the path to freedom does not lie inside the voting booth or the statehouse
I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I am most curious as to where you think the path to freedom does lie.
I am of the opinion that the State only exists because most people want it to exist. If (and this is a big "if") we can persuade enough people, not only that the State is an unnecessary evil, but also that they would be better off without it, we would achieve our goals with no further effort.
How are they making it more difficult for you?
Participation in the "system" preserves the illusion of its legitimacy. This obstructs all who strive to convince others that it is illegitimate.
A big part of why the State exists is because people continue to confer “legitimacy” on it. Another big part of why they exist is they have a lot more guns than you do, and won’t hesitate to use them if you start trying to act like they don’t exist when they still do. People who are getting involved in politics—either electing more freedom-oriented candidates, or trying to repeal the worst of our laws—are trying to fix that second part for you.
I’d like to know what your solution to all the laws we have. The way I see it, there are three courses of action you can take for any given law that interferes with your freedom:—
- Ignore it, hoping you don’t eventually get caught, until the State finally collapses
- Follow it, until the State finally collapses
- Try to repeal it as soon as possible, so you’re a bit more free until the State finally collapses
The first choice is all well and good when the law in question is a minor violation, something that might result in a ticket, a small fine, or a short stint in jail, but I don’t see it as much of a viable choice if the law in question is a more serious one that involves major fines, a felony conviction, decades in jail, placement upon a public registry, &c.. Thus, we’re left with the second and third choice—which do you think is preferable?
For me it’s simple: Someone is going to get elected in the next election, so we ought to try to make sure that person is only a minor threat to freedom and not a major one.
When you play in the mud, all you get is dirty.
Hah, that sounds so similar to the metaphor I’ve used to describe involvement in politics, but with opposite meaning:
If you want to unclog a toilet, sometimes you have to stick your hands in a bowl full of shit.