Topic: Abolition of Statism
I Had a Lot of Reasons for Rejecting "The State" I didn't just wake up one morning because the coffee wasn't hot and decide I no longer trusted government. There were many reasons and the list keeps growing.by Dan Steward
(libertarian)
Sunday, January 18, 2009
I wanted so much for so many years to believe in what I mistakenly thought was "right" about our system of government.
I tried most of my adult life to work within the system, giving my time and efforts to Libertarian and other pro-freedom causes, even the Libertarian Party for a time. My efforts were wasted and the supposed "Party of Principle" in 2008, both ran a racist warmonger for office in Kentucky and even had the nerve to nominate a vile statist lout for president. The boorish fool had mouthed the words, mumbled the empty platitudes, and ended up making freedom loving people that supported his presidential bid, look like total schmucks.
I once mistakenly believed anarchists to be likened to hermits at best, living their lives in caves or other dwellings "off the grid", totally withdrawn from society. My public "education" had purposely made me to be thoroughly ignorant of the actual truth that people cooperate for their mutual benefit in all matters. All they require is non-interference from Big Brother and the desire to better their lives.
I was blind to the great abilities of the anarco-capitalist to create, absent the heavy hand of the state, the goods and services that we all enjoy and need. The fine teachings of Browne, Rand, Rockwell, Von Mises, and numerous others brought me up to speed.
My blindness led me also to once believe that the U.S. Constitution and those sworn to uphold it, would protect my life, my property, and my rights. The constitution was set aside when it became inconvenient to those who enjoy power over others, and outright ignored when those openly hostile to freedom and liberty could not otherwise deliver their ills upon the masses. The police, bureaucrats, political hacks, and a host of other statist jerks had literally abdicated their duty.
Yes, I have many reasons for giving up on the state as anything other than a needless hindrance upon my life. I have only to read a newspaper, view a favorite website or listen to freetalklive.com to have more reasons to add to my long list of transgressions against my fellow human beings that they have committed.
I do not need nor will ever grow to love government as an alternative to the free society.
With Liberty,
Dan Steward
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Posted By: Jahfre Fire Eater
Date: 2009-01-18 08:18:17
Thanks for sharing your thoughts this morning Dan.
It's interesting to me how different objectives result in different perspectives on the same events and actions.
For some, as you've phrased it, "The constitution was set aside" for others, flaws in the Constitution were exploited by dastardly villians and for others the Constitution has been leveraged as the rule book for bringing our country to exactly where it is today with purpose and pride.
The State that you've rejected also looks like different things to different people. Your anarcho-capitalist idealism and your rejection of the state are no more heart-felt than the social progressive idealism that holds the polar opposite of your perspective. Stacking up a wagonload of reasons to defend either ideal is not all that interesting, to me. You may as well be listing all the reasons you think Quisp is a superior cereal to Quake. Neither has any bearing in the real world where the choices are nearly infinite.
If you'd write about how you behave in the real world as a devout anarcho-capitalist, I'd find that far more interesting. How do you make economic and cultural choices based on your perceptions of the world? What are the costs? What are the benefits? I'd love to see real-world examples of how you promote this perspective in your daily life.
I've written before about my motivations. I am a defender of liberty. I'm not a patriot. I'm not a constitutionalist. I'm not an advocate of the state or of party politics. I view the world like the Apollo 13 astronauts did. Here is my situation. Here are the available tools and resources. Here are my goals.
How can I, starting from right now, in this particular situation that exists in the real world, using the available tools and resources, make the most effective efforts to promote my goals?
So, if you're really onto something that could help people promote their goals, why not tell them how it works? As I said earlier, it seems like that would be far more interesting than a list of reasons for your personal perspective. You're perspective isn't mine no matter if you have 1 reason (faith-based reasoning) or 100 Trillion (absolutist reasoning) or any number in between. Your reasons for one opinion are no more interesting than your reasons for another. Why do you choose the toothpaste you use? Who cares? Tell us how that choice impacts your objectives and it becomes more interesting and possibly useful information for others.
... Or make a list... :-) its your column. Maybe your other readers love lists and I'm in a minority. Gee, that wouldn't be unusual.
Believe me, the rest of the nation is glad NOT to have you as a believer in, nor supporter of, our government and way of life. We hope you stay in EXILE out there in the boondocks and harmless fringes of society where we only occasionally hear some bellyaching that probably just requires an antacid.
Believe me, the rest of the nation is glad NOT to have you as a believer in, nor supporter of, our government and way of life.
I sincerely hope that I haven't given you the impression that I would ever need their okay on the deal.
You've again missed the entire point of telling Big Bro to cram it down his shorts. BTW I got no problem with the "way of life" or any way that doesn't involve the threat of force as the primary motivator to get people to do anything.
So you love a continually growing monopoly system that hurts people and ruins their lives on a daily basis, what else is new? You get goodies from them such as your gov't pension. I get why you don't want to rock the boat. That blood money extorted from everyone else keeps your utilities on and purina in the cat's bowl.
We hope you stay in EXILE out there in the boondocks and harmless fringes of society where we only occasionally hear some bellyaching that probably just requires an antacid.
My presumed "exile" is in the largest city in the southern half of Indiana. Hardly a "boondocks" by any stretch of the imagination.
I am however chipping away at the system in ways not always directly related to my column on this site and not particularly confined to this part of the nation.
Once some bigger "chunks" of said system start to fall, I'll be happy to snail you some Tums to help alleviate your particular bellyache.
There is no place you can go. You're in exile whether you know it or not. You're not a part of anything. You moan and groan for something that has never been, nor will ever be. Because you are so unwilling to accept SOME repression of your liberties, you must be bitter and resentful of EVERYTHING.
You're an eternal minority. No, in fact, you're not even a minority. You're an insignificant speck of disillusionment and disgust.
Wow! That's really a looooooong way down on the food chain! Condolences, my dear EXILE!
Somalia is not a nation under the rule of anarchists. It is a society with multiple and competing law-enforcing entities rather than a singular monopoly on law-enforcement - this is hardly what anarchists are working towards. And that's not even bringing up the fact that manipulation by foreign governments may be the direct cause of much of the destablizing chaos in Somalia.
Now both of you, stop acting like ignorant children.
Posted By: Nick in Buffalo
Date: 2009-01-20 20:59:44
Quote:
Posted By: Master C Date: 2009-01-18 13:48:03
Danny, boy,
There is no place you can go. You're in exile whether you know it or not. You're not a part of anything. You moan and groan for something that has never been, nor will ever be. Because you are so unwilling to accept SOME repression of your liberties, you must be bitter and resentful of EVERYTHING.
You're an eternal minority. No, in fact, you're not even a minority. You're an insignificant speck of disillusionment and disgust.
Wow! That's really a looooooong way down on the food chain! Condolences, my dear EXILE!
Master C
It seems to me that you are simply unwilling to accept that not every man, woman and child subscribes to your viewpoints. As a libertarian "minarchist" I fully support your right to state your opinion, regardless of what that may be. However, rather than posting a polite, reasoned defense of your views, you seem to be attacking Dan for what he believes. This is in effect no different than someone who hates based on religion. You maligning him for being an Anarcho-Capitalist is no different from a xenophobe believing that all Muslims or all Arabs are evil. Calling someone an "insignificant speck of disillusionment and disgust" certainly constitutes an attack.
And in response to the area of your text which I bolded:
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
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