Friday, March 20, 2009

I probably shouldn't start with "I was listening to Alex Jones on the shortwave last night . . ."

... but I was. And as much as I fear that gives the big-government supporters an excuse to refuse to address the substance of what follows and instead paint both me and Jones as tinfoil-hat-wearing whackos, I have to give my two cents on what he spent much of the show discussing.

This Missouri Information Analysis Center report business (you can view the document here).

It seems the authors of this report need to be reminded that "extremism" is not a synonym for "terrorism." Extremism, as used in the famous Goldwater quote, is the holding to one's ideology without compromise. Terrorism is the infliction of violence to instill fear.

This part is rich:




"Political Paraphernalia: Militia members most commonly associate with 3rd party political groups. It is not uncommon for militia members to display Constitutional Party, Campaign for Liberty, or Libertarian material. These members are usually supporters of former Presidential Candidate: Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin and Bob Barr."
(There were so many [sic]s in that quote I gave up trying.)

1. What is the methodology they used to reach this conclusion? Did they survey known militia members and ask them what sort of bumper sticker they have on their cars? Where is their research to back up this claim?

2. One of the things that makes Libertarians Libertarians and not anarchists is the principle of noninterference in the lives of others. This is incompatible with militiaism.

3. This will lead to ideological profiling. Is D.W.L.* the new D.W.B.**? And isn't this WAY over the line into Thoughtcrime?

4. Bob Barr is the grouchy brother-in-law at the family reunion; Ron Paul is the eccentric grandpa. Both are harmless. Any notion that they are leaders of some militia movement is patently absurd.

5. Isn't it convenient how this further marginalizes third parties that present a clear and concise alternative to the duopoly of Republicans and Democrats? Doesn't it give them another arrow in their quivers to shoot at us? "You don't want to vote for them, do you? After all, there is a perception that they are vaguely dangerous. Are you vaguely dangerous too?"

6. Timothy McVeigh was a Republican. John Wayne Gacy was a Democrat. As long as we're painting broad strokes here, doesn't that mean Republicans are terrorists and Democrats are murderous child molesters?

That's my two-cents after a quick once-over. I'm printing the report out to go over it more in-depth at my leisure.

And here I was ready to order a "Don't Blame Me; I Voted For Ron Paul" bumper sticker...

[H/T 2 Alex Jones.]

[Update: State apologizes, removes Paul, Barr & Baldwin's names. I don't see anything about removing the names of the Libertarian and Constitution Parties, though.]

* D.W.L. - "Driving While Libertarian," also known as DWACI - "Driving With A Consistent Ideology."

** D.W.B - "Driving While Black."


3 comments:

Tom Hanna said...

On the plus side I now have a tactic for dealing with the nightly calls from the "Campaign for Liberty" begging me to send them more money than I pay in taxes. On the next call I'm going to say, "I wish Ron Paul was President but he lost. Don't you know the Missouri Highway Patrol is onto us! They know they plan! They're afraid of bombs! This line isn't secure! Stop calling me here for the love of Allah!"

Any other keywords I should throw in there?

The down side is that it no longer guarantees a tropical vacation since Jones and ilk maintain that the new Guantanamo is being built in Kansas City.

Anonymous said...

Gotta love the good news from the WWCR and WBCQ shortwave stations. I'd actually heard the same thing, I think, on the Glenn Beck radio show and read it online somewhere or other a few days back. I tell you, one of the arse-holes who checks to see if one's guns are unloaded at our local gun shows (you have to do this if you have a gun on you when you enter the place) would gladly infringe upon one's rights to own guns, be in a militia, or be a Libertarian, and sadly, he's a Greene County, Missouri, sheriff's deputy. "Respect mah authoriteh!" and all.

R

Anonymous said...

What in the name of YHWH is Z.O.G. doing now??? Despite my Police State University so-called "education" and indoctrination into the ways of "The Beast," I try to keep my chin up, but have to go down to the Little Theater to direct auditions for "The Turner Diaries on Ice." I do so hope David Hyde Pierce and Christopher Buckley show up!!!