Correction: A previous version of this story attributed to Rudy Giuliani a statement that Americans should be tracked like UPS packages. Mike Huckabee made the statement.
My loyal readers are probably wondering why there hasn’t been a posting here in ten days. Before I get back into the daily grind of bringing you the latest in government stupidity, I have a few words to say about what life in these United States has become for someone who truly values the principles of liberty on which this country supposedly rests.
U.S. Marshal Stephen Monier is the unlucky man charged with capturing and bringing to prison Ed and Elaine Brown, who were convicted last January of tax evasion and structuring (that is, money laundering) in what the couple call a kangaroo court where they were not permitted to present evidence in their defense.
Monier knows exactly where they are. They’re at their Plainfield, N.H., home, where they have been since the trial. Yet he hasn’t gone in to get them, because Ed Brown, who says there is no law requiring ordinary Americans to pay income taxes, has promised to resist with deadly force anyone who attempts to take him away.
After a couple of attempts to sneak on to the property with specially outfitted teams apparently to conduct raids, both of which were called off at the last minute due to being discovered in advance, Monier has backed off and said he wants to resolve the standoff peacefully and keep the lines of communication open with the Browns. So he had their electricity and telephone service disconnected.
If Waco and Ruby Ridge come to mind, you aren’t alone. Ruby Ridge survivor Randy Weaver visited the Browns on June 18, where they held a press conference. He has said he plans to return.
As you can imagine, this situation has been extremely frustrating for the Department of Justice, who find their hands tied by an amorphous and difficult to track group of supporters of Ed and Elaine Brown’s cause. This is where I come in. Since declaring in June that I supported Ed and Elaine Brown’s refusal to pay what amounts to institutionalized theft, I have had a couple of bureaucrats of my very own watching me and trying to learn everything they can about me. Which, not surprisingly, isn’t all that much. I’ve also received threatening messages from federal law enforcement bureaucrats who thought they were being anonymous, and who are quite possibly mentally unbalanced.
All this, for expressing an opinion which the government doesn’t like. You know, the whole point of the First Amendment.
On Wednesday, the server hosting this site was down for about two hours, due apparently to a denial of service attack. (For you techies, I’ve several hours worth of SYN flooding in the logs.) During the time the server was down, several people I know apparently self-organized and moved themselves in an effort to locate me and ensure my personal safety and that nothing untoward had happened to my server. Several of them were concerned that the government might have decided to conduct a raid on me.
There was, of course, no raid. But among people in this liberty movement, tensions — and distrust of the federal government — are high enough that many people believe the Department of Justice capable of conducting a warrantless raid on someone for merely exercising his freedom of the press. One person even suggested that I had been added to one or more of the government’s many watch lists. But those lists are so stupid that if that’s true, I know of a major league baseball player who’s going to have a lot of trouble flying.
I personally don’t think they’re quite that stupid. There’s no way they could get a warrant on me for anything worse than jaywalking, and if they tried something without one, I know a lot of lawyers who would love to eat them for lunch. (By the way, if by some miracle of perjury you do get a warrant and plan to serve it here, you should call ahead. It’ll save you a lot of trouble.)
Is it paranoia or eternal vigilance to be willing to mobilize at the first sign of trouble from overreaching bureaucrats? Is it paranoia or eternal vigilance to think the worst of whatever government does? To have such a deep distrust of government to suspect the federal government could have played an active role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks — and to investigate the possibility?
The truth is, the founders of this country wanted people to keep that deep distrust of government, even after they had wrested control of it from England, and to actively resist any encroachment such a government might make on their liberties, long before it got as out of hand as it had been. We failed, and now many of us think it’s gotten out of hand again. And Ed Brown’s situation is only one tip of many icebergs.
Eternal vigilance is quite a tiresome task. More so when the majority of people refuse to see what is so obvious. This country went off the track long ago, and now we all suffer for it. Whether it’s oppressive and, so Ed Brown says, illegal taxation of our labor (which I say is slavery, and immoral) or the rising surveillance state which will, as Mike Huckabee called for Wednesday night, monitor us all like UPS packages, the United States is rapidly losing what’s left of the republic we were left — if we could keep it. It’s a sad commentary on America when there has to be a freedom movement (actually, there are several) in a country which was supposed to be free in the first place.
They say it isn’t paranoia if they really are out to get you. The truth is, they are out to get us all, and they’re succeeding, because We the People weren’t vigilant — or perhaps paranoid — enough. This is why I’m supporting Ron Paul’s presidential campaign: he is vigilant. He saw all this coming and spoke out against it in Congress. Though, in Congress as in the rest of the country, few listened to the warnings, and now we’re all paying the price. Fortunately, they seemed to be listening during last night’s debate, where Ron Paul said it again and won FOX News’ post-debate text message poll with some 33 percent of the voters.
Anyway, I decided to take a short vacation while Congress was gone. The tension has been much too high around here lately. Now that they’re back, I suppose I’ll have to get back to work chronicling the downfall of our country. Tiresome and thankless as it is, someone has to do it. And I’ll keep at it until they cart me off to the concentration camps, or the oil runs out and the lights go off, whichever comes first.
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Karl Marx would love the popular moves among politicians in various state governments and the federal government to ban so-called "junk" food in schools, and to "put healthy food in" convenience stores and on the tables of those they define as poor. It's a very elitist and arrogant mindset that promotes this ideology, and it needs to be addressed.
Ultimately, the war supporters in Congress prevailed in the vote on the resolution. Still, the vote was significant because it places every member of Congress on the record as supporting or not supporting the unconstitutional, costly, violent occupation of a country that never attacked us. This vote should serve as an important reminder to the American people of where their representatives really stand when it comes to policing the world, empire building, and war.
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Anonymoose
Sep 06, 2007
This is a perfect example of our wasted tax dollars — time spent watching someone who has done nothing and is absolutely no threat to anyone, while lord knows who else is plotting what.
Fact: We were warned at least 70 times about the crew who flew into the WTC, but not a thing was done about them.
Greg
Sep 06, 2007
Keep up the good work. This is but one site that people of all walks of like review and look at – watching the situation with the Browns is just one of them.
Darn interesting, isn’t it? You spout things the .Gov does not like, and then you get interesting pings and traces.
This is a great web site – I enjoy it very much!
BelchSpeak
Sep 06, 2007
It cracks me up that you are so paranoid that you think the Gubmint is after you! Kook.
Fred
Sep 06, 2007
Check this site for IP ranges of our NSA friends…
You were missed...
Sep 06, 2007
Thanks for the service you provide to the people that law enforcement wish would remain as vegetables. It is wonderful you have the guts, courage and wisdom to do what is right and just. It takes a true hero and person with integrity,brains and a heart to do this. Why don’t you run for president??? We need someone like you!! I am so sick of the crime families taking over the white house and screwing everyone over!! Why not have a real leader for once that has a heart of gold??? Have a great rest of the week. From a large group of FANS!!!
Paul Kyler
Sep 07, 2007
Hello:
I think the wonderful satirical name of your website, and your wonderful satirical use of the DHS seal, logo, and webpage art, are probably more than enough to agitate the the scumbags at the main office in DC. Nevermind your specific commentaries.
I am sure any blow back you are suffering from those clowns at the main office in DC sprouted long before the story of Ed and Elaine Brown.
Michael Hampton
Sep 07, 2007
You liberal.
Fixer
Sep 07, 2007
Michael,
Ten years ago, I would have laughed at anyone who believed the government had any interest in targeting average citizens exercising their first amendment rights. Five years ago I started working for DHS/TSA (I left this year). Now I laugh at those who still think like I used to. Sometimes paranoia helps us to be vigilant.
Mark Sweeney
Sep 07, 2007
I guess I’m missing something here. The Brown’s admit to not paying taxes. They sent envelopes back to the county assessor’s offices with notes stating that the land belongs to “the Lord” and that the US government has no jurisdiction on their property.
What defense did you want them to be able to present, Michael? An inflammatory diatribe about the Illuminati, the Jews, and Freemasonry? Is that the affirmative defense you believe these people are being denied in the pursuit of justice?
Cue
Sep 07, 2007
are you still getting those mentally unbalanced messages, if so, I came up with a way to really spook the culprit.
you already know where they are/were posting from. an ip cam or a cam or 2 w/ ptz capability hooked up to a linux box with dvr software, you could match up time stamps to the messages and perhaps put a face to them.
you of course would have to have someone in the area who would let the box be set up and not disturb it, or maybe rent a room nearby hopefully across the street from the location.
Cue
Sep 07, 2007
PS, as far as I can tell there is only of of those bread places in the area they mentioned to you where they wanted hotspots
and 7 others in that entire state.
Ogre
Sep 07, 2007
Good to hear everything’s fine and back to working.
AzraelsJudgement
Sep 07, 2007
This is a great site. The police state is way out of hand and all freedom loving people know the federal income tax is illegal and doesnt help this country one bit. They treat Ed and Elaine Brown like an enemy country, so sad.
I never understand why people bow down and believe our government is full of good and just people. When has any government in history been just and how many times do countries overthrow their government once it gets out of hand, well alot.
People are so obsessed with keep their materialism and fantasy land they will attack anyone who brings the truth.
The government of course is now full of people who want us to be slaves to their ideas and do what they want. If anyone thinks the USA is of free people they are in for a big surprise. Its one big nation where the majority are brainwashed and/or suppressed with being to busy living paycheck to paycheck to notice.
Props on this website. I do my best on youtube by the name I am using now. Sites like this though are what need to be read.
Rosie
Sep 08, 2007
It is eternal vigilance, my friend.
DhaMan
Sep 09, 2007
I’m glad you are OK and this great website continues to fight in the name of liberty.
You can never be paranoid enough with the way things are out there.
Next all liberty lovers will be on the airport watch list. Its coming…
orf.p.
Sep 09, 2007
Good to see people who think like ME! Great site. A military man onct told me ( being paranoid will save your life.) He was not wrong! Our government is changing now and part of why is they do things to keep up with other countries but the stability will crash long run.
Tim
Sep 11, 2007
Those who feel the need to protect what they have are those who have something worth protecting. You, my friend, are an excellent individual who helps many others remain aware in this troubled and manipulated world. Thank you for your work.
Nixer
Sep 11, 2007
Hi Michael
Keep up the good fight man…especially on this day Sep 11.
The day the crats really screwed up.
Their answer? A even bigger bureaucracy! Brilliant!
Osama couldn’t have planned it better himself. Homeland Stupidity indeed………….
Michael Hampton
Sep 12, 2007
Four supporters of Ed Brown were arrested in simultaneous raids earlier today.
As expected, I wasn’t one of them.
RiverRat
Sep 15, 2007
<quote>Tiresome and thankless as it is, someone has to do it.
</quote>
Thank You!!
miche
Sep 18, 2007
You already know what I think, Michael. It’s funny how the very things us “crazy” people have been talking about are being exposed, but people continue to make excuses. The efforts of what is, indeed, best described as our current police state have now been pushed into our public school systems. Dallas Independent School District has joined the ranks by creating a SWAT-like police force- complete with assault weapons- for Dallas schools. They were trained by Homeland Security. Nothing like training children to be accustomed to police, guns, and surveillance. Yet, there are people who have emailed to tell me that I’m the crazy one for speaking against this police “protection.” (See my site for details.)
Verbos
Sep 27, 2007
Why do people think we are paranoid? There aren’t Muslim terrorists killing and maiming people, it’s our own police. Just listen to your local police activities. It’s everywhere in the US. Anyone who has a clue can see that the only terrorists here are the US government agencies. If everyone would just pull their heads out of the sand and take a good long look, the real enemies would be obvious.
BelchSpeak
Oct 05, 2007
How about an Ed Brown update? Hee hee hee.
LoudmouthJoe
Oct 09, 2007
Good day all,
Response #7: “Kook” = “Liberal”? Whew. I’m glad we had Republican control for the last 6 years. I expect you are too, based on that response.
Truly, the “Liberal” vs “Conservative” arguemt is like the Dems vs. Repub argument. Do you relly think there is a difference? They are all rich, powerful, well connected and more concerned about what’s happening in their neck of the woods than what’s happening in yours.
Police state? They’re aiming to get YOU, but the don’t care about drug dealers, illegal immegrants, gun trafficers, pedophiles, people who cheat on their taxes and many others are are roaming free and doing what they want in this police state. Or maybe it’s the land of the free like it says in the song.
Sure, things aren’t as great as they can be, but I can just as easily cherry pick facts and use them to support a position.
Or, maybe you all work for the Illuminati/Freemasons, whatever, and you’re trying to distract us from the real problems in this country. Can you prove that you don’t?
Show me the proof that all of you aren’t tools of the wealthy and I’ll show you proof that we are legally obliged to pay income taxes.
thanks for the time.