Liberty needs constant maintenance

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for December 10, 2023)

It would be nice if you could set liberty in motion and forget about it. Unfortunately, like a clock, you will at least have to keep winding it or replacing the battery. Or, if it has a cord, you must rely on someone else to keep the power flowing.

As long as others insist on keeping government around, liberty will have to be maintained. Some consider this a flaw. I wonder if these people took one shower years ago and expect it to last.

Entropy happens. Things tend to crumble over time because there are many more ways for anything to go wrong than to go right. There are many ways to violate liberty and one way to experience whole liberty. Each little violation of anyone's rights is a chip or a crack in the edge of liberty.

This damage needs to be fixed by someone. Defend your own liberty and fix the violations you experience. It's also necessary for you to be vigilant for damage to others.

There are ways to approach liberty, even if intentions are good, which aren't helpful.

If liberty is like a finely crafted watch, government is like a hammer. They are natural enemies.

You don't keep a watch running in good order by repeatedly hitting it with a hammer. Even a child's hollow plastic hammer isn't helpful, although it may not do any real damage. The bigger and heavier the hammer gets, and the harder it is swung, the more damage it does to the watch. Don't ask how I know.

Many people seem to believe they are helping liberty by being part of the hammer collective by joining the military, holding a government job, or entering politics. They are helping create a bigger hammer, or helping swing it at the watch face, but they are not helping the delicate internal mechanisms of liberty.

They are causing the damage those who understand and respect liberty will need to repair. Repair is easier if you can convince people to stop hitting it, but you can't wait until they grow up and understand before you start doing your part.

Any time you see someone damaging liberty, step in and do your best to fix it. You'll probably be wasting your time trying to talk them out of their actions, but there's always something you can do. Do what you can. The future of human liberty depends on you.

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Also, this

It's still a crime gang

If a crime gang pays a caring person to feed homeless puppies, it’s still a crime gang.

If a crime gang gives food to people, helps them pay their bills, offers "protection", schools their children, and feeds homeless people, it's still a crime gang. Even if it calls itself "government".

Not everything a crime gang does has to look like crime. But if it gets the money for these "services" through theft ("taxes") or counterfeiting (the Federal Reserve) it's a crime gang. Everything it does is tainted by that legacy of crime. Even if you want someone to do those things.

Once you see government as just another crime gang, you are seeing reality a little better than most do.

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Ecuador: TSHTF

If "the news" is to be believed, Ecuador is experiencing TSHTF-level chaos. 

Mainly because two gangs-- freelance crime gangs and government-- are fighting each other and the ordinary people are in the crossfire. That's not a situation I would want to be in!

The only thing worse than (freelance) criminals running amok is when government responds to criminals running amok. 

I wonder what the Ecuadoran government does about ordinary people defending themselves from the bad guys. Does it respect this natural human right? Or does it, like all political governments, frown upon such things (even if it sometimes allows people to get away with it on a case-by-case basis)?

Government makes every bad situation worse. In Ecuador and in America.

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The "right" to violate rights

Since you have no right to violate the rights of others, it’s not a violation of your rights to prevent you from violating the rights of others. 

This seems a particularly difficult concept for many people to grasp. I've nearly gotten into fights over this very thing.

And then there's politics.

Much (most?) political activism today seems geared toward demanding the “right” to violate the rights of others. Usually using politics. This makes no sense apart from the fact that politics makes people stupid, and often a little evil as well.

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The appeal of cruelty in entertainment

I don’t like cruelty in “entertainment”. There’s enough cruelty in the real world, and it’s not something that appeals to me. 

I wouldn't ban it (of course). 

It may inspire some unwell people to commit acts they see acted out, but those people would probably find inspiration somewhere no matter what. 

Maybe it provides a necessary outlet for some people. 

And some people enjoy it, even though I can't even comprehend why or how. It is what it is.

I'm not talking about simple violence, either.

I realize mine is a minority opinion. Cruelty in movies is very popular. I know people love it- many “horror” franchises are based on it. But it doesn’t interest me at all. In fact, I actively avoid it.

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Politics is a cancer

It's clear I'm no fan of the political Right or Left. Whichever side is molesting me the most at the current moment gets the majority of my wrath. 

Recently that's mainly been the w0kesters of the Left, but not exclusively. The Right makes a noble effort to be the enemies of liberty, too-- they don't want to cede that ground to the Left too easily.

I'm not too thrilled with political Libertarians when they scold me for being too extreme; to tone it down so Libertarians can win elections. (They give me entirely too much credit.) I get this reaction most often from my newspaper columns.

The common thread in all of this is politics.

When people embrace politics and want to use this tactic to control others through legislation and social manipulation it pits them against everything I value. They don't realize they are the problem; not those who aren't following them off the cliff into the pit of authoritarianism.

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Political prisoners and other victims of government

The recent passing of the anniversary of the January 6th "insurrection" lie-- and thoughts of how many political prisoners are still being held based on that lie-- got me thinking about the various political prisoners held by the US regime.

If you're honest about it, it's a staggering number. They should all be released immediately, and those responsible for caging them need to suffer the consequences of their archation.

In addition to the J6ers, there are all the prisoners of the War on Politically Incorrect Drugs, prisoners of the War on Tools of Defense, and prisoners of the War on Truth. Government is terrified of all those, and more, for good reason.

Some individuals, including Ross Ulbricht, could be counted among the prisoners of all of those last 3 listed atrocities. 

Rather than those all being separate wars, they are just battles in the overarching War Against Liberty being escalated by the political criminals of the US government (and other equally evil governments all over the planet).

There are many times more casualties of those wars than just those actually caged. Millions more have had their lives disastrously impacted, or ruined, in various ways due to government doing what government does. If you don't hate political government yet, shame on you.

Eventually, government is going to lose. All governments fall. Stupid and/or evil people form a replacement. But the replacement will also fall. Because government is a failed religion. Liberty is government's mortal enemy. Just like truth is the enemy of lies.

It's a shame so many individuals have to die on the altar of "authority" in the meantime. Government isn't worth the sacrifice. It's garbage.

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Liberty always a worthy collectible

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for December 3, 2023)

Like almost everyone, there are certain things I like to collect. Kerosene lamps being among my favorites. At one time I only wanted enough oil lamps to light the house in case of a power outage. They are useful to have around, even though power outages are rare.

Then I started liking them just for how they look.

Once I had a lamp for every room of the house, plus a few spares, I realized it was time to stop collecting them. This is when I learned that collecting has an inertia of its own. It's hard to stop collecting something once you've started, even when you know you have enough. It's hard to accept "enough" as even a possibility. I did stop, though. Mostly.

I deny being a hoarder, but I can see how it happens. I understand it and I'm not going to judge.

One thing there can never be enough of is liberty.

As I've pointed out before, since liberty is freedom tempered with responsibility, it's not possible for "too much liberty" to exist. As long as there are political governments, with their twisted view that they have a right or the imaginary authority to limit-- violate-- your liberty, there will never be enough liberty in the world.

Liberty will always be too scarce in this government-haunted world. Scarcity is a good reason to start collecting something.

Liberty isn't like kerosene lamps. It can't sit motionless on a shelf and look nice. It has to be put into action or it ceases to exist at all. Liberty isn't just a word, it has to be an action. To collect it is to live it.

You can collect a little more liberty by doing things you have a right to do whether or not the regional political types want you to. Let their disapproval encourage you.

Maybe your liberty collection includes some free speech to exercise in spite of government's corporate censorship machinery. Speak the truth responsibly, to the best of your ability, but don't let your opinions be silenced.

Perhaps you have a collection of weaponry, and the ability to use it responsibly. Or classic cars which burn a type of fuel government is trying hard to make go away.

It's your liberty. Use it!

Collect liberty for yourself and give a little to those who need a jump-start. It will make the world a better place.

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Free people can't be governed

There are zero politicians in office who actually respect your right to own and carry weapons. They ALL cling to the outdated notion that government can (and should) control who owns what and where they can possess it.

You won’t find one who rejects “red flag” infringements, the NFA/GCA, background checks, FFL licensing, “gun free zones” in their entirety, etc.

Even those who say many of the right things have a big "but".

Maybe they realize they couldn't govern if the people were free. As hard as they work to prevent freedom and liberty it sure looks as if that's what's going on.

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Release him and pay him the bounty he rightfully earned

Once again, I'm behind the curve. I only recently became aware of the story.

If the story about Gypsy Rose Blanchard is true, she should get a refund from government of any of her relatives' tax money, and her boyfriend should have been paid a bounty (taken from "law enforcement" budgets). There shouldn't have been any imprisonment for either of them.

That's IF the story is true, which is never a good bet.

Mentally ill people, like (apparently) her mother, can't be immune from the consequences of their actions, even if they "can't help themselves". If you do something like that to your child, no reasonable person would fault your child for doing whatever it takes to escape your clutches. 

I have a friend who was in less severe, but similar circumstances. She was so scared of her mother, and what she imagined her mother would do to her if she moved out-- even after she had turned 18-- that she stayed in the abusive home for several more years than she should have. Long after she could have walked out without her mom being able to send the cops after her to force her back into the home-- which is what she truly believed would happen. 

So I understand why Gypsy Rose didn't "just leave". She didn't believe she could.

The state, by punishing her and her boyfriend, continued the abuse her mother had been committing. The state owes restitution to them both, and her boyfriend needs to be immediately released from prison.

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Activism corrupts

There are groups out there who I used to support-- and I still reject anyone who seeks to violate their rights-- but then they became politicized "activists" and started trying to dictate the words people used. They ganged up and "canceled"-- with the help of gov/corporations-- anyone who didn't submit to their bullying.

That's one line in the sand where my support ends.

You have a right to do anything that doesn't violate anyone else, but dictating the words others use does violate the equal and identical rights of others; it is not something you have a right to do. 

Freedom of speech is non-negotiable. Censorship is something I will never support.

Basically, as soon as any group gets polluted by activism they start doing things that violate the rights of others and they become the enemy.

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Government forces aren't defensive

I know many people are inclined to "support" the military or the police. Often, due to some govschool brainwashing that makes them believe these government forces are there to protect and defend them.

How silly.

I even see libertarians who can't seem to shake the brainwashing, and express "pride" when a family member takes up arms for The Ancestral Enemy. This hurts!

The military is not defensive. Neither are the police. Both are there only to protect the interests of those who hallucinate a "right" to govern you. This isn't to your benefit.

Any useful thing that either of these government forces do could be done by a normal, armed populace. Voluntarily. No taxation or govthug worship needed. YOU are enough.

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Government's "job" is to...

Government’s "job" is to put up roadblocks to stifle the economy and innovation. 

Government’s "job" is to "get in a man's way".

Government's "job" is to throw its military around to make you less safe.

Government's "job" is to whittle away at your standard of living.

Government's "job" is to counterfeit money.

Government's "job" is to muddle language so you are unable to think clearly or identify reality.

Government's "job" is to make sure you don't have options to escape its reach.

Government's "job" is to make up and enforce legislation that violates your natural human rights and destroys liberty.

Government's "job" is to indoctrinate children and make sure they aren't too educated for its purposes.

Government's "job" is to make you as dependent and helpless as it can get away with.

Government's "job" is to steal from you to make sure you aren't self-sufficient.

Anything else you've been told is "government's job" is a lie. The lies you've been told about the purpose of government should be obvious to you. If not, you'll keep making excuses.

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Welcome 2024

Happy arbitrarily chosen day for beginning a new calendar year!

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Ready for America to be free again

(My Eastern New Mexico News column for November 26, 2023)

How long has it been since you heard someone say "It's a free country"? I used to hear it almost every day. I haven't heard anyone say this for years now. Another thing people no longer say is "This mammoth steak is delicious". No one says either phrase anymore for the same reason. No one is eating mammoth steaks and America isn't a free country.

Sure, if all you want to do is agree with government opinions and be obedient to its edicts, you're still free. A slave is completely free if he wants to be enslaved. This isn't what I want. I want more.

See how free you are, or remain, if you have a difference of opinion with government. Or if you simply won't accept and repeat its lies. The political prisoners of the January 6th protest discovered how unfree America has become. I wasn't surprised. Were they?

The single purpose of Congress is to make up legislation, each word of which chips away a little more of your freedom. If you establish a system explicitly designed to destroy freedom, how long until you have no freedom left?

Can you name anything not regulated by a large number of government rules? I can't think of a single thing. That's not freedom. Even with rules applied to everything, additional rules are constantly piled on top of those already imposed.

What sort of sick person would think this is any type of freedom?

"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." ~ former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani, March 1994

No, Rudy. You couldn't be more wrong. That's authoritarianism-- the opposite of freedom. You either don't understand freedom or you were lying for political reasons.

Freedom is doing anything you want. This is why freedom needs to be tempered with responsibility to result in liberty, not crushed by political authority.

The late author L. Neil Smith had proposed a moratorium on new legislation to last one hundred years; the only thing Congress would be allowed to do in the meantime is abolish laws. It's a good start.

I'm ready for America to be free again; to hear people say "It's a free country" and mean it.

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His claim falls flat

I saw a quote from a “conservative” spokesthing saying that “undecideds” are destroying the country from within.

Of course, his solution is for them all to join his cult.

It must truly suck to be that dishonest or clueless.

I’m not “undecided”; I consciously rejected his kind years ago. I decided. 

It is those like him— political archators— who are destroying everything. I reject them. I choose liberty and ethical behavior instead.

He will never talk me into being like him. He can’t shame me into being evil— as if that’s even a thing. Those who reject his backwardness aren’t the problem. 

I see him and those like him, of any political cult, as the real problem. He’s a loser.

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Accept the solution

It bothers me when people complain to me about a problem, I give them a solution, they don’t like the solution so they ignore it and continue complaining about the problem they now know the solution to. 

If I repeat the solution every time they complain I’m the one who sounds like a broken record. So I don’t. And the complaining continues.

One example I see in my life over and over: someone is driving when the sun is low in the sky and complaining about the sun in their eyes. The sun visor can't be adjusted well enough to shade the eyes without blocking the view too much. I point out that wearing a hat with a brim allows one to subconsciously tilt the head to shade the eyes without blocking the view. But Driver doesn't like hats, so won't listen. The complaining continues for YEARS. The known solution isn't acceptable, but the problem is?

It's not only individuals, but "society" that does this. 

Respecting liberty can solve most problems-- it is already demonstrated. But most people don't want to give up certain things (control, political positions, beloved programs, etc.), so they only want disjointed pieces of liberty that don't offend them. 

It doesn't work like that! So, they'll keep grasping at things they already know won't work and complaining that they don't work because not everyone is on board with the designed failure.

If someone offers an easy, reasonable free solution, but you don't like it, at least stop complaining and suck it up.

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A warning from an enemy

Klaus Schwab— “You have this anti-system movement…There is of course an anti-system which is called libertarianism. Which means to tear down everything which creates some kind of influence of government into private lives.” (link)

Schwab is an evil loser every bit as much as any mass shooter or freelance terrorist. He just uses politics as his "assault weapon".

If a system is based on archation-- which his system is-- it needs to be dismantled and opposed. It doesn't need to be fixed. It needs to be torn down. Destroyed forever and salt poured upon the ruins.

Those who want government to have any influence in your private life are your enemy. They are pro-slavery. They are evil. Klaus is a lot of things, but none of them in any way good or benevolent.

He has laid out his plans for you. You've been warned. Are you going to believe him, or give him the benefit of the doubt?

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Trip to the urologist

I had the ureteral stent removed this morning (Tuesday, Dec. 26). So, it wasn't in my urethra where the scar tissue is, after all.

It was painful, but I feel a lot better now. Finally. So, the kidney stone saga is over, and no one said anything about more stones lurking like they did last time. I hope I don't ever have another one.

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Merry Christmas!

 I hope your day is filled with love and peace.