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 THE LIBERTARIAN ENTERPRISE Number 448, December 16, 2007 "Bill of Rights Day: December 15"
Send Letters to editor@ncc-1776.org
Re: "Why Did Ron Paul Give Up on the LP?" by Christine Smith Why not run as a third party? Because the doors and windows to political office are locked down and bolted shut. Some of us donated and followed a legal challenge to all campaign 'reform' legislation based on freedom of the press. The challenge included "Plaintiffs Ron Paul, Gun Owners of America, Inc., Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund, RealCampaignReform.org, Citizens United, Citizens United Political Victory Fund, Michael Cloud, and Carla Howell bring this action against the defendants for declaratory and injunctive relief. . . ." and progressed up the court system all the way to the Supreme Court. Eugene McCarthy [D] once stated he could not have challenged LBJ after the FEC was passed. He had a few deep pockets donors who had to remain nameless or suffer brutal attacks by incumbents. The FEC effectively silenced dissidents. Imagine those donors being treated like business owners who 'cross' the party machine and finds road construction cutting off access to their business for 2 years. You get some idea why the political parties wanted to know who was donating and how much. To no one's great surprise, Mitch McConnell's McCain/Feingold challenge was combined with (ran rough shod over) RealCampaignReform.org. When it came to oral arguments, RCR got zero, count 'em, zero minutes to speak. The duopoly party did not want any of our ideas or ideals creeping into ' the record'. RealCampaignReform.org was frozen in time and you can still learn the essence of their well-reasoned argument by visiting the site. Be sure to read "What you should know about our election system" by Perry Willis. It was written before the McCain Feingold law. When you first need to petition your candidate onto the ballot, often all the campaign money is used up. Then the duopoly party raises the negatives of their candidates so high that we become a 'wasted vote' because we need to vote 'against' A or B. Nydra
Re: "Tom Knapp and the 'Cult' of Ron Paul" by L. Neil Smith Neil, I just read your article on Tom and Ron Paul. Good rebutal. I have been having similar reactions to other Libertarians who think that the 'sins' of Dr. Paul should outweigh all the good he has done. They think (or, at least, say) that unless someone is perfect (Another article in TLE) they should not bother to try to lead people to truth and a better life. This is totally absurd on the face of it. No one is perfect—not even you I don't understand this snatch-defeat-from-the-jaws-of-victory mentality. Yes, let's wallow in trough of misery, rather than let some pretender improve the world. Personally, I would just as soon have these malcontents-in-perpetuity give it up and shut up and let the rest of us try to do better. Dr. Paul is clearly a step forward. We should take it. Charlie Acker
Religious persecution in America The case against Michael Vick should have brought forth a cry from the ACLU in defense of the 1st amendment, but I have heard nothing from them. It's fine for Jews to defend Nazi's rights to free speech or atheist's right to be protected from religious statues, but when the law imposes religion they are mysteriously silent. So who will defend the vile behavior of those who do cruel acts to their own property. Yes Virginia, animals are property. Oh but animals feel pain. Some argue that plants also feel pain when cut. Unfortunately some among us have no problem with what other consider cruel. I personally will not associate with anyone who is cruel to animals nor will I have any voluntary association with anyone who does these things. But, I will not allow anyone to punch a hole in the dyke which our bill of rights represents. If we start allowing exceptions to our freedoms guaranteed under the first amendment the whole thing will fall apart. If you allow one exception everyone will seek to present their cause as another exception. A statue is not a statute. When someone objects to a religious picture or expression they are under no legal obligation. A law on the other hand compels us to obey under penalty. Any law that is not based on conflict with others is called malum prohibitum and is the evil of religion enacted into statute. To prohibit based on religious values that others may not hold is an invitation to all manner of evil. The most obvious example is prohibition. But every example of malum prohibitum has always resulted in some form of illegal market by definition. Why make something illegal if no one is doing it? Allowing Michael Vick to be persecuted because he violates someone else's taboo is putting our stamp of approval on religious persecution and inviting the demise and burial not only of the first amendment but the entire bill of rights. Hate me if you must but someone had to say it. Free Michael Vick, hate him but free him. Bill Koehler
I would like to formally propose a Petition to the American People. This is a seed of an idea that needs professional nurturing and pruning. I sent it to you five individuals because I have untold respect for what you have done, are doing, and are capable of doing. Can someone, or some collaborative, develop a Petition (roughly started below) that can be distributed by individuals, organizations, Ron Paul's campaign(?), through newspaper ads or inserts and the web as documents for posting or emailing, that looks like the Bill of Rights, calling for a complete and total reinstatement of the BOR and an elimination of all illegal laws and ordinances that are contrary to the BOR. I see a petition that:
You might want to soften it from hanged by the neck, to a lifetime of restitution from their mandatory sentence of cleaning roads and cities. Death would be to good and to easy, as well as to hard for most people to swallow. I personally welcome the practice. No babysitting, no nurse-maiding, and no chance of recidivism. The impetus for this idea came from this USA today ad, and from Michale Bradshaw's, The United States House of Repeals. I do not possess the resources, or background, to turn this idea into a reality quickly. Therefore I am sending it to you gentleman to work on either singularly or as a group. Collectively, I believe, you all have the resources, contacts, and intelligence to make this a reality. No response is necessary. I will know in the future if this was a good idea or not. Thanks,
SAF Honors Colorado's Jeanne Assam With Eleanor Roosevelt Award BELLEVUE, WA—For her remarkable display of heroism and courage under fire, the Second Amendment Foundation announced today that it will recognize Jeanne Assam, who confronted a gunman on Dec. 9 at the New Life Church shooting in Colorado Springs, with the Eleanor Roosevelt Award. The Roosevelt award was created by SAF founder Alan Gottlieb, co-author of America Fights Back: Armed Self-Defense in a Violent Age. The award honors exceptional women who use firearms in self-defense and the defense of others. The award is named in memory of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who frequently carried a revolver for personal protection, even while she lived in the White House, and during the times that she campaigned in the South for civil rights. "Jeanne Assam, an armed private citizen who volunteered to provide security at the New Life Church, was suddenly faced with a deadly emergency and without hesitation, disregarding her own safety, she rose to that challenge," Gottlieb said. "By confronting a killer, Assam undoubtedly saved many lives. "The news media, perhaps to try diminishing Ms. Assam's bravery and the significance of her intervention, have revealed her dismissal as a Minneapolis police officer several years ago," he added. "We concur with church Senior Pastor Brady Boyd, who observed that all of us have past experiences we may regret, and that she should not be 'convicted or crucified for being a heroine.' Today, the entire nation should be proud of Jeanne Assam, and grateful that her life's path led from Minneapolis to Colorado Springs. "Jeanne Assam did an incredibly brave thing under circumstances that could easily be described as above and beyond the call," Gottlieb stated. "Every day in this country, armed private citizens defend themselves or others, frequently preventing or stopping crimes. Their actions go largely unrecognized and more frequently ignored by the press and public officials who would rather suppress the notion that Americans can fight back. "We created the Eleanor Roosevelt Award to recognize the efforts of armed women who practice personal safety," Gottlieb concluded. "In Jeanne Assam's case, we are honoring a truly remarkable woman who placed herself in harm's way for the safety of others. We are humbled by her good and noble deed."
Copyright © 2007 Second Amendment Foundation, All Rights Reserved. Second Amendment Foundation
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