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157

L. Neil Smith's
THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE
Number 157, January 21, 2002
I'm Hep!

Dear Libertarians,

For the past couple of months, I've been contributing some articles to a site called thinkattack.com

Many of them don't relate to politics (it's one of those E/N sites), but some do. I've always walked a fine line there, as the editor and some people there get incredibly touchy on some issues. In the past, I've toned down, or even towed the line, so I wouldn't offend those people. In retrospect, I should have just written what I wanted to say, and not been so wishy washy. I am a little bit ashamed of myself for that, considering I compromised my ideals.

However, I submitted an article on "unlawful combatants" and human rights yesterday that caused such a stir that it got pulled. In some ways, it reminds me of a couple of articles on Homeland Security I read at TLE a while back. It never fails to amaze me how people claiming to be in search of truth and debate (as the editor of that site claims in every post where he thinks I'm being stupid does) can be quick to censor as soon as they don't like the truth or the debate.

I should also point out at this point that I am an Australian, which probably made the problem worse.

It's as if any outsider is not allowed to comment on anything the U.S. government does (although we're expected to support it). I wonder if things would have been different if I had been an American? Probably not. I would have been called unpatriotic, etc.

I happen to like America. I've lived there briefly, and I have several American friends (both online and offline). I think it has the potential to be the greatest country on earth, yet consistently falls short because the majority of people allow a handful of people to usurp its ideals for their own ends.

Of course, I'm preaching to the choir here. Needless to say though, if the U.S. government were to uphold the Bill of Rights more readily, and if there were less government (in other words, a more libertarian system), I'd be packing my bags for LAX immediately.

Anyhow, the article is below. [#3 -- ed.]

Thanks,

Caleb Paul [email protected]

Check out the cartoon at: http://www.libertyartworx.com/sept11.html

Then check out the petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/bore911/petition.html

Pass it around.

Dennis Kabaczy [email protected]

In trying times like these, some of Rudyard Kipling's work increases in resonance to me. Many decry Kipling as an unapologetic, jingoistic, flag-waving nationalist and imperialist. However, I sometimes see irony in his glorification of Queen and country and a light of liberty glowing in his metaphorical eye. Under the present circumstances, one poem becomes an especially bright torch:

MACDONOUGH'S SONG

Whether the State can loose and bind
In heaven as well as on Earth:
If it be wiser to kill mankind
Before or after the birth-
These are matters of high concern
Where State-kept schoolmen are;
But Holy State (we have lived to learn)
Endeth in Holy War.

Whether The People be led by the Lord,
Or lured by the loudest throat:
If it be quicker to die by the sword
Or cheaper to die by vote-
These are the things we have dealt with once,
(And they will not rise from their grave)
For Holy People, however it runs,
Endeth in wholly Slave.

Whatsoever, for any cause,
Seeketh to take or give
Power above or beyond the Laws,
Suffer it not to live!
Holy State or Holy King-
Or Holy People's Will-
Have no truck with the senseless thing.
Order the guns and kill!
Saying-after-me:-

Once there was The People - Terror gave it birth;
Once there was The People and it made a Hell of Earth.
Earth arose and crushed it. Listen, O ye slain!
Once there was The People - it shall never be again!


Bob Gibson [email protected]


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