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L. Neil Smith's THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE Number 346, November 20, 2005 "If you can't beat 'em... join 'em"
Send Letters to editor@ncc-1776.org
Another Letter from E.J. Totty Dear Mr. Ed/Editor/Ken, & G. Monty, Re.: "Lessons Learned", by G. Monty http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2005/tle345-20051113-03.html To G. Monty— Neglecting for the moment, that issue raised concerning Boston T. Party, I'd like to enquire as to just how you propose to overcome the federal laws concerning banking, labor, industry, and commerce, not to mention all the NH state laws and regulations as well. There are other issues as well, but let's discuss the major ones, as I'd like understand just how you'll go about getting around any of those. Thanks in advance, E.J. Totty
G. Monte, Relevant to your remark concerning mine (below): [Mr. Monte's replay was, in essence: "repeal!"—Editor] As you should know, a State may repeal only the laws it has made—and not federal law. I addition, there are those laws predicated upon treaties past and present. The only way the FSP would get off the ground in a meaningful way would be by secession from the union. And considering past attempts to do that, I'm rather inclined to think that it won't happen. There are a whole slew of issues which the FSP apparently seems unwilling to discuss, including the thought that simply moving into a state and 'taking over' isn't going to produce much in the way of achieving anything other than a ephemeral political victory. I say 'ephemeral' because, if enough left-coasters of the socialist/communist/fascist bent decide to counter your move—by using your tactic of what essentially amounts to ballot box stuffing, then you'll be right back to where you started. How do you propose to prevent that from happening? If you can do it, then so can they. I'll remind you of what happened in Antelope, Oregon, back in the 1980's: See: http://www.a2zgorge.info/community/towns/antelope.htm There is also that philosophical argument regarding what happened in Antelope: How does one set of people have the right to force another set of people to do their bidding? Or, more to the point? How would the FSP qualify the act of making a group of people—who are practicing socialists, become suddenly unable to practice their politics? Is voting the be all? Would your vote nullify another's rights—should your's be in the majority, as happens currently? If you propose to say that such a thing is acceptable, then your methods are no better than the ones you desire to supplant. Point of order: Do not True-blue Libertarians® consider that might-makes-right to be an unacceptable notion? If that is true, then participation in any vote which results in the diminution of another's life, liberty or property should be antithetical to the whole idea behind the FSP. When you have lots of votes, then every problem seems like an abuse of government power ready to happen - the main reason I dislike anything associated with voting. If for even a attosecond, I was inclined to believe that the FSP—or something like it would work and work well, then I'd be there quickly, but certainly not at the expense of whomever happens to be living there currently. The FSP is akin to a thought expressed in the 15th Century, where it was more than possible for the dream to be realized, simply because there was lots of land and few people to go against—save the Indians. We are long past that point; there are way too many people raised and bred to be good little socialists, and therein lays the biggest problem: convincing those people that giving up manna from big government is worth the time, the effort, and the sacrifice. The only way the FSP could possibly win is by getting ever single last citizen on the wagon - without a single vote happening, save to be sure that everyone agrees, and no person's rights are threatened. And, if the largest number of citizens of NH were inclined to be free, then they'd have been there already. That they are not is most telling. The motto on their vehicle registration plates says "Live free or die." I consider that they might all be dead, because they certainly aren't 'free,' unless they've changed the definition of the term... At this time in our history, any win by the FSP will likely be pyrrhic and short-lived for those reasons I've discussed above. A beautiful theory just waiting to be taken down by the brutal facts—at least as I've come to understand the matter. And finally, allow me to thank you for taking the time to reply—I sincerely appreciate that. E.J. Totty
Deborah, Re.: Math gap grows for minority students, by Deborah Bach, Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter. Excellent article! But... Look: I hate to say this, and I consider that it's been largely overlooked, but I get the impression that most minority students have programmed themselves for failure by dint of the fact of mass media projections upon themselves. The message? If you are expected to fail—and are told just that, then likely you will fail. What hope is there that you will do otherwise? This is almost a self-fulfilling prophesy: If you tell a group of people that they will not ever succeed, then they will likely choose the path of least resistance, which happens to be failure. If they come to understand that no matter how hard they try—they are doomed to failure, then they will prove just that. It's the very same thing as telling a child that he's bad, day, after day, after day, until he eventually proves just that by committing a heinous crime. And, the more you people keep telling Blacks that they are educational failures, the more likely it is that they will continue to match your projections. You—and your employers—might proclaim that you are simply reporting the news, but in reality what you are doing is repeating the message: You will be a failure. While I don't have any easy answers, I can say this: If enough success stories are told of past men and women who faced the extremes of poverty, misery, and insouciance regarding their kind (prime examples being Booker T. Washington, George Washington Carver, etc.,) and went on to become some of the most famous achievers of their race, then it's simply a matter of the mass media to quit making the Black race out to be failures from point zero. From where I—and a whole lot of other people see things, it's beginning to appear that the mass media is constantly looking for some degree of misery to remonstrate about, and when it's available, then you go about touting it for 'newsworthy' purposes. And, if you can sustain it long enough to keep the presses running, so much the better. Read: Permanent victims. That might not be the truth, but it sure as hell is beginning to look that way, as it has for quite some time. The key message is this: Quit reporting the failures, and start reporting upon the successes. More to the point? Give those kids someone to look up to, and emulate. Or, is that too hard? Most sincerely, E.J. Totty
I thank Scott Bieser for his candor about my influence on his Wyoming relocation, which I hope is serving him well. Also, I appreciate his terminological accuracy in describing my having "maligned" LNS (vs. "libelled or "slandered"). My comments then (never refuted, by the way) were truthfully told from personal experience and firsthand accounts. Regarding Scott's mention of the group freewyomingproject, I welcome their kindred efforts. I'm interested only in folks moving out West, and it matters little to me if they do so under auspices other than the FSW. The objective is the thing. If the FWA or FWP or "FSP/West" ever do a better job of attracting libertarian relocators than the Free State Wyoming, I'd be very pleased with their success. Regarding the "Exclusive to TLE" by "G. Monty" (aka Ross Templeton): http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2005/tle345-20051113-03.html I'm confused about something: if I am nothing but a "shameless poseur" with an ineffectual org run by my "cult of personality"... then why do I rate such frantic attention from such people? What are they so worried about? Why am I and the FSW worth their bother? And why is TLE so scraping barrel's bottom for stories that it published such a screed as an "exclusive" vs. (properly) as a letter to the editor? [Sometmes I just flip a coin—Editor] —— "I'm not going to spend much time "rebutting" the
comments of Boston T. Party."
No surprise there. Had he any facts of rebuttal at his disposal, he'd have used them. (Nobody with a loaded .45 throws a pebble.) I do wish, however, that his larval career in fiction writing had not begun with me as its first subject. To wit: "...BTP...calls for the Free State Project to disband" Untrue. In my recent posts on the FSP forum I wrote: "I don't want the FSP to dissolve. Too many people
have hopes for it, and [they've] seen some relocation
already. It is (so far) the best success of the [free
state] movement.... I want the FSP to make the best
go of things in NH, but not at the expense of truth
and realistic planning."
—— "...[BTP] seems to be grossly insecure in that anything critical of him, his writing, his "causes", his dress code, his modes of transportation, etc. instantly becomes, in his mind, an unjustified attack." "Dress code"? "Modes of transportation"? Uh, oh. Glad I caught this before I donned a chartreuse tutu and took a ride on my camel. I can take no more unjustified attacks on my gross insecurities. —— "What we have here in the Free State Project is the first, BEST chance for a libertarian movement to actually take a piece of ground back in this country, in the name of Freedom..." Hey, that's, uh, like, ya know...just your opinion,
man!
—— "[I]f all 7000 current [FSP] members moved to NH tomorrow after lunch—NH would be LIBERTARIAN. Freedom mongers would run the state." Hoo boy. Jason Sorens needs to hear this news so that he can reduce his numerical requirement (for the second time). Not 20,000, not even 12,000—now only 7,000 freedom mongers are needed to run a state of 1,250,000. A tidy symmetry indeed: As fewer free staters join the FSP, magically fewer are needed for its success. (Put another way: the slower they grow, the more effective they somehow become. Wizard stuff, this.) —— "November is National Novel Writing Month and yours truly is slugging it out with the blank page in the quest to hit 50,000 words by 30 November at midnight." Being a champion for the oppressed, how do I go about rooting for the blank page? —— I recently picked up an antiquarian hardcover copy of Meditations by the great Stoic, and discovered some choice morsels this morning: "When you are offended with any man's shameless conduct, immediately ask yourself, 'Is it possible that there should be no shameless men in the world?' It is not possible. Do not, therefore, require what is impossible. For this man is one of those shameless men who must be in the world. Similarly, in the case of the knave, the faithless, and every man who does any kind of wrong. When once you remember that it is impossible to do away with such men, you will become more kindly disposed toward everyone." (IX, 42) "Are you irritated with one whose arm-pits smell? Are
you angry with one whose mouth has a foul odor? What
good will your anger do you? He has this mouth, he
has these arm-pits. Such emanations must come from
such things...."
Such emanations are their nature. Why fight them? Simply keep your distance. Marcus Aurelius has convinced me that the world will always be full of punks, teeth gnashers, time/energy sinks, and mockers—and that the only influence such withered souls have is what others give them. Accordingly, I will not wade through any further ranting nonsense from those averse to plain facts. I seek honest, rational, and pleasant people for common endeavors and the exchange of ideas—regardless if they agree with me or not. Life is just too short for honking geese who scorn others only from behind keyboard nyms. "Remember that men will go on doing the same things
even if you should burst in protest.
Well-meaning folks should no longer forward sniping links to me, as there is no purpose in my reading them. If anyone wonders the truth of some accusation or speculation regarding BTP, they've but to simply ask me about it. Meanwhile, this admittedly imperfect being remains open to constructive criticism and correction: "If any man can convince and show me that I do not think or act right, I will gladly change; for I seek truth, by which no man was ever injured. But he is injured who abides in his error and ignorance. I do my duty. Other things do not trouble me, for they are either things without life, or things without reason, or things that have wandered and know not the way." (VI, 21-22) I will no longer hear these braying donkeys, no matter who debases themself by publishing such logorrhea of falsehood and envy, scribbled by faceless cowards who have few meaningful accomplishments of their own. Life is short, but after concluding my thoughts here
it has become forever longer.
Oh, it's good to know
Good day, Boston T. Party (aka Kenneth W. Royce)
FSP News—November 2005 Welcome Free Staters—"When an organized group decides to
come here for their belief in less government and lower taxes, that sounds good
to us." Another warm welcome in a recent Editorial in New Hampshire's
Hooksett Banner.
The Board of Directors released a statement
on the 1st of November detailing the hiring of a public relations firm and providing further
details of the FSP changes reported last month.
The November 2005 print edition of the LP News
reports in Free State Project Political Activity about the coverage of the FSP in
a September 23rd article in the
Concord Monitor.
Free Staters Among Us—"The Free Staters are coming.
Wait, make that: The Free Staters are here." The
Bow Times
carried the article on November 9th. The story features four recently moved Porcupines!
US Census Bureau Report
(PDF) released October 27th—New Hampshire #2 in % of
Households with Internet Access and #3 in % Households with a
Computer. "The report provides information about the
characteristics of households and people who have and have not adopted use of
computers and the internet."
PorcFest 2006 will be held at Roger's Campground again in
Lancaster, NH, June 23rd—July 1st. The official FSP Program will take place
during the first weekend, June 23rd—25th, with a week of more informal
get-togethers to follow. More info
about the annual festival will continue to be announced. Mark your
calendars!
Turning
New Hampshire into a 21st Century Powerhouse by Alan R. Weiss—"This paper
identifies what other leading centers for growth have achieved, grazes on how
they achieved it, and challenges the Free State to live up to its motto and
propel itself to the vanguard of this new century by adopting successful models
pioneered by others." Published at The Libertarian Enterprise—now celebrating 10 years of bringing us
libertarian thought.
Brian Wright wraps up his 12-part New Pilgrim
Chronicles.—One man's story of the trials and rewards of moving to the
Free State. "Time to wrap it up for you, my fellow Free Staters and running-dog
liberty-lusting lackeys." Start at week 1 if you missed this series.
Jason Sorens, PH.D. FSP founder, spoke to
students and faculty at SUNY Fredonia October 18th. Read the
text
of this talk at Free Market News Network (FMNN). Twelve other
articles
by Jason were published this year at
FMNN, where he is the Free State Strategist.
The Free State came in #2 in the new Work Environment Index (WEI). "The
index
rates working environments in terms of average pay, employment opportunities,
employee benefits, percentage of low-income workers, fair treatment between
genders and ability for employees to unionize. It is the first index to
evaluate worker climate as opposed to business climate on a state-by-state
basis, and was developed by researchers at Political Economy Research Institute
at the University of Massachusetts."
——
FSP Volunteer Updates & Positions Available
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT—We are looking for someone experienced with
fundraising to lead and direct the FSP fundraising activities.
FSP NEWS REPORTER—A reporter to cover
Porcupine activism and liberty news in New Hampshire—"what's going on in New
Hampshire?" Keep your eyes and ears open and provide leads and links for
the FSP News.
——
FSP merchandise is a terrific idea for Holiday
gift-giving! Not only do you spread the word, but it financially
supports the FSP as well. Please check the
website for the selections and specials over the
next few weeks. This limited edition (100) official Buck Knife collectible
pictured above features a gold plated FSP porcupine cutout in the blade. They
are also laser engraved with the FSP logo on the handle and on the walnut
presentation box. The handle is charcoal NH Birch with nickel-silver guard and
butt cap. Leather sheath included.
Free Talk Live, the fast-growing radio talk show
and top-rated podcast is hosted by Porcupines Manwich and Ian and has added
another radio station to its affiliate line-up,
"KUSA" (KBBO) 980 AM in Yakima, WA. Free Talk Live has also joined
forces with Talk Shows USA to help promote the show. Listen live 6
days a week, from 8-10pm ET on an affiliate radio station, via webstream, or to
show archives on the website.
The newest FSP Community Liaisons are:
Earth-sheltered homes in New Hampshire—Brian Sullivan is the Liaison. This
new group
aims to learn about locating land, building earth-sheltered, solar,
zero-energy homes in NH, and promote the FSP in the sustainable housing
community. Also new is Alternative Health Care—Dr. Alva
Irish is a Homeopath and will be the Liaison for this community. There are open
Liaison positions listed at the Community Liaison link above. If you have ideas
to reach out to a group or community that you know and are a part of, please contact Dr. Chris
Harrison, Liaison Coordinator.
Jim Walters is our Liaison for the States Rights community.
Meet another Porcupine volunteer in an interview with Jim in
Liaisons Corner.
On The Road—PorcFest '05—a
video short, recorded on-location at the PorcFest in Lancaster, NH.
Jason Talley, Crasher-in-Chief at BureauCrash
talks about the travels of the MARV, or Mobile Authority Resistance Vehicle and the FSP.
Poker Face provides the music.
——
In New Hampshire
The FSP website feature, Newswire, carries
stories featuring activism in New Hampshire. This month the
right to bear arms,
Jim Maynard's new book, The Light of Alexandria
(also see Union Leader article)
and a Letter to the Editor
by Seth Cohn. Further activism in NH, such as the RFID protest, the Social Security card-burn protest
(radio coverage)
and candidates for local office, were covered by the NH Underground
and its Forum.
An online news publication, the Keene Free Press
was just launched—read all about it!
Porcupines joined in at the annual Pumpkin Festival
in Keene, NH. Keene holds the Guinness World Record for "Most Jack-O'-Lanterns in One Place At One
Time." How many? ... 28,952!
"The forecast said New Hampshire's economy is expected to lead the
regional recovery in coming years as the state's high-tech sector
enjoys a recovery." From the Portsmouth Herald article,
N.H. leads region in economic vigor.
Jean Alexander writes
about her new Life in New Hampshire. "It's late fall—cold at night
but pleasant most days. Winter is coming and with it, I will have known New
Hampshire for a year. Almost newlyweds no longer, I continue to be thrilled to
be here and contentedly set down more roots with every passing week."
FSP News recent issues are available. Content
submissions are
due by the 10th of each month.
The NH Liberty Calendar
lists the upcoming events of 30 liberty-minded organizations.
Are you ready to join the FSP and move to New Hampshire to help achieve
Liberty in Our Lifetime?
Click here.
——
Participants: 6,840
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