Free The Animal

I wonder what is the visceral reaction to news like this, which links this, for most people. For example, the American Federation of Police — with well over 100,000 members — recently praised Ron Paul for introducing a bill that would help cops obtain topnotch body armor that would withstand rounds fired from most firearms. Rep. Paul’s bill — HR 3304 — would amend the Internal Revenue Code to provide for a tax credit to law enforcement officers who purchase their own body armor. — Jim Kouri On the one hand, everybody should get a “tax credit” for simply being dead or alive, so on that issue alone, fine. Bring on the tax credits, I guess. But it seems to me that if you understand the full intent of the 2nd Amendment, it’s that ordinary citizens have some reasonable degree of firepower parity with the state, i.e., to motivate the state to think twice. It is explicitly to introduce an element of bodily risk at an individual level to agents of state force. You can compromise that principle in two ways: either you restrict guns, or you render them ineffective against the technology of the state. So, the attack on…

[Read more →]

I’ve been having a bit of discussion here, that turned into a bit of discussion on “utopia” and “fantasyland” vis-a-vis anarchy. The standard set of arguments — my interlocutors being unaware of how poor they are — for the “necessity” of the state issue forth. Amongst other non-arguments, it is apparently “utopian” and “fantasyland” to imagine and argue for an eventual end to the monopoly of the state. But as I point out, it is the advocates of the state that are the utopians and those promoting a fantasy. They all use the same argument: the state is necessary because [blank], and they always, always insert some social or political phenomenon that the state doesn’t actually prevent, like predatory behavior by a few, or produce, like safety and security. It promises plenty, and when it fails — as it always does — the call is for more money and more power, and the cycle repeats. “If there is no law, what is to stop them?” (predators), one asks. The answer, of course, is that nothing necessarily stops them, including laws and the state. Bad people — predators — are largely unpersuaded by so-called “deterrents,” whether they take the form of…

[Read more →]

[An email out to my homeowners association membership on the subject of emergency preparedness, previous comments having sparked an invitation to attend the next emergency preparedness committee meeting and provide input.] I don’t know that I’m much of a meeting kind of guy for something like this, but I do have a few general ideas to think about, for whatever they’re worth to anyone. 1. The worse the disaster, the more you are likely to have to rely exclusively on your own preparedness, knowledge, forethought, and skills. This is something to keep in mind. The worse the disaster… 2. However…. the chances of things going beyond minor to medium inconvenience (I consider the ‘89 quake medium inconvenience for most people) is very, very slim, and certainly of a far lesser risk that your primary risk activity: driving in cars (as driver or passenger). So the other side of the argument is: “don’t worry, be happy;” just take your chances and enjoy your life. You’re probably going to be fine, and if not, that’s just un-luck of the draw. This is a perfectly rational position, in my view. I grew up around guns (and thus have no fear of them). I’ve…

[Read more →]

I don’t know about you, but I have nothing but a deep and profound loathing for that whole cop-scene looping continuously on the news surrounding the Virginia Tech mass murder. I hadn’t a chance to watch any TV while things were unfolding yesterday, but I flipped around the dial last evening and was just appalled by the display. Don’t know I could put it any better than Billy: …where all the video shows us these slug-ass cops running to & fro with all their fine army-man wannabe costuming. Bunch ‘a pussies. Losers. You got that, Blacksburg Police Department, County Sheriff, SWAT, BATF, and all the rest of you dipshits who got all dressed up so’s you could parade your worthless carcasses around the TEEVEE all day looking all toughass? You’re putrid and disgusting. Every one of you. Actually, you’re worse than worthless. I could be grudgingly satisfied — or at least resigned — with worthless. But what you guys do is actively perpetuate the fraud — you get that: fraud — that honest and peaceful people are safe around you — that you’ll protect them; when in point of observable fact, you’re either preening your costumed candy asses in front…

[Read more →]

What can you say? It has only been thousands of years of civilization and yet “we” still don’t seem to understand the distinction between good people of honest character and bad people of a predatory bent. There’s no guarantee that this would have prevented or stopped what happened at Virginia Tech, today, but it’s a certainty that disarming the former kind of people did nothing whatsoever to discourage, prevent, or stop the latter kind of person. Let’s go ahead and just quote that entire article. Tell me you don’t get a very eerie feeling reading it. All emphasis of irony and stupidity, mine. Gun bill gets shot down by panel by Greg Esposito A bill that would have given college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus died with nary a shot being fired in the General Assembly. House Bill 1572 didn’t get through the House Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety. It died Monday in the subcommittee stage, the first of several hurdles bills must overcome before becoming laws. The bill was proposed by Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, on behalf of the Virginia Citizens Defense League. Gilbert was unavailable Monday and spokesman Gary Frink…

[Read more →]