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Tyranny of One, Tyranny of AllThat’s Freedom, Isn’t It?Written by Darrell Anderson. I want to suggest a new movement, much in the spirit of Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant Anti-Massacre[e] Movement. To this day Guthrie’s song remains one of my all-time favorites. Sometimes when I allow people to discourage me I sit and listen to Guthrie’s charming and comical anti-war song. Indeed, I recommend all anti-statists keep a copy of that song handy. Unlike Guthrie’s song, however, the motto of this new movement is taken from Eric Frank Russell’s classic 1951 freedom-loving science fiction novelette . . . And Then There Were None. In that story, a few hundred years after a great exodus and thanks to the invention of high-speed planetary travel, Terran (earthling) “diplomats” went seeking the people who colonized those other planets. In Russell’s original story, only one planet was involved, in the expanded version several planets were visited. All the people in those new settlements were anti-political to one degree or another. With each visit the diplomats were frustrated in their efforts to convince the inhabitants of a “need” to join Terrans in a political alliance. In Russell’s original story, the people of that planet called themselves Gands, in honor of Mahatma Gandhi. As might be expected several hundred years after the great exodus, in a statist society none of the visiting Terrans had any idea who Gandhi was. However, the inhabitants of the planet were anarchists to the full definition of the word. So much so that they refused to do anything that they didn’t want to. Period. Gands were fond of short-handed words — initial slang. For example, they created a new word myob which was short for mind your own business. They talked about obs, which was short for obligations — the basis for their wealth exchange system. The Gands had a motto of their own, in Gandian short-hand, of course. F — I.W. The phrase was shorthand for Freedom — I Won’t. This motto was the cornerstone of Gandian life. Gands believed that their motto was “the mightiest weapon ever thought up by the mind of man.” In one scene of the story, one of the visiting Terrans pretended to use the threat of a deadly weapon to convince one of the Gands to perform an action. The Gandian refused to cooperate and the logic provided was simple and irrefutable. When the Terran said that the Gandian would be dead, the Gandian agreed, and then added that the Terran still would have to find somebody to perform his dirty work; and the next Gandian would respond similarly. Theoretically, the Terran could kill every Gandian and eventually would have to perform the dirty work himself. In other words, the act of using force and coercion and the threat of violence was utterly futile. The ideas of liberty and not trespassing permeated every aspect of Gandian life. They refused to be slaves. Any intruder who violated those concepts was called an Antigand. Throughout the story, Gands were fond of reminding each other that they were free. Throughout conversations, Gands would end a statement with, “That’s freedom, isn’t it?” The phrase merely was part of Gandian essence, like common phrases used today. Sort of like the way Canadians are known for ending sentences with, “eh?” This anarchism permeated the entire culture. Solidarity was critical. Every Gand knew that only one Gand submitting to the rule of another provided legitimacy to the ruler. Gands knew full well what was at stake. Thus, the motto for this new movement. “That’s freedom, isn’t it?” Imagine every other paragraph of your conversations decorated with this simple phrase. Imagine you saying to an employee, “Please stack those boxes over there. You don’t have to, of course, but that’s freedom, isn’t it?” Imagine as a coach telling a player, “I’d like you to play third base. You don’t have to, but that’s freedom, isn’t it?” Imagine asking your sons and daughters to clean their rooms, “Of course, you don’t have to, that’s freedom, isn’t it?” Or asking them to remove the garbage bag, “Of course, you don’t have to, that’s freedom, isn’t it?” And then adding, “Of course, your parents don’t have to feed you tonight, that’s freedom, isn’t it?” Obviously, these examples show that reciprocating mutually beneficial actions are good, but any individual who chooses not to participate in such a system is free to do just that. Of course, such people then must become completely self-sufficient — or steal. The entire purpose of this movement is pure education. Just as some phrases such as Uecker Seats, Just Do It, and Where’s the beef? became populously recognized sayings, so too can, “That’s freedom, isn’t it?” Imagine a friend complaining about a job. You tell your friend, “Well, just leave. That’s freedom, isn’t it?” Imagine listening to a neighbor complain about taxes. You tell your neighbor, “Well, then stop paying. That’s freedom, isn’t it?” Imagine telling a LEO (law enforcement officer), “Well, go ahead and write a citation if you want — that’s freedom, isn’t it?” Guthrie’s song was an anti-war movement effort. “And that’s what it is, the Alice’s Restaurant Anti-Massacre[e] Movement, and all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it comes around on the guitar.” Likewise, all you have to do is add four words to anything you say. Of course, you don’t have to join this movement. That’s freedom, isn’t it? Finis. Next: Taxes and Consent |
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