In the video below I explain my motives for not going along quietly with a simple citation and paying the fine. Statism is a religion that I simply do not have faith in and those of us who feel that way need to come out of the closet and stop pretending that we do in order to fit in and avoid conflict.
I was recently accused of hiding behind my principles. The implication was that I was making a poor decision pragmatically speaking in order to adhere to some lofty and impractical principle. But principles are pragmatic. At least they ought to be. Otherwise what good are they? If your goals are noble, what better way to determine principles than based on whether they help you achieve your goals?
We often confuse expediency with pragmatism. You can make a choice that provides immediate return and seems the pragmatic choice only to pay a higher price later. A person who commits a crime is getting some immediate reward but has an ever-increasing risk of being caught each time. He’s gambling. He’s also shitting where he eats by destroying the sense of trust in his community. Lying is similar. When you get caught in a lie, which is likely just a matter of time depending on how often you attempt it, you seriously undermine your reputation. Worse yet, if you lie now expecting some immediate gain from it, even if you correct yourself in the future, anything you say thereafter will be circumspect. Even when you get away with it, every lie you tell for some immediate benefit undermines your veracity because you know you’re a liar. Conversely, knowing in your heart that you are consistently honest and sincere shows through in the power of your convictions. It’s a rare talent to be able to lie convincingly.
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I’ve heard said that cats are the original anarchists. I know all animals are essentially anarchist but for cats it’s a passion; not just a lack of comprehension of the human fabrication of statism. Anarkitty is inspired by my roommate’s cat. She’s lived with us for a couple months now and she’s already inspired some more ideas for Anarkitty comics.
I know this is futile, but I’m going to ask people not to analyze for some deep political analogy. IT’S NOT THERE! Really.
An open letter to activists espousing violence as a form of activism against statism.
A shepherd had a nice flock of sheep but he was endlessly frustrated because his neighbor had more sheep than him. One day he had just birthed a new lamb only to discover that his neighbor had birthed two and was even further ahead of him. He’d had it. That night and every night thereafter, he began to complain about it in his prayers.
“Lord, Manuel now has five more sheep than me. I work just as hard as him and take good care of my sheep and it’s just not fair!”
After many nights of prayers full of whining and complaining about what he perceived as a terrible injustice, he heard a clear voice in his head.
“Alright! Alright! Just stop complaining and I will help you, but only this once. Then you are on your own. I don’t want to hear another word about it!” answered the Lord.
“Oh, thank you Lord! You are truly just! So… you are going to kill five of Manuel’s sheep?”
I believe the story was meant as an analogy about far left politics and what seems like a desire to drag everyone down to an equal level of misery. It may not seem to relate to retribution, but it does address a flaw in our thinking that fuels what I see as a pointless desire for retribution.
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I didn’t hear the conversations myself, but my understanding is some police were complaining about the lack of respect they were receiving at a recent protest regarding cannabis in Keene Central Square. I have some thoughts for cops who don’t understand why you are becoming so universally despised.
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