December 01, 2004

Too many people expect others to defend their rights and liberties - rather than take responsibility for their own lives and freedom. And too many people, sadly, enjoy power and control over others - provided they aren’t responsible for those people in any other way. Both groups of people make it hard for the rest of us, as we see in a number of news items today. These commentaries are mine, and not necessarily those of TPoL, RRND, FND, or anyone else - but beware, they MAY be catching!

Outgoing president hints at Ukraine re-vote
Corvallis Gazette-Times
"Facing a relentless tide of opposition protests, embattled President Leonid Kuchma said Monday that a new election might be the only way out of a spiraling crisis that threatens to break up this former Soviet republic between the pro-Russia east and the Western-leaning rest of Ukraine. ... Kuchma -- who along with the Kremlin has staunchly supported the official winner of the disputed Nov. 21 runoff, his Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych -- has called for compromise throughout the standoff but had not previously endorsed another vote. 'If we really want to preserve peace and harmony, if we really want to build a democratic state ... let's hold new elections,' said Kuchma, who did not seek another term." (11/30/04)

A voice of reason - but also an attempt to cover up a mess. Apologists for both sides are coming out now to claim right is “on our side.” The fact is, it appears that Ukraine indeed faces what the USA was claimed to face at the beginning of this month - a election which was very nearly stolen. It also faces (unlike the USA) the prospect of armed revolt, not just re-vote, and once more, the wisdom of having an armed and vigilant electorate is seen.

Supreme Court won't review Massachusetts marriage law
MSNBC
"The Supreme Court sidestepped a dispute over gay marriage on Monday, rejecting a challenge by conservative groups to the status of Massachusetts as the only state that sanctions same-sex marriages. Justices had been asked to overturn a year-old decision by the Massachusetts high court that legalized gay marriage. They declined, without comment. In the past year, at least 3,000 gay Massachusetts couples have wed, although voters may have a chance next year to change the state Constitution to permit civil union benefits to same-sex couples, but not the institution of marriage." (11/29/04)

Cowardice or wisdom? You’ll hear claims on both sides (as well as fundraising appeals and urgent calls for “action” to deal with “activist” courts even when the courts are doing nothing. Of course, many people hoping for the Supremes to overturn the Mass court did not think of the other possibility - that the current Supremes could have instead upheld the Mass high court and thus in effect overturned the definition of marriage nationwide.

Cobb, Badnarik expand recount effort to Nevada, New Mexico
Scoop [New Zealand]
"David Cobb, the 2004 Green Party presidential candidate, today filed official requests for a recount of the presidential ballots cast in New Mexico and Nevada. As he did in Ohio, Cobb filed the requests jointly with Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik. ... The New Mexico presidential election was marred by reports of voter suppression and problems with electronic voting machines. In Nevada, the lack of paper trails or receipts for electronic voting machines is the primary concern. In an unrelated legal challenge, an election contest case will be heard today in Reno, Nevada, demanding a recount." (11/30/04)

It may be telling that RRND and FND was forced to use a New Zealand newspaper for this article - this is NOT news according to most American media, lured by the big checks written every two years by the Democrats and Republicans. Fortunately, unlike in Ohio, court action doesn’t seem to be required for these two states, and so “standing” isn’t required in the same way.

China signs trade pact for Southeast Asia role
Detroit Free Press
"Rising power China moved Monday to expand its influence in a region long dominated by the United States, signing an accord with Southeast Asian nations aimed at creating the world's largest free trade area by 2010 -- a sprawling market of nearly 2 billion people. China's concerns about securing vital sea lanes and feeding its booming economy's ravenous appetite for oil and raw materials were seen as key motivations for the trade pact with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations at the group's annual summit in Laos. But some analysts believe the agreement shows how an increasingly bold China is forging new alliances that would reduce and possibly eventually challenge America's influence in Asia." (11/30/04)

Not part of this news story but part of the total picture was the fact that Australia (and perhaps New Zealand as well) declined to enter into “nonaggression pacts” as part of this total series of agreements, thus denying as great an impact to this move by China. Perhaps the Aussies and Kiwis haven’t forgotten ALL their history - recalling how such nonaggression pacts have led to the shedding of much of their blood and treasure in the past.

US faces new charges of torture
Lexington Herald-Leader
"The International Committee of the Red Cross has charged in confidential reports to the U.S. government that the American military has intentionally used psychological and sometimes physical coercion 'tantamount to torture' on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The finding that the handling of prisoners detained and interrogated at Guantanamo amounted to torture came after a visit by a Red Cross inspection team that spent most of June in Guantanamo. ... Asked about the accusations in the report, a Pentagon spokesman provided a statement saying, 'The United States operates a safe, humane and professional detention operation at Guantanamo that is providing valuable information in the war on terrorism.'" (11/30/04)

At least the Red Cross is being allowed access - hopefully these charges will be addressed quickly and forthrightly by DoD. No doubt the talk shows will be filled with knee-jerk reaction to the Red Cross reports.

Mama's Note: The "Red Cross" isn't what it used to be, and to hear some Veterans talk, has not been since WWI. I was a member of the Red Cross for many years, and I worked as an emergency shelter nurse locally until a year ago. I also work with several local civic organizations who are willing to provide emergency help in a natural or other disaster. During the last disaster, a serious forest fire, we were shocked when the "Red Cross" told us they would not put up a shelter in our town because our facilities did not meet their requirements. Our facilities include a very new high school building, as well as several churches with large halls that have served well as shelters many times over the years. The real kisser was when they told us that wheelchair bound or other severely handicapped people could NOT be admitted to their shelters at all anymore!! Now, who needs an emergency shelter more than the disabled? So, we have decided that we will take care of our own people without them. I, for one, will never donate another penny to them.

Knights Templar seek papal apology
Independent [UK]
"Seven hundred years after they were denounced as heretics and condemned to torture and death, the Knights Templar are calling for a public apology from the Roman Catholic Church. The secretive organization which was formed at the time of the Crusades has written to Pope John Paul II requesting that the Vatican officially atone for the persecution of the order." (11/30/04)

Always a favorite research (and fictional) subject of mine, the Temple always seem to get involved and figure prominently in many in various bizarre conspiracies. Of course, by modern standards, the activities for which the RC Church first outlawed and then purged the Order are pretty mild - if bizarre. Of course, there is some question as to whether this group requesting the apology is indeed really part of the Temple, and actually authorized by the “real” Temple to request it or to negotiate with the RC Church. The article mentions survivors in Scotland but nothing of other branches, including the well-known Portuguese survivors, or the later-day connections of at least some Templars with attempts to reestablish certain monarchies and (in the eyes of some) to promote a new world order. At the same time, the Temple was an important part of the beginnings of the modern world commerce and banking system - for which various people could either condemn or praise them - and definitely a part of the history of liberty.

Court: DoD can't link campus funding to recruiting privileges
Newark Star-Ledger
"An appeals court yesterday barred the Defense Department from withholding funds from colleges and universities that deny access to military recruiters. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a decade-old federal law known as the Solomon Amendment infringes on the free speech rights of schools that wish to limit on-campus recruiting in response to the military's ban on homosexuals. Ruling in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of more than a dozen law schools around the country, the three-judge panel said the government's threat to withhold funding amounted to compelling the schools to take part in speech with which they didn't agree." (11/30/04)

This seems to be a rather convoluted argument - there is no constitutional requirement that I can find that makes receiving federal money a “right” of these schools - especially when the schools themselves, for the most part, are institutions of the government. And the schools are not being ordered to do the recruiting themselves. Yet a refusal to give the money is “compelling” the schools to say things they don’t want to say? As a former college student and college job-seeker myself, it seems as if this court is more concerned about the “rights” of these government institutions than of the students’ rights to hear free speech (and offers) that each student has a right to agree with (or disagree with) on their own. Perhaps some student will file such an action?

Concerns over stun guns grow
San Luis Obispo Tribune
"In a report being released Tuesday, Amnesty International says stun guns are being abused by police and wants more scientific study done to determine whether the devices are safe. Amnesty says at least 74 people have died in the United States and Canada in the past four years after being shocked with Tasers. The group also says officers have turned stun guns on the mentally disturbed, children and the elderly." (11/30/04)

It is not so much the weapon, as its increased use by cops, that is raising eyebrows. Because it is viewed as “politically-correct” and “safe,” the police forces are far more likely to use it - thus adding to the dangers. It is the natural tendency of police to resort to force of some degree - is the taser a “moderating” or an “aggravating” influence on this characteristic?

Taser ad blitz touts consumer stun gun
Arizona Republic
"Just in time for the holiday season, Scottsdale-based Taser International is marketing a consumer version of the electric stun gun carried by police officers nationwide. A newspaper and billboard advertising campaign began this month in Phoenix, the only city where the advertisements are running. Tasers fire a pair of darts that deliver a debilitating electrical charge. The stun guns are used by about 1,150 law enforcement departments and have been credited with reducing police shootings. 'Given the violence out there and the overall success with law enforcement, this is the operative tool for self-defense,' company spokesman Steve Tuttle said. 'It can stop the most dangerous individuals, which most non-lethal weapons cannot. This is the answer to stop those people safely.' But while the company insists Tasers are non-lethal, some evidence links them to deaths." (11/29/04)

Of course, the Taser was first marketed for private use, and only later became “popular” with law enforcement. Does it replace either the threat or the use of firearm? Most people don’t think so, and so this ad campaign (like any advertising) needs to be viewed advisedly. Also, I expect that many jurisdictions will attempt to treat them just like firearms, or even try (since they are NOT firearms) to ban them - which raises an interesting question: does the Second Amendment apply ONLY to firearms? The term is “keep and bear arms” but swords, pikes, and even the basic dagger, to say nothing of the bow, have gotten out of style or use - is carrying a Taser going to be considered a second-amendment right?

Court questions possible abuse of pot laws
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"The Supreme Court questioned whether state medical marijuana laws might be abused by people who aren't really sick as it debated Monday whether the federal government can prosecute patients who smoke pot on doctors' orders. The stakes are high on both the government level -- 11 states have passed medical marijuana laws since 1996 -- and the personal. In the courtroom watching the argument were Angel Raich, an Oakland, Calif., mother of two who said she tried dozens of prescription medicines to ease the pain of a brain tumor before she turned to marijuana, and another ill woman, Diane Monson." (11/29/04)

I was surprised to hear so many conservatives coming out so vehemently against this case - it seems that every one of them view it as nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to re-legalize all drugs, and allow any use whatsoever of marijuana. Certainly the examples brought up by the people arguing FOR the primacy of states’ laws did not seem to be the best that they could have found. At the same time, the questions the Supremes asked could be applied to ANY drug, and with the growing abuse of prescription drugs, it seems to be harsher on MJ than is warranted.

Mama's Note: Somebody please define "abuse". Each individual must define it for him/herself and it is nobody else's business. The only thing that involves others is aggression, and that must be dealt with when it happens. Unfortunately, the same people who want to send a person to jail for taking an extra pain pill have no problem at all with forcing children to take mind altering drugs! This insanity won't end until most people accept the fact that they must simply mind their own business and let others do the same.

Al-Zawahri vows to keep fighting US
USA Today
"Osama bin Laden's top deputy vowed in a videotape aired Monday to keep fighting the United States until Washington changed its policies. In a brief excerpt broadcast on Al-Jazeera television, Ayman al-Zawahri offered Americans 'one last advice' for dealing with Muslims, adding, 'I am sure that they will not heed it.' 'You have to choose between one of two methods to deal with Muslims: either on mutual respect and exchange of interests, or to deal with them as if they are spoils of war,' al-Zawahri said." (11/29/04)

Zawahri’s advice is ALMOST as good as his record of murder and terror, whatever his motives. In reality, there are many methods by which Americans could deal with Muslims - whether we are talking about ALL Muslims or ‘just” the “radicals” that continue the 1400-year long war with the West. We could, of course, treat them like we would a rabid dog - which bin Laden and al_Zawahri resemble more than not. Or we could merely quarantine them and let them eat themselves - also a tempting course of action. But while many Americans might be willing to deal with them in “mutual respect,” it is clear that the radical Islamists would not reciprocate.

EPA considers human testing
Dodge City Daily Globe
"In setting limits on chemicals in food and water, the Environmental Protection Agency may rely on industry tests that expose people to poisons and raise ethical questions. The new policy, which the EPA is still developing, would allow Bush administration political appointees to referee any ethical disputes. Agency officials are putting the finishing touches on a plan to take a case-by-case approach. 'It says we're going to look at each study on its individual terms and accept studies unless they are fundamentally unethical or have significant deficiencies,' said Bill Jordan, a senior policy adviser in EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs." (11/29/04)

The best thing to do would be to keep the government as far away from this as possible. Governments do too much human testing, and the idea of allowing senior (political) appointees to referee the disputes, when their own performance appraisal is based in part on the results of the testing, is a bad idea. Still, the government at least claims that they will accept most studies that have been subject to peer review.

Mama's Note: Yeah, sure they will... they are all such positive moral role models...

Bush chooses Kellogg CEO for Commerce position
Detroit Free Press
"President Bush on Monday chose Carlos Gutierrez, a native of Cuba and now the chief executive officer of Kellogg Co., to be secretary of Commerce, administration officials said. If confirmed by the Senate, Gutierrez would succeed Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, a Texas confidant of Bush's, who announced his resignation shortly after the Nov. 2 election. The president announced his selection at the White House, calling Gutierrez 'a visionary executive' and 'one of America's most respected business leaders.'" (11/29/04)

An interesting choice, but sure to be challenged by the Democrats as a “patsy”, as every other appointment of a person of color (except Colin Powell) has been.

Fast food chain bans nativity scene
The Age [Australia]
"Fast food chain Oporto has banned one of its Sydney stores from displaying a Christmas nativity scene for fear it would offend non-Christian customers. The burger chain ordered its store in Hornsby, northern Sydney, to remove from its counter a nativity display showing Jesus in a crib, The Daily Telegraph reported today. The display had been erected by the store's franchise owner. The chain's chief executive, Jeff Fisher, told the newspaper that the company supported 'generic' Christmas decorations, such as trees or tinsel, but not nativity scenes." (11/30/04)

It is certainly the firm’s decision to make, and presumably its customers will chime in on whether it was a GOOD decision for them to make. At the same time, as here in the States, the chains often fail to carry out their own franchise agreements, which normally allow greater flexibility than a law-suit-conscious front office might prefer.

Web won't let government hide
Wired News
"Given the government keeps tabs on the world using armies of agents, algorithms and wiretaps, how can a citizen compete? Try a browser. Governments at every level these days are providing less information about their inner workings, sometimes using fear of terrorism as an excuse. But it's precisely times like these that mandate citizens' rights to check the efficiency of their government and hold those who fail accountable, open government advocates say. The government itself won't make it easy, so an increasing number of websites and data crunchers are stepping in to provide information about the inner workings of government." (11/29/04)

The problem is, the web is a big place, and there are still (or even more) places to hide, even if not as inaccessible as Douglas Adam’s locked file cabinet in a disused lavatory in the back of the basement with all the lights burned-out. And the excuse of terrorism is exactly that - an excuse to avoid public and taxpayer scrutiny. As more information is available, the validity and accuracy of that information must (more than ever) be doubted and verified.

Blunkett: ID cards about "removing fear"
Guardian [UK]
"David Blunkett, the home secretary, today denied he was shifting Britain towards an 'authoritarian state' as he unveiled plans for identity cards and a national identity database. From 2008, all passport applicants will be issued with cards, and a decision will be made in 2011 or 2012 as to whether holding identity cards will be compulsory. ... Mr. Blunkett -- who is at the centre of allegations that he fast-tracked a visa application to help a former lover -- said his aim in introducing the scheme was to help to 'remove fearfulness from people's lives.' 'The national identity card scheme will give people confidence, convenience and security in an increasingly vital aspect of modern life -- proving and protecting their identity,' he told the Commons." (11/29/04)

From the sounds of things, a great outcry is arising in the UK over these cards - and Her Majesty’s Government is busy raising up strawmen for the opponents to hack at. I can see this as being nothing but a more convenient way for people to STEAL other identities, especially in the next several years when someone can go into one of these so-efficient government offices and obtain a card that may (or may not) be the one they should have.

Gay minister to face jury of Methodist peers
Washington Post
"Nineteen months ago, the Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud gave a sermon that began and ended with Jesus saying, 'Peace be with you.' In the middle, she told her congregants that she was living in a 'covenant relationship' with another woman. Stroud's disclosure was no surprise to her flock at the First United Methodist Church of Germantown, a 210-year-old Philadelphia parish that welcomes gay men and lesbians. ... But Stroud's sermon was a challenge to the national church's rule against self-avowed gay men and women in the ministry, and it set in motion an investigation and charges that will culminate Wednesday in a church trial before a jury of fellow ministers." [Post articles may require registration, or use login "info@news-digests.com/news-digests"] (11/29/04) [ Or use “Bugmenot.com to avoid registration]

Here is an example (rare these days) of not relying on government for the administration of justice. The Methodist trial by jury can’t sentence this woman to prison, or order her to be executed, but she will (presumably) voluntarily abide by the decision of the jury, even if it means that she must give up what she deems her vocation. If she does not believe that they are just, she can simply secede, and no one will show up with a gun (or the hidden threat of one) to force her to stay in the Methodist Church. Either way, the problem is resolved, and the good parishioners of the Methodist Church, as well as this lady, are assured of justice. My, wouldn't it be nice if the government of the state were like that?

Mama's Note: How about if ANY government was like that?

Pennsylvania: A city's schools test a new way
Christian Science Monitor
"When the Philadelphia School District was struggling several years ago, one of the lifelines tossed to it was thrown by Edison Schools, Inc., a New York-based for-profit offering a can-do approach to public education. Since then, the nation's largest educational management company has had troubles of its own .... But if privatizing school management has not proven to be the panacea many in Philadelphia had hoped, neither has Edison been the district's undoing, as activists and others warned when the firm was brought in during the rancorous and bitter state takeover of the district in 2002. On the contrary, test scores are up district-wide, and some of the most impressive gains have come in 20 of the toughest schools, those turned over to Edison in a last-ditch effort to jump-start them into performing." (11/30/04)

Imagine what would happen if the schools were not just “privatized” (contracted out) but rather “commercialized” - allowed to become private corporations, perhaps cooperatives (or for-profit, either one) to teach and be totally responsible to the parents who pay them! Yikes - a frightening suggestion, and one almost instantly rejected by 90% of those you might mention it to.

Delaware school bans anti-Bush shirt
The Progressive
"On November 19, eighth-grader Stephen Truszkowski decided to wear a T-shirt to school that his stepbrother had made. The shirt had two handwritten messages on it. On the front it said, 'The Real Terrorist Is in the White House.' On the back, 'End the Tyranny.' Claude McAllister is the principal at Everett Meredith Middle School in Middletown, DE, and he didn't take kindly to Truszkowski's shirt. The 13-year-old had worn it to school two times before, according to the News Journal, which broke the story. Both times he had complied with the school's demand that he take the shirt off or put something over it. But this time he wanted to challenge the school's policy." (11/27/04)

It does seem as if the administrators of GRTF-schools just seem incapable of learning, especially from others’ mistakes. Yet, these are the people most of the nation allows to run the places where their children are incarcerated for 6-8 hours a day, 180+ days a year?

DoD Report: "They hate our policies, not our freedom"
Christian Science Monitor
"Late on the Wednesday afternoon before the Thanksgiving holiday, the US Defense Department released a report by the Defense Science Board that is highly critical of the administration's efforts in the war on terror and in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies [the report says] .... when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy.' The Pentagon released the study after The New York Times ran a story about the report in its Wednesday editions." 11/29/04)

While I might disagree with the findings of the study, like everyone else, I am very surprised to see it actually stated this way. It is not that I don’t agree that Muslim society, as a whole, hates our policies, it is just that many of them also hate and fear our freedom, and to say otherwise is to ignore the obvious for the sake of being politically-correct. Western style freedom is completely against the grain of Islamic teachings and 1400 years of history, and much as it may be regretted, to be hated by them for both policies AND the fundamental basis of our civilization, must be accepted.

French vaccine fuels hope in AIDS treatment
San Francisco Chronicle
"French researchers reported Sunday that an AIDS vaccine designed to treat the disease, rather than prevent it, has scored an initial success by suppressing the virus for up to a year among a small group of patients who tried it. Although the technique is cumbersome and costly, the experiment published in an online version of the British journal Nature Medicine is being touted as 'the first demonstration of an efficient therapeutic vaccine against AIDS.' The vaccine was tested in Brazil on 18 volunteers who were already infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, but who were not yet taking any antiviral drugs. After four months, the level of HIV in their bloodstream had been reduced an average of 80 percent. ... Unlike a conventional vaccine, this one cannot block infection from occurring." (11/29/04)

Oh, the complete lack of scientific training or reasoning among the ink-stained class (journalists) - this is no “vaccine” but only a treatment. Suppressing the disease is very important, I admit, but not the same as a true vaccine - and to tout this as an “unconventional vaccine” is unfair to their readers.

Mama's Note: (Putting on my "nurse" hat for a minute...) The study of viral infections is extremely complex and expensive, and the HIV organism is easily the most complex virus being studied, so it is impossible for journalists to give more than a tantalizing taste to their readers, no matter how well grounded they might be, so we shouldn't be too hard on these folks. A "vaccine" is a product made from live or killed infectious organisms (bacteria, virus or other) used for preventing or treating the disease they cause. We don't hear much about them being used for anything but prevention of disease, however, so it is understandable that many people would not understand the use of the term here.

Unfortunately, the HIV virus shows an amazing ability to adapt and hide from the immune defenses of the human body, so any success like this may be hard to duplicate, at least on any scale that would prove useful to the millions of people who have this infection. Fortunately, unlike most other viral infections, this one is totally preventable. It is virtually impossible for anyone who takes the necessary precautions to become infected. That means total abstinence from sexual contact with an infected person, with proper blood and body fluid precautions used universally. It is far better to prevent this disease than to treat it. (Switching back to the editor's hat now...)

'The system seems to bend over to help the criminal at the expense of the victim'
Telegraph (UK)
And that isn't a victim of a burglary speaking - it's one of the former chief constables who are backing the Telegraph's campaign. Former chief constables have backed The Telegraph's campaign to give people more rights to protect their homes and families from violent intruders. George Esson, 62, the chief constable for Dumfries and Galloway between 1989 and 1994, said: "I'm not surprised at the level of support for your campaign. If somebody came into my property in the middle of the night, I would feel it was my inalienable right to defend it." The former officers' backing came in the same week that the campaign was boosted by an informal poll of listeners to Jeremy Vine's Radio 2 programme. His show on Wednesday featured a debate about the campaign between Dominic Lawson, the editor of The Telegraph, and Lord Phillips of Sudbury, a solicitor and Liberal Democrat peer who opposes any change in the law. More than 5,900 listeners voted afterwards, with more than 97 per cent backing a change in the law and less than two per cent opposing it. Readers can listen to a replay of the show by visiting the BBC's website. It can be accessed here.

As the friend who posted this to me said, what good is it to allow self-defense if the means aren’t available. The UK has banned private ownership of handguns since 1996, and seen home invasions and other violence escalate. To make matters worse, all too often those who do resist, either with or without weapons, are themselves charged with various crimes, including assault and battery, illegal weapons use, and other crimes, and often even sued successfully by the burglar or assailant for their injuries to their attacker! Still, this campaign appears to be growing in strength, and may be a good example for liberty-fighters in those American states too stupid to allow their citizens (and visitors) the right to adequately defend themselves.

Stop the Fines Robbery
Sun (UK)
A VAN driver who stopped to ask a traffic warden for directions was stunned when he found he had been sneakily issued with a £100 fine. Courier Colin Berry, 38, pulled over when he saw the meter man rather than drive while glancing at his A to Z. Colin - one of thousands of furious readers who have called our Stop The Fines Robbery phone lines - realized he was on a yellow line in central London. But he was only stopping for a few seconds and did not think it would be a problem. He asked the warden how to get to nearby Marylebone High Street. After the pair finished their conversation Colin drove his VW Caddy away without giving it a second thought. But last week - two weeks after the incident - he received a penalty notice in the post at his home in Northolt, Middlesex. It was a £100 fine issued by Westminster Council.

This web page has a dozen stories of abuse by various traffic wardens (parking police) throughout the UK, and the Sun is waging a campaign to end this sort of thing, like the Telegraph is doing for self-defense. I like their logo, which with a little editing could be used for a similar campaign here in any stateside location - this would be a good project for a small libertarian “Simon” or “Wasp” group to consider!

Nathan Barton is a libertarian writing from the Four Corners region of West America. And come to think of it, isn’t it time to put government out of business, period? Your comments and your ideas on what to be thankful for, are appreciated. See Nathan's own blog, Liberty's Outpost.

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