What Is This All About, Anyway?
Robert Kesterson
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"Since this is a Republic of Texas meeting, you probably expect me to talk about the Republic of Texas. Well, I'm not, at least not for a while yet. I'm going to talk about freedom. I've had a lot of conversations with people who don't know what freedom is. Since they don't know what it is, they can't tell when they've lost it. Since they don't know they've lost it, they don't concern themselves with getting it back. Freedom can be summed up in one simple phrase -- Live your life the way that you choose, so long as you don't infringe on others' right to do the same. But perhaps the best way to describe what freedom is would be to first examine what it is not."
" Imagine a country where the people have no freedom -- where a corrupt government controls every aspect of life. How would your life be in a country like that? The government would regulate everything you did."
" Consider your career… In such a country, industry would be government-controlled. You'd have to accept whatever the government gave you for wages. You'd probably work long hours for little pay. You'd not be allowed to start your own business unless the government gave you permission. To get that permission, you'd probably have to pay someone to push your papers through. And even if they gave you permission, they'd keep a tight watch over you, with inspections and with demands to see your books, and they'd probably demand you turn over any money you make to the government, leaving you just a little to live on."
" Consider your family... You couldn't get married or divorced without the government's permission. You couldn't buy a home, or a car, or land, without the government being involved, and you'd pay them a tribute at every step of the way. The government would own all the land, and you would only be allowed to use it as long as you continued to pay tribute."
" Consider your children… The government would keep a watch on them, to make sure they became members of the party as they grew up. They'd decide whether you were raising your children in the best interests of the state -- and if you weren't, they'd take your children away from you and give them to someone else. Your children would be forced to attend government schools. You'd have no choice what subjects they were taught, at least while they are young and impressionable. Even when they reached college, they'd need government permission to attend, and their choices of curriculum would be limited, since every course would need government approval."
" Consider your health… If you were to get sick, you wouldn't be able to buy the medicines and treatments you needed without first checking with a government-approved medical facility. The doctors there would only give you government-approved medicines, even if there might be alternatives available that would better suit your condition. If the doctors defied the government and gave you an alternative treatment, they would no longer have permission to operate in the medical facility. If you were sick, and perhaps you had already been sick once before, and knew what medicines you needed, you wouldn't be able to go to the store and buy it -- you'd have to check with the government approved medical facility, and they would decide whether or not you could have the medicine you needed. Even vitamins and herbs would have to be approved before you would be allowed to have them."
" Consider your religion… The government would control the churches, and they'd have to tow the government line or be forced to close. If you weren't part of a government-approved religion, you'd be branded a cult or a fanatic, and be shunned by society until you saw the error of your ways. If your religion and your beliefs were too far off from government approval, you would be jailed, or perhaps even killed."
" Consider the economy... The government would control the economy. They would control what products could be bought or sold, and you'd have to have the government's permission to sell anything, or even to buy anything. Industries could only invest in government-approved technologies, and development would be stifled. With the government keeping so much of the money from industry and businesses, prices for the goods and services you used every day would be high, as the industries struggled to recover their costs. And with the government keeping so much of your wages, you would find it harder and harder to make ends meet. Not only would you and your wife or husband both work, but perhaps even your older children would need to work to support the household."
" Consider society in general… People would be tired and stressed from working so hard for so little. The effects on their bodies would cause them to be plagued with many illnesses. The continual stress would cause widespread psychological problems of varying intensity. The effects on the family would cause many homes to break up, leaving many children with only one parent. Children would grow up frustrated and without hope. Without hope, people would lose their regard for the beauty and value of life. Many would turn to crime to try to break out of poverty. Many would waste their lives on drugs and alcohol."
"For Americans, life in a country like that would be hard to imagine. Or would it? Every single thing I have just described happens every day in the United States. Don't believe me? Think about it."
" Consider your career… In the United States, industry is government-controlled. Businesses must get the government's permission in the form of business license to open their doors to customers. To transact business, they must again seek the government's permission in the form of a sales tax permit. Businesses are subject to inspection for building codes, zoning, health, fire, and a number of other reasons. If the business doesn't meet with government approval, they'll shut it down. Businesses must produce their books on demand from government agencies, or they'll be shut down. The government controls the cash flow of the business by laying numerous taxes, which not only take money away from the business directly, but they also cause the business to spend even more of its profits on keeping books, hiring accountants, hiring lawyers, and other such administrative duties. All of this adds up to lower profits for the business, lower wages to the employees, and higher prices on the goods and services the business produces."
" Consider your family… To marry, you must seek the government's permission in the form of a marriage license. To divorce, you must again get the government's permission in the form of a court judgement. To buy a car, a home, or some land, you must obtain government permission in the form of a title. The government retains ownership of the land, the home, and the car, and you must pay them rent to use these items that you think you own. Don't believe me? try not paying your property tax one year and see how fast "your" home is taken away from you and sold to someone who will pay tribute. Drive "your" car down the street without the government's permission (in the form of drivers license, license plates, inspection stickers, and mandatory insurance), and see whether agents of the government don't stop you and tow "your" car away and put you in jail or force you to pay another tribute to get your car back."
" Consider your children... Children are required to attend government schools, with set curriculums. There are exceptions, of course, -- you can send your child to a private school, or even teach them at home, but even then, you have to have the government's permission and approval to do so. If the government thinks you aren't raising your children properly, they'll take them away from you and put them in a foster home. Think it doesn't happen? I personally know of a man whose child was taken away from him because he wouldn't let the child go trick-or-treating on Halloween. When the child complained to his school teacher, she helped the child contact the authorities, and that child is now in a different home. Sound ridiculous? It is. But it happens all too often. You might think that once a child reaches college, they'll be able to get the education they want. But again, the schools tow the government line in the form of permits, taxation, and various laws they must comply with or risk being shut down. Teachers risk losing their jobs if they step outside the curriculum laid down for them by the board of directors. You can still get an education, but consider how much broader, and how much less expensive, it would be if it weren't for the hand of big government."
" Consider your health... When you are sick, you must go to a doctor who has been government approved in the form of a medical license. That doctor will then decide what medicines and treatments you may have, and will give you permission (in the form of a prescription) to get them and use them. Without the government's permission through the licensed doctor, those same drugs will land you in jail. If there are alternative treatments available that might help you, the doctor dares not tell you about them, for fear of losing his license, and thereby lose his ability to make a living. Even vitamins and herbs must meet government approval or the FDA will shut down the company that makes them."
" Consider your religion… The government controls churches through the use of building permits, property taxes, and incorporation. Most churches today are 501-C corporations. That status means that they are exempt from certain taxes. It also means that the government can decide whether or not the doors remain open. If you belong to a religion outside the government-approved sphere, you are labeled as a cultist, a seperatist, a fundamentalist, a right-wing fanatic, or some other derogatory label. This causes pressure on you from society in general to go along and conform, stifling your free choice. If the government considers your beliefs a threat, they'll throw you in jail for thought crimes like 'conspiracy' or 'willful ignorance'."
" Consider the economy… The government sets price controls on farm products, and controls the farmers through taxation. The government forces the farmer to choose certain crops to grow, by paying subsidies, or by providing tax breaks for certain crops. The government controls industry in the same way -- by providing tax breaks to do certain things, and assessing penalties and fines for doing things the government doesn't approve of. Economic and technological development is stifled by these tactics, leaving the government effectively in control of the economy. The regulations, taxes, and laws all contribute to higher costs to industry, which is then passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices. The consumer then must take whatever wages the government has allowed him to keep and try to stretch it far enough to get by. Sound exaggerated? You often hear people speak of "tax freedom day". That is the day when the average American worker has worked enough that the total of all their wages from the first of the year would pay their tax liability for that year. Depending on which study you believe, that day falls in May or June. That means that for almost half of the year, you worked for the government, and didn't earn a dime for yourself. Every year, Congress decides how much of your wages you'll be able to keep. And that doesn't even consider the "hidden taxes" in the form of prices passed on to the consumer for goods and services."
" Consider society in general… Americans are plagued with stress-related illness. People die every day from heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. Others suffer with ulcers, migraines, or other stress-induced problems. Some will become so depressed that they take their own life to escape the frustration. In the last several decades, America has witnessed alarming disintegration of the family, a removal of morals, and a decay in the social fabric of what was once the best country in the world. Crime is rampant, drug abuse abounds, and an entire generation is growing up without hope as we speak."
" Now that you're thoroughly depressed, let me tell you the good news. The good news is that it's not too late. It's not too late for America, and it's not too late for Texas. Texas has a unique opportunity. In 1836, the Republic of Texas separated from Mexico and became a separate nation. That republic stood as a nation among nations until 1845. There were several attempts at making a treaty of annexation with the United States during those nine years -- and all of them failed. In 1845, the Republic of Texas was supposedly brought into the union by a joint resolution of the United States Congress. Then in 1861, the Republic of Texas decided to annul that agreement, and left the United States to resume its former status as a sovereign nation. The United States invaded the Republic of Texas, conquering it with military force, and holding it as a captive nation. The people of Texas were forced to enact a new Constitution, and only those loyal to the United States were allowed to vote on it. Those loyal to Texas were labeled as treasonous, and were jailed, killed, or forced to leave. Shortly after the war, the question was put to the United States Congress, what exactly is Texas' standing, and what rights does it have after having left the union? That question was a particularly sensitive one, given the recent war. The question was handed off to the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives, where it has remained to this day."
"The United States has championed the cause of freedom for captive nations like Lithuania and Estonia, saying that the US would never support the taking of nations by force or capture. Yet that is precisely what they have done to the Republic of Texas."
"The people of Texas now have an opportunity for change. We have an opportunity to restore freedom and liberty to Texas. The Republic of Texas never died -- it was just covered up with a blanket called the State of Texas for a century and a half. I believe it's time we throw off that dusty blanket and come back into the light as a nation of free men and women who won't bow down to the false God of government. A nation where the people are truly free. Free to live their lives as they choose; free to work, free to build their families and raise their children. The people will again be free to invent, to create, to build, and to dream. Texas is a great state right now, even with the heavy hand of government upon it. Imagine a Texas that is truly free. The possibilities are staggering."
"On July 4th of this year, there will be a constitutional convention [this has been postponed] . On that day, Texans will decide their future. This time, the people can freely choose -- no one will be excluded. A recent poll by Texas Monthly magazine showed 75% in favor of Texas becoming a separate nation again. This time, let's build a nation of freedom -- where all men truly are created equal, and liberty and justice really are for all. I urge each of you to become involved. I want every one of you to think about life in a truly free country. Then I want you to go tell just two of your friends about it. Encourage them to think about freedom, and prepare for the Constitutional Convention. Then have them go each tell just two of their friends. And so on. If everyone in this room tells just two friends, in a matter of days, all of Texas will be talking about freedom. It may only be a whisper at first, but soon they'll be shouting it from the rooftops."