##################################################################### FREEDOM NETWORK NEWS -- SPRING SUMMER ISSUE 1993 Editors: Vincent H. Miller & Tim Starr ##################################################################### In this issue: ============= * RUSSIAN LIBERTARIANS ON TOUR * THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THE NEW RUSSIA (Alan Bock) * WACO: AMERICA'S SHAME (By Vince Miller) * BULLETIN BOARD * LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (letters from Yugoslavia) * WORLD NEWS ***** RUSSIAN LIBERTARIANS ON TOUR ********************************** ISIL has had the pleasure of sponsoring a North American tour during the month of May for two Russian libertarian ISIL members: William Milonoff and Dmitrii Costygin, both of St. Petersburg. Milonoff is director of the International Department of the Free Democratic Party of Russia and vice chairman of the Classical Liberal Society in St. Petersburg. Both will be ISIL's hosts for the St. Petersburg Ayn Rand "Roots" tour to be held following the Tallinn conference this July. Dmitrii & William are heavily involved in the translating and publishing of libertarian books into Russian. As proof of their labors they brought with them brand new hardcover copies of the Russian versions of Ken Schoolland's The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible and Mary Ruwart's Healing Our World. They also reported that they have translations of Ayn Rand's We The Living and Anthem completed and are well into a translation of Atlas Shrugged. Their appearances around the country created quite a stir and they charmed most everyone they met. First impressions by everyone, including us was "they're so young!" But the depth of their knowledge belied their youth and quickly dispelled any reservations anyone may have had. The tour commenced with an appearance by Dmitrii at the LP of Hawaii's state convention, followed by an engagement by both at the Greater Vancouver Libertarian Association in Canada. A visit to the Canadian Fraser Institute resulted in the gift of a box of free-market books. From there they attended a libertarian supper club in Seattle (hosted by Kevin Bjornson) and the Puget Sound Supper Club (hosted by Karen Allard). Next they visited San Francisco, speaking at a restaurant reception sponsored by ISIL. The next day ISIL staff and William met with Dr. Martin Krause, who was visiting us from Buenos Aires, and the group of us drove with Glen Cripe across the Golden Gate Bridge to beautiful and scenic Sausalito, where we had an interesting day discussing the similarities between reforms in Argentina and those needed in Russia. Over lunch, Krause produced a 1-peso note which he gave to William. This note, he remarked, was running one-to-one with the American dollar. They have stopped the presses (and the hyper-inflation) and are now basing the peso on the volume of foreign reserves in the country. The next day we met with Dr. Joe Fuhrig, a prominent libertarian and head of the economics department at Golden Gate University. Joe gave us a tour of his department and we spent lunch together discussing monetary reforms in Russia (Joe will be visiting Russia later this year, so arrangements were made to visit with William at the FDP). Next they were off to the LA area where they were hosted by Lynne Bloxham and her husband. They attended a virtual reality computer meeting arranged by Phil Osborne and the next day met with David Bergland, who offered them rights to reprint his "Libertarianism In One Lesson" book. Later they rendezvoused with David Nolan for a visit with Bob Poole at the Reason Foundation, where they established a very warm rapport indeed. Poole has offered (personally) to help with translation efforts in Russia. A 3-hour interview with Alan Bock of the Orange Country Register resulted in the "Brighter Side of the New Russia" article on this page. From there they were off to the Oregon LP state convention and then to Pennsylvania, appearing at numerous libertarian events (the Pocono Libertarians supper club for one). Then it was off to New Mexico to attend the Coalition of Counties conference in Carlsbad. Then it was to Atlanta where they attended the Hillsdale Shavano Institute conference on American Peristroika. Their host in Atlanta was the Advocate's own Carole Ann Rand. There will be more details on the repercussions of this tour (and there are many) in the next FNN. ***** THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF THE NEW RUSSIA (By Alan Bock) ********* The news we get about the territory that used to be the Soviet Union tends to revolve around the latest clashes between President Boris Yeltsin and the communist-dominated parliament, or a new agreement between top levels of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Every so often a reporter will do a feature on kiosk operators or sidewalk vendors, or venture into the countryside to report on the problems involved in trying to privatize a collective farm. But most of the news revolves around top-level stuff. That's understandable. News organizations can afford to deploy only so many people to Russia, and there's a somewhat defensible consensus that people with fancy titles and government offices are the most important key players. But it's also possible, especially in a society undergoing such a profound political and psychological transition, that the "top" leaders are less important than is generally believed – that the levers of power they manipulate aren't attached to anything significant, that most people in the CIS pay little attention to their power games, that the real changes are occurring now at the street level, invisible to most observers, especially foreigners. So I was pleased to talk to two visitors from the former Soviet Union who have been in Southern California recently seeking and perhaps dispensing help, support, advice, money, investors. It's become a common joke that it may not be long before Americans who want to live in a free society will have to move to Russia. It's not true just yet, but who knows? William V. Milonoff is a tall, red-headed 21-year-old with the title of director of the International Department of the Free Democratic Party of Russia, which promotes a classical-liberal philosophy in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson, von Mises, Hayek and Bastiat. He looks young – a bit brash even – but after talking with him for several hours I came away impressed with his depth of knowledge and his deep-seated, realistic commitment to a free society. Headquartered in St. Petersburg, the Free Democratic Party has three seats in the Russian parliament. It holds 20 seats on the St. Petersburg city council, making it the single largest political faction. The mayor of St. Petersburg and the former mayor of Moscow have endorsed the FDP's call for an independent constitutional convention to propose a new Russian constitution, rather than let the existing power structures propose reform. Milonoff and his friends are also entrepreneurs. They have translated several works, including Ayn Rand's novels We The Living and Anthem into Russian. Besides talking to media and political activists, they are seeking investors and joint venturers. "You see plenty of shops on the streets of Russia today," says William, "but it's time for us to move more heavily into production." He has no interest in foreign aid; he contends that the best insurance against a return to communism is widespread investment throughout Russia. Besides investing, one of the most useful things Americans can do for these peaceful freedom fighters is to give them equipment, particularly computer equipment. Thousands of Americans are sitting on older, perhaps partially broken computer equipment that would be invaluable to Russians. It could be donated to them through the International Society for Individual Liberty, and if earmarked for non-political, education-l activities, the donations can be tax deductible. I also talked with Alexander Zagribelny, a journalist from Kazakhstan who visited here with authorizations from various ministries back home to work out joint ventures and investment deals. Kazakhstan, he says, has a skilled, low-cost work force, industrial equipment, good managers, a new enthusiasm about business, and a government eager to facilitate investment. Mr. Zagribelny, local chairman of the Green Movement, reports that many people in Kazakhstan are interested in the agricultural and industrial potential of hemp. The country grows a great deal of cotton, which requires heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides, and has a half-million acres of hemp growing wild. These gentlemen claim that the old Soviet citizens' attitude of resigned cynicism and hopelessness is being supplanted by an individualistic, entrepreneurial attitude, a desire to be visible, to take risks, to strive to be the best. If this is accurate, the future may be less dark than many anticipate. From the Sunday, May 16th issue of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Reprinted with permission of the Author ***** UPDATE ON SWEDISH TRITUAHA RAID ******************************** As a followup to the last Freedom Network News' report on the jailing of ISIL Rep Henrik Bejke and the raid of the libertarian speakeasy "Trituaha", we received the following note from Mats Hinze of the libertarian Frithetsfronten (Freedom Front) in Stockholm: "The police have, without any legal grounds, closed and changed the locks on our club (Trithuaha), in which Nyliberalen (New Liberal) magazine has its office. On a Saturday in late April we broke in through a back door and opened up anyway. What a victory for freedom and what a defeat for the police! 5:30 in the morning, 3 hours after we opened, the police raided us again. The brutality of the police was outrageous. Several people were beaten, including myself. After that night the police have had up to five cars constantly guarding the entrances. No wonder they complain about a lack of funds when they spend millions trying to stop peaceful people from socializing." *********************************************************************** ***** BULLETIN BOARD ************************************************** *********************************************************************** ***** NEW ISIL PAMPHLET ON SCHOOL CHOICE ****************************** ISIL's newest pamphlet Government Schools In Crisis by George L. O'Brien (edited by Geoffrey Erikson) provides both a history of the public school system in the U.S. and a description of the power blocs and vested interests involved in preserving this archaic bureaucracy With the wave of "Educational Choice" initiatives around the country, this pamphlet should prove to be a valuable adjunct. Price, as with other ISIL pamplets, is only 5¢ each. Free overprints of your organization on orders of 1000 or more. ***** ISIL TALLINN, ESTONIA CONFERENCE UPDATE ************************** SOME VISA REQUIREMENTS DROPPED Good news. Since the end of May no visas are required to enter Estonia for citizens of the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Vatican, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, and Monaco. Estonia has signed visa-free travel accords with Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Great Britain, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia and is near completing similar arrangements with Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. From 1 July, citizens of the CIS and Georgia will be able to enter Estonia only with travel passports. For those affected, a double-entry visa is required if you plan to travel with us to Russia and return to Tallinn. VISAS FOR RUSSIA Unfortunately those of you who are registered for the visit to St. Petersburg, Russia after the Tallinn event will need a visa for Russia. The Consulate will request the exact dates you will be entering and leaving the country (July 31-enter/Aug 4-depart) – via a chartered bus from the Tallinn conference site. They will also ask for a letter of invitation which will be provided by our Russian hosts. The visa details may be extruciatingly painful (and we hope that the Russians follow Estonia's good example soon) but the trip is very exciting and includes as a special bonus an evening at the Kirov Ballet. SPEAKERS ADDED TO LINEUP Detective Superintendent of Police Tim Bremmers of the Netherlands will speak on "Legalization of Drugs – A Dutch Perspective" – the civilized manner in which the Dutch have handled the drug problem. Also added to the lineup is Dame Barbara Shenfield (England) who will speak on the subject of "Welfare Without the Welfare State". Kim Behnke, an elected member of the Danish Parliament, will speak on "Is it Possible to Promote libertarianism in Parliament?" Also new to the lineup is Bruce L. Benson (USA), Distinguished professor of Law and Economics, "Justice Without The State." Other speakers on the lineup include former Senator John McClaughry, of Vermont (author of The Vermont Papers) Tibor Machan and Henri Lepage. For more complete details and costs write for a conference package to: ISIL, 1800 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102 Tel: 415 864-0952 ***** LIBERTY AND PRIVATE BUSINESS IN LITHUANIA ********************** The Lithuanian Free Market Institute Invites you to attend a summer seminar On behalf of the Lithuanian Free Market Institute and the Free Mind Club "Nuomoné" we would like to inform you of our conference on "Liberty and Private Business" which will be held in Traikai, Lithuania from August 2-9, 1993, immediately following the ISIL Tallinn conference. The seminar will focus on the relationship between the individual and society; the role of private business to establish an open, market-oriented society. We expect the seminar will be an intensive exploration of classical-liberal principles in economics, law, history and philosophy. A faculty of prominent philosophers and economists from Lithuania and abroad will conduct a series of workshops on Liberty and Society, Private Property and Society, and Private Business and Democracy. We invite people to attend and to participate in this event. We also would welcome any financial assistance to help make this a more effective event. For more information contact: Lietuvos laisvosios rinkos instutas P.O. Box 415, Vilnius, Lithuania. Tel: (370-2) 352-584 Fax: (370-2) 351-279 Virginijus Daukas, Pres. of club "Nuomono", Exec Director of LFMI ISIL Rep. Lithuania ***** ISIL TO CO-SPONSORS A CONFERENCE WITH "FEAR" *************** No doubt the most egregious assault on American liberties and one that tears at the very fabric of the country is the current wave of looting that is going on under the cover of civil asset forfeiture laws. These laws constitute an end run around the Constitution and Bill of Rights. They enable overzealous police and government agencies to seize anyone's property on the flimsiest of pretexts -- without due process of law. Approximately a billion dollars in assets were seized in 1992 alone and the figure threatens to double in 1993. These laws are a flagrant violation of the 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which forbids "unreasonable search or seizure." As we have discovered, the courts and legislatures now consider any government search or seizure "reasonable." Something must be done to combat this menace. To this end ISIL, in cooperation with FEAR (Forfeiture Endangers American Rights) will be sponsoring a conference in the San Francisco Bay Area on August 14, 1993. There will be reports on attempts to repeal these vicious laws, as well as seminars by legal experts on how best to protect your assets from the legal looters. There will be more details and a flyer produced later, but if you are interested in attending or participating, please contact ISIL HQ for details. ***** SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON DRUG POLICY REFORM ********* November 17-20, 1993 This Drug Policy Foundation conference will feature workshops on the prevention of drug abuse, the use of the military in drug enforcement, the spread of AIDS among IV drug users, drug policies abroad, urban issues in U.S. and foreign cities, legislative strategies, medical use of marijuana and more. Drugs, Medicine and Health and Drugs and the Law are two professional tracks that will offer continuing education credit. The Drug Policy Foundation is asking drug-policy experts, health-care workers and legal professionals to submit their ideas for topics. For more information write: The Drug Policy Foundation, Suite B-500, 4455 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008. Fax: (202) 537-3007. *********************************************************************** ***** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ******************************************* *********************************************************************** DEVOLUTION IN CANADA Recently, in reading a back issue of Freedom Network News (summer 1992), I came across a submission by Bruce Evoy, in which he discusses a warning made by Reform Party leader Preston Manning that Canada must embrace the Swiss model of peaceable secession and partition, or face Yugoslav-style consequences. You may be interested to know that this proposal originates with a book that I published in May 1992, under the title "Canada Remapped: How the Partition of Quebec will Reshape the Nation". I sent a copy of the manuscript to Reform Party headquarters in December 1991, and Preston Manning incorporated its proposal for local referenda into a speech in Montreal on January 23, 1992. You may be interested to know that the inspiration for the book was the logic of local "cantonal" self-determination which I first encountered in the writings of Leon Louw and Frances Kendall, purchased from Freedom's Forum Books (I am an ISIL member). The specific example of the peaceful separation of the Jura canton from Berne in 1979 is the model I propose for Quebec secession. Incidentally, I was very impressed by Jim Peron's article "The Initiative Process – A Caveat," and would be interested in finding out more about the sort of problems you describe. My own research into direct democracy in the Swiss canon of Appenzell fills me with similar concerns, and I am considering doing some writing on the subject. Scott J. Reid, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada NOTE: ISIL's Freedom's Forum Books is now carrying "Canada Remapped" ($14.95 + shipping & handling). We consider it an excellent research source not only for Canada, but for the rest of the world as well. Chapters on unsuccessful partitionings (Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland) as well as successes in Switzerland, are particularly valuable. Also deals with the plight of native peoples and suggests sovereignty for north American Indian tribes. More on Scott Reid's book in the next "Devolution" issue of the FNN. THANKS FROM ARGENTINA I wonder if you could publish in the Freedom Network News my gratitude, as well as that of the President of the Fundacion "Biblioteca para la Libertad," to all the ISIL members who after reading my letter discussing our goals (published in issue #31) sent us books and other reading materials (some were sent anonymously). Our postal address is España 202, 4º Piso, 4400 Salta, Argentina. The telefax number is 54-87-312264 Jaime Jose Cornejo Yofre, Argentina MORE NEWS ON GERMAN FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY Concerning the notice in the Freedom Network News about the German Free Democratic Party (FDP): The bad news is that the FDP is not going libertarian. They are not even decentralist. But the good news is that the liberal think-tank (which published the mentioned paper) is under libertarian influence; they will even publish a pamphlet of mine which describes the anarcho-capitalist perspective. Stefan Blankertz, ISIL Rep: Bonn, Germany ON THE KILLING IN BOSNIA If you could quote the words of a Serb interpreter that appeared in an article by Leslie Gelb, a foreign affairs columnist who wrote about the killing in Bosnia, it would be great. I do believe she deserves to be heard again and again. "Yet I remember most the lament of my interpreter, Branco a Serbian woman: 'Tell people that a young girl on the ground, a nobody, thinks all sides are wrong, that only individuals are right, that the military just wants to shoot, and that the politicians – who always care only for themselves and who live even better while the rest of us die – that the politicians are the worst of all.' " Trude Blomsoy, Coos Bay, Oregon Editors Note: We have received a number of letters from ISIL members in the Balkan states (some of which follow). We were a bit taken aback by the fact that some members interpreted reports in past newsletters as "Satanizing" the Serbs. Believe me this was certainly is not our intent. As the Serb reporter in Trude Blomsoy's letter stated so clearly: only individuals count. We are aware that many good people in Serbia and other parts of what was Yugoslavia would dearly love to see an end to the madness that is occurring on a daily basis now. But the only thing we can do is to try to work together to see if a peaceful solution can be found. We invite ISIL members to write and expand the dialogue in this matter. We will publish letters in future issues of the Freedom Network News from members from any or all of the Balkan states – as well as those from the rest of the world. We have sponsored Mr. Tomislav Krsmanovic to the Tallinn conference this July and plan to have special strategy/brainstorming sessions with him (and any other members from the Balkans). Stay tuned. SATANIZING SERBS? Once again thank you for the gift membership in ISIL. Also I am very interested to take part in ISIL's conference in Tallinn. I studied the pamphlets on privatization and human rights. However this seems easier to say than to materialize. For example, my sister is an excellent radiologist (M.D.), but she can not buy an ultra sound to start a private practice simply because she has no money for the investment. The intellectuals in this country were never paid more than 50 US dollars a month! Another example: we (my sister and I) own a nice piece of land in Vojvodina, and would like to grow some food on it. However, we dare not start anything because we do not have markets for our future goods. As you know market monopolies are everywhere. When you add that we, so-called eastern people are deprived of everything, you can picture the situation. Do you believe that we, Serbian people, have some human rights? What sort of civilization is the "Civilized West" when they have to Satanize one nation to such an extent! There is also no doubt that the so-called rich and civilized part of the world is helping the so-called primitive part of the world to fight among themselves. How else is it possible to explain away the most profitable weapons trade. I am sorry to send such a depressing letter but we do live under a very discouraging situation over here. Dr. Nina Drndarski, Belgrade, Serbia YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND US I am very grateful to you because I have become a member of a very important and humane organization such as ISIL. At the same time I am very disburbed by your article in the Freedom Network News No. 31/Summer 1992, page 9, where you speak badly of the Serbian people: "Serbians dream for the big Serbia. . ." The Serbs have only protected their country which was soaked in their fathers' blood. You laughed at us. You defend Albanian's attitude. Albanians want to make a Big Albania out of Serbia. They ask you to do that in front of the whole world and also request that from you (KEBS, EC, UN) and mostly from the United States (probably because the American Indians experienced the Serb's fate). After each War we are left without territory. Skadar on the river Bojana is Serbian territory as well. Instead of representing the Serbs in Atlanta who are forbidden to express their culture and to speak their language, you mention the Albanians' suffering on Kosovo. The Albanians on Kosovo tortured the Serbs who ran away while the Albanians occupied their estates. An Albanian was the President of the state of Serbia (Jugoslavia) five years ago. The Albanians did what they liked not only in Kosovo but also in Belgrade. You certainly know about the affair Martinovic in which the man was rudely attacked and then raped by a bottle. All the nationalities are present in government in Serbia and Jugoslavia in high positions. Where are the Serbs in the governments of Albania or Hungary? This a big slander, but it is useful to say that "attack is the best defense". The Serbs did not attack anybody – their sin is defense. I am not quite sure that you will have on your side the people who have the truth. I am not the person who will show the world who is right. Everybody who is honest will do that. By protecting the usurpers you are not their friend because the reason why you protect them is always present. I would like to think I am mistaken, but an organization which is fighting for people's rights and deceiving the same people (especially if they are Americans on whom the Albanians pin their hopes), it is obvious that organization has changed. A lot of my friends were interested in your organization but they stopped after the false accusations. I would like to be present at your next congress in Estonia, but our current economic possibilities are very poor. I am a member of a few humanitarian organizations. Besides the movement for people's rights, there is the Alliance for Women's Rights which is against maltreatment and rape of women. There's the Womens' Association in Belgrade which includes Serbian women as well as the women-foreigners who help the handicapped children, sick children, disabled children and orphans. There is also a humanitarian organization which helps the old, weak, lonely and disabled people who suffer from all kinds of psycho-physical defects -- especially helping those old people who depend on somebody's help. Serbia accepted a huge number of refugees of all nationalities, especially the Muslims and Croats. Serbia, which is economically weak now, is in a bigger crisis so that the old people and those who depend on the help of others barely manage to survive because they cannot pay for the services. Therefore we, the members of all professions, visit them at their homes and help them (legal advice, necessary medical treatment, repair of false teeth, pulling of teeth, measuring of EKG, TA, Puls and all vital elements, repair of appliances for heating water, etc.). We help all nationalities. We all fight for the people's rights but in a different way. Your fight is political because the reason for attacking the nation which has been already attacked is not the aim of ISIL's work. Our organizations fight only for the direct help to people who have troubles. We do not want to belong to any political party because that requires a great deal of time. It is very nice that you fight for the Swiss model which could be applied in all disputed countries where more nationalities are in conflict. We know that there are other people also in big trouble – a very difficult situation and we know we cannot expect a lot from you. But the first important thing is -- how can you talk about our freedom, the freedom of the people's rights if you do not understand us??? I intend to open a private studio for psychophysical rehabilitation. I am a psychotherapist and also a physiotherapist and I am qualified for psychotherapy, accupressure therapy, psychodrama, etc. I intend to work with Mr. Krsmanovic privately because now we are working together in voluntary humanitarian activities. I am delighted with his unselfishness, devotion and voluntary work. He listens to everybody very patiently, he calls everybody and writes applications and complaints for everybody, sympathizing with every man who suffers and he does that without earning money. He has been fighting for a long time and during that time he has been enduring terrible maltreatments. You know Mr. Krsmanovic, you know a lot about him and I am surprised that you have published the article about "A big Serbian dream" because there are still good and generous men in Serbia. I would like to send you a couple of names of the people who would like to cooperate with you in order to be useful to the others. Those people were disappointed with the slanderous information mentioned above. I had already informed all my friends about you at the beginning and all of them were delighted and happy that they had a chance to join but they thought that the mentioned article was a taunt. Olga Jeftic, Belgrade, Serbia ************************************************************************* Civilization can only revive when there shall come into being in a number of individuals a new tone of mind independent of the one prevalent among the crowd and in opposition to it, a tone of mind which will gradually win influence over the collective one, and in the end determine its character. It is only an ethical movement which can rescue us from the slough of barbarism, and the ethical comes into existence only in individuals. ALBERT SCHWEITZER ************************************************************************* LEON LOUW RESPONDS TO DAN KARLAN'S CRITIQUE Dan Karlan's critique of the "Louw/Kendall proposals" (FNN Jan-Mar 1993) has much to commend it. Essentially, it proposes establishing a free country somewhere. The idea is, of course not new. Indeed, it has been the subject of well-funded organizations and movements in the past, such as the Phoenix Foundation, the New Country movement, and the Vanuatu initiative. A number of books and many articles have been written on the idea. Karlan has presented the case for it afresh and concisely, with a distinctive angle, for which he is to be complemented. Might I suggest that its virtue lies not in its superiority to the Louw/Kendall proposals, but in that it is an additional ideal to be striven for. It does not, as the former, address the question of how to increase liberty in an existing country. Lamentably, considerable new-country efforts by substantial and ingenious libertarians over the years have all failed so far. The movement is suffering from new-country fatigue. The resurrection of a practical attempt at establishing a new country may be an idea whose time has come, given dramatic changes that are sweeping the globe. The proximate reason for my response is to draw the attention of Karlan and others to certain aspects of the logic of the Louw/Kendall proposals, and of libertarian strategies having multiple rather than single objectives. The two (and others) are by no means mutually exclusive. Those of us directly concerned with countries facing immediate problems of internal inter-group conflict and historic transition have, typically, concluded that we have to develop effective strategies in the real world of 1993 that have some prospect of being achieved in the short term. New-country proposals that I am aware of do not seem to satisfy these criteria. They are, in a very real sense, a luxury which can be indulged by libertarians dealing with less urgent situations. Perhaps more importantly, the "canton system" (a term that connotes no more than intensive federation with maximal constitutional checks and balances, i.e. strictly limited government, has a lot more in common with the Karlan proposal than he seems to realize. One of its virtues is precisely that it presents freedom seekers with the opportunity of establishing a free canton, if not a free country. Given that the Louw/Kendall proposal includes the constitutional right of secession for any part of a country, regardless of how small the area or population, it would be reasonably easy to establish a new country if those in a free canton (or part thereof) decide that their freedom (or other interests) would be best served by secession. When part of Berne became a full canton, Jura, it had technically seceded from Switzerland. It came a canton by choosing readmission in 1976. In practice, libertarians, should they find themselves to be in effective "control" of a new country/canton, may decide that the benefits of full secession and sovereignty are outweighed by the benefits of having part of a country that is sufficiently decentralized with a sufficiently limited central government. Under the Louw/Kendall proposals, a single household could secede. Consequently, all people who are part of "the state" will be so by choice. In this sense, it includes Karlan's plan. This is more of a theoretical than a practical point. It is always easy to criticize a proposal. One should refrain from doing so merely to score points. However, difficulties with Karlan's plan -- to which there are solutions -- include: Who would screen "all refugees" to ensure that they qualify as "innocent bystanders" for admission to Libertaria? According to what criteria would people be screened so as to ensure that it is not the weaker of those upon whose house Karlan wishes a "plague" who emigrate, thus subverting his purpose? Is it true that the "core of the conflict" is that equally-guilty enemies refuse to allow freedom to the other – or is it the fear of real or suspected domination by innocent victims? Perhaps, even within Karlan's Libertaria, it would be a good idea to have a canton system to increase the prospects of achieving or, at least, sustaining liberty. The choice is not between the Louw/Kendall proposals OR Karlan's proposal. Karlan should not be juxtaposed with Louw/Kendall as he has done, but he should seek to incorporate the former in the latter, whilst simultaneously encouraging the former in other countries. An additional point regarding Louw/Kendall is that it just seems so much more likely for us to achieve our goals to a significant extent by way of the strategy we have adopted, than it would be to establish an entirely new country. Karlan does not seem to have considered the trade-offs between long-term ideals and short-term pragmatic strategies. We are constantly amazed how many of our ideas have already become the subject of consensus among all major parties in South Africa. It is not unrealistic to predict that up to 70% or 80% of our proposals will be included in the final constitution. To what extent that has been because of, or in spite of, our work will have to remain a matter of conjecture for all time. Leon Louw, Johannesburg, South Africa ************************************************************************ ***** I.S.I.L. WORLD NEWS ********************************************** ************************************************************************ CANADA . . . CANADIAN PATIENTS TURN TO THE U.S.A. Canadians languishing on hospital waiting lists due to rationing of service in the Canadian government health care system may soon find their pains eased south of the border. A new insurance policy launched in Winnipeg last month is offering Canadians treatment in dozens of American hospitals. The policy will cost between $300 and $800 per year and will even cover food and lodging for a loved one for 15 days. The policy targets the estimated 300,000 Canadians who face months-long waiting periods for so-called "non-emergency" surgery. Policy holders seeking gall bladder operations, CAT scans and dozens of other procedures will have a 45-day waiting period which covers transfers of medical records to an American facility. American advocates of nationalized health care please take note. Submitted by Bruce Evoy, Toronto, Ontario, Canada REFORM PARTY LEADER PROMISES BALANCED BUDGET At a recent fund-raising dinner in Toronto, Reform Party leader Preston Manning was quoted as saying: "We will cut $19 billion in spending out of the federal budget to zero over three years without raising taxes . . . the faster you cut the better, because if you take too long, all the special-interests will gang up on you before you get finished." Manning said his government would reduce levels of support for unemployment insurance, transfers to the provinces and cut handouts to businesses and special-interest groups HUNGARY . . . YOUTH PARTY REMOVES CEILING ON AGE LIMIT During its three-day congress on 16-18 April in Debrecen, Hungary's opposition youth party, the Alliance of Young Democrats, removed the 35-year age limit on party membership. Some 400 delegates approved the party’s broad guidelines for next year’s national elections and elected Viktor Orban as the party’s first president. The 30-year-old Orban could be Hungary’s next prime minister if polls that now show the AYD in the lead with some 25% of the electorate are borne out. In his speech to the congress, Orban was highly critical of the Antall government over the country's shrinking economic growth and the slow speed of privatization. By Judith Pataki/Radio Free Europe roundup, Submitted by ALAN FURMAN ROMANIA . . . ROMANIAN LIBERAL PARTIES MERGE TO FORM POWERFUL COALITION BUCHAREST -- Romanian ISIL Rep. Valentina Buxar reports very exciting news regarding the the tipping of the balance of power in Romania in the direction of libertarianism. In the past two months four of the most important (classical) liberal parties and various "wings" coalesced to form a considerably larger and more effective opposition to the socialists. There are now just two liberal parties and the prospects of these merging as well is good. In discussion with Valentina, the leader of the Liberal Party, Mr. Horia Rusu recently expressed an interest in attending the ISIL conference in Tallinn, Estonia this July. Valentina has also been invited by Mr. Rusu to work full time as a public policy analyst for the Liberal Party thinktank. Valentina informs us that the Romanian Liberals are very close to being libertarians. Mr. Rusu, for example, is an admirer of both Rand and Rothbard and hard-core papers submitted by Valentina have been well received by the rank and file in the Liberal party. "HEALING OUR WORLD" PUBLISHED IN ROMANIA BUCHAREST -- Mary Ruwart's popular libertarian book "Healing Our World" has been published in yet another Central European country. It has already been published in Russian and translations are underway in Lithuania. RUSSIA . . . TAX COLLECTORS NOT A HAPPY LOT MOSCOW -- A tax collector's life is not an easy one in Russia nowadays. Ask tax inspector Mikhail Kharlamov who was jumped outside his house and beaten so badly he suffered a concussion. The chief inspector for another part of Moscow recently received a telephone threat from an irate taxpayer suggesting she "restrain" her tax collecting efforts. She brushed it off. Not long after that her car blew up outside the tax office. "She hasn't been the same since," remarked Dmitri Chernic, the chief of Russia's Tax Inspectorate. "She is psychologically wounded." So it goes for Russia's estimated 100,000 tax inspectors, whose job it is to both assess and collect taxes. They are "simply getting kicked out by guards at private businesses," said Yuri Bachurin, the director of Russia's Tax Evasion Investigation Department During the communist era, everyone worked for the government, which took out taxes before workers were paid (sounds vaguely familiar – ed). But now that private businesses have become legal, Russians have to pay "voluntarily" or face a visit from a tax inspector. Seen in San Jose Mercury News POLAND . . . "IN PURSUIT OF LIBERTY" PAMPHLET NOW IN POLISH ISIL member Piotr Kosibowicz of Krakow, Poland has translated and published Jarret Wollstein's popular In Pursuit of Liberty pamphlet on MS-WORD. Piotr has distributed small quantities of these at local public meetings and hopes to establish an ISIL chapter to distribute books and literature. Members wishing to correspond with Piotr or help him with his efforts may contact him at Box 12, Krakow 42, Poland. SOUTH AFRICA . . . A HIGH NOTE JOHANNESBURG: Police arrested a 29-year-old man playing the violin on a busy Johannesburg street. He was naked, with a sprig of marijuana in his pubic hair. The man, reclusive son of a South African university lecturer, led police to a field in a city suburb where they found 250 marijuana plants. NEW BOOKS PUBISHED BY LIBERTARIANS A book with Bastiat's The Law and Spooner's Essay on Natural Law has just been published in South Africa in a dual English/Afrikaans edition. Jim Peron's monograph "Affirmative Action, Apartheid and Capitalism" has received favorable reviews in Business Day newspaper and in Beeld, a leading Afrikaans periodical. It describes the similarities between "affirmative action" and "apartheid" and uses historical analysis to show how South African apartheid was designed as a government "affirmative action" program for Afrikaners. Peron makes the case for the free market as the route to solving the resulting problems through its function as an undiscriminating merit system. The 72-page book is published by the Free Market Foundation and is available through ISIL's Freedom's Forum Books for $5.95. SWEDEN . . . LIBERTARIANS MAKE SWEEP OF FRIA MODERATA STUDENTFOBUNDET A Special Report by ISIL Swedish Rep Henrik Bejke The Fria Moderata StudentForbundet (roughly translated "The Free [independent] Moderate Student Federation") is an umbrella organization for conservative/libertarian student groups active on university campuses throughout Sweden. The organization is not formally a part of the conservative party, "the moderate party", but it has very close ties to that party. For example, both our Prime Minister, Carl Bildt, and Stockholm's political leader Carl Cederskiold are former chairmen of FMSF. Whenever journalists want to know what direction the conservative party might take in the future, they look at the FMSF, since there they will find the top conservative politicians of the future. Usually FMSF used to be a rather solid conservative organization with a small but outspoken minority of libertarians -- but during last year the libertarian minority has grown, and is now a majority. This annoyed the remaining conservatives, mainly in their last stronghold, the Lund University chapter, so they left the organization last year. They sent out a very angry press statement, saying they were leaving the FMSF because of its liberal stand on drugs (FMSF is the only major political organization that in some way has accepted legalization, although only for "soft" drugs) and has a negative attitude towards the European Community (this is sadly not totally true, but at least there is a debate on the issue). At its yearly election/meeting in May the FMSF elected a new presidium. The chairman is Carl-Fredrik Jaensson and the four vice chairmen are Petter Brolin, Mattias Lundback, Jonas Nilsson and Otto Giesenfeld. All of them are libertarians. In earlier years the conservatives used to have a substantial majority, and voted against libertarian proposals. But now there are almost no conservatives at all, and all the fun stuff like private money, legal prostitution, private roads, and things like that were all voted in favor of. The only disappointment was that people still voted in favor of the EEC. But at least they voted against the harmonization and the common currency. Whether the people active in the FMSF today are to be the leading conservative politicians of tomorrow or not is still too early to be seen. But if they are – boy are we going to see some real changes! U.S.A. . . . AN ILLEGAL NATIVE AMERICAN Logic doesn't always apply in wildlife management. For example, it's now illegal to be an opossum in California. The state's Fish and Game Commission last year issued a terse decision that "opossums are . . . a detrimental species . . . prohibited in California." Opossum critics say they're tired of seeing the pointy-faced marsupials on the loose and prowling through garbage cans. They accuse opossums of everything from transmitting rabies to public drooling. "They only drool when they're playing dead to fool predators." insists Mary Naylor, a member of the Opossum Society of California. She raised her pet opossum, Hillary, "frm the size of my pinkie." She's an ambassador for opossumhood to everyone she meets. Seen in Wall Street Journal ONE FOR OUR SIDE The New York State Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of Robert Schulz and ACTA (All County Taxpayers Association). "In a landmark ruling, the state's highest court established the right of the little guy to challenge state government's longstanding habit of borrowing money without asking permission." (The NY Constitution requires a bond vote before the state can borrow.) According to Shulz, "The high court has ruled that we have the right to sue the Governor and the Legislature if they violate our constitutional rights." Supreme Court Justice Lawrence E. Kahn said: "It's a landmark decision which gives the courts back to the people." If you'd like more information about ACTA or it's activities, write or call: ACTA, Box 177 Star Route, Glens Falls, NY 12801 Tel: (518) 656 3578 Albany, NY Times Union HOPE FOR AMERICA: NEWS FROM A SMALL TOWN IN VERMONT I am delighted to report that, after a heated discussion, my town has decided not to apply for a redevelopment grant, consisting mostly of federal and state money. I was astonished to hear many people argue that this kind of funding is exactly what got America into trouble in the first place. Many were reluctant to add to the federal deficit; others noted that the state government doesn’t give money, it just rearranges it. I don’t know about others, but I was absolutely astonished and delighted to hear these arguments from ordinary working people. Hartford is not particularly well off, which makes the response even more impressive. Barry Fagin/Vermont From Libernet Digest NONE DARE CALL IT BLACKMAIL Teachers at Wilson High School in Washington DC are refusing to write letters of recommendation for college-bound seniors unless their parents write to at least three city officials protesting teacher furloughs and low pay. Washingon Post, Oct. 1, 1992 Posted to Internet by Ed Ipser Forwarded to ISIL by ALAN FURMAN ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Our Unabashed dictionary defines Government Bonds as "Extortion Futures" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ***** WACO: AMERICA'S SHAME (By Vincent H. Miller) ********************* A number of deeply disturbing issues have been raised by the fiery deaths of just under 100 men, women and children of the Branch Davidians at Waco, Texas – not the least of which is the excesses of federal government BATF and FBI agents. The truly mindless violence and sadistic treatment of innocents at Waco is horrible -- but possibly even more alarming is the extent of the lies, deception, media manipulation and deliberate cover-ups by government officials. The sobering message of the Waco tragedy is that many, if not most U.S. government agencies are running completely out of control. Even former president Ronald Reagan, who tried unsuccessfully to disband BATF (the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms) during his term in office, referred to this agency, which has a history of provoking violent confrontations, as a "rogue agency." What is truly alarming, however, is that the Waco massacre is not just one isolated incident or some kind of bizarre aberration. It appears as though the opening shots of a total war against the people of the USA is being launched by its own government -- a government that has become bloated and corrupt and utterly brazen in its contempt for America's sacred institutions and traditions of liberty. Across this land the BATF, DEA, FBI, IRS, the Bureau of Land Management, and other agencies are engaged in an orgy of looting, massive property seizures, mass imprisonments and even murder of peaceful citizens. Most Americans still cannot bring themselves to believe that their beloved Republic has been transformed seemingly overnight into a de facto Nazi police state. What was the reason for the amassing of armies of government agents and tanks and assault helicopters in Waco? What horrible crimes had these people committed that necessitated such draconian measures? Why was it deemed necessary to riddle the compound with bullets and lob concussion grenades into family areas inhabited by women and children? Did they not expect that the heavily armed Branch Davidians would respond in kind to such an violent and unprovoked invasion of the sanctity of their premises? In fact, in the face of such gross criminal violations of their Constitutional rights, did not the Branch Davidians have the right to return fire? They certainly did under Common Law. WHY WACO? The official rationale for the siege changed from day to day throughout the entire siege. First the allegations were that the Davidians had large caches of illegal arms, including a 50-calibre machine gun. But so far no 50-calibre machine gun has been found, and as far as we know, all of the arms at the compound were legally registered. In fact, Paul Fatta, one of the Davidians, held a valid Class III arms dealer's license so he could legally own such weapons anyway. Next came allegations of child abuse, but reports of social workers who had visited the compound months before the killings revealed no evidence whatsoever of abuse. The children reportedly looked healthy and happy. There were more allegations that extreme measures were necessary to protect the neighbors surrounding the compound from imminent danger. However, neighbors who have known the Branch Davidians for 15 years reportedly described them as "good Samaritan" types who helped their neighbors and were normal people -- "good neighbors." Why the hysteria and fanatical violence against simple people? Is the thought of people living an independent rural life, home-schooling their children, living their own religious life-style, and resisting government interference in their lives something with which authoritarian government social planners cannot cope? The fact that the Branch Davidians were exceptionally well-armed also seemed to disturb the government. But since when is it a crime to be well-armed? Doesn't the U.S. Constitution enshrine the right to keep and bear arms in the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights? Could it be that the American super-state will not suffer self-sufficient people, people who are sovereign -- who do not need them -- to live? Moreover, calling a religion a "cult" and disseminating false and defamatory information via the media about "child molesting" and "weapons caches" is exactly the same technique that was used by the Nazis to dehumanize the Jews and to justify their extermination. It is the same technique used by any tyranny to stamp out unpopular or potentially vocal adversaries. Many of the more disgusting and sadistic aspects of the siege should be repugnant to any civilized person. According to Linda Thompson of the American Justice Federation, for 51 days all utilities, including sanitation, were cut off. Loudspeakers were set up all around the unit blaring high-decibel sounds 24 hours a day: the sound of rabbits being slaughtered, the sound a phone makes when it is left off the hook, Tibetan monk chants, jet airplanes, babies crying and bad rock music. Powerful spotlights raked the compound. Supplies of baby food and medical supplies were blocked by police. Tanks would circle the compound firing concussion bombs, and periodically they would charge up to within feet of the compound and stop abruptly -- terrorizing the inhabitants. Helicopter gunships fired indiscriminately through the roof. The details of who started the fire seem somewhat irrelevant in the face of the volume of other atrocities, although 15 independent observers reported that they saw on TV what appeared to be government agents wearing gas masks climbing on the roof of the compound just before the fire started. Authorities callously barred fire engines from entering the area once the fire had started. But it gets worse and worse. The terror tactics were not limited to the compound alone. Linda Thompson reports that black unmarked government helicopter gunships have performed "strafing patterns" over suburban areas near Waco. They are what is referred to as a "multi-jurisdictional police force" and have frequently been spotted hovering over homes of persons targeted by the government as "dissidents". MEDIA CONTROL During the entire event the government created a two and a half mile perimeter surrounding the compound from which everyone, including reporters, were excluded. The only "news" coming out of the compound was produced by the state agencies involved, and fed to a gullible media which faithfully parroted the official government line. A Libernet release reported that on one occasion two news photographers taking photos inside the 2 1/2 mile limit had their faces pushed into the dirt with guns held at their heads by police while their cameras and film were seized. They were charged and thrown into local jails. Other reporters reported being stopped and threatened with machine guns while their press credentials were stolen. When one reporter asked, "Is this the beginning of Gestapo tactics and martial law in America?" he was arrested on the spot and removed. News reporting, fed on the pablum of self-serving government news releases, seemed singularly one-sided -- portraying government agents as noble protectors of the public peace and smearing Koresh as some kind of criminal psychopath. However, in spite of a massive propaganda campaign by the government, public opinion (at least in some cases) has been hostile to government actions. A TIME magazine report of May 21 revealed that 70% of the mail they received has been hostile to the government's assaults. Koresh may have been weird; certainly as a polygamist he led an unconventional life-style, but his followers were there of their own free will, and he appears not to have been a danger to anyone. If the government can murder David Koresh with impunity just because he was different (or "weird") then no one is safe. POST SCRIPT: In case the foregoing excesses of state power have not completely sickened you, there's more. If anyone has any doubts that the federal government has not declared open season on the people of this country please read on. A Libernet report (authored by Linda Thompson) warns that threats by the Feds to crack down on other so-called "cults" around the country may not be hollow gestures: "We have three confirmed sightings of tanks going into Portland, Oregon, over the past few weeks, and troop movements of unmarked military vehicles across the nation." Perhaps the home-schoolers and retreaters in south coastal Oregon are going to be the next group targeted by Washington. We have also been following the Randy Weaver case in Idaho (the trial is still in progress). In this case the BATF moved in on Weaver's mountain home, where agents shot his 14-year-old son in the back, killing him, and gunned down the kid's golden retriever dog. A BATF sniper with an infrared scope shot Weaver's wife in the head while she was nursing her baby. Weaver's best friend was also shot dead. The so-called "crime" in this case was selling a shotgun that BATF claimed was 1/16 of an inch too short (this in a sting/entrapment scheme engineered by federal agents). Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agents have been on a rampage against vitamin stores. Last year the Tahoma Clinic in Washington state was raided by armed FDA agents. Doors were smashed down and guns were pushed into the faces of secretaries. One medical secretary was heard to remark: "Get real! – this is a doctors office!" "Get your hands up where I can see them!" was the shrill response by FDA agents. In May, 39 raids of health food and vitamin stores occurred across the nation. In one case a Dr. Hutcheson and his wife, biochemists for a health food and vitamin supplement store in Chula Vista, California had their door smashed down with a battering ram by FDA agents. They accosted and handcuffed Hutcheson's wife who was nursing her baby and then handcuffed Hutcheson himself, keeping both in terror for 11 hours while they finished their raid. Jane Griffin, an assistant, was pushed violently back by an agent while a dozen agents with guns pointed ordered everyone to "freeze". It gets worse and worse -- and the most alarming part about it is that many of these outrages go largely unreported in the media -- or if they are they exhibit a strong pro-government bias (which probably explains the loud cheers of approval from millions in the general public following the Waco slaughter -- this in the face of barbarism that makes one draw mental comparisons to the slaughter in Bosnia). Where will it all end? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined." PATRICK HENRY American Revolutionary Hero From debates in the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1788 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ *********************************************************************** ***** CLASSIFIED ADS & PEN PAL SECTION ******************************** *********************************************************************** ABAPA FREER: 1993 sampler describes 20 areas (most in/near Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire) having fewer taxes & restrictions, more tolerance, various cultures & climates, & many libertarians. Plus practical tips for living freer most anywhere; and unedited discussions. 48 pages (some shrunk). $1, cash preferred. POB 759-SIL, Veneta, OR 97487. ANIMALS: Does libertarianism say they are morally cum legally equivalent to a sack of wheat, or a load of bricks? That as property, you may dispose of "yours" any way you wish, however painful or frivolous? I say no. Literature: $2. 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An 18-year-old boy from Estonia is waiting for all kinds of letters from all over the world. Interested in libertarianism, computers, business, politics, and many other things. Address: Yüri Kaljundi, P.O. Box 68, Tallinn, EE0900, Estonia. Christian libertarian single man with special interest in history would like to correspond with women in central and eastern Europe. Gregory Ripps, 211 Astor Street, San Antonio, Texas 78210-5137 Retired Professional man seeks challenging excuse to travel anywhere here or abroad. Invite me to stay at your place a couple of days. Let’s discuss Libertarian ideas and see if there are any examples of them in action to videotape in your town. My photo, phone, and full particulars from Charles Yale, Box 27198, Las Vegas, NV 89126 I am a man, 29 years old and single. I am interested in free markets and free societies. I like travelling, meeting people of all races, religions and political understanding. I also like keeping artifacts. I would like to make contact with any libertarians in any part of the United States of America. Nkadi Azuh, 111 Road, Block 5, Flat 2, Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria. I love writing and music. I'm interested in science, particularly biology; and art, especially speculative fiction. Animated films and stand-up comedians rock my world. All letters will get some kind of reply. Altairn Edwards, 8155 Jamacha Rd., San Diego, CA 92114 I am 31. I am married and have two children. I am an economist dealing with marketing but I am also interested in free markets and societies. My hobbies are: psychology, astronomy, home computers (Especially Titan) and I also keep some exotic species of fish. Boguslaw B. Kolata, UL. Trzech Diamentow 36/27, 43-300 Bielsko-Biata, Poland. Libertarian Male, 33, interested in Free-Market and Environmental Economics wishes to exchange ideas with other independent minds, preferably single, free-thinking female libertarians. Europeans please write. Scott, P.O. Box 41, Oakton, Virginia 22124, USA. MIT student, male, would like a pen pal in (or from) Iceland. I am interested in libertarianism, space exploration and development, and Icelandic bands such as the Sugarcubes. What is it like to live in Iceland? Scott Carpenter, 69 Chestnut St., Cambridge, MA 02139 Married female 33. Experience in business start-up, patents, and natural sciences. Degrees in Biology, Psych, and Geology. I would like friendship and correspondence in English with people of free-market spirit in the Soviet Commonwealth or adjacent republics. Will reply to all correspondence. Laurie Johansen, 4938 Pennsylvania Ave., La Crescenta, CA 91214, USA Young Adult. Business oriented. Would love to hear from sociable open-minded persons from the U.S.A. and all around the world. I promise to reply to all correspondents. Shina Oluyemi, P.O. Box 4975, Shomolu, Lagos, Nigeria. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Freedom Network News classified ads are an excellent way to reach the world libertarian community. Rates are 10¢ per world (minumum ad $5.00 Send ad copy and payment to: ISIL, 1800 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. Fax: (415) 864-7506 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Peace is the natural state of man, war the temporary repeal of reason and virtue. Hans F. Sennholz