Gambling Disobedience (Military Veterans + the public?)

[srqrebel]

I'm guessing that if you spent the afternoon sitting around a card table on Railroad Square tossing cash around someone would alert the Crime Syndicate for you

... and that isn't very normal activity is it ... but I still like the idea

It would not be normal activity if it were a stand-alone event.  It seems to me that it would be quite normal for an event called "Freedom Fest".

Doing it at KFF has yet another advantage, closely related to the advantage described in my previous post: Small-stakes gambling is in fact such a natural thing for an event whose purpose is to celebrate and promote freedom, that it does not even have to appear as deliberately attention grabbing, the way a stand-alone act of civ dis would.

Anytime it appears that you are trying to draw attention to yourself, a significant portion of your message is lost on your audience.  Strangers do not care about you.  If the message they hear, is "Look at me, I have the balls to stand up to the law; look at me, I plan to go to jail for my beliefs", the average person will think, "Good. I hope he rots in jail".  People have a strong distaste for attention seekers.

This is a rare opportunity to engage in free choice activity, while maintaining a rock solid position from which to efficiently capitalize on any attack that it precipitates.

[srqrebel]

By the way, I will only participate if it is not advertised in advance as an act of civil disobedience.

[FTL_Ian]

By the way, I will only participate if it is not advertised in advance as an act of civil disobedience.

What if we just advertise that there will be a gambling table?

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Does Michael Fisher post on here? It sounds like something he would have fun being involved in too.

[srqrebel]

By the way, I will only participate if it is not advertised in advance as an act of civil disobedience.

What if we just advertise that there will be a gambling table?

Absolutely!

The rule of thumb is simple: When engaging in civ dis, proceed as if they did not exist. 

I engage in free choice activities (for the most part) exactly the way I would in the Free Market Civilization that I want to effect.  Sound familiar?  How about, "You must be the change you want to see in the world" -Mahatma Gandhi

How would you proceed if this were presently the Free Market Civilization?  Would you advertise that a gambling table is a part of the event?  Of course you would.  That is just a peaceful way of trying to ensure its success.

Would you seek out known opponents to gambling, and notify them directly, to stir up sh-t?  Of course not.  If you did so, your fellow citizens would say you got what you deserved when those people show up to harass you.

But if you peacefully advertise a peaceable activity to the general public, and evil people show up out of the blue to harass you, then you generate more sympathy in your audience.

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt a private message board chat...   

[srqrebel]

Neither private nor interruption

...and yes, Michael Fisher does post on this forum

[FTL_Ian]

Absolutely!

The rule of thumb is simple: When engaging in civ dis, proceed as if they did not exist. 

I engage in free choice activities (for the most part) exactly the way I would in the Free Market Civilization that I want to effect.  Sound familiar?  How about, "You must be the change you want to see in the world" -Mahatma Gandhi

How would you proceed if this were presently the Free Market Civilization?  Would you advertise that a gambling table is a part of the event?  Of course you would.  That is just a peaceful way of trying to ensure its success.

Would you seek out known opponents to gambling, and notify them directly, to stir up sh-t?  Of course not.  If you did so, your fellow citizens would say you got what you deserved when those people show up to harass you.

But if you peacefully advertise a peaceable activity to the general public, and evil people show up out of the blue to harass you, then you generate more sympathy in your audience.

I like this approach.   

[SamIam]

Puke - Forgive me if this was suggested, but I see a problem. Gambling has a bad rap in the eyes of a lot of people. Plus it's fairly common for people to get arrested for running a gambling operation. What if instead of playing poker, blackjack, or whatever, you simply bet heads or tails on the flip of a liberty dollar? Play it up for the cameras and bring some excitement into the game. Technically it's still gambling, but I think most people would see it as harmless.

The headline:
"3 Vets Arrested for Betting on Coin Toss" 

sounds better than:
"3 arrested for illegal blackjack gambling operation"

I think people would see a coin toss bet as harmless and it would serve to draw more support from the mainstream.

SamIam
T - 3-5 Months and counting. . .

[Porcupine_in_MA]

Puke - Forgive me if this was suggested, but I see a problem. Gambling has a bad rap in the eyes of a lot of people. Plus it's fairly common for people to get arrested for running a gambling operation. What if instead of playing poker, blackjack, or whatever, you simply bet heads or tails on the flip of a liberty dollar? Play it up for the cameras and bring some excitement into the game. Technically it's still gambling, but I think most people would see it as harmless.

The headline:
"3 Vets Arrested for Betting on Coin Toss" 

sounds better than:
"3 arrested for illegal blackjack gambling operation"

I think people would see a coin toss bet as harmless and it would serve to draw more support from the mainstream.

SamIam
T - 3-5 Months and counting. . .

I think part of the issue that a lot of folk have a problem with gambling is one of the things that make it important that it be something like Blackjack or Poker. Especially in front of the bureaucracy's headquarters..its very in your face that way and gets the most attention to the issue.

[Puke]

Poker is instantly recognizable as gambling. To try and decrease the stigma I think using very low dollar amounts should do it. It's the loss of money that most people hate, I think.
At the same time some people would never think gambling should be allowed, Jesus and all that bible stuff.

[J’raxis 270145]

Anytime it appears that you are trying to draw attention to yourself, a significant portion of your message is lost on your audience.  Strangers do not care about you.  If the message they hear, is "Look at me, I have the balls to stand up to the law; look at me, I plan to go to jail for my beliefs", the average person will think, "Good. I hope he rots in jail".  People have a strong distaste for attention seekers.

This is a rare opportunity to engage in free choice activity, while maintaining a rock solid position from which to efficiently capitalize on any attack that it precipitates.

This.

Have you talk to Dave Ridley about this in regards to his planned civdis against the new "payday loans" regulation?

[Russell Kanning]

By the way, I will only participate if it is not advertised in advance as an act of civil disobedience.

wow ... that seems complicated .... what if word leaks out ... like on tv shows and our newspaper?

[Russell Kanning]

Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt a private message board chat...   

ha ha

[Kat Kanning]

When is Freedom Fest?  Tell me now if you want to advertise gambling table there.  I haven't sent off the March paper yet.