Is it true that freedom is an overly idealized concept? Perhaps, but it is one of the few concepts worthy of idealization. It is so worthy, that it is worth dying for.
Since the dawn of recorded history human beings have fought and sacrificed to attain freedom. It is an inherent psychological construct. It is a principle that is rooted not only in the mind of man, but his spirit or soul. Scientists in the realm of the mind have struggled for generations to understand where it comes from — others have sought to dismiss it as a fanciful notion or societal construct. Nihilists claim it doesn't really exist, while other people center their entire lives on the proliferation of it. The concept of freedom, love it or hate it, is central to all cultures and all civilizations. The most common dismissal of the idea of freedom that I have seen is the argument that none of us is really free because "tyranny exists". Tyranny is a constant, therefore, in the view of the nihilists, freedom cannot exist. I believe this dim way of thinking stems from a misconception of what freedom is and where it comes from.
Freedom, first and foremost, begins in the mind, or the heart; whatever you are inclined to put more stock in. To think critically or to imagine wildly is indeed to be free. Tyranny, by extension, rises from the mire and muck in the physical world around us and ends in the mind and the heart. If one is free of mind, then one is never truly enslaved.
I have heard so many times the ignorant accusation that freedom requires action before consequence. That is to say, if you have suffered the consequences of a tyrannical system, then you have already failed to prevent your own enslavement. This is not how freedom functions. It has never worked this way.
There is no such thing as a world without the consequences of tyranny. Tyrants are everywhere, always. There are little tyrants in our everyday lives, and big tyrants that pull strings from behind the curtains and from the darker places. There are people reading this article right now that think they are liberty-minded, but act like tyrants towards those around them. There are people who think they are slaves when one simple choice or action could easily make them free. There are people who see private property as tyranny and seek to supplant it....with an even greater tyranny of entitlement and socialism. And, there are people who think freedom means freedom for them, but not for others. Each tyrant takes time to understand and remove from our lives. Some we simply need to walk away from; others need to be destroyed.
The point is, we are forever dealing with tyranny, and many of us are forever working to topple it. As long as we are able to pursue that goal, we are still free. The true slaves are those that have given up completely out of laziness or fear. Tyranny is always present, after all; why take a bath today when you are just going to end up soiled again tomorrow?
The idea that one can do nothing in the face of the machine is an old idea proven wrong time and time again, yet, it is also a very easy and comfortable lie to live in. Struggle is difficult. Sacrifice is foreboding and ugly. There are a million-and-one excuses and rationalizations as to why it is better to "accept fate" or circumstances. There is always another excuse that can be used to paper over cowardice.
Tyrants can, in fact, win and keep winning for the length of an epoch, exactly because of the logical fallacy that they cannot be resisted or be beaten. It is the self-fulfilling prophecy of nihilism that makes tyranny possible. Without it, tyrants inevitably fail and fall.
The great monster of our time that must be slayed is the monster of organized conspiracy. Past generations have confronted and defeated appendages of this monster, but they never beheaded it, and this is why our particular brand of tyranny persists. It is not enough for us to fight the tentacles of the beast anymore — it is the job of the freedom fighters of our era to stab at the brains of the wretched thing.
I am of course speaking of the banking cabal, the cult of financiers and elites that make up the globalist hierarchy. They pervade the halls of numerous institutions and think tanks, from the Federal Reserve and the Council on Foreign Relations to the International Monetary Fund and the Bank for International Settlements. They sit in positions of great political influence and hold council (and some would say considerable sway) over world leaders. They write "theoretical" policies which are quickly adopted by governments and made into law. They are primary stockholders and owners of our mainstream media. Their slithering fingers are wrapped around academia and many scientific communities. They insinuate themselves into every foundation of thought, because thought is what they most wish to control.
They prefer to divide and conquer, to pit one group against another, or to give their ideological enemies enough rope to hang themselves with. If they can't rule the psyche of a society or succeed in 4th generation warfare, they will fall back to the old standard of brute force. In fact, they might just do that anyway, because what tyrant doesn't love instilling abject terror every once in a while?
And yet, these "elites" stand on a razor's edge. Despite all their supposed power, despite all their wealth, despite the vast spiderwebs they weave, all of it can be turned to ash in an instant and they know it. Empires like this rely on anonymity, and they are anonymous no longer. The cabal is out in the open; they have to be.
To shift the world into true globalism and true centralization requires actions which can be masked from some people but not all people. They believe the intricate digital networks they have funded will buy them total information awareness, but these same networks also provide us with the tools to understand who they are and what they want. This double-edged sword of full spectrum data creates a Catch-22 timeline. The longer the globalists wait to implement the one world system they desire, the more time we have to educate millions of people. The faster they implement their one-world system, the more likely they are to make a mistake.
Time is running out. Time is working against them. Time is the master here, and the globalists are nothing but paper boats on a tidal wave.
This organized conspiracy increases its odds of success through psychological manipulation. There will come a time, perhaps sooner rather than later, when banking elites and their political allies can no longer stand outside the game unscathed. Risk is coming. So, they must encourage as much self-defeat in the minds of freedom champions as possible.
They will conjure crisis and catastrophe, they will conjure puppet enemy after puppet enemy, they will exploit useful idiots with collectivist views as cannon fodder, they will engineer conflicts between East and West. They will try to grind us down and break the legs of our resolve.
However, as long as there are people who know who the globalists are that are willing to hunt them down, the globalists cannot win. For what they desperately want is to stand out in the sun with criminal impunity, and without fear. They want to be untouchable. They want to be gods.
Real gods do not suffer consequences, and these people will suffer consequences.
The nihilists will cry, "When?! How?! Never!" But this is the nature of freedom. Freedom is in the fighting; winning is transitory. Tyranny can be subtle and it can be blunt, freedom is the same way. If you think because there is no shooting going on yet that a war is not happening, then you do not understand the nature of warfare.
Yes, it is possible that the fall of one globalist cabal might give rise to another, and another. But we are free to be there and to fight again. As long as we fight, we prevail. When we abandon the fight completely, that is when true slavery begins. Today, we fight using information versus propaganda, and we must be adept at this. We also must be adept at other forms of combat as the conflict escalates.
There will never be total absence of tyranny. The naysayers against the principle of freedom are delusional, or maybe they know such a standard is unattainable and this will make them forever "right." When will the fight begin? It already has. It has been going on since time immemorial and we are merely here to continue it. This might seem like a task for Sisyphus – an endless circular nightmare. I look at it another way: We are a changing of the guard. We have inherited a responsibility beyond all responsibilities. In this age, we are the freedom fighters, and if we fail now then we pass an even more difficult horror on to some other generation down the line.
In my view this is unacceptable. The opportunity to end one longstanding tyranny is now. We must counter using information as long as is needed, and we must wake up as many people as possible, so when the time comes to storm the castle, the shared sacrifice is that much easier to bear. If you have taken up this fight in one form or another never let anyone tell you you are not free. Your ability to think and to act is concrete proof otherwise.
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written by Gods Creation , July 06, 2017
Freedom can only be obtained individually, and protected by the individual himself. When enough of us are free, tyranny fades.
Tyranny can only gain power over those who allow it to control them. So long as there are willing victims there will be tyrants there to control and abuse their weakness.
Most people in the "liberty movement" seek a magic bullet document or paper to keep them out of jail and think that will make them free. As Brandon says, there will always be tyrants and they don't care what your papers say.
You are as free as you feel like you are, and have only the freedom you can protect when one of the tyrants try to violate the law. They took Jesus to jail and crucified Him, so what chance do we have to avoid the same fate if a tyrant really gets it in their mind to kill you?
Freedom is, simply put, doing what you want to do (without hurting others), and protecting your right to do so from anyone who seeks to take it away.
Be Free. Freedom is free and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.
written by Brandon Smith , July 06, 2017
@James
But where there is inherent brutality we also have inherent conscience. Also, self defense is NOT the same as tyranny. Self defense against tyranny is entirely moral and in fact, the only such thing as a "righteous war".
written by Guest , July 06, 2017
Brandon,
You're probably aware that a popular blogger who lives not far from you (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) just announced that he's running for Congress in the 2018 mid-term elections. He's hoping that Americans will elect an army of conservative Trump supporters so that we can turn this nation around.
Do you think this nation is salvageable at this point?
written by Alohajim , July 06, 2017
This is the best commentary about the world we live in, who owns and controls it, and what we, the people need to do, I have ever read. Too many are too narrow in their approach and focus on symptoms and tangents that actually mask the real issue : banking families that conjure up currency from nothing. The world's monetary system is the sole source of their power. Mass brainwashing, mind control, and complete control of academia, governments, media/entertainment/ legal/medical systems and religion is how they maintain it.
In a world where there is no visible resistance to the mass tyranny perpetuated by banking families this is what freedom lovers everywhere need - a clear understanding of the problem and keen focus on solutions.
Thanks again Brandon. We will win if only because nothing is forever and the tyranny is based on a simple, albeit massive con. Exposure and understanding will destroy it.
written by Seen2013 , July 06, 2017
"When we abandon the fight completely, that is when true slavery begins."
Hence, 'truth creates doubt, doubt creates reevaluation, and reevaluation creates increased resolve.' The adage 'Truth sets you free' kinda skips the requirement of accepting doubt and revaluation required to increase and enhance resolve'.
Centrally, Nihilists believe that cycles of both nature and history is an absolute defeat that they tend to rationalize as excuses to dismiss doubt and shatters resolve.
written by something awesome , July 07, 2017
Are the antifa allies or are they our allies? Or does it matter? Maybe it's just another indicator of society's anger at the status quo in general.
written by Brandon Smith , July 07, 2017
@something
Useful idiots, unfortunately. Antifa is being used by the elites to poke at conservatives and make us go full totalitarian. They are protesting G20 not because they are against the globalists as people, but because they are against the concept of free markets in general. They are too stupid to understand there are no free markets anymore and most of our economic troubles have been caused by big government and socialism, which is what Antifa wants MORE of.
written by pj , July 07, 2017
Very encouraging!
"The opportunity to end one longstanding tyranny is now."
Agreed.
written by Guest , July 07, 2017
Brandon,
Are you involved in Michael Snyder's campaign? I just watched an interview of Mr. Snyder about his run for Congress, and the interviewer, though unseen, sounded like you.
If it in fact was you, Brandon, then I want to know if you've changed your views on Trump? I ask because Mr. Snyder doesn't hold the views you've expressed in recent articles regarding Trump.
I respectfully ask for an answer from you.
Thank you.
written by Rog , July 08, 2017
"why take a bath today when you are just going to end up soiled again tomorrow?" I've heard that one before, only the wording was just a wee bit different.
written by 24/7_michel , July 08, 2017
„Die glücklichen Sklaven sind die erbittertsten Feinde der Freiheit.“
"Happy slaves are the bitterest enemies of freedom."
Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach
i'm not a friend of scoalism nor of cuminsm, but also not of the free market.
free market would work in the feature when the apes_v.2 have transcended their ego!
before that, there's NO chance for a working free market, cause of the insatiable greed paired with the missing sense of life!
we've got no financial crisis,no econimic crisis, no resources crisis, no overpopulation crisis!
we got a spiritual crsis, cause mankind has completely lost their true nature.
the real truth can't caputured by mind, only by soul, heart etc.
the biggest one and only threat of the current system with tptb is, to stop/slow down the natural proccess from life, the enlargement of consciousness.
as always, kindest regards to you brandon from the world central of the dumpest of all dumpest sheeples
written by Brandon Smith , July 08, 2017
@24/7
Actually, free markets have worked just fine in the past. The US economy had downturns before the creation of the federal reserve in 1913, but nothing like the Great Depression or the "recession" we have been dealing with since 2007/2008.
The free market works exactly because it creates positive outcomes either harnessing human greed, or working around it. There is nothing wrong with a system based on incentives.
No one can blame free markets for the problems we are witnessing today; we have not had free markets for over a century. And, there is no system yet that has proven to work better. Fixing the human soul is all well and good, but how long is that going to take!? You still have to have a working economy in the meantime.
written by turtlefeet , July 09, 2017
Economists will argue there are some problems with free markets. I will give you the textbook headlines:
1. Lack of provision of Merit & Public Goods.
2. Existence of Monopolies and collusive oligopolies
3. Under/Over provision of goods & services with Positive/Negative Externalities respectively.
4. Income & Wealth Inequality
5. Information Assymetries.
I am therefore supportive of limited government whose solutions might include provision of certain goods and services (like education & emergency services), Anti-trust legislation, subsidies and taxes for certain actvities, income tax and social security welfare payments and legislation to protect consumers like professional licensing.
How a government does this in a fair and balanced way is a measure of their worth to society. If they do a bad job then it is up to the people to pressure them to change which might include voting them out of office.
written by MiddleAgedHippy , July 09, 2017
"No one can blame free markets for the problems we are witnessing today; we have not had free markets for over a century. "
I'd say we have al been living in "The Village" for decades we just didn't understand what it was. That comes from "The Prisoner" 1967.
If you are into personal sovereignty Brandon I suggest you check out "Convict Conditioning" by Paul Wade. It offers one of the most reliable ways to "prepare", by getting strong through bodyweight. Check it out. I'm into it and am getting serious results.
written by Brandon Smith , July 09, 2017
@Turtlefeet
There is no legitimate reason for government to intrude on any aspect of trade domestically. Small government's only function in trade is in the scope of international tariffs so that it may fund itself. Whenever government tries to impose its will on domestic trade, poor quality products and services result, not to mention disaster.
Every service you list can and has been provided privately and and more efficiently in the past, government involvement has only degraded the quality. Every tax you list is ILLEGAL and outside the boundaries of the constitution. Period.
written by MickHugh , July 09, 2017
Freedom is often spoken of in context of the will - do we have free will? Some say yes, some say no, many say it's too abstract to help them keep food on the kitchen table. But if we're to open a conversation about freedom, it seems reasonable to begin with a conversation about what 'free will' is.
Let's not get bogged down about whether or not we can make our own decisions; whether our lives are determined, or whether we get to choose from a host of possibilities.
Each of us has a talent, some trade or skill which we excel at. For those of us who have found this, we can point to it and say, "This is what we were meant to do." We were all meant to do something, some thing which our own unique disposition and character makes us attuned to. When you find that thing, and follow that thing, you are acting on what your heart desires. You are abiding your fate. You are doing what you are meant to do. You are following your will.
There are many reasons we fail to find and follow what it is we are meant to do. Sometimes it is other people, or it is our own caprice or greed. Sometimes it is government, sometimes it is family. But many of us will never follow our hearts, will never be able to let our wills be free. And that is what freedom means, to me: the freedom of your will to follow the path it was meant to follow.
For us to be happy and to feel alive, our wills must be free to pursue what it is they were meant to do. When you do follow your will, you'll find that the path you are on presents you with the most gain to do good. The path your will was meant to follow, is the path which makes you most useful to humanity. The path you're meant for is the path which allows you to open the highest number of possibilities for others. And as more possibilities are opened, people are more free to follow their own wills.
So, what form of government allows the most freedom to our wills? Certainly a Constitutionally limited government that values civil liberties. Because if a handful of people come to control too much, and hold too much influence over too many possibilities, then those possibilities are no longer available to others.
This is as much about Wall Street as it is about the Federal Government, consumerism, and sedentary indolence.
written by turtlefeet , July 10, 2017
I guess we could argue the details all night of what constitutes a limited government (and I am sure it would not be the first time for either of us). My only suggestion would be not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Also I think that it’s very easy to sit here with all the existing infrastructure and services already in place like roads, bridges, traffic lights, curbing and guttering, water & power supply, garbage collection, public parks, schools, hospitals etc. etc. AND to have all of it maintained on a regular basis and say “We don’t need government… or their taxes. Period.”
My answer will continue to be to find a balanced solution which considers some of the things the government does get right and how certain interventions could be improved. I agree that many services can be provided more efficiently by the private sector but not all or at least not without being subsidised. It’s interesting when you look at how much some of the public/private partnerships are actually being subsidised, as otherwise they too would be unaffordable. So how are these subsidies to be funded?
While I support “user pays”, I don’t believe it works in all cases. For example, it makes more sense to pay petrol taxes towards public road maintenance than to have a private toll booth on every street corner. Or if people had to pay explicitly for garbage collection, there would be a temptation for some to dump their rubbish illegally.
Do you think collusive oligopolies and price gouging monopolies are ok? If not, then who is supposed to regulate these and other harmful private business practices. Do you think property rights are important? Who do you expect to enforce them? What if there is a disagreement? Who will arbitrate? In fact our whole legal system relies on impartial representation. I cannot see how a private system alone can ensure this.
What about education? Do we agree it’s a good thing for people to be educated (leaving the quality of the education aside for now)? What proportion of the population would pay for school education if they had to? Even the already expensive private school system is partially subsidised by the government.
Increased poverty leads to increased crime leads to increased policing and incarceration which all costs money. Like I said, we could go on all night...
I am not asking for solutions to these questions (although you are welcome to provide any in rebuttal) but simply trying to suggest that free markets do not always provide efficient outcomes. In fact economists have a name for this and call it “market failure”.
written by Brandon Smith , July 10, 2017
@Turtlefeet
America's infrastructure is crumbling, our education system is a joke; the most successful students in testing are usually homeschooled students. The roads can easily be paid for locally when the government is not interfering in local business and land use. Don't confuse corporate and government partnerships with public/private partnerships; corporations are chartered creations of government. Oligopolies and monopolies exist BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT, not because of free markets. We have numerous monopoly structures today that the government subsidizes.
Every argument you presented is old and debunked numerous times by numerous libertarian figures and economists. Name any sector of the economy you want and I will show you how government involvement has ruined it, not improved it.
We have no idea how successful a free market would be, we have not lived under one for over a century. We can only look back in history and see that the free-er markets of the past worked better and prevented exponential tyranny. Any criticisms you might suggest would be purely theoretical and not backed by evidence. All that aside, I would take less infrastructure any day if it meant less tyranny.
written by MiddleAgedHippy , July 11, 2017
Brandon I totally get your point about free markets for most stuff. What most do not get is that if one central bank controls the others of the world, then democracy and law making at a national level are pointless - somewhere is that Mayer Rothschild quote.
However - I have studied Economics to A level in the UK - as I understand it - some gods are public goods not private. They always give the example of lighthouses in textbooks. Their light ensures safety for all, so they have to be funded publicly. Utililty pipes - it would be insane to have five watrer companies sending fresh water to your home, so there has to be only one water company. These goods are known as "natural" monopolies. So the picture isn't as clear as one thinks.
Here in Germany there is a constant debate about toll stations for cars. Now I drive in Switzerland, France and Spain and the best roads are in France and Spain - every so often you get these "Peage" spots. The quality of the French driving experience is much higher than elsewhere I believe, because users pay.. The problem is that Germany is at the heart of Europe - every Pole, Spaniard, Hungarian drives through Germany. I think it only fair if they pay for the upkeep of the Autobahn.
So I believe the argument of what ought to be private and what public isn't so clear cut.
written by turtlefeet , July 11, 2017
All of these cases you mention are examples of inefficient and often corrupt government which are a big problem in (although not unique to) the U.S. which is why I stated in my opening post “How a government does this in a fair and balanced way is a measure of their worth to society. If they do a bad job then it is up to the people to pressure them to change which might include voting them out of office.” The free education and public roads system works just fine in many other countries and their economies are better off because of it.
Regarding government owning or regulating monopolies, this makes absolute sense in the case of "natural monopolies" (economies of scale where one firm can more efficiently supply the market than two) typically in economic infrastructure. And the idea behind these being subsidised and/or regulated is to make them accountable and/or more affordable in the absence of competition. There are also many positive economic externalities that spin-off from cheap supply of reliable public infrastructure. These arguments might seem old to you but make perfectly logical sense and have not been at all sufficiently debunked for me.
You asked for one area of the economy that needs government. I will repeat the one you avoided in your last comment: Property rights and the legal system. Say you have a manufacturing company dumping pollutants in the river upstream from where you live. How do you plan to fix this problem?
written by MiddleAgedHippy , July 11, 2017
Turtle - imho Germany is actually a good example where the rules are there for a reason. We US/UK often complain about them but very often when you look deeper there is almost always a sound rationale for them.
Good example - the Grenfell Tower fire in Britain would never happen in Germany as all social housing is strictly controlled. The deregulation (so called "getting rid of red tape") propaganda during the Thatcher years has led to sink areas where private landlords exploit the poor.
written by turtlefeet , July 11, 2017
@Middle Aged Hippy
Thank you for your support. I missed your first comment above or maybe it appeared while I was typing my response. Germany was one of the example countries I had in mind which gets it for the most part right (imho)... notwithstanding their disastrous immigration policy... but then at least they are the only ones who can avoid the label of hypocrisy when taking in part in the "War on Terra" in the first place no matter how misguided this may be.
written by MiddleAgedHippy , July 11, 2017
turtle - yep good observation. I just had a chat in German with a Bavarian neighbour this morning about Brexit, Trump. I told her Brexit was correct but the US got Trump horribly wrong. he rolled over like a puppy when he got in, to the MIC. He drowned in the swamp. I told her the trend is beyond nation states to regions like Catalonia, Wales 8my homeland), Basque Country and also Bayern. She understood.
A month ago a huge blow up shelter was taken down near my home. The migrants walked past my home a year and I was frightened. None of them btw were Muslim, they were black African males. Overall they were zero problem. I think the Germans managed the crisis extremely well overall, no thanks to Angie btw, far far better than Britain would ever have done by a long shot. They were well clothed, housed, and fed here. We had only one small incident, but none of the bad propaganda you hear on ZH or Daily Mail, even though I read those sites. I gave up on the Guardian UK a long time ago. 300 came, 90 stay in my town.
It a huge relief now. I really love Germany now that the crisis as far as I am concerned, is over.
written by freedom , July 11, 2017
In the relation between the powerful and the weak, it is freedom that enslaves and the law that makes people free. - Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1712-1778
It is a common (typically American?) misconception, that in a "free market" everything will be the best for every1, as long as you let the market have its way.
Exactly the opposite is true. Capitalism and democrary, as Prof. Dr. Streeck analysed, exclude each other. There will never be democrary in a "free" capitalist market - society, and capitalism will never protect the poor or serve all.
written by Brandon Smith , July 11, 2017
@Turtlefeet
I didn't "avoid" the issue, it is not an economic function, it is a legal function of security. If a company is dumping pollutants into a river then they are harming everything down river, including other people's property and perhaps even their health. Protecting the rights of others and their property IS a proper function of government. THAT is the non-aggresssion principle at work. What you don't seem to grasp is the difference between legal functions protecting the rights of others, and economic intrusion limiting the rights of others. There is indeed a difference.
Also, institutions like the EPA are corrupt and very selective in who they punish for such crimes. Even if we apply your example, it fails on every level.
Beyond that, "efficiency" is not the problem. What you are looking for is benevolence. Governments are not capable of such a thing. They will take power wherever you allow them to take it. Give them an inch and they WILL take a mile. Your perfect government does not exist and never will. All that can be done is to reign government into a small box and keep it there.
Again, show me ONE example of an area of the ECONOMY in which government improves the situation rather than destroying everything? You still have yet to do so.
written by Brandon Smith , July 11, 2017
@Freedom
"Capitalism" is a term created by Marxists and does not describe free markets in the slightest. It is a label they use as a pejorative; a demonization of free markets.
Also, "democracy" is the tyranny of the majority, which is why the founders designed America as a REPUBLIC, where individual rights are supposed to be protected regardless of majority opinion.
You have much to learn about what these terms actually mean.
written by Brandon Smith , July 11, 2017
@Hippy
Germany is a socialist hellhole now overrun with Islamists. What you have missed is the trade-off - perhaps you get better building codes, but at the same time, you get forced multiculturalism that is destroying the country and you get to pay for it with extreme taxation.
This is a rather silly trade, don't you think?
written by Gold Trader , July 11, 2017
You are correct in your assessment, Brandon. Turtlefeet reminds me of some of the delusional Europeans I deal with on a daily basis. They've lived under government "protection" for so long they have no concept of independence or free markets. They all think that government is a work in progress and "someday" we'll get to that perfect place where government respects boundaries and plays fair. They need to believe it, because they can't comprehend a system without government interference. An independent world and an independent economy terrifies them.
written by MiddleAgedHippy , July 12, 2017
Brandon, the multitudes we experienced two years ago are not Islamic. I'm speaking from direct eyewitness experience here. I also have direct experience of Saudi Islam and can tell you until the 1990s it was not a problem to be Muslim. The problem started in 1991 following Gulf War I. The opening salvos were by the Bush/Clinton cabal. In 1998 I saw Iraq bombed from Saudi - I saw the Tornadoes bound for Baghdad fly over my roof in Dhahran. They have every right to be angry with us.
Back to Germany. The 300 we had were mostly black skinned males. The German govt forced my town to take them in and built a shelter. They were housed under good security and were near us for a year. I have to say we were all terrified, but those fears were unfounded. Overall it was peaceful, when you consider the number here. The occasional encounter I had was friendly and okay. No forced Islam or anything. Now the crisis is over they've been given better housing and it's really okay.
One snippet I heard yesterday - did you know Austria took in and integrated successfully all refugees from the Yugoslavian war?
The Islam fear porn is just that - to try to potray Germany badly. I'm no leftie pro-Govt type - can't stand Merkel either, but I try to be as honest about what we experienced here. The Germans here did very well over the crisis.
written by Brandon Smith , July 12, 2017
@Hippy
I'm sorry, but your anecdotal stories are meaningless, and your assertion that the problems associated with Islam in Germany are "fear porn" are either based in ignorance or dishonesty. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and calling it ignorance.
"Sharia Police" patrol the streets of Germany with impunity enforcing sharia law (tyrannical theocratic rule) and there are many neighborhoods in Germany in which non-muslim citizens are told "not to visit" and German police stay away from them. These Sharia zones are protected by German courts:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/21/germany-sharia-police-court-ruling
The rate of migrant crime rose by more than 50% in Germany last year alone:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/25/migrant-crime-germany-rises-50-per-cent-new-figures-show/
1 in 7 Germans 32 and younger are Muslim, and 80% of them are on welfare:
http://www.nationaleconomicseditorial.com/2017/02/19/german-economy-immigration/
There is little to no work for the 1 million-plus asylum seekers in Germany and so most of them become a drain on the social welfare apparatus and taxpayers:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-03/germanys-open-door-refugee-problems-12-months-on/7811116
Even Angela Merkel ADMITTED recently that Islamic terrorism is the biggest threat facing Germany, all while she leaves German borders wide open to the massive influx of Islamic migrants.
http://thehill.com/homenews/312309-merkel-islamic-terrorism-is-biggest-test-for-germany
Keep in mind that it was primarily GERMANY'S vast social welfare programs and easy access that lured millions of refugees to Europe in the first place. They all came there looking for handouts, and Germany was enticing them for years.
The facts do not support your anecdotes. This is not "fear porn", this is reality. And 66% of Germans disagree with you that the refugee crisis is not a problem. In fact, most of Germany is against Merkal on the issue and she and the government ignore them completely, because really, what are a bunch of mostly disarmed Germans going to do about it?
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/701859/Refugees-NOT-welcome-as-66-of-Germans-turn-on-Merkel-over-migrants
written by MiddleAgedHippy , July 12, 2017
Brandon - absolutely valid points. My observations are based on the rural areas I'm familiar with. The influx did not wish to stay in the countryside, they wished to move to the cities. Your links are indeed valid. However out of town it is peaceful now.
written by turtlefeet , July 12, 2017
@Delusional
LOL. Not at all. I am actually one of the strongest advocates in my circle for decentralisation and independence and “freer” markets would naturally be a part of this paradigm shift. Do you honestly think I would be even commenting on this website if that were not the case. I am just saying that to think “free markets” ALONE will serve this purpose is perhaps the delusion.
Another example: Tax petrol, cars and other road users and use the taxes to subsidise the provision of public transport systems thus easing traffic congestion, reducing pollution and wear and tear on roads while saving time and money for everyone.
But we are coming to the crux of it, yes government should be "a work in progress" and yes I do believe in "benevolence", notwithstanding it is impossible to please all of the people all of the time or the very real existence of malevolent people. Of course, power can also have a tendency to corrupt but then it is up to the citizenry to keep their governments accountable and truly representative. This is hard work and might be where the real problem lies.
Now Brandon is being more realistic in at least admitting a limited role for governments. He just does not see this role as having ANY economic function. Please correct me if this understanding is incorrect. Personally, I think it is hard to draw the line because once you acknowledge ANY need for government, you must then explain how and who will pay for the services they provide and this will have an economic impact whether we want it to or not.
I actually agree with you both that currently we seem a long way off the ideal as government is becoming far too unlimited in size, power and corruption. But that does not mean we should give up on them completely. There is a lot I also don't agree with but for example I don't really begrudge paying taxes in principle. I do have an objection when those taxes are wasted on burgeoning administrative bureaucracy or worse still paying interest on ever increasing govt debt (especially to foreign lenders but that is not the current point… or is it?). So even if I were to quietly concede to a "free market" system, I will politely add that there will still be a role for limited government and somehow, someone will still have to pay for this service.
written by Brandon Smith , July 12, 2017
@Turtlefeet
Gas taxes and road maintenance are primarily instituted by STATE governments, not federal. Federally constructed highways were pursued as a means to more easily control the US in the event of martial law (Roman roads), and again, infrastructure is still crumbling in the US. When you examine states like Illinois and California, you can see that state governments can grow just as wasteful and indebted as the federal government when left unchecked. The states with the MOST business regulation tend to be the most debt ridden and self destructive - imagine that...
No one said "give up government completely"; I'm not an anarchist. I do say they need to be removed from trade completely. They have no business intruding on other people's business. Government destroys every part of the market it tries to regulate and tax.
I can see where Gold Trader is coming from - it seems like you are searching for a happy medium with government that simply does not and will never exist. There is no happy medium. Either you lock government in a cage (where it should be), or it will naturally run wild and devour everything in its path. There is no in-between. You are searching for a Unicorn.
written by 24/7_michel , July 17, 2017
@brandon:
yes you're absolutley right with "You still have to have a working economy in the meantime."
on that basis all make sense.
i'm sure you know what i said regarding consciousness and there's a BIG diference off it 100 years ago.
the missing sense of lif is now much bigger and so, the hole in the people is also much bigger, so you have to add much bigger "things" (on material basis) where the greed comes from.
but i agree that we have to try and see to what kind of next level a free market will bring us.
@hippy: WTF???
i'm living in that international world central of the dumpest sheeples on earth.
the problem is not a question of security, it's only a part. our führer bitch let millions came in to divide us as always and to eliminate the middle class, cause of the billions of euros that social experiment will cost us.
we've got already the biggest charges on earth, thanks to second and third taxation, which is minimum of 50% to max of 70%.
if you don't know what the plan for germany is, every belief is wrong.
germany is to big for europe and to small for the world!
the picture you want to draw here, is the fucking shit of the dump so called "gutmenschen".
these are that kind of slaves without any kind of spinal, without any own opinion who wants to make everything "right" for everyone.
i'm not feared of my life nor my physical integrity, but to completley get ripped off from these inhuman fascist left traitors.
i mean how stupid and brainwashed can anybody be, to get paid for 30 hours, after you've worked 100 hours?
everyone who is working in germany as an employee is completeley insane!
the sun laughs over spain, over germany the hole world ;-)
germany is in full dying process and the point of no return is already passed!
