No Safe Place
Ali Hassan Massoud
2006-07-23 16:00
Exclusive to STR
I used to get a lot of hate mail when I first started posting stuff on the Internet. Especially after I stopped using pseudonymous handles and started posting under my own name.
The Chemical Ali Political Consciousness Evolutionary Time Line
Ali Hassan Massoud
2006-03-15 17:00
Exclusive to STR
Let me start off by admitting that this is an autobiographical time line and not an effort at political propaganda or my personal reading list. We've got enough of those already. If gaining awareness of your intrinsic individual liberty were as simple as reading a few books we'd already be living in utopia. Instead here is what I've learned; take from it what you will.
Observations on Urban and Rural Attitudes Toward the State
Ali Hassan Massoud
2006-03-05 17:00
Exclusive to STR
The principal reason that rural Americans tend to be more independent-minded and anti-state is that they seldom encounter any of the state's minions in their daily lives. Other than the occasional patrolling state police trooper or county road commission work crew, they don't interact with them much at all. Need 'em? For what?
Thoughts on Piracy
Ali Hassan Massoud
2006-01-31 17:00
Exclusive to STR
Maybe all those Somali 'pirates' we are told about aren't really pirates at all. Maybe perhaps they are in fact privateers. Which means what, exactly? Well from Wikipedia this on the subject:
One Man's Literary Path
Ali Hassan Massoud
2006-01-08 17:00
Exclusive to STR
This list isn't complete, scholarly, or recommended by anyone except myself. These are some of the books that have guided my thinking and helped me arrive at what I believe in today. So be that as it may, and with the reader officially warned, here are my personal recommendations in no particular order.
Mothernight by Kurt Vonnegut
From an Amazon.com reviewer:
Entangling Alliances That You Can Never Escape From, Cont'd.
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-10-31 17:00
The history books tell us that World War II ended officially when Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers on 15 August 1945 . Japan was officially restored to sovereign nation status a few years later.
Relations between Japan and the US have been pretty good ever since. Good enough anyway, so that problems about market encroachment, the dumping of products, and their buying of America 's debt...
The King and I
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-10-26 16:00
Is Howard Stern, the self-proclaimed 'King of All Media,' the victim of an FCC vendetta? Yes, probably he is. However, I couldn't care less. I detest his radio show for very personal reasons.
Would I Hire Mercenaries? Hell Yes!
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-10-02 16:00
This past long weekend edition of STR had a link about Mercenaries Patrolling in New Orleans. This link is to a story in The Nation magazine and is negatively slanted against the free market practice of buying security protection. I am not sure why or what the objection is.
Terrorists as English as Tea and Crumpets
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-07-10 16:00
"I'm just an American boy - raised on MTV
And I've seen all those kids in the soda pop ads But none of 'em looked like me So I started lookin' around for a light out of the dim And the first thing I heard that made sense was the word Of Mohammed, peace be upon him."
~ John Walker's Blues by Steve Earle
Obedience Is a Choice. So Is Liberty.
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-06-20 16:00
"One of my favorite columnists (and fellow EMU alum!) Joe Sobran has a column out about how his sleep was disturbed one morning by "Officer Pig." It seems Officer Pig had a warrant for the arrest of Joe's grandson who has the same name as he does. It seems that Joe version 3.0 smarted off to another cop and received a ticket for "obstruction" (WTF this actually entails I will pass on for now as...
Saying No to Statehood
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-06-13 16:00
"A reluctant guest of honor," the Times of London reports, "will arrive for his farewell party at Kenya 's State House this morning, shake hands with government ministers and listen to the very best wishes from a relieved international donor community."
Not a moment too soon for the Kenyan government, which was the reluctant host of the President of Somalia, one Abdullahi Yusef and the rest of...
Colonel David Hackworth RIP and Observations on Collective Defense
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-05-17 16:00
David Hackworth had a noble spirit and (he realized after the fact) he was used by evil men for immoral purposes.
The trouble with "natural" warriors like Hack (and I believe they do exist) is that under statist governance, they are used for aggression abroad and repression at home and not for defense or to respond to natural disasters or other emergencies.
When to Hold and When to Fold
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-05-09 16:00
I have been involved over the years with the Democratic, Libertarian, and Green Parties. I have been part of non-partisan electoral efforts to pass or defeat specific referenda or ballot proposals, too.
Not any more, though.
What Do I Tell This Kid?
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-05-02 16:00
"One of the main reasons that it is so easy to march men off to war is that each of them feels sorry for the man next to him who will die." ~ Ernest Becker (1925-1974).
The 'No Child Left Behind Law' Is Left Behind by Utah
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-04-20 16:00
The Republican-dominated Utah legislature passed a bill recently that orders state officials to ignore provisions of a federal law that conflict with Utah 's education goals or that requires state financing.
The bill, say some critics, is the most explicit legislative challenge to the federal law by a state, and its passage marked the failure of a lengthy lobbying effort against it by the Bush...
You Have No Rights
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-03-23 17:00
The US Constitution is a worthless inkblot. It is a meaningless document that ceased to be morally relevant about 1810 and remains so to this very day. All arguments about constitutional rights are as pointless as arguments about your right to do anything at all. You have no rights, and neither did your father, grandfather, and so on, as far back as you wish to go.
Too Many Books Makes One...
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-02-15 17:00
I remember with amazement a History of Philosophy lecture on the Scholasticism Movement back in college. I was told that the learned scholar-monks in the years before the Renaissance would seriously argue and debate about how many angels could stand on the point of a pin, or whether or not there were flies or the need to defecate in heaven.
So Ali, If You're So Smart, Where the Hell Is Your Enclave Already?
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-01-25 17:00
Every time it seems that someone wants to rip on me hard, they throw that question at me. As soon as these words are spoken or shouted, the taunter's face takes on an expression of sadistic glee mixed with triumph.
So I have decided to explain this issue directly and publicly and so be rid of it as I did with that other nagging question1 that was put to me ad nauseum. And explanation is my...
Real Philanthropy Requires Some Rich Guy's Money
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-01-17 17:00
'You can't take it with you. Where would you put it all?' ~ Comedian Steve Wright
While surfing through some of my favorite general science websites, I came across this story about how Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, is joining Burt Rutan, Richard Branson, Paul Allen, and others in starting a private space venture.
Why I Am Not a Party Animal Anymore
Ali Hassan Massoud
2005-01-05 17:00
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. ~ Bertrand Russell
It is hard sometimes to understand why people just don't see that my opinion about everything is so rational, moral, and just plain cool. Everything and everyone would just be soooo much better off if they'd just follow me and let me make all...
On Herding Cats
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-12-28 17:00
When I was a capital 'L' Libertarian, I used to pass out leaflets, man booths, write letters, and work very hard trying to get the Libertarian Party's message out.
Being young and na've, I thought that for the most part, people were rational. That if you made your pitch to them in such a manner as to emphasize the rationality of the positions taken by the LP, and with a little tweaking and...
People Who Live in a Fishbowl Often Don"t Make Good Choices
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-12-21 17:00
Her dad was Elvis. The King of Rock n' Roll. Yeah that Elvis. Despite her smolderingly sexy good looks, she opted for a singing career instead of acting or modeling, where her real advantages lie.
She is a 'serial bride,' having married and split up three times before she was 30. One of them was to the other (very other) 'King' (of Pop), Michael Jackson. Watching her smooch Jacko on stage in...
A True "Survival Rifle": It Depends on What You Are Trying to Survive
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-12-13 17:00
On the internet and other places I frequent, the question of firearms prohibition comes up a lot. The usual approach mentioned for avoiding being disarmed at some point is to buy pistols, rifles, shotguns and wrapping 'em in oily rags and burying them somewhere. And lots and lots of ammo too. And don't forget spare parts and accessories. And spare parts for them, too. This sounds like a lot of...
Japantown, R.I.P.: An American Holocaust
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-12-12 17:00
Among the more infamous war crimes committed by the Nazis in World War II was the reprisal killing or deporting of the entire population of the Czech village of Lidice, and the razing of the homes, buildings and infrastructure of the town itself once the people were all removed or dead.
The 'reason' for this unreasonable act of deliberate murder of non-combatant civilians was simple revenge....
How Can Terrorism Ever Be a Rational Choice?
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-11-22 17:00
Terrorism as a term of art was first used by journalists and letter writers during the middle phase of the French Revolution in 1793-4. The Jacobin faction of the Committee of Public Safety was trying to consolidate their hold on power, and so in order to eliminate potential counter-revolutionaries and rival factions, began a program of massive arrests, show trials, and executions. This time...
Please Don"t Call Officer Charles a Pig, Daddy! He"s Really Nice!
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-11-15 17:00
I had to drive over to the town next door (about 60km/30 miles) in my car with expired plate tabs this morning. My 'legal' car was otherwise deployed and it was an emergency, so off I went.
My adult companion asked me why I was driving so slowly and carefully. I told her about my circumstances with the plate tabs and so I needed to be more wary than usual for the proximity of 'Officer Pig.' My...
Hate the Game, Not the Player
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-11-12 17:00
Coming as I do from the Great Lakes area, I know full well that college football is about as close as we come to having an official State-sanctioned religion. Let me amend that. It is the State-sanctioned religion around these parts actually, especially Big Ten Conference football, that's NCAA Division 1, baby! And in places like Ann Arbor , East Lansing , Columbus , Minneapolis , and Madison ,...
Thoughts on Race, Enclaves and Kicking Sleeping Dogs
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-11-09 17:00
Democrap incumbent: 81%
Republican 15%
Libertarian 4%
We're very happy with this -- and next time we'll do much better.'
The concept of self-evident failure comes to mind here. As my gramps also said, 'don't pee on my leg and then tell me it's raining.' This is a placebo for the illness that infects the body politic if I ever saw one.
Now in the above mentioned case, well . . . I guess you...
Thoughts on Race, Enclaves and Kicking Sleeping Dogs
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-11-01 17:00
About a month ago I started a thread on my favorite internet discussion forum about what it feels like to live in a society that diminishes and discounts your personhood if you are not a member of the majority race. Oh my! The reaction!
It was interesting the way that the responses broke down. Most who are not white males viewed my observations as a breath of fresh air. Someone finally...
On Being Hated in Your Own Home: Arab-Americans in the Heartland
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-10-31 17:00
I was born in America , and I fully consider myself an American. Except for military service in the US Army, I've never lived anywhere but America .
Two of my four grandparents were WASPs in ethnic background. My paternal grandfather was a native Egyptian Arab and my grandma was a native Syrian Arab. My mother was of Norwegian/Swedish background, and I'm told by many that knew her that I...
What I Mean by "Anarchy"
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-10-28 16:00
I post in a lot of forums devoted to politics, current events, and cultural topics, and some people reading my views seem to get confused or even angry that I would consider myself an 'Anarchist.' With few exceptions, I believe this opinion strikes them as misguided at best and totally mad at worst. So an explanation of what Anarchy is and what I mean when I refer to it is in order. I don't put...
The Awareness of Freedom
Ali Hassan Massoud
2004-10-26 16:00
In the 20th Century, Existential philosophers, especially Jean-Paul Sartre, served as the modern originators of the concept of personal liberation and advocated for the translation of personal liberation from awareness to actual practice. Sartre believed that freedom is the real condition of human existence, and he challenged people to become aware of their own personal freedom and to live...
Reprint Rights
RECENT COMMENTS BY Ali Hassan Massoud
This user hasn't posted any comments yet.