Libertarian @dcjogger@gameliberty.club

The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.

http://www.operatorchan.org/n/

If the US was free, peaceful, had a booming economy, had a balanced budget, had sound money, had safe streets, had no minimum wage, and taxes imposed by all levels of government took less than 10% of our income in the past, are Americans happier now that the USA is a police state, at war, has a dead economy, is in debt, has a minimum wage, and high taxes?

Four years ago I awoke on a Sunday morning where I was visiting family, a ray of light coming through the window. The window view showed side-by-side symbols; one of liberty, as represented by a small community of multi-colored and multi-shaped living structures with residents going about their business oblivious to the second symbol, represented by large, gray, ugly, windowless government buildings spying on and recording everyone’s communication. The contrast of liberty and totalitarian intent was startling and breathtaking. I was in Bluffdale, Utah viewing the NSA’s top spy facility in the world named the Intelligence Community Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center.

To the far left of the window view was a new housing development intruding into largely undeveloped land, like an extending finger, with brown hills above it and a large hay farm in front and below stretching far forward and to the right of my view. Here residents made choices that enhanced the quality and comfort of their lives largely free from total government spying and restriction – or so they thought.

The number of churches to the population seemed unusually high, five church steeples reaching skyward, as if begging for the influence of God in their community, in what looked to be no more than 300 structures, mostly apartments, as seen from my window – all within a mile of where I was. I attended one of the churches and was greeted with the opening song “America the Beautiful,” the classic patriotic tune words written by Katherine Lee Bates and music by Samuel A. Ward. It housed the favorite words “America! America!” followed by four phrases in four verses “God shed his grace on thee,” and, “God mend thine every flaw,” and, “May God thy gold refine,” and again, “God shed his grace on thee.” Obviously, these Christians loved their liberty. A similar tune representing a relationship between God, country and liberty could have been found throughout most of the country the Sunday before the 4th of July.

In stark contrast, off in the distance about two miles but still clearly visible from the left side of the same window, was the most profound symbol of big government ever – the new NSA spy center, the largest in the world, capable of holding a yottabyte of information collected from every person on earth, with space enough for generations to come. These enormous, ugly, gray, windowless, buildings perched on a hill with intimidating guard-houses restricting entrance, represented potential total control of the actions and thoughts of every human.

Much was published on NSA government spying of its own people including LibertyUnderFire.org columns, so nothing new is found in this one. A project began under George W. Bush and accelerated under Barack Obama, Bluffdale “is the final piece in a complex puzzle assembled over the past decade and a half. Its purpose: to intercept, decipher, analyze, and store vast swaths of the world’s communications as they zap down from satellites and zip through the underground and undersea cables of international, foreign, and domestic networks… Flowing through its servers and routers and stored in near-bottomless databases will be all forms of communication, including the complete contents of private emails, cell phone calls, and Google searches, as well as all sorts of personal data trails—parking receipts, travel itineraries, bookstore purchases, and other digital “pocket litter” (”The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center. Watch What You Say.”) The project was code named “Stellar Wind.”

Monday morning the same light flooded the room. The same symbols of liberty and oppression lay in stark contrast below. The same five church steeples reach for the sky as though to appeal to God for His influence. The same residents drive by, perhaps the greatest symbol of totalitarianism of all time, on their way to work, as though it does not exist. Some may even work at this place to help give the government details on their neighbor. Everything about these ugly, windowless, gray structures violates the Constitution. Chances are those of the community next door that sing of freedom will reelect the same Democrats and Republicans that authorized and funded their surveillance. I closed the window. If I too ignore what it shows, it will go away. Right?

The Second Continental Congress, having been convened for six months, had been engaged in the wrestle for or against independence, the vast majority of delegates being decidedly against such drastic action most of this time. Surely there should be a way of reconciling their differences with Great Britain instead.

This was so, even after the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker (Breeds) Hill and the British occupation of Boston. We were at war. King George III had already rejected the Colonists’ Declaration of Rights and Grievances, arguing the violation of their rights under British law, and the pacifist Olive Branch Petition, which reaffirmed colonial loyalty to the king and blamed their problems upon Parliament alone. Moreover, he had declared the Colonists in open rebellion. A full six months prior to the signing a declaration of independence, Parliament had removed the colonies from the protection of the British military, ended all British trade with them, and authorized the confiscation of any American vessel on the seas. Still, delegates could not bring themselves to separate from their “mother,” the British Empire.

On July 1, 1776, the Patriots finally risked “putting the question” to a tentative count but were numbingly shocked by the result. Four colonies New York, South Carolina, Delaware and Pennsylvania did not support declaring independence from Great Britain. The Patriots needed to show solidarity. A vote of only nine colonies would show disunity.

This is where the brilliance of John Adams, from Massachusetts, and Richard Henry Lee, from Virginia, came into play. They got Edward Rutledge to use his influence to persuade South Carolina, for the sake of unity, to join those supporting independence, if Pennsylvania and Delaware could be persuaded to do likewise. Convinced that that could never happen, Rutledge agreed. Next, Adams and Lee worked on Delaware which had three representatives, one for and another against independence and a third, Caesar Rodney, who was pro declaration, was recuperating from health problems at his farm 80 miles away and probably would not be able to be there to vote the next day. Apparently he had skin cancer and a sore on his face the “size of a large apple.” The Delaware delegate favoring independence sent a messenger to Rodney to try to get him to the Convention for the vote. This necessitated an 80-mile all night ride by the sick delegate.

Now they needed to change the vote of Pennsylvania with seven delegates, four of who were against independence. Amazingly Adams and Lee convinced two of these to be absent for voting the next day. This would place Pennsylvania in the camp of the Patriots three to two. New York, without instructions to vote for independence, remained neutral refusing to vote at all. The gamble was that in these agreements in South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Delaware there existed too many ifs, and would everyone do as promised? They needed a “little miracle,” perhaps three.

Sometime after lunch the next day July 2, 1776, Caesar Rodney, “caked with mud from head to foot,” having ridden though a severe thunderstorm and torrential rain “entered the assembly room, and when his name was called for Delaware he rose with difficulty but in a clear voice stated: ‘As I believe the voice of my constituents and of all sensible and honest men is in favor of Independence and my own judgment concurs with them, I vote for Independence’ “ (Declaration of Independence: The Keepsake Album of its Creation, by Joseph P. Cullen, American History Illustrated p. 34).

This “little miracle” made Delaware the 10th colony for a declaration that these colonies were free and independent states. The two lesser “miracles” followed. Pennsylvania followed as planned when the two con-delegates did not show to vote as promised, leaving a simple majority for independence, and Rutledge kept his word and persuaded South Carolina to become the 12th colony for the sake of unity. With New York abstaining the Patriots could announce to the world that the vote had carried without an opposing vote. All this happened within 26 hours, when the day before, at 10:00 a. m., only nine colonies supported independence.

A draft of The Declaration of Independence had been written, reviewed by committee, and tabled on June 28, until after an affirmative vote for independence. This achieved, its finalization by the whole house followed on July 4, 1776, passing 12 to 0, again with New York abstaining. But could all this be vindicated on the battlefield, as war with Great Britain was certain to follow as a result, that seemed just as improbable perhaps needing additional “little miracles,” or would these men merit only the gallows, but that is a story for another day?

Wow.

Americans have gone stark-raving mad.

Nazis and Communists scream Libertarians care about trifling issues, but Libertarians aren't the ones who who want to regulate teakwood.

Americans insist owning tigers must be illegal because tigers will go extinct, but people now own cats and dogs. Do pet owners have a vested interest in killing their own cats and dogs?

Americans are so retarded today that they say shoes are made by the government.

Americans scream anyone who supports freedom is not a Libertarian.

Americans say all laws must be obeyed even though the government and illegal aliens don't obey the law.

Americans swear that you are exploited and forced to work for low wages and buy products because businesses don't give you a choice.

Americans scream that the US debt could be paid off if the government confiscated all of the property owned by Trump.

Americans have become so batshit insane now that they insist anyone wearing a costume, badge, and a gun is a holy god, but do the Gestapo ever make mistakes?

Why should anyone care if you own guns, use prostitutes, go to church, or smoke?

Have Americans ever read a history book before?

Americans have become such pussified snowflakes now that they beg their beloved government overlords to protect them from scary illegal immigrants and guns.

The USA had open borders before, why not now? Do you really think that the US never had black people before today?

If banning guns will stop people from shooting others, will outlawing murder stop homicides?

The government regulates airlines, but do airplanes still crash?

Americans are simply unable to understand that decrees have unintended consequences.

China used to say all birds must be killed, but then insects multiplied and lead to starvation.

China used to say that the population must grow, but population growth lead to a one child policy. Now China doesn't have enough young people and the sex ratio is lopsided because boys outnumber girls.

Americans start wars and are then stunned that there are refugees, terrorism, tyranny, and debt.

The US bans business and then Americans are shocked when homelessness increases.

The US starts a trade war and then Americans are completely dumbfounded that no one buys US exports and prices soar.

Americans say coffee must be banned because it is dangerous, but what if an expert wrote a study saying coffee is safe?

Could there possibly be any other way to other way to help the environment besides arresting users of straws?

Americans scream seatbelts must be mandatory because accidents raise insurance costs, but if insurance rates are so important then why not ban skydiving, rope, swimming pools, and ladders, too?

Do Americans who hate freedom feel like traitors?

If tyranny is so wonderful, why do North Koreans try to escape North Korea?

Every day the US gets worse. We pretend everything is fine, justify things, lie to ourselves, and stay silent.

Do you think things will get better on their own?

At point will you get mad? When will you resist? What will say when the economy collapses, you get sent to the concentration camps, the civil war starts, and WWIII breaks out?

Will you feel any responsibility at all?

Are you just going to take it?

Government laws lead to more crime. If only murder and theft were illegal, obeying the law would be easy, but no one respects the law when everything is illegal.

Most of the problems of today would be solved by embracing what worked in the past.

People were born in the past without birth certificates.

People could travel without passports.

People can learn how to drive without driver licenses.

Business that don’t have business licenses will go bankrupt if they provide bad service.

People won’t starve if they don’t have food stamps.

People can find cheap doctors in the world without Obamacare.

People won’t have a vested interest in driving dangerously if there are no liability insurance laws.

Would crime rise if everything was legal?

Why do you need the government? Can’t you talk to people who bother you? Could you sue someone? Could you just move away?

Think.

A free country that went to war with a evil dictatorship should not become a police state. Thieves cannot take the moral high ground and criticize robbers.

The USA is an immoral bankrupt warmongering police state now.

Americans have learned nothing from history.

Americans have no rights anymore and the US is no longer a democracy.

Americans think every problem should be solved by decree and force now, but every solution causes another problem.

Americans think the government is made up of holy men. Americans think anyone becomes a saint when they wear a costume, badge, and a gun.

The solution for problems should be what worked in the past.

Americans say that rent control should be used to reduce high rents instead of reducing regulations.

When regulations lead to a bad economy, Americans think that the homeless to should be put in jail and businesses should be given bailouts.

Instead of allowing people to feed the homeless, Americans think feeding the homeless should be outlawed.

Instead of getting rid of welfare that encourages girls to marry the state instead of a man and leads to broken families, Americans think food stamps should be expanded.

Instead of getting rid of minimum wages that cripple the ability of the USA to compete on the world market, Americans think the US should increase the minimum wage and start a trade war by enacting tariffs.

When food stamps lead to increased debt, Americans think that taxes should be raised.

Americans think the only way to attend college is to have student loans, but student loans raise the cost of tuition.

Instead of ending wars that lead to terrorism, tyranny, debt, and refugees, Americans think that the wars should be increased.

China used to encourage people to have kids, but after China became overpopulated, China had an one-child policy.

The USA is supposed to be a free country. The reason the Americans fought the British was because Americans wanted to be free.

When our overlords make a decree, they always sell it as a minor temporary law that only affects Muslims, junkies, sex offenders, homosexuals, illegal immigrants, or blacks. The 1% doesn’t mention that the law will become permanent and more draconian.

No one cares if owning cows are illegal, yoga pants are illegal, teen driving is illegal, or smoking is illegal. The problem is what happens when your job is banned, the government steals your house, tortures your family, or sends you to the concentration camps.

Are you just going to take it?

The elites are trying today to make Americans dependent children by outlawing everything and giving them food stamps. Once Americans are weakened and the US Ponzi economy implodes, the ruling class will then send the 99% off to the gulags to be starved and killed.

Governments are not kind. Governments have killed millions of people in Nazi concentration camps, Soviet gulags, the Chinese Great Leap Forward, and the Cambodian killing fields.

Liberty is not something that only benefits other people, but not you. Freedom benefits everyone.

Tyranny is not something that only punishes other people, but not you. Tyranny punishes everyone.

Freedom is good.

Tyranny is bad.

This is no joke.

History repeats and the signs are everywhere.

Anyone who supports the government is just a tool of the elites.

Wake up.