govcheetos
11th December 2012, 07:59 PM
Carpe Libertas! (Seize Liberty!)
So you want to be free?
Then become free. All the freedom you want is yours, which you are able to seize.
How does one seize freedom?
By avoiding, evading, escaping, discouraging, overpowering, destroying, or otherwise frustrating anyone who initiates force or threatened force against you. (Freedom as used here is defined as: the absence OR EFFECTIVE NEUTRALIZATION of initiated force or threat of force.)
"But the oppressors ignore my pleas for freedom," you complain.
Do you expect THEM to SET you free? As you yourself point out, your oppressors have morals which would shame a beast of the forests. So long as you obey all their rules, no matter how onerous, and pay all their taxes, no matter how burdensome -- why SHOULD they?
"And the oppressors dupe my neighbors, who are confused, unaware, and apathetic," you protest.
Do you expect THEM not to deceive? The herdsman can milk only tame cows; the tyrant can drive only submissive slaves.
"We must overturn the oppressors," some of you proclaim, "and rule wisely and justly in their place."
Then go do it --if you can! But don't be surprised when the oppressors stampede their bewildered subjects against you.
"We must educate -- teach increasing numbers our values and ideas," others of you shout. "And SOME day evil will be banished from the earth."
But as even YOU admit in your more reflective moments, this will take time -- MUCH time. So how shall you live the only life YOU will ever have? And how many followers can you attract AND HOLD if you offer only visions of a paradise for their great grandchildren?
"I DO want freedom," you cry. "But there is NO way to get it now -- no chance to elect, no means to revolt, and no place to go."
I reply: If you want freedom SEIZE IT!
"But my oppressors are organized into a powerful state," you object. "They have thousands of agents and millions of police."
However, each of the state's minions has only the same two eyes, the same two hands, and usually not so much brains as you or I. They cannot be everywhere; they cannot see everything.
"But they will collect a tax on my earnings," you protest.
Only if you are so craven as to hand it over. Discover ways to avoid their extortion's: Trade with those who practice freedom. Or be as a gypsy who sells -- and flees.
"But they will confiscate my property," you quaver.
Only if you are so foolish as to lead them to it. Convert your wealth to forms you can conceal. And rent your shops and homes -- or mortgage them to the hilt.
"But they will throw me in jail," you whimper.
Only if you are so careless as to stumble over them -- they who have trouble apprehending morons and psychopaths. Make yourself hard to find.
"But that is too much trouble," you quibble.
"I'd rather follow their rules and pay their taxes,
lick their boots and hone their axes,
do all they demand, and maybe, oh maybe,
they will leave me alone just ...a... little."
Then tag along with the sheep to slaughter; you who expect freedom on a silver platter. For how long can you appease the tyrant who will demand more and more, until he has YOU? And what do we know of this utopia that some of you dream of? In every land, of which we hear, there are some who covet the lives and creations of others -- predators who rob and enslave the weak, the foolish, and the cowardly.
Sometimes the predators are lone -- and slink about as criminals. So, the free men go like tigers -- armed and ready for self-defense.
Sometimes the predators join together -- and stalk about as rulers. So, the free men go like foxes -- inconspicuous and ready to hide.
Occasionally the free men ally to put down the predators. But somehow their forces tend to become slavers and looters in turn.
However, in almost any land, those with the courage to assert their freedom seldom need to fight OR hide, for the predators live off the easy prey.
"But this will pass," you say to me
"for now, at last, I have the key --
the elixir for liberty--
for the first time in history--
And once sufficient numbers see..."
Well maybe... but in the meantime...
All of the freedom is yours which you are able to SEIZE!"
Author Unknown
So you want to be free?
Then become free. All the freedom you want is yours, which you are able to seize.
How does one seize freedom?
By avoiding, evading, escaping, discouraging, overpowering, destroying, or otherwise frustrating anyone who initiates force or threatened force against you. (Freedom as used here is defined as: the absence OR EFFECTIVE NEUTRALIZATION of initiated force or threat of force.)
"But the oppressors ignore my pleas for freedom," you complain.
Do you expect THEM to SET you free? As you yourself point out, your oppressors have morals which would shame a beast of the forests. So long as you obey all their rules, no matter how onerous, and pay all their taxes, no matter how burdensome -- why SHOULD they?
"And the oppressors dupe my neighbors, who are confused, unaware, and apathetic," you protest.
Do you expect THEM not to deceive? The herdsman can milk only tame cows; the tyrant can drive only submissive slaves.
"We must overturn the oppressors," some of you proclaim, "and rule wisely and justly in their place."
Then go do it --if you can! But don't be surprised when the oppressors stampede their bewildered subjects against you.
"We must educate -- teach increasing numbers our values and ideas," others of you shout. "And SOME day evil will be banished from the earth."
But as even YOU admit in your more reflective moments, this will take time -- MUCH time. So how shall you live the only life YOU will ever have? And how many followers can you attract AND HOLD if you offer only visions of a paradise for their great grandchildren?
"I DO want freedom," you cry. "But there is NO way to get it now -- no chance to elect, no means to revolt, and no place to go."
I reply: If you want freedom SEIZE IT!
"But my oppressors are organized into a powerful state," you object. "They have thousands of agents and millions of police."
However, each of the state's minions has only the same two eyes, the same two hands, and usually not so much brains as you or I. They cannot be everywhere; they cannot see everything.
"But they will collect a tax on my earnings," you protest.
Only if you are so craven as to hand it over. Discover ways to avoid their extortion's: Trade with those who practice freedom. Or be as a gypsy who sells -- and flees.
"But they will confiscate my property," you quaver.
Only if you are so foolish as to lead them to it. Convert your wealth to forms you can conceal. And rent your shops and homes -- or mortgage them to the hilt.
"But they will throw me in jail," you whimper.
Only if you are so careless as to stumble over them -- they who have trouble apprehending morons and psychopaths. Make yourself hard to find.
"But that is too much trouble," you quibble.
"I'd rather follow their rules and pay their taxes,
lick their boots and hone their axes,
do all they demand, and maybe, oh maybe,
they will leave me alone just ...a... little."
Then tag along with the sheep to slaughter; you who expect freedom on a silver platter. For how long can you appease the tyrant who will demand more and more, until he has YOU? And what do we know of this utopia that some of you dream of? In every land, of which we hear, there are some who covet the lives and creations of others -- predators who rob and enslave the weak, the foolish, and the cowardly.
Sometimes the predators are lone -- and slink about as criminals. So, the free men go like tigers -- armed and ready for self-defense.
Sometimes the predators join together -- and stalk about as rulers. So, the free men go like foxes -- inconspicuous and ready to hide.
Occasionally the free men ally to put down the predators. But somehow their forces tend to become slavers and looters in turn.
However, in almost any land, those with the courage to assert their freedom seldom need to fight OR hide, for the predators live off the easy prey.
"But this will pass," you say to me
"for now, at last, I have the key --
the elixir for liberty--
for the first time in history--
And once sufficient numbers see..."
Well maybe... but in the meantime...
All of the freedom is yours which you are able to SEIZE!"
Author Unknown