Letter from Elaine Brown

[Demosthenes]

to one of the Free State Project flakes.

In Pursuit of Liberty

“...a long Habit of not thinking a Thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of Custom. But the Tumult soon subsides. Time makes more Converts than Reason.”

In the opening paragraph of his Introduction to Common Sense, Thomas Paine makes this astute observation of human nature. This has been proven to be so true, in our experience. It pains the human heart, it challenges the human mind, it offends the psyche to be informed that our long-held beliefs are indeed erroneous. How could I not know? How could I be so easily mislead? I have been made a fool of. These are not easy concepts for us to deal with. We have been comfortable in our beliefs, knowing that those in whom we have placed our trust have been worthy of that trust; that they would not intentionally misdirect us.

To accept a differing truth, one at odds with those long held, places us in a quandary of doubt, confusion and suspicion, conditions not easily accepted by mankind. It upsets our universe; what was once accepted as truth and order must now be eyed with concern rather than with comfort. It also requires that, in order to seek truth and thus live in righteousness, we must take action, perhaps an action that is contrary to our nature. By nature we all wish to be left alone, to live our lives in an expectation of peace and harmony, to do that which is right by our families, our neighbors and our society. Doubt destroys that expectation, brings to our lives an uncertainty that is at odds with our inherent nature.

Thomas Paine, along with our illustrious founding fathers, knew that men crave freedom and liberty; to live subjected to another's edicts goes against the laws of God and nature. Our Creator instilled in us the craving for freedom and independence; else why have millions fought and died for it? It is our nature; God intended for us to be free and happy. We were created to be free, and the history of man tells that story, of his eternal fight against those who would subjugate him. This, of course, admits that there are those among us who would destroy another's freedom for their own benefit. Our history thus tells us of the efforts of tyrants who would enslave the masses that they themselves may be enriched. Sadly, not all of us live in an attitude of self-reliance and self-responsibility, adhering to those basic rules of behavior that sow the way to righteousness: namely the Ten Commandments. What more rules does mankind need?

We who live our lives righteously find it difficult to conceive of those who do not, who would do us harm, who would deceive us, thus stealing from us that which is true. However, we must make the effort to be alert for those, to question what is put before us, to refuse to bend to that which we know is wrong. Thomas Paine tells us, above, that we resist truth when it conflicts with our long-held beliefs; that we hang on to the old until Time shows us otherwise. Reason cannot enter until Emotion is dealt with; Emotion will always win over Reason; it will halt the reasoning process until the mind can open to the possibility. Thus, to be told that our beliefs are wrong brings forth emotions of betrayal, doubt, anger, suspicion, hurt; our psyche refuses to believe that we could be so fooled, we are smarter than that. A natural response is to deny, and refuse to deal with the new, simply put it out of our minds; but truth must always come forth in the end, no matter how long it takes. With Time, Emotion will fade, allowing Reason to step in. Only then can cool-headed examination commence with an objective conclusion to Truth.

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. So says Thomas Jefferson. We have failed in our vigilance for many decades. Being born in a “free country” has led us to know no other existence. Unlike those in so many other countries in this world, we have not felt the ravages, the hunger of war and oppression, the horror of despotism and the police state, where one's every action is dictated by the rulers, where the courts are oblivious to the concept of due process and those who threaten the status quo of the dictators simply disappear. But, where are we heading? What is happening to those freedoms that we have taken so for granted, assuming that once attained, freedom will always remain?

We have slept, you and I; we have allowed our treasure to slip through our fingers while we dreamed of vacations and plasma TVs. We assumed that our public officials were doing the job we hired them to do, that they were acting in our best interests, and so we did not have to pay attention to their doings. We know that they are the employees and we the employers, they are the public servants, and we the masters. Don't we? Don't they? Thomas Jefferson told us that when the government fears the people, there is freedom; where the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Let me ask you, reader, do you fear your government? (Before continuing, let me clarify; when I use the word 'government', I use it loosely and in the popular meaning of the word, because you and I are the government, while 'they' are the administration.) Do you acquiesce to laws and regulations you feel are unjust, because you fear what will happen to you if you do not? Do you refrain from speaking out against injustice out of fear of reprisal against you and your family?

All good governments offer to its citizens the avenue for redress of grievances; the First Amendment to our Constitution claims it to be ours by right. But where is this redress available to us? For years attempts have been made through the courts to access this right, to no avail. One cannot even get the courts to admit that we are the master and they the servants. Our country has been turned upside down. You and I are the sovereigns here, but our governments would have us believe the opposite. They wish to give the orders and force compliance; they rule by the 'might is right' law.

At what point do we say 'enough?' How long do we wait while our neighbors' lives, families, businesses, homes are destroyed? Is your life still pleasing to you? Is your family still with you, your business still functioning, your home intact? If yes, you cannot judge those who have stood against tyranny, who have refused to bend to injustice, who have put it all on the line in the cause of liberty and justice. There are countless stories of those heroes who have so stood, many of whom have lost it all. Shame on all who have not stood with them; who drive around with their “Proud to be American” bumper stickers while not having the faintest idea what that phrase means.

What does it take to be an American? Popularly many think it means voting and paying your taxes. This could not be further from the truth. We are ordered in the Declaration of Independence to throw out the old government when it no longer functions to the betterment of the people. This is where we are today, reader. We are in a country in which the government no longer serves the needs of the people; indeed, this government insists that the people serve the government. It is past time for us all to come to the aid of our country while we still have one, specifically the one we want and thought we still had.

Stand firm, help your neighbor fight against injustice and tyranny, stand for what is right and moral; for if you do not, tomorrow the tyrants will be at your door. Will your neighbor be able to help you then?

Elaine Alice: family Brown

[Truthstalker]

Demo, would you be so kind as to highlight in red the parts of the above letter that you specifically disagree with?

[Demosthenes]

That would require me to stay awake while reading it. Hyperbole is dull as dirt to me.

I did like the irony though. Ed has strong armed Elaine into a belief system that is really stupid, and she just can't see through his fantasy for what it really is.

[.]

Who wastes their time reading TP drivel? Cut to the chase:

Elaine Alice: family Brown

Tells you all you need to know.

[Dezcad]

Demo, would you be so kind as to highlight in red the parts of the above letter that you specifically disagree with?

I won't speak for Demo but I find it disingenuous and I totally disagree with Elaine equating that passage, in any form or fashion, with her and Ed's situation.

[Imalawman]

Whew, that was really rambling. I think she said that she's right and the world hates her and is out to get her.

Whatever, time for you to go to jail.

[Randall]

We assumed that our public officials were doing the job we hired them to do

If they were, your ass would be in jail.

[Joey Smith]

I read it; nothing in it justifies Ed and Elaine not paying their taxes. They are just a couple of convicted felon tax cheats, pure and simple.

[Demosthenes]

Today's Ed Brown radio show on the subject of 911 is priceless.

http://www.republicbroadcasting.org/get ... rown&yr=07

1) There were no planes at all. They were computer generated images...

2) Bin Laden is a fictional cartoon creation that was made by the same software that was used to film Polar Express...

and so on.

[Dezcad]

Today's Ed Brown radio show on the subject of 911 is priceless.

http://www.republicbroadcasting.org/get ... rown&yr=07

1) There were no planes at all. They were computer generated images...

2) Bin Laden is a fictional cartoon creation that was made by the same software that was used to film Polar Express...

and so on.

Thanks for posting this. I had forgotten that they have changed the time of the show. What time (EST) is it now on?

[natty]

... Sadly, not all of us live in an attitude of self-reliance and self-responsibility, adhering to those basic rules of behavior that sow the way to righteousness: namely the Ten Commandments. What more rules does mankind need?

We who live our lives righteously find it difficult to conceive of those who do not, who would do us harm, who would deceive us, thus stealing from us that which is true. ...

Elaine Alice: family Brown

For some unknown reason, the anti-tax cult continues to confuse self-reliance with anarchy. This leads them to believe that laws do not apply to them. IOW, Paine, Jefferson and other supporters of the revolution created a government of no government. All of which is a contradiction.

[Demosthenes]

Thanks for posting this. I had forgotten that they have changed the time of the show. What time (EST) is it now on?

10 am eastern.

[Randall]

We who live our lives righteously find it difficult to conceive of those who do not, who would do us harm, who would deceive us, thus stealing from us that which is true. ...

Maybe he needs to reread the Old Testament and learn about others that did harm decieved, stole,... the righteous were not immune from it them, they are not immune from it now. Oh, and Ed, you are not righteous, just a run of the mill self-deluded idiot.

[Weathervane]

How could I not know? How could I be so easily mislead? I have been made a fool of.

Is she talking about Ed here? I'm confused.

[Cpt Banjo]

How could I not know? How could I be so easily mislead? I have been made a fool of.

Is she talking about Ed here? I'm confused.

Of course you are confused, as she ends her last sentence in a preposition.

As Churchill said about that particular rule of grammar, "That is something up with which I will not put."

[The Observer]

Reminds me of the joke:

A new freshman is hopelessly lost at Harvard on his first day. Approaching a senior, he asks," Where is Harvard Yard at?" The senior sneers back, "At Harvard, we do not end our sentences in a preposition." The freshman retorts, "Ok. Where is Harvard Yard at, a**hole?"

[TheSaint]

This aphorism irritates me so much... because it's one word away from being right. Change it to "never end a sentence with an unnecessary preposition" and you've got a winner.

So what we've got here is an aphorism that implores us to omit unnecessary words... but is wrong, because it omits a necessary word. It implores us to conserve words, but its own faulty construction has caused billions and billions of words to be wasted in arguing about the rule. Ironic, really.

[grixit]

t's not a rule, it's a violation of the fundamental structure of english. Problem is some people think it's a rule and try to impose it on people whose english is perfectly good.

[silversopp]

"Uh, sir. Those two kids were in that guy's trailer whacking off."

"Saunders, that is not proper sentence structure."

"Those were the two kids in whose trailer they were off.....ummm........those were the kids whacking off in the......um..........."

A fine demonstration of the foible of English, courtesy of the movie, Beavis ad Butthead Do America - a classic.

Close:
Agent Bork: Chief! Ya know that guy whose camper they were whackin' off in?
Agent Fleming: Bork, you're a federal agent! You represent the United States Government! Never end a sentence with a preposition.
Agent Bork: Oh, uh... Ya know that guy in whose camper they... I... I mean, that guy off in whose camper they were whacking?