Archive for May, 2014

America’s Timeless Revolution

I wrote this on Facebook as a summation of a series of tweets I sent out today and copied to my Facebook wall — including links to both the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

J. Neil Schulman @jneilschulman

Edward Snowden is mistaken. He did not break the law because unconstitutional acts or policies are void ab initio.

Snowden needs immunity to testify against his superiors who engaged in criminal violations of the American people’s constitutional rights.

The American people need not fear that opposing the government will lead to either anarchy or tyranny. We did this already and remember.

If you’re an American fearing for our country it’s time to re-read our founding document: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

If you’re an American needing to decide between the government and Edward Snowden read our Bill of Rights: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

Save Edward Snowden
Save Edward Snowden

This one is too long to begin on Twitter.

The United States of America was founded by revolutionaries. They were different from any revolutionaries that came after them — not as vengeful or bloodthirsty as the French revolutionaries that overthrew their monarchy only a few years later; not guided by junk economics as were the revolutionaries in Russia in 1917 nor those Marxist revolutionaries that followed in China, Cuba, Vietnam, and elsewhere; not the deluded revolutionaries that pledged absolute loyalty to the mad Adolf Hitler and his legions of human demons.

The American Revolution, despite its failures, was the only one based on the principle of the sanctity of the individual human life. It makes all the difference in the world.

We are faced today with government that abuses the people’s rights and liberties, makes promises it is inherently incapable of keeping, and which exercises despotic powers never granted to them by any fundamental document.

The founders attempted to provide safeguards for the people’s individual rights and liberties. Those have degraded over the centuries. One can look back and find the reasons why this experiment in republican government failed — the seeds of these failures were not a secret even at the time of the founding: slavery at the top of the list, subjugation of women following closely — willingness to abandon principle for utilitarian perceptions of advantage providing a centuries-long slippery slope — and finally counterrevolution by those who worship only empire and wealth.

The people’s house — Congress — was supposed to make sure bureaucracy did not make law. They failed.

The federal courts were supposed to keep government within its enumerated powers and protect the people’s rights. They failed.

The executive branch — the Presidency — was supposed to act only to protect the people’s individual rights and liberties. They instead substituted security and safety nets for liberty and violated the very job description to which they pledged their oaths.

This is not the first time on this continent that government has failed the people. The British monarch and parliament were once the government over the colonists — and when the people decided their rights were being trampled by their own government, they declared an intention not to allow that to continue.

John Trumbull's painting, Declaration of Independence
John Trumbull’s painting, Declaration of Independence

The specifics of despotism do overlap with the causes stated in the Declaration of Independence but there are grievances that differ from those of 1776. The specifics aren’t as important as the same pattern of abuse.

I am a libertarian pledged to the Zero Aggression Principle and even in defense I do not advocate violence as the needful strategy to re-secure our liberties. I advocate non-compliance with evil laws and building resilient new institutions that can survive violent attacks by those despots who claim legitimacy drawn from founding documents they ignore and betray. No power not derived from those documents has moral authority and no power even based on a compact made by the dead can bind the living when the result is legalized murder, robbery, and replacement of decency with dictate.

Do not fear for the future of the American Dream. Though Americans have struggled over and over again to fulfill the promise of our founding principles, those principles are the universal Rights which those of conscious mind and right of independent action derive from our common nature — however that nature came to exist.

We have stood up against tyrants, criminals, and bullies for a long time now. Anyone who thinks we’ve forgotten — and some of us have — need to realize how simple and quick it is to remind the next generation the legacy left in their care … and why nothing they seek will make them happy if their liberty isn’t preserved first.

–J. Neil Schulman

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Kevin Sorbo talks about his movie Alongside Night with Ed Morrissey

Alongside Night star and executive producer, Kevin Sorbo, talks with Hot Air talk show host Ed Morrissey about Alongside Night.

“This is a movie that hopefully will wake up a few people. Once again I hope it’s not just preaching to the choir. I hope people go there and try to have an open mind and look at it and have a discussion open up after they do it.”
Alongside Night star and executive producer, Kevin Sorbo
The Ed Morrissey Show, May 22, 2014

Kevin Sorbo on Ed Morrissey Show
Kevin Sorbo on Ed Morrissey Show

Note:

The “Low Budget” Alongside Night Movie has:

Executive Producer and star Kevin Sorbo, (“Dr. Martin Vreeland”) star of the #1 worldwide TV series for seven years, Hercules the Legendary Journeys; star of Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda (five-year-run and #1 in first-run syndications); star of the 2014 opening week #3 domestic box office movie hit (top 5 for 6 weeks and top 10 for 9 weeks and still in theaters at 11 weeks), God’s Not Dead; and real-life wife, actress, talk-show-host & author, Sam Sorbo, as Dr. Vreeland’s wife, Cathryn Vreeland.

Jake Busey (“President Charles Crane”), star of Contact opposite Jodie Foster and star of Starship Troopers opposite Neil Patrick Harris.

Said Faraj (“FEMA Agent Sam Shalhoub”) previous film appearance opposite Matt Damon in Green Zone; The Seige; Ghost; TV includes NCIS: Los Angeles, 24.

Tim Russ (“General Jack Guerdon”), previous film appearances in Live Free or Die Hard opposite Bruce Willis, Spaceballs opposite Mel Brooks; Star Trek: Generations; on TV star of Star Trek: Voyager (“Tuvok”) and Samantha Who? opposite Christina Applegate.

Garrett Wang (“Major Benjamin Franklin Chin”) Star Trek: Voyager (“Ensign Harry Kim”)

Gary Graham (“FEMA Director Lawrence Powers”) previously starring as Detective Matthew Sikes in five Fox Network TV films Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy; Alien Nation: The Enemy Within; Alien Nation: Millennium; Alien Nation: Body and Soul; Alien Nation: Dark Horizon; and Fox TV series, Alien Nation; Star Trek Enterprise (“Ambassador Soval”); plus episodes of numerous other network series.

Mara Marini (“Sgt. Eve Kropotkin AKA ‘Candy’”) previous film Lady Magdalene’s (“Nurse Gretchen”) opposite Nichelle Nichols; recurring on Parks & Recreation as “Brandi Maxxxx” opposite Amy Poehler and Rob Lowe.

Valence Thomas (“Major Benjamin Harper AKA ‘The Tzigane'”) Men in Black 3; Notorious; Cadillac Records; TV appearances include Blue Bloods and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Appearing as themselves: Dr. Ron Paul; Adam Kokesh; Jordan Page; Dr. David D. Friedman as the King of Sweden

Produced, Written, and Directed by J. Neil Schulman, author of 12 books with endorsements from Nobel-laureate Milton Friedman, Anthony Burgess, Dr. Ron Paul, Glenn Beck, Michael Medved (Alongside Night, 1979); Charlton Heston, Dennis Prager (Stopping Power, 1994); Robert A. Heinlein, Colin Wilson, Gregory Benford, Michael Medved (The Rainbow Cadenza, 1983); David Brin, Colin Wilson (Escape from Heaven, 2002); screenwriter of 1986 CBS Twilight Zone episode “Profile in Silver”); producer/writer/director of 2008 triple- film-festival award-winning independent feature film Lady Magdalene’s starring Nichelle Nichols; Schulman’s articles and essays have appeared in magazines and newspapers including Reader’s Digest, National Review, the Los Angeles Times Book Review, the Los Angeles Times Op-Ed page, Cult Movies, Locus, Reason Magazine, Mondo Cult, Liberty, Prometheus, and OC Weekly. Not counting the many reviews of his books, Mr. Schulman has been written about in magazines and newspapers including USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Esquire, and the New York Times.

Musical film score by Daniel May with composing and performing credits in Saving Mr. Banks, Mr. Poppers Penguins, Midnight in Paris, Limitless, MacGruber, The Blind Side, Fast & Furious, Alvin and the Chipmunks, American Gangster, Borat, and many more feature films and TV series.

Film score recorded by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in Kiev, Ukraine, conducted by Daniel May.

CGI/VFX by Chris Dawson, previous film credits include Her, Green Lantern, The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Alice in Wonderland, Titanic, and many more feature films and TV series

CGI/VFX by Thomas R. Dickens, previous film credits include 300, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, The Chronicles of Riddick, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, Cast Away, Stargate, Army of Darkness and many more feature films and TV series

Aerial Cinematography Unit:
A helicopter and two-remote-control-drone aerial cinematography unit used for action sequences filmed at Front Sight, Nevada and rally sequence filmed at Clark County Regional Justice Center

Live Nighttime Las Vegas Chase Sequence:
A three-vehicle nighttime chase sequence on the live-traffic streets of Las Vegas, NV

Live Fire and Action Sequences:
Live-fire pistol, tunnel, climbing, rope, and commando action sequences filmed at Front Sight, Nevada and full-auto firing range sequence filmed at The Gun Store, Nevada

Real Las Vegas Public School location
Classroom sequence, hallways, office, and exteriors filmed at Las Vegas Academy using student actors from the acting and film programs

Real shopping mall location
Underground shopping center sequences filmed at closed-off section of Boulevard Mall, Las Vegas

Live outdoor rally sequence with aerial unit
A rally sequence with 200 extras and volunteers filmed at the Clark County Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, NV

Fremont Street Experience live action sequence
Nighttime action sequence with dialogue and multiple extras filmed at Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, NV

Expansive Exteriors at Homeland Security Facility
“Al Gore /Utopia Prison” live vehicle and actor sequences filmed at the Southern Nevada Water Treatment Facility

Country Club used for Kevin Sorbo speech
Kevin Sorbo speech as Dr. Vreeland filmed at DragonRidge Country Club

Real bookstore used
Rabelais Bookstore sequence filmed at Dead Poets Books, Las Vegas

Organizations providing props, footage, and other promotional consideration include AntiWar.com, The Advocates for Self Government, The Heartland Institute, the Cato Institute, Reason.TV

Full credits and thanks at http://www.dujpepperman.com/jesulu/alongsidenight/AN_Credits.html

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Fox News Attacks the U.S. Army and Traditional American Values

There is something inherently wrong with the armed forces that defend us. We now know the Veterans Administration ignored hundreds of sick veterans begging for medical care to the point where some, perhaps many, lingered and died while waiting for treatment in a rigged system. At the same time we know the Pentagon is knocking itself out to render special treatment for a homosexual/transexual private convicted under the Espionage Act — a traitor, not a whistleblower. Let’s review. Private Bradley Manning, now known as Chelsea Elizabeth Manning, is serving a 30-year sentence at Fort Leavenworth for making public more than 700,000 classified documents. He did this while serving as a low-level intelligence officer in Iraq. He also latched on to an Apache helicopter mission that resulted in civilian casualties. Manning passed on this mountain of explosive secrets to Wikileaks traitor Julian Assange and another fellow computer hacker who ultimately turned him into the feds. Considering time already spent in the brig Private Manning, who is diagnosed as suffering from gender dysphoria, will be eligible for parole in seven years. In the meantime he’s demanding transfer to a civilian prison so he can avail himself of hormone therapy, something the Army does not do. In fact, Army policy prohibits transgenders from serving. Figure that one out. The feckless Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, is bent on banishing this restriction and allowing transgenders in he Army so the public would be forced to pay for expensive transgender medical treatment, including sex-change operations. You might call this idea just one more iteration of Obamacare. Private Manning says he wants to live life as a woman from now on and the ever-willing left, along with their cohorts in the media, now refer to Private Manning as “her” and “she.” His legal name change is seen as enough reason to change his gender. He even posed for a picture wearing a blonde wig and lipstick. Policy makers for our military forces especially in the Army have created a public square to experiment with social change. Inevitably they have had to face the consequences of caving in to the latest fashion forced on them by liberal agendas. Private Manning’s story is that of a mentally disturbed young man with a history of trouble in and out of the Army whose ego led him to betray his country. Why must taxpayers indulge him?
–Liz Trotta, America’s News Headquarters Commentary, FNC, May 17, 2014

I’ve been aware for a long time that commentators on the Fox News Channel get away with the most extremely jingoistic, the most atavistic, the most bigoted opinions in weekend commentaries that would make even the average weekday Fox viewer cringe.

But the commentary quoted above from FNC’s Liz Trotta managed to surprise even me.

My friend, Brad Linaweaver, calls Fox News the Pentagon Channel because of all the 24-hour news channels Fox is the one that tends to support the agenda of those who find the Pentagon’s ungodly budget always too small, no projection of military force anywhere in the world too unattractive, and no invasion of privacy or restriction of liberty unnecessary. After seeing lively debates on Fox on all these subjects — often dragging in quasi-libertarians like Senator Rand Paul or in-house personalities like Bob Beckel or Kennedy to take the opposition — I’d have to say that Brad is being only slightly sardonic.

But unquestionably Fox, like much of the degraded talk-radio right today, has adopted the worst propaganda techniques that used to be the patented reserve of party-line Communists and World War II era Nazis. It’s a perfect storm of spinning half truths or facts presented in a misleading context, tunnel-vision ideology, and ad hominem slurs replacing reasoned discourse.

This was the technique perfected by Hitler’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, but for those not a student of history like Mr. Linaweaver, one needs go no further than the average anonymous Internet troll to find this level of vile attack.

In the above commentary Ms. Trotta manages to conflate the Department of Veterans Affairs — which does not treat active military — with the Army’s healthcare policies for active-duty military, and conflates both with the Affordable Care Act that addresses only civilian medical care.

Ms. Trotta manages to forget that homosexuals now serve openly in the U.S. military forces so a “feckless” Defense Secretary (who as an Army volunteer serving in combat earned two Purple Hearts) considering extending this policy to transgenders isn’t that much of a stretch.

But Ms. Trotta — in both managing to dismiss “gender dysphoria” as a treatable medical condition while simultaneously dismissing transgendering as a passing fashion — also does not know or chooses to ignore that as late as 1973 the American Psychiatric Association listed homosexuality in its official diagnostic manual as a mental illness.

Private Chelsea Manning
Private Chelsea Manning formerly Specialist Bradley Manning
Visible on uniform: National Defense Service Medal,
Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,
Army Service Ribbon, Army Overseas Service Ribbon,
10th Mountain Division Combat Service Identification Badge,
One Overseas Service Bar, One Service stripe

As recently as last year’s Libertopia conference I objected publicly to the pre-name-change Bradley Manning being referred to as “her” or “she.” My reason — ineloquently expressed in an inappropriately caustic tone of voice — was that I considered it an Orwellian demand to ignore the evidence of the senses and refer to a biological male using feminine pronouns. My objection was not to transgendering but that transgendering — actual gender reassignment of a biological male into a biological female capable of achieving a natural pregnancy — was not yet medically possible.

Stand a naked man and a naked woman up in front of a child. Ask the child to identify the gender of each. I think it would be a crime against the human mind to correct the child who sees a human being with male genitalia and demand that the child refer to that person as “she” or “her.”

But I was not a child when I made my angry remarks and I should have been capable of parsing the issues of gender reassignment without using as a rhetorical device a human being I consider a hero — Chelsea Manning.

Chelsea Manning is listed by that name in the Special Thanks of my movie, Alongside Night.

My own past mistakes aside, I regard that Liz Trotta’s objections to Chelsea Manning being referred to as “her” or “she” is unadulterated bigotry.

Trotta’s wrapping herself in the flag while attacking both a Vietnam-era Purple-Heart veteran and branding as a traitor and sexually slurring an Iraq War Army volunteer whose conscience led her to expose video of war crimes buried by being classified is vile.

Exercise of conscience in defense of justice, Ms. Trotta, is not exercise of ego. It’s an American value and should be a Fox News value.

Calling Private Manning a traitor is also a lie. Private Manning was never charged with treason, much less convicted of it.

Referring to Wikileaks editor, Julian Assange, as a traitor is worse than a lie. It’s moronic, inasmuch as Julian Assange is not and never has been an American.

I am revolted by supposedly “conservative” commentators like Liz Trotta who — if they’d been reporting events at the Old North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts April 19. 1775, would have commented that the Americans shooting at British military were traitors. What values does Liz Trotta wish to “conserve” — the mindless support for tyranny that this country fought a bloody revolution to end?

Respect for individual differences is an American value and should be a Fox News value, Ms. Trotta.

Belief in acting to achieve justice above robotic obedience to authority is an American value and should be a Fox News value, Ms. Trotta.

And respect for heroes who put themselves in harm’s way to protect you is an American value and should be a Fox News value, Ms. Trotta.

If Fox News wants to criticize the Army, let it be that the Army still disarms soldiers on base so they have to dial 911 for civilian police to defend them from crazy people shooting at them.

The right of human beings — much less Americans, much less the Army — to defend themselves against enemies shooting at them should also be a Fox News value, Ms. Trotta.

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Encrypted Prayers


Crisis Man
upon the world
Not Degrees
but Absolutes

Encrypted prayers
though resolute
Agnostic dreams
But interwoved.

I tell my tales
though spoken for
In hellish scenes
through heaven’s spore

I wish the best
But fear the worst
Can dreams survive
This manic burst?

I get the get
I got the got
Infinity
It’s not the nought.

Hello old friends
Good bye to foes
Triumphant glee?
God only knows.

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