"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." ~ H.L. Mencken
What We’re Up Against
The letter to the editor was written by a Boonville resident named Brandon Harris. The letter summarizes perfectly what we’re up against here in America — and what the paternalistic state has done to so many Americans.
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Bumper, bless his heart, insists upon the use of the hazardous "we" word. ("Bless-his-heart" is a patronizing term from an old girl friend -- I couldn't resist using it in Hornberger's case). He might be "up against" this problem, you might be also.
But increasingly, I'm not. If I were to encounter Brandon Harris I might politely encourage him to try using his own grit to abstain from excessive soda if that's a problem for him. And if the opening avails itself I'll explain that advocating the use of force towards everybody in the county or state is an act of violence. I don't know if I'll ever master the diplomacy or verbal skills of Mr. Davies, but I'm willing to give it a whirl.
Hornberger:
"This is the battle that we libertarians face in restoring a free society to our land".
I'll agree it's a challenge. No doubt about that. I often feel privileged to be living my life through an era that I'm convinced will produce an end to the all pervasive statist attitude that has become a huge, cancerous barnacle -- and to know that I have perhaps a small part in bringing that end into fruition.
But if you are free it is because you want to be free. I enjoy being friends with people who love liberty and freedom -- nonconformists all. I know better, however, than to think I (or "we") can restore freedom to society.
I'm all we got, folks.
Sam
"The chance of convincing someone like Harris to embrace libertarianism is nil."
This is true. However that does not imply that convincing Harris to leave others alone is impossible.
Homosapiens seek "government actions because they don't approve of what other people choose to do with their lives. They want to over rule the decisions others have made concerning the use of their own time and money" (How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World, 'Speeding Up History", H.Browne, Kindle Edition 2012). Its a trap Harris has found himself in along with every other "don't", "won't", "will nots" and etc. Something for nothing is easier than having to exert effort to acquire what one desires, and as long as there are individuals who want to suck the nation dry, there is little chance of change occuring unless it is encouraged with violence, but there may be other ways if it can be discovered.
I have a 35 year old son who refused to look for work until his extended unemployment benefits were concluded. You can't argue with his reasoning. "If they want to be stupid enough to pay me for not working then I won't. I'll screw them for every penny I can get".
Mr. Harris will change Paul. He will change when this buearau of adjustment catches up with him, like when he seeks a doctor who will take medicare or medicade patients. Many are now refusing to either take on anymore or are dropping those they have plus there is an estimated 50,000 doctors closing up shop. Ouch! Even if you utilize another health care insurance you are still going to be hard pressed to find a doctor because they will be far and few between. Yes. The Give Me's will soon discover that their free lunch went out to lunch and won't be coming back anytime soon.