Today, many who confess Christ as Lord and claim to follow Him are advocates of mandatory human government: the state.
Others are so turned off by government and the two choices (which are mostly what people see) for Massa and other offices that they refuse to participate in the charade. The Christian Post last week announced that a Barna pool and study claimed that as many as 104 million “people of faith” including 32 million “self-identified” christians who “attend church regularly” do not plan to vote in 2024.
All lovers of liberty have a lot of concerns over the accuracy of polls and studies by academic institutions, regardless of their claimed affiliation. At the same time, we understand the reluctance to get involved in political matters of governments.
Not just a catchy computer game name, “total war” is a common name for an extreme version of war between nation-states, or even between nations and “unconventional combatants” – rebels, revolutionists, even corporations and religious groups.
Most people equate “nuclear war” with total war, though that is far from accurate. Nuclear weapons can be, and probably usually will be, part of a total war, but war can be total even with conventional – and even primitive – weapons. Witness the Mongol invasions, the actions of the Assyrians, and even the Roman wars with Carthage.
How do we deal with, prepare for, and survive total war is a subject worth discussing. And so we shall do in a future commentary. Specifically, what can an anarchist, a lover of liberty do to prepare for and live and work through a total (or near-total) war?
Courtesy of a wide variety of politicians, bureaucrats, Regressives, and just plain crazy and sociopathic people? The more we read about things like this, the more evil it seems.
The entire socio-political mania about transgenderism and transitioning people – particularly children and teens – into their supposed “mental gender” is really a very recent phenomenon. Pretty much just in the 21st Century, in fact. Yes, there had been rare cases of people attempting surgical or chemical changes in sex in a human. Just as cross-dressing has been around since Roman times and before. But always seen as a severe mental aberration and something to be more pitied than feared. Just as there have always been a few poor individuals who were born severely disabled – including hermaphrodites and cojoined twins and the like.
A recent news story tells of a Marine ordered off her Delta airline flight because she was wearing the teeshirt below – which a “flight attendant” (a steward, not a stewardess) said was “threatening.”
We are told, he said, ‘I don’t care about your service, and I don’t care about her service. The only way you’re going to get back on the plane is if you take it off right now.'”
Now, this lady Jarhead was more polite than many Marines I know – and modest. She didn’t just pull the shirt off there in the aircraft cabin and sit down in her seat in her bra. She instead left the aircraft and found and pulled on a sweatshirt to cover the teeshirt. And got back on. But it caused her to miss her connecting flight and therefore messed up her trip to visit her sister (another Marine).
South Dakota, with the usual 2 senators and just 800,000 people (therefore just a single US Representative) is small potatoes as residential elections go. But still, these things add up. Especially with all the mud-slinging about the Electoral College, and the various candidates for the new Massa.
Every State is unique – many have very strange quirks that influence their local politics and the impact they have on regional and federal politics. South Dakota is no different. Understanding this can help in encouraging and educating people to reject the power of mandatory human governments and how it makes life miserable for most people – if not virtually all of us.
More and more libertarians – anarchists especially – are swearing off voting for Lent. Well, actually, for more than just Lent. As the screams (printed, electronic, radio, television, posters, yard signs, billboards, etc.) get louder and louder, it is easy to see why.
Consider a few cartoons and images, and stop and think about them:
Unless it is an issue, maybe.
“I’m glad my grandma got to die in Chicago so she can still vote!”
And just think – YOU get to choose which politicians get first dibs at the trough!
The kind of ballot that really counts. Regardless of when it’s cast!
… to get the trash out to the curb, do we? If you can and want to vote, do it before the last day (Tuesday 5 November 2024).
Thanks to the Day-by-Day folks from a way back when, but still worth thinking about in 2024. While DbyD is pushing for Orange Man (The Donald), this isn’t for anyone, but against the thugs we keep in power year after year, including those put into office (or retained there) in 2018, 2020, and 2022.
A few thoughts on the 2024 election, 16 days before the official finale (but if you think everything will be settled on 5 November, please think again!):
Does voting encourage them? That is an argument and an interesting question. Voting against them and the ballot issues they put up for the electorate to vote on is very much a discouragement, in the eyes of many.
Does voting legitimize the system? It can so explain why you are (or are not) voting! And why you are voting the way you are, if you choose to vote.
Does voting somehow morally commit you to supporting the outcome of the vote? Absolutely not: it is often a matter of self-defense.
Done right, even candidates with absolutely no chance to win an election can use the election and the campaign as an opportunity to educate. If you have someone who has already wasted their money in running a campaign, take advantage of these last few days to educate people.
Not even the smallest soda machine or most pitiful store offers only two flavors and brands of soda (or beer): so why do we have a system that trains people to think there are only two choices when it comes to electing a Massa or a “representative” of our State or our district?
Does voting do any good? When it comes to electing “leaders” and “representatives,” it is hard to argue that it does. When it comes to ballot issues (both initiatives and referendums), yes, it can do good. Even if that good consists in just rejecting ideas and laws that are really very much against liberty. Just remember, all the candidates on the ballot are statists to some degree, and enemies of liberty in at least some parts of life.
Oh, and one last thought: are you prepared for what may happen this year on and after Election Day? Things ready to go deal with really bad – or somewhat good happenings?
The FedGov has warned Iran against attempting to assassinate The Donald, as reported in the Washington Examiner recently. This is supposedly in retribution for Trump ordering (or allowing) the killing of a Persian Revolutionary Guard general while in office. The tale has been going around for several weeks now: NPR and the Politico even claim that Iran has a “hit list” of former Trump aides. House Speaker Johnson says that would be an act of war.
Do you suppose that the idea that Iran is behind the Trump attacks ( these attempted assassinations) is a red herring?
Now, we are not saying that Iran would not love to see him dead. Certainly, it would be no surprise that the insane, fanatic Ayatollahs and their minions are not trying to do so: for many reasons.
We are often told that religious liberty is alive and well, in most of the “civilized” world. Especially here in the States. Is it? Some folks don’t think so.
Here in the States, the Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCB) recently published a list of five items that they view as the greatest threats in 2024 to religion and religious liberty. Not just for Catholics or all Christians, but other religions as well. First published in January, they have followed up in some. Various media have reported it, often twisting the facts and leaving out some of their points. (The bishops specifically called out both Judaism and Islam.)
It is an interesting list, and not just because of who published it. (More below on that, as part of a disclaimer. You can read their whole report here.)
It may be of interest that neither Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, nor Joe Biden are on the list. But then, bishops are supposed to be kind to others (and one another).
More and more in 2024, we are hearing cries of “punish them” directed at oil companies, coal companies (and electric utilities), and any other organization that might generate carbon dioxide and release it into the atmosphere.
The latest reason (a repeat favorite, in fact) is “exceptional damage” from hurricanes: most recently Helene and Milton. Similar claims were made after Katrina (2005) and Marie (2017).
The Price of Liberty 
God and liberty
Today, many who confess Christ as Lord and claim to follow Him are advocates of mandatory human government: the state.
Others are so turned off by government and the two choices (which are mostly what people see) for Massa and other offices that they refuse to participate in the charade. The Christian Post last week announced that a Barna pool and study claimed that as many as 104 million “people of faith” including 32 million “self-identified” christians who “attend church regularly” do not plan to vote in 2024.
All lovers of liberty have a lot of concerns over the accuracy of polls and studies by academic institutions, regardless of their claimed affiliation. At the same time, we understand the reluctance to get involved in political matters of governments.
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