24A007 Violent Resistance? by Jim Davies, 2/13/2024

There's a crackerjack novel you might consider reading: Unintended Consequences. For length, at 863 pages it rivals Rand's Atlas Shrugged, but its author the late John Ross knew how to keep the tension high and pages turned. The story is about firearms enthusiasts, or "gun nuts" to belittlers.

The hardback version is out of print but you can buy a nice used copy for a mere $135. I got mine at the turn of the century, new for under $30; a good investment as well as a good book. The publisher is now offering a soft-cover edition for $65.

The work combines an exciting novel, a near-exhaustive resource of detailed information about types of gun and ammunition, what speed different bullets have when fired, how fast they rotate if from a rifle, how to adjust aim for wind and distance, the whole works. And by the way, it includes a valuable primer on how to fly an airplane.

It also presents the most succinct, accurate accounts I've read, of the lethal outrages in Ruby Ridge and Waco, which so clearly revealed at the end of the 20th Century the real nature of government.

On top of that there is an accurate and disquieting account of how, over 100 years, the FedGov has chipped away at the simple prohibition, in Amendment 2, on the writing of any law to limit Americans' ownership and use of firearms. It is a truly sinister story of deception, invasion and destruction of a basic right.

In the story, friends who are outraged by this creeping tyranny set about hitting back, and they trigger a widespread movement of retaliation by a range of other people who hear of theirs and decide to kill government agents who have been violating their other rights too; they systematically murder the prime offenders within reach, often in a gruesome way; bureau-rats and the legislators who gave them the de facto powers to harass. And when the killing reaches an alarming level, the President orders action; not a civil war, but an amnesty and a negotiated settlement.

In the story, then, violent resistance brings about an improvement, a restoration of some rights, a relenting by government. Were such a resistance group ever to act that way for real, the author gives no guarantee that such a relatively sensible outcome would follow; in my view, it's more likely to lead to exponentially increased repression. But perhaps Mr Ross was right. Either way, it makes a thrilling story.

The book appeared in 1995 not long after the Waco outrage, and as one admirer on the dust jacket says, it "will terrify and appall jackbooted stormtroopers everywhere" and I think he was right. In the 28 years since, there has not been another domestic outrage on the scale of Waco. If John Ross helped achieve that result by writing this book, he is one of the heroes of our time.

Even so, it does not dig to the root of the problem; it may have postponed the monstrous growth of government violence or even stopped its growth completely; but the threat of its use remains, the arrogant claim to have the right to compel obedience from peaceful people has not been removed.

I've no problem with the outrage the characters express about what government has progressively done to freedom; it's all true. Give it an inch, eventually it will take as many yards as it can. That's a key factor concerning government; the idea that you can have one yet limit its powers is simply wrong. It's impossible in both practice and theory. If some people acquire power, they will use it to get more power; and any "limits" are meaningless because if they were effective, the limits would themselves be government and not the politicians. "Limited government" is an oxymoron. Total abolition is required. Nothing less.

So no, as I see it violent resistance cannot bring about removal of government. If it takes place and "succeeds", it would prove only that might makes right, and that is the very principle by which all governments rule. What's needed is to uproot the principle itself, and that's where we come in. Universal re-education using a school like TOLFA, followed by a simple and permanent withdrawal of labor from government employ, is the peaceful alternative.

U.S. — Journalists across the country expressed a combination of outrage and confusion after a video surfaced online of a journalist doing journalism.

According to sources, the video, posted on social media platform X, shows known journalist Tucker Carlson wilfully and recklessly engaging in actual journalism without any regard for the damage that may be caused by such a wanton display.

"We're not sure what this guy thinks he's doing," said one New York Times columnist who asked to remain anonymous. "He's out here investigating and searching for the truth and interviewing world leaders on important geopolitical topics. Wild, unrestrained journalism. It's dangerous, really. Digging for information and conducting interviews and just… reporting what he's learned and putting it out there for people to see it? Are you serious?!"