Publisher’s Note: The Village Armorer and I will be taking a pistol/carbine course in April 2020, so we are ramping up a training plan to get ready.
I am also making progress on my advanced pistol skills to allow me to move onto some advanced carbine and then F-Class rifle training in the latter half of 2020, Big Igloo or not.
Impeachment? Who cares?
In other news, Hitler and the Nazis were enthralled and had a school-girl crush on Islam much like the progressive left and collectivists in America. Keep this in mind as you see the soft peddling by the usual suspects in Mordor on Muslim apologetics in the US.
“Hitler cultivated many parts of the Muslim world, but he was fanatically enthusiastic about only one country: Turkey (the Nazis officially decided in 1936 that the Turks were Aryans). Stefan Ihrig’s brilliant new book Atatürk in the Nazi Imagination demonstrates convincingly that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s conquest of Turkey was the most important model for the Nazis’ remaking of Germany, far more so than Mussolini’s 1922 March on Rome, which is usually cited as Hitler’s main inspiration. Turkey had taken control of its destiny in manly fashion, in proud defiance of the international community—if only Germany would do the same! So argued many on the German right, including Hitler, during the 10 years between Atatürk’s victory and the Nazi seizure of power.”
The odd relationship between today’s left fascists and their willful silence on Islamic barbarity may be explained by the book that Ihrig penned.
I spent nearly two years of my life in Kabul and Mazar e Sharif and other points on the compass in the Hindu Kush.
I have known since 2001 that the entire American military adventure in Afghanistan was a fools errand [h/t to Scott Horton], the Washington Compost did some journalism for a change that is worth reading.
“As commanders in chief, Bush, Obama and Trump all promised the public the same thing. They would avoid falling into the trap of “nation-building” in Afghanistan.
On that score, the presidents failed miserably. The United States has allocated more than $133 billion to build up Afghanistan — more than it spent, adjusted for inflation, to revive the whole of Western Europe with the Marshall Plan after World War II.”
Sobering, infuriating; only government can craft this existential a fuck-up.
I have been examining the phenomenon of collaboration during wartime and the dynamics of occupier and occupied and there are alarming analogs to the US today. More to follow.
I’ve started sampling a couple new podcasts:
Good stuff. If the readers have any recommendations on podcasts to make my commutes useful, chime in…
If you ain’t training, you’re wrong. -BB
“I shall not last long; my life is forfeit, but I shall do my best. After I am gone it will be easier for others.” – Michael Collins
“Sacred cows make the best burgers.” – Bill Buppert
“I do not consider it an insult, but rather a compliment to be called an agnostic. I do not pretend to know where many ignorant men are sure – that is all that agnosticism means.”
“As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and no man rebelled, those wrongs would last forever.”
“The world is made up for the most part of morons and natural tyrants, sure of themselves, strong in their own opinions, never doubting anything.”
– Clarence Darrow
It’s been over ten years and half a thousand essays and I have never done an open post. Please use the comments section to post questions of me on most any topic. If I want to answer it, I will; beyond my competence, I’ll defer; if it’s rude, fuck off.
What would you like to discuss? Everything from abolitionism to Stoicism to shooting to history and everything in between.
What would you like to see addressed in the future? What’s on your mind?
Dear Bill,
Thanks for the invitation. Very much on my mind is creating a series of freedom communities in the Paradox Valley and neighbouring areas in the Southwest Colorado, eastern Utah, Northeast Arizona, and Northwest New Mexico region. I’d like your views on making the Paradox Valley reasonably secure for free people to live and work together. Naturally, there is no such thing as a secure position, but there are things one can do wisely, and doing them seems very much in order.
On the related topic, what would it cost to do a thorough security review of a real estate development plan? I think you and Skip would be excellent advisors on such a project, and I’m seeing the need.
Your friend,
Jim
Jim,
The most fundamental problem is that unless you seceded, such a community will always pay property taxes and hence be at the beck and call of the state; the locals and county and state will also claim the right to trespass their coproaches wherever they want. A four corner (4x state) grid could make for interesting gaming of state laws.
Get in touch with Skip and I by email. As an engineer, you know we can choose two of three: schedule, cost and reliability (in this case, the satisfaction of mission profile with intermediate and long term factors).
Seems the harder I try and walk away, the harder they push. Had hoped to sit and chill, ” won’t be happening in my turf” and then Virginia, what else needs said!.
Been working extreme long ranges. Snow, sleet, rain, mud, and more mud. The 338lm’s, dialed, tits on a ritz!. The 300wm, is getting there, after my fourth barrel change out, I’m learning the “quirks” action bolts keep loosening up. Blue lock tight this time,
I know you’re amused when I say I’m a citizen whom writes his elected leaders weekly and gives direction/ instruction. To the point my Oregon reps, letters start something like this.
” What the fuck’s up, you loser” or, what did your dumb ass fuck up this week. Amazing how many round tables I’ve been invited to, to seeking solutions. Tempted to go, and pass out copies of “The Turner Diaries” for these retards reading pleasure.
If I didn’t already know their reading comprehension was lower then the third grade level I’d do it.
My county is a sanctuary ” firearm” county. With the intent to strengthen the counties position., next election. We’re a county sized bigger then many states in the northeast, with a population of roughly 60k. All of it above 4200 ft, all the way to 8k. A lot of diversity, a lot of hidey holes for folks looking to drop off the map.
Great article today.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
DIRT.
Merry Christmas and Happy Yuletide, Dirk [you know I am a heathen]. I hope your Hǫkunótt feast is glorious.
Your recommendation of The Turner Diaries is wrong-headed and I hope that isn’t touching a copy of Serpent’s Walk. Feds love that in your library.
Bill
Bill:
Per ‘tactical’ related podcasts:
Primary and Secondary
Modern Samurai Project (youtube)
Practically Tactical (now only available on Patreon)
American Warrior Society Podcast
Shoot Fast Podcast
Practical Shooting After Dark (Ben Stoeger’s. Youtube)
Team VTAC podcast
Everyday Sniper
Make Ready Podcast (Tim Herron, Single Stack Champion)
Firearms Nation
Hi bill, was unaware that heathens were anti Christmas. I’ve been accused of being one, often. O well. As for Turner Diaries, we all do what we do, to achieve pretty much the same objective.
As for fed’s stopping bye, they would be terribly disappointed, in my lackluster collection of heavy hunting rifles, with killer optics.
Happy whatever it is, heathens celebrate!
Dirk
So, thinking I had an understanding of what a ” Heathen” Is/ Believes, as usual after reading your stuff, I just did a short research to determine if my view was even in the ballpark.
Interesting read, after reading the definitions, I can literally understand why others whom know me, call me a heathen. I resemble an awful lot of those beliefs, thoughts, visions etc etc.
Yet I still believe in God. Ha who knew!
See you in Hal!.
Dirk
Knock at the door to Valhalla, I’ll see if I can get you in… 🙂
Bill, you’re too good to me.
Dirt
Old coot here. I am grateful for having come across Zero Gov; your views on individual liberty and introduction to Lysander Spooner (and his books!).
I’m a rural guy. I can visualize living happily with VERY LIMITED government in a rural region. But how can it exist in cities needing extroadinarily expensive and complex infrastructure and utilities to exist? Are these areas simply incompatible with Liberty (as Jefferson might argue)? If not, how could these projects be financed?
MG,
Thanks for the question; you will find that urban areas are the orchid hothouse for all collectivist thought. Here’s a thought experiment, can you imagine a city or county operating exclusively on government labor? For instance, you will find most road projects and maintenance is conducted by contracting to private entities to do the heavy lifting and labor. One of the reasons for this is b/c government employees have no incentive to work nor maintain the means to preserve what they may have created. If it weren’t for contracting private labor, how would anything get done in a city? Over 75% of all firefghters in the US are volunteer, private security greatly outnumbers the total number of government coproaches and yet the incidence of maiming and murder by said security contractors is astronomically insignificant compared to government policing mayhem.
There is a sunk cost and assumption of responsibility that defies economic rationalism in most cities but the bigger the city the more communist the administrative orientation. But in the end, you will note that ALL cities have an unending need for increased funding. Unending for a simple reason: government bureaucracy is so full of perverse incentives, they have no impetus whatsoever to solve the problems they seek to “solve”.
I have written on this in the past, should be in my archives. In the end, if cities MUST be organized by force, does that mean the end of force sees them disappear?
Government organization: oxymoron.
Teasley talks about his seven laws of bureaucracy: https://mises.org/library/seven-rules-bureaucracy
Private security: https://www.statista.com/statistics/824279/outsourced-security-services-us-market-size/
Bill,
First, I enjoyed your post as I have enjoyed everything of yours that I have read.
On the topic of cities v abolitionism, have you visited Acapulco? If so I would like to hear your take. I have several good friends that spent some time living there and it sounds like the best existing example of how close a city can get to freedom. The Feds came in and arrested the mayor and most of the top police, then disbanded the police and said they will arrest anyone who claims to be a cop. Then the Feds just left the area. There’s no building code enforcement, no traffic enforcers, people just know they must be polite and honest or they will pay a fast price.
Your thought?
Ben
Ben,
I happen to think that freedom is built in to most DNA in the sense that both bad and good actors will behave at their default. In other words, no law or artificial barrier to perceived bad behavior stops most evil folk from realizing their fever dreams. Exhibit A is the state. If one were a private serial killer, one could potentially fall afoul of the “law” and get caught. But if one were to become a politician either unelected or bureaucratic or a coproach with a state-issued badge, there would be no limit to your ability to practice evil and the state would grant you an economy of scale on evil deeds unobtainable by bad private actors.
Per your question, I do think most folks don’t need the threat of bodily harm to do the right thing if the karmic goodness of free markets prevails. Are there folks who need the threat or burn of the lash to behave? As a matter of fact, I would suggest the entire collectivist creed is based on that very notion whether true or not. What would happen to all the varieties of the leftist cargo cult if people grokked societal trust and reputation economies? Most of their psychopathic nostrums would be dismissed by thinking and moral free agents. The right wing cargo cults that worship the coproach culture and all its appurtenances suffer the same brain damage.
In the end, the initiation of violence to form society is the basis of ALL political ideologies. Prove me wrong.
And, yes, I would love to visit Acapulco…
Brat po oružju,
Bill
Hey Bill, thanks for all the great articles.
I was wondering if you could explain what you think will happen in the next five to ten years in the US? I read a lot and hear a lot of opinions, but most often they tend to come from the statist Neocon view in the prepper/survival/patriot/”conservative”/self reliant community. What disaster do you think it most likely. Do you suggest any specific actions (training, buying certain gear, research material)? I know this is a wide ranging topic, but I value your opinion or I wouldn’t bother reading your articles. I’m an AnarchoCapitalist based on the Rothbardian school of thinking, and because of you I lean towards the Collapsitarian view, but with a wife and a four year old daughter it is difficult (yet easy based on the state of things) to lean that way.
I am a learner, my brain doesn’t stop wanting mass amounts of information from many contradictory and contrasting sources, and with that I can’t be or do what “they” want me to be. With that said, how can we live our lives as volunteerists in light of where we live and who is in control, how can we convince friends and family? I am part of a group up here in North Idaho (I work remotely doing IT work and we live on 7 acres of hilly forested property with a stream, all planned after working in cities like Memphis, Seattle, and Austin for several years), but most of them tend be Neocon-ish people, but more Libertarian than most. We are actively training together twice a month, I am the comms guy, but I often see a lot of ignorance in the group in regards to politics and basic economics. It concerns me in regards to what they think is the ideal society and their plans for SHTF recovery (aka I don’t want to end up in the same old crap). Anyway, please let me know if I’m being naive and any tips you may have.
Hey Devin,
Apologies for the late response, I am an expat from the vicinity of Sandpoint. Loved it up there and loved the people. Philosophically, it is difficult to convert statists to voluntaryists except through example and gentle deprogramming through extended conversations. You are genuinely dealing with folks who have lived in a cage for so long, they don’t know what the fuck their wings are for. EVERY aspect of media in American society outside this blog and the tiny community it inhabits (remember that we are a single digit of libertarians who are a single digit philosophically of the entire planetary species).
What to do?
G3 = Gold, guns and groceries; none of these things will cause you undue hardship if the end of the world doesn’t materialize before your children leave home. The first is emblematic for hard specie currencies like silver, palladium even FMJ. Weapons are an envelope of distance mastery starting at one meter and going out to where your training and genetics allows you. Food and water and the provisioning thereof is gardening and canning and water filtration.
Training is something you can’t get enough of whether weapons or shade-tree mechanicals or house maintenance or exotic skills like welding. Consider getting skilled at blacksmithing, brewing adult beverages like ale or beer or furniture making: skills that ANY economy demands.
I am very pessimistic about any rest that doesn’t cause people to naturally seek to rebuild the old statist ways. As I get older, I start to think there is a genetic component to being anti-authoritarian and absent the psychopathic tendencies to rule or collaborate with rulers.
Bill
Bill,
Thanks for the response, I figured you would say what you did. It was cool to hear you lived in this area, we’ve been here about 2 years now and are pretty much plugged in with somewhat like minded people.
It sounds like we are on the right track then. It’s funny you mention furniture making and blacksmithing because both of them are hobbies of mine I’ve slowly been building for the last few years. We will be pouring the floor for my 20×30′ shop this coming summer, I did the siding this year. We don’t drink (never like the taste), but I have considered buying a full still kit, at the least for our home made medicines (tinctures and salves).
As for firearms, I have them, I do train once a month and plan on building a small range on part of our property (since we have the distance with 7 acres in a straight line), but I need to get more serious about it. I need to practice drills and get the muscle memory down, a couple guys in our group have been to numerous Front Sight courses and are certified instructors, and two others compete in long distance competitions all over the US (one is a dentist and the other a nurse, funny). Being the comms guy I try to take things with a grain of salt because I know the tech may not always be around (I try to protect and plan for it), but I have been lax in training in other areas.
Yes, I agree that is must be genetic, my mind rages at being caged, stolen from, and subdued.
Thanks again for the info and encouragement!
Thanks for your blog. Non participation in the partisan horse crap which preoccupies and pacifies the masses in FUSA does indeed place me in a very small minority. I’d like to be left the fuck alone. I’m willing and able to back that up. Your blog is an oasis. Happy Yuletide or whatever.
Thanks for that, Tom and if you wish me a Merry Christmas, I am happy with that. The holiday season is the closest I seem to get to people taking the time to be polite and civil.
Having spent the majority of my younger days guarding the frontiers with the Legions, I always find it refreshing to find someone with a similar perspective based on experience.
I came to Heathenry early – blame it on immigrant folkways!
What I want today is the same thing I’ve always wanted – Leave me and mine the fuck alone! Early KYFHO adherent too, I suppose!
While there may indeed be genetic component to anti-authoritarianism, I think our biggest failing has been not developing a true culture of resistance starting with individuals, families and communities.
Truth, brother; if only we could have (or can) develop a means of grooming and expanding the potential of the anti-authoritarianism in our DNA. Home education may be one of the surest paths.
DOL,
Bill
Apologies for the late reply – just back to Dirty Old Town from Mountain Home! Internet and cell service is spotty up there but, the deer are plentiful and the air is free.
I agree with you on home education – unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that full-time with our sons. Reprogramming or counter-education was the path we took and the result is two fine, strong and independent young men.
As for cultures of resistance, we have many good examples – Appalachian mountain folk, some indigenous peoples in North and South America, Irish Republicans (in Ulster), the Chechens and the Kurds to name a few.
Many useful lessons to be found among them and others.
As ever, lack of self-discipline and organization are where we fall short.
ND!