<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param><bigger><bigger>The "Unfair-Issue" Strategy - Using "Fairness" as
a Political Weapon
Jim Bovard <<jbovard@his.com> wrote:
>In Freedom in Chains, I have a long chapter seeking
>to debunk the claims for the morality and inherent
>justice of the State, walking through case after case
>where politicians invoked fairness to stretch their
>power. The history of the political use of the term
>"fairness" should awake people to the profound
>untrustworthiness of the political class. Then
>again, maybe not.
>The book, Freedom in Chains: The Rise of the State
>& the Demise of the Citizen (St. Martin's Press),
>is now out and is generating some controversy.
>If anyone wants to read the first chapter, it is
>posted on the web at <<http://www.jimbovard.com/>.
>I also have a press release and other background
>material on the book I would be happy to send
>I welcome any feedback on the book!
>Jim Bovard <<jbovard@his.com>
Can Libertarians and other Freedom Activists
Effectively Use "Fairness" as a Political Weapon?
by Frederick Mann <<f-prime@activist.com>
<<http://www.buildfreedom.com>
The reason that coercive politicians love to use
"fairness" to justify their policies and programs
is because "fairness" is a strong "button" for most
people. "Everyone must pay their fair share." "We
want fair trade, not free trade." "The Government
needs to provide fair housing for the poor." Etc.
Most (if not all) of us have a sense of "fairness."
When someone treats us unfairly, it tends to raise
our hackles.
Microsoft gets attacked because of its allegedly
"unfair business practices."
The IRS is hated by many because some of its procedures
and practices -- not to speak of high tax rates --
are widely perceived as unfair.
The recent campaign against the proposal for the "Know
Your Customer" regulations resulted in over 240,000
letters and e-mail messages condemning the proposed
regulations sent to the FDIC, and seems to have at
least delayed implementation of the regulations. The
significance is that the right issue can be used to
reach large numbers of people and persuade them to
take action.
Also significant is that the Internet makes it easy,
convenient, and quick for people to take actions such
as submitting objections to the appropriate agency,
writing to their state or federal representatives and
senators, writing letters to the editor, etc.
The Libertarian Party set up the Defend Your Privacy!
website at <<http://www.defendyourprivacy.com/>. A
number of similar websites can be set up, each for
a specific issue.
Consider, for example, the "New River, AZ Siege"
<<http://www.web-writer.com/newriver/> and the article
'Feds to lift 'siege' of Arizona town - Residents win
standoff against BATF, EPA'
<<http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_exnews/19990309_xex_feds_to_lift.shtml>.
The "New River Siege" website could have had an "Action
Page" that is automated as far as possible for people
to take action by sending messages to BATF, EPA, the
appropriate politicians, etc. The Fed's behaviour
could have been denounced as *unfair*.
I suspect that "unfair" is much more powerful than
"unconstitutional."
Such an "Unfair-Issue" website can be set up by a
profreedom business, for example, a gun manufacturer.
In addition to serving as a "campaign vehicle" regarding
the "unfair issue," the website serves an advertising
purpose -- "This website is provided by ABC Guns -
Click here to see our superb guns and rifles." So,
setting up and maintaining the website can be a
profitable activity.
Some libertarian Web Designers could specialize in
setting up and maintaining "Unfair-Issue" websites
and offer their services to appropriate businesses
and organizations.
It may be worthwhile to quickly set up one or more
"UNFAIR IRS" websites to take advantage of April 15
and Tax Freedom Day (May 10th, last year)
<<http://www.taxfoundation.org/prtaxfreechart1.html>.
Gail Lightfoot, Libertarian Party, CA <<GkLtft@aol.com>
wrote:
>It is time to plan your April 15th event if you are
>going to have one. Here are some ideas.
>I will be improving on this draft with your suggestions.
>We will have copies of the Spring 1999 Libertarian
>Alternative available by April.
>I did want to suggest strongly considering using a
>federal building or IRS office in combination with
>a USPS. If you can (they need to be fairly close to
>one another to aviald losing your volunteers enroute)
>your Protest will be focused on the proper venue and
>your outreach will be focused on taxpayers.
>I am also leaning to staging LP outreach on Tax Freedom
>Day for a more positive image.
>Candidates can use any event as a kick off for their
>campaign.
>
>How to stage a tax filing day protest.
>
>A. Determine your most effective location.
>1. Factors to consider
>a. Pedestrian and automobile traffic and patterns
>b. Visibility of protesters
>c. Interaction with foot and auto traffic with consideration
>of any potential to interrupt and create problems
>d. Appropriateness - will a U.S. Federal or IRS office or
>building be a better starting point for publicity especially
>now that many taxpayers are filing electronically!
>It is time to reconsider the time and place of our protests.
>Beginning at a location more suited to protest and continuing
>on to a local late filers USPS location to reach more people
>may be a good combination for our efforts.
>Changing to Tax Freedom Day may create a more positive image
>for our efforts.
>
>B. Determine your focus
>1. Ideas
>a. Banners or flags
>b. Signs
>c. LP
>d. End Tax Abuse
>e. Reform abusive tax system
> etc.
>
>C. Determine your methodology
>1. Ideas
>a. Table with literature
>b. Rolling rack with literature
>c. Individuals with literature
>d. ID all participants with LP Logo (T-shirts, jackets, caps,
>armbands, temporary attach decals to clothing, etc.)
>e. Combination of two or more of the above
>
>D. Gather all materials well in advance
>1. From LP
>a. Legal Memo (Legal precedents affirming the right of LP
>members to distribute anti-tax materials outside local post
>offices
>b. Project Times Two - The million dollar tax day outreach
>kit (while the NLP million dollar bills are great as they are,
>they can also be printed slightly smaller 3 up on a page to
>save costs) Do not forget to add you local address, phone
>number, etc.
>
>E. Line up plenty of volunteers
>
>F. Publicize, Publicize, Publicize!
>1. Send multiple Press Releases to every publication within
>your service area
>a. Serving notice on the agency (visit them with a nice letter
>advising them of your plans and a copy of your press release
>before sending the Press Release - be prepared to reword it if
>they object to anything you are planning to say about them or
>their agency - Remember, the individuals at the agency are
>axpayers too)
>b. Serving notice on the public as to the current tax burden
>they face
>c. Using individual activists or candidates who will participate
>as the focus of one or more PR (perhaps a candidate will declare
>their campaign on that day or the local leader will speak out
>against taxes in some way)
>
>You cannot get too much publicity!
>
>Send other ideas to me for inclusion in this paper. The NLP
>booklet is very complete and can be an addendum to this paper.
>Duplication will be eliminated once I have that booklet in
>electronic form. This will be a part of the Regional Manuals
>when finished (always subject to update and addition of other
>types of protests)
In addition to physical protests, through "Unfair Issues"
websites, the means can be provided for largely automated
electronic protests on a wide scale.
The Unfair-Issue Strategy may be particularly appropriate for
any individuals, groups, companies, or organizations that suffer
unfair government attacks:
<<http://www.onr.com/user/gnn/main.html>;
their customers;
<<http://www.mcwilliams.com/index1.htm>:
Federal Judge Rules Author Peter McWilliams Cannot Use
Medical Marijuana Even to Save His Life
</bigger></bigger></fontfamily><bigger><bigger>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>Federal Judge George H. King ruled that author Peter
McWilliams cannot use medical marijuana while on bail
awaiting his trial on federal medical marijuana charges.
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>"They're just going to let me die," said McWilliams, who
was devastated by the ruling.
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>"[W]e emphasize that we expect defendant to abide by
the law and his conditions of release," Judge King noted
in a ruling issued on March 3, 1999, but not released until
today [March 9].
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>"By this order, we do not mean to express indifference to
defendant's situation," Judge King wrote in his ruling.
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>"My doctor and I have tried everything, and we made this
very clear in the documents filed with the court. Medical
marijuana was the only alternative," said McWilliams.
</fontfamily>
"<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>We hope and trust that defendant and his physician will
be able to determine a suitable treatment program within
the law," the ruling stated.
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>"The Judge's "hope" and "trust," while certainly appreciated,
are not what I need. I needed the judge to act, to give me
back my medicine so I will be alive to defend myself in
court," said McWilliams, whose trial on the underlying
medical marijuana charges are not scheduled to begin
until September 7, 1999.
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>McWilliams' attorney, Thomas J. Ballanco [310-259-6976],
said an appeal would be made to the Federal 9th Circuit
Court.
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>The complete ruling and other related documents are online
at <<http://www.petertrial.com>.
</fontfamily>
<fontfamily><param>Times New Roman</param>Assistant U.S. Federal Attorneys in charge of case:
Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha 213-894-2481
Mary E. Fulginiti, 213-894-6681
I think the probability is high that a well-promoted Unfair-Issue
website on the McWilliams case could be used to induce large
numbers of people to engage in electronic protest.
We could have the makings here of a strategy with awesome
power to influence masses of people.
The Unfair-Issues mailing list has been set up for
anyone interested in this strategy, and particularly
for cooperation and coordination. To subscribe, go to
<<http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/Unfair-Issues>.
Advice will be available on the Unfair-Issues list
on how to make an Unfair-Issue website profitable
within a few months (for those interested in promoting
freedom and earning money for their efforts).
Some of our 'Activism' links may be relevant
<<http://www.buildfreedom.com/ft/activism.htm>.
Frederick Mann
"The first day a man is a guest, the second a burden,
the third a pest."
"The first day government poses as a generous helper,
the second day it becomes an unfair burden, the third
day it degenerates into a deadly pest."
REPOSTING INVITED
</fontfamily></bigger></bigger>
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