Aloha,
To our Hawaiian ccmpadres. And if you’re lucky enough to be hanging ten and sucking ‘em up on the beaches of Oahu, uhm, I think I hate you. So enjoy. Eat some Chicken Adobo, some BBQ and some mahi for me, and throw back a few pineapple infused Blue Hawaiians in my name while you’re at it.
All has been grueling here. The weather forecast is dismal. I’m not even planting a garden this year. Why bother? Of course, that means I’m less likely to accidentally bury myself, but you never know. I manage to get myself in some weird predicaments. Attendance and site traffic are up, so that’s good. The Hockensmith Mystery Contest is swimming along, but we need more entrants. We’ve had a few site glitches and fixes, so there’s that. If you see any issues, let us know so we can fix them.
The fine Libertarians over at the Voluntaryist are running a writing contest. They welcome anyone looking to write and win some fantastic prizes, including 5 ounces of silver. It would be more fitting if it were 30 pieces of silver I think. I tend to agree with Libertarians in principle, but not in practice. I’m wholly against taxation (theft) and socialism, I just like to do what I can to make a difference when possible. Libertarians like to point out the problems, and though they often have the means, they do little or nothing about it. They are very ostrichey. They remind me of a mechanic in the desert who tells you your engine is smoking, and you say, ‘I can see that, but I don’t know how to fix it, and if I did, I don’t have any tools. Since you have the tools and the know-how, why don’t you help me fix it and I’ll give you a ride back to town.’ And they shrug their shoulders and tell you they quit town because it was just too big of a mess, but it’s okay because they have a tank of water and some canned goods out here in the Utopian desert. As smart as they are, they don’t realize the canned goods and water will eventually run out. Fixing the bigger issues would be better for all, and would have better long term ramifications even in purely selfish terms. Libertarians, at least the ones I have dealt with, usually want to leave the country and start or join a community with like minded people on a small island, thinking there will be no problems and they’ll build Ayn Rand’s miracle Gulch. Like the socialist government will stop at the borders when there’s nothing left on the mainland to pilfer? No one is safe until the socialist snake loses its head. But I guess that’s why I’m not a Libertarian, or any other kind of “ist”. I’m just Don, a writer and a Dad.
Anywho, here’s the contest details:
How Do You Explain to People That Taxation Is Theft? If you are interested in educating others about Voluntaryism, if you are interested in delegitimizing the State, if you are interested in helping people understand why they must withdraw their cooperation and consent from the State, this is the contest for you!
Those of you who have followed my writings in THE VOLUNTARYIST know that taxation is an anathema to me. Why it should be so is perhaps mostly a matter of logic. As Lysander Spooner pointed out, government is dependent on money and men. With money, it can hire soldiers and police; with soldiers and police it can enforce its edicts and collect more money to support itself. Murray Rothbard in his classic definition of the State refers both to its coercive monopolization of a certain geographic area and its forcible collection of revenues, known as taxation. Without the ability to collect taxes we would begin to see the demise of the State.
As much as I have written in opposition to taxation, I still feel much like the voice crying in the wilderness. For whatever reason, few have joined in my crusade to persuade people that the stealing commandment applies to both individuals and governments and the people working on their behalf.
It was recently pointed out to me by our webmaster, Dave Scotese, that practically all people agree that stealing is wrong, but that most of them do not see taxation as theft. This was a new way of addressing the problem. Dave suggested I adjust my focus by finding the best methods and/or best arguments for convincing non-voluntaryists that taxation is stealing.
That is the crux of our contest:
HOW DO WE BEST EXPLAIN THE VOLUNTARYIST POSITION AND BRING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT TAXATION IS THEFT?
Rules: Contest closes December 31, 2013. All entrants give The Voluntaryist permission to post their entries on the worldwide web and to publish in The Voluntaryist newsletter and in any book edited by Carl Watner. Authors’ names will be used unless a request for anonymity is made. Please submit all entries via email to . If your entry is sent as an attachment, please send as an rtf (rich text format) file. Entries may be of any length. You may submit as many entries as you wish. All suitable entries will be considered for the Grand Prize Award, though there is no guarantee that a Grand Prize Winner will be selected. Entries will be screened and be deemed acceptable by a panel selected by Carl Watner. Acceptable entries will be eligible for the Grand Prize. All acceptable entries will receive a complimentary 4 issue subscription to The Voluntaryist newsletter. Entrants please include your snail mail address if you wish to take advantage of this offer. If chosen, a Grand Prize Winner will be announced during the month of January 2014. Carl Watner will make the final selection, although he may consult with members of his panel. The Grand Prize Winner will receive five ounces of silver, .999, fine and 1 bitcoin. Go here for more details, if you have questions, or for additional notifications.
Back to the drudgery. Maybe I can tread water for another day or two.
Peace out.
