The Outlaw Adventure
By Don Cormier
Let
me start by saying what I mean by the terms "laws" and "outlaw":
By "laws" I mean statutes, legislation, regulations, etc. These are
enacted laws, that is, laws created by men as opposed to LAWS discovered
by men. They are not LAW in the largest sense, that is, the "necessary
relations which arise from the nature of things". (Montesquieu, Esprit
des Lois, b. 1, ch. 1). These enacted laws may not be LAWS, but
may be an attempt by one group of people to impose a set of standards upon
another group of people. They rely for their enforcement upon the
arbitrary imposition of a penalty rather than upon the natural consequences
of an act. By "outlaw", I mean a person who lives without depending
on the protection of the laws, and who lives without moral regard for the
laws. The fact that some claim that it would be "moral" for such
a person to conform his behavior to the dictates of the law will not cause
him to do so, because the outlaw's will or whim is as valid, moral, and
sacred as the will or whim of any other human being.
The
outlaw's adventure begins when he decides on what to be, do, or have.
It continues as he compares his goals with the obstacles present in the
environment. This assessment includes, of course, an assessment of
the obstacles presented by governments.
Once
the obstacles are identified, the outlaw seeks ways to destroy or evade
them. He asks how can his goals be most efficiently attained.
The
experience of outlaws over the centuries has generated some tips.
A study of their lives can be useful for would-be outlaws. Some outlaws
have perceived that it's helpful to realize that life is like a game, and
that happiness is the scoring system. The bumper sticker puts it
crudely but aptly: "The one who dies with the most toys wins."
This is true, and consistent with the outlaw game, if the word "toys" is
construed to mean anything considered a positive value or experience by
the individual, and if the outlaw carefully retains his responsible awareness
of the effect of his actions. He can reject laws, but he cannot reject
LAW.
To
enhance scoring of the "game", some operating procedures have proven useful
or at least satisfying. For example, an outlaw who receives violence
may give back violence. An outlaw who receives fraud may give back
fraud. An outlaw met with peace ought to give back peace. An
outlaw finds that it is best to meet honesty with honesty.
As
the century draws to a close, all outlaws and would-be outlaws who operate
within the territory known as the "United States of America" are being
forced to consider the desirability and the possibility of terminating
the government of the United States of America. This is because the
gross restrictions, intrusions, obstructions, obligations, and impositions
placed on everyone living within the territory claimed by the U.S. government
are gravely endangering the ability of outlaws to live as outlaws.
There is no endangered species act for outlaws.![10x5 Page Background GIF Image](../../Images/10x5_Page_Background.gif)
Libertoons
by Dante DeAmicis
I
wish the so called "Libertarian Party" would change its name so the true
libertarians could reclaim the term without causing confusion. I
might suggest "Propertarian Party" from Neil Smith's Probability Broach,
since Libertarians define everything in terms of property. Another
idea is "Individualist Party", since Libertarians prefer the current level
of statism to any legal libertarian options that require the smallest level
of cooperation. The "Do Nothing Party" comes to mind, as well as
the "Libertoon Party".
Because
it is obvious that the Libertarians' pipe dream of subsidized myopia is
not going to happen, I have returned to my roots and am involved with the
Fellowship for Intentional Community. This group is involved in helping
people develop the skills necessary to apply their own resources with fellow
travellers for the here and now. They are not armchair theoreticians
with Republican lifestyles. They publish Communities Magazine and
the Communities Directory. They host useful conventions dealing with
others' experiences and practical information in community building.
Improving social skills and consensus building are also on their agenda.
I
also co-host a public affairs radio program1
which frequently includes interviews. We are doing more outreach
to communitarian type libertarians since whenever we get the pseudo variety
on the show we are treated to boring abstractions and the one clear vision
that if only we could get rid of government we would have all that money
to spend. It makes me want to throw up after awhile.![10x5 Page Background GIF Image](../../Images/10x5_Page_Background.gif)
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Free
and Clear, alternate Wednesdays, 6 - 8 AM
KKUP 91.5 FM, P.O. Box 820,
Cupertino, California 95015 |
There's nothing wrong with the idea
of getting rid of government. Indeed, intentional communities are
no panacea. They've been tried before in countless variations — Branch
Davidians, Freemen, MOVE, etc. ad infinitum. Any effective
intentional community will become a target of government intervention.
Therefore, the success of your intentional communities depends upon first
solving the problem of intrusive government.
— editor
•
My thanks to Princess Catherine of Mere Keep for assistance in repairing
the Mere Keep computer system.
• My thanks to
Mars, of Silicon Valley, for procuring, repairing, and maintaining the
Mere Keep copier.
• My thanks to
Sir James the Bold, of Mere Keep, for time and expertise contributed to
the repair and maintenance of the Mere Keep computer system.
• My thanks to
Shirley, of Urbana, Illinois, for her donation.
— editor
Buck Hunter Shoots Off His Mouth
No
matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to make both ends meet.
Can you suggest something that might help?
— Frustrated
Dear Frustrated
Try
to make one end fish.
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