3.  I WISH I WERE AN IRAQI
    by William Stone, III 
    Exclusive to TLE    http://www.webleyweb.com/tle/>     Issue 219

Hats off the hard work and sacrifice of the Americans who liberated the
people of Iraq from an oppressive dictatorship. While no Zero Aggression
Principle philosopher could ever approve of organized government warfare,
on an individual basis, anyone who would help overthrow a dictatorial
government is to be praised.  Indeed, it is that very spirit that will
ultimately liberate America.

This liberation will not occur in the immediate future, however. Indeed,
the FedGov's Unconstitutional success in Iraq will embolden it to further
overstep its authority.  This can only have a negative effect on American
liberty.

Regardless, it is certainly inspiring to watch the Iraqi people tearing
down the statue of Saddam Hussein.  Would that we were free to do the same.
We can only hope we live long enough to see the statue of America's own
Lenin, Abraham Lincoln (http://www.lneilsmith.com/abelenin.html), torn from
its memorial and dragged down the Mall in ruins.

After the liberation of Baghdad, President Bush wasted no time in
broadcasting a message on Iraqi state television.  He delivered a rousing
speech in which he guaranteed the Iraqi people the freedom they've so long
desired.

Would that the President had any such designs for his own subjects in the
United States.  Indeed, let's examine for a moment the freedoms he promised
the Iraqis versus the dwindling liberties he wishes for Americans:

"We will respect your great religious traditions, whose principles of
equality and compassion are essential to Iraq's future."

Give Bush points for this one.  He clearly respects any American's
religious traditions.  Contrary to the Constitution's  prohibitions against
the establishment of a religion, the President wishes to steal money from
Americans to fund "faith-based initiatives." Frankly, any
religion that fails to note what happened to public education when it
became beholden to the FedGov probably deserves to become another of its
puppets.

"We will help you build a peaceful and representative government that
protects the rights of all citizens."

Would that this particular pipe dream even possible.  If the United States
Constitution has proven anything, it is that the only thing government can
accomplish is to attract the corrupt and the corruptible.  The rights of
the individual will always be sublimated to the will of the state.  Bush
himself proves this every day, when he violates the very Constitution that
he swore to protect and defend.
 
Government -- as a concept -- initiates force against the governed.
 
"You will be free.  Free to build a better life, instead of building
more palaces for Saddam and his sons."

This from the individual presently living in what can only be described as
one of America's few palaces, built and maintained by raw, naked theft. 
Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of acres of government-owned land,
only a tiny fraction of which are authorized by the Constitution.  Were
Bush to apply this same freedom to the United States, the overwhelming
majority of government  land would be immediately released to the first
squatter who cared to put a fence around it.  Hundreds of government
agencies responsible for maintaining this land would be disbanded, and the
leeches who staff it forced to find a real job.

"Free to pursue economic prosperity without the hardship of economic
sanctions."

It almost goes without saying, of course, that government at all levels
sanctions Americans to the tune of half their earnings.  If Bush wished to
apply this freedom to the United States, he would eliminate the third of
your money stolen by the Federal Government with the simple stroke of a
pen.

"Free to travel ... "

Again, by applying this concept to the United States, Bush would need to
tear the Federal Rape Centers -- sorry, "airport security
checkpoints" -- out of all the airports in America.

But then, he was the one who installed the Federal Rape Centers in the
first place.  Under his regime, airport security was transformed from a
pointless, Unconstitutional barrier to free travel into
Federally-sanctioned groping centers.  Our wives, sisters, and mothers are
subjected to pointless sexual abuses every day, sexual abuses that Bush
clearly approves of.

In applying the concept of "freedom of travel" in the United
States, Bush would also need to enforce the Bill of Rights.  This would
make random, baseless police searches of one's person and possessions
impossible.

He'd need to allow any man, woman, or responsible child to board any
aircraft in America armed with the weapon of his choice.  This would, of
course, be the most effective deterrent against terrorist hijackings
imaginable.  The fact that such an option is never considered is proof
positive of the President's intent.

President Bush wants ready victims, men and women --
especially women -- unable to defend themselves from the
first minimum-wage Federal flunky who cares to grope their breasts or give
them cavity searches.

" ... and free to speak your mind."

Try speaking your mind in any of America's airports.  Try mentioning that
President Bush might be "out of control" and see how fast the
Secret Service descends on you
http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/2003-04-02/fishwrapper.html>.
Perhaps
your name will end up on the FedGov's "no fly list"
http://www.aclunc.org/pressrel/021212-nofly.html>.  If you have an
unpopular religious or racial view, perhaps the FedGov will simply kill you
http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/cops_others/randy_weaver/1.html>
or burn you alive with your friends in your church
http://www.serendipity.li/waco.html>.

But we shouldn't complain.  After all, according to the Republican whores
on talk radio, the First Amendment doesn't protect ALL speech, but simply
political speech.  Suggesting that the President is out
of control isn't political, but rather traitorous -- therefore it's not
protected.

"Free to join in the political affairs of Iraq."

The future of Iraq is really starting to sound rosy. 
Would that Americans truly had this ability.  As any Libertarian can tell
you, just getting a candidate's name on the ballot is so perennial
difficult as to take up most of the Party's time to the exclusion of all
else -- which is, of course, the intent of those in power.  If Bush were to
apply this freedom to the United States, any individual or political party
that wished to field a candidate could have his or her name on the ballot.

But then, if a truly representative Republic were resurrected, it would
become immediately apparent that America doesn't have two political
parties, but rather identical political cousins played by Patty Duke
http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowMainServlet/showid-1743>.

"And all the people of your country ... will be free of the terrible
persecution that so many have endured."

This can only mean that if applied to America, the Unconstitutional laws
that provide racial preferences of any kind must be repealed. Furthermore,
all Unconstitutional laws that require individuals to associate with one
another against their will must also be repealed. Failure to abide by these
Unconstitutional laws results in what can only be termed political
persecution.  Will Bush oversee the removal of persecution laws?

"I assure every citizen of Iraq:  your nation will soon be free."

With this glowing view of the future, I can only wish I were an Iraqi.  No
doubt the Iraqis will learn the lesson of American history: that the way to
tell when a politician is lying is when his lips are moving.
- - -

William Stone, III is a computer nerd (RHCE, CCNP, CISSP) and Executive
Director of the Zero Aggression Institute (http://www.0ap.org).  He seeks
the Libertarian Party's nomination for the 2004 Senate race in South
Dakota.

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