Busting Liberals’ Second Amendment Chops

I recently tuned my radio to a station known for its liberal programming. While I was tuned-in, a listener who was in favor of gun control called the show to make a statement about how the Founding Fathers didn’t have assault weapons and such, when the Second Amendment to the US Constitution was penned, so those types of weapons should not be allowed in the hands of citizens.

Needless to say, I was about to lose my mind as I was listening to this guy.

I don’t support any type of government, other than self-government, and have no care for government documents, but I feel the need to speak out on this issue.

The reason for the Second Amendment was to make sure the citizens had a way of shaking off a tyrannical government, should the need arise, one day. The Founders never wanted to have to deal with despots and dictators, ever again, so the Second Amendment was their way of saying they had no intentions of ever doing so.

With that in mind, to say that citizens shouldn’t have advanced firepower is completely against the spirit of resistance spelled out in the Second Amendment. To be true to the intentions of that Amendment, the citizens should actually be in possession of greater firepower! They should have the means to beat back anything that government could throw at them! The amendment wasn’t simply about personal, everyday defense from thugs–no matter how hard liberals attempt to frame the debate in those terms.

The reason why this country is on the fast track to ruin is precisely because the People have allowed government to trample this spirit of self-defense–with required gun permits, background checks, gun and ammo bans, etc.–rendering themselves ineffective to stop tyrants and out-of-control government.

It’s time to reverse course; stock up on all the firepower you can acquire, and never let anyone disrupt your peaceful, live-and-let-live way of life. If they come for you, your family or home, get your neighbors together and show them that you aren’t going to allow it.

Self-defense is not terrorism, no matter what the tyrants and their “laws” say.

The Ron Paul Scenario

Let’s imagine, for a moment, that Ron Paul is elected President of the United States–even though we know that voting machines have been shown to be rigged with predetermined outcomes. What then?

I’ve heard some people say that Ron Paul will end all the “bad stuff,” if elected. I’ve heard that he will use Executive Orders to end the Federal Reserve, Department of Education and other “unconstitutional”  agencies and programs (doesn’t go far enough, but would be a good first step). From listening to some of the chatter, some folks are making Ron Paul out to be some kind of Messiah.

Unfortunately, it is not true and those things will never happen.

First of all, Ron Paul doesn’t believe that Executive Orders are Constitutional, so he would never use them. If he did, he would be helping to legitimize the process and open himself up to criticism from his detractors and those who do want to use them (“If you don’t believe they’re Constitutional, why are you issuing them?”), so don’t hold your breath waiting for Ron Paul to use dictatorial “stroke of the pen, law of the land” stuff anytime soon.

Second, even if Ron Paul was elected, he would be overriden by the Legislature at every turn, in the same way that Mark Sanford (former Governor of SC) had around 98% of his vetoes overriden with every new budget. Also, nearly every time Sanford wanted to push through a new idea, eliminate wasteful spending, cut taxes, consolidate agencies or eliminate redundant offices, the State Legislature pounded him from every angle, used the progressive (WIS-TV, The State Newspaper, PBS/ETV, Free Times, etc.) local media to make him look like an idiot for even asking for those things, and then boldly refused to give him what he was asking for–and it was done by both Democrats AND Republicans.

The only reason I could see for The Powers That Be to give–yes, give–Ron Paul the Presidency would be for accomplishing something like eliminating the Electoral College–something the progressives have wanted to do, for decades.

If Paul wins the “Presidential Preference” vote (public vote), the Electors are not bound to cast their votes for the popular choice (the candidate for which the public cast the most votes). If the Electors choose to cast their electoral votes to elect a different candidate, the country will come close to another civil war, with riots in the streets. The cries for eliminating the Electoral College will be heard far and wide, and the People will probably be duped into going along with it–including an increase in police power and presence to control any “civil unrest.” (Not that there should be elections for Masters, in the first place, but you get what I’m saying.)

The end result would be that the Statists have more police power and control, and the Socialist Republic of California has control of every new presidential election.

Remember: No matter who is elected, the State always wins.

In over 200 years of voting, we have only gotten higher (and more) taxes, more regulations, more currency manipulation and wealth destruction, more war, more surveillance (monitoring emails and phone calls, street cameras, tracking our cell phones, etc.), and so much more. Minor “victories,” once in awhile, keep the clueless Sheeple thinking that voting can make a difference, but history shows otherwise, so STOP VOTING! Stop legitimizing the rigged game of politics and keeping it alive! Separate yourself from it, and get “off the grid,” as much as possible.

Personally, I would actually like to see Ron Paul win, for one main reason: When his supporters watch as he is rendered completely ineffective, they will come to realize that voting accomplishes nothing but giving the People more of what they were getting, before. Even Ron Paul, himself, stated that he could “only be so independent.” At that point it will hopefully be easier for supporters of Voluntaryism (http://voluntaryist.com/fundamentals/introduction.html) to share the message of peace, cooperation and real freedom.

So…yay! Ron Paul 2012! Woo-hoo!

Open Letter to Government

To Whom It May Concern:

We constantly hear you say words words like “freedom” and “liberty,” yet your actions show that you have no respect for, or belief in, such things.

You have a group of people that call themselves the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Supposedly, they are working to keep us safe from contaminated foods and fake medicines, but the FDA kills people through such activities as delaying the approval of new drugs, by ten years on average.

How many people have died waiting for your FDA group to allow them to try to save themselves with new treatments? Shouldn’t it be up to the dying person to weigh the risks involved with a treatment that might save his/her life? Seems to me that your lengthy approval process is defeating its stated purpose–or maybe population reduction is your purpose.

In addition to attempts to control, water-down and/or ban dietary supplements altogether (herbal treatments, vitamins, etc.), I see state and federal officials raiding storehouses of natural (non-genetically modified, no pesticides) foods and raw milk. In one instance, alone, 50,000 pounds of unprocessed cheese was ordered destroyed—and for what purpose? I dare say the people seem much healthier than the rest of the Fast Food Nation, so why bother them? To me, it seems more about food control than protection and health.

And how many starving, homeless, malnourished people could 50,000 pounds of cheese fed? Again, your purpose is in question.

If you don’t have the freedom to decide what you will put into your own body, you have no freedom at all–and, obviously, someone else thinks they own you.

The Federal Reserve is a non-governmental corporation that magically creates fiat “money” out of thin air and then loans that created “money” to the US Government. Government then taxes the People to pay the interest on that funny “money.” It’s a brilliant plan for separating the unenlightened masses from their wealth–and it’s absolutely criminal for you to allow it to continue.

Cut all ties to the Federal Reserve. Now.

Instead of listening to what We The People have to say, and meeting our demands, you have spent billions on monitoring our Internet connections; reading what we post on social networking sites; checking what we buy in stores (through loyalty cards and credit/debit card purchases); listening in on our phone calls; tracking us through our cell phones (E911); trying to change (instead of listening to) our opinions, by planting psy-ops operatives in major media outlets; ignoring our letters and phone calls; militarizing the police against us; trying to stop us from peacefully assembling (and attacking us when we do); herding us into out-of-sight “free speech zones”; molesting us at airports in the name of some measure of safety that you cannot truly provide; arresting us for growing our own food; destroying our wealth and employment opportunities through currency manipulation and interference in the marketplace; secretly experimenting on us with drugs, radiation and biological agents; watching us with camera-equipped drone aircraft, and cameras on street corners and in neighborhoods; dumbing us down through the use of regimented education techniques and social promotion; forcing children to submit to having potentially deadly/crippling substances injected into their bodies; genetically-modifying our food, in order to find a way–among other things–to “vaccinate” us through it; instituting plans for civilian internment, and posting ads online for “Internment Specialists”; stopping us on the street to make sure we’ve paid money to the government for certain permissions (free people don’t need permission), and to see if you can extract even more wealth from us once you have us stopped…and that doesn’t even scratch the surface.

You claim that the aforementioned activities are being done in the name of fighting terrorism, but the only real terrorists I’ve ever come into actual contact with are government officials–you folks with nice offices and fancy titles, who get paid for controlling and forcibly extracting wealth from everyone else. If we refuse to comply with your orders, rules, mandates, whims and decrees, we are assaulted, kidnapped and caged. You ridicule us, insult us, steal from us and control us, but when we show our displeasure you arrest us for insulting you. That doesn’t sound like freedom, respect, or being a “public servant,” to me. Animal Farm much?

If you’re supposedly fighting terrorists because they hate our so-called “free” way of life, you can stop fighting and spending our wealth; the terrorists won that battle, a long time ago. If you really think we’re going to believe your nonsense about them bombing us because of our way of life, you’re out of your mind. We’re not as stupid as you seem to think we are–and I’m not convinced that these “terrorists” you speak of (and always at the most opportune times, for government) even exist, in the first place.

The World Trade Center buildings were destroyed on September 11, 2001. Whether or not you had a hand in it, or allowed it to happen, you used it to immediately push through the freedom-crushing PATRIOT Act and institute a Police State and surveillance society, through implementation of the Department of Homeland Security.

The world has seen a “Fatherland” and a “Motherland,” and now we have a “Homeland”–complete with parallels to Nazi Germany. How fitting.

Your  real enemy seems to be The People of the US. A government that has a higher prison population than that of all other countries, combined, cannot claim to be a friend of freedom–or its People.

Government has far outlived any initially-perceived benefit to society (not that there ever was one). It is time to abolish institutionalized slavery–government–and begin to work together for a more prosperous and peaceful coexistence. If humans cannot be trusted with governing themselves, surely they cannot be trusted with governing others–and let’s not forget that you are human, too.

In the famous words of Neo (The Matrix), “I know you’re out there. I can feel you now. I know that you’re afraid; you’re afraid of us. You’re afraid of change. I don’t know the future. I didn’t come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it’s going to begin. I’m going to hang up this phone, and then I’m going to show these people what you don’t want them to see; I’m going to show them a world…without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries, a world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you.”

The Voting Booth – A Suggestion Box for Slaves

“If you don’t vote, you can’t complain” is one of the most ridiculous, illogical statements I’ve ever heard. The only people who rightfully can complain are those who choose not to be a part of the political process.

Many people who have decided not to vote have awakened to the realization that the people they “elect” will be expected to initiate force against their friends, family and neighbors–a criminal activity–and those non-voters have chosen not to be an accessory to crime.

To those who claim to be a part of the “freedom movement,” please understand that you shouldn’t have to band with others to petition ‘Master’ (government) for your freedom. The system’s very nature is to control; that’s what government does. So, to ask people who gravitate to positions of power and control to please not exercise power and control over you is a waste of time–actually, it’s dangerous and counterproductive.

When you cast a vote, regardless of your intentions, you are helping to perpetuate and legitimize the system. By doing so, you are giving other people–typically an unenlightened majority–the opportunity to vote for things with which you disagree. Also, the votes cast may not even be the true results, but as long as masses of people show up to the polls the outcomes can be manipulated fairly easily.

And what has voting gotten you, anyway? Do you have more freedom than you parents enjoyed? How about less taxation? A stronger economy? More opportunities for enterprise and prosperity? More privacy? Less government intrusion into your life?

Every election cycle, we hear the people cry to “Vote the rascals out!” What has that done for the country? It’s given us increased taxation, a destroyed economy, a worthless currency, more surveillance cameras, militarized police, Homeland Security, email and Internet monitoring, cellphone tracking, more required licenses and permits (permission from a pay-off), molestation of our kids and spouses at airports, more checkpoints, more wars, more invasions, more murder, more destruction, more angry world neighbors…and on and on.

Because you voted, this is what you have received–regardless of what you wanted. YOU are the only one who cannot complain, because you enabled it by participating!

Voting doesn’t ensure success, anyway, regardless of the vote total.

I’ve sat through meetings and watched government officials hear 95% of people in a room say “No!” only to watch the officials vote “yes.” They know you’ll just complain to your friends, write an angry letter to the newspaper editor (which probably won’t get printed, anyway), and post an angry status update on Facebook–and then you’ll get over it and forget, because your kid’s soccer game, or going clubbing, is more important than the risk involved with running these officials out of town. As a politician once stated, “You can complain all you want, as long as you pay your taxes.”

The only way to truly bring about change is to STOP VOTING and participating in the system. Operate outside of it, as much as possible. End all support for it. When support is gone, there will be no system left to manipulate.

And Libertarians should take note: Government is borne of an entitlement mentality. Even if you want a “small,” “limited,” or “Constitutional” government (something that has never been and never will be), you are saying that you feel entitled to some government function and you feel that others should be forced to pay for it (taxation). Sorry, but that’s a socialist mindset–certainly not freedom–and it makes you no better than the other socialists (Rs & Ds) who are destroying the country. You all want to steal and spend the wealth of others; you just differ on how much, and where it should be spent.

Break free from the Matrix. Think outside the box. Overcome your conditioning. Be what you want to see in others. And, please, stop helping to perpetuate a slavery system!

(What is government, anyway? Read this and have your eyes opened, further: http://anarchistpov.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/reality-check/ )

Government Gambling Hypocrisy

One thing that really chaps my hide is hypocrisy–especially when government officials are involved.

For instance, I caught part of a recent TV news broadcast that showed where arrests were made over “illegal” video poker machines, in the Columbia, SC area. I fail to see how video games can be involved in crime, but maybe I’m just stupid and need the we-know-how-to-run-your-life-better-than-you-do folks in the SC State Legislature to enlighten me.

When the battle lines were first drawn, opponents of video poker said such things as, “Video poker takes food out of kids mouths, because some people have gambling problems and dump most of their money into these games.” Because of these (unsubstantiated) claims, SC lawmakers outlawed video poker, several years ago. They said, “Gambling is wrong!”

But almost immediately, SC Government unveiled a plan to run a statewide lottery. They named it the “South Carolina Education Lottery,” and vowed to send tons of money raised through ticket sales to the state’s education system, so that most people who don’t really care for gambling would support it–or, at least, turn a blind eye and let it pass. “It’s for the children!” (wink, wink).

What’s the difference between buying lottery tickets and playing video poker? At least with the video game, if you’re good you can play for quite a while on just a few dollars–and, back in the good ol’ days, many people regularly won payouts, until those were made illegal, too.

With lottery tickets, you can blow your whole paycheck, in 5 easy minutes, at a convenience store checkout counter–and then take your chances with odds that show you’re many times more likely to be struck by lightning than win the lottery jackpot. Heck, the computer will even generate numbers for you, so you don’t even have to think!

Government views its statewide, State-run gambling system to be a wonderful thing, but they will restrict charity raffles and send armed officers to bust into the homes of peaceful, little old ladies playing a friendly, private game of poker with a few friends around the kitchen table–again, because “gambling is wrong!” (Yes, busting in on ‘grandma’ actually happened.)

South Carolina legislators and liberal media constantly, and unjustly, also targeted “payday lenders,” because they said people can get caught up in a “cycle of debt.” Personally, I hardly see a $45 charge for a very short-term $300 loan being cause to destroy an entire industry–and the jobs that went with it–especially when the State runs the largest gambling operation, and the banks that the State Government often partners with make millions of dollars in interest and fees. But what do I know, right?

The kicker: While government says “gambling is wrong,” the government-run South Carolina Education Lottery runs commercials advertising a gambling hotline–that’s right, a GAMBLING HOTLINE–for anyone who needs help with a gambling problem.

Am I missing something, here?

Apparently, if something is “wrong” it suddenly becomes perfectly acceptable if government can control it (regulate) and make money from it (taxes, tickets sales, etc.).

Hypocrisy, plain and simple.

Government is like a Casino

In a casino, the odds are stacked against gamblers; the House is going to come out on top, at the end of the day, overall. There are some winners, here and there, but there are many more losers so the casino makes the most money.

Informants are hired to look and act like regular gamblers, in an effort to keep tabs on the regular folks who are gambling. If someone regularly beats the House, and amasses a considerable amount of wealth, the casino is alerted and the goon squad is dispatched to find out why–and possibly (forcibly) eject the person from the premises. Their business model is based on the idea that the House is the only one that should be making any serious money.

It’s the same with government and politics. With electronic voting machines, scare tactics, back-pocket media and an ignorant Electorate the odds are stacked against The People.

Any time a “third” option or activist group mounts a serious challenge to the Establishment Parties (RepubliCrats), the attack-dog media outlets go to work to discredit the candidate and cast doubt in the minds of voters: “It’s a wasted vote,” “People who associate with that group must be hate-filled or racist,” or “If you don’t vote for our candidate the [other "major" Party candidate] will win!” It’s all about dividing, conquering and advancing agendas through compromise and fear–and making sure no alternative can gain any type of ground to upset the balance.

And don’t get me started on the widespread ballot access laws, reporting mandates, contribution caps, etc. that seriously hinder any “third party” upstarts, but don’t really do much to hinder the “major” Parties who are already large and powerful. To me, it’s akin to the lopsided tax on the Southern states that led to the Civil War.

Infiltrating one of the other Parties– to try and win an election, based solely on the fact that some (idiots) blindly push an “R” or “D” button at the polls, without even knowing who the candidates are–will get you nowhere, either, because those Parties carefully vet their members and candidates. If you don’t play along with the Good Ol’ Boy game, you will never even make it through the nomination process. (Ron Paul is a good example of how these groups will cannibalize their own, if their agendas are threatened.)

By now, you’ve probably heard reports and seen evidence of vote tampering on electronic voting machines–everything from vote totals being switched, artificially casting votes for one candidate based upon the votes received by the opposition, etc. There is even video footage of a chimp hacking one of the machines. To put it all in perspective, Russian dictator Josef Stalin once said, “It’s not the people who vote that count. It’s the people who count the votes.”

With all of those things stacked against you–those who want real change and real freedom–why do you continue to try and work within the system to try and change it?

I guess it’s like playing the lottery, even though a player is more likely to be struck by lightning–twice–than win the jackpot.

And the local government council meetings, where “public input” is permitted–but usually at no more than 2 or 3 minutes per person–are just dog and pony shows, too. Listening to the citizens is just a formality to most of these people, and necessary to keep you thinking that you actually have a voice in government proceedings, so you don’t rebel.

I’ve seen too many meetings where citizens packed the house, and overwhelmingly disapproved of a certain measure that was up for a vote, only to watch their local officials completely ignore the voices of the People and approve it, anyway. It was almost comical to watch these officials pay little attention to what the People had to say, knowing how they were going to vote before the first person even stepped up to the mic.

Threats to vote them out don’t work, because they know that most people don’t even know what’s going on with their government and will vote to re-elect them–and if that fails, there’s always those wonderful, programmable, electronic voting machines…

Stop putting your faith and energy into a system that is rigged to keep outsiders from succeeding. Don’t be fooled by the illusion.

It’s time to remove all compliance and support for this corrupt, freedom-destroying Establishment. Doing so is the only way we’re ever going to get things moving back in the right direction.

That’s some real “hope and change.”

(Related article: http://anarchistpov.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/reality-check/ )

Problems with the Freedom Movement

1.  “No, I don’t have a better idea; I just know that yours won’t work.”

2.  “Why? Because that’s just the way we’ve always done it [and not gotten anywhere].”

3.  “The anarchists are messing everything up!”

4.  “The Reformists are messing everything up!”

5.  “I’d love to help, but my daughter has piano lessons.”

6.  “Someone [else] needs to do something!”

7.  “You ought to do it this way. I would do it, myself, but I don’t have the time.”

8.  “You didn’t score high enough on the quiz; you’re not a real Libertarian.”

9.  “We met a lot of people wanting change and more freedom, so we had a meeting to get organized and plan some events.”

“That’s great! How many people attended?”

“Two.”

10.  “Hey, I do support the group; I go to the meetings to debate and vent my frustrations. It’s the officers who should take the lead and get things moving.”

11.  “He didn’t support my earlier proposal, so I’m going to vote against his–no matter how good it really is. Maybe next time he’ll see things my way.”

12.  “I don’t really know how to do stuff like that, so I’ll just leave it to someone else.”

13.  “I shouldn’t have to put a lot of work into this; people should naturally want freedom.”

14.  “I agree with 95% of what you just said, but I can’t support you because of this one little thing…”

15.  “If we make our message more agreeable with the mainstream voters [water it down], we’ll get more members [and exactly what kind of members will you be getting?]“

16.  “I don’t like his stance on [insert pet issue, here], so I’m going to send a blind-copy email out to the whole group/mailing list blasting his position and causing more division. That way, he won’t be able to respond to all the people I send it to and they’ll only see my side of the debate, so I’ll probably get my way.”

17.  “I’ll just sit at my computer and post one alert after another. Hopefully, someone will do something.”

I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

If any of this sounds like you, YOU ARE A PROBLEM. Fix it.

Favorite Freedom Quotes

“A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government.” – Edward Abbey

“In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot.” – Mark Twain

“Men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive.” – Henry Steele Commager

“A politician will do anything to keep his job — even become a patriot.” – William Randolph Hearst

“Love your country, but never trust its government.” – Robert Heinlein

“People who say they want freedom restoration, but do nothing to help get us there, are basically socialists; they want everyone else to do the work while they sit back and reap the benefits.” – Doug Kendall

“The ‘race card’ is being phased out of all playing card decks. It is being replaced with the “Is that all you’ve got?” card, to improve game play and functionality.” – Doug Kendall

“The principle that the majority have a right to rule the minority, practically resolves all government into a mere contest between two bodies of men, as to which of them shall be masters, and which of them slaves; a contest, that — however bloody — can, in the nature of things, never be finally closed, so long as man refuses to be a slave.” – Lysander Spooner

“If the individual has a right to govern himself, all external government is tyranny. Hence the necessity of abolishing the State.” – Benjamin Tucker

“You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man’s freedom.” – Clarence Darrow

“The state calls its own violence law, but that of the individual crime.” – Max Stirner

“Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage’s whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the process of setting man free from men.” – Ayn Rand

“I must tell you, first of all, what anarchism is not. It is not bombs, disorder, or chaos. It is not robbery or murder. It is not a war of each against all. It is not a return to barbarianism or to the wild state of man. Anarchism is the very opposite of all that.” – Alexander Berkman

“Democracy, too, is a religion. It is the worship of jackals by jackasses.” – H.L. Mencken

“Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under.” – H.L. Mencken

“Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.” – H.L. Mencken

“For the majority of people, liberty means only the system and the administrators they are used to.” – Albert Jay Nock

“Government: Causing more violence than it prevents since 10,000 B.C.” – unknown

“A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.”  – George Washington

“I believe that all government is evil, in that all government must necessarily make war upon liberty.” – H.L. Mencken

Constitutional Rights

When I engage in a political discussion, if someone says something about “Constitutional rights” he/she is instantly dismissed, in my mind. Sorry, but I can’t take anyone seriously who actually believes that “rights” come from some words written on a piece of parchment, by some deceased dudes who wore fake, powdered hair pieces.

There are no such things as “Constitutional rights.” Men, and their pieces of ink-stained paper, do not grant any “rights.”

Let’s be honest about the meaning of a “right.” Simply speaking, “rights” are entitlements.

I hear many people regularly state that there’s a “right” to education, healthcare and housing–and, now, I’m even hearing commercials for debt consolidation companies stating that you have a “right” to settle your credit card debt “for less than you owe.” What these people don’t seem to understand is that the use of force to get these things is completely unacceptable and has nothing to do with any kind of inherent “right.”

For example, no one should impede you in your desire to learn new things, schedule a medical procedure, or build/pay for a place in which to live (though government often gets in the way and screws things up). You cross the line when you feel someone else should be forced to pay for your books, tuition, school buildings, house/apartment, or chemotherapy–basically, socialism. You have no “right” to anything that someone else must be forced to provide.

Let’s look specifically at healthcare, for a moment.

Of course, you should be able to secure the help of a physician when you have healthcare needs, but a physician should not be forced to give you use of his time, talents, tools, hands, or knowledge that he spent years acquiring–and paying for. You do not own the doctor, so you have no “right” to his labor.

In my opinion, there are only what are sometimes referred to as “negative rights.” In other words, no one has a right to tell me how I can live, what I can say, where I can work, where I can travel, how I can use my time or talents, etc. To do so, is enslaving–and for a country that claims to love freedom so much, you would think all the talk of rights and using force would be a non-issue. Sadly, that’s not the case.

The next time someone talks of “rights” coming from an old piece of paper, written by deceased men, set them straight and remember: Free people don’t need “rights.”

The Radical Label

When the Nazis came for the communists, I remained silent; I was not a communist.

Then they locked up the social democrats, I remained silent; I was not a social democrat.

Then they came for the trade unionists, I did not speak out; I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, I did not speak out; I was not a Jew.

When they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me. – a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) concerning the inactivity of the Germans following the Nazi rise to power and the destruction of their chosen targets, one group after another.

For the last two days, I have listened to a few conservative radio show hosts express their shock and anger over being labeled insane by liberal news outlets and extremist, radical and possibly domestic terrorists by the Department of Homeland Security – the creation of which conservatives overwhelmingly supported back in 2002, in the aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks – due to the massive “tea party” protest events scheduled all across the country.

I could stop, here, with the simple lesson of being careful of what you support, the monsters you create and how they often turn on their so-called masters, but that isn’t enough for me. For ages, anarchists have been incorrectly labeled radicals, extremists and domestic terrorists, mainly by conservatives, so I have to admit that I’m getting a wee bit of satisfaction from seeing conservatives getting their panties in a wad.

The funny thing is that true conservatism doesn’t even support true freedom, with its foundations based on the Rule of Law (slavery and the will of tyrants). How ironic that the Law might come back to bite them in the rump.

All that’s left to say now is…welcome to the club, brothers and sisters! We are all in the same boat, now, eh? Sucks to be labeled incorrectly and ridiculed, doesn’t it? Don’t you just love that big bullseye on your chest? Being publicly attacked, out of ignorance, feels wonderful, right?

It is not a “radical,” “extremist” or “domestic terrorist” view to love freedom and want others to stay out of your pockets and personal business. In fact, protection of freedom was the reason given for establishing government, in the first place – which blows my mind, because of government’s very nature.

These days, if you are opposed to theft, increases in government power, invasions of personal privacy, being told how you can live your life, what you can say, what you can read, where you can go, what you can eat, what you can purchase, where you can live, etc., you must be insane, a radical, an extremist or a terrorist. Sorry, but freedom is no more radical a concept, now, than it was when the Founders fought for it.

Will conservatives learn anything from this? Sadly, probably not, in my personal opinion. Self-righteousness seems to be running rampant, these days – and in all walks of life.