Guns, cops, and killing

Posted on 2016-01-09 by TPOL Nathan

Libertarian Commentary, 08JAN2016, #16-01H  by Nathan Barton

What is going on in Texas? People seem to be confused and divided. And sometimes, companies cannot even get things straight in their own management’s minds. As reported by Bloomberg.com and featured in Freedom’s Phoenix. Wal-Mart Workers on Pistol Patrol as Law Lets Texans Tote Guns. Managers at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Texas have a new task to add to their list of duties: asking customers if they have a permit to carry a handgun.

This strikes me as odd, for several reasons. Why cannot Wal-Mart simply assume that a person is legally carrying unless there is some reason to assume otherwise? This is the equivalent of Wal-Mart managers being made to assume that every person driving into their parking lot is NOT licensed to drive an automobile unless they produce their driver’s license. Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Let’s Help Mike Vanderboegh

Posted on 2016-01-09 by MamaLiberty

By MamaLiberty

People of the gun need to pay attention here. Mike and I have talked quite a few times, and I  appreciate his thinking and his efforts, even though I have not always agreed with him (or a lot of other people). If we all waited for perfect agreement, motives and methods, none of us would be doing a darn thing.

Please read this from David Codrea, then send the best gratitude offering you can manage. And if you live anywhere within reach of Pinson, Alabama, consider offering to help with the physical repairs needed to restore the house so Rosey doesn’t have to deal with that after she pays the medical bills.

From “The War on Guns” blog, by David Codrea
Plea to All Friends of Mike Vanderboegh

Per Mike, the doctors have told him he is not long of this world. As we all know, his financial situation due to years of disability and devotion to the larger issue of self-sacrifice for freedom is terrible.  He is doing what he can to get his affairs in order, but the reality is, his wife will be left in really bad shape.  I would like to help with a funding appeal.

  • Paypal to  georgemason1776@aol.com*
  • Check, money order, cash, etc. to Mike Vanderboegh, PO Box 926, Pinson, AL 35126.**

You’ll note I called it a “gratitude offering.” That’s proper, as this is being directed to those of you who have received value from Mike’s work over the years. That gratitude should also extend to Mike’s wife Rosey, who has had to make plenty of sacrifices of her own to enable Mike to do so many necessary things you and I have benefited from.

Posted in Friends of Liberty, Welcome/information message | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Fall of Civilization?

Posted on 2016-01-08 by TPOL Nathan

Libertarian Commentary, 08JAN2015, #16-01G By Nathan Barton

Has Western (Euro-American) Civilization fallen? There are many elements that together make up what we fondly think of as “civilization” and especially Euro-American civilization: technology, science, urbanization, respect for life, rule of law, and, yes, liberty. Today, we see changes and challenges to all of these.

For example, Paul Craig Roberts tells us that “The Rule of Law no longer exists in Western Civilization.” When DID it exist? Certainly not in THIS century or much of the last. Not in much (if not ALL) of Euro-American Civilization. So we could argue that this means that Euro-American Civilization HAS fallen, and we just don’t realize that it collapsed. Kind of like that planet in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy that was so excited about being able to say “Belgium” in public that they didn’t realize their civilization was dead. Seriously, I agree with much of what Roberts writes, including this: “I can attest with full confidence that the United States no longer has a rule of law. The USA is a lawless country…. What I mean is that only the mega-banks and the One Percent have legal protection, and that is because these people control the government. For everyone else law is a weapon in the hands of the government to be used against the American people.” Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hoploclasm 2016 edition: The Rejection of Guns for Some People

Posted on 2016-01-07 by TPOL Nathan

Libertarian Commentary, 6JAN2016, #16-01E By Nathan Barton

There are many stories in the last few days about this grand pronouncement by the Crier-in-Chief; this one has images of a White House document, provided by The Blaze. There are a LOT of comments that could be made, but here are my first thoughts:

A Baker’s Dozen ™ Thoughts about the great 2016 executive action gun control

1. NONE of these actions would have done ANYthing to prevent ANY of the last dozen or so mass shootings, including Sandy Hook, San Bernardino, that one in Washington State, or the one in Colorado Springs.
2. None of these are based on ANY authority of the Executive Branch, especially without consultation with and approval by Congress.
3. Most of these are eyewash: they have little or no substance but look (sound) good.
4. Those that DO have substance violate basic human rights, such as “innocent until proven guilty.”
5. They amount, together, to a grab for more power by federal agencies.
6. Many of these have been implemented by states (such as California) where they have demonstrated NO significant effect on anything. (Except freedom. ML)
7. Too many pundits and those who claim to be lovers of liberty are going on a tear about this, hyperventilating and screaming. What are they missing in the meantime?
8. None of these would have prevented the current occupation at Mahleur NWR in Oregon.
9. ALL of these violate the letter AND intent of the Second Amendment.
10. Yeah, he can act really good, can’t he? (Crocodile tears, indeed.)
11. You wanna bet that Congress will roll over on this, just like on the budget?
12. You wanna bet that the Courts will roll over on this, just like on same-sex “marriage,” and everything else?
13. More “executive action” will be showing up sooner than later. Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Islamic Wars Worldwide, 2016

Posted on 2016-01-06 by TPOL Nathan

Libertarian Commentary, 05JAN2106, #16-01C

by Nathan Barton

It is clear that 2016 is definitely going to be yet another year of Islamic warfare. Two stories come up that remind us that Islam is NOT a religion of liberty (nor are most religions which call themselves Christian I hasten to add). It really doesn’t seem to matter WHAT flavor of Islam you favor. The Caliphate, according to The Blaze, has issued a religious ruling (a fatwa; a statement of doctrine) which makes it clear that slavery, particularly of women and girls for sexual purposes) IS fully acceptable AND desirable for Muslims to practice, and that specifies when girls can be raped when they are captured. Slave markets are public institutions in areas controlled by the Caliphate. Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Oregon: Beginning of the End? Or Something Else?

Posted on 2016-01-05 by TPOL Nathan

Libertarian Commentary, 05JAN2016, #16-01D

by Nathan Barton

Difficult as it is to sort through what is going on at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, after watching it for several days it appears to be a case of “too little, too early.” To steal a thought from Claire Wolfe, it is NOT yet time to “shoot the b****s” and little significantly good or bad is likely to come from the situation.

The various mainstream and alternative media all seem to agree on the basics: On Saturday the 2nd of January 2016, a group of about 100 people broke off from a protest in Southeastern Oregon and went to the headquarters of a nearby National Wildlife Refuge and occupied it. The occupation was peaceful although the protesters/occupiers were openly armed. The protest was in support of two ranchers who are being returned to prison in a bizarre court case in which they were convicted and sentenced to prison for arson and poaching on Federal lands. (Their defense was that they were doing a prescribed burn on their own land and the fire got away from them, and that they were not attempting to cover up evidence of poaching which they did not do.) Apparently, a federal “appeals” court decided that their sentences were too short and added more prison time, so the men agreed to give up and return to prison. They do NOT gain from, or support the occupation. Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Individual Liberty versus Government

Posted on 2016-01-05 by TPOL Nathan

Libertarian Commentary, 05JAN2016, #16-01B

By Nathan BartonFor decades, we have seen individual liberty and responsibility for our daily, even hourly, actions whittled away by a tsunami of government edicts of all kinds, from laws “legally” passed by councils and commissions, legislatures and congresses, to regulations and rules adopted by bureaucrats and appointed boards and elected dictators, to “executive orders” (decrees), and even to changes in interpretation to existing rules, regulations, orders, decrees, permits, statutes, ordinances, and even “resolutions.”  Today’s news commentary illustrates some of those we must live with in 2016 – or, must we?

Thanks to Carl Bear for this image.

Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Breaking the Law

Posted on 2016-01-04 by TPOL Nathan

Libertarian Commentary, 04JAN2016, #16-01A

by Nathan Barton

Breaking the law? We do it all the time, either intentionally or unintentionally. Here are a couple of examples of INTENTIONAL law breaking.

A Dallas, Texas, group called “Don’t Comply” (as reported by Brett Sanders) defied a new city ordinance that requires a permit and training to feed more than 75 people, so that the group could provide an annual Christmas party and dinner to hundreds of homeless people, believing that their duty (as christians, as citizens, as humans) should not be subject to government control, and that people, not government, are responsible for caring for others. They were confronted by a city code enforcer, but refused to submit. Not only that, but the members of the group were ARMED to provide for their self-defense and the defense of those they were serving, and to prevent any intimidation. They made no bones about breaking the law. This group, these people, did their work openly, and deserve to be commended for their lawbreaking. Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Libertarian Commentary on the News, 31 DEC 2015, #15-52C: End of the Year

Posted on 2015-12-31 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

It has been a bad year in many respects, both worldwide and in the Fifty States and in Colorado and South Dakota and for business and family, but we should not let events keep us from appreciating and being thankful for the good things and the good times that we’ve experienced.

We have more wars than ever, and the threat of those wars expanding (including those that have already expanded).  And despite claims to the contrary (see below), we still are relatively peaceful here at home in the Fifty States.  In much of the nation, we are still relatively free from threat from government and other gangs, and able to travel pretty freely, and enjoy a good deal of liberty.  Which has expanded in some ways, often due to technology and economics (like the price of fuel right now, and better, more secure communications). Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary on the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How Much Can We Take? Mainstream Media

Posted on 2015-12-31 by TPOL Nathan

By Nathan Barton

Just how much of this bilge can we take, much less believe? On Wednesday, 30 December 2015, these were the afternoon “political-national” headlines from the Infamous Washington Post (the WaPo), flagship of mainstream media. Read them on an empty stomach.

Mama’s Note: Instead of an empty stomach, if you insist on reading this stuff please do have at least some soda crackers and milk handy. Dry heaves are such pain… ML checking in as the NURSE here. 🙂

Rubio used political position to help troubled brother-in-law in ’02 While a powerful state lawmaker, Rubio urged officials to grant a real estate license to his brother-in-law, a convicted cocaine trafficker who had been released from prison 20 months earlier, according to records obtained by The Post. Continue reading →

Posted in Nathan's Rants | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment