Freedom and Aquinas

Peter Kreeft : The Meaning of Freedom in Aquinas ; August 2019 ( video ) This will be a bit disjointed ; just trying to capture thoughts that resonated with me .
Some of my thoughts are mixed in here .
I suggest if something doesn ’ t sound quite right , it is likely my thought and not Kreeft ’ s .
Paraphrasing / summarizing Aquinas : The reason a thing is good is not simply because God wills it ; rather , God wills it because it is good .
In other words , the will of God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasonability of the good is also an absolute .
An excellent argument for free will , from Aquinas ( but also what C.S .
Lewis uses in Mere Christianity ) : If there is no such thing as free will , then all moral language – all praising , blaming , rewarding , punishing , counseling , commanding , and the very concept of justice , are meaningless .
Bush Furniture Cabot L ... Buy New $ 320.00 Aquinas would quote Augustine more than he did Aristotle .
Two types of freedom : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself to make a choice between alternatives , and two , the freedom from everything that takes away from all your freedom – basically , the freedom from addiction .
And the master addiction is to sin .
The whole point of free will is to gain something positive – happiness , joy , flourishing ( beatitudo ) .
In today ’ s world , we find many errors regarding freedom , and Aquinas offers many arguments to refute these .
One error is determinism .
If you don ’ t believe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with determinism .
Another error is a higher determinism : fate , necessity – history follows that line .
Then a view that has done enormous harm : voluntarism : the will doesn ’ t have to listen to the intellect , that authority doesn ’ t have to listen to reason .
This started with William of Ockham and continued with Luther .
Another error is its politicization .
You get this in every tyranny and in totalitarianism .
Another error is the opposite of this error : pure individualism ; I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one else .
Finally , a romanticism : feelings are the most powerful thing in us – ignoring reason and the will .
What would Aquinas say if he lived today about what we get wrong about freedom ?
Our culture ’ s attitude is paradoxical and ironic .
On the one hand , we value freedom enormously – perhaps more than any society in history .
But most of us feel that we have less freedom than we had before .
How is it that we value something more but have less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do not understand the meaning of the word freedom .
We also have this paradox regarding power : we have far more power over nature than we ever did before , yet most of us feel impotent in the face of this – as our technology becomes more important , we become smaller .
Freedom has become an idol , an addiction .
Maybe we are all Gollum , and freedom has become our one ring .
His was a ring of power .
But freedom is also power – power to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Best Price : $ 17.99 Buy New $ 31.91 We all repeat : all power tends to corrupt , and absolute power corrupts absolutely .
Why don ’ t we say the same about freedom ?
All freedom tends to corrupt , and absolute freedom corrupts absolutely .
So , how to sort out this confusion ?
We are confused in perhaps four ways about freedom .
The first is the distinction between the church and the state as visible public institutions , thus the distinction between religious freedom and political freedom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ private and public sectors of life , thus the distinction between private and public freedom .
These two have been mashed together , causing confusion .
Separating church from state ( ineffective as it is , given the co-option of many religious institutions ) – in other words , affording religious liberty to each individual – has grown into keeping the private religious voices out of the public political square .
It is illegal to pray in public schools , but not illegal to blaspheme anywhere ; it ’ s illegal to display @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but don ’ t tell the Supreme Court this ) ; quoting St. Paul about homosexuality got an Australian rugby player banned for life .
Believing some things in the Bible are now hate speech .
Third is the distinction between persons and ideas .
This is the confusion driving the first two above .
“ Do not judge ideas ” is an idea ; “ do not judge moral ideas ” is a moral idea ; “ do not make universal claims ” is a universal claim .
“ There are no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moral relativism is today focused primarily on the sexual revolution .
But there is no reason it stays limited to this .
It will spread .
Finally , the distinctions between three different kinds or meanings of the word freedom : first , positive freedom – freedom for rather than freedom from ; teleological freedom : beatitudo , fulfillment .
This is what Augustine calls liberty – the freedom to attain your end .
Second , free will or free choice – freedom from determinism .
The third is political freedom ; freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is about the relation between freedom and truth .
Modernity demands freedom from religious and moral truth , rather than freedom for it .
It is no longer the truth that will make you free ; it is freedom that will make your truth .
Office Chair Ergonomic ... Best Price : $ 50.58 Buy New $ 39.99 All but the materialists ( of which there are many ) believe in some version of free will or free choice ; most believe in political freedom – at least as long as their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in teleological freedom – the freedom to become what we are designed to be according to natural law ; in other words , we have each claimed the right to be God .
We each claim to be a god – this is our freedom .
As we are now each god , every game is open to us – including communism , transgenderism , fascism , etc .
In other words , every game that has been opened since the Renaissance hinted at – and the Enlightenment fulfilled – the removing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permeates the world .
This is why democracy is the god that failed .
The will of the people is higher than the natural law .
Tyranny and democracy are not mutually exclusive .
How long can this last ?
Kreeft says not long : insanity is not favored by natural selection .
He then begins a Q & A at about the 48-minute mark .
To just touch on a couple of points : Are we purposely cultivating ignorance ?
Yes , of course – take , for example , sex education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is for people , to make babies .
But we teach that babies are accidents .
It ’ s become almost illegal to invoke the natural law .
Natural law has lower standing than Naziism in the classroom – Gramsci was right , the battle will be won in the classroom .
Kreeft isn ’ t a fan of blogs : “ people use blogs to bloviate.
” I have no comment .
The last question and answer is way too Christian – not for me , but for this bloviating blog !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only two minutes of your time , here .
The Best of Bionic Mosquito

Peter Kreeft: The Meaning of Freedom in Aquinas; August 2019 (video)
This will be a bit disjointed; just trying to capture thoughts that resonated with me. Some of my thoughts are mixed in here. I suggest if something doesn’t sound quite right, it is likely my thought and not Kreeft’s.
Paraphrasing / summarizing Aquinas: The reason a thing is good is not simply because God wills it; rather, God wills it because it is good. In other words, the will of God is an absolute, and the intrinsic reasonability of the good is also an absolute.
An excellent argument for free will, from Aquinas (but also what C.S. Lewis uses in Mere Christianity): If there is no such thing as free will, then all moral language – all praising, blaming, rewarding, punishing, counseling, commanding, and the very concept of justice, are meaningless. Bush Furniture Cabot L... Buy New $320.00 (as of 05:12 UTC - Details)
Aquinas would quote Augustine more than he did Aristotle. Two types of freedom: one, the liberty to arbitrate within yourself to make a choice between alternatives, and two, the freedom from everything that takes away from all your freedom – basically, the freedom from addiction. And the master addiction is to sin.
The whole point of free will is to gain something positive – happiness, joy, flourishing (beatitudo). In today’s world, we find many errors regarding freedom, and Aquinas offers many arguments to refute these. One error is determinism. If you don’t believe in free will, then you are left with determinism.
Another error is a higher determinism: fate, necessity – history follows that line. Then a view that has done enormous harm: voluntarism: the will doesn’t have to listen to the intellect, that authority doesn’t have to listen to reason. This started with William of Ockham and continued with Luther.
Another error is its politicization. You get this in every tyranny and in totalitarianism. Another error is the opposite of this error: pure individualism; I am responsible only to myself and no one else. Finally, a romanticism: feelings are the most powerful thing in us – ignoring reason and the will.
What would Aquinas say if he lived today about what we get wrong about freedom? Our culture’s attitude is paradoxical and ironic. On the one hand, we value freedom enormously – perhaps more than any society in history. But most of us feel that we have less freedom than we had before. How is it that we value something more but have less of it? Perhaps it is because we do not understand the meaning of the word freedom.
We also have this paradox regarding power: we have far more power over nature than we ever did before, yet most of us feel impotent in the face of this – as our technology becomes more important, we become smaller.
Freedom has become an idol, an addiction. Maybe we are all Gollum, and freedom has become our one ring. His was a ring of power. But freedom is also power – power to act. OFM ESS Collection Cha... Best Price: $17.99 Buy New $31.91 (as of 05:12 UTC - Details)
We all repeat: all power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Why don’t we say the same about freedom? All freedom tends to corrupt, and absolute freedom corrupts absolutely.
So, how to sort out this confusion? We are confused in perhaps four ways about freedom. The first is the distinction between the church and the state as visible public institutions, thus the distinction between religious freedom and political freedom. The second is the distinction between the private and public sectors of life, thus the distinction between private and public freedom.
These two have been mashed together, causing confusion. Separating church from state (ineffective as it is, given the co-option of many religious institutions) – in other words, affording religious liberty to each individual – has grown into keeping the private religious voices out of the public political square. It is illegal to pray in public schools, but not illegal to blaspheme anywhere; it’s illegal to display the ten commandments on public buildings (but don’t tell the Supreme Court this); quoting St. Paul about homosexuality got an Australian rugby player banned for life. Believing some things in the Bible are now hate speech.
Third is the distinction between persons and ideas. This is the confusion driving the first two above. “Do not judge ideas” is an idea; “do not judge moral ideas” is a moral idea; “do not make universal claims” is a universal claim. “There are no meta-narratives” is a meta-narrative. This moral relativism is today focused primarily on the sexual revolution. But there is no reason it stays limited to this. It will spread.
Finally, the distinctions between three different kinds or meanings of the word freedom: first, positive freedom – freedom for rather than freedom from; teleological freedom: beatitudo, fulfillment. This is what Augustine calls liberty – the freedom to attain your end. Second, free will or free choice – freedom from determinism. The third is political freedom; freedom from tyranny or oppression or slavery.
This is about the relation between freedom and truth. Modernity demands freedom from religious and moral truth, rather than freedom for it. It is no longer the truth that will make you free; it is freedom that will make your truth.
Office Chair Ergonomic... Best Price: $50.58 Buy New $39.99 (as of 05:12 UTC - Details) All but the materialists (of which there are many) believe in some version of free will or free choice; most believe in political freedom – at least as long as their side wins. Almost no one believes in teleological freedom – the freedom to become what we are designed to be according to natural law; in other words, we have each claimed the right to be God. We each claim to be a god – this is our freedom.
As we are now each god, every game is open to us – including communism, transgenderism, fascism, etc. In other words, every game that has been opened since the Renaissance hinted at – and the Enlightenment fulfilled – the removing of the immanent God, the God who permeates the world. This is why democracy is the god that failed. The will of the people is higher than the natural law. Tyranny and democracy are not mutually exclusive.
How long can this last? Kreeft says not long: insanity is not favored by natural selection.
He then begins a Q&A at about the 48-minute mark. To just touch on a couple of points:
Are we purposely cultivating ignorance? Yes, of course – take, for example, sex education. What is sex for? It is for people, to make babies. But we teach that babies are accidents. It’s become almost illegal to invoke the natural law. Natural law has lower standing than Naziism in the classroom – Gramsci was right, the battle will be won in the classroom.
Conclusion
Kreeft isn’t a fan of blogs: “people use blogs to bloviate.” I have no comment.
Epilogue
The last question and answer is way too Christian – not for me, but for this bloviating blog! For those interested, it will take only two minutes of your time, here.
Reprinted with permission from Bionic Mosquito.
The Best of Bionic Mosquito


lewrockwell--2020-10-21--Don’t Vote for a Psychopath: Tyranny at the Hands of a Psychopathic Government

Twenty years ago , a newspaper headline asked the question : “ What ’ s the difference between a politician and a psychopath ?
” The answer , then and now , remains the same : None .
There is no difference between psychopaths and politicians .
Greenco 5 Tier Wall Mo ... Best Price : $ 16.49 Buy New $ 21.99 Nor is there much of a difference between the havoc wreaked on innocent lives by uncaring , unfeeling , selfish , irresponsible , parasitic criminals and elected officials who lie to their constituents , trade political favors for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the wishes of the electorate , cheat taxpayers out of hard-earned dollars , favor the corporate elite , entrench the military industrial complex , and spare little thought for the impact their thoughtless actions and hastily passed legislation might have on defenseless citizens .
Psychopaths and politicians both have a tendency to be selfish , callous , remorseless users of others , irresponsible , pathological liars , glib , con artists , lacking in remorse and shallow .
Charismatic politicians , like criminal psychopaths , exhibit a failure to accept responsibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of self-worth , are chronically unstable , have socially deviant lifestyles , need constant stimulation , have parasitic lifestyles and possess unrealistic goals .
It doesn ’ t matter whether you ’ re talking about Democrats or Republicans .
Political psychopaths are all largely cut from the same pathological cloth , brimming with seemingly easy charm and boasting calculating minds .
Such leaders eventually create pathocracies : totalitarian societies bent on power , control , and destruction of both freedom in general and those who exercise their freedoms .
Once psychopaths gain power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of totalitarian government or a pathocracy .
“ At that point , the government operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups , ” author James G. Long notes .
“ We are currently witnessing deliberate polarizations of American citizens , illegal actions , and massive and needless acquisition of debt .
This is typical of psychopathic systems , and very similar things happened in the Soviet Union as it overextended and collapsed.
” In other words , electing a psychopath to public office is tantamount to national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , self-destruction and suicide .
It signals the demise of democratic government and lays the groundwork for a totalitarian regime that is legalistic , militaristic , inflexible , intolerant and inhuman .
Danya B Small Iron Scu ... Best Price : $ 34.15 Buy New $ 35.95 Incredibly , despite clear evidence of the damage that has already been inflicted on our nation and its citizens by a psychopathic government , voters continue to elect psychopaths to positions of power and influence .
Indeed , a study from Southern Methodist University found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the seat of power for our so-called representatives—ranks highest on the list of regions that are populated by psychopaths .
According to investigative journalist Zack Beauchamp , “ In 2012 , a group of psychologists evaluated every President from Washington to Bush II using ‘ psychopathy trait estimates derived from personality data completed by historical experts on each president.
’ They found that presidents tended to have the psychopath ’ s characteristic fearlessness and low anxiety levels — traits that appear to help Presidents , but also might cause them to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lives.
” The willingness to prioritize power above all else , including the welfare of their fellow human beings , ruthlessness , callousness and an utter lack of conscience are among the defining traits of the sociopath .
When our own government no longer sees us as human beings with dignity and worth but as things to be manipulated , maneuvered , mined for data , manhandled by police , conned into believing it has our best interests at heart , mistreated , jailed if we dare step out of line , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while refusing to own up to its failings—we are no longer operating under a constitutional republic .
Instead , what we are experiencing is a pathocracy : tyranny at the hands of a psychopathic government , which “ operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups.
” Worse , psychopathology is not confined to those in high positions of government .
It can spread like a virus among the populace .
As an academic study into pathocracy concluded , “ [ T ] yranny does not flourish because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions .
It flourishes because they actively identify with those who promote vicious acts as virtuous.
” SHARPER IMAGE Light Up ... Best Price : $ 22.79 Buy New $ 23.99 People don ’ t simply line up and salute .
It is through one ’ s own personal identification with a given leader , party or social order that they become agents of good or evil .
Much depends on how leaders “ cultivate a sense of identification with their followers , ” says Professor Alex Haslam .
“ I mean one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about ‘ we ’ rather than ‘ I , ’ and actually what leadership is about is cultivating this sense of shared identity about ‘ we-ness ’ and then getting people to want to act in terms of that ‘ we-ness , ’ to promote our collective interests .
.
.
.
[ We ] is the single word that has increased in the inaugural addresses over the last century .
.
.
and the other one is ‘ America.
’ ” The goal of the modern corporate state is obvious : to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of shared identification among its citizens .
To this end , “ we the people ” have become “ we the police state.
” We are fast becoming slaves in thrall to a faceless , nameless , bureaucratic totalitarian government machine that relentlessly erodes our freedoms through countless laws , statutes , and prohibitions .
Any resistance to such regimes depends on the strength of opinions in the minds of those who choose to fight back .
What this means is that we the citizenry must be very careful that we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an oppressive regime .
Writing for ThinkProgress , Beauchamp suggests that “ one of the best cures to bad leaders may very well be political democracy.
” But what does this really mean in practical terms ?
It means holding politicians accountable for their actions and the actions of their staff using every available means at our disposal : through investigative journalism ( what used to be referred to as the Fourth Estate ) that enlightens and informs , through whistleblower complaints that expose corruption , through lawsuits that challenge misconduct , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remind the powers-that-be that “ we the people ” are the ones that call the shots .
Lamicall Cell Phone St ... Best Price : $ 6.66 Buy New $ 8.49 Remember , education precedes action .
Citizens need to the do the hard work of educating themselves about what the government is doing and how to hold it accountable .
Don ’ t allow yourselves to exist exclusively in an echo chamber that is restricted to views with which you agree .
Expose yourself to multiple media sources , independent and mainstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that matter , no matter what your political leanings might be , don ’ t allow your partisan bias to trump the principles that serve as the basis for our constitutional republic .
As Beauchamp notes , “ A system that actually holds people accountable to the broader conscience of society may be one of the best ways to keep conscienceless people in check.
” That said , if we allow the ballot box to become our only means of pushing back against the police state , the battle is already lost .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be active at the local level .
Yet as I point out in my book Battlefield America : The War on the American People , if you wait to act until the SWAT team is crashing through your door , until your name is placed on a terror watch list , until you are reported for such outlawed activities as collecting rainwater or letting your children play outside unsupervised , then it will be too late .
This much I know : we are not faceless numbers .
We are not cogs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are human beings , and for the moment , we have the opportunity to remain free—that is , if we tirelessly advocate for our rights and resist at every turn attempts by the government to place us in chains .
The Founders understood that our freedoms do not flow from the government .
They were not given to us only to be taken away by the will of the State .
They are inherently ours .
In the same way , the government ’ s appointed purpose is not to threaten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safeguard them .
Until we can get back to this way of thinking , until we can remind our fellow Americans what it really means to be free , and until we can stand firm in the face of threats to our freedoms , we will continue to be treated like slaves in thrall to a bureaucratic police state run by political psychopaths .
The Best of John W. Whitehead

“Politicians are more likely than people in the general population to be sociopaths. I think you would find no expert in the field of sociopathy/psychopathy/antisocial personality disorder who would dispute this… That a small minority of human beings literally have no conscience was and is a bitter pill for our society to swallow — but it does explain a great many things, shamelessly deceitful political behavior being one.”—Dr. Martha Stout, clinical psychologist and former instructor at Harvard Medical School
Twenty years ago, a newspaper headline asked the question: “What’s the difference between a politician and a psychopath?”
The answer, then and now, remains the same: None.
There is no difference between psychopaths and politicians.
Greenco 5 Tier Wall Mo... Best Price: $16.49 Buy New $21.99 (as of 05:14 UTC - Details) Nor is there much of a difference between the havoc wreaked on innocent lives by uncaring, unfeeling, selfish, irresponsible, parasitic criminals and elected officials who lie to their constituents, trade political favors for campaign contributions, turn a blind eye to the wishes of the electorate, cheat taxpayers out of hard-earned dollars, favor the corporate elite, entrench the military industrial complex, and spare little thought for the impact their thoughtless actions and hastily passed legislation might have on defenseless citizens.
Psychopaths and politicians both have a tendency to be selfish, callous, remorseless users of others, irresponsible, pathological liars, glib, con artists, lacking in remorse and shallow.
Charismatic politicians, like criminal psychopaths, exhibit a failure to accept responsibility for their actions, have a high sense of self-worth, are chronically unstable, have socially deviant lifestyles, need constant stimulation, have parasitic lifestyles and possess unrealistic goals.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about Democrats or Republicans.
Political psychopaths are all largely cut from the same pathological cloth, brimming with seemingly easy charm and boasting calculating minds. Such leaders eventually create pathocracies: totalitarian societies bent on power, control, and destruction of both freedom in general and those who exercise their freedoms.
Once psychopaths gain power, the result is usually some form of totalitarian government or a pathocracy. “At that point, the government operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups,” author James G. Long notes. “We are currently witnessing deliberate polarizations of American citizens, illegal actions, and massive and needless acquisition of debt. This is typical of psychopathic systems, and very similar things happened in the Soviet Union as it overextended and collapsed.”
In other words, electing a psychopath to public office is tantamount to national hara-kiri, the ritualized act of self-annihilation, self-destruction and suicide. It signals the demise of democratic government and lays the groundwork for a totalitarian regime that is legalistic, militaristic, inflexible, intolerant and inhuman. Danya B Small Iron Scu... Best Price: $34.15 Buy New $35.95 (as of 05:14 UTC - Details)
Incredibly, despite clear evidence of the damage that has already been inflicted on our nation and its citizens by a psychopathic government, voters continue to elect psychopaths to positions of power and influence.
Indeed, a study from Southern Methodist University found that Washington, DC—our nation’s capital and the seat of power for our so-called representatives—ranks highest on the list of regions that are populated by psychopaths.
According to investigative journalist Zack Beauchamp, “In 2012, a group of psychologists evaluated every President from Washington to Bush II using ‘psychopathy trait estimates derived from personality data completed by historical experts on each president.’ They found that presidents tended to have the psychopath’s characteristic fearlessness and low anxiety levels — traits that appear to help Presidents, but also might cause them to make reckless decisions that hurt other people’s lives.”
The willingness to prioritize power above all else, including the welfare of their fellow human beings, ruthlessness, callousness and an utter lack of conscience are among the defining traits of the sociopath.
When our own government no longer sees us as human beings with dignity and worth but as things to be manipulated, maneuvered, mined for data, manhandled by police, conned into believing it has our best interests at heart, mistreated, jailed if we dare step out of line, and then punished unjustly without remorse—all the while refusing to own up to its failings—we are no longer operating under a constitutional republic.
Instead, what we are experiencing is a pathocracy: tyranny at the hands of a psychopathic government, which “operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups.”
Worse, psychopathology is not confined to those in high positions of government. It can spread like a virus among the populace. As an academic study into pathocracy concluded, “[T]yranny does not flourish because perpetuators are helpless and ignorant of their actions. It flourishes because they actively identify with those who promote vicious acts as virtuous.” SHARPER IMAGE Light Up... Best Price: $22.79 Buy New $23.99 (as of 05:14 UTC - Details)
People don’t simply line up and salute. It is through one’s own personal identification with a given leader, party or social order that they become agents of good or evil.
Much depends on how leaders “cultivate a sense of identification with their followers,” says Professor Alex Haslam. “I mean one pretty obvious thing is that leaders talk about ‘we’ rather than ‘I,’ and actually what leadership is about is cultivating this sense of shared identity about ‘we-ness’ and then getting people to want to act in terms of that ‘we-ness,’ to promote our collective interests. . . . [We] is the single word that has increased in the inaugural addresses over the last century . . . and the other one is ‘America.’”
The goal of the modern corporate state is obvious: to promote, cultivate, and embed a sense of shared identification among its citizens. To this end, “we the people” have become “we the police state.”
We are fast becoming slaves in thrall to a faceless, nameless, bureaucratic totalitarian government machine that relentlessly erodes our freedoms through countless laws, statutes, and prohibitions.
Any resistance to such regimes depends on the strength of opinions in the minds of those who choose to fight back. What this means is that we the citizenry must be very careful that we are not manipulated into marching in lockstep with an oppressive regime.
Writing for ThinkProgress, Beauchamp suggests that “one of the best cures to bad leaders may very well be political democracy.”
But what does this really mean in practical terms?
It means holding politicians accountable for their actions and the actions of their staff using every available means at our disposal: through investigative journalism (what used to be referred to as the Fourth Estate) that enlightens and informs, through whistleblower complaints that expose corruption, through lawsuits that challenge misconduct, and through protests and mass political action that remind the powers-that-be that “we the people” are the ones that call the shots. Lamicall Cell Phone St... Best Price: $6.66 Buy New $8.49 (as of 05:14 UTC - Details)
Remember, education precedes action. Citizens need to the do the hard work of educating themselves about what the government is doing and how to hold it accountable. Don’t allow yourselves to exist exclusively in an echo chamber that is restricted to views with which you agree. Expose yourself to multiple media sources, independent and mainstream, and think for yourself.
For that matter, no matter what your political leanings might be, don’t allow your partisan bias to trump the principles that serve as the basis for our constitutional republic. As Beauchamp notes, “A system that actually holds people accountable to the broader conscience of society may be one of the best ways to keep conscienceless people in check.”
That said, if we allow the ballot box to become our only means of pushing back against the police state, the battle is already lost.
Resistance will require a citizenry willing to be active at the local level.
Yet as I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People, if you wait to act until the SWAT team is crashing through your door, until your name is placed on a terror watch list, until you are reported for such outlawed activities as collecting rainwater or letting your children play outside unsupervised, then it will be too late.
This much I know: we are not faceless numbers.
We are not cogs in the machine.
We are not slaves.
We are human beings, and for the moment, we have the opportunity to remain free—that is, if we tirelessly advocate for our rights and resist at every turn attempts by the government to place us in chains.
The Founders understood that our freedoms do not flow from the government. They were not given to us only to be taken away by the will of the State. They are inherently ours. In the same way, the government’s appointed purpose is not to threaten or undermine our freedoms, but to safeguard them.
Until we can get back to this way of thinking, until we can remind our fellow Americans what it really means to be free, and until we can stand firm in the face of threats to our freedoms, we will continue to be treated like slaves in thrall to a bureaucratic police state run by political psychopaths.
The Best of John W. Whitehead


The American Awakening

When Finnish nationalists get together every year to socialize and organize , they call their event The Awakening .
It is a great term for them to use as it has multiple meanings in this context .
One is the obvious awakening among Finns of their long dormant nation pride and identity .
The other is the growing awareness of what globalism and multiculturalism means to them as a people .
It can also mean the growing awareness of liberal democracy and what it is doing to the people .
The image of a man waking up or snapping out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to use for all Western people , especially Americans .
In the provinces of the Empire , there has always been a bit of skepticism about America , so they never fully succumbed to the narcotic effects of the American empire .
In the heart of the empire , the combination of American mythology , civic nationalism and patriotic nostalgia have kept most Americans in a narcotic fog , unable to fully grasp what is happening to them .
There ’ s also a very American aspect to this concept .
The Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that dates to the founding .
A mostly northern phenomenon , these periodic spasms of moral and civic reform have defined our politics .
The ruling class may have abandoned Christianity generations ago , but the people are still controlled by those same biorhythms .
Therefore , Americans are still prone to periods of excessive moralizing about the fallen state of society .
Mises on Money Gary North Best Price : $ 7.90 Buy New $ 9.00 Amusingly , the current ruling class has bastardized the term to use it in their current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people waging jihad against white people claim to be suddenly aware of white supremacy , white privilege and male privilege .
In reality , they just gobbled down the latest batch of hallucinogenics issued from the global human resource departments .
The full expression of false consciousness is middle-aged childless women claiming to be woke on the patriarchy .
As an aside , it is rather symbolic that the ruling class would embrace the concept of an awakening to decorate their latest enforcement efforts .
It is the hallmark of the global ruling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroy them in an effort to squeeze a few dollars from them .
It is appropriate for a parasitic class of rapacious vermin to try to monetize and politicize the awakening concept as they try to prevent people from waking up to the reality of that parasitic class .
All that aside , there is an awakening going on outside the big stages and production houses of America popular culture .
No one in corporate media is allowed to mention it and most are happy to comply with that edict , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the near future , possibly the election .
Like most social change , it is happening slowly in many little ways , so it is not obvious .
Even for people on the edge of the awakening , the changes can be frustratingly subtle , but it is happening .
THE WOKE SUPREMACY : An ... Sayet , Evan Buy New $ 9.99 People are waking up to the reality of race in American politics and culture .
You see that with the collapse in sports viewership .
Before the Left unleashed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their sports .
Then it went away and then it came back decorated with the latest political slogans .
Suddenly , what it was , what it always was , was clear to many people and they have abandoned it .
It ’ s not just the politics in the games , but the politics around all of us .
Another area where people are becoming more aware of the reality behind the illusion is in the mass media .
The “ fake news ” stuff is a nice partisan chant , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been clinging to the belief that the media going woke would cause them to go broke .
The Biden corruption story is waking many up to the reality of our mass media .
It ’ s not a business at all , but one of the many tentacles of the ruling class , used to keep certain people in power .
The thing that the people behind this story probably don ’ t get is how this puzzle piece suddenly brings into focus a picture that was not all that clear for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story is Russian propaganda is like a bucket of ice water on the heads of many people .
The outlandish dishonesty at work here can not be explained as mere partisanship .
The whole Biden story , his dementia and now his corruption , is a stunning eye opener for many Americans .
Beyond Woke Michael Rectenwald Buy New $ 19.99 Again , it is easy for even the most cynical to miss it .
“ Oh , normie will go right back to his sports ball ” was what we heard months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not happen and now seems unlikely to happen .
The spell has been broken .
The same is happening with mass media .
The center of gravity for normal people moved from the assumption of bias to an assumption that what is in the news is a lie .
There is a palpable breakdown in trust between the people and the ruling class .
This Hunter Biden story may be another inflection point .
Many people are looking at this and wondering just how deep the corruption goes .
After all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months and never followed up on it .
In fact , they appear to have been actively concealing it from Congress .
Were they planning to blackmail Biden with it if he won the election ?
When people can plausibly start to wonder such things , they have lost all confidence and trust in their ruling class .
Like most things , cultural awakenings are not neat and tidy .
The pedantic can not appreciate that these things happen in fits and starts .
Often the real action is happening in private conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event brings those private conversations into the public , but it was a series of minor little things that nudged people along in the private deliberations .
In the fullness of time , 2020 may be known as the year of the American Awakening .
This originally appeared on The Z-Man Blog .

When Finnish nationalists get together every year to socialize and organize, they call their event The Awakening. It is a great term for them to use as it has multiple meanings in this context. One is the obvious awakening among Finns of their long dormant nation pride and identity. The other is the growing awareness of what globalism and multiculturalism means to them as a people. It can also mean the growing awareness of liberal democracy and what it is doing to the people.
The image of a man waking up or snapping out of a daze is a good one to use for all Western people, especially Americans. In the provinces of the Empire, there has always been a bit of skepticism about America, so they never fully succumbed to the narcotic effects of the American empire. In the heart of the empire, the combination of American mythology, civic nationalism and patriotic nostalgia have kept most Americans in a narcotic fog, unable to fully grasp what is happening to them.
There’s also a very American aspect to this concept. The Great Awakening is a cycle in American culture that dates to the founding. A mostly northern phenomenon, these periodic spasms of moral and civic reform have defined our politics. The ruling class may have abandoned Christianity generations ago, but the people are still controlled by those same biorhythms. Therefore, Americans are still prone to periods of excessive moralizing about the fallen state of society. Mises on Money Gary North Best Price: $7.90 Buy New $9.00 (as of 05:45 UTC - Details)
Amusingly, the current ruling class has bastardized the term to use it in their current anti-white pogroms. The “woke” people waging jihad against white people claim to be suddenly aware of white supremacy, white privilege and male privilege. In reality, they just gobbled down the latest batch of hallucinogenics issued from the global human resource departments. The full expression of false consciousness is middle-aged childless women claiming to be woke on the patriarchy.
As an aside, it is rather symbolic that the ruling class would embrace the concept of an awakening to decorate their latest enforcement efforts. It is the hallmark of the global ruling class to take naturally occurring phenomenon and destroy them in an effort to squeeze a few dollars from them. It is appropriate for a parasitic class of rapacious vermin to try to monetize and politicize the awakening concept as they try to prevent people from waking up to the reality of that parasitic class.
All that aside, there is an awakening going on outside the big stages and production houses of America popular culture. No one in corporate media is allowed to mention it and most are happy to comply with that edict, but it is a real thing that will define the near future, possibly the election. Like most social change, it is happening slowly in many little ways, so it is not obvious. Even for people on the edge of the awakening, the changes can be frustratingly subtle, but it is happening. THE WOKE SUPREMACY: An... Sayet, Evan Buy New $9.99 (as of 05:04 UTC - Details)
People are waking up to the reality of race in American politics and culture. You see that with the collapse in sports viewership. Before the Left unleashed the latest anti-white pogrom, white people loved their sports. Then it went away and then it came back decorated with the latest political slogans. Suddenly, what it was, what it always was, was clear to many people and they have abandoned it. It’s not just the politics in the games, but the politics around all of us.
Another area where people are becoming more aware of the reality behind the illusion is in the mass media. The “fake news” stuff is a nice partisan chant, but even the most partisan Trump people have been clinging to the belief that the media going woke would cause them to go broke. The Biden corruption story is waking many up to the reality of our mass media. It’s not a business at all, but one of the many tentacles of the ruling class, used to keep certain people in power.
The thing that the people behind this story probably don’t get is how this puzzle piece suddenly brings into focus a picture that was not all that clear for many. The media claiming this Hunter Biden story is Russian propaganda is like a bucket of ice water on the heads of many people. The outlandish dishonesty at work here cannot be explained as mere partisanship. The whole Biden story, his dementia and now his corruption, is a stunning eye opener for many Americans. Beyond Woke Michael Rectenwald Buy New $19.99 (as of 11:37 UTC - Details)
Again, it is easy for even the most cynical to miss it. “Oh, normie will go right back to his sports ball” was what we heard months ago from the most cynical. That did not happen and now seems unlikely to happen. The spell has been broken. The same is happening with mass media. The center of gravity for normal people moved from the assumption of bias to an assumption that what is in the news is a lie. There is a palpable breakdown in trust between the people and the ruling class.
This Hunter Biden story may be another inflection point. Many people are looking at this and wondering just how deep the corruption goes. After all, the FBI has had this material for months and never followed up on it. In fact, they appear to have been actively concealing it from Congress. Were they planning to blackmail Biden with it if he won the election? When people can plausibly start to wonder such things, they have lost all confidence and trust in their ruling class.
Like most things, cultural awakenings are not neat and tidy. The pedantic cannot appreciate that these things happen in fits and starts. Often the real action is happening in private conversations between friends and family. A catalyzing event brings those private conversations into the public, but it was a series of minor little things that nudged people along in the private deliberations. In the fullness of time, 2020 may be known as the year of the American Awakening.
This originally appeared on The Z-Man Blog.


lewrockwell--2020-10-21--‘The City Will Be On Fire’: New Yorkers Reportedly Prepare To Flee Homes To Avoid Election-Related U

‘The City Will Be On Fire’: New Yorkers Reportedly Prepare To Flee Homes To Avoid Election-Related Unrest

New Yorkers are purportedly making plans to escape the city ahead of potential election day violence and protests , according to the New York Post .
Paulo Wei , 25 , is planning on avoiding unrest by leaving his luxury building on the Upper West Side for his family ’ s 60-acre farm two hours north of the city , the Post reported Saturday .
“ I felt trapped in the apartment — the protests were overwhelming , ” Wei said , the Post reported .
“ It could happen again and I don ’ t want to be caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wins , someone is going to get upset.
” Andrea , 31 , a Republican and public relations specialist of New York City ’ s Flatiron district , said she will leave for Tulum , Mexico , prior to Nov. 3 , the Post reported .
Her trip will span from Oct. 25 through Nov. 8 .
“ I went to my parents in New Jersey for about two weeks when the BLM protests got bad and the looting started .
So I definitely want to get out of here the week of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post reported .
”

New Yorkers are purportedly making plans to escape the city ahead of potential election day violence and protests, according to the New York Post.
Paulo Wei, 25, is planning on avoiding unrest by leaving his luxury building on the Upper West Side for his family’s 60-acre farm two hours north of the city, the Post reported Saturday.
“I felt trapped in the apartment — the protests were overwhelming,” Wei said, the Post reported. “It could happen again and I don’t want to be caught up in that. No matter who wins, someone is going to get upset.”
When Trump refuses to concede, the cascading effects could break our fragile transition of power. My new cover story in @TheAtlantic. https://t.co/l98m2QRszn — Barton Gellman (@bartongellman) September 23, 2020
Andrea, 31, a Republican and public relations specialist of New York City’s Flatiron district, said she will leave for Tulum, Mexico, prior to Nov. 3, the Post reported. Her trip will span from Oct. 25 through Nov. 8.
“I went to my parents in New Jersey for about two weeks when the BLM protests got bad and the looting started. So I definitely want to get out of here the week of the election,” Andrea said, the Post reported.”
Read the Whole Article
Donald Trump 2020 Hat ... Buy New $13.99 (as of 05:15 UTC - Details)


lewrockwell--2020-10-21--World Doctors Alliance: ‘We Do Not Have A Medical Pandemic’

What Happened : Once again , doctors and scientists are and have been sharing the opinion that COVID-19 should not be classified as a pandemic virus due to the fact that it ’ s , in their opinion , nowhere near as dangerous as big media is making it out to be .
An organization made up of well over 500 German doctors and scientists called “ Corona Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee ” who share the same perception discussed in this article have also created the “ World Doctors Alliance.
” Not long ago they held a press sharing their perspective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the members , Dr. Elke De Klerk , founder of Doctors for Truth from the Netherlands sharing her thoughts .
Below that you will find the press conference recently held by the alliance .
The True Story of Fake ...
Dice , Mark Best Price : $ 13.06 Buy New $ 17.94 Many expert have been emphasizing that we are dealing with something no more dangerous than the flu .
For example , approximately 40,000 scientists , doctors and more than half a million concerned citizens have now signed The Great Barrington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 is less dangerous than many other harms , including influenza.
” The CDC also released new infection/fatality estimates that show numbers on par with seasonal flu .
This recent release also has many people and experts calling into question the severity of the virus , this was well after John P. A. Ioannidis , a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Stanford University said that the infection fatality rate is close to 0 percent for people under the age of 45 years old .
The Physicians For Informed Consent ( PIC ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Informed Consent ( PIC ) Compares COVID-19 to Previous Seasonal and Pandemic Flu Periods.
” According to them , the infection/fatality rate of COVID-19 is 0.26 % .
You can read more about that and access their resources and reasoning here .
Then there is the controversy surrounding the PCR tests and the idea that a large majority of cases may actually be false positives .
You can read more about that here and here .
This as been coupled with the fact that many COVID deaths may not have actually been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read more about that here and here .
American Pravda : My Fi ... O'Keefe , James Best Price : $ 1.49 Buy New $ 7.23 These groups are made up of veteran experts in the field , Nobel Laureates , Professors of Medicine , Doctors and more , yet all it takes is for an Anthony Fauci like figure to oppose their opinion , and this is the perspective that gets beamed across mainstream media outlets , radio and television while the opposing view is nothing but ridiculed and “ debunked.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least , mainstream media alone has the power to make the majority seem like the minority , and the minority seem like the majority .
They have a huge reach when it comes to regulating the perception of the masses .
The exampels listed above are a few of many .
Right now , the Great Barrington Declaration mentioned above and the idea of “ heard immunity ” is being heavily ridiculed in the mainstream , without any of the renowned scientists who support the declaration having an opportunity to share their opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent full press conference held by the alliance .
Is This Fake News ?
Nothing in this article is fake , these opinions are actually being shared by doctors and scientists around the world , and a lot of them .
As far as what they are saying and the opinions expressed above , this is what ’ s come under the scrutiny of Facebook Fact-Checkers .
It ’ s been emphasized during this pandemic that any type of information that does not come straight from federal health regulatory agencies and the World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s an article from Health Feedback , for example , explaining why low infection fatality numbers do not mean that the virus is not dangerous .
Messing with the Enemy ... Watts , Clint Best Price : $ 4.30 Buy New $ 10.42 The organizations above have been speaking up regarding the censorship they ’ ve experienced from social media giants , and this has also been a common theme throughout this pandemic .
Michael Levitt , a Biophysicist and a professor of structural biology at Stanford University , criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ censoring different information and informed perspectives regarding the Coronavirus .
According to him , “ the level of stupidity ” going on here is amazing .
The Takeaway : It ’ s been quite intriguing to see so many scientists and doctors completely oppose the recommendations and claims made by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) since the beginning of this pandemic .
What ’ s even more shocking for lots of people is the fact that many scientists and doctors have been completely censored for sharing their research and opinion regarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposes the information and recommendations set out by the WHO .
It ’ s not hard to see why so many people are confused and so many of us have beliefs that completely differ from one another .
Should people not have the right to examine information and opinions and decide for themselves what is and what isn ’ t Should there be a digital fact checker patrolling the internet limiting peoples ability to see certain information ?
Do organizations like the WHO and our governments really make decisions that are in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there other interests being served here ?

What Happened: Once again, doctors and scientists are and have been sharing the opinion that COVID-19 should not be classified as a pandemic virus due to the fact that it’s, in their opinion, nowhere near as dangerous as big media is making it out to be.
An organization made up of well over 500 German doctors and scientists called “Corona Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee” who share the same perception discussed in this article have also created the “World Doctors Alliance.” Not long ago they held a press sharing their perspective.
Below is a clip of one of the members, Dr. Elke De Klerk, founder of Doctors for Truth from the Netherlands sharing her thoughts. Below that you will find the press conference recently held by the alliance.
The True Story of Fake... Dice, Mark Best Price: $13.06 Buy New $17.94 (as of 04:52 UTC - Details) Many expert have been emphasizing that we are dealing with something no more dangerous than the flu. For example, approximately 40,000 scientists, doctors and more than half a million concerned citizens have now signed The Great Barrington Declaration. The declaration explains that “Covid-19 is less dangerous than many other harms, including influenza.”
The CDC also released new infection/fatality estimates that show numbers on par with seasonal flu. This recent release also has many people and experts calling into question the severity of the virus, this was well after John P. A. Ioannidis, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Stanford University said that the infection fatality rate is close to 0 percent for people under the age of 45 years old.
The Physicians For Informed Consent (PIC) recently published a report titled “Physicians for Informed Consent (PIC) Compares COVID-19 to Previous Seasonal and Pandemic Flu Periods.” According to them, the infection/fatality rate of COVID-19 is 0.26%. You can read more about that and access their resources and reasoning here.
Then there is the controversy surrounding the PCR tests and the idea that a large majority of cases may actually be false positives. You can read more about that here and here. This as been coupled with the fact that many COVID deaths may not have actually been the result of COVID. You can read more about that here and here. American Pravda: My Fi... O'Keefe, James Best Price: $1.49 Buy New $7.23 (as of 02:56 UTC - Details)
These groups are made up of veteran experts in the field, Nobel Laureates, Professors of Medicine, Doctors and more, yet all it takes is for an Anthony Fauci like figure to oppose their opinion, and this is the perspective that gets beamed across mainstream media outlets, radio and television while the opposing view is nothing but ridiculed and “debunked.” This is very bizarre to say the least, mainstream media alone has the power to make the majority seem like the minority, and the minority seem like the majority. They have a huge reach when it comes to regulating the perception of the masses.
The exampels listed above are a few of many.
Right now, the Great Barrington Declaration mentioned above and the idea of “heard immunity” is being heavily ridiculed in the mainstream, without any of the renowned scientists who support the declaration having an opportunity to share their opinion via mainstream media.

Below is a recent full press conference held by the alliance.
Is This Fake News? Nothing in this article is fake, these opinions are actually being shared by doctors and scientists around the world, and a lot of them. As far as what they are saying and the opinions expressed above, this is what’s come under the scrutiny of Facebook Fact-Checkers. It’s been emphasized during this pandemic that any type of information that does not come straight from federal health regulatory agencies and the World Health Organization is not to be trusted.
Here’s an article from Health Feedback, for example, explaining why low infection fatality numbers do not mean that the virus is not dangerous. Messing with the Enemy... Watts, Clint Best Price: $4.30 Buy New $10.42 (as of 05:17 UTC - Details)
The organizations above have been speaking up regarding the censorship they’ve experienced from social media giants, and this has also been a common theme throughout this pandemic. Michael Levitt, a Biophysicist and a professor of structural biology at Stanford University, criticized the WHO as well as Facebook for censoring different information and informed perspectives regarding the Coronavirus. According to him, “the level of stupidity” going on here is amazing.
The Takeaway: It’s been quite intriguing to see so many scientists and doctors completely oppose the recommendations and claims made by the World Health Organization (WHO) since the beginning of this pandemic. What’s even more shocking for lots of people is the fact that many scientists and doctors have been completely censored for sharing their research and opinion regarding anything to do with COVID if it opposes the information and recommendations set out by the WHO.
It’s not hard to see why so many people are confused and so many of us have beliefs that completely differ from one another.
Should people not have the right to examine information and opinions and decide for themselves what is and what isn’t Should there be a digital fact checker patrolling the internet limiting peoples ability to see certain information? Do organizations like the WHO and our governments really make decisions that are in and for our best interests, or are there other interests being served here?
Reprinted with permission from Collective Evolution.