Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
"The great, fundamental difficulty for anarchists is, and always has been, answering the question of how to literally reform society into a just, free and peaceful one without appealing to the 'proper channels' of statism. Whatever the answer is, we have all of history to show that it isn’t the counterfeit reform of the political process."
David D'Amato

"Why do people think only of maintaining the State in one form or another? Why is it that after such a poor experience with their State, they don’t assign it to the trash heap of history? What is holding back the concept that people can live without the State and live better without it?"
Michael S. Rozeff

“The State will do its best to stay in power, but its days are numbered. My hope is that when the masses realize this, that they not lay hands upon the tyrants who are ruining their lives. Violence will only ensure that the State-mindset will remain. If the the current crop of criminals are ousted, then another crop of criminals will appear to take their place. As long as the masses still have the mindset that a State is necessary, there will always be a void that can be filled by criminals willing to act as the State.”
Brutus

“This revolution [in Egypt] will have to do until the real thing comes along.”
Sheldon Richman

“'Government Charity' is a root of scandalous evil, depriving the taxpayer of the means by which he can exercise voluntary charity while demeaning the recipient and preventing him from being able to thank the donor, even to pray for him by name. The taxpayer with an IRS gun at his head is tempted to hate, not love; the recipient is tempted to scorn and fraud, rather than love."
Christopher Manion

“America is an empire in decline, getting old and tired. What makes this particularly dangerous is that it's not only becoming corrupt, like Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Orient, the Mideast – almost all of the world – but, worse, it's got this huge and fairly efficient enforcement mechanism few of the other countries have. The Nazis would have loved the situation in the U.S. It's become the worst of both worlds: Nordic efficiency and American neo-puritanism. A deadly combination. Only an increasing measure of corruption can keep things going until the whole mess collapses on top of itself.”
Doug Casey

“Governments are like organized crime families, operating as 'executive committees' of their domestic ruling classes, and enforcing the privileges and artificial property rights by which their members extract rents from the domestic population. These crime families deal with each other, establishing constantly shifting alliances of convenience and redividing the world between themselves, as their relative strength shifts.”
Kevin Carson

“Anyone who has experience with public-sector bureaucracies knows that they cannot do anything as well as markets, and however imperfect free markets are, they are vastly more efficient and humane than the public sector in the long run. That is because free markets trust the idea of freedom generally, whereas other systems imagine that the men in charge are as omniscient as gods.”
Cristian Gherasim

“….Government is always against freedom, and does everything in its power to squelch the voice of the individual, and to squash the natural rights of man. Government literally lives and thrives on the blood and sweat of others, a literal vampire in disguise living off its gullible host. That host of course, is the very people who put the government in power in the first place. This is an irony that is almost impossible to bear."
Gary Barnett

"It's unsurprising that political leaders would want to convince people that the true criminals are those who expose acts of high-level political corruption and criminality, (WikiLeaks) rather than those who perpetrate them. Every political leader would love for that self-serving piety to take hold. But what's startling is how many citizens and, especially, 'journalists' now vehemently believe that as well."
Glenn Greenwald

“By forming an economy where neither price nor levels of production are tied to real, market needs, the state has created a needless struggle just to subsist. The way out is repudiation of the state’s arbitrary power to allow monopolists to divvy up our sustenance. Freed markets return that power to communities of individuals dealing with each other within voluntary agreements, the only legitimate way to allocate scarce resources.”
David D'Amato

“The dangers that admittedly loom in Egypt stem from the moderate nature of the Egyptian people’s aims. They seek merely to change the structure and personnel of the government. The essence of the State – the apparatus of organized violence – would remain intact. As long as the State exists, there is a danger it will be seized by a military strongman, by theocrats, or by some other brand of oppressor.
In other words, the only true revolution is one aimed at abolishing the State – an anarchist revolution. That’s the best hope for avoiding a revolution gone wrong.”
Sheldon Richman

“Boobus Americanus happily hugs his chains so long as his masters feign that he’s in charge.”
Becky Akers

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From the Darkness:

"The threat of terrorism isn't going away so we must provide our agents with the tools they need to get the job done. Given that terrorist threats, including those from self-radicalized individuals, continue to evolve, we must ensure that our law enforcement agents are not burdened with new restrictions on existing authorities."

Sen. Charles Grassley on a Senate measure that would permanently extend three key measures of the Patriot Act.

"There is a reason why a lot of diplomacy is conducted in secret. There are good reasons for there to be confidentiality in some of those communications. And I think President Mubarak needs to be treated as he deserved over the years, because he has been a good friend."
Dick Cheney

“He's [Mubarak] a man who has led his country for 30 years, and he's done a great many things, terrific things for the country and for us. We don't want to just see him discredited and all of his past accomplishments thrown down the drain such as sustaining the peace of Israel. So he needs to go out with honor. And if we can help him with that, that's what we should be doing."
Edward Walker, former U.S. ambassador to Egypt

"My own personal opinion is the Mubarak era is over. And the question is how to have a process that really works properly, that allows these various voices to come together and not disagree on some of the tactical aspects."
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright [The “process” and "tactical aspects” are always important for the state to control its livestock.]

"I want to be clear: even as we make America the best place on earth to do business, businesses also have a responsibility to America. As we work with you to make America a better place to do business, ask yourselves what you can do for America. Ask yourselves what you can do to hire American workers, to support the American economy, and to invest in this nation."
B. Obama, sounding more and more like Mussolini every day

“According to AFMC’s legal office, Air Force members — military or civilian — may not legally access WikiLeaks at home on their personal, non-governmental computers, either. To do so would not only violate the SECAF [Secretary of the Air Force] guidance on this issue,… it would also subject the violator to prosecution for violation of espionage under the Espionage Act.”
From a statement issued from the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

“It’s a sad day in American history when a one-time conservative/libertarian stalwart has fallen more out of touch with America’s needs for national security then our current socialist presidential regime. Rep. [Ron] Paul is clearly off his meds and must be purged from public office. YAF is starting the process by removing him from our national advisory board. Good riddance and he won’t be missed.”
Jordan Marks, national director, Young Americans for Freedom

“And nobody yet has, nobody yet has explained to the American public what they know, and surely they know more than the rest of us know who it is who will be taking the place of Mubarak and no, not, not real enthused about what it is that that’s being done on a national level and from DC in regards to understanding all the situation there in Egypt. And, in these areas that are so volatile right now, because obviously it’s not just Egypt but the other countries too where we are seeing uprisings, we know that now more than ever, we need strength and sound mind there in the White House. We need to know what it is that America stands for so we know who it is that America will stand with. And, we do not have all that information yet.”
Sarah Palin, confused babbler

“The bottom line here is that the God of the Bible clearly honors those who show valor and gallantry in waging aggressive war in a just cause against the enemies of freedom, even while inflicting massive casualties in the process. What I’m saying is that it’s time we started imitating God’s example again."
Bryan Fischer, the American Family Association

"It’s government’s job to redistribute [income]. The question is how much are we going to redistribute.”
Howard Dean

DVD Reviews

The Last Station:

An excellent acted drama (thanks primarily to Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, and Paul Giamatti) about the last few years of the life of Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy. It centers around the passionate but explosive relationship with his wife and the cult following that grew from his personal philosophy.
Recommended

Deadland:
Not a bad effort for an independent, low budget, apocalyptic film, but I prefer a bit more substantial plot for such an genre than a man trying to locate his long lost wife.
Not recommended

The Miracle Worker:
This 1962 classic has a very young Patty Duke admirably playing blind, deaf, and mute Helen Keller. Even more impressive is the work of Anne Bancroft who portrays Anne Sullivan, the gritty, heroic, persistent teacher who successfully transforms her student.
Recommended

Knight and Day:
This entertaining, fast action flick featuring Tom Cruise and Carmen Diaz contains just enough twists to stay interesting and thankfully never degenerates into a gooey, relationship-chick flick. Cruise seems best suited for these type of “secret agent” roles and makes these fantasies almost believable.
Recommended

Heartworn Highways:
This 1975 loosely edited documentary takes a mostly informal look at some of the fine, young American songwriters who were starting to make waves at this period of time. Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Steve Young, Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, John Hiatt, Gamble Rogers and others perform on stage and for each other. The highlight of the film occurs at a Christmas Eve gathering of song at Guy Clark’s house with guests taking turn singing their songs.
Recommended

Robert Klein- Unfair and Unbalanced:
Mr. Klein’s 2010 HBO comedy special is definitely worth the one hour in front of your screen. He takes comical stabs at politicians and middle age, as well as other subjects.
Recommended

Inception:
Leonardo DiCaprio and his skilled crew steal corporate secrets by infiltrating the dreams of his victims. He is then challenged to not take but plant an idea in the mind of a rival’s heir. His character also has some past, personal baggage to deal with where dreams and reality tragically collided. A very intelligent plot that requires close attention.
Recommended

The American:
George Clooney plays a professional assassin who tires of his lonely life and being constantly hunted. He takes on one final assignment that includes some surprising twists.
Recommended

Inside Iraq- The Untold Story:
A young film maker manages to get into Iraq in 2003 to film life after the US invasion and even manages to be briefly embedded in a US tank unit. The highlights are a troop “rant” session when the enlisted display all of their Whiskey Tango glory and a US stooge lecturing Iraqi police recruits that “torture is always wrong.”
Recommended

The Prisoner- The Complete Series:
This is the original British series from the late 1960’s starring Patrick McGoohan. McGoohan plays a secret agent type who suddenly resigns but will not divulge his reasons. He is then captured and held in a strange village where everyone has a number instead of a name. All sorts of psychological ploys are used to force McGoohan to divulge information. An inspiring series for those who treasure their individual liberty and resist collectivism and compliance to self-appointed masters.
Recommended

Wall Street- Money Never Sleeps:
Michael Douglas is back as Gordon Gecko, who is released after eight years in prison. He seeks to stealthily rebuild his empire as well as wreak revenge against those turned on him in the past- all while manipulating his estranged daughter. Douglas does his usual good work but I was most impressed by Josh Brolin who plays his rival. Brolin has come a long way from the raw, young actor in “Young Guns.” Shia LeBouef seems improperly cast as the young, ambitious (though righteous) Wall Street trader.
Recommended

Sons of Anarchy- Season One:
This well made series revolves around a motorcycle club in a small California town involved in “outlaw” activities including gun running. Club brotherhood, integrity, loyalty, and close family ties are a dominant trait among the members. The characters are diverse, entertaining and mostly likable. The hypocrisy of the state is admirably displayed. Anarchic principles are followed for the most part, except for the proclivity toward violence. This issue is addressed in the soft, but intensifying rivalry between old and new, upcoming, club leadership.
Recommended

Salt:
Angelina Jolie is a CIA agent accused by a Russian defector of being a Russian spy. She then spends the rest of the film on the run doing all sorts of entertaining action hero stuff. Not a heady plot but just enough uncertainty to avoid a predictable ending.
Recommended

Robin Hood:
Director Ridley Scott always makes entertaining action movies and this one does not disappoint. Let’s hope viewers of the this film also pick up on the message within- that the state, even 900 years later, is still the lying, conniving, murderous, anti-individual institution that Mr. Longstride dealt with.
Recommended

Turning Green:
Two young brothers, forcibly relocated to Ireland to live with family, turn to selling illegal pornographic magazines to finance a return trip to the US. With a feature film, I expect to be entertained, and/or enlightened, and/or inspired. This film failed on all counts.
Not recommended

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“This notion of liberty [free elections with constitutional constraints] is as sadly deficient and defective as it is false. What difference does it make to be told one must buy health insurance or be searched at an airport or pay taxes to support invasions in Iraq and Afghanistan or pay taxes to support the production of ethanol if the power behind these commands is a dictator, an elected premier, a parliament, or a legislature? Coercion is coercion, whatever its source. If one person or a majority of your neighbors or their representatives coerce you, does the source of this coercion determine whether or not you have your liberty? Do elections and your capacity to cast a vote eliminate the coercion?”
Michael S. Rozeff

“Through its complex of regulations, subsidies and other crimes against free and voluntary exchange, the state oversees the ultimate crime racket; it makes the Mob look like a bunch of softies, like kindergarten crooks rehearsing for the big time.”
David D'Amato

“We [the US] are spending resources we don’t have, to support whatever warlords that will pretend to be in our 'Empire'… till the day we go broke.”
Bill Walker

“Each reactive policy measure [in response to terrorist attacks] only serves to solidify the attackers' convictions, erode the freedoms of the innocents, and divide the nation into two distinct sides-- those who would rather have their freedom and take a chance on safety, and those who are willing to relinquish their freedom in exchange for the illusion of security.
Politicians will always side with the latter, expanding their domain and redefining 'security' so that it encompasses the widest possible range of human activities.”
Simon Black

“….The US government has a mission. Its mission is survival. And as the years go by, more and more people want the government to survive. Because more and more people have a stake in it.”
Bill Bonner

“The entire concept of today's 'career politician' is based on the idea that constituents exist to support them, not the other way around. People who seek these positions don't do it for the glory of country or the greater prosperity of their constituents... but for their obsession with power.”
Simon Black

“Seriously, the government is not ‘us.’ Brutalizing people and barking orders at them like they’re dirt, telling them what they’re allowed to talk about, who they’re allowed to express sympathy for, and forbidding them to expose your actions to public scrutiny are not the actions of someone who’s serving others. They’re the actions of a master, the actions of an owner.”
Kevin Carson

“Everyone by now has had the experience of arguing some point that is in the Constitution. Has it not struck you, how two different people, each apparently intelligent individuals, can come up with completely different meanings for words (allegedly) written with the intention that they should not be misinterpreted? This is a major problem for constitutionalists, and for the whole idea of a written constitution whose job it is to limit government.”
Paul Bonneau

“….We are herd animals with a formidable tendency to attach ourselves to groups – it doesn’t much matter what groups – and fight other groups. Thus football teams, bowling clubs, political parties, and wars. Patriotism is exactly the instinct that makes people cheer frantically for the Steelers against the Packers, and armies are just Crips and Bloods with more elaborate switch-blades.”
Fred Reed

“At this point, the U.S. budget is like Wile E. Coyote after he's run off the edge of a cliff. His legs are still windmilling in the air, but he doesn't realize it yet.”
Doug Casey

“Instead of private law or contracts or generally accepted, time-honored societal agreements, the state corrupts reason and destroys language, replacing common sense with legislative fiat, all while making us more depending on the state to determine what reality is and how we deal with others.
The power to classify is the power to destroy.”
Manuel Lora

“The Declaration of Independence contains the phrase 'all men are created equal.' The only logical interpretation of this is individual sovereignty. If governments are sovereign, then individuals are not. Of course individuals control governments, and so some individuals are more equal than others as they control the entire planet and everyone else needs their permission in order to exist. Therefore it seems that not all men are created equal after all.
And if men truly are created equal, then this must merely be an error of nature which government officials, in their infinite wisdom, quickly remedy here on Earth.”
Tzo

“We’re all poorer and less free when the government insinuates itself in the marketplace. Interventionism represents an assault on property rights. It takes elements of business competition out of the picture. Producers, employees and consumers have less latitude in forging mutually satisfactory arrangements. Consumer choice narrows.”
Tony Pivetta

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From the Darkness:

"I think it's a hundred times more likely today that an officer will be assaulted compared to twenty, thirty years ago. It has become one of the most hazardous jobs in the United States, undoubtedly – in the top five."

J.B. Smith, Sheriff of Smith, County, Texas [Sorry, Sheriff, you clowns aren’t even in the top ten.]

"This is going to be up to the Egyptian people. But let's look at what we have. We have a calendar that already has elections for the next president scheduled, so there is an action-enforcing event that is already on the calendar."
Queen Hillary, hyping an upcoming election to find a new Egyptian dictator

"We have sent a very clear message that we want to see restraint, we do not want to see violence by any [Egyptian] security forces, and we continue to convey that message. There is no discussion as of this time about cutting off any aid. We always are looking and reviewing our aid."
Queen Hillary, stating her commitment to continued support of other murderous governments.

"We can come to a reasonable agreement that curbs spending. ... But to just stay in your corner and say, 'It's my way or I'm shutting down the government,' that could lead to terrible, terrible problems. And I would plead with my new Republican colleagues in the House who seem to want to do this, that that is playing with fire. Please don't do it."
Lil’ Chucky Schumer, New York senator and fear monger

"The president has said he's open to changes to this. He is not open to refighting the entire fight of health care. People have suggestions on how to make it better. But he's not in favor of refighting this fight."
White House chief of staff Bill Daley, on changing the health care legislation

"We don't want to send any message about backing forward or backing away. We want to see an orderly transition [in Egypt] so that no one fills a void -- that there not be a void"
Queen Hillary, reasserting her trust in “stability.” [ I believe “void” may be the new statist word for “individual liberty.”]

“Only the Egyptian people can do that. What is clear — and what I indicated tonight to President Mubarak — is my belief that an orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful, and it must begin now.”
B. Obama [Translated: A new US puppet dictator must be installed immediately!]

“We have three branches of government: we have a House, we have a Senate, we have a President.”
Lil’ Chucky Schumer, New York senator and constitutional illiterate

“A rise in global temperature can create all sorts of havoc, ranging from hotter dry spells to colder winters, along with increasingly violent storms, flooding, forest fires and loss of endangered species.”
Al Gore, carbon credit entrepeneur [If warming causes hot and cold, what does cooling cause?]

"And for those of us who worked with him [Egyptian dictator Mubarak] over the -- particularly now I worked with him on the Middle East peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians, so this is somebody I'm constantly in contact with and working with. And on that issue, I have to say, he's been immensely courageous and a force for good."
Tony Blair

"If I resign today there will be chaos."
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, while observing the chaos in the streets.

“If America is really serious about combating worldwide Islamic terrorism and the increasing reports of Christian genocide among the 44 Muslim nations, then let us take up the battle cry of Ann Coulter and the Muslim author who converted to Christianity and train our military not only to kill and destroy our enemies but to convert them to Christianity.”
Ellis Washington, WorldNutDaily columnist

“Everyone knows that CO2 emissions are the major cause of global climate change, that climate change poses a clear and present danger to our planet, and that the U.S. contributes a huge share of global emissions.”
Alan S. Blinder, professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University

"Failure is not an option in Iraq and we must be prepared to bear the cost to ensure success, including the costs of our civilian operations and development programs, which will be substantial however this transition plays out. Congress cannot shortchange this mission now."
Sen. John McCain, whining about Republican promises to slash spending on Iraq.

Ft. Hood- Revisited

The wise, all knowing sages of the US Senate have issued their report on the 2009 massacre at Ft. Hood, TX. You can read about it here, here, and here. The FBI is blamed in part for its “failure to use its analysts well,” which may have “contributed to it overlooking the significance of communications with known terrorists transmitted by Hasan.” Perhaps they were too busy assisting potential car bombers by supplying them encouragement and fake explosives.

The report includes the usual “statist speak and gobbly-gook to fill space on a page, such as, "our investigation found specific systemic failures in the government's handling of the Hasan case and raises additional concerns about what may be broader systemic issues." Yep, fair warning to present and future bureaucrats and state apparatchiks- those broader systemic issues will get you every time.

My favorite quote comes from a frequent contributor to “From the Darkness,” Mad Joe Leiberman: "There wasn't evil intent by people in the federal government. There was just what I would call negligence, failure to perform the duties as we have a right to expect federal employees will do.” Say it isn’t so, Joe! Negligence from our brave, competent public servants? Evil?  Perish the thought.

In essence, this is what the report concludes:

Cause of attack: Government bureaucrats didn't read minds well enough.

Recommendation: Government bureaucrats should learn to more accurately read minds in the future.

Nowhere does it recommend that these potential victims (trained assassins, highly expert in the use of firearms) be allowed to carry a sidearm while on base. That would have brought a quick end to this attack or maybe even discouraged it in the first place. But then, don't expect government to ever act in a rational manner or exhibit any judgement whatsoever based on common sense. The state restricts, discourages and even bans free individuals from defending themselves with personal firearms. The state runs a protection racket and cannot tolerate free individuals not being dependent on the nanny state to protect them. The state even forbids such activity among its military servants and warriors (at least when not in a war zone) whose job it is to efficiently dispense violence through the use of firearms. Of course, that violence must be directed against unruly subjects and rival states. The state cannot afford to trust its individual warriors to decide just who else to direct those weapons against. Such a risky policy might just lead to a history changing coup. When a slave, you will always be reminded who your master is.

Random Thoughts on the Stupor Bowl

There has been lots of news this week in the local media concerning the upcoming Super Bowl in Arlington. A couple of items caught my attention and irked my rational mind:

1) The major item discussed, of course, is the abnormal, extremely cold and icy weather that has hampered travel throughout the Metroplex and put a chilly damper on any related activities. Power companies throughout the state have been having trouble keeping up with the demand and have instigated rolling blackouts throughout the area to help conserve power. At least, the hoi polloi has had to tolerate such an inconvenience. The privileged elites associated with Stupor Bowl activities, led by Chief Cowboy Fascist (CCF) Jerry Jones, have not had to suffer- at least at Cowboy’s Stadium, which has received an exemption from such action. Dallasites, as they shiver in their unheated homes, should remember that Jerry Jones owns them. He can run you off your land to build his billion dollar playpen, he can tax you to help pay for it, and now, he can steal your power. But then, you don’t mind, because you must have a professional football team in Dallas and you have been convinced that such sacrifices on your part are “good for the community.”

2) No major sporting event is complete in this day and age without a loud, thunderous demonstration of state power and the accompanying fawning and worship of the state‘s “heroic” enforcers. The most visible of these demonstrations are the annoying “flyovers” of military combat aircraft. Despite having the dome roof closed during the game, Cowboys Stadium will be blessed just the same with five Navy F-15’s traveling all the way from Virginia Beach, VA. This nice little trip and display will set back the US tax slaves a cool $450,000+. Or maybe the cost is being paid by borrowing from foreign investors, in which case your great-grandchildren will be paying for it by licking Chinese boots. Apparently, the F-16’s stationed just down the street at Carswell Air Force Base are just not adequate or patriotic enough to complete the task, though certainly they could accomplish such nonsense at far less cost.

Amerikans have an undeniably sick, perverted love and lust for the military. This disease has particularly infected professional sports which have become unwatchable, thanks in part to these nauseating histrionics. From this demonstration of war power the fans seem to derive motivation and emotional strength to cheer the impending battle of athletes. In reality, these flyovers are just a reminder that Big Brother is still in charge and your obedience and submission is mandatory. Never, never, forget who’s the boss.

Quotes of the Week

From the Light:
“We are taught that 'anarchy' means violence, looting and the aggressive form of chaos that all-too-often flourishes in the wake of natural disasters. We are told that this is what happens given the absence of state control. Nothing could be further from the truth. The state IS control. It is the very incarnation of force and violence from which it purports to protect us.
To those who would argue that coercion is necessary to foster freedom, that force is a prerequisite for peace and that the expropriation of individuals’ property on threat of violence is compulsory to fund an agency that, alone, is capable of guaranteeing safety and prosperity, we say: you don’t know the real meaning of anarchy, you don’t know what voluntarism is and, until you do, you will never know what it means to be truly free.”
Joel Bowman

“Freedom goes in a million directions, in countless dimensions. The lust for power concentrates all like down to a unidimensional line, and, finally, to an excruciating point, with the tyrant’s boot forever on the neck.”
Christopher Manion

“Does doing for your country mean doing something beneficial for one’s fellow human beings who live in the territorial United States? If so, any honest participant in the marketplace is doing it already. He or she hardly needs to be admonished by a president [Kennedy] who himself never made that sort of contribution. All genuine market participants (those who eschew fraud and political privileges) offer goods and services that other people believe will make their lives better. Productive people’s direct motive may not be to do unto others, but that’s what they must do via persuasion if they are to prosper.”
Sheldon Richman

“It's amazing how so many governments don't get it... going out of their way to repel or even prevent talented foreigners from settling, as if the fundamental freedom to work hard and prosper is somehow derived from bloodlines, ethnicity, or irrelevant, invisible lines on a map.”
Simon Black

“If you must live your life under the direction and control of strangers, better they be local strangers than rulers at a distance. Even better: that you live under the dictates of your own well-formed conscience.”
Paul Hein

“’….Civility’ is a one-way concept. The state – and especially the state that imposes a ‘welfare’ vision upon others – is free to engage in violence, use violent rhetoric, and kill or imprison anyone who stands in the way of such a ‘vision.’ One is not ‘uncivil’ unless he or she opposes such a regime, even if the opposition is only in the form of words.”
William L. Anderson

“Statist elites depend on two things to perpetuate their scam: that their oppressive acts can be perpetrated behind a cloak of obscurity and that the productive citizenry should remain too disconnected and disorganized to rebel.”
Steve LaTulippe

“Mainstream politicians are inveterate liars. Their very existence is based on lying. They tell us government works when it doesn't, that we need to attack foreign countries when we don't, that taxes are voluntary, that they've read the bills, that they don't trade favors for money, that they don't sleep with hookers.
Bureaucrats are simply failed politicians. They couldn't lie good enough to get elected so they had their lying politician cronies appoint them to juicy taxpayer-funded jobs.”
Garry Reed

“The fate of those who defy our two-headed official ruling party is no different from those who challenge the single-headed ruling parties that dominate what we call 'totalitarian' or 'authoritarian' states.”
Justin Raimondo

“Regulations are before-the-fact demands by the government that presume the individual and one’s business guilty, in which one must submit one’s private personal or financial information to the government to prove one’s innocence. Government regulations and arbitrary restrictions are literally searches and seizures by the government of information that is none of anyone else’s business, and effect in the stifling of everyday citizens’ growth and prosperity.”

Scott Lazarowitz
"The police are to the government as the edge is to the knife."
David Bayley

“Karl Marx was wrong. Religion is not the opium of the people. Government debt is. The true faith of the West is not faith in God. It is faith in faithfulness of governments – the United States government above all.”
Gary North

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From the Darkness:

"One of water fluoridation's biggest advantages is that it benefits all residents of a community -- at home, work, school or play. And fluoridation's effectiveness in preventing tooth decay is not limited to children, but extends throughout life, resulting in improved oral health."

Dr. Howard Koh, assistant secretary for HHS

"We think that there are some entities within China that we have brought to the attention of the Chinese leadership that are still not as, shall we say, as in compliance as we would like them to be. And we are pushing very hard on that and we may be proposing more unilateral sanctions."
Queen Hillary, looking to make economic war on the Chinese

“Perhaps socialism was not an alternative to capitalism, but its heir. It will inherit the earth not by dispossessing the rich of their property, but by providing motives and incentives for behavior that are unconnected with the further accumulation of wealth.”
Robert Skidelsky

“That’s the kind of stuff that produces Oklahoma cities, produced two deputy sheriffs being killed in West Memphis.”
Rep. Steve Cohen, commenting on Jesse Ventura’s popular TruTV show, “Conspiracy Theory.”

"It is messy. It causes lots of terrible things to be on the news. The drug traffickers are not going to give up without a terrible fight. And they do things that are just barbaric - like beheading people."
Queen Hillary commenting on the Mexican drug cartels [Yea, Queeny, kinda like you do with your 500 pound bombs.]

“Of course, as we speak, al-Qaida and their affiliates continue to plan attacks against us.”
B. Obama, keeping the fear alive

“….I call on all our college campuses to open their doors to our military recruiters and ROTC. It is time to leave behind the divisive battles of the past. It is time to move forward as one nation.”
B. Obama, at his goose stepping best

“The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice. And tonight, more than two centuries later, it's because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward and the state of our union is strong.”
B. Obama, having a collectivist orgasm

“Operating under the significantly reduced funding level now being debated would cause severe problems, likely requiring us to curtail critical activities needed to support our troops and carry out our national security mission.”
Deputy Secretary of Defense William Lynn [I certainly hope so.]

“We should not speak about 30 months, but probably think in terms of 30 years.”
EU Special Representative Vygaudas Usackas, speaking of the EU’s commitment to Afghanistan

"Good citizens who report suspicious activity in good faith, should not have to worry about being sued."
House Homeland Security Chairman Pete King, introducing the "See Something, Say Something Act" as a shield against lawsuits for those "acting in good faith" and with "objectively reasonable suspicion" that a plot may be unfolding.

"That's how you hollow out a military."
Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, accusing Congress of dumping a “crisis on my doorstep" by holding the Pentagon to last year's spending levels. [Let’s make it so hollow that you can hear the wind blow through it.]

"I would not refer to him as a dictator.”
Joe Biden, on Egyptian dictator, Hosni Mubarak

“The concept of national service is not new, nor is it outdated. When America needs it, national service is the personal obligation of every American. And she needs it now.
All of us bear an obligation to serve—an obligation that goes beyond paying taxes, voting, or adhering to the law.”
Gen. Stanley McChrystal [This dude us downright spooky.]

"All governments must maintain power through consent, not coercion."
B. Obama [One you have finished your fit of laughter, ask yourself this question: What are the odds that he really believes this?]

Random Thoughts on Unrepentant Militarists & Statists

"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them."
-- George Orwell, "Notes on Nationalism," 1945

Much has been written about the disease of American Exceptionalism, pertaining to cases of mischief and crimes carried out in the name of US foreign policy. But there is also a subset of this phenomenon- military exceptionalism. Any criticism of this institution is seen by its most rabid supporters as a blasphemous attack on an institution held in religious reverence. I’m constantly amazed at this continued support, respect, and forgiveness exhibited by people towards the military, despite the complicity of the armed forces in these state executed crimes.

Over the years I’ve had many email encounters with militarists who scorn me for my views and my failure to bow to their deified organization. What follows are some random thoughts inspired by such encounters attempting to analyze and explain such rabid, unbending allegiance. You may or may not grasp cohesiveness between these thoughts but I believe they each stand on their own.

The "Call:"
 
Military apologists often bring up the “call” some individuals hear to “serve” in the military. What exactly is this “call?” Is it a demonic voice in their heads that “calls” them to kill for the state? Is it similar to the “call” fanatic Muslims hear, motivating them to kill for Allah? How are the two any different?

As for me, I never "called" anyone to kill in my name yet others feel I have some obligation to be grateful to those who answer this "call." Show me a signed contract where I have agreed to such a "service." I would submit that the only people who hear this "call" have agreed to have their lives and bodies owned by the state. That doesn't include me and millions of others.

The “Protection” Falsehood:

Military apologists claim the country would be in a "shambles" without the military? Please! What do you call this present mess? Militarists, claim that the military is fighting for liberty. If that is so, they're doing a pretty lousy job of it. My liberties grow fewer by the day. Perhaps they're fighting the wrong enemy. The wars militarists support are nothing but wars of empire, not defense, and have bankrupted all those enslaved under the US government's tyranny. The military today has nothing to do with defense but rather is directed to aggressive wars of conquest.

The Militarist Argument is Based on Faith:

Instead of logic and reason the arguments of militarists and statists are grounded in emotion and religious fervor. This delusional devotion also includes an unbending faith in the fantasy of a benevolent state.

I can sense the seething frustration when dissenters attempt to articulate their argument. They cannot provide honest, logical answers to honest, logical questions. The only ammunition left them is carefully crafted slogans, worn cliches, emotional rants, and a faith in a man-made institution, conditioned from birth. The only rebuttal remaining for them is slander, insults, threats, force ,and violence; identical methods used by their enslaving state when its meager attempts at persuasion fail. Nationalism is an affliction that dulls the powers of reason.

Faith is acceptable to defend viewpoints involving spiritual claims of the supernatural. These beliefs cannot be verified by empirical analysis. But it is an inadequate tool to justly defend an earthly, human created institution funded by coercion and maintained by aggression and force.

The Militarist’s Lack of Knowledge and Information:

A characteristic common to statists and militarists is that they are tragically uninformed. They formulate their weak, childish philosophies based on information gathered not from serious reading and study, but from strategically placed, carefully crafted sound bites received from state controlled television. They choose to explain their viewpoint with emotional outbursts rather than thoughtful, reasoned argument. They also have failed to overcome the conditioning and indoctrination they received while held captive in government controlled schools.

Unbelievers are Considered Dishonorable:

My opinions have often been described as “shameful” because I believe that the state and its military are not be respected, recognized as legitimate, and certainly not to be obeyed.

What is shameful are people (the military) who violate their oaths and contracts, then beat on their chests like chimpanzees, loudly claiming how wonderful they are.

What is shameful are people (the military) who arrogantly kill in my name (without my permission or even encouragement) and extract tribute at the point of their guns to pay for their murderous, unjust escapades.

The Militarist’s Unbending Allegiance:

In refusing to fawn over and bow in allegiance toward the state and its military, I’ll ask its supporters just why they agree to do so. Many times I’ve received this reply, “If I have to explain it to you, you wouldn’t understand.” The fact is that I'm capable of understanding anything that is logically and rationally explained. Of course, I know state and military apologists cannot do this because the god-state they so fervently believe in (and its mindless, hired assassins) cannot pass the scrutiny of such a discussion. This odious institution (a protection racket run by gangsters) would be exposed for the fraudulent, lying, hypocritical, murderous, demonic institution it is. It cannot survive the truth.

All states are evil, whatever they decide to call themselves, whatever philosophy they claim to hold. The US state has just done a better job of marketing and spreading propaganda to the masses, as well as having the good fortune to exist within an economic system that allows state plunder of extremely productive individuals. And let's not forget the ability to legally counterfeit its fiat currency and endlessly borrow to finance its empire.

Soon it will collapse, as all empires do, and the world will be better for it. After this occurs statists and militarists will be asking themselves, "How could I support and be willing to kill for such an evil institution?

The Falsehood of Military “Service:”

If the military deems itself so effective and confident, why not allow private competitors to emerge as alternatives to the forced “service” they now offer? Why not allow me to pay my hard earned money to a private defense agency who truly has my interests in mind (since they work for me). Wouldn’t this approach be more civilized than pointing a gun to my head to fund an enterprise that couldn’t care less about my interests- an enterprise that chooses instead to carry out the diabolical plans of power-crazed mad men? Members of the military take their orders from the state’s ruling class. A private defense agency would take orders from me, or risk losing my business to a competitor. Which organization do you think would best satisfy and “serve” me?

Even if you must have a state and a collective defense apparatus (the military), its only proper role is to defend geography, not to defend the ruling class or execute its “policy“. Likewise its role is not to defend other, distant governments and geography.