I had never met Michael Cloud in person. I was waiting for him, beside the Harry Browne for President table at the Colorado Libertarian convention. While I waited I neatly fanned out the brochures and other material Michael had sent. A short ugly little man started to rifle the items on the table. As the only volunteer near enough to protect these items I stepped forward and challenged him with a "HI!" Just to let him know he was being watched. It was of course Michael.
Michael is a world class salesman, a beautiful human, and a fine looking man. Yeah, like many of us he packed himself a knapsack full of rocks to carry on this march through life. Of course, who but a masochist would create for themselves the job of teaching Libertarians to "let the nice people take the brochures - we're trying to give away"! I credit Michael, Joe Johnson and a few other wise souls with teaching me to sometimes, just sometimes, shut up and take yes for an answer.
Libertarians - ya know, cancel that - People, too often when it comes to politics, seem to pick a team, Stranger Danger! Pick a team and be a good team member by being willing to fight to the death for that team. Anyone here old enough to remember the old advertising tag-line "I'd rather fight than switch"! I mean, the people who actually thought that are dead - from cancer! Politics is not where man's good angels come to roost.
Our recent storm has me reading Magna Carta - THE BIRTH OF LIBERTY by Dan Jones. The book talked about the two brothers who were the Kings before the Magna Carta. The people of England literally lionized Richard the Lion-Hearted while threatening civil war with the villainous King John. Sure, Richard marched around the middle east killing Muslims. People do like a good holy war! He also laid waste to the Treasury and raised taxes, never captured Jerusalem (he did get a stalemate with Saladin) and barely spent time in England. Evil King John fought with the French (and lost!) wasted the Treasury and raised taxes. He actually spent incredible amounts of time traveling England and actually administering. Neither seemed to give a hoot about the average peasant and the Magna Carta was about the country's richest few, their power and their money.
No Travis, I'm not going to argue the role of the Magna Carta in history with you! (You'd run circles around me! Having read more than my just half of a book on it.) My point is more modern. Do you think Obama or Trump is The GOAT or a goat? Are you just on a team? Do your beliefs on war and the War Powers Act depend on who is King? How 'bout taxes, the richest few politicians and their money or do you care about the debasement of your wealth and currency? Ah, your power and Rights?? Let's go down those Amendments, does it depend which team is debasing them? The 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th - anybody for the 16th? And most importantly who keeps electing Lindsey Graham - does annnybody like him!
So with the recent killing in Minneapolis I would ask you my friends, neighbors and family can I stand with you? Did you say yes or no to those questions about team and principles? Still on the edge about a few? That's OK! Still like Trump or Obama? Fine I get it. Liberty is a process. It's not man's nature and it wasn't born whole with the Magna Carta. Would you like a brochure?
Doug A.
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