A pit bull biting a child does not mean that pit bulls should be banned. A Tesla automobile getting into an accident does not mean that Teslas should be banned. A person falling off a ski lift does not mean that ski lifts should be banned. An immigrant committing a crime does not mean that immigrants should be banned. A Muslim committing an act of terror does not mean that Muslims should be banned. The list of examples is as long as there are things and people which some authoritarians would like to ban.
Category: Thinking Out Loud
The Evils of Nationalism and Racism
Sadly, mankind doesn’t appear to have learned much from history as the evils of nationalism and racism are once again on the rise. From Europe to the US, the rise of groups affiliated with Nazi ideology has led to a resurgence in violence against minorities, immigrants, and refugees.
Who Anarchists Are Actually
Thanks to the media’s portrayal of masked malcontents kicking over trashcans as “anarchists,” I believe some clarification is in order. I am an anarchist because I recognize that the institution of the state is fundamentally based on violence and coercion, not because I punch people in the face for exercising their freedom of speech.
Voluntaryism Can’t Be “Free Stuff”
You cannot claim to support a fully voluntary society while simultaneously asserting that you have a right to certain goods and services. Such an assertion necessarily demands the enslavement of whoever is conscripted into providing the goods and services to which you claim an entitlement.
Abolition from Transparency
According to its defenders, the state is supposed to be “by the people” and “for the people,” so how could it possibly have a right to keep secrets from the people? Of course, I believe that the state is evil and should be abolished in its entirety, but either way, can we at least agree that it shouldn’t be permitted to keep secrets?
Stop Trying to Control One Another
Most conservatives think I’m a liberal because I oppose the death penalty, war, the draft, censorship, drug laws, and other state interference in people’s personal lives. Most liberals think I’m a conservative because I oppose obamacare, welfare, food stamps, taxes, environmental regulations, and other state interference in business and the economy. Most libertarians think I’m an anarchist because I refuse to engage in the game of voting for people to run the state rather than agitating for its abolition.
The Role of Capitalism in Anarchy
Anarcho-capitalists have a tendency to fancy themselves as too far outside the normal sphere of anarchy when we are actually just anarchists who understand both economics and human nature. In a free society devoid of the fiction that is authority, some people would indeed acquire, improve, and trade natural resources. Ergo, capitalism. This would happen not because a system of capitalism was established but simply because no one was stopping production and trade from occurring.
With Crime, Hate is Irrelevant
In a just world, “crimes” would be only those actions which victimized others, and the reasons why would be fairly irrelevant. It ultimately doesn’t matter why you hurt someone or take their stuff (other than in justified self-defense, of course.) If you do victimize someone, you owe them restitution.
2017: The Year Statism Starts to Die
In 2017, it is more important than ever to take a stand against collectivism and the hate it inspires. Don’t be silent. Don’t be part of the problem. Raise your voice and let the whole world hear you say—in blatant defiance of the state—that peace is possible, war is unnecessary, and liberty is achievable.
Should We Get Life’s Necessities without Effort?
Staying alive requires effort. Being comfortable requires even more effort. Like it or not, it’s reality.