Revolution March - Letter to the American People
Well, I am back home in Tampa after a wonderful trip to Washington, D.C. for the Revolution March. The event could not have gone better, and plans are already underway for another march next year. I was given the honor of being the opening speaker for the purpose of allowing me to read a Letter to the People that I had written a few months back. I didn't have anyone with me to video tape it, so I hope that it eventually shows up on You Tube . If anyone on BTM was there and filming, please let me know. I'd love to get a copy of the clip. Here is the letter:
To the People of the United States of America,
I am writing today because no one has asked my opinion in any poll. No candidate has sought my vote, and no lobbyist taken up my cause. It seems that of all of the "special interests" in America, mine is forgotten - unworthy of notice by politicians, activists, media commentators, and the press.
It may be because I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat, nor represented by lobbyists for the disabled, senior citizens, minorities, trade unions, nor any other lobby. In fact, I am not a member of any group whatsoever.
I am the individual. Our Constitution was written to protect me from the majority. I am the victim of Democracy, which has overwhelmed the safeguards of the old Republic and replaced the Republic with mob rule. I am raising my voice now, while I am still able to raise it, if for no other reason than to let posterity know that I was still here when the ruins of our Republic are examined.
I have lived my life in a country that proclaims itself to the world to be the "land of the free," but have watched my freedoms erode. The most basic right I had – ownership of the fruits of my labor – has been taken from me. Now, politicians argue over what portion of my labor will purchase medical care for the poor and elderly, what portion will pay social security, what portion will educate other people’s children, and what paltry sum I will be allowed to keep so that I may go out tomorrow and work another day.
I once lived in a country which recognized my right to do as I pleased, as long as I did not violate the rights of others. Now, mountains of laws and regulations have been passed in the perverse effort to prevent me from having even the opportunity to commit a crime. As a result, I am rendered paralyzed, as there is almost no action that I can take, beyond rising from my bed, that cannot be construed by someone to be a crime or violation.
More of my property is seized to support grand adventures in foreign lands, where my government spreads "freedom" through the crosshairs of its guns. My government’s invasion of countries that pose no military threat to us whatsoever has made me hated throughout the world, merely for being an American, and helped enslave my children to unserviceable debts.
Most ominously, even the legal protections of my person have been revoked in the name of protecting my fellow citizens against "terrorism."
While the Constitution guarantees me sound money, as only gold and silver shall be legal tender, I am nevertheless forced to use the worthless paper notes of a private banking cartel that decreases their value daily, providing me no safe store of value to save for my future. To aid financial speculators who produce nothing whatsoever, the volume of these notes is increased out of all reason whenever these gamblers and thieves stand to suffer a loss. As a result, the purchasing power of this slave currency is constantly decreased, widening the gap between rich and poor, and destroying the middle class. I am left with no practical means to participate in free trade and civil society.
I give my fellow citizens the benefit of the doubt, and believe that they have merely forgotten what the true nature and purpose of government is. I remind them that government is nothing more than the collective use of force – and that the use of force is never justified except in defense. It is, by definition, a last resort. Government has almost limitless power, but very few rights. It has no right to do anything beyond protecting my life and my freedom.
Government has no right to provide for the needy with monies extorted at gunpoint from its citizens. I will gladly work with my fellow citizens to help those in need, once I have a choice. In the meantime, I demand that my labor cease to be taken from me without my consent.
Government has no right to bring freedom to the oppressed by initiating force. I remind my fellow citizens that all of the tyrants of history justified their conquests under the false guise of "liberation." I will gladly stand with my countrymen to fight any foreign power that truly threatens us, but I demand that my government immediately cease to invade foreign countries in my name.
Government has no right to "manage the economy." Trade is only truly trade when it is free – the result of exchanges between people by mutual, voluntary consent. There is no role for government in this whatsoever. I demand that my right to trade freely with my fellow citizens and citizens abroad be respected and no longer subject to inspection or interference.
Government has no right to "prevent crime." It may only punish activities that are truly criminal, and those are relatively few compared to the ocean of laws and regulations that have been passed. I demand that any law prohibiting an act that does not directly harm another person be repealed, along with any law that prohibits unpopular thoughts or speech. Neither the threat of terrorism, poverty, natural disaster, nor epidemic justifies the surrender of one ounce of liberty. I demand that habeas corpus be restored.
Finally, government has no right to rob me of my property by forcing me to use paper currency whose value is subject to its whim. I demand that gold and silver no longer be taxed as capital gain if it rises in price relative to paper currency.
While I owe my fellow citizens nothing in return for heeding these demands, I nevertheless offer a thousand-fold in return. My fellow citizens are running out of fossil fuel – I will discover a new, renewable energy source. Our planet is growing crowded – I will unlock the secrets of traveling to others. The productive members of our society will soon be outnumbered by those less able or unable to produce any longer – I will feed them all. For it was I – the free individual – that gave you everything you have. It was I that invented the telephone, the automobile, the airplane, and the computer. It was I that devised methods to produce mass amounts of goods, making them affordable and available to everyone. It was I that devised a system of government where the rule of the jungle was replaced by the rule of just laws.
In return for restoring my rights, you will again free my creative power to give you more than you can possibly imagine, and solve problems which you are unable to solve without me. I ask nothing more in return, for it is no more my right to make claims upon my fellow citizens than it is their right to make claims upon me. I hereby waive any supposed "entitlement" to public welfare, medical care, retirement benefits, or any other benefit that requires coercion of my fellow citizens to provide it. In return I demand that my liberty be restored. As I believe that I am the last individual left on earth, I do not believe that my tax money will be missed. However, if there are other individuals besides me that would claim their freedom as well, I invite them to join me, and to them I pledge my life, my fortune, and my sacred honor.
Regards,
Publius
- Tom Mullen's blog
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you got the ball rolling at the march. thanks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcex3qkoZ30&NR=1
of what it means to be an individual in this society. Very well written, and very stirring.
If I could have penned it myself, I would only have changed just the following two things:
>>Our planet is growing crowded – I will unlock the secrets of traveling to others.
I will raise standards of living and promote equal opportunities for women so that birth rates come down.
I would have added to that paragraph: Many people worldwide suffer under oppressive governments, religions and cultures that do not recognize their basic individual rights. I will spread the message of liberty to these people, not through force but through education; not through my government, but through personal philanthropy. My country shall serve as an example to others of the power of individual liberty, an example so compelling that they cannot but see it and learn from it.
"For it was I – the free individual – that gave you everything you have." Genius my friend. People often forget just how different life was for the greater part of our countries history. Im not talking about lack of computers, or cars or whatever (technology)- i mean in the citizen's relation to his government and vice versa.
Unfortunately, there are few people alive today that still have the memories - and the kids today- like many of their parents - don't know anything but the big government status quo. Too few attempt to learn about their past - our past - and fewer still will ever learn about it in school except for a very cursory examination of major events. I suppose that leaves things up to people like us. And the RP movement. And freedom lovers everywhere they happen to be.
"I am raising my voice now, while I am still able to raise it, if for no other reason than to let posterity know that I was still here when the ruins of our Republic are examined."
You will not be raising your voice alone.
Thanks for the motivation,
Heh...gotcha, Tom. I just wanted to break the monotony of all those kudos.
Seriously, that was very well put; you have a gift for articulating what many others are thinking but can't put into words. Me? My gift is for stomping on people's heads while they rest. So here goes:
You claimed that "The most basic right I had – ownership of the fruits of my labor – has been taken from me." This is demonstrably false; if you like, I will elaborate but I think you know more now than you did when you wrote that excellent monologue, right? The fruit of your labor is NOT "taken from (you)" it is SELF-ASSESSED, and paid by you because you believe that the Tax Code requires it of you, or that men with guns will haul you to prison if you don't capitulate to state-sponsored terrorism. Either way, that is false, as you now know. But it sounded really good!
You also claimed that "Government has no right to provide for the needy with monies extorted at gunpoint from its citizens...I demand that my labor cease to be taken from me without my consent." Again, this is simple hyperbole; melodrama. It's technically true: you don't really consent to filling out those forms and having them skim your checks. But in a legal and absolute sense, it is false; no law is requiring you to self-assess, sign, and pay. You do it out of ignorance, fear, or both. In any case, this is hardly worthy of our forefathers. Especially when tens of millions of non-filers aren't falling for it anymore.
I've demonstrated (repeatedly) on this forum, as Boris can attest: this characterisation of government "taking from me" all that money is just disingenuous. You are GIVING it to them. Whether ignorant, afraid, or both -- it's still YOUR fault more than the government's. You have the power to stop the "theft at gunpoint" anytime you like, ACCORDING TO LAW. If you have trouble doing so, let me know; I would be honored to help a great atheist orator see where to push open his (unlocked) cage door.
Tom, without the $1 trillion-per-year ignorant complicity of 130 million Taxpayers, the Leviathan State would shrivel. The individual income tax revenue stream is fully ONE-THIRD of the entire federal budget; guess where all those oppressions would go, Tom, if that $1,000,000,000,000 was shut off tomorrow? Gone. De-funded. Out of your life!
And it's not just a matter of federal Leviathan shrinking by a third, either; a huge parasitic segment of America's population would need to start producing in the world economy, and all that freed-up private capital would fund an untold number of new jobs, business startups, R&D, etc.!
The second point on which I disagree with your otherwise excellent monologue, Tom. It's to be expected, given our respective religious orientations. The majority of Americans would disagree that we should thank the "rugged individual" for our many blessings as a people. We don't merely believe -- we know -- that we have The Lord God our Creator to thank for our blessings, as our founders made crystal clear, and as America's statesmen repeated for over a century until the 'Enlightenment' religion hopped across the pond.
Other than those two miniscule points, your speech was superb.
Keep 'em coming!
David
> The fruit of your labor is NOT "taken from (you)" it is SELF-ASSESSED, and paid by you because you believe that the Tax Code requires it of you, or that men with guns will haul you to prison if you don't capitulate to state-sponsored terrorism.
< i have what i think might be a legitimate question for someone like you with all the tax knowledge. let's say that a man does want to take a stand and stop paying the unconstitutional income tax. let's also say that this is a common man, working a common job, not a contractor. his income is taxed before he gets paid. how can he possibly not pay income taxes? and seeing how he gets a refund upon filing his taxes, why would he possibly not want to file?
in D.C.; I only meant to address two egregious misrepresentations in that speech, and one of them happens to touch on Leviathan's funding, the IRS scam.
1) I've answered that question in my article entitled "Taxpayer: 'How Do I Begin?'" under the IRS Success Stories! thread in the Your Thoughts About Banking and the Economy forum.
2) It's not an "unconstitutional income tax". The Tax Code is perfectly constitutional; you just haven't read it.
3) If you get back a refund from IRS for 100% of what they skim from your checks every year, then you're right, you have no beef anyway. Why are you asking, then, Tim? I know: you're earning less than minimum wage, and your mom deducts for all the food you eat. That's not an IRS issue.
(Yeah, now you'll give me a 'down-arrow' as always.)
OK, back to Tom's excellent speech!! AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!
> If you get back a refund from IRS for 100% of what they skim [...] you have no beef anyway.
< why make silly statements like that? to undermine my question? i think we both know i was talking about a common refund.
> Why are you asking, then, Tim?
< i was curious how one could go about not having your employer automatically deduct taxes on your income.
> I know: you're earning less than minimum wage,
< there you go again with the "know". i'm willing to bet i make more than your combined household income.
> and your mom deducts for all the food you eat. That's not an IRS issue.
< my mom died two years ago. but thanks for the tasteless joke anyways.
Tim,
This thread is about Tom's speech in D.C.
DMZ asked you to take the Tax Honesty discussion to the other thread and he'd answer you there. Go to the thread called "IRS Success Stories!" under the Banking & Finances forum. Scroll all the way down the thread (2nd page or so) to his post entitled, Taxpayer: "How Do I Begin?" and you'll find what you need to begin working your way out of the "fair share" line.
Not that he owes you a thing, Tim. You've been the rudest, most openly offensive online atheist I've ever met. You've offended people at every turn, then try to elicit sympathy for your dead mother?
This was incredibly well written-a delight to read! I really need to spend more time here. The brightest lights of the R3VOLUTION seem to congregate here. I was very impressed!
Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone; and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.--John Quincy Adams
Beautifully done! A small mountain of kudos for you.
I would like to bulletin/blog this on my MySpace. May I? And if so, is there any special note or what have you that you would like (me) to include?
Ron Jennings
Well sir, you have once again outdone yourself. Every time I read one of your posts it not only makes my day, it also pushes me one step closer to starting a blog of my own here on BTM. You are truly a master of your craft and an inspiration to many patriots in our movement. I wish I could have made it to D.C., next year is a must.
Peace and Prosperity,
-MAC-