Iraq? Er... I meant to say "Syria"

Submitted by Bill St. Clair on Thu, 17 Apr 2003 12:00:00 GMT
Sign seen outside a church: [smith2004]
Don't let worry kill you
Let the Church help

From The Federalist:

"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend upon the support of Paul." -- G. B. Shaw
and:
"We have a president for whom English is a second language. He's like 'We have to get rid of dictators,' but he's pretty much one himself." --Robin Williams
and:
Today President Bush announced that all this time he's been misprouncing the word "Iraq." He said it's actually pronounced "Syria." -- Jay Leno
and:
"The White House accelerated efforts Friday to set up a civil authority in Iraq. The country has no taxes, no drug laws, no drinking age, no speed limits, and no government. President Bush must get control of the place before the idea catches on." -- Argus Hamilton

Michael Gilson De Lemos at LewRockwell.com - A Day Without Government - Iraq's week without government has resulted in much looting. But is it the lack of government or the nature of the former government that has caused this looting. Mr. De Lemos chooses the latter. I concur. [lew]

A natural "government" exists, what Thomas Paine called society, among human beings that is voluntary, decentralized, and returns naturally if allowed. It consists not only of natural institutions from family to associations, but may also involve people naturally electing people they personally know -- family members, friends -- in communities of perhaps, as Aristotle and Jefferson implied, no more than 5,000 to represent them and handle affairs of general interest as direct agents. This action at a neighborhood level of no more than a few blocks where respected people, elders and trustworthy individuals of long standing are brought to the fore is what is supposed to generate the leaders of official government. The Founders understood this, and had no intention of replacing with the official government this formative base. The difference is that modern Libertarians say official government, meant then to do little, is as Jefferson and others suspected not even needed to do that, and is better supplemented by the free market , tolerance, and general discussion -- not a coerced government , conformism, and propaganda. Paine was a seer saying if he had to choose between voluntary society or even minimal government, he would abandon government.

Craig Russellat Strike the Root - Remember Waco - don't ever forget. [market]

And, finally, please join me in saying a prayer for those who died at the brutal hands of the United States Government in that terrible fire on April 19, 1993. Don't forget: next time, it could be someone you know.

Next time, it could be you.

Jeff Quinn at GunBlast - Paco Kelly Does It Again! The "Baby Scorp'n" Rimfire Tool - a review of a simple tool for converting .22 rimfire round-nose or flat-nose bullets into hollow point with a center post. Improves accuracy and terminal performance.

Tim Robbins at The National Press Club via Common Dreams - A Chill Wind is Blowing in This Nation... - A speech given on Tuesday. I listened to a talk radio host drag this over the coals on my drive home Tuesday night. It's actually a pretty good description of the importance of the First Amendment at times of large differences of opinion. [whatreallyhappened]

In this time when a citizenry applauds the liberation of a country as it lives in fear of its own freedom, when an administration official releases an attack ad questioning the patriotism of a legless Vietnam veteran running for Congress, when people all over the country fear reprisal if they use their right to free speech, it is time to get angry. It is time to get fierce. And it doesn't take much to shift the tide. My 11-year-old nephew, mentioned earlier, a shy kid who never talks in class, stood up to his history teacher who was questioning Susan's patriotism. "That's my aunt you're talking about. Stop it." And the stunned teacher backtracks and began stammering compliments in embarrassment.

Josh Frank at Dissident Voice - An Open letter to the Citizens of Iraq - an apology from one American to the people of Iraq. [whatreallyhappened]

I will end by saying, my thoughts are with you, my hopes are with you. Your great culture will once again overcome a horrific atrocity -- an atrocity I condemn -- an atrocity my government committed -- an atrocity for which, I am deeply sorry.

Jeff Cooper's Commentaries - 15 April 2003: April Showers - we won round two against the Jihadis, where's round three; the oustanding performance of our military; Sergeant Herman Hanneken's assassination of the Haiti chief-of-state, "In the long run, the greatest weapon of mass destruction is stupidity." -- Thomas Sowell; the "Smith & Wesson Colt"; shooting speed boats from a helicopter with a 50 BMG rifle; the strange case of three students showing up at Gunsite and receiving their brand new guns as shipments to the school; the world's greatest trophy: the Shinano, a Japanese carrier sunk by a U.S. submarine; reports of Mr. Cooper's death were greatly exagerated; the luck/skill tradeoff in marksmanship; democracy in the Middle East; the sad case of a stray bull in darkest Carolina; "Hawkins Fist"; good sea stories from the front; more accurate rifles in Iraq?; the importance of stripping and cleaning a rifle's bolt; avoid the J-ladder in competition, unless you know how it operates; "When you go to war you do so with wrath. Without wrath you will not fight well."; kudos for Jim West's "Co-pilot"; don't bring a pistol to a rifle class; kudos for Gods and Generals; Gunsite's "precision rifle course"; the "California Twitch"; when our warriors return, oh the stories they'll tell; Francophobia considered silly; Mr. Cooper distinguished as a collector of "funny hats"; current airport security considered silly; a shooting sling is useless unless the slign elbow is supported; GW's burden.

Canoe News - Manitoba won't prosecute firearm registration offences - good for them. [claire]

"We have been opposed to the federal government's registry scheme right from the beginning," Attorney General Gord Mackintosh said in a news release. "There is no benefit to the public in making criminals out of hunters and farmers, and it is a waste of time and resources to have provincial Crown attorneys prosecuting registration offences." Alberta and Saskatchewan have also said they won't prosecute charges under the federal law.

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