Some discoveries are exciting, joyful, and exhilarating, while others can be quite painful. Stumbling upon the fact that you do not necessarily have a competent grasp of reality, that you have in fact been duped for most of your life, is not a pleasant experience. While it may be a living nightmare to realize that part of one’s life was, perhaps, wasted on the false ideas of others, enlightenment often requires that the worldview that we were indoctrinated with be completely destroyed before we can finally resurrect a tangible identity and belief system. To have rebirth, something must first die…
In 2004, I found myself at such a crossroads. At that time I was a dedicated Democrat, and I thought I had it all figured out. The Republican Party was to me a perfect sort of monster. They had everything! Corporate puppet masters. Warmongering zealots. Fake Christians. Orwellian social policies. The Bush years were a special kind of horror. It was cinematic. Shakespearean. If I was to tell a story of absolute villainy, I would merely describe the mass insanity and bloodlust days of doom and dread wrought by the Neo-Con ilk in the early years of the new millennium.
But, of course, I was partly naïve…
The campaign rhetoric of John Kerry was eye opening. I waited, day after day, month after month for my party’s candidate to take a hard stance on the illegal wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I waited for a battle cry against the Patriot Act and the unconstitutional intrusions of the Executive Branch into the lives of innocent citizens. I waited for a clear vision, a spark of wisdom and common sense. I waited for the whole of the election for that man to finally embrace the feelings of his supporters and say, with absolute resolve, that the broken nation we now lived in would be returned to its original foundations. That civil liberty, freedom, and peace, would be our standard once again. Unfortunately, the words never came, and I realized, he had no opposition to the Bush plan. He was not going to fight against the wars, the revolving door, or the trampling of our freedoms. Indeed, it seemed as though he had no intention of winning at all.
I came to see a dark side to the Democratic Party that had always been there but which I had refused to acknowledge. Their leadership was no different than the Neo-Cons that I despised. On top of this, many supporters of the Democratic establishment had no values, and no principles. Their only desire was to “win” at any cost. They would get their "perfect society" at any price, even if they had to chain us all together to do it.
There was no doubt in my mind that if the Democrats reoccupied the White House or any other political power structure one day, they would immediately adopt the same exact policies and attitudes of the Neo-Conservatives, and become just as power-mad if not more so. In 2008 my theory was proven unequivocally correct.
It really is amazing. I have seen the so-called “anti-war” party become the most accommodating cheerleader of laser guided death and domination in the Middle East, with predator drones operating in the sovereign skies of multiple countries raining missiles upon far more civilians than “enemy combatants”, all at the behest of Barack Obama. I have seen the “party of civil liberties” expand on every Constitution crushing policy of the Bush Administration, while levying some of the most draconian legislation ever witnessed in the history of this country. I have seen Obama endorse enemy combatant status for American citizens, and the end of due process under the law through the NDAA. I have seen him endorse the end of trial by jury. I have seen him endorse secret assassination lists, and the federally drafted murder of U.S. civilians. I have seen him endorse executive orders which open the path to the declaration of a “national emergency” at any time for any reason allowing for the dissolution of most constitutional rights and the unleashing of martial law.
If I was still a Democrat today I would be sickly ashamed. Yet, many average Democrats actually defend this behavior from their party. The same behavior they once railed against under Bush.
However, I have not come here to admonish Democrats (at least not most of them). I used to be just like them. I used to believe in the game. I believed that the rules mattered, and that it was possible to change things by those rules with patience and effort. I believed in non-violent resistance, protest, civil dissent, educational activism, etc. I thought that the courts were an avenue for political justice. I believed that the only element required to end corruption would be a sound argument and solid logic backed by an emotional appeal to reason. I believed in the power of elections, and had faith in the idea that all we needed was the “right candidate” to lead us to the promise land. Again, I believed in the game.
The problem is, the way the world works and the way we WISH the world worked are not always congruent. Attempting to renovate a criminal system while acting within the rigged confines of that system is futile, not to mention delusional. Corrupt oligarchies adhere to the standards of civility only as long as they feel the need to maintain the illusion of the moral high ground. Once they have enough control, the mask always comes off, the rotten core is revealed, and immediate violence against dissent commences.
Sometimes the only solutions left in the face of tyranny are not peaceful. Logic, reason, and justice are not revered in a legal system which serves the will of the power elite instead of the common man. The most beautiful of arguments are but meaningless flitters of hot air in the ears of sociopaths. Sometimes, the bully just needs to be punched in the teeth.
This philosophy of independent action is consistently demonized, regardless of how practical it really is when faced with the facts. The usual responses to the concept of full defiance are accusations of extremism and malicious intent. Believe me, when I embarked on the path towards the truth in 2004, I never thought I would one day be called a potential “homegrown terrorist”, but that is essentially where we are in America in 2013. To step outside the mainstream and question the validity of the game is akin to terrorism in the eyes of the state and the sad cowardly people who feed the machine.
During the rise of any despotic governmental structure, there is always a section of the population that is given special treatment, and made to feel as though they are “on the winning team”. For now, it would appear that the “Left” side of the political spectrum has been chosen by the establishment as the favored sons and daughters of the restructured centralized U.S. However, before those of you on the Left get too comfortable in your new position as the hand of globalization, I would like to appeal to you for a moment of unbiased consideration. I know from personal experience that there are Democrats out there who are actually far more like we constitutionalists and “right wing extremists” than they may realize. I ask that you take the following points into account, regardless of what the system decides to label us...
We Are Being Divided By False Party Paradigms
Many Democrats and Republicans are not stupid, and want above all else to see the tenets of freedom respected and protected. Unfortunately, they also tend to believe that only their particular political party is the true defender of liberty. The bottom line is, at the top of each party there is very little if any discernible difference between the two. If you ignore all the rhetoric and only look at action, the Republican and Democratic leadership are essentially the same animal working for the same special interests. There is no left and right; only those who wish to be free, and those who wish to control.
Last year, the “Left and the “Right” experienced an incredible moment of unity after the introduction of the NDAA. People on both sides were able to see the terrifying implications of a law that allows the government to treat any American civilian as an enemy of war without right to trial. In 2013, the establishment is attempting to divide us once again with the issue of gun disarmament. I have already presented my position on gun rights in numerous other articles and I believe my stance is unshakeable. But, what I will ask anti-gun proponents and on-the-fence Democrats is this: How do you think legislation like the NDAA will be enforced in the future? Is it not far easier to threaten Americans with rendition, torture, and assassination when they are completely unarmed? If you oppose the NDAA, you should also oppose any measure which gives teeth to the NDAA, including the debasement of the 2nd Amendment.
Democrats Are Looking For Help In The Wrong Place
Strangely, Democrats very often search for redress within the very system they know is criminal. For some reason, they think that if they bash their heads into the wall long enough, a door will suddenly appear. I’m here to tell you, there is no door.
The biggest difference between progressives and conservatives is that progressives consistently look to government to solve all the troubles of the world, when government is usually the CAUSE of all the troubles in the world. The most common Democratic argument is that in America the government “is what we make it”, and we can change it anytime we like through the election process. Maybe this was true at one time, but not anymore. Just look at Barack Obama! I would ask all those on the Left to take an honest look at the policies of Obama compared to the policies of most Neo-Cons, especially when it comes to constitutional liberties. Where is the end to Middle Eastern war? Where is the end to domestic spy programs? Where is the end to incessant and dictatorial executive orders? Where is the conflict between the Neo-Cons and the Neo-Liberals? And, before you point at the gun control debate, I suggest you look at Obama’s gun policies compared to Mitt Romney’s and John McCain’s – there is almost no difference whatsoever…
If the two party system becomes a one party system, then elections are meaningless, and electing a new set of corrupt politicians will not help us.
Democrats Value Social Units When They Should Value Individuals Instead
Democrats tend to see everything in terms of groups. Victim status groups, religious groups, racial groups, special interest groups, etc. They want to focus on the health of the whole world as if it is a single entity. It is not. Without individuals, there is no such thing as “groups”, and what we might categorize as groups change and disperse without notice. Groups do not exist beyond shared values, and even then, the individual is still more important in the grand scheme of things.
As a former Democrat, I know that the obsession with group status makes it easy to fall into the trap of collectivism. It is easy to think that what is best for you must be best for everybody. This Utopian idealism is incredibly fallible. Wanting the best for everyone is a noble sentiment, but using government as a weapon to force your particular vision of the “greater good” on others leads to nothing but disaster. The only safe and reasonable course is to allow individuals to choose for themselves how they will function in society IF they choose to participate at all. Government must be left out of the equation as much as possible. Its primary job should be to safeguard the individual’s right to choose how he will live. You have to get over the fact that there is no such thing as a perfect social order, and even if there was, no government is capable of making it happen for you.
Democrats Can Become As Power-Mad As Any Neo-Con
I think it is important to point out how quickly most Democratic values went out the door as soon as Barack Obama was placed in the White House. Let’s be clear; you cannot claim to be anti-war, anti-torture, anti-assassination, anti-surveillance, anti-corporate, anti-bank, anti-rendition, etc. while defending the policies of Obama at the same time. This is hypocrisy.
I have heard some insane arguments from left leaning proponents lately. Some admit that Obama does indeed murder and torture, but “at least he is pushing for universal health care…”. Even if it did work (which it won’t), is Obamacare really worth having a president who is willing to murder children on the other side of the world and black-bag citizens here at home? Do not forget your moral compass just because you think the system is now your personal playground. If you do, you are no better than all the angry bloodcrazed Republicans that bumbled into the Iraq War while blindly following George W. Bush.
There Is A Difference Between Traditional Conservatives And Neo-Cons
Neo-Cons are not conservative. They are in fact socialist in their methods, and they always expand government spending and power while reducing constitutional protections. The “Liberty Movement”, of which I am proudly a part, is traditional conservative. We believe that government, especially as corrupt as it is today, cannot be trusted to administrate and nursemaid over every individual in our nation. It has proven time after time that it caters only to criminally inclined circles of elites. Therefore, we seek to reduce the size and influence of government so that we can minimize the damage that it is doing. For this, we are called “extremists”.
Governments are not omnipotent. They are not above criticism, or even punishment. They are merely a collection of individuals who act either with honor or dishonor. In the Liberty Movement, we treat a corrupt government just as we would treat a corrupt individual. We do not worship the image of the state, nor should any Democrat.
Liberty Minded Conservatives Are Not “Terrorists”
There will come a time, very soon I believe, when people like me are officially labeled “terrorists”. Perhaps because we refuse gun registration or confiscation. Perhaps because we develop alternative trade markets outside the system. Maybe because some of us are targeted by federal raids, and we fight back instead of submitting. Maybe because we speak out against the establishment during a time of “declared crisis”, and speech critical of the government is labeled “harmful to the public good”. One way or another, whether you want to believe me now or not, the day is coming.
Before this occurs, and the mainstream media attacks us viciously as “conspiracy theorists” and traitors, I want the Left to understand that no matter what you may hear about us, our only purpose is to ensure that our natural rights are not violated, our country is not decimated, and our republic is governed with full transparency. We are not the dumb redneck racist hillbilly gun nuts you see in every primetime TV show, and anyone who acts out of personal bias and disdain for their fellow man is not someone we seek to associate with. We fight because we have no other choice. Our conscience demands that we oppose centralized tyranny. We do what we do because the only other option is subservience and slavery.
Many of the people I have dealt with in the Liberty Movement are the most intelligent, well-informed, principled and dedicated men and women I have ever met. They want, basically, what most of us want; to be free to determine their own destinies. To be free to speak their minds without threat of state retribution. To be free to defend themselves from any enemy that would seek to oppress them. To live within an economic environment that is not rigged in favor of elitist minorities and on the verge of engineered collapse. To live in a system that respects justice and legitimate law instead of using the law as a sword against the public. To wake up each day with solace in the knowledge that while life in many regards will always be a difficult thing, we still have the means to make it better for ourselves and for the next generation. To wake up knowing that those inner elements of the human heart which make us most unique and most endearing are no longer considered “aberrant”, and are no longer under threat.
You can contact Brandon Smith at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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written by Fred Willard , January 16, 2013
And then I wake up on a dreary Sunday mornin and she is gone........Ms. Liberty
written by Randy Rueter , January 16, 2013
"We do what we do because the only other option is subservience and slavery."
Well written and full of amazingly accurate insight.
Thanks Brandon for the many hours you spend researching and sharing.
Having never experienced a war it is difficult to imagine its ugliness and even harder to imagine it right where we live. I watched the Mel Gibson movie "the patriot" last night and can only imagine the resolve created when tyranny shows up in your front yard and puts a bullet in your son.
The questions I need to answer for myself are... how should I handle it when tyranny shows up in my front yard?
Do I expatriate now before it happens, and where in the world is there any freedom left? Or do i look for a place here in the states where I and my family can live simply and be mostly left alone? Or, do I wait for the shooting to start and hope to live through it or at least hope standing for the truth to the end will somehow help secure freedom for those that follow? I never thought I would be considering these things in my lifetime.
written by Manny , January 16, 2013
Good article! We need to forget the false left-right paradigm and drop the labels of left and right all together. You either stand for individual freedom or government control. There is no left or right, there is only freedom or slavery.
Stop supporting republicans and democrats and start supporting independents and libertarians.
The next election, we need independents and libertarians to run and if you value freedom you will vote for them instead of "the lesser of two evils," which gets us no where. Do not be a slave to the two party dictatorship.
written by A. Hunt , January 16, 2013
What makes You think there will be another election? When the guns are gone,you're at the mercy of the tottally corrupt government.
written by hykerdawg , January 16, 2013
Brandon, the same thing happened to me almost verbatim to your article, except it was from the other direction. I was a die-hard Republican and thought all Democrats were evil. But in 2005 I began to realize something was very wrong and that the left/right, Democrat/Republican paradigm was false. I am now a die-hard Constitutionalist. I can't believe we've come to the point where that makes me a threat to the government. My only question now is where and around whom do we muster?
written by Ballracer , January 16, 2013
Now is time for Americans not Democrats, republicans, No Political party, Just pure American. Today 'the King" overstepped just the same as he did when first Revolutionary War started.
written by arizona , January 16, 2013
HERES THE SOLUTION TO AMERICAS PROBLEMS,we're about to be at war with not only the criminals who run america,but the terrorist police gangs,and military traitors who support and defend terrorism by government in america,they will unleash every EVIL they have in their trick bag TO WIN,its a football game to them,there more then willing to kill their own family to win,THIS IS THE THING THAT GOES OVER MOST PEOPLES HEAD,"THEY WILL KILL THEIR OWN FAMILY TO WIN" and destroying america is not even considered,they have brought every NATO military here to help them win,THIS AIN'T A MAYBE,they plan to win,NOW FOR THE SOLUTION,GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG THE LORD FOR HELP,and he will save you from whats coming(read george washingtons vision in 1777)he had the lord protecting him and you can to,he prayed every day for help from the LORD and got it,theres only one way americans can survive this war and if your not under the wing of protection of the lord you won't survive,call on the name of yahushua our dear lord and he will save you........................
written by Nehweh Gahnin , January 16, 2013
Great, great piece, Brandon.
I never identified myself as a Democrat, but many would have accused me of that at one time. I always voted (when I still believed in that) for the person who stated the issues in a way that I felt was rational, beneficial, and viable. I tended to lean more "leftist," as most people would understand that term, because like you said, the other side seemed "the perfect sort of monster."
When Barack Obama entered office, and immediately continued Bush's bailouts of the banksters, that was it. All remaining illusions were stripped away. Any that could have remained were blasted away in the barrage of actions that followed, inimical to civil liberties and freedom and the rule of law, which even then, I still believed (hoped?) existed.
I do not self-identify as a Liberty Movement follower, although I read their blogs more than most others, simply because it is my sense that I am not well accepted here. I am actually anarchist, and this is so broadly and deeply misunderstood, that it is nearly pointless to try to explain why that thinking actually melds very well with the Liberty Movement.
I also have been very involved in the Occupy movement. That has also resulted in many inaccurate assumptions among Liberty folks, although I have been very gratified to see the almost complete end of uninformed attacks on Occupy over the past few months among Liberty folks. I think they see that many of Occupy's complaints overlap -- if they are not identical in many respects -- with those of the Liberty movement. Occupy got out there and fought, and paid their price for it, with arrests, beatings, indictments, surveillance, and overwhelming state violence in many forms.
It may surprise some Liberty adherents to know that an awful lot of Occupiers also stand solidly with the Second Amendment, as I do. In fact, I will be participating in a rally this Saturday to stand against gun control. The theme: We did the First Amendment, and you didn't listen. Now it's on to the 2nd.
The illusion persists that there are two parties in America, and that those parties provide the choice of public policy we all need to govern. As you so well stated, that is simply not true. The power brokers, the elites -- financial, political and industrial -- will crush us all, if they can. As a hat tip from an Occupy activist and an anarchist, as a freedom-loving individual with a family and fierce and unquelled thirst for justice and truth, I salute you and the Liberty Movement. Keep up the good work. Fight on.
written by jh , January 16, 2013
As always, very well articulated. Great points over and over.
Regarding the revolving door and another example of no difference in party leadership in this country, we've had either a Bush or Clinton as president, vice president or sec of state for 32 consecutive years! Think about that for just a moment. Hows that for one-party rule! And to think the Mrs. is considering a run in 16 and the offspring is actually contemplating a run for some public office.
God help us all.
written by Zeno , January 16, 2013
There was a principled stance by a Democrat running for the Presidency in 1972, i.e., George McGovern, who failed miserably against Nixon's CREEP/Watergate minions (although why they bothered remains a mystery, as Nixon was clearly the frontrunner). That remains the last principled stance against an incumbent (Carter does not count, and his Presidency was a horror show) that appears to have been allowed by the PTB.
Having studied this for quite some time (hence the Ike allusion), I have come to the conclusion that essentially what we had known as mainstream politics ended with JFK's murder. Goldwater, another highly principled challenger, was sanctioned to run after the JFK assassination, IMHO, because TPTB were not yet at all self-assured. Take from that what you will, but nothing was the same after that. Some have referred to it as a coup d'etat. I think it was measurably far worse.
written by PLL , January 16, 2013
Get in there and take over where Ron Paul left off. Keep the message alive.
written by TheGrizz , January 16, 2013
Great Artical Brandon, I have wondered just how many innocent people have been killed or mamed from those Drone Strikes, Remember what the Second Amendment is, The right of the People to defend ourselfs against a Tyranical Government, The People need to be just as well armed as the Tyrants Army, so don't fall for the State Media saying people don't need large Capasity Magizines or Military style weapons, The Second Amendment is not a need, its a Right, Live by the Truth, Believe in God, and do whats right, just remember the Progressives have killed over Fifty Million unborn Children since 1973, The Truth will set you Free!
written by wedge 1 , January 17, 2013
Great mission statement. Great article. Just wanted to thank the person who wrote this for having the courage and conviction of his beliefs to risk the retribution from the very powers he is warning about. Brandon Smith. I will remember this name. Long live Liberty.
written by The Ghost of Ezra Pound , January 17, 2013
As I have just spent the last hour debating with, if you can call it that, a self described liberal who refused to acknowledge the transgressions of President Obama, eg. the NDAA, assassination lists, the murder of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, etc, this articulately written screed is particularly poignant. There is no such beast as a modern progressive liberal, but rather a statist that seems to be growing more and more authoritarian if not outright totalitarian, by the day. There seems to be a fervor now to castigate any non-statist as subhuman and beneath the protection of the law. I never thought that any political philosophy adherent would actually advocate the extermination of their opposition, but in the last few weeks, there has been a cacophony of this sentiment being espoused. I suppose I should never underestimate the level of hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance human beings are capable of.
Reading this article has lifted my spirits though. I hope it is widely disseminated and digested.
written by Oath Keeper , January 17, 2013
I read your latest article on Zerohedge. I read the one before that and the one before that. I normally do not look at the byline and just get into the meat because I am so interested in what is being said. Each and every time I have read one of your articles, I was blown away when I returned to the byline to see that you were the author. I am simply flabbergasted once again as I am reading the comments and see references to "great job Brandon."
I tell myself, no, it cannot be as I race to read the byline and see that it is you. I am visibly shaken. All I can say is that you have a way with words that penetrate to a deeper level than most.
Keep up the awesome writing. I hope it will eventually wake the "Sleeping Giant."
Steve Brown
written by David C. Oechsle , January 17, 2013
Wow is right! Like Dr. Paul's farewell speech, the article above is one of the most important things to be penned by anyone in the USA in DECADES! I could write pages and pages on nearly every sentence above, why it is correct, and how my path followed a similar course (albeit from the "opposite" party). This should go viral!
written by Gary Ward , January 17, 2013
Liberty - Wow what a word. Thanks for reminding us all what America was once all about. Let us hope we can get there again.
Liberty - Freedom from government or private interference or constraints
written by Rodger is exactly the type of moron this article is condeming , January 17, 2013
"Saints of circumstance and compromise"
-Wow. Talk about proving the author right. Way to deify politicians and worship the state. Some people..you just can't reach. Even if your ludicrous statement about politicians is true, couldn't it be said that Bush/Cheney *compromised* their fiscally conservative principles to accommodate the *circumstance* of 9/11 and the war on terror? Didn't they *compromise* free market principles in the *circumstance* of the 2008 financial crisis? Didn't they *compromise* their strong national defense rhetoric in the *circumstance* of endless illegal immigration? Well you've made it abundantly clear that you only see what you want to see.....
The face of what Rodger calls "conservatism" has changed: it's called progressivism or liberalism now.
"Bush years were a nightmare" and then "Democrats do not see the past 4 years as a nightmare"
-I don't think you have the intellectual sophistication needed to comprehend what Brandon was trying (in vain) to communicate to you. The fact that you don't see the past four years as nightmarish is a product of willful delusion, it's outright offensive actually. Name anything you found offensive about Bush/Cheney and it has continued/intensified under Obama. Your selective outrage and expediency is asinine.
If anything, the "turd" that has become republican conservatism is Obama.
written by Cousin Eddie , January 17, 2013
Thank you for taking the time to write.
written by Brandon Smith , January 17, 2013
@Rodger
Yes, I was indeed a Liberal (ten years ago), as are most activist minded young people when they first discover politics. We just assumed that the Democratic Party was anti-empire, and anti-war, and that was where we should be. Sadly, our ignorance led us into a trap, just like it has led you into a trap.
You say that you agree that the Bush years were a nightmare, and yet, Barack Obama has adopted and expanded on EVERY SINGLE anti-constitutional Bush policy.
How do you reconcile the fact that Obama is no better than Bush in your mind? Could it be that you hate Neo-Con dictators but love Neo-Lib dictators? Could it be that you love tyranny as long as you think it is tyranny from the "Left"?
written by SeazephyrT , January 17, 2013
There is much common ground between progressives and libertarians and we should not be in conflict with one another. I do believe individualism has a place, as does communitarianism. We are not alone in this world.
written by Tigerman , January 17, 2013
I am an engineer with three degrees. My family was so proud of how far I got and the great education I was able to get, on my own.
But now we are enemies. Somehow I am stupid because I have simply laid out the facts that you have presented in your article, but to them Obama is a God.......it makes me so sick I cannot even look at them anymore, they seem evil to me now.
Though I consider myself to be tough, inside my heart is broken.
How can people not see the truth when it is right in front of them? Why would they side with politicians they do not even know.
I oftened wondered how brother could go against brother in the civil war, now I know. Evil takes hold, but good people refuse to give in.
Personally, I will never give into this evil. I think hell is on the way. We will lose all of our freedoms, they will bankrupt America, and brother that loves his life and freedom will fight against the brother who hates himself and sides with evil.
written by Hal Luebbert , January 17, 2013
I asked the friend who sent me this, how long he thought it would be - if ever - before people began to realize that politiics as a means of democracy ended long ago with a coup d'etat by the Military Industrial Complex of whom a valedictory president warned. Republican-Democrat debate ended in the same manner and for the same reasons corporations do not compete. They only make it appear that they do.
How else do you explaiin prices, inflation, a 16 trillion dollar debt, and everything in this essay?
Come on, folks - wake up!
written by Anthony Hargis , January 17, 2013
This is my first visit.
Welcome to the "movement"; I joined some 45 years ago. After discovering the country was occupied by thieves, and that their main instrument of theft was the Federal Reserve, I established a gold-based banking service, which allowed customers to boycott the FRS. I operated it for 28 years before the DoJ hit me with a classic inquisitiion (a short bio, http://redressone.wordpress.com/about/).
My main mistake was that I did not collect the needed power to protect myself before I established my service: that is, I did not understand the full power available to me thru the First Ameidment; mainly because knowledge of it had been erased from our history and law books. It's the same power American Founders used for their Revolution.
Here's a short intro of my findings (http://redressone.wordpress.com/).
written by Carlucci-Valducci , January 17, 2013
Great article, well written. Thank you for sharing your journey.
I think America is made up of fairly immature people. I think the number of people interested in earning a living is dwindling fast. Unless something changes to make earning a living attractive, things will get a LOT worse.
I feel strongly that we as a society have to hit rock bottom in order to create a new system/order/society to enjoy. We are idiots. I felt like the children of the US re-elected a child friend to be their leader with Obama. We weren't ready to have a parent in charge.
So, yes, the storm is coming. My rights and freedoms will be (legally) stripped in the next few years... Many already have (as cited in your article). All I can say is figure something out to take care of yourself and your family. Best of luck to everyone.
written by Robin of Yellow Creek , January 18, 2013
Brandon, as you must know, you are an artful communicator. As it pleases me to see someone who uses their skills so wisely, especially while serving the greater good, I find myself thinking that in terms of potential impact this could be your "opus maximus".
In fact, if I had the resources (or the influence these days) I would have this appear as a page in every major newspaper in the "free" world. Of course who knows? It may happen yet!
Also, if I may offer some advice, as I know (first-hand I'm afraid) that the "high road" is indeed at times a lonely one. I also know that at other times that same "high road" can run perilously close to the lowest of the lower ones. Some will understand this immediately, others, in time.
As a libertarian (and Libertarian until the State of NC forced me to change party affiliation), as well as a lover of Liberty for more than 30 years, I can remember when the word "libertarian" was virtually unknown in our society. In fact, when used in casual conversation, the response most often received was: "I thought you were Baptist....". And yes, I was out there in the infinitesimal but admiring (if not vocal) crowd when Dr. Paul ran as the head of our ticket that year.
Times, they are a'changin!
So, my advice (to everyone really) is quite simply this: Our day, your day; it is here! Carpe Diem!
Do not give up! Do not give in! And, most importantly, Do not "give out"! Once again, for the "Romans" in the crowd: "Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito".
I write this because from personal experience I know that when you are tired, really tired, and feel you can do no more, be aware, very aware. While the state of physical and mental exhaustion due to continuous work, sleep deprivation, etc. can be a time of tremendous creativity, it can also be a time for 'the negative" to creep into our lives. One must be on guard especially in these times.
It is asked at times: "Who motivates the motivator?" The answer of course is: "The motivator". In Western Herbalism there is an appropriate saying: "Healer, heal thyself!" It is important for those of you out there to recognize this time and to also take the time to "stop and smell the roses", so to speak. This is indeed critical to maintain perspective, keep our sights focused on our goals and to maintain and build our energies for moving forward.
I truly hope this helps as I have rambled on enough for now.
So I will close by saying "thank you again" Brandon and thank all of you in this "next generation" who are working so hard to build on the meager successes and many failures of those who came before you.
God Speed and God Bless!
Robin
written by Robin of Yellow Creek , January 18, 2013
While I've read quite a few articles on the Alt-Market site over the past year or so, today is the first day I've spent any time in the comment section. So, forgive me but it's like a lunch buffet, too many interesting item's for one sitting, I will however take one more for now however. I do so because I believe it is important.
In response to Nehweh Gahnin when they state "I do not self-identify as a Liberty Movement follower, although I read their blogs more than most others, simply because it is my sense that I am not well accepted here." I will simply say the following. The liberty/libertarian philosophy is not an exclusive one.
Libertarians come in all sizes, shapes, colors, forms and are made from many fabrics all stitched together primarily by the thread offered in the "axiom of non-aggression". In fact, in much of the world the terms libertarian and anarchist are used almost interchangeably.
Like anarchists, libertarians can come wearing many different stripes and in many flavors. In a libertarian society there is room for ALL viewpoints AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT FORCED UPON OTHERS. In a libertarian society even communists may VOLUNTARILY live in and function freely within a communal setting if they so choose. The reverse however cannot be said of a communist society.
I believe this is important and needs to be understood more widely. So, speaking only for myself of course, I would say to Nehweh Gahnin: Welcome aboard Brother/Sister!
Submitted with all due respect,
Robin
written by Brandon Smith , January 18, 2013
@ragged soul
So, you love collectivism, and hate Americans and Israelis. Our governments corrupted by international banks are not to blame, we are to blame because we don't like centralized tyranny. Got it...
Which 1500 year old system are you a fan of, Raggedy? Feudalism? Feudalism NEVER worked for anyone but the elites of the time. There is a good reason why they called it the DARK AGES; all common men were left in the dark when it came to participation in the system.
So, by endorsing feudalism, all you are really promoting is ignorance, slavery, and elitism. Please explain how this is better than the original design of the Founding Fathers. I'm all ears...
Also, who said anything about supporting Boehner or Cantor? You obviously did not read or understand the article. Both of those men are NEO-CONS, which we in the Liberty Movement attack just as much as we attack Obama. And to answer your question, both parties work for the same elitist puppeteers, so we would not be "worse off" under the Republicans; things would be exactly the same as they are under Obama.
Do you grasp this concept at all, or, do I need to explain it more slowly, and with smaller words...?
written by Warren Bonesteel , January 18, 2013
The paraphrade Mr. Hwenry, there is only one option: Freedom or death.
Anything less than freedom is unthinkable.
written by Robin of Yellow Creek , January 18, 2013
Hey Ragged, that's some interesting and high minded drivel! But drivel is all it is. I do however feel somewhat enlightened by it, and yet, still a wee bit heavy. Perhaps I'll unload a pound or two now.
Assuming that you're not some establishment shill, troll, immensely psychotic, or all three, I do have one question. No, let's have some fun here. ESPECIALLY if you are either one or all of the three, the same question......
As a socialist, how do you reconcile the fact that to no small degree all of the American "ills" in your drivel list above are perpetrated entirely by the more socialist (state controlled capital) and fascist (state/corporate controlled capital) elements within our society? I'm sure that you, as do most, realize that fascism is a particularly virulent form of socialism, but thought I would clarify just for you, my little blossom.......
written by James Baird , January 18, 2013
So nice to see a well thought and reasoned approach. There is no left and right in the sense of the party system. In reality there is free and not free. Simple math, simple ideas, and simply the Constitution of the United States.
We have our rights or we do not. Freedom has never been without dangers and excesses, but the freedoms far outweigh the lack of freedoms. Most people in the US have understood this for far longer than the modern press or the hypocrisy of the so-called two party system. It is not a system any longer, as this good person points out there is nothing left but freedom or no. Vote Libertarian, or vote Constitutionalist, or vote whatever is not Democrat or Republican. Let those clowns know that we are onto the game.
written by ganymded , January 21, 2013
I have to admit I read your piece quickly. It seems well-written but it also seems to miss the point of what it is to be affiliated with any political party. When you were a Democrat in 1993 did you go out onto the the streets to protest the impending madness that was going to take place in Iraq? Millions of us Democrats across the country did, even some national figures like Obama, but the cowardly ones like Hillary and Kerry and others played the game and now regret it. Did you ever protest about the proliferation of 'high speed killer guns? Did you ever protest against the growing inequality in our country? Many Democrats did and have. Would you fight to retain Social Security and Medicaire. I doubt it. Don't you think we should have the best health care system in the world, which we probably will have as Obamacare rolls out and gets tweaked and does become a respectable world class system instead of the shambles we've had all these years. I could go on and on. You were like most people, Democrats or Republicans, an amoral go-along type. Now you feel the Democrats have let you down. Of course, they're let us all down. But the Republicans, today stand for nothing more than a nihilistic mob totally uninterested in the general welfare of the majority of Americans. At least the Democrats have always included a solid core of people who have gone to Washington to, surprise, surprise, serve the people. That's why nearly all the progressive legislation, the stuff even some conservatives love, has come for the left. Now you're a liberty minded conservative and have found a safe pure home where you won't let the leftist minded totalitarians push you around. Sounds like la la land. Obama turns out to be the ideal conservative and if he were white he's be lauded by the red staters as the 'great one', but you don't get that either, that racism is still, unbelieveably, a major manipulator in America. Fortunately, naive people like you are fading fast and you won't really be able to use all your guns for a new Civil War, because we tried that one and it didn't work very well. I guess you guys are either going to have to grow,up or you will die off and just become the flotsam of history.
written by Brandon Smith , January 21, 2013
@ganymede
Well, let's first go through the numerous logical fallacies within your argument so that we can better understand where you went wrong in your thinking.
You seem to have no concept of the false left/right paradigm, and it is clear you did not read the full article, otherwise, you would have noticed that I, in fact, do.
Your post illustrates a serious problem with American political thinking, which is that in order to be a member of a party, you have to agree with EVERY platform of the party, like throwing on a costume. There are plenty of democrats out there that are pro-gun, or are you oblivious to this reality?
First of all, I was not old enough to be a Democrat in 1993, but I did indeed protest the Iraq War and corporate greed in the early 2000's. I was, indeed, a registered Democrat in opposition to what I THOUGHT was a purely Republican problem. Then, unlike you, I woke up to the fact that the Left was just as involved in the development of tyranny in this country as the so-called "Right".
Kerry and Clinton were just as much a part of the Iraq scam as any Neo-Con. And Obama has only expanded on their criminality.
Hilariously, instead of defending their actions, or admitting the fact that the Democratic Party is just as corrupt, you have chosen to label them "conservative" and save yourself the shame. It's sad really, the amount of cognitive dissonance that is pent up in your little mind. I suspect there must not be room enough for anything else.
You have bought into the false paradigm so completely that when you are confronted with the wrongdoing of anyone in your party you try to pan them off as "conservative" even though you have no idea what a true conservative is.
You then throw out the race card, which is typical of those who don't have any valid arguments.
What you don't realize, ganymede, is that you are NOT a democrat. You are a statist. You have a fetish for state power, as long as you think the state is enforcing your particular world view. As far as your civil war comment goes, I have to laugh. The Civil War was not a directed revolution, or a guerrilla resistance. You need to read up on your MODERN history; the U.S. has not been victorious in a single altercation with an enemy using maneuver warfare tactics for decades. Keep that in mind. You are not going to get the collectivist tyranny you desire. We're simply not going to let you have it.
