Here are some choice quotes-
"The price of freedom is the willingness to do sudden battle, anywhere, at any time, and with utter recklessness. " From "the Puppet Masters," by Robert Anson Heinlein.
"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks ... It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men. "
-Samuel Adams
"Those who abjure violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf" -George Orwell
"My nonviolence does not admit of running away from danger and leaving dear ones unprotected. Between violence and cowardly flight, I can only prefer violence to cowardice." -Mahatma Ghandi
"Anyone who clings to the historically untrue and thoroughly immoral doctrine that violence never solves anything I would advise to conjure up the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington and let them debate it. The ghost of Hitler would referee. Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor; and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and their freedoms.” from "Starship Troopers" by Robert Anson Heinlein.
I find Samuel Adam's words especially haunting, for we are indeed being cheated of our freedoms by the artifices of false and designing men, and there are many who are trying to persuade us to surrender our liberties without a fight. This is wrong, and those who attempt it are evil people. If America is to restore its historical character as a nation of free individuals, we must reject the idea that violence, in and of itself, is bad.
Violent self defense is not only our right as human beings, it is our civic duty as free Americans. We each have an obligation to stand up to evil, and to defend what is right. Violently, if needs be. This is not one of the functions of government, this is OUR responsibility. The government has no obligation to protect us; the law leaves our self-preservation entirely up to us. (Those interested in further reading see "Dial 911 and Die") The function of the police department (a relatively recent innovation) is supposed to be to clean up the mess afterwards and haul the bad guys off to the hoosegow, or the morgue, as needed. We may not initiate force against innocents, but when an attack is initiated against us, we are not only allowed but obliged to respond. As violently as we deem reasonably necessary.
Those presently in authority are trying hard to brainwash us into believing that violence in any form is wrong, for the same reasons that they wish us to believe that possession of the means to readily do violence is wrong. These vile inhuman concepts are attempts to make humans believe that they are something that they are not, and to manipulate us into a more governable and moldable mass. Anyone who promotes the idea that 'violence never solves anything,' or the idea that violence is bad, is trying to steal your freedom. Failing to fight evil, failing to use violence in defense of yourself is immoral. Do not be conned!
I do not promote violence for the sake of violence, I do not glory in violence, nor will I initiate violence against an innocent. That is the essence of the "Zero Aggression Principle," the cornerstone of Libertarian philosophy, and a key concept for FreeFor. I oppose unprovoked aggression, for unprovoked aggression *is* evil, but violence, like all tools, can be used for good or evil.
Lack of aggression ought not be mistaken for lack of resolve, or for unwillingness to do violence if needs be. Free Americans may not strike the first blow but are ready to strike as many blows as required to defend ourselves and our rights. Americans do not desire a civil war, but the cause of liberty will prevail should one be started, through widespread, intelligent, cunning application of violence. Let those presently exercising authority keep that well in mind.
It is also well for all of us to keep in mind that the evil that occurred in Newtown Connecticut, Aurora Colorado, Columbine, and all the other mass shootings, as well as the genocides carried out by government, was enabled by the insane attempt to outlaw violence. Violence and the means to do violence are a part of our American heritage, will remain in our heritage, and it is altogether right and fitting that this should be so. Let us hope that those presently in authority recognize this eternal truth and do not require remedial history lessons. Those rhymes are not pleasant for anyone.
To paraphrase Barry Goldwater-"Violence in the defense of Liberty is no vice, and cowardice in the face of tyranny is no virtue!" One last Heinlein quote- "You can have peace, or you can have freedom. Don’t ever count on having both at once."
I choose freedom. How about you?
With regards to all who serve the Light,
Historian