I love (actual) science

From Bryan Hyde

First, a little ad to pay the bills-- I really need an infusion of money for some unexpected expenses (on top of the expected ones). PayPal and Venmo are faster, so that would be preferable.
Thank you, and onward to the content.

--

I absolutely love science. I always have. I had a reputation as a mad scientist when I was in school-- I'm not sure if it was deserved, but I did love experimenting (and I don't mean with drugs).

But, this thing being called "science" today isn't science.

Science isn't written on stone tablets. It doesn't get handed down from On High. It isn't based on a person, or even on a particular result. It isn't consensus and it doesn't discourage inquiry. Questioning the current theory is how it advances. Science is never settled, even if some ideas have been so thoroughly falsified it's probably a waste of time to keep trying to make them fit the facts. Or force the facts to fit your wishes. That doesn't mean you can't tweak the ideas that are left after you discard what definitely isn't true if it keeps getting you closer to fitting your good observations. 

Science isn't imposed on anyone and no one gets punished (by anything other than reality) if they don't "believe in" science. You don't have to believe in gravity for it to work on you and cause you to suffer the consequences if you ignore it. No "Bureau of Gravitation" is necessary to punish non-believers.

Science is the process. It is the exploration; the experiments. It is designed to get you closer to understanding reality. It doesn't dictate reality.

Carl Sagan warned us of this type of thing before he died. I suspect he was sure the threat would come from the Right-statists, but it didn't. Not this time. But, again, once you mix in politics of any variety, science is destroyed. His biases prevented even him from thinking clearly about politics.

Just like everything else, once you mix politics with science you no longer have science. You only have politics at that point.

Sometimes if I'm in the library I'll pick up a science magazine; the quality of which has suffered greatly in the past several years. Now politics infuses nearly every article. To the detriment of science.

"Everything is political" only if you foolishly make everything political.

Please don't confuse politics for science. That's how science dies. And that wouldn't be good for any of us in the long run.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund?

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Liberty missing from July 4 holiday

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for July 2, 2023)

I miss Independence Day.

Independence Day was once a celebration of liberty; a tribute to revolution, insurrection, and secession. It has mutated into a day to worship government and its employees. It has become a parody of itself.

Maybe this is why it is more commonly known today as "the Fourth of July". This downplays its anti-government roots and dismisses independence.

Of course, most of this happened before I was born, so what I miss is the idea of an Independence Day I've never really known, at least not in mainstream society. One I celebrate by myself if no one else joins me.

For a watered-down Fourth of July we are distracted with firework displays presented by government, and often told we aren't allowed to independently shoot off fireworks.

We are encouraged to celebrate government employees rather than the people who declared independence by violently defying government and its employees.

Where is liberty in this holiday? It's missing.

No one even notices liberty isn't welcome at the celebration. Perhaps this is because people neither understand nor want liberty.

Why wouldn't people want liberty?

I suspect it's because they are satisfied with freedom. It may also be because responsibility is half of liberty and they aren't interested in that part.

Freedom means doing what you want. If what you want to do fits within what government allows, you are free enough-- you may even incorrectly imagine you are enjoying liberty.

Liberty is the freedom to do everything you have a right to do, regardless of government's opinions on the matter. Liberty is freedom tempered with responsibility-- you only have the responsibility to not violate other people's rights.

Government wants your freedom limited by its rules, instead. This isn't liberty, but is more like being a pet; dependent on the kindness and tolerance of your master. Living only at his whim.

Are most people so attached to government that they aren't interested in liberty? It seems so. Liberty and political government are completely incompatible. Government can allow a certain amount of freedom to exist, but liberty is an all-or-nothing deal. Liberty can't be restrained by government rules without being destroyed. There is no liberty when government is allowed to exist. Most people apparently love Big Brother and his false promise of safety more than liberty.

Not me. I have no use for Big Brother. I love liberty and I miss Independence Day.

-

Consider subscribing or donating.

I couldn't do this without your support.

Real "Gun crimes" are committed by government

First, a little ad to pay the bills-- I really need an infusion of money for some unexpected expenses (on top of the expected ones). PayPal or Venmo are faster, so that would be preferable. Thank you, and onward to the content.

--

Every single gun "law" is unconstitutional. Every one of them, from 1934's National Firearms Act, to the Gun Control Act of 1968, to whatever new rule gets imposed next year. Or 100 years from now. They are all unconstitutional in every detail.

Examples? Rules against machine guns, rules imposing background check requirements and Form 4473, forcing gun sellers to get government Federal Firearms Licenses and keep records of sales, saying who can (and can't) manufacture weapons or what kind, any rule that allows a cop to take your gun when others wouldn't have the right to do so. No one has the right to disarm anyone who isn't posing a credible threat at this moment. There is no such thing as a constitutional "law" concerning restricting weapons for individuals. Not even one example. 

Either the courts agree or the courts are wrong. That's just the way it is.

Maybe the "justices" are cowards or maybe they are crooks who want to ensure government power, but either way, they are wrong. The same goes for the quisling surrender-monkeys of the NRA who repeatedly sell out gun owners in exchange for a place at the table and a pat on the head by the political criminals (including police) they fawn over.

The right to own and to carry weapons doesn't come from the Constitution-- the Constitution simply recognizes a right that has always existed everywhere and made it a crime to violate that right.

The Second Amendment doesn't "apply" to guns; it restricts what government is allowed to do. And restricting guns or other weapons in any way is completely off the table. Long guns, short guns, sawed-off guns, braced pistols, semi-automatic, fully-automatic, metal projectile or plasma blast, suppressed, with any attachment, in any configuration. Bullet types, feeding device capacity or function, caliber, construction method or material. detectability or invisibility, "silencers", or any alteration to any of the same. Government is prohibited from expressing an opinion, in legislation or by rule, on weapons owned and/or carried by the population. Including inside government facilities. Point to where the Second Amendment makes an exception when some government employee somewhere is scared or thinks it is a "common sense" policy.

If the courts allow any such anti-gun rule to stand, the courts are wrong.

There is no wiggle room. There are no exceptions. There is no justification that survives scrutiny. None.

And, as always, natural human rights are superior to any document. Such as the natural human right to own and to carry weapons of any kind, everywhere, without asking government permission, or even letting government know. 

If the Constitution actually permitted any government anti-gun rule (which it doesn't) the Constitution would be wrong. Just as it is wrong when it "authorizes" taxation. Government can't be "authorized" to violate rights. No one, and no collective, can be.

The anti-gun bigots (in government, in government's corporate media, or freelance) will lie, argue, and try to shame us, They will make up historical "facts" to prove their case. They are forced to lie to prop up their side because the truth isn't with them. They will cherry-pick statistics, or point to what other governments have done and gotten away with. They will cry and get melodramatic over the innocent deaths their anti-gun/anti-defense policies guarantee, and try to blame the people who didn't do it. Their crocodile tears don't sway me. They are the villains. No matter if they have good intentions and really believe they are right. It is never right to violate the rights of individuals. I don't care about a villain's opinion on what I should be "allowed" to do. I am not government property. The lowest individual is superior to any government employee or agent. Governments have no rights; only individuals do. And the "right" to violate the rights of individuals doesn't exist... it can't exist. Government thugs can believe otherwise, but it won't change the truth.

The power to commit evil and get away with it doesn't prove the evildoer is in the right. It just proves that sometimes evil has power.

If you run across any anti-gun bigot doing what they tend to do, feel free to copy and paste any part of this to tell her to jump in a lake. It won't change her mind, but maybe some onlookers will see it and be empowered to resist her lies and calls for enslavement.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Liberty under attack

First, a little ad to pay the bills-- I really need an infusion of money for some unexpected expenses (on top of the expected ones). PayPal or Venmo are faster, so that would be preferable. Thank you, and onward to the content.

--

What particular facet of liberty is most under attack right now?

It's hard to say. I'd be interested to hear what you think.

Censorship is rampant, although it has largely been handed off to government's corporate co-conspirators. Plausible deniability and all that.

Taxation is out of control— property rights of all kinds are unpopular with the governing crowd. And "taxation" includes the counterfeiting operation at the Federal Reserve that steals your money through inflation.

It's hard to think of any human right that isn't being regulated, licensed, and prohibited to the point where you risk your life exercising it-- and the ability to exercise your rights (all of them) is the essence of liberty.

Statists HATE (and fear) liberty and those who understand and value it.

Still, if you’ve seen even a fraction of the stuff government is pulling to try to disarm you and me you’ll understand why I think the natural human right to own and to carry weapons may be the liberty most under assault in today’s authoritarian world. It-- along with the liberty to speak freely-- is probably the right that scares authoritarian rulers the most. Speech, though, is no real threat to their power if no one has the power to do anything about it other than talk. They no longer care if you know they are crooks and tell others. Why would they? What they fear is that someone might actually do something to knock over their pedestal.

So, the crooks sneak anti-gun rules into "must pass" bills. Ignoring that there's no such thing as a bill that "must pass". They must all fail if liberty is to survive. 

They get their henchmen-- both government employed and freelance-- to parrot their latest narrative about how bad guns are, and how they are too dangerous to allow mere people to have them. 

They allow the criminals of the BATFE to make up new rules which clearly and obviously violate the Second Amendment and violate the natural human right to own and to carry weapons in various ways. 

When the rules are struck down, they just impose a new one that does the same thing and enforce it until it gets tossed out, too. And there are no consequences for doing so. Things that humans have always had a right to do-- such as build your own weapons, sell, and trade weapons, carry weapons, and modify your weapons-- are turned into "crimes" for the benefit of the crooked thugs with power.

I don't think there is anything that illustrates how much government hates liberty as the desperation with which they are trying to get your guns. Guns seem to be the canary in the coal mine, and the older I get the more I see it.

It won't be easy to change course, but it is essential.

The BATFE must be destroyed. The NFA, GCA (including "The Hughes Amendment") must be burned to ashes. The FBI needs to be stomped to dust. Every single government rule concerning weapons must die a painful death. Otherwise, liberty is probably done. "The public" won't care and will probably cheer because only people with bad intent care about liberty and their rights. And the NRA will just keep saying you need to donate to them so they can keep up a fight they apparently don't care to win.

It's frustrating if I let myself dwell on it.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund?

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

"Justice system" blowing on their own house of cards

First, a little ad to pay the bills-- I really need an infusion of money for some unexpected expenses (on top of the expected ones). PayPal or Venmo are faster, so that would be preferable. Thank you, and onward to the content.

--

I DO NOT support anti-gun bigot politician Donald Trump. Do you want to tempt me to support him? Keep trying to get him.

As much as I hate Hilary Clinton personally I would see anyone indicting her over and over as a crooked idiot. (But she's an Untouchable, so this will never happen in the real world.) I would be tired of the nonsense and I would want it to stop. This kind of vendetta would just make me hate the prosecutors as much as I hate her (which is an immeasurably high amount).

If Charles Manson had been found "not guilty", and a determined prosecutor kept finding new charges to bring against him because he "had to" be found guilty so he could be locked up forever, I would feel the same way. Being crooked for a "good reason" is still wrong.

The Department of Justice is the villain; a bigger threat than any individual bad guy.

I realize the motivation in this specific case is to stop Trump from becoming president again, and they don't think they can prevent it without doing this sort of thing (cheating) to tip the scales in their favor. When you don't have a candidate you think can win without tilting the playing field, you tilt the playing field. However you can.

I don't think they realize-- but maybe they do-- that they are making Trump's fans rally behind him with this constant legalistic harassment. They make him look like a victim of a corrupt system. Which he is, but so is everyone else and this just shows how corrupt the system has become. Long term, it's going to hurt the supposed credibility of their corrupt system. Maybe more than it can recover from.

So on second thought, maybe this is just what is needed to collapse the whole house of cards and get everyone to see how illegitimate it really is. In that case, make Trump a martyr and keep on trying to get him. It would be worth it.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

They HATE liberty and they are plotting against you

Somehow-- and I suppose it's because my email address appears with each of my newspaper columns-- I got on the press release email list for regional journalists. The press releases these various groups choose to send to journalists shock me with their intense evil.
And they are apparently proud of what they are advocating!

Never do I get a press release from one of these groups defending liberty. Not from "the Left" nor "the Right". Nope. It's all about how their group is plotting to violate someone's rights in some way. And they are looking for co-conspirators to stand with them.

At this time, or maybe it's because the majority of these press releases come from New Mexico groups, it's mostly Left-statists doing the plotting. Although, the vast majority of the press releases I get from Texas are also from Left-statists plotting to violate someone somehow. I'm a little surprised by that.

I also get press releases from "official" state offices. I just got one such press release from the official prohibitionist ("Regulation and Licensing Department") in New Mexico announcing that they have, under threat of violence, shut down a Cannabis store for selling products imported from another tax farm and manufacturing extracts without the "proper license".
Against my better judgment, this time I sent a reply simply telling them they are evil.

I have removed myself from some of the lists, but not all of them. It's good to know what the enemies of liberty are plotting, but too many such emails gets overwhelming. And depressing.

They HATE your liberty. They are plotting to take it from you, whatever it takes.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Hatred and bigotry based on nothing

One thing I've encountered on the alternative social media sites that I didn't see on TwiXer is real bigotry against Jews and black people. I mean, some really nasty stuff; similar to what I saw against gun owners from the anti-gun bigots on TwiXer. Some from people using (and soiling) the name "libertarian". I guess I have led a sheltered existence since I really haven't been exposed to this sort of thing.

I just don't get hatred against people based on their circumstances of birth.

If you're going to hate someone, hate those who deserve it: people who make a choice to violate others. Hate what someone does, not who they were born.

It's ridiculous to hate Jews, blacks, or Russians since they aren't doing anything to you by existing. They were merely born, and that tells you nothing about what each of them, as an individual, is doing. They couldn't change who they are if they wanted to, and why would they?

Rapists, police, and muggers, on the other hand, are in the group they are in by choice-- a group categorized by the things they do. Things they continue to do. They could make the choice to stop and make amends for their past violations, but they rarely do. 

If you need to direct hate at someone, they are begging for it by choosing to violate others. Still, hate their actions, not who they otherwise are.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Cops-- Worse than useless and only wanted by the irresponsible

Police are worse than useless in a society of responsible people. Only the grossly irresponsible see a need for police, since they've been convinced they can't handle situations themselves. 

Of course, the argument could be made that we live in a failed society populated with grossly irresponsible people. I wouldn't disagree too hard. The acceptance of cops among us makes the point.

Cops encourage this lack of thinking-- it secures their theft-funded "jobs". It's why they are enthusiastic to molest people who've dealt with bad guys themselves. "Job" security for a "job" that has no business existing.

Even if there were no police, only private security, I probably wouldn't hire them anyway. I have never seen a use for them. They only make bad situations worse by their presence. Investigators are a completely different situation. Give me a Sherlock Holmes, not a Lestrade-- and let me hire one for myself if I need one.

You can hire as many as you want and can afford-- just don't expect your neighbors to foot the bill for something they have no desire for and decide they can't afford.

However, there would be one huge improvement if society made the switch to private security-- I doubt that private "cops" would lurk around looking to cause trouble like real, government-employed cops do today.

If your job has to be funded coercively-- through taxation-- it's not an ethical job. Ethical people (who've realized the situation) don't accept such jobs.

I do my best to avoid places where cops are loitering, watching everyone and looking to start something. I found myself in such a place over the weekend, and I didn't stay long. I have no desire to be around loitering gangs of Blue Line Mafia thugs.

Almost worse than the cops are the people who fawn over them. What are they lacking that they feel the need to lick the boots? Sick, sick people.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Bad guys shouldn't ruin our fun

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for June 25, 2023)

It frustrates me that we so often allow the worst people among us to dictate how we live our lives. We arrange society according to their whims and behavior. I'm not only speaking of traditional politicians but of freelance bad guys like those who caused the Draggin’ Main “Saturday Night Cruise” event to shut down early.

Recently, a shooting incident between motorcycle gang criminals in Red River, New Mexico caused officials there to end their Memorial Day weekend Motorcycle Rally early as well. They later announced the incident has put a permanent end to the event.

It's time to stop letting bad guys steal our fun, whoever they are and however they interfere. Shutting down events because people who won't control themselves cause problems lets them "win". It doesn't stop them from doing the things they do. They are who they are and they don't change to suit you. Catering to their lack of civility only interferes with everyone else's plans and enjoyment.

Enough!

You are allowing them to rule you as surely as if they were holding an elected office.

I'm still convinced good people vastly outnumber bad people. Stop letting a disgusting-- and frankly, worthless-- minority direct society and establish which rules the rest of us will be subjected to.

I get it, though. Officials are probably scared. Scared of what might happen once you've been reminded that bad things happen randomly and arbitrarily. They're afraid to not be seen taking decisive action of some sort-- even it it's utterly useless. Canceling events won't prevent bad things from happening. It's always too late to shut the barn door by the time something has happened. It's pointless anyway.

Neither is this a justification for not scheduling events at all.

If you are an official, don't end the whole event for everyone. Don't surrender to your knee-jerk reaction to shut things down at the first sign of trouble. Those who are scared are free to leave. Give those who aren't frightened away the option of going on with it. Yes, it's "at your own risk", but that's true for everything about life. Some of us only pretend otherwise until we are reminded.

Each of us is always, one hundred percent of the time, completely responsible for our own safety. Nothing can change this apparently uncomfortable truth. It's an inescapable part of being human. Embrace it and move forward with life.

-

Consider subscribing or donating.

I couldn't do this without your support.

The cheap substitute for Liberty

I prefer authentic Liberty over Stars and Stripes© Brand artificially-flavored, reduced-calorie Freedom™.

I always have and I always will.

If you don't understand the difference you may be confused by that statement. 

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

"Wait 'til Mom and Dad hear about this!"

I know Twitter wasn't watching everything I posted, waiting for an excuse to ban me. That means some Twitter user had to report me to Twitter so they'd notice and ban me. What kind of person does that?

Can you imagine being so weak and useless that you'd run to tattle on someone for something you read online?

I'll bet you can't. Neither can I.

I have never reported anyone for something they wrote. Not once. I've never been tempted to-- not even as a joke over some politician's online threats to use government violence against innocent people. I can't even imagine being that pathetic.

But there must be a lot of those useless people out there.

Moving on.

I have joined Gab and Truth Social. No promises on how active I will be, or if they'll fall by the wayside like so many other social media groups I'm an inactive member of.

That will depend on how easy they are to use, how much engagement I get and give, and whether they can grab my interest.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Bland people spreading blandness

Some people are just bland; gray, formless, and without flavor. That's fine. Not everyone needs to be a colorful character.

But, there's a certain percentage of these bland people who spend a lot of time and effort trying to drive others to blandness. They'll belittle, shame, and use "reasons" why someone is ridiculous for not being as bland as they are. 

Oh, they'll never use the word "bland", of course.

There are others, who aren't so bland, who seem threatened by anyone else who isn't bland. I guess they fear they won't stand out if others feel free to have some color. So they discourage it.

They'll discourage you from thinking outside the box they approve of. They'll insist you do things the way they've decided are the right way-- usually "right" without reasons they can explain. They'll use pragmatism, "society", and outcomes as justification. They'll call anyone who doesn't agree with them an NPC (even if that would equally describe themselves) or say you are thinking badly.

Go ahead and listen to their arguments, but don't be bullied into accepting them without thought.

There are some benefits to blandness. "The Gray Man" is a smart tactic. But scolding others for not being bland is a weak person's approach.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

My unforgivable Twitter Crime revealed

The above tweet, which got me "permanently suspended" (banned from Twitter forever), was in response to the video of climate protesters blocking an ambulance from taking a baby to the hospital.

Others in that same thread were saying the protesters needed to be dragged from the street and have other violence perpetrated on them. The guy I responded to said they needed therapy, not violence directed against them.

I don't disagree that they need therapy-- once you've taken care of the immediate threat they pose.

Apparently, that is an unforgivable crime on Twitter. There must have been dozens of perma-bans resulting from that thread, if the twits were consistent.

My case was "reviewed" and I was told in clear terms I am banned forever, and any new accounts I try to make will be immediately suspended as well. I am just too toxic for Twitter. My views on this blog have dropped to 2/3 of what they normally were before the ban. Maybe you could share my posts and help make up the difference if you think it matters.

I stand by what I said. It was true, ethical, and I'm NOT going to lie to stay safe. 

It's a terrible world if the twits don't understand the difference between violence (ethically neutral) and aggression (ethically wrong) and will punish you for the former. Defense of life, liberty, and property is going to be discouraged by those with power in any way possible. To what end?

Yes, Twitter, I do think you got it wrong. Or worse. I would be ashamed to be you, siding with the protesters in this case, and against people actually trying to help others. You've picked your side and shown us exactly where you stand. It doesn't look good.

It makes me wonder, how long until I'm banned from blogging here and at my backup? Banned from PayPal and other sites I rely on for money to survive-- including my bank? Just because I hold opinions my "masters" don't like-- and express them in public.

I kinda hate this sick "society" right now.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

He's telling you what he'd do to you

If someone indicates they don't consider theft to be wrong, wouldn’t it be smart to think they’ll probably steal from you at the first opportunity?

A guy who called himself a "post scarcity anarchist" seemed to be arguing in favor of chaos and nihilism-- property destruction, beating people, and riots, specifically. He defended the actions because "anarchy is lawless".

Obviously, I believe he is accepting the state's misdefinition of "anarchy" as chaos and is confusing legislation for law. As well as hiding his personal nihilism behind the word "anarchist".

As an aside, I've seen an awful lot of self-described "anarchists" lately advocating in favor of taxation and "policy" (backed by enforcement) and other things that require a coercive government. And democracy. So the problem isn't uniquely his.

But when someone doesn't reject theft, or even encourages it, I'm going to assume they are willing to steal. If they are willing to steal, where will they draw the line? What are they not willing to steal? My money, my car, and my house seem to be on the table. Will he stop before stealing my life? Can I be sure about that?

When someone tells you who they are, believe them. Even if the words they use to describe themselves and their philosophy are not the words you'd use. Regardless of the definitions, take them at their word when they let you know what they are willing to do to you.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Twitter X-ed me again

My Twitter account has been suspended without explanation right at the dawn of Twitter becoming "X".

Supposedly I violated the Twitter/X rules again, but this time they didn't tell me which tweet offended their sensibilities. Or, the way it was stated it may just be the totality of everything I do there.

I think it's possible it was a glitch stemming from their branding switch, since I can't think of anything I've done recently-- and it happened overnight so it couldn't have been today's blog post.

It's also possible one of the anti-gun bigots, pro-slavery/tax people, or one of the communists I've been interacting with got offended and reported me. But I never said anything threatening to them. We may never know.

I appealed and asked which rule I violated. They may or may not answer. Maybe I should have included "...so I'll know whether to go ahead and move to Threads". They'd probably know I'm not serious about that, though.

I get a lot of blogging inspiration from Twitter. Otherwise, I'd just let it go. 

The volatile nature of the platform means I can't make friends there, since the people I like get banned, suspended, and vanish too frequently to form attachments. There are several people who disappeared like this just as I was getting to know them, and right in the middle of conversations. That limits how useful I find the platform, and how much I like it, in a major way. That may be hurting Twitter's business model more than they realize.

Here’s the message I got: 

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

If I were an FFL...

This isn't advice or a suggestion, because that would be wrong of me; just a thought experiment about what I would do in certain situations. The criminals of the fedgov would say doing this would be "illegal".

But if you have nothing to lose, who gives a wooden Biden?

If I were an FFL (a holder of a Federal Firearms License) and I was terminally ill or wanted to purposely end my earthly existence, I would burn every 4473 (as well as all other ATF/FBI forms) in my possession-- physical or digital.

I would do the same if I knew the bATFe was about to commit a raid on me and I was probably going to be arrested anyway. If I were going to be completely ruined, I might as well be doubly ruined. 

This is the problem with making up draconian punishments for non-crimes-- you lower the mental bar for going ahead and doing actual useful non-crimes that they also criminalize. And destroying incriminating records the state can use against people is useful. And good and right.

Just like if the punishments for having a semi-auto firearm are the same as for having a full-auto, some people are going to go ahead and get a full-auto. And why not? There's really no downside. I pointed out this reality decades ago, and now we see this exact thing happening in Chicago, etc. with "Glock switches" and such.

We all know the fedgov illegally keeps a registry, but there's no reason to leave those records lying around if there's nothing left to lose. Force them to show they've got the illegal registry. Let them incriminate themselves for a change. It probably won't make a difference, but it's good ammunition to have in reserve.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Trump prosecution petty, vindictive

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for June 18, 2023)

I'm no fan of former president Donald Trump. I'm also no fan of those who keep trying to prosecute him. It's a stale rerun no one cares about; no one other than those who keep trying to sell it as something new. It's past time to move on.

They won't. Is it an obsession or a vendetta? It appears to be both.

His main crime, of course, is keeping their Anointed One-- Hillary Clinton-- out of the White House. Even if they deny it, I'll always believe this is why they can't get over Trump.

They were so positive she would win, completely unaware of how unpopular she has always been with the regular people of the country, that they had to explain her defeat in a way that didn't look like her fault. So, they made up the Russian collusion hoax followed by other hoaxes; whatever they could get enough people to believe. It worked.

The never-ending chain of indictments is simply another tactic they're using to hurt him if they can. They've made up other justifications, but I'm not buying them.

The least believable justification for their vendetta is a desire to seek justice. The pursuit of Trump isn't about justice. If it were about justice Joe Biden would be on the docket, too.

All politicians, especially all who end up as president, do things I consider crimes. Joe Biden credibly appears to be the head of an actual crime family. If those who keep trying to "get" Trump really cared about crimes committed by politicians, or about justice, they wouldn't be so biased in their focus. Of course, his pursuers are also criminals in my eyes, so maybe it's in their self-interest to keep the public distracted with Trump Indictment Theater.

While Trump's defeat of Clinton was the trigger, setting all this prosecution (and persecution) in motion, the fuel keeping the clown show going is their obvious desperation to make sure Trump can't become president again. To make it so he can't even run for office if possible.

They'd prefer to have the voters accept the criminal they choose, rather than the one they've spent so much effort trying to take off the field.

I suppose they believe if they keep hammering away at Trump, they'll eventually succeed in getting him convicted of something. Maybe. Mostly what they've managed to accomplish is making themselves look petty, vindictive, and pathetically political.

-

How about subscribing or donating?

I couldn't do this without your support.

Living in enemy territory

You are living in enemy territory. Behind enemy lines. Whether you're in California, Texas, or Cuba. Even if this wasn't always the case, it is now. I know it's an uncomfortable thing to face, especially if you want to be a friendly, open person.

Your liberty is illegal, unpopular, and seen as a threat to those who seek to appease the enemies who occupy your territory. Same with your life and property if you decide to defend them from those who'd take or destroy them. Some of the people around you are happy to work with your enemies to help them destroy you.

If you are really lucky, you have family and friends who'll be on your side. To help you keep the enemies at bay. If not, enemy territory is going to feel more claustrophobic and lonely than you'd like.

What are you going to do about it? You probably shouldn't tell me over the internet.

It's a problem.

I don't have a solution. 

You can pretend this isn't true; that I am being hyperbolic. I suspect this is how most people cope with the situation.

You can try to go along to get along. Maybe they'll eat you last. 

You can join the enemy as a mole or monkeywrencher, either buying time from the inside or working to foil their plans. But at risk of losing yourself in the process.

You can speak the truth and make them mad-- taking your chances. 

You can be silent and as invisible as possible while carving out your own little hovel of liberty in the midst of those who want to destroy you. Until you are discovered.

Any approach is going to have upsides and downsides-- and you don't have to stick to only one method.

If you don't at least recognize that you live in enemy territory... I don't know what to say to you.

-

Could I get some love for my surgery fund? 

Or PayPal?

Thank you!

Taxation is unambiguously unethical

Taxation is archation. Taxation is theft, extortion, and slavery. My "need" or "want" doesn't make it right to tax you. Nothing can make taxation ethical; if your morality justifies taxation, your morals are worthless.

I can't believe the people who try to justify taxation.

One guy told me that taxation to pay for insulin is OK because people will die! without it. I asked if he would voluntarily pay for other people's insulin, without being taxed. He deflected. I asked again. He responded "I do pay voluntarily, but I am only one person, and pharmaceutical companies rip people off. When there are matters of life and death, I want my government to fix it."

Ouch! "my government"! The statist's most ignorant phrase! Anyway...

I told him, "Government empowers the pharmaceutical monopoly. By supporting government you are killing people who need life-saving medicines." Not to mention government is the worst mass murderer in the entire history of the planet, and he imagines it will save lives because it is so compassionate.

I should have asked how many strangers' insulin he's currently buying for them directly. I bet I know the precise number without him telling me.

I and another person tried to explain to him that (imagining you are) buying something with taxes is inefficient (at best). Most of the tax money only goes to support the bureaucracy and infrastructure of the state (and pay the interest on Congress' debt). Only a vanishingly tiny portion ever goes toward anything useful, like insulin. He doesn't care and isn't going to listen, because he loves "his" government and he loves stealing YOUR money for things he wants.

People who support taxation and government are quick to ridicule freedom (and ignore liberty)-- he characterized it as loving "muh freedumbs". They are horrible people. But, by advocating in favor of taxation-- theft, extortion, slavery: archation-- they are telling you exactly who and what they are.

-

Could I maybe get a little attention for my surgery fund? 

Thank you!

I'm not kidding

There are times when my frustration with my species nearly overwhelms me.

When people who believe they are well-educated, and who mistake that for intelligence, call for medicines to be free. They dig in when you point out they are advocating slavery-- then they get busy building straw man after straw man, imagining they've won the debate. Ignorant clowns.

When these same people (it's nearly always the same people) believe that banning guns would actually make society safer. And that government would never use this imbalance of power against them or their family and friends.

When others believe they can be fans of the Constitution while demanding the government unconstitutionally "secure the borders". Or keep fighting a War on Politically Incorrect Drugs. Or keep up a standing military and militarized police.

And when, no matter what legislative crimes these political buffoons commit-- such as making up anti-gun rules-- they aren't held accountable. Their crimes are allowed to stand as "law", until, or unless, someone strikes them down. In which case, they'll just change the wording and do it again and not even get a slap on the wrist. Liberty delayed is liberty denied. Those who deny liberty are evil.

You might think I'm joking when I say "Politics makes people stupid". I'm not. I'm dead serious. And it's going to have terrible consequences.

Are you preparing to survive and thrive under those consequences? If not, why not?

-

Could I maybe get a little attention for my surgery fund? 

Thank you!