Fear is one of the most powerful forces used to control a human. By keeping a person or group of people afraid of a real or perceived threat, one can emotionally manipulate a victim to turn in family members to agents of the state, give up basic human rights, and beg for protection to be administered by the very entity using fear to control them. Some of the most popular enemies include the Communists in the 1950’s, the Black Panthers in the ‘60’s, Russia in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, terrorists after 9/11, and the ever present threat of manufactured diseases like the bird and swine flus. It appears as if this country has been scared to death by our government warning us of the latest boogeyman for most of the last century, and this fear has been used to whittle away at our civil liberties.

 

        By being in constant fear of hypothetical danger (like “cyber-terrorists”), our defenses are weakened and our bullshit meters function at lessened capacity. We have lost sight of the things we should really be concerned with: the ever-expanding military-industrial complex, the erosion of our civil liberties with each passing “defense” bill, the fact the president now has the authority to authorize the remote killing of US citizens by predator drones, the increasing aggression of the police state…you get the point. There are the real issues, then there are the fabricated scenarios used to distract us from the real power grabs going on in our country. So, while people focus on the recent bill banning gay marriage in North Carolina, they are distracted from the question of what government is doing managing a personal contract between two people. Oftentimes, the knee-jerk reaction to a superficial social issue eliminates the question of “why.” Why do we need government to be involved in the most personal aspects of our lives?

 

        It is taken for granted that the government has such control over our lives, and never ever questioned. We must ask why we do things like submit our children to be molested in the name of security. Are we afraid of freedom? In a way we are afraid of the responsibility that freedom brings. As long as there is a scapegoat to blame our problems on, we are content to live in a sterile, manufactured world where the state supplies what it thinks we need and our dependence is paid for by coercing others, for no service is truly free of cost. It is never the fault of the state or its supporters if the country is attacked for perpetuating overt and covert wars around the world, no, it is the brown people who hate our freedom. As little sense as this explanation makes, it is a convenient way to divert responsibility for the actions of the people who elected the officials who continue to fuel the war machine.

 

        While government has so much power over our daily existence, it is a complaint that begs the question, “How did it get to this point?” The culprit is revealed when one looks into a mirror. By allowing our reason to be manipulated by fear, the people have given credence to a broken system and provided the life blood to support it through taxes and voting. These corrupt leaders were elected over and over again to use their monopoly on violence to harm others and take away their rights while forcing the values of their supporters on others who disagree. The degree of evil genius involved when pitting us against each other whether it be through race, class, gender or religion is sickening, yet near perfect. This situation leads to the conclusion that voting has become an act of violence because it allows for an undereducated minority to inflict its morals on the uneducated majority. When the people, swayed by false promises and doomed to repeat history due to insufficient knowledge and critical thinking skills, elected Obama nearly four years ago, they consented to the theft and war to come. Despite pleas by an informed minority that this candidate was exactly the same as his predecessor due to his campaign backers (Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America), the lemmings dismissed the facts and instead chose another smooth talking politician as their beloved leader.

 

        If the majority of people can accept the fact that most all politicians are liars who pander to their bases with false promises and only seek to serve themselves, why do people continue to vote for them? It is fear; fear of the newest threat, fear of their neighbor, fear that their benefits (falsely called) will be taken away, fear that they will have to answer for their actions. I guess they reason that as long as there is a scapegoat, the people can remain blameless and devoid of responsibility. Try telling that to the millions who have been raped, killed, and tortured by the monolithic war machine supported by the American citizens under republican and democrat regimes. As long as people continue to uphold the status quo of a two party system (in name only), they should be held responsible, and quite frankly deserve what they get when their elected leaders and government entities makes bad decisions and backlash ensues. Of course, if you are supportive of this system, that is fine, but don’t act offended when the politician you voted for and the system you pay taxes to disappoints you. However, there is a growing number of people experiencing cognitive dissonance and becoming weary of the same old game.

 

        These individuals are tasked with the concern of how convoluted things have become, and if there is any way to fix the current system or at the very least take an ethical stance in opposition. A violent revolution at this point in the game is not possible. You could have all the guns humanly possible, but they will do nothing when confronted by a hellfire missile, predator drone, or any other military weapon. Changing the minds of the people is a start. By educating your friends and family on the history of topics such as central banking, the public/Prussian school system and its methods of indoctrination, false flag attacks, and denaturing of our food, the womb of consciousness can be opened. It begins with taking responsibility for how one’s decisions affect neighbors near and far, and not allowing responsibility to be delegated out to external forces.

 

        Another approach, and my personal favorite as far as direct action after the re-education phase, is opting out. Reform of the system by working within it, despite the good intentions of some activists, is not possible. The system was designed in such a way to oppress the people; therefore, its rules are made to benefit the rulers. There is no playing by their rules to encourage change, and if you don’t believe me look at what happens to politicians who stand up for the rights of the people. There is the opportunity to opt out as much as you can. If you don’t like the food the system feeds you, stop eating it. If you don’t like the products it makes, quit buying them. If you don’t like the foreign policy of the military-industrial complex, quit paying for it. If you don’t support the destructive actions of politicians, quit voting for them. If your bank is screwing you over, quit banking there. If you disagree with the Fed and monetary policy, quit using its currency. It is not as difficult as you might think because the more dissatisfaction that surfaces, the more innovation comes out of the minds of the people hoping to break free. The hardest part would be the issue of avoiding paying taxes, and I am in no way encouraging people to take on the IRS. The rest of the actions have easy solutions. Grow your own food, or support a local farmer. Define the necessities you need to exist, and choose the services that can afford you peace of mind over convenience. Quit voting altogether, but even more so if your options are decided by morally derelict parties with an agenda. Take your money out of the major banking institutions and support your local credit union or better yet, change your money over to real money in the form of gold and silver to protect your wealth against inflation, and store it yourself.

 

        One of the most fascinating developments in the liberty movement is that of wallet voting---the concept of using silver to barter with for goods and services instead of fiat reserve notes. You’ll find many of your local, independent businesses will be more than happy to accept silver as payment. Bartering doesn’t have to be limited to silver, though. I have used my handmade hula hoops to barter with, for example, but any kind of voluntary exchange that limits the Fed’s control over you is an option. This method of exchange has the dual purpose of avoiding taxes, as well, and while it may be particularly difficult to avoid the income tax altogether, a barter society significantly decreases the power they have over your wealth.

 

        If you have already made the decision to opt out, there are numerous resources available to you. Here are some sources to make those changes in your life today:

 

Growing seasons: http://www.cartoko.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Paullin_1932_pl_3e.jpg

 

Local farmers participating in work exchange programs and also sellers of organic food: http://www.wwoofusa.org/

 

Credit unions: http://thecommunitybanker.com/cu_links/

 

Buy real money, stay up to date on financial news, free iPhone silver wallet app, and other resources to keep you empowered: http://rrbi.co/

 

Information on wallet voting, awesome t-shirts, and where to buy collectible silver dime cards: http://donttreadonmeme.com/

 

Meet other individuals opting out peacefully: http://freestateproject.org/