A Review of the Adventures in Illinois Law Series
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The following are my thoughts on the AIL anthology.
As mentioned at the very beginning of the AIL (Adventures in Illinois Law) series, Shane had learned how to apply cancelling his own voter registration based on Kyle’s own experience in Texas. It has been my experience that non-voters make up a substantial minority in online discourses with regards to electoral subjects and discussion, whereas voters claim majority rule (an odd thing sugar-coated as “Democracy”). There is a notable distinction that needs to be made between the non-voter who remains registered to vote, and the non-voter who cancels such registration as locally applied to State and/or federal laws. In my circumstance, in searching for local laws with regard to handling ballots I happened upon statutory law that says rather explicitly that active non-participation will be categorized equivalent to cancelling your voter registration. However, I found nothing on means to obtain documentary evidence from the State authorities themselves in this manner. Given the difficult nature of my circumstance, obtaining a voter card was one of the easiest means of renewing my State ID for the next several years, despite my personal grievances of supposedly “having to” live under such coercive terms and conditions just to be an acknowledged peon who obeys the slave driver of the Statist tax plantation. A subservient “upstanding” citizen, all over some trivial means arbitrary identification. The DMV’s finger print database was a curious anomaly of the totalitarian surveillance state, and a reluctant compromise just to continue the process of having a photo displayed on my shiny new State ID card like gold-infused chains. An extended leash is still a leash, and it’s nowhere near the ideal of living in a society based on freedom. Needless to say, as Shane’s first step in AIL, I was very proud of this first step he had taken 5 months ago.
(Disclaimer: As much as I believe in providing transparency in the LUA-ETTW partnership, I don’t feel particularly comfortable risking personal privacy referencing local laws that cite my current county of residency within the State of West Virginia. Please respect this decision and enjoy the rest of my Note on the AIL anthology. I would like to assume this is a consistent application of security culture on my behalf, and I don’t do it out of spite to readers of the AIIL series. This is about Shane’s experience in Illinois, first and foremost, not my own.).
Shane’s adventure in Jury Summons (published April 30th), shows what a difficult process it is for the average person to avoid ‘Ignorantia juris non excusat’ (Latin: ignorance of the law does not excuse) despite dealing with some government employees who’ve practically flaunted such ignorance in Shane’s testimony. The fact that Mr. Daisy has known less than nill regarding Illinois law on jury duty and its “lawful” punishments on those who “fail to appear” tells me all I need to know about the bureaucrat in a clown suit. As someone allegedly there to provide advisory counsel on legal matters in Illinois, I think Mr. Daisy would benefit from a trip to the law library as Shane himself has done throughout the series. I’ve heard only in passing about how others have been equally coerced to resume “jury duty” as Shane has. The difference in working alongside Shane, it has provided very insightful “insider’s perspective” of sorts on the subject and I think many people would prove beneficiaries in learning from the AIL altogether.
Shane’s article on “Felony Scratching” (published May 12th), provides much needed knowledge into the mechanization’s of being a juror in handling cases presented to the court. As rightly emphasized throughout the article, the prevalence of coercion is dangerously present. The prison industrial complex takes all it can grasp, whether the charges against the accused are trumped up fabrications or genuine accounts, and naturally, the police state accommodates these objectives within its toolbox of State terror towards guilty before proven innocent peons of America’s 50 tax plantations.
Proceeding forward, “Draconian Legislation, part 1” (published May 21st), Shane had devoted to everything wrong in the Board Meeting. The deification of the bureaucrat in particular is its own flavor of disturbing nonsense. The lockstep Pledge of Allegiance subservience to government flags certainly wasn’t much better. The processing of “budgetary allocations” (tax-and-spend by your loving local government) mentioned at the end of the article is inherently rotten to the core. I honestly wasn’t expecting a lot out of part 1, but it continued to provide a much needed perspective from inside the belly of the Statist Leviathan.
“Draconian Legislation, part 2” (published May 27th), by far this is among my favorites of the entire AIL anthology. Shane’s analysis of the McLean County Board’s “Mental Health Action Plan” presents very important facts that need to be addressed without reformist appeals to government “answers” to solve everything that happens within the Communist State of Illinois. Among them is just how uncomfortably close the “War on Drugs” is vis a vis McLean County being the State’s ‘first drug court’ (as if that’s some sort of positive achievement in an otherwise peaceful, voluntary society). The hierarchy of State violence is very prevalent on page 18, which Shane has kindly shared for readers to witness for themselves as objective evidence. To repeat his point, focus on where the “Tax Levy / Budget” category is and consider what implications that has, even if you must re-read the previous paragraph on how much dough Chestnut Health Systems has achieved through the Bloomington Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). As Shane mentions at the beginning of the article, whether the government deems itself “Federal”, “State” or “Local” – it’s all corroded from the inside by the most dangerous superstition. The deity of Statism doesn’t “care” for anybody, it’s incapable of such a thing, but it will happily accept sacrifices through taxation, imprisonment, civil asset forfeiture, truancy laws, and much more. The same government’s that praise others supposedly “dying for your freedom” has consistently, always resorted to means that endanger self-liberating exercises of genuine freedom for the individual. Therein lies the problem of relying on fictitious ‘authorities’ to resolve disputes or solve issues in a society. It cannot peacefully conduct itself, because the very means that keep it in place are anything but peaceful, like the drug prohibition.
“Proof of Success: Cancelling My Voter Registration” (published June 25th), was a very positive development for the AIL series by Shane. He’s talked about doing it, and has actually done it himself. The LUA site has our very own “Cancel Your Voter Registration” page, where we’d be very welcome to share the testimonies of other American’s that have cancelled their voter’s registration. With your nod of approval, Shane will happily share your testimonial as an article on the site. Feel free to contact him at: [email protected]
“A Voluntaryist Observes a Coercive Courtroom” (published June 25th), the title honestly says it all but it’s a worthwhile read anyways. Being a voluntaryist and recognizing the absolute rut of circumstance you find yourself in as a juror to coercive State institutions (includes courtrooms) leaves you in a bind. Thankfully, I’ve never known Shane to shirk from honest, if difficult, decisions as a voluntaryist. We all face them to one degree or another, whether you identify as voluntaryist or not, there is a survivalist mechanism in which the moral compass of most people would generally refuse coercion. With few unfortunate exceptions, such as believing that police always have the best of intentions or that government may commit ‘accidents’ but would never intentionally harm anybody (that’s a sick joke if I’d ever heard one! I would simply reference a re-reading of Shane’s “Draconian Legislation, part 2” for the naive believer in ‘compassionate Statism’ – a contradiction in terminology and actions by adherents to the dangerous superstition). The fact that ‘vice crimes’ even exist, in a supposedly “free country” is astounding on its own, but Shane provides us with excellent perspective on behalf of a coerced jury and victimless so-called ‘criminals’ behind the drug prohibition brigades. What’s strangely omitted, and I don’t blame Shane for this, is the conduct of police in obtaining the arrests of accused criminals. Before the trial begins, an objective observation by all parties in the courtroom of police conduct to detain a victimless ‘criminal’ is never presented. In the cases that it is, the defendant must be capable of citing some form of legal defense for themselves, even though the police and judge work in unison as having immunities that the accused doesn’t. This shows an obviously rigged system, and rightfully identified as INJUSTICE by Shane throughout the AIL series. There is minimal, next to nil, “Just” committed in the legal monopolies of governments. Indeed, in the words of Fred Rodell, “the law is a racket.” Like war racketeers, law racketeers view the average American as disposable meat. Unless they work ‘within the system’ and play their cards right, at worst they get off with a slap on the wrist due to revolving door activities or special connections.
“Felony Scratching” (published July 30th). Shane provides further insight into a trial he was witness to as a coerced juror. He rightfully expressed concern for the well-being of the children faced by their mother having 4 years imprisonment, an undetermined future (likely increased criminal activity which lands her back in the slammer) and the surprise that she had refused the plea bargain. Perhaps she was somewhat sober at the time of the trial, at least enough to consciously refuse compromising her conscious by making a deal with the courtroom ‘devil’. In the first article (published May 12th), Shane rightfully assessed that she violated the non-aggression principle. Government doesn’t function on sympathy, but functionality. I believe this is the reason her sentence of 4 years was set in stone, rather than the strictest adherence to the law that would summarily be a plausible 10 years instead. I won’t pretend to defend the indefensible, specifically the woman’s violation of the NAP. There is no presence of private dispute resolution, or direct action outside the State that the nurse could’ve sought out with crawling to the State monopoly on conduct between individuals in a society. I think the nurse milked the case unnecessarily over the paper cut described by Shane, and for that, she was exaggerating her status as a victim. There were no particular winners of the entire scenario, except perhaps the INJUSTICE system itself – police, judges, coerced jury (not to blame Shane as the voluntaryist he is, but he had no other way of knowing how Illinois law functions without participation, just the status of the State monopoly of the law racketeers), prosecutors, lawyers, BAR attorneys, the whole mess. If anything shows why we don’t need the State to resolve problems between individuals, I would think Shane’s “Felony Scratching” suffices, both part 1 from May and part 2 in July.
“Behind Enemy Lines: The Dangers of the Libertarian Party” (published July 10th). I’ve always believed that party politics was a dangerous past time. Elections are more likely to occur than terrorist attacks, and within the last decade the police state and military (martial law much?) have gone to great lengths since the establishment of NORTHCOM to put up security theater around RNC (Republican National Convention) and DNC (Democrat National Convention) events and establishment clowns, sorry, I mean “representative” candidates for America’s Next Top Ruler. To say nothing of the peculiar categorization of peaceful protesters as ‘low-level terrorists’ during such theatrical nonsense. If you asked me to determine which is the most scary outcome: A random terrorist attack on U.S. soil by radical Muslims from abroad, or elections in all their red-white-and-blue fellatio of The State. I’d say the elections are far more likely to endanger yours, mine, and everybody else’s liberties than some reckless dummy attempted to suicide bomb themselves to avenge their loved ones. Either government is so inept at preventing terrorism that it willfully permits possible terrorist attacks to “get others” and fails (see my Terror Industrial Complex timeline) or government is intentionally profiteering off of higher probabilities of terror attacks by subsidizing willful participants to carry out terrorism in foreign countries or back terrorist outfits that align with the Washington Consensus. Worse, perhaps it’s accurate to say both are occurring simultaneously because they aren’t entirely mutually exclusive towards one another. The GOP is the least at exercising “Republicanism”, the Democrat Party is anything but “Democratic”, and the LP isn’t “libertarian” at all. Shane’s witnessing of the LP meeting, especially regarding wannabe future rulers, shows a common theme in the dangers throughout all political parties: Statist hierarchy. Instead of leaderless resistance, people are looking for consensus and unquestioning servitude to the next would-be Governor, Senator, Congressman, or even President. What a nightmare. I believe it’s only right that people become disillusioned from the LP, as much as the GOP and Dems, they’ll be better off for it and “The Dangers of the Libertarian Party” by Shane provides an excellent analysis into just why it’s a hypocritical demise of genuine libertarianism consistent with the two axioms of self-ownership and the NAP.
“An Encounter with a Bluecoat” (published July 16th). It’s a common mythology that police department’s throughout The States exist for the benefit of the general public’s protection and service to positive ends. Shane has been a consistent first-hand witness to the extortion racketeering called taxation, enforced by Illinois police. I would say the importance of roleplaying police interrogations must be repeated for just such encounters, as it has fortunately saved the skin of my friend from several States away. ‘Lack of insurance’ and ‘expired registration’ are a very flimsy basis for detaining drivers, much less arresting them. It’s no business to me personally on my current status with an insurance company, the State has no special privileges to act as a third party in that status of private affairs. Much less, I’d prefer to live in absentia of both if I could help it, for the purposes of self-sufficient living outside the State and corruption in their wrangling of insurance entities to carry out the extortionist whims to further financially blockade or tariff the uninsured American – if only ‘in absentia’ wasn’t itself categorized as an act of criminality. It’s all an ugly bit of entrapment to me, and a no-win situation in sight, short of attempts to successfully break free of the slavemaster’s plantation altogether. So you see, no matter how you try and split the circumstances, you are screwed either way. It’s rather curious that it took the police 5 months (March-July) to meet Shane in person, and to describe the expired registration. Maybe I’ve only adjusted to police in WV working round-the-clock to keep a tight grip on drug prohibition and other Statist measures of population control. The efficiency of police acting as investigative, instead of extortion, entities is slim to none in the modern day police state. I recommend readers listen to ‘The United Police States of America‘ (June 14th) on the Freedom Phalanx Radio Network for a more in-depth analysis of just how deep the rabbit hole goes in proving all the actors, and actions, involved in police state activities throughout The States. I think it’s fair to say, Shane handled the encounter with the authoritarian in a blue costume very maturely, and thankfully survived to inform interested readers about it.
“A Meeting with the State’s Attorney” (published August 18th). In concluding the AIL series, Shane shares us with his experience as a court appearance – rather than as a juror. Ironically, I find it a bit hilarious that Shane missed his Statist indoctrination class semester titled ‘American Government and Politics.’ AIL has been a comprehensive understanding of the dangers of government and political parties, none of which requires college-level brainwashing. Unlike previous encounters of the coercive courtroom, there was an apparent element of civility between Shane and the State’s attorney, and that led to a successful resolution on the unnecessary charges faced by Shane in his previous encounter with an Illinois blue coat. The absence of fines or court fees for his appearance was also a welcome addition to Shane’s news on his experience within the INJUSTICE Center of McLean County. Shane cites another police encounter, which he had successfully paid a notoriously absurd ticket for in Michigan on his way to MiPLC / Michigan Peace and Liberty Fest III. I would say the August 12th experience (“Are you just anti-government or are you anti-police too?”) gave Shane all the reason in the world to resentfully, yet keeping a calm demeanor, to handle the coercive courtroom’s State Attorney later on. Profiling of stickers on his car, unfortunately, isn’t an uncommon experience in the police states of America. Whether you identify as political, or anti-political, police will judge you personally based upon vehicle stickers. In a smart move, Shane has been intent upon removing the ‘End the Fed’, ‘Liberty Under Attack’ and ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ stickers. Rather than living in a free society, Americans are constantly subjugated to infringements upon the right to peaceably travel – even if they consistently obey insurance and registration expectations of the State. Officer Friendly, was anything but, during Shane’s Michigan police encounter, and you’d have to be pretty damned naive to believe their occupation consists of always being compassionate humans towards others, rather than enforcers of the odd, violent, privacy-invading laws of the lands – local, state, and federal alike.
Summary
AIL is a must-read guide on understanding the internal affairs of government; the untrustworthiness of party politics; the necessity of security culture; how bureaucrats always insist on keeping Statist hierarchy intact in one form or another; the coercive nature of the courtroom both as a juror and defendant; and how to make it through the difficulties of living in Statist utopia land whether you identify as a small-l libertarian, anarchist, voluntaryist – or all of the above. There were some very welcome developments among the characters of this series: Shane’s passenger on his ride to MPLC handled herself very well, the law librarian was helpful in assisting Shane to understand what laws would and wouldn’t apply to various cases or the current status of laws on the books, and even the State’s Attorney conducted themselves surprisingly well in Shane’s meeting with them. Despite these victories, the INJUSTICE coercive court system remains intact. The police state still exists. And Liberty Under Attack is constantly devoted to showing what effectively works in the presence of all the dangerous superstition witnessed by Shane throughout the AIL series. I hope my step-by-step examining of each article provides sufficient alternative perspective to awaken the slumbering giant that no longer adheres to the mythology of the non-existent “good government.” Direct action requires that we provide alternatives to the establishment, and that includes the State monopoly on law racketeering. Freedom lies within all of us, especially when we throw reformist tactics in the trash bin of history for their ineffective or counter-intuitive results. Standing up and saying the Pledge of Allegiance day-in and day-out doesn’t define living in absolute liberty, although you may freely choose to do so at your own leisure. Nor does putting unquestioning faith into a null-and-void ‘social contract’ called the Constitution prove living within a liberty-based society, since the very nature of government acts without consent of the governed in its inherent determination to violently secure its survival through intimidation and terrorizing those who wish to live ungoverned by a delusional minority of ruler classes (in the words of Larken Rose) who use the State as their arbitrary deified ‘authority’ to commit historic aggressions against others within and without the geographic fantasyland “borders” they themselves also manufactured through the law racket of U.S.C and other legislative psychobabble. Freedom is the ability to live without chains, it’s not having a super-long chain on Monday and a chain with a choke-hold on your neck on Friday, and you only get to play without a leash around your neck on Saturday & Sunday if you’re lucky to not get caught exercising liberty in a way that doesn’t violate the NAP or self-ownership towards others. Either you jump in excitement over the terms of your enslavement, or you act to remove the binds forced on you from cradle to grave. By cancelling his voter registration (like Kyle Rearden), Shane has one less chain-link to concern himself with. And that sets a fine example for everybody else.
