We told you so. We have been saying this for a while. You did not listen to us. You dismissed us. Ron Paul was right. Judge Napolitano was right. The “tinfoil hat, black helicopter conspiracy theorists” were right. The only question that begs answering now is: What will be done? Will anything really change? Is enough finally enough?
I am an optimist, always have been. I was always the guy that kept cheering on, kept on being as much as an activist as I could be and donated to Ron Paul’s and Gary Johnson’s campaigns. I envisioned a new wave of the future, the bright light at the end of the tunnel and the utopian era a Libertarian Movement could bring about. I marveled at the advancements in technology and how they could be applied to liberty. Freedom of speech and information on the internet and the vast expansion of 3-D printing have endless capabilities. However I have to admit, for the first time since converting from an apathetic political stance six years ago, I am no longer eternally optimistic. If no true change arises from the myriad of scandals and crimes committed by politicians and officials of this federal government, both Democrat and Republican, then I say with a heavy heart that I believe all hope is lost.
I am careful to define the change, what form it takes and how quickly it manifests. Also for the first time, it seems that people on Reddit, Twitter and other social media can finally agree on something. Everyone is at least concerned and some are down right outraged at what are facing. What’s more astonishing is that Libertarianism, at least partially, is getting the credit. People on the left and the right are coming to Libertarians with a humbled tone, asking for help and what can be done. “Good Guy Ron Paul” and “Doom Paul” memes have even been popping up, poking fun at these almost inconceivably oppressive actions.
Is enough finally enough? I certainly hope so, for the sake of us all. Get involved on Restore The Fourth Sub Reddit.
P.S. Here is a great article from The Atlantic: The Irrationality of Giving Up This Much Liberty to Fight Terror for some perspective:
1999 to 2010.
Again, terrorists killed roughly 3,000 people in the United States. And in that interval,
- roughly 360,000 were killed by guns (actually, the figure the CDC gives is 364,483 — in other words, by rounding, I just elided more gun deaths than there were total terrorism deaths).
roughly 150,000 were killed in drunk-driving accidents.
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