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Posts tagged libertarian

More Shootings, Probably No More Questions

Another workplace shooting occurred this morning, and this time the police didn’t shoot nine bystanders.

What kind of conversation will arise from this?

The United States is a county run by plutocrats and industry lobbyists where last generation’s promises don’t stand up to today’s reality, where much of the population is either overworked or out of work or sees little hope of basic economic security, as debt and expenses keep piling up. American culture is strongly framed by reverence for militarism and conquest, while soldiers who return from the latest projection of Washington’s power are often on their own when it comes to adjusting to a new life. Innocent victims of military violence are uncounted collateral damage or redefined as militants. The country is still burdened by centuries of institutionalized racism, which manifests itself today in the course of the drug war, in the scapegoating of people born across certain borders for trying to improve their lives, and in the devaluing of ideological foes.

But the serious people who refuse to ask serious questions will say either that America is violent because guns are easier to attain here than they are in most wealthy countries, that constantly being ready to shoot attackers is a good long-term solution, or that it’s necessary to force stronger reverence for the traditions that have failed to bring peace and liberty to millions.

Real long-term solutions require rethinking and restructuring things often taken for granted. Authoritarian methods can only cut down on violence through subjugation, which typically means peace at the point of a gun or at the brandishing of a bludgeon. Acting towards more liberty, solidarity, and cooperation is the way out. In the meantime, being armed and alert is a reasonable back-up plan.

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The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises was a good movie. Seeing as it’s a Batman movie, it’s fine for the story to be a little far-fetched as long as it’s told well within the confines of the Batman world. The uncertainties and genuine surprises were well played. It had just enough references to current issues to make the story more potent, but not so much to be preachy or look like it’s trying to be more profound than it really was. I did think the prison dynamic that developed under a demagogic warlord was well done and I was reminded of Escape from New York.

I really liked Bane as a villain and I thought Catwoman was cool. And yes, even anarchists can like a movie where cops are good guys (though the Gotham police force is not portrayed as unambiguously good).

No, The Dark Knight Rises wasn’t as fun as The Avengers, but that’s a Joss Whedon project we’re talking about. Comparing the two films shows how the superhero genre can be told differently. The Avengers was a larger-than-life epic with comedy and cheese sprinkled tastefully throughout. The Dark Knight Rises was dark and gritty but kind of uplifting in it’s own way.

And as for the movie theater shooting in Aurora… this is why it shouldn’t be considered weird for a responsible person to carry a handgun to a movie theater. As we try to understand the root causes of such violence we should keep in mind that these kinds of crimes are rare and there are many more gun owners than there are murderers. Giving more power to people in government is not a real solution; building communities with a culture of respect for individual life and liberty is. It is not infrequent for police to shoot people under questionable or unacceptable circumstances and it is even more common for them to harass and victimize people. Police in Denver, which neighbors Aurora, even got t-shirts commemorating how they “BEAT the crowds.” The more that police are viewed as special protectors standing above the rest of us, the more they will adopt authoritarian mindsets, and the worse police violence will get.

I hope the families of the Aurora shooting victims are given space to mourn and I’m dismayed that this would need to be added to the discussion of the film.

UN Arms Trade Treaty Doesn’t Look Terrible

It’s not unreasonable to be suspicious of the United Nations. It is, after all, run by politicians. And it’s definitely good to be vigilant against threats to liberty whenever regulations are being written. However, much of the scare surrounding the Arms Trade Treaty currently being discussed at the United Nations appears unwarranted. I wouldn’t consider [...]

Continue reading at DarianWorden.com …

Alternative Markets Presentation Notes

I enjoyed Porcfest, and as always the discussions with the AltExpo crowd were among the highlights.

My talk on Alternative Markets went well and opened a fascinating discussion. Thanks to everyone who participated and to everyone who made Porcfest possible.

Today I uploaded the notes to the presentation: AltMarkets Today. I will post the video when it is available.

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The Supreme Court and ObamaCare are Irrelevant

Apparently some old guys in black dresses who can’t even get a decent picture taken of themselves (doing business as “The Supreme Court”) have shocked the liberty community by approving yet another (in a long line) of big government tax and spend mandates.

Supreme Court ObamaCareI was blissfully unaware of this until a friend mentioned it. You should be too. Stop watching mainstream media news. Just go cold turkey for 6 months. What they say doesn’t matter anyway. We already know that there is a fascist onslaught against our lives and liberty. We already know that it’s gaining steam. Why torture yourself listening to all the inane airheads sing its praises?

It’s not rational to hurt yourself like that.

Instead, let’s focus on what we already knew we should be focusing on anyway – the construction of new liberty-compatible societies that will render the current fascist ones obsolete.

No, don’t sign off and get drunk. You don’t have the luxury of being depressed. There is a great big future out there and it’s time you join the battle for it. I’m not talking about signing a petition or chanting a revolutionary slogan.

Here’s an idea. (Thanks to fellow (r)evolutionary Mariana Evica for the inspiration.) We know that ObamaCare is going to crash the healthcare system even beyond the unworkable morass it is today. So let’s build a dual power alternative. I’m talking about something that can

  • patch the gaping holes in the current system;
  • help those most vulnerable to this fascist power grab;
  • serve as killer public relations for libertarians, anarchists and other (r)evolutionaries;
  • grow the power base for libertarian solutions;
  • be an example of agorist counter-economic decentralized entepreneurialism; and
  • grow the wealth profiles of our allies and ourselves.

I’d like to see some healthcare professionals set up a model mobile, pirate clinic. Qualified individuals of all skill levels can provide medical services on demand to those who need it. Pricing is determined Ron-Paul-style by what the patient can pay. Sponsorship is accepted from local counter-economic enterprises to subsidize patients. Doctors donate their time or take a reduced fee in return for prestige and that warm, fuzzy feeling.

Once a solid model has been identified, and is working, the founders offer free franchises to anyone anywhere. Free training is given online using live-streaming, Skype, chat, file sharing, etc. Microloans are available to those in need of startup capital. The loans are disbursed and repaid via Bitcoin.

Taking inspiration from the feed-the-world anarchist collective example of franchise activism Food not Bombs, we can call this Bandages not Bullets.

Who’s starting the first one?

P.S. Even if you think this is unworkable, let’s be constructive and identify the obstacles.

P.P.S. Don’t assume that I am a heartless social-Darwinian psychopath who enjoys the idea of people suffering due to substandard or insufficient healthcare services.

I love the idea of health care services being available universally at the highest level of quality. I just don’t agree that the best way of achieving that is a state-corporate conspiracy to threaten people into corporate cost-cut factory settings where the last thing you get is decent care. I prefer voluntary and non-exploitive means of achieving this admirable goal.

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Liberty is the Foundation of all other Values

Freedom is the foundation of all values.

Freedom is the foundation of all values.

Libertarians value liberty above all other values – to the exclusion of all other values! Libertarian don’t care about a darned thing other than their own liberty. Screw brotherhood, forget about mutual aid, never mind this nonsense talk of caring for fellow human beings. It’s liberty, rock and roll and free drugs, dude. That’s libertarianism in a nutshell.

No, I haven’t been brainwashed by the CIA. I read Jeffrey Sachs’ column called Libertarian Illusions at the Huffington Post. Sachs is a university professor and he has this column at HuffPo, so he must be right … right?!

In fact, libertarians value our liberty so dearly precisely so that we may exercise the freedom to value all these other things Sachs mentions, namely: “compassion, justice, civic responsibility, honesty, decency, humility, respect, and even survival of the poor, weak, and vulnerable.”

Without the freedom to choose, I am not allowed to have values. If my life is disposed of by someone else, what do I have to donate to the Red Cross? Where do I find the time to distribute fully informed jury pamphlets in pursuit of greater justice? Without my liberty, I am responsible for nothing as they are simply two sides of the same coin. Honesty has no relevance to a slave, who rightfully deceives his oppressors to regain the birthright that is his freedom. How can I care for the “poor, weak and vulnerable” if I am one of them?

Here are some hard, concrete examples:

  • Compassion. Libertarian friends of mine in at least Philadelphia (see video at right) and New Hampshire distributed food for free for Thanksgiving to families who needed it.
  • Justice. Julian Heicklen and many other libertarians I know (including myself) risk jail to inform jurors about their right to judge not just the facts of a case, but also the law in question – and to acquit people accused of unjust laws. Cop Block is a libertarian group that documents police misdeeds and encourages activists to keep cops in check. Libertarians are actually leading the way on seeking greater justice in the US.
  • Civic responsibility. Libertarians are huge on responsibility. We encourage people to serve on juries. We do open carry park cleanups. We support people who are caged by the state with advocacy, visits and gifts.
  • Honesty. Libertarians are so brutally honest that it gets us in trouble. But we continue to be brutally honest anyway. Consider Ron Paul who stands up in congress on a regular basis to tell one inconvenient truth after another. From the Federal Reserve, to the TSA, to militarism and the police state.
  • Decency. Consider these Philadelphia libertarians who set up a warming station at Occupy Philadelphia in winter. They distributed 7,000 pounds of organic food in 7 weeks as well as 700 cups of hot tea to occupiers (see video below at right). Also consider the Fr33 Aid group who provide free medical care at certain events. With funding, I don’t doubt that they could expand their very valuable work.
  • Humility. Consider entertainer Penn Jillette. He’s a libertarian, too. He doesn’t claim to have all the answers. He doesn’t pretend to know what is best for everyone. How should society fix poverty? He doesn’t know. He only does his share. He is too humble to propose one-size-fits-all solutions. He thinks everyone should be free to define their own path through life. This attitude is central to libertarianism and I can’t imagine a humbler one in the political arena.
  • Respect. Respect is where libertarians are strongest! The foundation of our philosophy is respect for each and every individual. We absolutely and unconditionally demand that each and every individual’s choices and integrity be respected. We put ourselves on the line for causes like respecting people’s dignity in airports and respecting the sanctity of individuals’ homes.
  • Survival of the poor, weak, and vulnerable. But we’re repeating ourselves now. See above.

Libertarians don’t just drone on about these values from comfortable podiums in well-funded Ivy League universities. We go out and do it. We put our freedom on the line for it. We risk poverty and oppression for our beliefs. We often suffer for it. But we keep on going. Even when people with HuffPo columns can’t be bothered to actually have a conversation before strawmanning us. I personally expect a higher level of scholarship from an academic.

A big thanks to Nathan Goodman of Dissenting Leftist and Fernando Salguero of Truth, Freedom & Prosperity for helping me research this article.

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Goin’ Up To Porcfest

It’s that time of year again, when the Free State Project hosts the greatest outdoor party for freedom-minded people: Porcfest!

I will be speaking at the Alternatives Expo at noon on Friday. My talk is on alternatives to the crisis-ridden establishment economy and what they mean for liberty.

I hope to see you there.

bacon weave bricks

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Why Ian Freeman Ostracized Me

Ian Freeman ostracized me for: unabashedly admitting that some aspects of Che Guevara’s life inspire me; rudely demanding he stop excoriating me in other venues about said admission without even inviting me to defend myself; refusing to apologize for being rude. But this is not a tale of Facebook drama and woe, my dear readers! [...]

Continue reading at George Donnelly's Arm your Mind for Liberty …

The Elephant in the Libertarian Community

Lazy Libertarian Elephant There’s an ugly elephant in the libertarian community. And it’s not the Ron Paul Republicans.

I’m talking about the disgusting chasm between word and deed.

Libertarians make astute observations about cop oppression and unaccountable judges. We write endless economic and moral analyses of taxes. “Taxation is theft!” we boldly and empty-headedly repeat. We whine about our rights. We zealously condemn state agents and sympathizers. We dissect the logic behind the drug wars. With great solemnity we rage against the ravages of war. Central banking is an arcane topic near and dear to our minds. We opine in endless editorials that allegedly edify the masses. We’re experts at the talk.

We suck at the walk. Here are 6 examples.

  • Taxes. Do you pay income taxes? Do you file income tax forms? Why? Are you scared the big bad state will come after you and inconvenience your cozy middle class life? One radical blogger whom I (still) respect a lot, announced that he was selling most of his silver stockpile in order to pay the IRS. I called him a coward to his (digital) face. I’d especially like to know if the people who so categorically condemned the Pennsylvania state police informant have caved to the pressure of state intimidation in the area of taxes.
  • Jobs. Do you have a job? Are you an employee? Does your boss manage most of your waking hours? Does a chunk of your salary go straight to the federal coffers every week? Why don’t you have a business? Are you at least trying to start up a counter-economic enterprise on the side? Why not? What is your excuse?
  • Sloth. Is your cellar stocked for the collapse – complete with a spare tire around your midsection? Does your (r)evolution happen on the couch? Do you really expect a libertarian society to emerge just by typing on a computer or watching TV from the comfort of a Lazyboy? When was the last time you tested your limits? Get yourself in shape and make it happen. (I recommend Aikido.)
  • Privilege. Do you work for a big corporation? For the government? A defense contractor? Do you or your employer provide services to the government? Do you own stock in big corporations? Then you are part of the state-privilege establishment. Are you more worried about getting the latest tablet than in expanding your activism profile? When are you going to get your hands dirty?
  • Currency. Have you bought any silver, gold or copper coins? How about some Bitcoin? Are you trading on the side? If you’re not experimenting with non-governmental currency and unauthorized trade, what are you waiting for?
  • Inactivism. I can barely rouse a few volunteers for the chance to make money with an international conference. Organizing airport meetups for a righteous and internationally mega-popular campaign complete with free TV appearances was like pulling teeth. Finding someone willing to run a camera with me in front of courthouses proved impossible. Are you committed to your ideals? Then put some skin in the game.

I read about what the Cuban revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara endured. Their commitment is incredible. Disease, starvation, filthiness, heavy backpacks, sloping mountains, mosquito attacks and constant haranguing by heavily-armed and numerous Batista troops – they took it all in stride. It doesn’t matter that you don’t appreciate their political views. Look at their devotion. Consider what they sacrificed in pursuit of their ideals. Do you measure up? How much of your convenient life are you willing to put on the line for your freedom?

You may have clothes on your back, three squares a day, work, education and friends. But that doesn’t mean that everything is hunky-dory in the world. Your economic activity is the battery that supplies the global US war machine. Your silence is the grease that eases the gears forward. You bear, if not complicity, at least responsibility. Your mission is to stop feeding this machine with your life force. And to start growing a better one.

When you are at the end of your life, long past the emergence of the new libertarian societies we seek, what will you tell your grandchildren about your role in all of this? Were you on the sidelines? Did you go with the flow of statism? Or did you stand up, risk something and make a difference for your ideals? What do you want your descendants to think and say about you?

Your words, your analyses, your rational arguments are nothing but a lot of hot air until and unless you actually live them.

Are you ready for liberty? Prove it.

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Why I Got Discouraged and Why I’m Back

Discouraged Cat

Yep, that's about how I felt.

I got discouraged with the whole liberty community thing last fall. So I took an 8-month break. You probably didn’t notice and don’t care. That’s quite alright!

Why did I get discouraged?

  • Sometimes I feel like I’m doing my thing all by myself over here. It gets lonely and frustrating.
  • I was being ridiculed by fellow libertarians for trying on new ideas that threaten libertarian orthodoxy. I consider this anti-intellectual behavior and incredibly disappointing.
  • When a certain person decided to launch baseless, repeated and nasty public attacks on my character, some people that I respected quite a lot chose to defend him. Some criticized me for pointing out the elephant in the room and a few even praised him! This sucked.
  • I was still recovering from the Allentown US Marshal attack.
  • We Won’t Fly left me feeling burned out and unable to top myself.
  • An important project fell through when a fellow libertarian I value failed to deliver something I paid for.
  • I felt like crap at PorcFest 2011 (which I spent a lot of money to attend) because (1) a certain craven person got another very nasty person to insult me publicly from the registration table and (2) when I called them on it, I got the thousand-yard stare from an open-carrying Free State Project insider (I was open carrying, too). I got the sense that he was thinking of drawing on me.

What did I do over my “bummer” break?

  • I lost 40 pounds.
  • I experimented with a vegan diet and loved it. I consider myself a vegetarian now.
  • I spent a lot of time with my son.
  • I took up Aikido. It rocks.
  • I took up Zen meditation. It is incredibly powerful.
  • I studied leadership.
  • I overcame a lot of fears.
  • I took up hiking. I can’t get enough of it.
  • I read a ton of books.
  • I started a business.

And I realized that I am a leader. I don’t care if you disagree. Oh, and I have a special vocation to bring liberty and goodwill to the world. Go ahead and laugh. It’s corny but it’s true. I’m also 41 years old. I don’t have time to screw around. It’s time for me to get as serious as possible without unduly risking another Allentown.

So that’s why I’m getting back to work on libertarian stuff. It’s my mission. And there are many more people in the liberty community that I really like than those who disappoint me. You guys are really cool!

What did I learn?

  • I have to be blind, deaf and dumb to the negative.
  • I’m on a mission. This is between me and the universe. It’s not about anyone else. I’m taking this to the wall whether I have someone next to me or not. Think Julian Heicklen.
  • A relentless focus on the voluntaryist imperative of self-improvement is the best policy. I’ve got to live it.
  • Be ready to die at any time. Expect it. Look forward to the opportunity for a great death. This doesn’t mean I want to die. It just means I have to constantly put myself into challenging situations in order to continue growing and avoid rotting. Otherwise I’ll never be up to the challenge of taking a run at my mission.

What now? Here’s what I’m working on:

  • A way overdue pamphlet about the courts and jury nullification. (Sorry Nate!)
  • Blogging useful stuff daily here. What should I write about?
  • I’m bringing Agora I/O back. The next conference is September 21-23 this year.
  • I’m bringing Shield Mutual (mutual aid project) back but with a different twist.
  • I’m working on an idea called the Peace League. The League is a group of people, highly trained in satyagraha (Gandhian nonviolence), who freely associate and form groups to go into places of conflict and nonviolently assist the combatants in reaching a sustainable resolution. It would take inspiration from Buddha, Jesus, St Francis of Assisi, Tolstoy, Gandhi, MLK, Rusesabagina and so many others. When people call for the US army to handle a humanitarian disaster or to intervene (think Kony 2012 or Darfur), we go instead. It’s like the opposite of an army.
  • I’m working on an environmental and human rights activism project here in Colombia that involves a Spanish-Italian multinational and a small band of campesinos. I’ve got hours of video that I will edit and publish soon. I was even already detained! (See tomorrow’s post for the video and story.)

For my three faithful readers, thanks so much for bearing with me during the break. I promise great things to come!

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