, particularly the Ninth Amendment, was a failed attempt to put all your rights off-limits to government by making it a crime to violate them.

Government is the natural enemy of human rights; a predator, never a protector.

Use your freedom of religion as you wish, short of forcing others to live by your religion, through laws or threats. Laws based upon your religious ideals, which violate some other person's right to choose their own religion and not be subject to the edicts of yours, are wrong. It doesn't matter whether you use Christianity or Islam or Pastafarianism as the basis, if you impose your religion on others by law, you have become the bully.

Own and carry a gun of whatever type you choose, everywhere you go, openly or concealed, without asking government for permission, as is your natural right. Don't shoot at people who aren't harming or threatening anyone else, including those doing things your religion says are wrong.

No matter your excuse, you have no right to violate others, and anyone you violate has a right to defend themselves however they see fit. It's called liberty. It works, and is the mature way to live, but it isn't for cowards.

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Blaming everything but the real problem

When I read "the news" I shake my head in disbelief and sadness at the utter stupidity documented therein. People blame everything under the sun, except that which causes the problems they screech about.

It's because they are dedicated to staying with what they believe they understand even though it is THE source of all they decry.

Until people see, admit, and accept the foundational problem, I don't expect anything they do to "solve" it to work.

There are a few things that can go a long ways toward fixing things: The Zero Aggression Principle (including the Covenant of Unanimous Consent), and shedding the superstitious belief in "authority", which should help you recover from the worship of bullies and gangsters that results from it, and their absurd opinions they'll gladly kill you over.

So, yeah, until people see, accept, and admit how they and their beliefs are causing the problems they whine about, not much will change. But they sure do look stupid yapping on and on about it all.

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Hating, without vengeance

(Previously posted to Patreon)

I admit, I have a hard time not hating certain people.

One of those is the guy my older daughter Cheyenne was with for about five years. In fact, she had only gotten away from him about a year before she died, and it was mostly due to him that I didn't see her the last 6 years of her life.

My relationship with him started badly. I texted with Cheyenne constantly, but soon after she got with him, I sent a text to her and immediately got an angry phone call, demanding to know "Who is this?"

I'll let you in on a secret- I utterly despise jealousy, considering it an early step on the path of abuse. I know, because I have lived through it on the abused side.

Well, I laid into him. He made excuses and tried to justify himself, and apparently considered this an apology, but he never changed. It was implied that I didn't like him due to "racism". when that wasn't even a consideration. If you know me, you would know how laughable that is.

During all this my contact with Cheyenne got very sporadic- almost to the point of being nonexistent. The 700 miles between us, and my lack of a reliable vehicle made that even worse.

He refused to let her have her own cell phone, even though she made her own money. He kept her off social media. I have the feeling she didn't get the things I sent through the mail- as she never acknowledged them. The few times I got to talk to her, she defended him. As did her mom. My ex wife said "He's OK... once you get to know him". My son cut off all contact with his mother and sister because of the guy.

After Cheyenne got away from him, I actually started being able to talk to her again. She started posting pictures of herself and her kids on Facebook. She found a wonderful man who made her very happy and treated her well- taking her out hunting and fishing and treating her like a dad wants to see his little girl treated. And treating her boys as his own. They were planning a visit to come see me this summer.

I had pretty much scrubbed the abusive jealous guy from my mind (even though he is the father of one of her boys).

And then she died in the car accident. That changed more than you might think.

Now my ex wife says my son was "100% right" about the jealous, controlling guy, and she's sorry she let him come between her and her son. But my son isn't yet ready to forgive- even though I have warned him he will regret it if he doesn't. His mother is a decent person, mostly. Even if she is a statist who says I'm "crazy".

I feel the jealous, controlling guy cheated my younger daughter and me out of sharing the last years of Cheyenne's life. I don't want to hate anyone, but I may hate him. When I think of him. Which I try not to do.

Even so, I wouldn't initiate force against him. I don't want him imprisoned or violated by police. I have no desire to see anyone "govern" him, although if he violates someone, I'm fine with them defending themselves from him. My personal feelings have no bearing on his rights, or the fact I would defend them. So, if I hate him, which I may, it probably only hurts me. It is something I'm going to need to work through.

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Starving while sitting at a buffet

If you saw people starving to death while surrounded by good food, would you sit by silently and watch them suffer?

What if they kept complaining about the food, saying it isn't what they want?

Personally, I would tell them the food is what they need to be eating. I would eat some to show them it isn't poisoned. And I would offer to serve them some. Then it's up to them. I wouldn't force feed them.

Well, people are dying of statism all around you right now. The solution is all around them- in order to avoid it, they have to actively reject it. They don't want liberty- it scares them in one way or another. It isn't what they want.

But I still tell them liberty is what they need for their condition. I live in liberty as much as is possible under the circumstances (even when "illegal" as much as I can without being murdered by cops). And, I offer to help serve them some liberty, just to get started. That's what my blog and newspaper column are all about.

But I wouldn't "force them to be free", even if such a ridiculous thing were possible.

What do you do?

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Statists and "anti-police rhetoric"

Apparently, cops and copsuckers believe there is too much "anti-police rhetoric" these days, resulting in people having the gall to defend themselves from violation by cops. And it upsets the statists greatly. Poor babies.

They are getting their diapers all gooey over people who believe they are exempt from federal laws, income taxes, driver's licenses, gun "laws", and who knows what else.

People who believe the government is no longer legitimate.

People who either know the score, or are deluded into believing they can be a "sovereign citizen". (Ha ha!)

In other words, people who believe they are "above the law".

What a bizarre thing to fear. How minor in the grand scheme of things.

If those trivial things scare them, the bitter truth would literally terrify them out of their minds.

Let me clue you in:

You are exempt from all the above violations of life, liberty, and property.
No State (what you probably mean when you think of "government") can ever be legitimate.
And you are above all made-up, written down laws. Everyone is above the law, because the law is a poor substitute for individual rights and the emergent property, called society, which results. "The law" supposedly serves you, and as your servant, you are logically above it.

Doesn't mean bullies working for the government won't murder you for recognizing this, but the truth is the truth. None of this means you have any right to initiate force or to violate property, but self defense doesn't cross either line.

Cops are just another nasty gang. The big difference between cops and other thugs is that the cops have nicer stuff. Shiny signs telling what you are "required" to do, clean and pressed gang colors, flashy gang cars, fancier guns and weapons (often, stuff you and I are prohibited from owning)- all the stuff associated with the Blue Line Gang. And all this fancy stuff is bought with the proceeds of their crimes- crimes they are committing against you and your family, friends, and neighbors.

"Anti-police rhetoric"; formerly known as "the expectation that cops obey the laws they impose on the rest of us, don't shoot first and ask questions later, don't act like murderous cowards, don't show up at the wrong house and automatically shoot the dog or grenade the baby, and don't aggravate the situation by aggressively accosting people who aren't doing anything wrong".

But, yeah, "anti-police rhetoric" is so much simpler for simpletons to say.

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The worst welfare recipients

There's a difference between being a drugged out addict without a job collecting welfare for a household full of kids, and someone who works at the DMV or city hall: the addict isn't "contributing" but at least he isn't actively harming anyone like the government employee is.

If your paycheck comes from the government-- even if you "work for it"-- you are on welfare.

If you use your welfare "job" to harm life, liberty, and property you are worse than any welfare recipient who at least doesn't go out of his way to violate everyone further.

I have more respect for the drug-addicted welfare collector than I do for the sober "tax" collector, the cop, the prison guard, the government school teacher, or any other government employee-- even if their job would still exist in a free society (but wouldn't be financed by theft, and no one would be forced to use their "services").

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Parental responsibility and the internet

My eight year-old daughter loves the internet.

While I see how much it is helping her learn so many things, and increasing her reading ability enormously, I know there are dangers.

I have to watch and make sure she doesn't give out personal information, or her location. And have explained why it isn't something I want her to do.

I ask her to let me know if anyone gets "too interested" in her- although her interaction seems to be limited (so far) to posting comments on Youtube videos.

I pay attention to what she finds and wants to show me- and sometimes it is something I have to warn her about, or explain. I'm always there, and I don't judge her for what she finds interesting or scary. That's parenting.

The benefits of her being online outweigh- to me- the dangers. But I know it is my responsibility to watch out and protect her.

I see some parents who seem to resent that necessity, and fall back on "parental blocking" and such, but it's a job I willingly take on. If it weren't the internet, it would be something else. It's always something.

I don't want "laws" or anything else advocated, passed, or enforced to supposedly "protect" her.

Out there in the real world, there are no "parental blocks". And, kids will always find a way around them anyway. Might as well step up and start helping the kids learn to navigate the world now.

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Statism is an empty shell

(Previously posted to Patreon)

Recently one of my blog posts was copied in its entirety and posted as a comment on a news story about a cop who was whining about being disrespected in a business. The commenter did supply a link to my original post- and even if he hadn't, that's not one of those things I get too worked up over. The ideas are what matter; not me or where the ideas come from.

But, what was most interesting to me was the hatred the commenter received in reply.

Subsequent comments went through the Statist Parrot Playbook: "If you don't like cops, move to Somalia", "You hate cops, but just wait until you need one to come save you", and all the usual statist gibberish. Including those who didn't do anything but spew hatred and insults.

But... not one commenter had anything of substance to add. Not one. No arguments explaining why the post was wrong. Nothing based in reason or ethics. Zero. Nothing but silly statist talking points and insults.

Because statism has nothing of substance underneath it.

Statism is nothing but empty cowardice. I suspect that even the parts of statism which look like hatred or other negative drives are just cowardice manifesting as something more toxic. Statism is illogical, unethical, immoral (judged by morality which is ethical), and cowardly.

Cowards are dangerous. And they resent those who aren't cowards- if they can even wrap their minds around the lack of cowardice. Which looks unlikely when I read comments by statists.

In a way, the lack of substance coming from triggered statists is reassuring. Even though they are still dangerous, they have already lost the war. They just may not know it yet.

Keep your head up and your eyes open. We've got this.

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Statism is cowardice

Yes, I have said it before, and I'll continue to say it: all statism is, at its very foundation, cowardice. Crippling fear of something. Or crippling fear of nearly everything.

You can tell what the statist fears by looking at the "laws" he supports or advocates.

I have a really hard time understanding this all-encompassing fear.

I have never considered myself a brave person. I still don't. But when I see the cowardice of the statist, it is hard to avoid becoming convinced I am very brave compared to the "bravest" of them.

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Anti-gun laws take our protection

(My Clovis News Journal column for June 17, 2016)

As long as people exist, there will be bad people harming others. I realize this is upsetting news- it saddens me, too.

The belief that "laws" will stop bad people is one of the most dangerous delusions ever to take root. Whether in a free society or a police state, bad people will do bad things.

One benefit of a free society will be the lack of "laws" helping attackers carry out their evil plans. Such as the anti-gun "laws" which gave the Orlando night club murderer the armed advantage and time to kill.

To be perfectly frank, that's all anti-gun "laws" do. They filter out the guns which might be used to defend you, while being powerless against the guns which are used to murder. It boggles my mind how anyone could believe this is a good idea, or increases safety. If someone is set on murder, a rule or a sign by the door isn't going to stop him.

Those who believe in "laws", rather than in rights or in how people actually behave, keep pushing for more of the same. Ignoring natural rights never works out.

If everyone would live by the Zero Aggression Principle (ZAP)-- the idea which defines libertarians-- life would be better. The simplest way I have seen the ZAP expressed, by libertarian author L. Neil Smith, is "the fundamental human right not to be physically attacked- or threatened with attack- if you have not attacked anybody else." Self defense isn't an attack.

It would be nice if the whole world were libertarian, committed to "live and let live" and respecting the property of others. But it isn't, yet. You can even go on hating anyone you want to hate, if you feel you must, as long as you leave them to live as they see fit.

Of course, most already live by this principle, they just try to carve out bizarre exceptions for certain aggressive folk, due to the "jobs" these people hold. Exceptions are imaginary.

In a libertarian world, life would still go on much the same. There would still be struggles, difficulties, and bullies. Your problems would change, but they wouldn't go away.

So practice dealing with the problems you have, in the world as it now exists, without violating anyone and making things worse.

The best way to make the world a little more humane and sane- a little more libertarian- is to put this into practice in your own life today. A libertarian world, one person at a time.

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Dead bullies

The worst thing about the shot cops is how it has inspired so many to bend over backwards to kiss cop butt.

If someone shoots a rapist or two, no one suddenly feels compelled to reassure other rapists that we still love them. No businesses put up signs saying they support rapists.

Then I see people also tripping all over themselves to say it isn't OK to use force to defend yourself from aggressors if those aggressors wear a badge. That's insane. And evil.

If you don't want to be shot for being an aggressor, stop aggressing and distance yourself from any gang activity which involves aggression (or property violations). It's really not that hard to understand. Actions have consequences even if you believe you are hiding behind the "law".

While you have the absolute human right to use violence to defend yourself from aggression and theft, it may not be the smartest move you can make. Sorry; that's just the way it is. Reality doesn't care how you feel about it. Their gang is larger than the number of people who would stand with you, so defending yourself from their violations will result in your death. Only you can decide if this is the moment it is better to die on your feet than live on your knees.

While I don't encourage you to shoot cops, I will never grieve for a dead bully.

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It's been over 100, but it's a dry heat...

Just in case anyone would like to help, I need money for a home AC repair. The humans and felines thank you.

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Good people can't support cops

You can't be a good person, who is consistent and knowledgeable about police and the "laws" they enforce, and continue to support police.

It simply isn't possible.

I know this may hurt your feelings, and you might want to jump in to support nice Uncle John, the cop. But don't bother.

Nothing you could say, no excuses you could make, can change reality.

So, is your choice to be a decent person, or to continue to support cops? You have made the choice whether you know it or not.

(Here is a good article for those who would consider themselves "Christians", but who still support cops and the "laws" they enforce. It has its flaws, but don't we all?)

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Please think, and share

It never fails to amaze me that I can read perfectly normal, natural things that seem completely self-evident-- but which never occurred to me until I read them.

It happens every day. At least once, usually more.

It's why "we" need many different minds, thinking ALL THE TIME.

No one person can think of everything. Or even a tiny fraction of all that needs to be thought.

So, think. Then let me know what you come up with.

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Suppose there were a gang...

... A gang which required members to rape, pillage, and attack people as a condition of membership. A gang which financed all its activities, and bought all its clothing and equipment, with money it stole from the local population. A gang which bragged about driving nice cars stolen from people they attacked. Any member who didn't commit those acts on a regular basis would be kicked out, and quite probably be subject to revenge by the other members.

As a condition of gang membership, you are agreeing to pretend other people's property rights can't apply to you. You pretend no one has the right of association where you are concerned- if someone tries to walk away when you insist on talking to them, the gang's rules say you can murder them. If someone tries to defend themselves from unwanted physical contact- or from even worse- the gang's rules say you can murder them. The rules you impose on others don't apply to you.

If you are a member of this gang you are openly admitting support for what the gang does. When you wear the gang colors, you are identifying yourself as a member in good standing. You are leaving no room for mistaken impressions of what you are, what you do, and what you support.

Any non-member caught wearing the gang colors or claiming to be a member would be kidnapped and caged, robbed, and quite possibly killed by actual members of the gang. The membership must be kept pure. There is no room for pretenders.

Sometimes the gang's members actually do helpful things. This is what the gang and its supporters want everyone believing the gang is all about, but it is actually a small and uncommon part of what the gang does. In fact, it is rare enough to be newsworthy when it happens.

The rapes, theft, and murders committed in the name of the gang are said to be committed by a "few bad apples", even though a "good apple" who didn't do those things- or at least turn a blind eye to those who do- would be kicked out of the gang and targeted for revenge. By staying in the gang, a member is endorsing all the gang's activities- official and unofficial.

The gang has done a good job convincing your family, friends, and neighbors that without them, other gangs would commit the same acts, but that this would somehow be worse; it would be chaos and mean the end of civilization. It is a lie, but few are willing to admit they are being lied to, and many actually believe it is true.

"Polite society"- particularly including newspapers and television and radio stations- ignores the nature of the gang, and instead praises the members for the few good deeds done- deeds that don't require gang membership to perform. They also ignore the evil nature of the acts that only members of the gang can get away with committing. Those who refuse to ignore the institutional evil are ostracized.

When a member of the gang gets killed while wearing the gang colors, "Polite Society" weeps and wails and tears at its clothing, acting as though the death came out of nowhere and was completely beyond understanding. No matter what the gang members have done recently, and no matter that the supposed "good apples" didn't disavow the acts of the members who committed the acts. Polite Society demands everyone weep and wail along with them, and voice their loyalty to the gang over and over again, lest they be thought of as horrible, uncivilized monsters.

I'm not Polite Society. I can't grieve when members of the gang are killed. Even if they weren't currently attacking the innocent, by remaining in the gang and wearing the gang colors openly, they are declaring themselves an enemy to everything good and civilized. How can anyone see the deaths of these gang members as a "bad thing"?

Well, this gang actually does exist. It infests every town and city in America, and in most of the world. They are the police- the Blue Line Gang (in America). They pretend they have no choice in the acts they commit because politicians made up "laws" by saying magic words which made their perverted opinions "official". Never mind that Nuremberg proved this to be a worthless defense. Individually, they each have the ability to refuse to do evil, even if a politician says they must. And, if a person can't avoid committing these acts without removing himself from the Blue Line Gang, then to be a good person he MUST quit the gang, regardless of the personal costs. If I have a job and my boss tells me I am required to overcharge a customer or lose my job, I can't remain in the job and still be a decent person. It simply isn't possible.

It doesn't matter if you believe these "laws" are a good idea, or even "necessary". It doesn't matter if the lack of them scares you. Any "law" which seeks to control something other than aggression or property violations is a counterfeit "law"- the few that are left are unnecessary laws.

In the absence of police some people might get away with violating life, liberty, and property of others. The existence of police guarantees it.

This is why there is no such thing as a "good cop", and why there can never be. It is self contradictory.

The police is where the boot heel of tyranny meets the human face. Without them no evil ruler could impose his will on large numbers of people- people would simply kill him in self defense. Which is why politicians work so hard to whip up support for cops.

No good person can remain consistently good and continue to support the police. It simply isn't possible. I know good people who do support the police, but by doing so they are being inconsistent, and actually being evil at that moment. Withdraw your support; be a good person all the time.

The sooner you accept it, internalize it, and act on it, the sooner you will be free.

(Also published in The Libertarian Enterprise 7-17-2016)

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There's Polite Society, and then there's reality.

Throughout history, Polite Society- the "nice people" whom society embraces and welcomes (including newspapers and other mass media)- has honored or worshiped those who use aggression and theft on behalf of the State. At least, that particular Polite Society's State.

Polite Society cheered the goose-stepping swastika jockies.
Polite Society applauded the soldiers who indiscriminately slaughtered Native women and children.
Polite Society supported the cops for killing scary "Brown People" who dared venture to the "good side of town", or those cops who turned a blind eye to the freelance bullies who did it.

The news media of the day reflected this support, and probably did more than its share of creating it.

Today, it hasn't really changed one bit. Even if the bullies and their victims change a little depending on time and place, the story has always been the same.

If you want to be a part of Polite Society, you worship government's thugs unconditionally.
"Without them, there'd be ANARCHY!"
"Rough men, doing rough things, so you can sleep sound at night."
And other silly platitudes.

How about the truth: bad guys, initiating force and theft, unhinging actions from consequences, making you less safe- but fooling you into believing you'd be in danger without them agitating desperate people to strike against you and yours.

See, this is why I am not welcome in Polite Society.

I want to be seen as a nice guy, not as a jerk. But, if accepting theft and aggression is necessary for that, the price is just too high.

Cops ARE scum. As are politicians, copsuckers, and everyone else who supports the State.

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Government working as designed

(My Clovis News Journal column for June 10, 2016)

I'm sure you've noticed, but this seems to be an exceptionally angry presidential election cycle. More than usual, those who hate the candidates are setting the tone, rather than those who support them. Just about everyone who cares passionately for one or the other seems to be behaving like a rabid animal.

People don't simply have a preference; they may like their candidate- or not- but they hate or fear the other candidates beyond all reason. Some then act on this hatred and fear.

Is this how elections are going to be from now on?

If you don't agree with the other candidate, use logic and reason to counter his (or her) claims. Or if that's too hard, use simplistic emotion to manipulate agreement. Whatever you do, don't use aggression. If you attack his supporters with fists, rocks, or eggs, you're admitting you can't come up with anything rational, so you are striking out like an impulsive child.

When the best advertisement for a candidate is those who oppose her (or him), perhaps it's time to look in a mirror. It's self-defeating behavior. It would be discouraging if I expected better of those who play politics.

Presidents are largely figureheads. If you look to them as role models, you are grasping at straws. No one who seeks political office-- the power to rule others-- should be your hero, ever. The particular person in office matters less than does the existence of the dangerous office.

I oppose all candidates and the offices they seek, on principle, so I don't have a horse in this race. If I did, seeing how voters act would put me off of elections for at least this year, and probably drive me away from them forever. Why would I want to be associated with a ritual which inspires such behavior?

But this is what you get when you allow someone power which was never meant for a person-- the power to tell others how they are permitted to live, and what they are required to do with their life and property. Only bad people will seek that kind of power, so only bad people will gain it.

Don't be surprised or disappointed at the outcome. The system is working just as it was designed to work; the only possible way it can work. In every election, only government wins. It's nothing to get angry about. It's something to recognize and refuse to be a part of. Are you brave enough?

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Government "solutions"

When I see governmental approaches to anything, this is what I see:

"It sure is hard to get the ball to stay on the tee!
It must just be impossible."

I see people turning things upside down and making them harder than they really are, by not thinking things through. Actually, by being idiots.

If you still try to fix issues with government, you need to stop, think about what you are doing, and if you still can't figure out you're holding it upside down, walk away from the table. Let others handle it.

You have all you need to solve everything which can be solved, and yet, by invoking theft and aggression, you are making it almost impossible. You are making it worse.

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Consistency

It scares and confuses a LOT of people.

They want you to make exceptions for those they worship.
They want you to make exceptions for State policies and "laws" they like.
They want you to make exceptions for things they choose to not understand.
They simply want and need exceptions to give room for some inconsistent positions.

And, I try hard to not leave room for inconsistencies- but I'm quite sure I'm not perfect.

It won't gain you friends among these people to be consistent. I've known that for a long time.

Although I've seen it for years, it still disappoints me every time I am reminded of it- at least when I see it in people who claim to love liberty. I don't really expect it of statists, since all statism hinges on inconsistency.

Which leads me to something else.

Whenever I find people disliking me for some of my opinions, it inspires me to examine those opinions. It's very possible I am wrong. If I'm unsure about something, I'll let you know (abortion, for example). But as long as I'm sure, I won't be timid about saying so. And my certainty is always provisional; subject to change in the face of new information. But, when I look at their objections and see inconsistencies in their position, as much as I might want to change my views to make them like me again, I just can't do it. I would end up disliking myself. It's not worth the cost.

It bothers me that some people dislike me. It shouldn't, I know. But it does. If I were doing this for popularity, I'm going about it the wrong way. I should be blogging about Minecraft, or comic book hero movies, or the new Pokemon game. But those things are not important to me. Maybe I shouldn't be blogging at all, if I only wanted to be liked.

I'm not one of those who tries to make people dislike me, or gets some sort of validation from it. I have never once thought "everyone hates me, which just proves I'm right!"

And, yet...

That probably explains the drop in page views recently. I had wondered if the tone of my writing had changed after my daughter's tragic death, and was causing readers to drift away. But now I suspect it may be something else more fundamental. And I guess it explains the steady drop in subscriptions and donations over the past few months, too. I know some is due to the economy, but apparently not all. People aren't going to support those they dislike- I wouldn't expect them to, nor would I want them to. It violates the "everything voluntary" position I support. If you want out, now is the perfect time to end your subscription without guilt.

Maybe this is me being consistent again, or maybe this is me being inconsistent, crazy, stubborn, or whatever. I can't accurately judge that from this perspective.

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