Libertarian Commentary #16-19B, By Nathan Barton

Our British cousins live in fear. Or so it seems from some recent news items. The Commentator reports on a poll in the Daily Telegraph regarding “private bills” voters want to get members of Parliament to introduce, with a very strong showing for the repeal of the handgun ban enacted after the Dunblaine killings in 1997, nearly 20 years ago, which attempted to disarm Her Majesty’s subjects in the British Isles. I wouldn’t hold my breath on Commons doing the smart thing, no matter how many Brits die because they cannot defend themselves against those who ignore the law. (I could not actually find the Daily Telegraph article, but assume that the Commentator is accurately reporting this.) Britons long ago took the wrong path, away from liberty and freedom to dependence and socialism and a herd mentality. This isn’t going to change because of a poll and a “private bill.”

Apparently, the election on whether the UK is to remain in the European Union or bugout (Brexit) is too close to call, but “Operation Fear” as implemented by the Cameron regime seems to be working: support for “Leave” is dropping and support for “Remain” is growing, according to the Daily Telegraph. Voting starts on 23 June, just 40 days away. As usual, the politicians LOVE using fear as a tool: people are threatened and politicians win. No matter WHO is doing the threatening. But do I expect the UK to get out of the EU? About as much as I expect the FedGov to get out of the UN or NATO.

Meanwhile, a number of commentators have postulated that the reason for The Donald’s seeming dominance in the GOP primaries for electing a new Massa is ALSO fear: fear of immigration, fear of what has been happening to Europe and may be coming to America. This is exemplified by the recent story in CNSNews.com reporting that of 451 “Syrian refugees” coming to the US (a drop in the bucket compared to the masses engulfing Europe), 440 were Muslim, 10 Yazidi, and just 1 Christian. Supposedly, Americans fear immigrants, and supposedly Trump is making hay with the fact that only HE of the GOP candidates and only HE of the three remaining major party runners (that is, Sanders and Clinton) has addressed the need to control the swarms of Muslims. Of course, the other politicians and the Tranzis in general are using Trump’s proposal to temporarily prevent immigration of Muslims into the Fifty States to scare people. If I understand the argument, first, it is unconstitutional, despite the fact that temporary prohibitions on immigration of certain groups and nationalities have been done time and time again by Congress and even by executive order (most recently, a prohibition on travelers originating in parts of Africa with diseases). And second, that if Trump does this to Muslims now, before you know it he will be doing it to homosexuals and liberals and anyone else that some group doesn’t like. And THEN he’ll be deporting us liberty-lovers to… well, to somewhere. Greenland? Belize? The Antarctic Penal Colony?

Oh, dear, was I using fear to draw attention to this? Or just humor?

Sometimes valid fears are grabbed by politicians and used to further their cause, as we see happening right now in the US Senate. It is legitimate to fear that social media, like Facebook, are censoring communications, and indeed we have ample evidence that Facebook and Twitter, to name two, have done so. But, according to the Blaze the “Senate wants answers” about these allegation of conservative news censorship. Am I being too naïve to think that just maybe PART of the Senate does, but others (Sanders, Boxer, Snow, and others come to mind) could care less – unless the censorship stops? And that the so-called Conservatives in the Senate are seeing this as nothing but a political opportunity?

Mama’s Note: I have to disagree on something here… Facebook and the other “social media” are owned and operated by private individuals. They can allow or forbid anything they want. Since these are commercial enterprises, the consequences would come from the people who use these things, a choice to continue using them or to abstain. Censorship is when force is applied to private sources of information, and that is only done by governments. So, the Senate actually doesn’t have a leg to stand on and should have nothing to do with it. But of course they will use it, and so will others who falsely believe that government should have the power to do anything, and should use that power to advance their pet ideas and impositions on everyone else.

Fear is a vital tool of the people who claim to be our masters and rulers and “representatives” and “protectors.” Overcoming that fear is essential if we are to regain our liberty and live in peace, prosperity, and freedom.

Mama’s Note: And that’s only going to happen when people understand that those “rulers” simply do not have any legitimate authority to do anything to us against our will as individuals. Then maybe they will stop consenting to be ruled.