UPDATED: Decriminalize Marijuana

I wrote this posting in March regarding the decriminalization of marijuana to which Jacob and Black Dude made some good comments in response.

Here is a great article by Daniel Flynn that addresses the concerns I pointed out regarding the introduction of government into the drug business. Flynn argues that legalization and regulation would actually drive the price of marijuana higher, and concludes that decriminalization (the commonly-accepted definition, not mine) is the best (least worst) solution.

Black Dude wrote on March 21, "The State gains power very sneakily with small steps that continually build over time. The more fear they can create, the bigger steps they can take. I think that we're going to have to do the same thing to take that power back. We'll have to start with small, accumulating steps. The more educated the people become, the more willing they will be to take the bigger steps."

I don't believe that small steps against a tyrannical government is effective or approaches any favorable solution. Imagine if small steps were taken against King George in the 18th Century - do you really think that true independence could have been attained? To ask is to answer.

And before the rebuttal is given that they were dealing with a tyrannical monarchy whereas we are living in "fair" system of "democracy", check out Hans Hermann Hoppe's book Democracy: The God That Failed (summarized here).

To conclude, Flynn has done a great job of categorically rejecting the notion of legalization but holds decriminalization as the de facto solution. The only real solution is to completely reject the involvement of the state into the drug (and all other) business altogether. Small steps will not be sufficient to save this fatally damaged ship, but an attainable goal is to save the life boats. To do so, one must first acknowledge that the ship is unsalvagable and allow for the life boats to be deployed.

I'd like to use this piece to open up a dialogue in the comments section with Jacob, Black Dude, and all others.

America: Also The Global Financial Police

Barack Obama said Monday, "If financial institutions won't cooperate with us, we will assume that they are sheltering money in tax havens and act accordingly."

Many investors deposit their cash and enter into contract with foreign banking institutions because of privacy concerns. This does not make one a criminal but a wise and prudent protector of their assets with legitimate apprehension toward a tyrannical government [see: Gold Confiscation Act of 1933].

Sure, there those who use these financial institutions as tax havens. But with today's oppressive tax code, who can blame them?

The national coffers are depleted, the creditors are concerned about their investment, and the voluntary slaves are already overtaxed. But the empire must be financed and all measures must be utilized - including the presumption of guilt in the event of a financial institution refusing to "cooperate", instead opting to honor a pre-existing contract.

I only hope that these institutions have the chutzpah to stand up to the dictator and refuse to "cooperate".

Single Atlanta Red Light Camera Brings in $1.3 Million

Red light cameras are installed to save lives, not extort money from the public, right?

911 Operator Is an Arogant Bully

[From LRC]

Here's an example of why the government should not be in the business of providing emergency rescue services. When a 17-year-old high school senior called 911 as her father was having a seizure, the operator cursed at her and hung up - not once, but three time. Then, when she ran to the police department, she was arrested for "disorderly conduct" and "abusing 911."

This service should be provided by trained experts in the private sector, where they would have incentive to actually do their jobs, not by mindless armed bureaucrats who go unpunished unless the local media gets involved.



Click here for article and written transcript of video.

Churchgoers More Likely to Support Torture

A survey performed by the Pew Forum on Religious & Public Life found that 54% of those who attend services at least once per week believe that torture can "often" or "sometimes" be justified against suspected terrorists. This is in contrast to the 42% of those who seldom or never attend church.

Initially I was going to draw parallels between church goers and the Republican party, but frankly, what's the point? It takes little intellectual capacity to link the Republican party to the Religious Right (see: the Moral Majority), and party affiliation is irrelevent in this particular application.

This data is a bit shocking when you consider the message that Jesus presented and then watch in awe as the hypocritical religious masses support the heinous act of torture. These are the modern day Pharisees that Jesus rebuked in the temple in the New Testament. What kind of garbage is being spewed from the pulpet?

Bush was elected (twice) because of the religious faction and one can confidently narrow the reason for support down to the predictable topics of abortion, gay marriage, morality, et al. What did Bush do in 8 years that helped to advance the pro-life movement? Yet in those same 8 years, how many lives were lost in the Middle East, both American and foreign? How can these people be so short-sided and inconsistent?

[By the way, Democrats, how is that whole Iraq pull-out coming along? Where is the peace movement now that the evil Bush is out of power?]

I guess the only way to protect the "suspected terrorists" from the "loving" church goers is to put them inside a womb.

[See Lawrence Vance's article.]

Police Officer Escapes Drunk Driving Charges...

...in Louisiana because he is a cop and his brother is a police chief. One doesn't need to wonder long how this would have played out if this happened to a mere peasant.

Happy Loyalty Day

May 1st is a relatively little known holiday called Loyalty Day that was made official by President Eisenhower in 1959 and reaffirmed by every president since Gerald Ford. Click here to see the official White House press release from Barack Obama.

Although innocuous on its surface, the nationalistic idea that one must be unconditionally loyal to one's country evokes the kind of jingoistic spirit reminiscent of Teddy Roosevelt and echoed by the likes of Wilson, FDR, and most recently Bush and Obama. Dissent is the crippling enemy of any state which derives its authority from the consent of the governed, and is thus combated through countless avenues -- including national "holidays".

"The National Government will regard it as its first and foremost duty to revive in the nation the spirit of unity and cooperation. It will preserve and defend those basic principles on which our nation has been built."
--Adolf Hitler

"He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice."
--Albert Einstein

On this Loyalty Day, remember to be loyal to the spirit of liberty and repudiate the idea that it is interchangable with loyalty to country. Do not lose your individuality and self sovereignty.