Resistance is futile: A Taser warning posted in an Idaho courtroom (courtesy of Pro Libertate reader SW).

Prompted by the essay “Highway Robbery” — which described, among other things, a federally funded program deploying State Troopers on semi-trucks to prey on motorists — reader D.S. passes along this troubling piece of intelligence:

“I recently obtained my CDL license in my home state (Georgia.) Before I could obtain [it], I had to participate in the “Highway Watch” program, which basically meant watching a video and answering three questions at the end. The program basically instructs drivers to spy on their fellow citizens and report any “suspicious activity” to, you guessed it, the government (via 911 or the local police.) Alas, the police state mentality might very well infect a profession known for its individualist, no-nonsense nature.”

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Pagans pay their respects: Pagan OMC members who knew Derek Hale (below) at the March 23 press conference in Wilmington, Delaware announcing the lawsuit on behalf of Derek’s widow and family.

A pseudonymous reader offered the following critique of a brief anti-war commentary embedded in the essay “Death Squad in Delaware: The Case of the Murdered Marine”:

“I would ask you to look at this line in your article: `In addition to his honorable military service (albeit in a consummately dishonorable war)’…. Now you are supposed to be a professional writer. The above sentence makes no sense at all. How can you say this brave young man was honorable, and then claim he participated in something dishonorable? I know you left wing nut jobs can’t just come out and say what you really mean. But when you write about a man you can’t hold a candle too how bout attempting to control your contempt for our Country. And spare us all with any answer that you support the troops but not the war. That’s another contradictory sentence that only makes sense to left wing kooks.”

This gentleman’s first mistake, of course, is to assume that I’m a left-wing nut job, when my nutjobbery is actually a proprietary blend of libertarianism and paleo-conservatism, and the chief Source of my opposition to war is the anti-war Radical whose teachings are presented in some detail in the New Testament.

One of the symptoms of Hannitization (an auto-lobotomy that results from prolonged exposure to White House-aligned media whores) is the inability to recognize that there are many critics of Bush’s war who aren’t liberals or leftists of any sort. (Another is the tendency to keep reciting White House-disseminated talking points long after they’ve been worn down to blunt stubs.) This isn’t the most subtle of distinctions, but it is lost on talk radio bulimics like my kind and most learned correspondent.

Likewise, the moral distinction between the soldier and the cause he’s ordered to serve isn’t difficult for functioning adults to grasp; it may even be intelligible to Hannitoids. History is tragically replete with decent, honorable men whose sacrifices have been wasted by craven, immoral rulers. Winston Churchill (albeit for self-serving reasons) paid tribute to Erwin Rommel, whom the British leader considered to be an honorable soldier, despite the fact that he fought on behalf of a despicable cause.

Like most of those who serve in our military, Derek Hale didn’t enlist in the United States Marine Corps because he was eager to take part in a war that is an armed robbery writ large.

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Writing from Iraq, a good friend and PL reader whose name and initials I won’t disclose describes how the war is being used to field-test police state techniques that will be deployed in the USSA ere long:

“`Someone’ wants us to look at putting drop down gates in every Iraqi market in Baghdad, then add to that walk-through body scanners. Did I mention the push to seal off the Muhallas (neigborhoods) and have people enter by entering their biometric data? I’m talking fingerprinting and possible iris scans. The Good Idea Fairy needs a 3″ 12 gauge load shot at it.” These are just some of the “crazy security projects that would make the DHS pee in its pants with glee.”

My friend is also disgusted by the profligacy and corrupt careerism that characterize the occupation:

“Man, it’s simply amazing the money being spent. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve spoken with several Majors and even some senior NCOs and loper ranking officers and most of us agree what we’re doing is going in the wrong direction.” He and some friends are going to try “to reduce the number of projects and decrease the waste,” but he’s not optimistic. “Over here, there is like this contest no one dares speak of (but we lower folks see it) where commanders try to outspend each other,” he comments. “It’s as if spending money on projects is a sign of good civil military operations. I mean, $225,000 to pick up the trash in a neighborhood? i know the trash is bad, as well as the security situation, but man!”

He’s also worried about the possibility that the strategic savants in the executive branch are going to wind up losing an entire army in Iraq.

“If we go into Iran, it may happen,” he writes. “It would not take much to starve us out. Whenever the crap hits a fan, people will always choose the side that will save their neck. In this case, it will not be to side with the U.S. forces. We will be prevent[ed] from using nukes due to the proximity to our own troops. And having to take care of contractors and service members? Ouch….. Shoot, we wouldn’t be able to feed or fuel ourselves since it’s contracted out. Heck, in Kuwait and here in Baghdad, [Halliburton spin-off] KBRschedules flights. Man, what have we become?”

“Maybe i need to start making some Christian contacts or here in case we get cut off and overrun?” he concludes. “I call it: `the purge’ (aka plan B). 🙂 Now I learn I’m here for 15 months. I think it will be longer…maybe 18. The truth is always the first victim of war.”

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Don, a dear friend for several years, sent me a kind note containing troubling confirmation of the fact that police departments in even the tiniest towns are being transformed into armies of occupation:

“We moved from Florida back to Oklahoma last July and are very happy to be home where we belong. Our new 1978 ranch style is on an acre-and-a-half and we are remodeling it to our taste. The little town of Harrah, OK, is like the TV `Mayberry’ in a lot of ways. There is one way, however, that is definitely not like Mayberry. Harrah has about a 4500 population and a small police force, the Harrah Police Department (HPD), that transfers phone calls after 1800hrs to the county sheriff’s station. Would you believe that they (HPD) have recently purchased fifteen sniper rifles with a $10,000 grant through the fed’s program?! They cannot justify in my mind a need for one, let alone fifteen. The ammo they are burning up having `fun’ is coming out of our tax dollars for the `boys’ to play`”SWAT.’ The fire station also enjoys federal `assistance’ from similar sources. Knowing what I know, it’s a very scary prospect….”

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Playing off the line in my Resurrection Sunday essay referring to the ancient Tower of Babel and its modern analogue (UN Headquarters), reader Robert Corzine sent along this very revealing graphic:

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And for those of you who are interested, I’m presenting a photograph taken a few days ago by my son, William Wallace, of our German Shepherd, Chief — who may prove to be my undoing if he doesn’t fatten up to the satisfaction of the local branch of Leviathan.

Poor, abused little thing: Chief, our 6-month-old German Shepherd pup, an alleged victim of felonious animal mistreatment.

News and notes —

This Saturday (April 21) I will be speaking at the Spring National Committee Meeting of the Constitution Party in Boise. My topic will be “Paying the Price of Principle.”

Next Thursday (April 26) at 3:00 PM EST I will be a guest on Jerri Lynn Ward’s Right Talk Radio program “I Object! Justice Examined.” We will discuss the government-aided mass murder at Virginia Tech.

For those who have expressed concern about my wife Korrin (scroll down to the end) and offered prayers on her behalf: She is doing better, and — thank God — hasn’t had to be hospitalized again, at least not yet.

It was one year ago this week that her health took a dramatic and life-altering turn for the worse, and she’s been in the hospital four times during that period; on one occasion she was very close to death. Thank you so much for thinking of, and praying for, her and the rest of us, and for your other acts of kindness and generosity.

This week, Kevin Shannon’s “The Right Source” radio program has been interviewing Second Amendment activists in anticipation of a renewed push for civilian disarmament. Make sure to stop by The Right Source!