Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Is slavery on private property ok?

Does the 2nd Amendment apply on private property? On government property?

Let's consider some analogies.

Is slavery on private property ok? On governemnt property? Why not?
Is murder or rape on private property ok? On government property? Why not?
(Hint: It's not some piece of paper.)

Unalienable rights.
The Constitution even acknowledges some of them.
The Declaration has those rights as casus belli for government nullifying itself, leaving citizens to re-institute government that will protect these rights.

Unalienable rights apply throughout the land, or they are just conditional privileges.

The founders asserted that the rights exist, everywhere.
Governments and/or individuals who do not acknowledge that everyone has those rights, are repugnant to the Constitution, and natural law.

So - Slave? Or American?
“It is a proposition too plain to be contested, that the constitution controls any legislative act repugnant to it; or, that the legislature may alter the constitution by an ordinary act.”


"All laws which are repugnant to the Constitution are Null and Void."
--Cheif Justice John Marshall, Marbury vs. Madison
-- 5 US (2 Cranch) 137, 174, 176 (1803)
What was that? "Null and Void".
That's almost as strong as "shall not be infringed".


A government that violates the document that institutes it, makes itself repugnant to that document.
Such a government makes itself Null and Void.
John Marshall. Smart Man.


***


Property rights do not trump slavery. And as a free man has a right to life, he has a right to protect himself, his neighbors, and his community against tyrants, thugs, and bullies.


Being defenseless, makes one a slave to every petty tyrant. Which is how petty tyrants like it.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

TANSTAAFL

Robert Anson Heinlein was born 7 July 1907.  Happy Birthday!
"Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded — here and there, now and then — are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed by all right-thinking people. Whenever this tiny minority is kept from creating, or (as sometimes happens) is driven out of a society, the people then slip back into abject poverty.
This is known as "bad luck."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch."  (TANSTAAFL)
-- Often misattributed to Robert A. Heinlein or Milton Friedman, but the phrase was common in the1930s. Heinlein's contribution was to make the acronym for it, and record it for history

"There comes a time in the life of every human when he or she must decide to risk "his life, his fortune, and his sacred honor" on an outcome dubious. Those who fail the challenge are merely overgrown children, can never be anything else."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Stranger in a Strange Land', 1961

"It may be better to be a live jackal than a dead lion, but it is better still to be a live lion. And usually easier."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973


Everything in excess! To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks.
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973


"Always store beer in a dark place."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973


"If the universe has any purpose more important than topping a woman you love and making a baby with her hearty help, I've never heard of it."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973


"Do not handicap your children by making their lives easy."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973


"A generation which ignores history has no past — and no future."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973


"When a place gets crowded enough to require ID's, social collapse is not far away. It is time to go elsewhere."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973


"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-- Robert A. Heinlein, 'Time Enough for Love', 1973

I read every Heinlein book several times while deployed aboard a Destroyer.
Still have three items on my Heinlein To-Do list.
... Two should be done within a year.
... The third, I'll put off as long as possible.