The Frugal Libertarian

The very fact that we even have to argue over whether agents of the government should be able to take naked pictures of you and/or run their slimy little hands up the inside of your leg until they “meet resistance”, aka touch your labia or testicles, as a condition to fulfilling a contract you made with a private company to transport you in the air from point A to point B, tells me that this country is so far down the road to complete tyranny that any attempt to restore even a smidgen of liberty to the individual is most likely futile.

What the fuck is wrong with people?  How can anyone possibly think that this is okay?  Oh, but we have to prevent terrorist blowing up planes.  Okay, fair enough, I would rather not die on a plane that was blown up by a criminal that decides to use violence to seek revenge for the federal government’s murder of their people and the occupation of their land.  But the chances of this happening are so low that I am compelled to be more worried about the molestation I will now have to endure at the hands of my own government if I want to fly the friendly sky than a terrorist with explosive powder in his underwear.

Let’s put terrorism into perspective.  A little under 3,000 Americans have been murdered by terrorist in the last ten years.  During that same period about 150,000 Americans have been murdered by your run of the mill murderers, 450,000 people have been killed in automobile accidents,  about 50,000 pedestrians have been killed by automobiles and about 400,000 people have been killed due to medical mistakes.  Clearly you are more likely to die in one of these manners than at the hands of a terrorist.  If you are so scared of dying at the hands of a terrorist that you are willing to put up, and even embrace the tyrannical edicts of the government then surely you are scared enough of being murdered, dying in a car accident, dying while crossing the street, or getting your tonsils out that you would be willing to endure whatever edicts the government could hand down to make your chances of tragic death as close to zero as possible.  How about CCTV cameras with audio in everyone’s house so we can catch them if they are plotting murder.  Maybe we should have to endure weekly polygraph test where they ask us if we plan on murdering anyone.  Surely you would be in favor of a new 5 mph speed limit for all vehicles so that fatal accidents can be a thing of the past.  Maybe we should all have to wear a list of our medications and medical history right on our chest so no doctor or pharmacist will miss something that could lead to our untimely death. You may think I am being ridiculous but who would have thought a year ago that you would have to let a perfect stranger see you naked or touch your breasts and labia to fly?

The media likes to remind us that 81% of people have no problem with airport porno-scanners.  This makes me think of a poster hung on the wall of my freshman English class.  It said “What is popular is not always right, what is right is not always popular.”  At one time a majority of people were just fine and dandy with people owning other human beings.  Not too long ago a majority of people thought women should not be able to own property and even more recently a majority thought black people should have to drink from separate drinking fountains.  Might does not make right and neither do numbers.  I do not care if I was the only person on the entire continent that thought porno-scanners were overly intrusive.  I do not judge the morality of something by how many people think it is a good idea.  If you do, than I feel sorry for you because you obviously lack any type of moral compass.

As far as those 81% percent of people who are willing to be ogled in the name of “security theater”, I have a question for you.  Is their anything you wouldn’t let the government do in the name of security?  Would you let them round up Muslims and put them in camps?  Would you let them round YOU up and put YOU in camps?  Would you even speak up as they were loading you onto the cattle cars or would you still hold on to the belief that they were doing it for your own good?

We are told by apologists for the state that “if you don’t like it, don’t fly”.  First, I have a better idea.  If you are so scared of dying at the hands of terrorist that you would allow yourself, your wife, daughter, mother, and grandmother to be ogled and fondled, than how about YOU DON’T FLY.  Second, the freedom of travel is one of the hallmarks of a free society.  Flying is necessary to reach many locations in the world.  Last time I checked I can not drive to Europe.  If you are willing to seriously impede the freedom of people to travel than don’t even pretend that you believe in freedom.  Just admit that you are a tyrannical authoritarian who doesn’t give a rats ass about liberty as long as your preferences are enforced.

Again, everyone wants to be safe while flying, but the those who think that a government agency can keep us safe are foolish.  This is the same government that can’t deliver mail without losing 8.7 billion dollars a year in the process.  If you want safety, first you should demand that your government stop occupying foreign lands.  Demand that they stop murdering people with both bullets and sanctions.  Then you should demand that they abolish the TSA and let the airlines take over airport security.  Let competition between airlines bring us the innovation that will truly make us safe.  I personally will fly with the airline that uses the latest techniques and technologies that do not involve my breast or genitalia.

If we can’t stop this affront to human dignity than all may be lost.  If the government can get away will such a gross violation of our bodies than their is very little that they can’t get away with. It is time to stand up, speak out, and OPT OUT.

Via: Term Life Insurance

Check out Injustice Everywhere for more on police misconduct statistics.

I am starting a new category here on The Frugal Libertarian, Books You Should Read.  I will be reviewing a new liberty centered book ever month.

The first book I recommend to anyone interested in making this  world a better place is “Healing Our World in an Age of Aggression” by Dr. Mary Ruwart. This is probably one of the most important books I have ever read.  Anyone who cares about issues such as education, poverty, the environment, terrorism, or crime prevention NEEDS to read this book.

I find many of my more liberal minded friends very frustrating at times because I don’t think they are wrong;  I think they are well-intentioned but horribly misguided because they lack an ideological compass.  This book is that compass.  It does an amazing job of demonstrating that libertarians/anarchist want the same thing everyone else wants, but we believe that aggression is neither the moral or the practical means to achieve those ends.

One of the first lessons we teach our children is to not aggress against others, but in our own lives we support and sometimes even advocate aggression to solve the world’s problems.  The child who steals another child’s toy or hits another child will usually “reap what they sow”, and so do adults who aggress.

From the Wall Street Journal:

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a small Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger and damage the war effort.

Gen. David Petraeus said the Taliban would exploit the demonstration for propaganda purposes, drumming up anger toward the U.S. and making it harder for allied troops to carry out their mission of protecting Afghan civilians.

“It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort,” Gen. Petraeus said in an interview. “It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community.”

Let me start off by saying that Terry Jone’s planned demonstration is disgusting.  I am really starting to fear for the Muslims who live in this country,  but Gen. Patraeus has a lot of nerve speaking out claiming that it is Mr. Jones that is putting troops’ lives in danger.  You know what puts soldiers’ lives in danger Gen. Patraeus?  Sending them into a war zone.  If you are so worried about their safety then bring them home.

I am sure that a little demonstration in Florida by a bunch of ignorant bigots will annoy and offend some of the Taliban, but I am pretty sure that OCCUPYING their country is pissing them off more.  When violent radicals strap on bombs and murder innocent people what do you think they will be thinking of Gen. Patraeus; an insignificant pastor who burned a book, or the military and its generals who raped and pillaged their homeland?

Everything I know about economics tells me that things are not going to get better in this country anytime soon.  The Commander-n-Thief and Congress are doing everything they can to prevent the growth of the private sector and now that their unsustainable  stimulus plans are starting to wear off, we are starting to see the growth of the public sector slow.  Someday the powers -that- be may start to understand that spending money you don’t have is not good for an individual or a government.  Until then, it may be time to tighten up that belt even more.

Here are some of my newest low-cost recipes: (all prices are for my local Walmart.  I don’t include price if it is a pantry item I buy in bulk at Sam’s or when on sale)

Black Beans and Rice: will feed 4 people and will probably have left-overs

1 jar Sliced Peppercinis   $1.85

1 lb Black Beans  $1.15

Rice

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Soak beans overnight as directed.  Combine beans and Peppercinis in a crock pot.  Cook on high for 8hrs.  Prepare however much rice you prefer.  Serve beans over rice and top with cheese. This can also be made with chicken instead of black beans, but of course that is more expensive.

7-Grain Whole Wheat Bread

1 cup plain yogurt ( $1.97 for 4 cups)

1/3 cup warm water

3 tbsp honey

3 tbsp dry milk

1 veg. oil

2 tbsp salt

1 egg

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups bread flour

3/4 cup 7-grain cereal

1 tbsp yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine, set on dough cycle.  When cycle is done, divide dough into two loaves and place in greased loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread (great way to use those old bananas)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

3-4 bananas

1 tsp Vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven at 350.  Put butter and sugar in blender.  Mix on high.  Add eggs, bananas and vanilla to blender.  Mix on high for 30 seconds.  In separate bowl mix flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix everything together.  Pour in greased loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes.

There is more liberty activism going on today than I can remember at any other time in my life.  Some people are choosing to work in the system, such as the Liberty Restoration Project here in Kansas City and others are choosing to work outside of the system, such as those at FreeKeene.  I think both are valuable to the liberty movement.

Libertarians and anarchist, it seems, by their nature are individualistic.  Many of us march to the beat of our own drum.  The chances of the liberty movement having a unified strategy for achieving liberty is very unlikely.  But, it may be time to have an outline of a strategy so that each type of activism can be working towards the same goal.  To this end, I have come up with the first six steps to achieve a stateless society.  Our activism, whichever form we choose, should be reflective of the desire to complete these steps.

1. Introduce people to the idea that aggression(initiation of force), whether done by an individual, or a group, is morally wrong.
2. Convince people that have come to believe that aggression is wrong that the government is aggression.
3. Introduce people to the idea that the is a better way, that aggression is not only immoral, but impractical.
4. Introduce the ideas of non-cooperation with government’s aggression.
5. Begin widespread non-cooperation with government’s aggression.
6. Begin competing successfully in the sectors where government now has a monopoly, such as protective services, fire serices, postal services, education and infrastructure.

A majority of the activism that is occurring at this time is working towards achieving steps 1-4.  I believe steps 5 and 6 can only be achieved once we been successful with the first four steps on a massive scale.  That does not mean that I don’t think we can have some successes involving steps 5 and 6.  I actually believe that small successes with step 5 and 6 will actually make steps 1-4 easier.

Any activism, whether it is within the system or outside of the system, that helps achieve these steps should be supported, whether or not it is the activism you yourself would choose to do.  I may not choose to attempt to get a ballot initiative passed, but if through working to pass a ballot initiative the ideas of non-aggression are introduced to people, I will support that effort.  I may not choose to openly perform civil disobedience, but if through that civil disobedience people are convinced that the government is aggression, then I will support that effort.

I believe that the conditions are right for a peaceful revolution and that we are at the beginning of our journey towards true liberty.   So choose your activism and take the steps towards a stateless society.

The city of Philadelphia is sending letters to bloggers demanding $300 for a business license.

For the past three years, Marilyn Bess has operated MS Philly Organic, a small, low-traffic blog that features occasional posts about green living, out of her Manayunk home. Between her blog and infrequent contributions to ehow.com, over the last few years she says she’s made about $50. To Bess, her website is a hobby. To the city of Philadelphia, it’s a potential moneymaker, and the city wants its cut.

In May, the city sent Bess a letter demanding that she pay $300, the price of a business privilege license.

Read the rest here.

Government schools are now taking on cyber-bulling by punishing students for actions that occur outside of school.  I am adding that to the list of reasons my children will never set foot in a government school.

Recently, a father sued on behalf of his daughter after she was suspended for a video that she posted on YouTube.  The video depicts the girl and some of her friends making lewd comments about another student.  A judge ruled in favor of the father, not because the judge believed the school overstepped their boundaries, but because the school was able to pull the video from YouTube quickly, keeping the disruption to the school “minimal”.  Since the disruption was “minimal” the school was wrong to suspend the girl.  This ruling was based on the 1969 Supreme Court Decision Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District which stated that “When a student’s speech interferes substantially with the school’s educational mission, a school can impose discipline.”  So, according to the court, if the video was not pulled promptly, the school would have been justified in the suspension.

Now, I am in no way defending the students behavior.  I have no patience for bullies, whether they are teenagers or agents of the state.  But, government schools should have no authority to punish a student for actions that occur outside of school.  If we allowed government schools to have this type of authority, where would we draw the line?  Nutrition, television, video games, how much time spent reading, or an infinite number of other things can substantially interfere with the school’s “educational mission”.  Are we to have agents of the government schools in our homes monitoring these things?  Unfortunately, it may be just a matter of time before that is no longer a question formed in hyperbole.  It may someday be a reality in our ever increasing nanny state.

I am happy to announce that I will now also be blogging at CopBlock.org.  Check it out!

I guess a little public outrage can make the police behave a little better.  It turns out that I was not the only one that thought a jaywalking sting was ridiculous.  It seems many of the cities’ minority groups believe that jaywalking citations are just a pretext for harassing minorities.  I would agree that they are a pretext for harassing citizens and reminding the public who is in charge (a hint: the guys with the guns and tasers are in charge. For now anyway.), but I don’t know if that harassment is aimed at minorities.  It seems to me that cops misbehavior is nondiscriminatory.

Anyway, KC police have now decided to “change the enforcement focus and have officers help guide traffic and pedestrians downtown rather than trying to catch scofflaws.”  What a novel idea,  serving the public in order to promote public safety instead of focusing on writing citations and raising revenue.   We could be on to something.