Daily Archives: July 18, 2012

Freedom of Association

Posted: July 18, 2012 at 7:13 pm

[Day 23 of Robert Wenzel's 30-day reading list that will lead you to become a knowledgeable libertarian, this article originally ran June 03, 2010.]

It seems incredible that in the last days, a fundamental right of the whole of humanity, the freedom of association, has been denounced by the New York Times and all major opinion sources, even as a national political figure was reluctant to defend his own statements in favor of the idea, and then distanced himself from the notion. Has such a fundamental principle of liberty become unsayable?

Or perhaps it is not so incredible. An overweening government, in an age of despotism such as ours, must deny such a fundamental right simply because it is one of those core issues that speaks to who is in charge: the state or individuals.

We live in antiliberal times, when individual choice is highly suspect. The driving legislative ethos is toward making all actions required or forbidden, with less and less room for human volition. Simply put, we no longer trust the idea of freedom. We can't even imagine how it would work. What a distance we have traveled from the Age of Reason to our own times.

Referencing the great controversy about the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Karen De Coster put the issue to rest by turning Rachel Maddow's question on its head. She demanded to know whether a white businessman has the right to refuse service to a black man. Karen asked, does a black businessman have the right to refuse service to a Klan member?

I don't think anyone would dispute that right. How a person uses the right to associate (which necessarily means the right not to associate) is a matter of individual choice profoundly influenced by the cultural context. That a person has the right to make these choices on his or her own cannot be denied by anyone who believes in liberty.

The right to exclude is not something incidental. It is core to the functioning of civilization. If I use proprietary software, I can't download it without signing a contractual agreement. If I refuse to sign, the company doesn't have to sell it to me. And why? Because it is their software and they set the terms of use. Period. There is nothing more to say.

If you run a blog that accepts comments, you know how important this right is. You have to be able to exclude spam or ban IP addresses of trolls or otherwise include and exclude based on whether a person's contribution adds value. Every venue on the Internet that calls forth public participation knows this. Without this right, any forum could collapse, having been taken over by bad elements.

We exercise the right to exclude every day. If you go to lunch, some people come and some people do not. When you have a dinner party, you are careful to include some people and necessarily exclude others. Some restaurants expect and demand shoes and shirts and even coats and ties. The New York Times includes some articles and excludes others, includes some people in its editorial meetings and excludes others.

When business hires, some people make the cut and others do not. It is the same with college admissions, church membership, fraternities, civic clubs, and nearly every other association. They all exercise the right to exclude. It is central to the organization of every aspect of life. If this right is denied, what do we get in its place? Coercion and compulsion. People are forced together by the state, with one group required at the point of a gun to serve another group. This is involuntary servitude, expressly prohibited by the 13th Amendment. One presumes that a freedom-loving people will always be against that.

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Freedom of Association

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Wolf-dog Liberty settles into new wolf sanctuary home

Posted: at 7:13 pm

LITITZ, Pa. - The wolf-dog met the media Tuesday, panting but content.

The animal formerly known as Levi was introduced to the public with a new name - Liberty - to reflect his connection to Philadelphia, where he was loose in Pennypack Park from March until his capture July 3.

That's his third name in five months; when he was only a ghostly, lurking presence in the park, before anyone knew he was Levi, Liberty was actually called Penny. Life has been changing fast ever since for the young animal, believed to be around 10 months old.

Off dog food these days, Liberty is now eating raw meat, as befits a gray wolf-Malamute hybrid. The belief is, in fact, that he is significantly more wolf than dog - chromosomally connected to legendary moon-howling pack animals who live life on their own terms.

Beyond domesticity, Liberty is too cool for obedience school, and too dangerous to be outfitted with bandannas and expected to catch and return Frisbees like some slobbering Lab in the park.

Instead, he currently lives with his dignity intact at the 22-acre Speedwell Forge Wolf Sanctuary, a private, nonprofit licensed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Liberty was taken there after being trapped by agents of the Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's APHIS Wildlife Services division.

The animal's owner, Kasey Lyons, who didn't have a permit for Liberty - then Levi - was visiting from Florida with the animal last March. Liberty had been a gift from Lyons to his former fiancee.

But love failed, and after the two broke up, the fiancee no longer wanted the wolf-dog. Liberty, collateral damage in the failed romance, suddenly found himself wandering Pennypack Park. It's not clear whether he escaped or was set loose, although unwanted hybrids are typically abandoned, wolf experts say.

On the hoof and all alone, Liberty survived on pet food he'd cleverly pilfered from yards, as well as on pizza and McDonald's burgers that neighbors said they threw him.

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Wolf-dog Liberty settles into new wolf sanctuary home

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Liberty Tax Service is Registering Students for Fall Tax Preparation Courses

Posted: at 7:13 pm

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Enrollment is underway for Liberty Taxs fall income tax preparation classes at locations across the country. Liberty Tax has enhanced its income tax preparation courses to include a focus on IRS registration and accreditation requirements. The companys tax schools and other trainings have incorporated steps to assist its tax school students who are interested in becoming professional tax preparers, obtaining a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) and meeting new certification requirements from the IRS.

The companys ten-week tax school helps students learn personal tax-savings advantages and strategies as well as a new skill that may lead to employment. No prior tax experience is necessary to register and take the basic class.

With a tax preparer certification process in place since 2007, Liberty Tax Service took a proactive approach toward internal professional standardization by creating its own innovative three-tier skill certification examination for its preparers. Now that tax preparers will be required to take competency tests, they can receive readiness through Libertys classes, and its class offerings from basic through advanced.

Now is a great time to start the process of learning tax preparation, and following the steps of the certification process as the IRS phases in the new requirements. The tax school training method has been a natural fit for those of any age eager to acquire news skills, earn extra income and explore a new career path or even franchise ownership," remarked John Hewitt, CEO and Founder of Liberty Tax Service.

People who have either obtained or will obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) prior to the start of IRS Competency Exam will have until December 31, 2013 to pass the competency test. Liberty Tax will offer its annual ten week classes starting the week after Labor Day. The classes are open to the public, with no experience is required to register for the basic class. To learn more about job opportunities and Libertys selection of tax courses, visit http://www.libertytax.com/tax-education.html or call 1-800-658-1042.

About Liberty Tax Service

Liberty Tax Service is the fastest-growing retail tax preparation company in the industrys history. The Company has over 4100 offices in the United States and Canada, with the majority owned by franchisees.

The Class A Common stock of JTH Holding, Inc. (TAX), the parent company of Liberty Tax Service, is traded on the NASDAQ Global Market. The Give Me Liberty! magazine contains more Liberty company news and information.

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French Montana Talks On Joining The Illuminati In Tim Westwood Interview

Posted: at 7:13 pm

Delaney/WENN.com

Bad Boy rapper French Montana has been plagued with rumours of Illuminati affiliation, and during a recent interview with DJ Tim Westwood whilst visiting the UK, the 27-year-old joked about what would really happen if the secret society came knocking on his door.

When asked by Westwood during a chat for BBC's Radio 1 if he had any involvement with the Illuminati, Montana responded,

"Me and [Rick] Ross had the same conversation."

"I told him if the Illuminati come to my house, Im letting them in. And Ima sign right thereIll bring them in so they can meet my mother, my son and the whole fam. How can we get a family plan?"

While Westwood and Montana made light of the ongoing secret society rumours regarding P. Diddy and Jay-Z, the 'Stay Schemin' rapper revealed that it all boils down to the issue of money.

"The secret societies is the people thats rich," Montana said.

"They hang around with each other. Thats the bottom linetheyre people that have the same thing to lose. I feel like thats the Illuminati. Even if the Illuminati is real, why wouldnt you want to be a part of something thats controlling more money?"

"You gave your soul to the streets already, and the streets aint give you nothing but bullet wounds and stab wounds. You lost your homies already. So why wouldnt you want to be part of an organization that would make you millions and billions?"

Watch French Montana's Interview With Tim Westwood below...

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French Montana Talks On Joining The Illuminati In Tim Westwood Interview

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Two Congressmen trying to get rid of military sponsorships in sports

Posted: at 7:11 pm

Jack Kingston, R-Ga., and Betty McCollum, D-Minn., plan to present a second amendment today in the House of Representatives banning military sports sponsorships to ensure a vote.

The second amendment would be presented when H.R. 5856, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013, is heard in the House. It is scheduled for Wednesday, according to a legislative schedule kept by the Majority Leader, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va.

If either amendment survives and the bill eventually becomes law, it would bar the National Guard from sponsoring Dale Earnhardt Jr. in NASCAR and J.R. Hildebrand in IndyCar, the Army from sponsoring Tony Schumacher in NHRA and the Marine Corps from sponsoring the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

A similar amendment by McCollum twice failed in the House last year.

The main difference with the new amendment and the one in H.R. 5856 is that the new one specifically targets the $72.3 million the military branches have budgeted for sports sponsorships in fiscal year 2013 and that the savings would go toward deficit reduction.

The new amendment set to be presented Wednesday seeks to strip the National Guard of $53.9 million budgeted toward sports sponsorships. The amendment also would strip the Navy of $4.2 million, Army of $4.1 million and Marine Corps of $2.3 million.

Seventy-two million bucks is a lot of money, said Bill Harper, chief of staff for Rep. McCollum. Were fine with the military advertising, were fine with the military recruiting at these professional sports events, absolutely. Thats not the intention of this amendment at all. The sponsorships are something completely different.

With regards to sponsorship, the numbers dont demonstrate that its effective. The Armys decision only validates that.

The Army announced last week that it would not sponsor a car and not return to NASCAR after this season.

The Army spent $8.4 million on its NASCAR program this year and will discontinue the decade-long program because the bottom line is the return has to make enough sense and the decision was made in the case of NASCAR that we could invest those resources into other things that would have a higher marketing payoff for us, said John Myers of the Army Marketing and Research Group.

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