Pole Tax on Strip Clubs Requires Deeper Thought

Dear Editor,

On Sunday, as I read the paper, I was humored but NOT shocked to see the article on a “pole tax” the taxing authority is trying to implement.  A $5.00 charge on strip clubs serving alcohol. Seems to me this is just another tax on “addiction” businesses.

I believe vices, drugs and addictions should be taxed. As vices, drugs and addictions go we have alcohol, marijuana, gaming, cigarette, strip clubs, and even tanning. All businesses providing services or products in these areas are heavily taxed. The taxing authorities even propose part of the tax collected be used to help  the people with the problem (smoking, gambling etc). This is great.

I am proposing to legislators upon their vacation return, a tremendous and COMPLETELY MISSED opportunity on taxation. This activity has been referred to as a drug or addiction by many on all sides of the spectrum, on more than one occasion.

Over $1Billion of this addictive drug will be injected into one person by the end of 2012. How can one person possibly utilize $1Billion in a little over one year other than go plum crazy.

It is the drug of choice of all politicians. It is called “The Campaign Donation”. This is their breath - the ring on the gold wheel of life. It is their manna.

If we tax this drug at a mere 50%, we would have enough to fund a committee to analyze the effects of this drug on our legislators and the resulting effects of the abuse on the general public. It could also fund a study on morals, ethics and integrity along with responsiblity and sound judgement. All of which appears to be absent once this drug is injected into its receipient.

Don’t believe me? Ask any legislator and see if he tells you the truth.  (sucker)

By the way, the super congress of 12 chaired by Congressman Henserling just received a $64 Million injection of this drug from Wall Street alone. See, it could be a very good year for the tax on drugs. 

The Texas comptroller stated alcohol and sex promotes rape, sexual assault, prostitution and pornography. I submit the same is true in campaign contributions; you don’t think “campaign contributed and PAC fed politicians” just eat, drink and be merry, do you?

mehicks44@yahoo.com  for more information!

You Could be a Terrorist if...

From my good friend Stewart Rhodes:

Oath Keepers Exclusive:  An FBI Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force handout being distributed to Colorado military surplus store owners lists the purchase of popular preparedness items and firearms accessories as “suspicious” and “potential indicators of terrorist activities,” instructing store owners to keep records on and report people who:

“Make bulk purchase of items to include:
Weatherproofed ammunition or match containers
Meals Ready to Eat
Night Vision Devices; night flashlights; gas masks
High capacity magazines
Bi-pods or tri-pods for rifles”

The FBI handout, entitled “Communities Against Terrorism: Potential Indicators of Terrorist Activities Related to Military Surplus Stores” also instructs surplus store owners to:

“Require valid ID from all new customers.
Keep records of purchases.
Talk to customers, ask questions, and
listen to and observe their responses.
Watch for people and actions that are out of place.
Make note of suspicious statements, people, and /or vehicles.
If something seems wrong, notify law enforcement authorities.”

The handout also instructs surplus store owners to consider as “suspicious” anyone who “demands identity ‘privacy’” or anyone who expresses “extreme religious statements” and those who “make suspicious comments regarding anti-US, [or] radical theology.”

The “Communities Against Terrorism” flyer closes by stating:

Preventing terrorism is a community effort. By learning what to look for, you can make a positive contribution in the fight against terrorism. The partnership between the community and law enforcement is essential to the success of anti -terrorism efforts.

Some of the activities, taken individually, could be innocent and must be examined by law enforcement professionals in a larger context to  determine whether there is a basis to investigate. The activities outlined on this handout are by no means all-inclusive but have been compiled from a review of terrorist events over several years.

The handout encourages surplus store owners and employees to provide information on “suspicious” customers by calling the Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force or the Colorado Information Analysis Center. This handout is very nearly identical to one issued by the FBI to gun stores from Connecticut to Utah: PDF
This new handout expands the absurdity by now also targeting customers of military surplus stores, and by specifically targeting the purchasing of very common, and very popular, preparedness items such as Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s) as “potential indicators of terrorist activities.”

While this particular handout is being given to military surplus store owners in Colorado, it is nearly certain that similar versions are being handed out by Joint Terrorism Task Forces in other states.   Anyone who has seen such a handout, or who has a copy of one, please contact us at tips@oathkeepers.org.   You know, “if you see something, say something!” 

It may be a potential indicator of government terrorist (tyranny and chilling of speech) activities.   Remember, combating tyranny is a community effort and you can make a difference!  – Oath Keepers

NOTE FROM STEWART RHODES, FOUNDER OF OATH KEEPERS:

Islamist terrorists are not known to hang out in local Army-Navy surplus stores, stocking up on MRE’s, high capacity magazines and bi-pods for their long range rifles.   As Brandon Smith, over at Alt-market.com notes, “These are very common purchases, not for terrorists, but for Preppers and Survivalists, who are obviously the targets of the FBI profile, not secret Al-Qaeda agents.”  Spot on. Obviously the current crop of FBI “leadership” considers anyone who wants to be self-sufficient and prepared to be a “threat” that should be relentlessly tracked and reported.

So if you take preparedness seriously enough to buy a few cases of MREs, or if you see the wisdom in having spare “high capacity” (i.e. full capacity*) magazines for your rifles or pistols, if you don’t want your matches to get wet, if you want to be able to see in the dark, or if you want  to be able to shoot more accurately by using a bipod, “you might be a terrorist” (like a bizarre Jeff Foxworthy joke), and the FBI wants your neighborhood Army Surplus Store to play the role of government informant and snitch, like something out of East Germany.   As Brandon Smith put it, the FBI handout “even instructs store owners to subtly interrogate their customers in order to draw a fuller profile. THIS IS CALLED CITIZEN SPYING. Period.”  Spot on again.  That’s exactly what it is – a preparedness focused “see something, say something” snitch program to help track and locate Americans who exhibit such dangerous “prepper” tendencies.
How far we have come from the Founder’s ideal of a “well regulated” (well equipped and well trained) citizen militia where ALL able bodied citizens were expected to keep and bear their own weapons, ammunition, field gear, and other supplies essential to personal military capability and competence. 

And the Founders expected us to keep that military gear at home and to actually train together in its use so we would “be prepared” for anything, you know, like the Boy Scouts motto.  That motto is a sad remnant of the Founders’ ideal of a prepared citizenry.  As the Boy Scouts website still notes:

“Be Prepared.”
That’s the motto of the Boy Scouts.

“Be prepared for what?” someone once asked Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting,
“Why, for any old thing.” said Baden-Powell.

Under the logic of this most recent handout, the Boy Scouts should be reported as “suspicious.”  I can just hear the people at Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), who likely helped write this handout,  screeching “Someone report Baden-Powell to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force!  He’s advocating an extremist, paranoid “prepper” ideology!   Oh, wait …he’s dead?  Well then, report anyone who quotes him!  Such as that subversive remnant of American reactionary radicalization of the youth, the Boy Scouts!  That’s a hotbed for extremist radicalization. Why haven’t they been shut down yet?!  Someone get Cass Sunstein and Holder on the phone!”

The Founders would have wanted all of us, every one, to “be prepared” for “any old thing.”   They would have wanted us to have night vision, gas masks (which come in handy in many situations), “high-capacity” magazines – and the powerful military pattern rifles that use them – bi-pods so we can shoot accurately at long distance, and plenty of ammunition in “weatherproofed” containers (also known as surplus ammo cans).  They would have wanted us to have plenty of MRE’s for handy field use, and even “night flashlights.”   I  suppose “day flashlights” are OK with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, but those dangerous “night flashlights” are verboten, and anyone who buys one must be reported!  I certainly hope it wasn’t actually someone at the FBI who wrote that.**

This absurd list sounds like it was compiled by someone at the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) or by someone at the Brady Center.   I’m shocked it doesn’t also list purchase of “those shoulder things that go up” as a potential indicator of terrorist activity.   And it may well have been written by the SPLC.  As Oath Keepers exposed in October of 2010, the CEO of Southern Poverty Law Center now sits on the DHS “Working Group on Countering Violent Extremism,” which is tasked with designing training initiatives that reach right down to the local community level (as in “communities against terrorism”), to include training local police, social workers, teachers, “child protective services” personnel, and mental health professionals on how to use their power and influence to “counter violent extremism.”

I don’t have to tell you who SPLC likes to label “extremist.”  You already know.  Just look in the mirror.  If you dare to quote the Founding Fathers, if you still believe in the self evident truths and principles of liberty espoused in the Declaration of Independence, if you advocate strict obedience of the Constitution, if you dare to take your oath seriously, and encourage others to do likewise, you are a radical “extremist” according to the SPLC and their “Hate Watch” website, and they will lump you in with neo-Nazis, skinheads, cop-killers and terrorists.  And likewise if you support Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, or Michelle Bachmann, or if you watch Judge Andrew Napolitano’s Freedom Watch show or like Glenn Beck, since all of them are considered “enablers” of extremism by the SPLC.   And of course, Oath Keepers has been a target of their smear campaigns from the day of its founding.   I consider it a badge of honor.   You know you’re over the target when Mark Potok starts screeching about you on national TV.

And now, as part of the DHS “team,” SPLC is doing their very best to turn the full power of government on you at every level, right down to your local “Mayberry” Police Department.   And that’s where handouts like this one come in, encouraging the whole community to be out there monitoring, tracking, compiling dossiers, and investigating anyone who advocates or holds the views and ideals of the Founders or who is actually trying to fulfill their civic duties by practicing those ideals – such as the ideals of preparedness, competence at arms, and being well equipped and well trained.

Funny thing is, who exactly do the authors of these handouts think they are talking to when they ask gun store and military surplus store owners and staff to spy on their customers and serve as a network of government snitches?  These stores are usually owned and staffed by veterans, who are also very preparedness minded – in other words, just like the customers the government wants them to inform on.  That’s like handing the MIAC report to Ron Paul and Chuck Baldwin supporters and asking them to keep an eye on those pesky, subversive, and potentially dangerous Ron Paul and Chuck Baldwin supporters.   It’s absurd.

In fact, asking military surplus store owners and staff to keep an eye out for people who like to stock up on MREs, high capacity magazines, flashlights, and weatherproofed ammo and match containers is like asking a shoe store to keep an eye out for people who take footwear seriously.

And when a store owner gets this list of “potential indicators of terrorist activities” and sees the items he stocks listed there, what is that saying about him?  If he is intentionally stocking MRE,s, “night flashlights,” weatherproof ammunition or match containers, or any of the other common-sense, useful items on this list, that makes him an “enabler” and supplier of potential terrorists – at least in the eyes of the authors of this handout.

If the powers that be, and the authors of this silly handout are worried about customers of military surplus stores, I can only imagine what they think of readers of http://www.survivalblog.com/ or of the listeners and readers of Preparedness Podcast (http://thepreparednesspodcast.com/).

And they are probably on the verge of having strokes over Oath Keepers recently announced Operation Sleeping Giant (http://www.operationsleepinggiant.com/) where we openly urge all veterans to be prepared and to take a leadership role in getting their communities prepared for anything by focusing on four key areas:

1. Food storage, fuel storage, emergency medical, and communications security and independence (and general preparedness). Since food is the hardest thing to improvise, it comes first, so we advocate doing as the Mormons do, by taking food storage seriously [including some MREs!]

2. Physical security and Independence – to include neighborhood watches; mutual aid associations; a volunteer sheriff’s posse (under direct command of the sheriff); and county militias established by county ordinances but staffed by self-supplied and self-funded volunteers (as is done in volunteer fire departments all over this nation); state defense forces under command of the governor; and ultimately, a true state militia, established by state statute, and capable of “repelling invasions” [just imagine Mark Potok reading that!].

3. Economic security and independence – as individuals and communities, including barter networks, use of silver and gold as real money, and sound money bills at the county and state levels (as Utah just passed).   See http://www.alt-market.com/ for details.

4.  State sovereignty and nullification of unconstitutional federal laws and actions.  The focus here is on restoring the Republic from the bottom up, by voting out oath breakers and voting in constitutionalists, till we have sheriffs, local and state legislators, and governors who have the knowledge, courage, and integrity to keep their oaths, up to and including being willing to defend the Constitution and the powers reserved to the states and to the people (see the Tenth Amendment) by supporting state sovereignty resolutions and nullification of unconstitutional laws.

[Go to http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2011/08/10/7769/www.operationsleepinggiant.com for more details on that program, and please get involved!]
When the government distributes handouts encouraging gun stores and military surplus stores to track, monitor, and snitch on their customers, you know we are in trouble.  But the answer is not to hide, afraid to train and practice preparedness.  The answer is for everyone to become a “prepper”, as in all the rebellious gladiators yelling out “I am Spartacus!” when the Roman General demanded to know where Spartacus was.   The proper spirit of response it be like Founding Father John Hancock saying “here, let me write my name nice and big, so King George can easily read it.”

That attitude is also expressed in Isaiah 6:8:  “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”  And I said, “Here am I. Send me!

The answer to the government’s silly lists is to make the lists so damn long they end up including every able bodied American (who is supposed to be the militia anyway), and thus the damnable lists become useless.  Each of us should, rather than being afraid of buying preparedness gear, step up and go shopping, and encourage others to do the same, online, in person, wherever.  Give preparedness items as birthday presents and Christmas gifts.  Make them a badge of honor, like the Founding generation proudly wearing home-spun.   Make the lists so big they become useless.

When the beast is in your face, trying to crush and stamp out the last remnants of your heritage, trying to chill your speech and make you afraid to fulfill your civic duties, afraid to keep your oath by stepping up and getting your community ready for hard times ahead – when the beast is trying to “nudge” you into sitting down, shutting up, and being a dependent, unprepared, scared, and cowardly serf, the answer is to step right up and answer the call. “Here I am.  Send me!” should be the battle cry of every one of you.

I recently responded to the Police Chief of Quartzsite Arizona, who likes to make references to “domestic terrorism” when discussing upstart Tea Party people, Oath Keepers and Sons of Liberty Riders, by saying hey, “we’re your huckleberries, Chief.”  (and we’ll be marching in Quartzsite on August 27th in support of the Quartzsite Ten!).

Same goes for this nonsense.  If the FBI and DHS wants to openly target preparedness minded folks as “suspicious” and worthy of being reported to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, for simply doing what the Founders expected us to do, and what we veterans are duty bound by our oaths to do, and what  every American, if they wish to be worthy of being called “citizen” is duty bound to do, well then, Robert and Janet, we’re your huckleberries too!   Get in line.

Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito (Latin: Do not give in to evil but proceed ever more boldly against it)

Stewart Rhodes,
Founder of Oath Keepers

Slacktivism

Slacktivism is a linguistic blend formed out of the words slacker and activism. The word is usually considered a term that describes "feel-good" measures, in support of an issue or social cause, that have little or no practical effect other than to make the person doing it feel satisfaction. The acts tend to require minimal personal effort from the slacktivist.

Slacktivist activities include signing Internet petitions, joining a community organization without contributing to the organization's efforts, copying and pasting of Social Network statuses or messages or altering one's personal data social network services. Though there isn't much behavioral research behind this activity, the general perception about these activities is not just to feel satisfaction about helping a cause, but also helps in social-net-workers to present themselves as socially benefiting people, as well as making people feel guilt-tripped into spreading what is effectively chain-mail.

People have suggested bumper stickers and charity bands/ribbons as slacktivism, although this would be a matter of opinion. As a monetary donation is often required to gain these items, it does have a benefit to the charity or cause.

It is also worth remembering that some causes can benefit greatly by simply being advertised. However, the most common causes posted about on social networking sites are causes that most people are already aware of, so fit the definiton of slacktivism very well.

Our Republic is burning – now is not the time for Slacktivism –

We can all start by educating ourselves – Start with the 5000 Year Leap – purchase it here:  National Center for Constitutional Studies - NCCS  (disclaimer:  I am not paid to promote this site – I do however teach the Making of America seminars – I receive no compensation to do so).  After reading the 5000 Year Leap – read and discuss and re-read the US Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other founding documents – this is important so the history revisionists will not be able to tell their lies any longer – We know the truth and we will demand it from them.

While educating yourself – arm yourself – literally – we must understand and employ our God-given right of the 2^nd amendment.  Please think about this for a moment – I live in Texas – I can guarantee you – these hooligan mobs at state fairs in Wisconsin and hooligan mobs in Pennsylvania and hooligan mobs in London – WOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN TEXAS – why – a good portion of the state is armed – pull that crap in my yard or my grocery store or attempt a car jack and you will meet the skinny side of a SigSauer or the dark end of a Glock or a myriad of others!  All my friends will come out to defend.  Criminal hooligans know this – they know where the citizenry is unarmed – Protect yourself and your family!

Get out there, lock arms with your neighbors, be heard and take a stand.  Our future depends on it.


I would like to thank my dear friend Toni Tone Tone whose conviction convicted us all- and Wiki for todays blog.

Day of Rage

From my friend and fellow conservative:

Bill Turner, Boise Conservative Examiner

Day Of Rage:

September 17th, 2011 is set to be a Day of Rage. The leftists call this a non-violent event, yet their website, Craigslist ads and Facebook postings include information on how to resist arrest, protest in jail and fight the legal system. The anarchists, Marxists and communists have put together a plan, from start to finish, to takeover America. There will be trouble. The only real question, at this point, is what are the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the NSA and others going to do to stop this? So far, no one in the media is talking about this insurrection, aside from Glenn Beck who told of it months ago. What will you and your family do to do be safe and save our way of life? It is obvious that the commander in chief has no intention of stopping this coming event, these are, after all, his political base.

The purveyors of the Day of Rage have done their best to make their cause sound as if it is Libertarian or Conservative, but as one reads through the material, it becomes apparent that they are masking their origins and intent. Corporations are blamed for much of the ills, including the suppression of “free and fair elections“. Hiding under the guise of ‘one person/one vote’ and campaign finance reform, fitting the ideology of B. Hussein Obama, as stated in his chastising of the Supreme Court during his State of the Union Address, they seek to implement social justice and a democracy, undermining the republic and electoral college process, turning elections into a popularity contest.

The Anti-American organizers of this even, seek to have protests in all fifty state capitols, the nations capitol and to crush the capitalist economy by disrupting Wall Street. Despite repeatedly stating their goal is non-violence, this subversive organization lists the following among their plans:

* They call for civil disobedience and include plans on how to disrupt court, arrest and the jail system.

* Civil disobedience training is available.

* Directions on responding with resistance to being restrained.

* Classes on forming Affinity Groups and collectively resisting law enforcement.

* Step by step processes for reducing infiltration by law enforcement and what to do after arrest (if you 're  peaceful, why plans on after arrest?).

* Directions on getting arrested, disrupting court, jail, booking and going on hunger/water strikes (Choosing to kill yourselves saves taxpayers money and it is encouraged).

* A legal process flow chart is included, as well as how to make more trouble in court (Always a good move, judges like that).

* Jail solidarity is addressed, which is unusual for a non-violent demonstration (You will become a jail bride).

* How to record audio and video covertly, during acts of civil disobedience (This stinks of a set up, to antagonize law enforcement into acting).

* Online civil disobedience is covered. Law abiding people call this hacking, sabotage, and illegal, in most cases.

This “non-violent” Day of Rage, which sounds like a national temper tantrum for spoiled children, also includes a call to arms. To be clear, a “call to arms” is issued prior to or during a violent event. Interesting that no one in the media or law enforcement has addressed this, or taken the time to warn Americans about the lefts'  call to arms. Monitoring the Twitter account of this group makes it clear that the anarchists, Marxists and collectivists have taken over and the intent of this group is much more than the “non-violence” they preach in between their “call to arms”.

The violent, non-violent revolutionaries have an interesting list of partners, sponsors and groups they identify with. The European Revolution is one such group. They have had a lot of non-violent protests that resulted in large scale riots and destruction of property. Take The Square is part of this revolutionary event and they support/endorse the riots in Greece that have been taking place. The group Occupy Wall Street is also part of this conglomeration of anarchists seeking to unite (which defeats the purpose…kind of like asking the clerk at the book store where the “Self Help” section is) on September 17, 2011. Even the Pro-Islamic leftists are represented, by WL Central (Wikileaks Central) and their irrational demands. The anarchists at the “non-violent” Day of Rage support two other anarchist groups, whom they openly admire, IRC AnonOps and Lulzsecurity.

Glenn Beck warned the nation of the coming leftist, Islamic storm. Like a dust cloud in the distance, it is almost upon us. Our government, our security agencies and the media have ignored the coming storm, making them part of the problem, not the solution. Given the Marxist leanings of the media, combined with our blatantly communist President, B. Hussein Obama, if that is his real name, and the shadow government of czars he has set up, a revolutionary storm, striking America, at approximately the same time America sees a credit downgrade and a pending food crisis (The government and media remain silent on the fires, lack of rain and flooding that has diminished our nations food supplies), it is the perfect time for disruption and Martial Law. For a President behind in the polls and failing at implementing “fundamental change” in America, this would enable his official oligarchy to begin. It has always been a question of “when” not “if”. We now know when.

The only remaining question is: What will you do? Are you prepared to protect and defend your family? Can you defend your property? Will you have food and water, or have you not prepared? Do you have the gravitas to support local law enforcement when they come under attack trying to contain these violent, non-violent protests? Are you prepared for Martial Law? Do you have your survival networks established? Safe houses? Do you possess the constitution, the depth of face to go as far as is needed to preserve the Republic? If not, are you prepared to tell your children and grandchildren that you were unprepared or a coward and that is why they now live in a crumbling, third world country that is a utopia for only the elite and the rich? America, your time is now.

Bill Turner
Reverend/Journalist