Feedback Friday - July 6, 2012

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Welcome to another edition of Feedback Friday!  We were flooded with emails this week in response to the new monthly column, "Dear Slavey".  Due to the large response we will run a Feedback version of Dear Slavey this coming Monday where Dear Slavey will respond to a number of the comments and hate mail.

But, plenty of other stuff happened this week and so let's get right to your feedback!

STAND UP AND FIGHT LIKE MEN

IN RESPONSE TO: “Feedback Friday - June 29, 2012”

Hi Jeff,

I read with amusement the message you received from Russ Smith of Kalifornia, and enjoyed your excellent response.

Unfortunately, for folks like Russ, standing up and fighting for your country consists mainly of shouting U.S.A. whenever another innocent Pakistani family is bombed into dust, voting for another republican or democrat carnival barker promising financial salvation, and leading cheers for any politician advocating another tax, as long as said tax is on anyone making $1 more in income than Russ and his ilk.

That said, unlike most oblivious Americans, at least Mr .Smith is aware enough to be reading your stuff, so there is some hope.

Thanks for what you and the staff at TDV are doing for freedom.

Still a SoCal resident but seriously considering my options. 

Al

Jeff’s Response:

Thanks for your comments Al.  Yes, we always find it interesting when someone says that we are "cowards" for leaving the place we were born and going elsewhere in search of more freedom... but unless they are Native American their ancestors were likely "cowards" too.  More than likely, a hundred years ago or more they looked around at the socialist wasteland in Europe and instead of fighting for their country, they hopped the next ship to America where the allure of opportunity, created by a large amount of freedom, beckoned.

We appreciate the people who say they want to "stay and fight" and we intend to support them in any way we can... from afar.  Because staying and fighting can often end in ruins.  Just ask anyone who was hanging around as Pol Pot began to demand that people from the city  must work the fields.  Or when Joe Stalin began setting up gulags shortly after the revolution in 1917.  If you were late for work three times, back then, you'd be sent to the gulags for three years and probably not come out.

Now, as Obomba sets up FEMA camps around the country and millions are already in prison camps for non-crimes (no victim, no crime), it's already begun.  So, him and others like him are doing the "stay" part well... when do they begin the "fight" part they keep talking about?

THE EDUCATION PRISON

IN RESPONSE TO: “Don’t Seek Education, Seek Knowledge”

Jeff,

I read your article yesterday about the education system prison, and I could not agree more.   Other than the Federal Reserve/IRS (or any central bank/legislated theft system in any country), I believe the public education system is the single most important area in which to stem disastrous "progressive" (retrogressive!) ideas, and thus bring about an end to the nation state model that is in place throughout the world.   Like you, I am optimistic that some real change can occur in a decade or two, since I believe the current system will simply collapse as a result of financial recklessness and unsustainability.

While at the University of Michigan (a very "progressive", pro-State institution that is one of the leaders in garnering govt. grants for all sorts of "research"), I did get a degree in teaching, but never have used it.   First, I REFUSE to be part of any forced union, and secondly, I know that the public education system would not allow me to teach any kind of true curriculum, but I would be forced to indoctrinate as they see fit.    Not only is the basic classroom structure completely unnatural (especially for very active boys, which is why they tend to do worse in school and/or develop the ADHD symptoms), it completely thwarts any motivation or passion for real knowledge.   I have a good memory, so always did "well" in school, but never felt I really learned anything valuable.   Since I paid my own way through university, I was especially despondent that all this money spent at one of the nation's elite universities could produce so little, and in fact, I could only find a minimum wage job upon graduation in 1972 (something I could have exceeded by just going out into the workplace in 1968, when I graduated from HS).   The propaganda mechanism of the public schools is responsible for most of the faulty thinking (or as you say, the lack of critical thinking at all!!), and yet most Americans (and I think this is true of all of the West) think public education is essential to a modern civilized society, and that it is an inborn right.   I have read extensively on the subject, so nothing "gets me going" as much as all the baloney that gets slung with regards to education.

How fortunate your kids are to be able to dissociate from this horrid system and pursue real knowledge (of things they actually want to know about - what a novel concept!).   Most parents become willing slavemasters of the state-mandated forced education, despite its amazing failure.    I have always been incredibly curious, read at least a book per week, and have traveled quite a bit, and all that has been spurred "from within", while during my school years I wasted hours reading and memorizing garbage that I not only was not very interested in, but much of which I disagreed with quite a bit.   I was called out many times in college for daring to disagree with the agenda they were promoting.   Does Mexico have any kind of forced education?   It may be moot, because I assume you are not a Mexican citizen per se, but rather gave up your Canadian citizenship for one of the others that you can arrange for people through TDV Passports.   I want to get another citizenship as soon as possible, since being a citizen of this police state is intolerable.   While I have many friends here, I am happy to visit during some summer months in "the free state" of NH (free is a relative term here, but the movement has the right intentions, and they are the only U.S. state with both NO income tax and NO sales tax).

I think once the stranglehold of public education indoctrination can be broken (as the internet has broken the hold on false information spewed by the presstitutes of the lamestream media and the lying, criminal politicians), we have a real chance for people to wake up from their slumber, seize their own sovereignty, and realize that the current system is not only NOT the way it has always been, but not even close to a natural desirable system in which people freely and voluntarily engage in whatever they choose.

Thanks for another good article, Jeff!

Best regards,

Jim H.

Jeff's Response:

Thanks for the kind words and interesting comments, Jim.

To answer your question, yes, Mexico has government run public education as well.  I hear it is quite bad... as to be expected.  Both my kids really wanted to go to school though... so I put them both in two separate private schools and also told them that the day they don't want to go, they can stop going.  It is only because they wanted to go so bad that I let them go.

Interestingly, I just pulled my little girl out of her school.  Summer holidays here are the same as in the rest of North America and so they both just finished school for the summer and I went to her graduation ceremony and I was shocked to see they made them march around like military!  As I spoke to her about it, trying to convey that government run military is bad she responded that they had a day in class when a bunch of soldiers came to their school.  She told me that she likes soldiers because "they are here to protect us".

She'll never go back to that school.  The school my son is in seems a lot better, however.  And he loves it there, so I will now put her in that school and hope no more soldiers or cops come into class to tell the kids how important it is that they protect us.  Total cost for a truly excellent private school (the best in Acapulco)?  $300/month.

CREDIT CARD NON-REPAYMENT

IN RESPONSE TO: “Dear Slavey – July Edition”

I first discovered your work through LewRockwell.com. For a bit over six months, I have been a casual reader and fan.

The first Slavey column includes a reply to a reader named Dennis, of Plano, TX.  Slavey's advice to Dennis, to simply not repay his credit card debt, is disturbing.

One of the most fundamental principals necessary for a free market to operate, is the honoring of contracts. Dennis was not forced into accumulating this debt. He was not forced  to borrow and purchase goods and services. Dennis chose to. Therefore, he is obligated to repay the debts that he has accumulated. He should honor a contract to which he has entered into with his creditor.

One whom does not honor their contractual obligations is a crook. One whom does not honor their contractual obligations cannot be a part of a productive free market economy.

You have it wrong on this one. Way wrong.

Eric

Reno, NV  

Jeff’s Response: 

Dear Eric,

I completely understand where you are coming from.  I've never been so much as late making a credit card payment and I've never actually gone into debt in my entire life... I've always produced more than I consume and probably always will.  And, of course, I understand that a person's word is their bond.

However, you bring up the "free market" as though it exists.  It doesn't... not even close. And, because we are living in a corrupt system that has counterfeiting (money printing and creation by the central bank and banks) and fraudulent fractional reserve banking at its core, it serves to corrupt all involved.  Anarchist, Leo Tolstoy, said, "The truth is that the State is a conspiracy designed not only to exploit, but above all to corrupt its citizens".

These same banks also get bailed out whenever they go bankrupt and the cost put onto the citizenry.  So, this is where we can understand Slavey's take on not dealing with them as though they are necessarily a virtuous and good free market participant.  They are, for the most part, counterfeiters and robbers... and almost all are long past bankrupt and just being propped up by the government and the Federal Reserve.

So, while we would agree with you 100% that it would be terrible if Dear Slavey said, "Don't pay at restaurants, skip out on the bill!" we just don't see the banks in this corrupt financial system as being virtuous participants nor even offering anything of value except creating more fiat currency units out of thin air just because the government grants them the license to do so.

We are anti-government and anti-central banks... and the banks that exist today are all part and parcel with this entire corrupt, evil system... a system we never asked for and a system by which persons like yourself have to pay to cover all the bad bets these banks enter into.  Where is the "contract" you signed for that?  So, we don't shed too many tears if someone doesn't pay their credit card payment... in fact, hopefully it will speed the inevitable collapse of the system so we can move on to a true free market.

Dear Slavey will be responding more thoroughly on his perspective on this and more comments on Monday.

ALONE AND POWERLESS UNDER THE RULE OF COLLECTIVISM

IN RESPONSE TO:"Renounce Collectivism This Independence Day"

I have renounced collectivism but how does an individual fight back when he has been enslaved by the collective. The people around me, including my wife, don't listen. The collective takes half of what I produce. I feel alone and powerless. 

Robert C. 

Jeff's Response:

It can be tough, Robert.

After I realized that collectivism is wrong I began trying to have conversations with friends and family about it.  I would point out that the state is violence and ask them if they support violence.  If, by saying they still like the state, they say they like violence, I would cut them off.  I'd delete them off my Facebook and just plain not talk to them anymore.  At the same time I'd be constantly adding new friends who hold the axiom of non-aggression as one of their most important principles.

All in all I have pretty much replaced all my old statist friends with new friends over the last few years and feel much better having gotten violent people out of my life.

It gets tougher though when it is your spouse.  Obviously, you should have been a bit more careful not to have married a violent person in the first place.  But, now that you are, it is a big question.  It's like finding out your wife is hardcore racist.  Are you willing to live the rest of your life with someone like that?  I'm certainly not advocating that you divorce your wife but I am saying it is a serious problem you have.  It's not like she likes horror movies and you like comedies.  She believes that using violence on peaceful people is good.  And, you don't.

If you are feeling alone and powerless then you need to rectify that.  And, you can.  It just may mean some major changes in your life.  It is up to you to find a way to solve this problem.

Have you attempted to show her some good videos which expose the immoral nature of her beliefs?  Try videos like this one from Stefan Molyneux, "The Story Of Your Enslavement".

Don't worry, you are not alone.  There are people all over the world who also believe in non-violence.  Facebook can be an excellent way to meet new people who share your same beliefs.  And come out to events like Porcfest, FreedomFest, Libertopia and many more and meet countless amazing people... and bring the wife too.  Women are more genetically geared to want to stick with the ideology of "the group"... this is because since the beginning of human history they've needed to keep things safe and secure as this is a better environment to raise a child than in times of chaos or fighting.  So, if she is surrounded by an entire community of non-aggressors you may find that she quite quickly adapts and begins to process the thoughts and ideas of the group.

And, if she doesn't, there are quite a few cute anarchist girls nowadays... you could always get an anarchist mistress who can give you what you need.  Lovin' and non-aggression!

And, as for the "collective taking half your income", there are possible solutions in this regard also... although it will likely mean leaving the country and becoming a Prior Taxpayer/Permanent Tourist (P.T.).  If you can manage to arrange your affairs properly there are many perfectly legal ways to either pay zero tax or to significantly reduce your tax theft payments.  These are the kinds of things we talk about regularly at TDV so stay tuned to our newsletter for more info and ideas on how to become a global citizen and disconnect yourself and your wallet from the collective.

That's all for this week!  If you have any questions, comments, feedback or hatemail, please direct it to TDV@dollarvigilante.com.

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