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L. Neil Smith's THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE Number 298, November 21, 2004 Give people what they want: more government!
The Government is Not America
Exclusive to TLE In many of my recent articles, a tone of anti-Americanism may seem to have crept into my writing. If that is what you have perceived, I apologize, and I am going to take this opportunity to set the record straight. It is not unpatriotic to disagree with the foreign policy of the president of the United States. It is not unpatriotic to speak out and say that you think the path our country is on is wrong. It is not unpatriotic to speak out and say that the war we are involved in is wrong, illegal, immoral, if that is your honest opinion. It is not unpatriotic to say that the laws, policies, practices, and actions of the federal government and bureaucracy are wrong, unconstitutional, and are the proximate cause of well over 90% of all the problems our country faces. Many people tend to make a very basic mistake, and confuse our government with our country. Nothing could be further from the truth. The basis of our government is laid out in very specific terms. The ideals of our government are laid out in the Declaration of Independence. The mechanics of our government are laid out in the Constitution, specifically in Article One, Section Eight of the Constitution, and in the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is actually not an appropriate name for the first ten amendments of the Constitution. It should actually be called a Bill of Restrictions on government. If you look at what our government has become, and then look at the above mentioned items, you will be sorely taken aback. There is absolutely no relationship between what our government is, and what it is supposed to be. I consider myself to be a very patriotic American, in that I want our country to be what it is supposed to be, to become again a land of individual freedom, individual rights, individual responsibility, where each person can do whatever he desires to do, as long as he doesn't injure others, and without having to spend hundreds of dollars on permits, on licences, on fees, on zoning restrictions, satisfying the petty whims of unelected bureaucrats, and generally having to jump through a myriad of hoops just to exercise a basic human right. Does being patriotic mean that you adopt the attitude: "my country, right or wrong?" Absolutely not. Being patriotic means that you work your ass off to fix the things that are wrong with our country, and even harder to preserve those things that are right! Sadly, the second category is becoming daily less populated, and the first, more! Just as an example, if the petty politicians should ever enact a draft, in response to the terrible mistakes they have made in waging this war in Iraq, I will speak against it. On the other hand, if any enemy, state, or organization should take over, invade, or attempt to invade the United States, I will drag my fat, crippled old ass out and do my damnedest to take a full sized honor guard to the afterlife with me! I can't run anymore, but I can still shoot, and will, to defend this country that I love. I invite each of you, please, read the Constitution, especially Article One, Section Eight. Read the Bill of Rights. Look at the pamphlets on the Bill of Rights issued by Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (the Gran'pa Jack booklets.) The speeches, writings and thoughts of the Founders are freely available, not just on the internet, but in your local public library. Overcome the deadly handicap of a public school education. Learn to investigate, to think, to evaluate. Remember, absolutely no one is responsible for your safety and freedom but you. Not government. Not business. Not your church. You and only you are the one who is responsible for you, your safety, your freedom, your family. The title "American" is not one that comes with birth. It is one that must be earned, earned with an attitude of freedom. Will you earn that honorable title?
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