December 05, 2005

Libertarian Commentary on the News for the Week of 27 Nov to 3 Dec 2005
As we rush down towards the end of this year, the commentaries from the liberty-loving press get more and more discouraging - even more so than the news. In fact, looking at the news over the past year, things are actually slightly improved over a few months ago, so far as the cause of human freedom goes.

Sometimes, this commentary becomes as much a commentary ON commentaries, as on the news directly, and this week is probably a good example of that. Too many times, libertarians do not think about HOW they are saying something, and are far too prone to jump from attacking a person's opinion to attacking the person; far too prone to attack anything they perceive as deviating from the "party line" - although lovers of liberty, of all people, should not have a "party line" to deviate from. So sometimes, it is appropriate to say, flat out, "this opinion is wrong, not because I disagree with the underlying reason, but because of the way it is stated." And sometimes, it is necessary to say, "People, liberty means freedom AND responsibility, and you are not approaching this in a responsible manner." And sometimes, I just have to say, "Please, use some common sense - and a dictionary!"

The first three stories today deal with that most basic of our "unalienable rights" given us by the Creator - the "life" of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Right to assisted suicide 'irresistible'
World Net Daily
During the next 35 years, the traditional view of the sanctity of human life will collapse under pressure from scientific, technological, and demographic developments, says controversial bio-ethics professor Peter Singer. "By 2040, it may be that only a rump of hard-core, know-nothing religious fundamentalists will defend the view that every human life, from conception to death, is sacrosanct," says Princeton University's defender of infanticide. "In retrospect, 2005 may be seen as the year in which that position (of the sanctity of life) became untenable," he writes in the fall issue of Foreign Policy.

Singer also is known for launching the modern animal rights movement with his 1975 book "Animal Liberation," which argues against "speciesism." He insists animals should be accorded the same value as humans and should not be discriminated against because they belong to a non-human species. The number of libertarians who support this man and his twisted ideas is scary, because he is denying, literally, the entire concept of liberty and freedom, even though he couches it in terms that too many pro-choice people see as supporting their own position. Singer is in the tradition of Darwin and dozens of other philosophers who offer a fast, easy track to totalitarianism. But his ideas as are old (and discredited) as any in history: the idea that people who are not of my (family/tribe/race/skin color/nationality /religion) really aren’t human, and so can be treated exactly like animals – which Singer makes very clear. And if it is wrong (“speciesism”) to discriminate AGAINST animals, then it is just as wrong to discriminate FOR humans – which leads ultimately to a situation where having the veal in your veal parmesan from longpork becomes just a matter of poor taste and nothing else.

UK: Fifty babies a year are alive after abortion
The Times of London
A GOVERNMENT agency is launching an inquiry into doctors' reports that up to 50 babies a year are born alive after botched National Health Service abortions. The investigation, by the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH), comes amid growing unease among clinicians over a legal ambiguity that could see them being charged with infanticide. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Guidelines say that babies aborted after more than 21 weeks and six days of gestation should have their hearts stopped by an injection of potassium chloride before being delivered. In practice, few doctors are willing or able to perform the delicate procedure. For the abortion of younger foetuses, labour is induced by drugs in the expectation that the infant will not survive the birth process. Guidelines say that doctors should ensure that the drugs they use prevent such babies being alive at birth.

I am sick reading this report - how can anyone claim this is anything but infanticide? Even those people who sincerely believe that life does NOT begin at conception surely cannot stomach this kind of outright killing of a living human? How can any decent human people continence this? Can any government which allows this be allowed to exist any longer than it takes to overthrow it? Again, this is NOT something new - it has been happening for a long time, but is just now being made public. If you don't know about it, you can't do anything about it. As one scientist pointed out, "I don't know how anyone can understand genetics and not believe in God, or not understand that a child in the womb is a living human, entitled to all the same rights as any of us are." People who claim to be lovers of liberty and support this kind of killing are hypocritical at best, and evil at worst.

Mama's Note: I'm sick of the whole hypocritical mess. There is no legitimate medical justification for any kind of abortion. Period. People who have genetic problems should find out about it before they get pregnant, or live with the consequences. Most physical obstructions can be solved surgically, either before pregnancy or via c-section at birth. Again, it's easy to find out before pregnancy occurs... responsible pregnancy!

Rape is not a legitimate reason either. No other crime is punished by the murder of the most helpless victims! If you are attacked and the aggressor breaks your leg, you wouldn't think it reasonable to amputate your leg!

These infants are murdered in the birth canal - sometimes cut into pieces! - and pulled out DEAD. Now, just how is it this doesn't qualify as the most vicious kind of aggression? All the folks that prattle about the Non-Aggression principle, yet promote abortion, might give this one just a little thought...

Death row: Does personal reform count?
Christian Science Monitor
"Exactly 229 death-row inmates have been granted clemency since the United States reinstated capital punishment in 1976, and the list of reasons is short. The 16 governors who have given such pardons cited just three reasons: lingering doubt about guilt, a governor's own philosophical opposition to the death penalty, and mental disability of the accused. Starkly absent from the list -- notable because of a high-profile clemency request now pending in California -- is character reform of the guilty. As in the 2000 Texas case of convicted murderer Karla Faye Tucker, who experienced a death-row religious conversion and became a model inmate, the case of Stanley 'Tookie' Williams is reviving the debate over rehabilitation and its role in the US penal system." (11/29/05)

The problem here (with this CSM and other commentary) is that they do not understand that the PURPOSE of capital punishment is not properly established in the US nor in any of the states, and is assumed to be "retribution." If the purpose were the protection of the general public, or the prevention of future victims (as it should be), the reformation of an individual WOULD be a deciding factor. But because it is not, an elected (or even, in some cases, unelected) official's personal qualms or beliefs outweighs morality. Funny - this sounds like the argument over abortion, too. I am not opposed to capital punishment, but I am very much against retribution, by government or individuals. Capital punishment does have a moral purpose - to prevent the totally corrupt from continuing to kill, rape, etc. Williams seems to definitely fit into this category, in my opinion.

Mama's Note: I was reading something last night that made a fair case for complete non-aggression, even in self defense. Jesus clearly said not to resist one who is evil and to love our enemy! Many of the things this person said are incompatible with other scripture, but I think his conclusion is well founded. We can, at the very LEAST, not engage in such retribution as capital punishment, doing what is necessary to keep the criminal away from society. We can also be very careful not to support any government aggression.

Court weighs girls' access to abortion
Christian Science Monitor
"Wednesday the US Supreme Court takes up a case that could change the abortion battle in a fundamental way, potentially allowing state lawmakers across the nation to enact more-restrictive regulations on a woman's right to choose abortion. The case, Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, examines the constitutionality of a New Hampshire law requiring teenage girls to notify at least one parent before obtaining abortions. It carries broad implications for reproductive rights nationwide, and could be a turning point in a debate that has divided the country for more than three decades. Instead of seeking to overturn the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade, the case marks a change in tactics by antiabortion forces trying to narrow and constrain the reach of the 1973 abortion precedent." (11/30/05)

Yes, another example of the media sensationalizing something and making common sense seem evil. Not only is there no kind of emergency which would threaten a child (or a wife's) life because time is taken to notify parents or husband before performing a "voluntary" abortion, but in a society where parents have to provide consent for everything from a school nurse giving an aspirin to emergency appendectomies and dozens of other critical procedures, how can THIS possibly be considered anything but an excuse to kill an unborn child without any attempts whatsoever to save it?

Freedom of Speech - From around the world:

Swedish Preacher Acquitted of "Hate Crime"
BBC News
Sweden's Supreme Court has acquitted a Pentecostal pastor accused of inciting hatred against homosexuals. In a sermon two years ago, Pastor Ake Green told his congregation that homosexuality was a "deep cancer tumour" on society. He was convicted in 2004 under Sweden's hate crimes law. But on Tuesday the court upheld an appeals court verdict that Pastor Green's remarks did not constitute incitement to hatred. In a 16-page ruling, the Supreme Court said his sermon was protected by freedom of speech and religion. Mr. Green was the first cleric convicted under Sweden's new hate crimes law, which was amended two years ago to include homosexuals.

Definitely good news, and provides a tiny ray of hope for the people of Sweden (and perhaps for Europe). Whether he is right or wrong (and I personally believe he is right), his freedom of speech trumps ANY "hurt feelings" - which is really what hate crime laws are about. Sadly, even as Sweden starts to (maybe) turn around, other nations in Europe and the Americas are going the opposite way.

Singapore blogger "spared" jail
Sydney Morning Herald [Australia]
"A 17-year-old Singaporean student has been spared a jail sentence and instead placed on probation for two years for posting anti-Muslim remarks on his weblog, his lawyer said. Gan Huai Shi, who had pleaded guilty to sedition last month, was also ordered to do 180 hours of community service, lawyer Edmond Pereira said on Wednesday. 'The court felt that probation was appropriate for him. The probation officer also recommended that he be put on probation,' Pereira said. Gan, who admitted posting inflammatory remarks about Malay Muslims, became the third person in October to be convicted under the Sedition Act, which dates back to British colonial rule." (11/27/05)

We have periodically gone through this sort of stupidity here in the States, and I fear we may be following the example of Singapore and doing it again.

Mama's Note: We have to keep clear in our minds that the purpose of all this is not sparing the "feelings" of anyone, or even to prevent actual harm to others. It's a matter of control only. Tyrants will use our sentimental feelings about being "offended" and so forth to tighten the chains around us.

Tennessee: Supt. says school paper to be printed without story
Tennessean
"A censored version of the Oak Ridge High School newspaper will be printed, schools superintendent Tom Bailey said Tuesday. Administrators at Oak Ridge High School went into teachers' classrooms, desks and mailboxes a week ago to retrieve all 1,800 copies of the student-produced newspaper. An article about birth control and another on student tattoos and body piercings were cited by administrators as the reason for the seizures. Bailey told The Oak Ridger newspaper on Tuesday the edition will be reprinted without the birth control story and with an edited tattoo story. ... The seizure of the newspapers had sparked debate inside and outside the school. Monday night's school board meeting drew a large crowded that included students who wore tape with the word 'censored' across their mouths and shirts with protest messages that read 'Ignorance isn't bliss.'" (11/29/05)

No free speech is this school! "Truth must be subordinate to the purposes of the state." - Vladimir Lenin Of course, exactly what the purposes of the "state" are in this little tail is far from clear. Never mind, send in the goons, anyway. At least people are learning to fight quickly and vocally. But at the same time, people, get your kids out of these schools!

Freedom of Travel
As with other freedoms, we still see people are being robbed of this critical human right.

UK: Lib Dem to be ID card "martyr"
Guardian [UK]
"The Liberal Democrat president, Simon Hughes, yesterday vowed to go to jail rather than carry the proposed new national ID card. The Bermondsey MP became the first senior politician to sign up to a civil disobedience campaign being mounted by opponents of the government scheme, which is facing strong opposition in the House of Lords. He told The Observer that he still hoped the bill would be defeated. But if not, he was 'absolutely' ready to go behind bars if necessary." (11/27/05)

Well, good for him, no matter what his motive!

Home Front
We still continue to deal with the aftermath of the hurricane season, and face the threat of the upcoming election season, to boot!

Bush vows crackdown on illegal immigrants
Detroit Free Press
"President Bush said Monday he wants to crack down on those who enter the country illegally but also give out more visas to foreigners with jobs, a dual plan he hopes will appease the social conservatives and business leaders who are his core supporters. 'The American people should not have to choose between a welcoming society and a lawful society,' Bush said from the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base about an hour from the Mexican border." (11/28/05)

The purpose of this speech was to con people, and is NOT anything else. It will certainly not make a bit of difference: it is still amnesty by another name, and does not address the real reasons why immigration is such a disaster for this nation today.

Katrina victims ask to keep hotel program
Houston Chronicle
"Lawyers for Hurricane Katrina victims asked a federal court Monday to keep alive a program that lodges those displaced by the storm in hotels at government expense. The Federal Emergency Management Agency originally set a Dec. 1 deadline for ending the program. But, stung by critics who said that would result in the eviction of thousands of poor, extended the deadline to Dec. 15 for evacuees nationwide." (11/28/05)

And watch as it is extended again and again. I am sure that there are a few people with difficulties that have kept them from finding their own housing, but I suspect that most are just drifting along, enjoying a free ride.

The Coming Fall of Europe
Not just the Brits, but a lot of other goings-on over there!

Beleaguered Blair Faces More Opposition in Parliament
CNSNews.com
Facing record low levels of public support, Prime Minister Tony Blair is now being urged by opposition members in the House of Lords to drop plans to criminalize the "glorification of terrorism."

Blair's problem is that he is viewing his party's narrow victory at the polls as a mandate, not the sign of weakness and frustration that it was. If the Tories weren't in as bad shape as the GOP is in the US, they'd be pushing for a vote of confidence and collapsing Blair's government. Unfortunately, the Tories are no more eager to restore the liberties of free Englishmen (to say nothing of Scots, Irish, and Welshmen) than Labour is.

EU threatens sanctions on CIA gulag states
Forbes
"EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini has warned that any European Union nation found to have allowed secret CIA prison camps to operate on their soil could have their EU voting rights suspended. ... Meanwhile the US was coming under mounting pressure to explain reports of secret stopovers at European airports by CIA planes allegedly carrying terror suspects to covert prison camps." (11/28/05)

This is sheer hypocrisy on the part of the EU-crats: they are willing to let the US do the dirty work for them, as long as they can seem to be moral by pointing to the "cowboy" US. These flights could not have taken place (IF they really did - and where is the evidence; all we are hearing is accusations) without tacit approval by the EU member countries who control their airports. In an era of intense airport security, flights might be secret to the public, but NOT to the various national security forces.

Mideast Tarbabies
Yes, the fighting in Iraq continues, just as it will whether or not Coalition troops are there - and in the rest of the region, things are just WONDERFUL!!!

Iraq: Two congressmen hurt in vehicle flip
Tampa Tribune
"A military vehicle carrying three congressmen overturned on the way to the Baghdad airport, injuring two of them, the U.S. Embassy said Sunday. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., was airlifted to a military hospital in Germany for an MRI on his neck, and Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., Was sent to a Baghdad hospital for evaluation, said Rep. Jim Marshall, D-Ga., who was also in the vehicle but was not hurt when it overturned Saturday." (11/27/05)

I don't wish harm on any of these people, but in a way, it is too bad that the casualty lists for Iraq DON'T include a few kongrus-critturs, taking the same risks as the men and women they order into action. And yes, Congress ordered them into Iraq, if for no other reason than that they approved the president's actions both before and after the fact. I am sick of people who only blame Bush, and refuse to recognize that the vast majority of kongrus-critturs, both D and R, are just as much to blame as Bush, if not more so.

Mama's Note: True, but it doesn't relieve Bush from his own guilt in the least - on many issues.

Iraq: 8 nabbed in alleged plot vs. Saddam judge
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Iraqi police arrested eight Sunni Arabs for allegedly plotting to kill the judge who prepared the indictment of Saddam Hussein, authorities said Sunday, the day before the ousted leader's trial for crimes against humanity resumes. Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark arrived in Baghdad to help the defense but might not be allowed in court Monday when the first of up to 35 prosecution witnesses take the stand." (11/27/05)

Seeing how many people have been killed regarding this trial, this comes as no surprise to me (except possibly that the cops were competent enough to find and arrest the plotters). As for Clark - if he were doing this because he was truly interested in justice being done, I'd support his work. But his own words and actions show this is nothing more than another political attempt to show up the Bush Administration, and if it were the Kerry Administration that had captured Saddam, he'd be sitting (at least in spirit) at the other table in the courtroom.

GOP senator suggests "fireside chat" on war
MSNBC
"The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Sunday suggested that President Bush use an FDR-style presentation to update people on progress in the war in Iraq. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., recalled that during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt often went on the radio in 'fireside chats' to explain to the nation in detail the conduct of the war in Europe and Asia." (11/27/05)

Or to pretend that he was explaining the details. Today, of course, the fireside chat would immediately be followed by a rebuttal by the other party, explaining how the current administration was making a hash of it, and repeating the allegations broadcast by Tokyo Rose and Lord Ha-Ha. Probably a bad idea, especially since people truly interested in what is going on in Iraq can find out for themselves, via Internet.

Official: 4 Iraq aid workers kidnapped
USA Today
"Four aid workers, including two Canadians, have been kidnapped in Iraq, a Canadian official said Sunday .... Dan McTeague, parliamentary secretary for Canadians abroad, said the incident happened on Saturday, but refused to name the organization the two Canadians worked for or the location where they were kidnapped." (11/27/05)

This was the first of what seems to be a whole raft of kidnappings, after a few months of relatively few snatchings. Does this change in tactics indicate a change in leadership in the various "insurgent" groups?

Iran Unyielding on Nuclear Fuel Work
CNSNews.com
Just days after managing once again to dodge referral to the U.N. Security Council, Iran over the weekend appeared to spurn a compromise proposal aimed at resolving the standoff over its controversial nuclear program...

Like its "partner" in the "Axis of Evil," Iran has developed a fine art of thumbing its collective nose at the West, and once again is sticking its tongue out at the world.

Iran: Ahmadinejad's radicalism angering allies
Detroit Free Press
"Critics say the 1980s-style radicalism of ultraconservative President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is hurting Iran at home and abroad -- to the point that even his natural allies in parliament have rejected his three choices to run the all-important oil ministry. The Islamic hard-liner appears undeterred, but pragmatists in the ruling hierarchy are growing restless and looking for ways to contain him." (11/27/05)

This, I suspect, is nothing more than maskarova - disinformation intended to make the West think that Iran might change; while the regime continues to build for the day when it assumes its "rightful" place as the leader of the Islamic world.

Our Right to Defend Ourselves
Quite a few items of interest, including some from both Stateside and overseas.

Police rethink "always armed" policy
Houston Chronicle
"An old police tradition of requiring off-duty officers to carry their weapons -- 'always armed, always on duty' -- is being scaled back in police departments nationwide, increasingly being blamed for the deaths of officers shot by colleagues who thought they were criminals. The policy requires officers to respond to crimes even when they're not on duty. Supporters also say that letting officers carry their guns off-duty protects them from crooks bent on revenge." (11/27/05)

This is a bad idea - because if the cops aren't watching out for their brothers, they are going to be increasingly likely to shoot an armed citizen who is not even involved in the action. The problem should be resolved by better training for the cops, training that teaches them that just because someone has a gun doesn't mean that they are an enemy! With more and more people carrying concealed, it is more and more likely that the cops will find that their PROPER actions to stop crimes, defend the innocent, and keep the peace will be backed up by everyday, ordinary people.

Ohio: Teen dead in deli shooting
WKYC News
"A teenager is dead this morning after a west side deli owner opens fire. According to Cleveland police, the storeowner says he shot and killed the teen after the teen pointed a sawed off shotgun at the storeowner's wife. The victim, 17-year-old Larry Young III, died as result of a gunshot wound to the head. There's been no arrest in the shooting." (11/27/05)

He may have been 17, but he was a criminal, NOT a victim. And the headline could have been much better.

Indiana: Man shot outside laudromat
WFIE News
"Police say they found 38-year-old David Hardy dead around 3 a.m. Saturday in the Ever-Day Laundromat in Owensboro. They believe he was shot once in the chest after he tried to attack 40-year-old David Ranburger outside of the 24-hour laundromat. Police say Ranburger isn't in custody because he may have been acting in self-defense." (11/27/05)

"May" have been? Where are the coroner and the coroner's jury? Isn't it about time that people are properly honored for defending themselves and others?

Mentally ill caught between gun laws and privacy rights
Barre-Montpelier Times Argus
"In Alabama, a man with a history of mental illness killed two police officers with a rifle he bought on Christmas Eve. In suburban New York, a schizophrenic walked into a church during Mass and shot to death a priest and a parishioner. In Texas, a woman taking anti-psychotic medication used a shotgun to kill herself. Not one of their names was in a database that licensed gun dealers must check before making sales -- even though federal law prohibits the mentally ill from purchasing guns. Most states have privacy laws barring such information from being shared with law enforcement. Legislation pending in Congress that has bipartisan support seeks to get more of the disqualifying records in the database. In addition to mandating the sharing of mental health records, the legislation would require that states improve their computerized record-keeping for felony records and domestic violence restraining orders and convictions, which also are supposed to bar people from purchasing guns." (11/27/05)

This is a typical example of the way the media whips up a minor problem into a major "case" for "fixing loopholes" that just happen to cut down on everyone's freedom. The church shooting would probably NOT have happened if some of the parishioners were properly armed. The woman would likely (and sadly) have found some other way to kill herself. This legislation is just another excuse to further the regime of Big Brother, Inc.

FEMA lifts suspension of Phoenix rescue team
Arizona Republic
"The Federal Emergency Management Agency has lifted its suspension of the Phoenix Fire Department's urban search and rescue team two months after firefighters were sent home from hurricane relief efforts because they had armed police officers with them. Arizona Task Force 1 will be allowed to continue deploying Phoenix police deputized as U.S. marshals 'as long as they wear U.S. Marshals uniforms,' FEMA officials said. FEMA's decision to allow armed police, despite a rule against carrying firearms, applies only to Phoenix's team. But the agency left open the possibility that the city's model would be adopted on a broader scale." (11/29/05)

Although these were cops and firefighters, they still should have the same right to defend themselves as everyone did, and it is an example of buro-rat stupidity indeed to pull this kind of stunt.

Texas: Woman fatally mauled by dogs
KXAN News
"Seventy-six-year-old Lillian Stiles died a horrific death, attacked by six Pit Bull Rottweilers. Lillian had been riding the lawnmower in her front yard when she was attacked. A passerby saw it, tried to help, but was bitten instead, so he ran into the house looking for Stiles' husband, Jack. 'He asked me, he said, 'Do you have a gun?' And I said, 'Yes.' I came in the house and got my 22 rifle, and as I went outside, one of the dogs was charging toward me, face-to-face, and that's when I shot that dog,' Jack said. Jack scared off the other five dogs, but it was too late. The dogs had already killed his wife of 55 years." (11/28/05)

The best weapon in the world does no good if it is not available when you need it. And a .22 rifle is hardly what is needed to protect against a pack of dogs.

Ohio: Clerk shoots back
WBNS News
"It all started around 1 p.m., that's when Chaudhary Najeeb says one of the men came inside and told him to get down on the ground and give him money from the drawer. He also asked for video surveillance tape. Once he thought it was safe, Najeeb got up and ran to the front doors, that's when he found himself between the robber and the exit. He says the robber fired first, and then he fired back. Nobody was hurt in the gunfire." (11/26/05)

This man seemed to be willing to turn the other cheek, but still had to defend himself.

Texas: Suspect killed during alleged robbery
Houston Chronicle
"An apparent armed robber was killed early Sunday while fighting with his victim at a north Houston apartment complex, police said. The victim was in his truck at the complex in the 100 block of Northpoint when he was approached about 3:30 a.m. by the assailant, who tried to rob him, Houston police said. Both men were shot during the struggle. The suspected robber was struck in the head and died at the scene. The victim was shot in the abdomen and groin area." (11/27/05)

We pray the victim of this attempted crime recovers.

South Africa: Police steal, destroy thousands of firearms
SABC News
"Kwazulu-Natal police have destroyed more than 7,000 illegal firearms as part of the haul of illegal guns seized and also those handed over voluntarily during the amnesty period. These weapons will never fall into the wrong hands again. Thousands of pistols, revolvers and even homemade guns were destroyed-amongst them, 47 AK 47 rifles-notorious amongst organized crime syndicates. The haul was part of a huge crackdown on violent crimes in the province. Twenty thousand other firearms have been confiscated around the province. Police say despite strict laws on the possession of illegal and unlicensed weapons, people are still taking chances. 'It seems our operations are working, we have made a dent in the collection of these illegal arms, but there has been an increase in the number of murders with criminals using knives,' says Bheki Cele, KwaZulu-Natal's safety and security MEC." (11/28/05)

Oh, such poetry! AK-47s may be "notorious" but they are also effective self-defense weapons, and everyone of these people that surrendered their weapons are now going to be more subject to abuse on the part of their government and the thugs who prey on them - either through weapons NOT turned in or by brute strength. We cannot forget that firearms were critical in preventing the strong (physically and politically) from preying on the weaker. Now, that is changing in Sud Afrika.

Mama's Note: So, next they start collecting the knives...

More News and Commentary on Page 2

Nathan Barton is a libertarian engineer and writer, enjoying the cooling evenings in the Rockies and the Four Corners, where "monsoon" rains cause some creeks to overflow their banks, but nothing like the mess down in the South. His views are his own and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone else, including the sources of his news and other libertarians! Be sure to visit my blog, Liberty's Outpost.

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