By Nathan Barton

What if?

Actually, I am NOT really REALLY suggesting that we treat the government like they treat us (the normal, everyday citizen or resident of a state or county or city or town).  After all, here is how the governments treat us:

1.  They continually kill, wound, and maim us – or allow their employees to do so: from twelve-year-olds gunned down for having a toy gun to two-year-olds burned and scarred for life because their cribs were where the cops threw the flash-bang grenade to assault the wrong house, to the 80-year old maced for not getting off his tractor quickly enough.

2.  They conduct highway robbery as part of the war on some drugs and other “wars” on various “crimes:” using shopping lists to guide forfeiture actions where goods and other property is “convicted” of various crimes and seized for the use of their armed retainers (employees) and other agencies.

3.  They steal (and usually sell at a profit) land supposed owned by people, but ONLY when those people fail to pay rent called “property taxes” to the government(s).

4.  They deny people the right to buy goods and services from the persons or companies of their choice, instead requiring them to purchase only from people who pay blackmail to the state for the “privilege” of working in their profession.

I could go on and on, of course, but one of the problems with all this is that (1) they require aggression against innocent people, and (2) they require at least the threat of a major use of force of arms to compel people to comply: an organized army (whether you call it a police force or an army).

That said, there are MANY things that we CAN do to government agents that they have done to us that are defensive in nature.

1.  We can demand that they identify themselves officially and formally at any time.

2.  We can request that they provide a specific and accurate citation for whatever violation that they claim we have committed (or may have) AND for any of their actions.

3.  We can require them to obey the same laws and regulations that they expect us to obey, especially those laws that are intended to provide for better safety and protection (examples: mandatory safety training before entering a job site or a work site such as a mining or hazwaste operation, wearing of safety vests when walking on a public highway or right of way)

4.  We can require that they provide the name and contact information of their supervisor(s).  This is necessary so we are able to contact their supervisor and/or agency to verify that they are indeed the person and hold the office they claim to hold.

5.  We can refuse to allow them access to specific areas of our property, home, or business, when they either (a) do not have the necessary safety equipment (such as personal protective equipment) or (b) do not have the adequate training necessary to deal with potential hazards of the area.  The burden of proof that they have and are using (and trained in using) the equipment, and have the training necessary is on THEM.

6.  We can refuse to do ANYTHING voluntarily to cooperate with them – and if not with ALL of them, then with those who are crude, rude, violent, threatening, or known to be troublemakers. Those voluntary actions could include refusing to do business with them (if we own our own business), and refusing to recognize them as anything other than an obstacle to our lives (as indeed they are).

7.  We can (politely and with careful words) suggest them them and their families that they seek ways to get out of their current occupation and find something that is productive to do, instead of being a parasite (at best) and an abusive and active menace to those around them.  We might make that remark to someone else (in their hearing or knowing it will get back to them), or directly to them, especially at the end of an interaction.  This is especially good to do to those who have some redeeming quality about them.  “Sergeant Smith, thank you for helping find and bring my neighbor’s horse back to them.  You’d really do well in the private sector dealing with customers, instead of having  to put up with the police force nonsense, you know?”

I am sure that there are many other ways that you can think of to heap burning coals upon their heads, by treating them (with restraint) as they treat us.  It is, of course, purely defensive, but we DO need to defend ourselves against those who claim “to serve and protect” but instead “rule and abuse.”