Congratulations to Dale and Jesse and thanks to the Equinox’s Brian Dunham for this great article.
Here it is for archival purposes:
A different point of view
Anarchists voice dissent towards government
Brian DunhamIssue date: 10/23/08 Section: The Main Event
While many Americans are still deciding who to vote for on Nov. 4, nearly a dozen Keene liberty activists are opposed to participating in a system that is “inherently broken.”
Several local anarchists find democracy to be morally abhorrent and refuse to give their consent to the system by voting.
Dale Everett, a freelance programmer and graphic designer and also a member of The Free State Project, said it doesn’t matter who gets elected because the American system of government does not promote liberty.
“Even if we elect someone good it’s still four years of a good person in a bad system,” said Everett, who moved here from Georgia. “It’s like joining the KKK to stop what they do.”
FSP was set up to encourage pro-liberty minded individuals to move to New Hampshire because of its low taxes, lax gun laws, low government dependence and a “culture of individual responsibility.” New Hampshire was chosen in a vote by FSP members that ended in September 2003.
The FSP does not owe its allegiance to any political party, and the philosophies of its members vary. The organization has 8,727 participants, 594 of whom currently reside in N.H., according to their Web Site. Most of the FSP members who reside around Keene are “out of the system types,” according to Everett. That is, individuals who do not want to participate in the government or its programs.
There is little difference between Barack Obama and John McCain, according to FSP member Jesse Moloney, who made it clear neither his nor Everett’s views represent the FSP. Whoever gets elected the size of the government will increase. FSP members believe the maximum extent to which government should exist is that which is required to protect life, liberty and property.
“You can’t fit a piece of paper between them,” said Moloney, who has served in the Navy. “John McCain has voted the neo-con line, and Obama talks about change, but him and McCain have almost identical voting records.”
Everett, who created “Anarchy in Your Head,” a political comic strip promoting anarchy, described his philosophy as disbelief. He does not believe the American system of government works, or any system of government one cannot voluntarily be a part of, or opt out of. Everett has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Georgia Tech, and he received his Masters at USC.
“Out an out, we’re anarchists,” said Moloney, who served in the U.S. Navy. But “We’re not Molotov cocktail anarchists,” he said, emphasizing that anarchism is not a violent philosophy. Government promotes violence, according to Moloney, who believes all things should be done on a voluntary, consensual basis.
Everett believes that by voting, one is acknowledging government and consenting to what they do. Regardless of whether one’s preferred candidate wins or loses, voting is participation in government and approval of a system that promotes crime.
“That is why I half-jokingly say ‘You can’t bitch if you voted,'” said Everett.
When asked if they believe in any laws Everett said, “If you voluntarily agree to them.”
Everett believes in what he described as natural laws, like fraud and theft. They believe in a free market and voluntarism, in which all things are done on a voluntary basis.
The government has a monopoly on crime, according to Everett. They make laws that do not apply to them.
“They can steal and call it tax; they can kidnap and call it arrest,” said Everett. “I don’t want to hear about being the freest country when we lock up more citizens than any other.”
According to Everett the only reason the government prosecutes criminals is because the criminal violated their monopoly on crime.
“When they prosecute a thief, nine times out of ten you don’t get your stuff back,” said Everett.
“The number one way to prevent crime is to stop the government from doing it,” said Everett. “People need to face the reality that police are not protecting us.”
Everett does not believe in victimless crime, such as the drug war.
“The drug war is job security,” said Everett, meaning punishing drug offenders keeps police departments in business.
Everett and Moloney both said they want nothing from the American government and in turn they said the government should not expect anything from them. It is immoral to pay taxes that support causes individuals are opposed to.
“Christians might have trouble with stem-cell research,” said Moloney. “If someone is forced to pay for it, that’s immoral.”
Moloney doesn’t believe the military or welfare should be funded by taxpayers.
“If it was a good idea they wouldn’t have any problem with funding [them privately],” said Moloney.
Public schools are indoctrination centers, according to Everett.
“They teach children to see the state as their parents,” he said.
Educating children should be the responsibility of parents, and that would be easier if parents didn’t have to pay for public education, Everett said.
“Who can afford private schools [when you have to pay taxes],” said Everett. “[There would be] more competition if there wasn’t a monopoly on schools.”
When asked what advice he would give to a young person trying to change the world for the better, he didn’t recommend voting, or running for office.
“I would tell them not to subjugate their judgment to someone else’s,” said Everett. “Be an individual and think for yourself. Take responsibility for your own actions.”
“Don’t accept the status quo for what it is,” said Moloney. “Ask tough questions.”
Many Keene members of the FPS promote civil disobedience and often attend public events. Several members meet weekly at Vendetta on Central Square to discuss philosophy and plan events.
“We are simply educators,” said Everett.
“We question ourselves every day. I beat myself over the head with it,” said Moloney. “By the end of the day I can justify it.”
