Beer, Death of America, Freedom, Guns, Hedonism, Humour, Jihad on Drugs™, Jim Morrison and the Doors, Nihilism

I’m Hunter S. Thompson’s Latest Fan. Kingdom of Fear.

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Hunter S Thompson.

Knowing my tastes and ‘Fringe opinions’, a friend of mine insisted I read a Book by Hunter S. Thompson…. Kingdom of fear.
He knew that I would like Him…. and he was Right!

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It’s an amusing autobiography about a truly interesting American
Radical Journalist, Biker, Hedonistic Drug Aficionado, Hunters writings are a mixture of Raw Truth, Insanity, and Libertarianism… A Critic of the death of American Freedom…. the slide towards absolute slavery and conformity.
He talks about how the War on Drugs and conscription for Vietnam ‘Criminalised a Generation’.
He hit the Big time after writing a book about the Hells Angels.

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Many people may not have herd of Hunter, yet will be familiar with the Whack movie ‘Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas baced upon Hunter’s alter ego ‘Raoul Duke’.

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^^^Must watch that Video.

Dangerous Minds posted a list of Hunter’s Daily Drug intake…

Hunter S. Thompson once said:

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me.

If E. Jean Carroll’s biography Hunter: The Strange and Savage Life of Hunter S. Thompson is to be believed, then drink and drugs certainly did work for HST. Carroll begins her memoir with a list of Hunter’s daily intake of drink and drugs:

I have heard the biographers of Harry S. Truman, Catherine the Great, etc., etc., say they would give anything if their subjects were alive so they could ask them some questions. I, on the other hand, would give anything if my subject were dead.

He should be. Oh, yes. Look at his daily routine:

3:00 p.m. rise

3:05 Chivas Regal with the morning papers, Dunhills

3:45 cocaine

3:50 another glass of Chivas, Dunhill

4:05 first cup of coffee, Dunhill

4:15 cocaine

4:16 orange juice, Dunhill

4:30 cocaine

4:54 cocaine

5:05 cocaine

5:11 coffee, Dunhills

5:30 more ice in the Chivas

5:45 cocaine, etc., etc.

6:00 grass to take the edge off the day

7:05 Woody Creek Tavern for lunch-Heineken, two margaritas, coleslaw, a taco salad, a double order of fried onion rings, carrot cake, ice cream, a bean fritter, Dunhills, another Heineken, cocaine, and for the ride home, a snow cone (a glass of shredded ice over which is poured three or four jig­gers of Chivas.)

9:00 starts snorting cocaine seriously

10:00 drops acid

11:00 Chartreuse, cocaine, grass

11:30 cocaine, etc, etc.

12:00 midnight, Hunter S. Thompson is ready to write

12:05-6:00 a.m. Chartreuse, cocaine, grass, Chivas, coffee, Heineken, clove cigarettes, grapefruit, Dunhills, orange juice, gin, continuous pornographic movies.

6:00 the hot tub-champagne, Dove Bars, fettuccine Alfredo

8:00 Halcyon

8:20 sleep

Impressive. But as Hunter also said:

Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.

And who can argue with that?

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Wikipedia says… Thompson died at Owl Farm, his “fortified compound” in Woody Creek, Colorado, at 5:42 p.m. on February 20, 2005, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His son Juan, daughter-in-law Jennifer, and grandson Will were visiting for the weekend. Will and Jennifer were in the next room when they heard the gunshot, but they mistook the sound for a book falling and didn’t check on him immediately.

I look forward to reading his first book on the Hells Angels, my friend said I can have it when I return Kingdom of Fear.
I intend to do a Blogpost on Kingdom of fear when I’ve finished.

Tim Wikiriwhi

HellsAngels

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Peter Dunne, Prohibition, Psychoactive Substances Act

This garbage is not worth re-electing

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Minister criticises pro-cannabis groups over medicinal marijuana

The Associate Health Minister has weighed in on the medicinal marijuana debate criticising pro-cannabis groups as “misleading and emotive”.

Peter Dunne says the claims from pro-cannabis groups that the Government is blocking research into medicinal marijuana is wrong.

“That is not only absolutely wrong but also shows a woeful ignorance of the process for approving any new medicinal products,” says Mr Dunne.

This comes after the issue was put into the spotlight on TVNZ’s Sunday and Breakfast programmes when a Kiwi dad spoke out asking the Government to “step up” and reassess its laws on medicinal marijuana, saying the positive effect it has had on his daughter has exceeded his expectations.

Brent Gallien, the father of an 11-year-old who suffers from a rare and severe form of epilepsy, says his daughter was suffering several seizures every day before she was prescribed a cannabis extract called Sativex.

Mr Gallien says there are better products that have a far less risk of causing negative side effects but the Government has so far refused to approve them.

But Mr Dunn says if cannabis is sought for its medicinal benefits, then it must be subject to the same rigour and testing that’s expected of all pharmaceutical products. He says consumers need to be directing their questions to the pharmaceutical industry not the government.

“The fact is the government does not oppose the trial and development of cannabis-based medicines, as the availability of Sativex on the New Zealand market already shows.”

Here’s a paraphrase of Peter Dunne’s position about this time last year when he voted to enact the Psychoactive Substances Act, a vile piece of legislation, and Dunne himself was its chief architect.

Mr Dunn says if synthetic cannabis is sought for its recreational benefits, then it need not be subject to the same rigour and testing that’s expected of all other pharmaceutical products. He says if you’ve already been selling it for three months or more and no one’s complained yet then it can stay on the shelves.

Reread the paragraph below to fully comprehend the scale of the double standard now on show.

But Mr Dunn says if cannabis is sought for its medicinal benefits, then it must be subject to the same rigour and testing that’s expected of all pharmaceutical products. He says consumers need to be directing their questions to the pharmaceutical industry not the government.

I do believe that when we read

The Associate Health Minister has weighed in on the medicinal marijuana debate criticising pro-cannabis groups as “misleading and emotive”.

we are seeing a disordered personality engaging in projection, the ascription of one’s own faults and failings to others. Dunne is the one whose utterings on drug policy have ever been misleading and emotive.

Regardless, Dunne’s criticism of pro-cannabis groups is the height of insolence for a public servant, especially in view of the fact that his drug policy is manifestly not in the best interests of those whom he is supposed to serve. He treats those who rightly criticise his policy and those who suffer under it with utter contempt. This is characteristic behaviour for Peter Dunne.

It’s nothing new. In 2006, Dunne responded to medicinal cannabis user Greg Soar’s pleas with

This garbage is not worth replying to

and recently, Dunne pulled his head out of the sand long enough to tell us

I have yet to see any evidence that cannabis in any form has contributed in any way to help children, or indeed anyone, recover from serious diseases.

I hope Dunne watched the recent Sunday program on ONE about Charlotte’s Web. He needs to educate himself about the many and varied therapeutic uses of medicinal cannabis. His wilful ignorance and wanton denial are epic.

Dunne is not worth re-electing. I look forward to bidding good riddance to bad rubbish this September 20.

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Antisemitism, Ayn Rand, Bigotry and Hate, Satan Laughing Spreads His Wings, War

Insidious Evil . When ethics are used as a weapon against you.

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Ayn Rand could not be more wrong.
Despite the reality that Satan will try and use your virtue and morality against you, the truth is when guns are pulled *morality becomes absolutely essential!*
It is essential that the virtuous remain distinguishable from the Wicked.

I’m going to dig deeper into the subject of ‘Ethical conduct’ in war… which was the topic of my last blogpost…Here>>> ‘IDF Code of Ethics. Fighting a just fight.’

in particular the dilemma’s being faced by the IDF in retaliation to Hamas Terror campaign against the Civilian population of Israel, I read an interesting (and pertinent) article in today’s NZ Herald.
An Israeli organisation of Ex IDF military were very critical of how the Israeli operations in Gaza were being conducted, esp the use of artillery in civilian (urban) areas as being immoral, and decried the heavy casualties being borne by the civilians of Gaza.
This is a very interesting line of reasoning considering the IDF’s Code of ethics.
They argue that while they respect the Israeli Defence Force’s duty to defend Israel, they insist the use of artillery is *immoral* because in their opinion artillery is an *imprecise weapon*, and therefore cannot but result in careless damage/ harm to property and Non-combatants.

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Read the NZ Herald story >>> Ex-soldiers’ group speaks out to condemn Israeli shelling of civilians

“Davidovich, 27, educational director for the ex-soldiers’ group Breaking the Silence, served in field intelligence during Operation Pillar of Defence, a previous Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza in 2012. He says he was repeatedly ordered to help prepare for the firing of artillery during the hostilities.

“We got orders every day that at 5pm we will shoot artillery. We prepared all day for this, but in the end it didn’t happen. It was surrealistic to see kids playing in Beit Hanoun … I don’t remember that anyone ever spoke about the civilian population. I thought to myself, ‘How can you fire without harming civilians?’ Artillery is an imprecise weapon. Artillery fire to an area inhabited by civilians cannot be moral, we trained on open areas.”
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Speaking from past experience Ex soldiers and members of ‘Breaking the silence’ said it was horrible to be asked by Commanders to ready the artillery for firing into ‘high population’ areas thinking “How can we fire into areas full of innocent civilians?”
As an example They said that it is very easy in the heat of battle for mistakes to occur regarding the various weights and payloads of projectiles which are being fired, which can result in ‘Bigger bangs’, or projectiles landing several hundred meters off target.

They also didn’t think giving warnings prior to a strike for the civilian population to evacuate the area absolved culpability for civilian casualties, of those people whom for whatever reason ignored the warnings.
They reported training exercises in which Commanders contradicted the IDF code of ethics imploring their soldiers to take no thought of ‘Collateral Damage’ when seeking to fulfil the objectives of their mission. eg ” If you gotta blow up a Mosque…. blow it up!”

I noted there was no mention of being callous with regards to civilian lives in this criticism.

Spokesmen for the IDF said this group has a history of making unjustifiable criticisms, and that their comments could be used by the enemy against Israel.

APTOPIX Mideast Israel Palestinians

I have made some inquiries with experienced military personnel seeking their perspective as to whether or not modern artillery can be considered to be a precise weapon.
I asked how close would they call in artillery support?
To what degree of accuracy you would expect ‘the first shell’ to hit a target with GPS co ordinates?

Here is two responses I received from US Vets…

Justin said… “I personally wouldn’t call it in no less than 300 meters from my position which is danger close and as far as accuracy it depends on the ppl firing the rounds”

James said… “Exactly what Justin said. I will add that the only time I would use danger close is if my POS was in imminent threat of take over by the enemy. (See movie platoon, final fight scene.) I would do that if I had to. As far as it being accurate I would trust only 2 FISTERS to lay down accurate arty fire under danger close and if they trusted the crews behind the guns then so would I.”

These responses add credence to the criticisms raised by ‘Breaking the silence’ that Artillery is not a prudent weapon to use in urban Gaza.

Surely there would be better/ more accurate weaponry available to the Israeli commanders.
Artillery rounds may be more economical, yet because they are inaccurate, their use would suggest their use has resulted from commanders whom don’t place Ethical considerations as a priority, and so it would appear that though Hamas is undoubtedly responsible for the Lions share of Misery and death in Gaza, that sadly Israel cannot claim to be absolutely blameless.

Another friend of mine suggested that Israel may in fact be using high tek Guided artillery shells.

This is a very important unanswered question.
The spokesman for the IDF made no attempt to argue that they were using such high tek shells, and so in absence of such assurance, I dont think Israel can consistently claim that *all Civilian casualties* have resulted from Hamas using Human shields.
And this being so, the use of Artillery in Gaza means that Both sides have acted unethically… and unfortunately it is the innocent Palestinian Children whom pay the price.

It is a testimony to the great liberty enjoyed by the people of Israel that ex soldiers can form an association which is vocally critical of their own military, and express compassion for the people of Gaza, and whom boldly raise such important questions regarding the ethical conduct of their own Army superiors.

I would be very surprised if Hamas would tolerate *anyone* questioning their use of ‘human shields’…. weapons training of Children, etc.
I would say that any brave enough to do so risks being labelled a traitor… and being murdered… swiftly.

If anyone can dispute my assertion I would appreciate being corrected.

(update: The links below suggests Hamas dont tolerate Palestinian criticism for their actions
Angry Palestinians Attack Hamas Official Over Gaza Destruction

Palestinians in Gaza Try Anti-War Protest, Hamas Executes Them )

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Thus while I appreciate ‘the PR problem’ for the IDF when it receives criticism about it’s conduct of the battle from it’s own people, yet in truth having the liberty to criticise the government and military is in reality a wonderful testament to the liberal Civilisation of Israel, which stands in stark contrast to the Tyrannies run by it’s enemies.

I also hasten to add that if the critics are correct in their assertions…. and it certainly appears that they are…. that it is extremely callous to use artillery bombardment, thus it is not the critics whom ought to be ashamed, or blamed for any PR capital Hamas gain from such public accusations *The fault lies squarely with the Military Commanders* whom are not following the IDF Code of ethics.
*They are harming* the Israeli cause.
*They are stepping off the moral high ground*
*They ought to be replaced with Better/ more moral commanders*

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What interests me most is that these criticisms are not being made by Tree hugging Liberals facebooking from Starbucks in Hollywood, but from experienced military personnel whom have seen action.
Thus they ought to be *more realistic about the nature of war*… yet they seem to believe Israel could be handling things much better… resulting in less unnecessary misery and death of innocent non-combatants and their property.

On the flip side it could be argued that the horrors and realities of War have so traumatised the members of ‘Breaking the silence’ that they suffer ‘Diminished capacity’ to some degree and are *not capable* of clearly appreciating what must be done… under the circumstances.

Perhaps the Israeli commanders can honestly say they are conducting operations so as to achieve the objectives of the IDF with minimal loss of life, and damage to property.

That to me seems a very hard sale.

I do appreciate though, that when a Commander tells his troops not to hesitate blowing up a mosque if they must, he’s telling them to look out for their own safety… dont let ‘politically correct’ niceties get you killed.

We all know that Hamas are employing despicable tactics which are war crimes… apparently a Hamas textbook on tactics has been captured which contains the Hamas rationale regards the use of Human shields.

*Read about Hamas Stratagems knowing Human shields are a problem for Israeli forces seeking to minimise Civilian casualties, and for Hate Propaganda >>>Here<<< We have herd reports about Hamas preventing Gaza residents from evacuating when Israel has warned of a strike. We have seen countless photos of 'The Brave Hamas' firing their weapons from behind civilians standing in the middle of Combat... and it is inconceivable that these people would be standing there if they were free to take cover.... they are obviously told to stay put, or have their families slaughtered. Then we see Hamas Parading the Dead 'parents and children' saying "Israel is too scared to fight Hamas, and so they slaughter families instead". Hamas is fighting a despicable War of Lies seeking to breed hatred of Israel, and Isolate Israel from her western allies. And it is a testament to the foolishness and wilful, growing anti-Semitism in the West that so much of the lies of Hamas and other Fanatical Islamic terrorist groups are lapped up and endorsed by Politicians about the globe... in the UN .... even here in New Zealand by Labours Phil Goff, and (no surprise) by Mana party Leader Hone Harawera. ham scum

I have no doubt that Hamas is not only the aggressor in this conflict, but is also with respect to its Anti-Semitism fundamentally a psychotic criminal organisation on a Par with Hitler’s Nazi’s.
I don’t believe there can be peace with such organisations, and that Israel is fully justified in destroying them all.
I am simply asking the question whether or not they are maintaining the high ground with how they conduct their military.

War sux!
There can be no disputing this, and it is understandable that those whom have seen war up close can become disgusted, and seek to bring the carnage to an end.

Yet it is wrong to automatically think that military commanders ‘enjoy war’… or deny that they are seeking to restore peace with minimum loss of life.

When you are dealing with the likes of Hamas… it’s always going to be an ugly barbaric affair.
Innocent people will die in large numbers…. in do believe Hamas must bear the lions share for the misery of Gaza.

Update: 8-8-14.
I received another professional Military opinion regarding the use of Artillery.
Mike says…. Essentially, Forward Observers will call in indirect fire as close as it is needed to safely suppress, neutralize, or destroy the enemy – end of story. The general rule of thumb for danger close is 600 meters for cannon, rocket, or mortars, 1,000 meters for naval gun fire, and 2,000 meters for MLRS. This is just a warning to the individuals who carry out these missions, and NOT RESTRICTIONS. Just because friendly troops, civilians, or sensitive structures are with in the danger close zone does not mean rounds will not be dropped. When used correctly, Field Artillery can be used as a sniper rifle that is guaranteed to destroy it’s target without putting friendly forces in danger.

There are risk to using Field Artillery in an urban environment, especially one as contested as Palestine. However, I will tell you this; the Field Artillery units in Israel are striking targets with pin point accuracy in such a manner that mitigates collateral damage. Their willingness and ability to utilize state of the art technology and proper planning in the deployment of their Field Artillery assets has enabled them to eliminate enemy targets in such a manner that actually posses less collateral damage and loss of life to Israeli soldiers and Palestine civilians, then sending in droves of ground forces throughout Palestine.”

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^^^Thus there is a *Moral argument* which can be tabled in support the use of Artillery… suggesting it can be very accurate, reduces casualties suffered by Israeli infantry, and ultimately results in Less misery and property damage.

Watch a video about what the IDF is up against >>> Here<<< Thus the terrible dilemma's faced in war by Commanders and troops is weighing up the cost/ risk to innocent civilian lives and property against the safety and ultimate success of your own troops... which ultimately could bring the conflict to a swifter end and thus save lives on all sides. One thing is certain... Hamas are the dirty dealers.... choosing to base their attacks from within the living space of the Palestinian people.... out of a sheer evil intent to gain safety for their own fighters... at the expense of the safety of the Palestinian people. Update: A clear Moral argument is presented in my later blog post>>>> Raining V2s. Proportionality of force in military law. British Army Col Richard Kemp on civilian casualties in Operation Protective Edge.

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Looking at the wake of WW1, and what Chamberlain was willing to surrender to Hitler under the delusion of achieving ‘Peace in his time’… and how ultimately his gullible and effeminate submission to the Evil Machiavellian brought not peace… but a monumental tyranny and oceans of Blood…. both Military and civilian… we ought to appreciate why “Never Again”… is a byword in Israel.
I just hope they better maintain the distinction of what separates the virtuous from the Unholy.
The IDF needs to review their strategy.

Commanding a defence force against such an insidious evil as Hamas takes gargantuan Balls… and just like Winston Churchill seeking to Defeat the Nazis… and the Dresden Bombing, or The decision to Drop the A Bombs in Japan… these Actions won the War and *that Generation* was grateful for the boldness of their leaders, and had little doubt that these actions were justifiable, though later generations…. in the comfort of the Liberty they enjoy because of the Bravery and leadership decisions of the War generation… boldly label Churchill and co… mass murderers.

Ingratitude?
It’s a little too easy for some of us to prance about talking about Ends and Means when we don’t carry any weight of responsibility.

Ultimately God will judge.

In the meantime…. “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
Jesus Christ Matt 5vs 9

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May God’s grace be poured out upon the Earth, and his Kingdom of Peace come quickly.

The urgency of the Gospel has never been greater.

Tim Wikiriwhi.
Christian Libertarian.

*Special thanks to US Military Vets Justin, James, and Mike for their objective opinions regarding Artillery.
I take full responsibility for how the information they supplied was utilised in this blogpost, and in no way are they responsible for the opinion expressed herein.*

Read more…

IDF Code of Ethics. Fighting a just fight.

The Diabolical tactics of Hamas: What the IDF is up against.

How does the Israeli Defence Force minimize civilian casualties?

RIP Matt Judd. Tributes to a Veteran of the War to Liberate Iraq.

“One Day”. The Peace Song of Our Generation. Matisyahu.

Bigotry and Hate, Hell, Heroism, Hope, King James Bible, Nazi Thugs, Psycho Killer, Rationality, Revelation, Self-sacrifice, Tool, Truth, Tyranny, War

IDF Code of Ethics. Fighting a just fight.

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coe

Copied from Facebook…
One of our StandWithUs Fellowship Alum, serving these days in the Golani infantry corps. He sent us a picture of himself inside a tank holding the IDF Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics states that The IDF servicemen and women will act in a judicious and safe manner in all they do, out of recognition of the supreme value of human life. During combat they will endanger themselves and their comrades only to the extent required to carry out their mission.
Support our soldiers! LIKE And Share!

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banksy

My Son is currently applying to join the NZ Army as a part time soldier.
It is very worrying to think of the possible dangers he could be signing up to, though as a Libertarian, I very much support the idea of having a well trained and armed defence force.
If he is successful in his application, I also sincerely hope that he not only becomes disciplined in the arts of Combat, but also Disciplines his heart and soul to place *the higher laws* of Ethical conduct above any evil commands which unscrupulous superiors might issue.
The greater fear I have about my son joining the Army than him simply loosing his life for some pointless cause, is rather that he may be deployed for some unjust political ends… and become a tool of tyranny and oppression.
Only he himself can decide what orders are Righteous, and which are wicked.
And when you are dealing with such villains as Hamas who use Children as human shields…. It will fuck with your mind.
You may make it home…. but have lost your soul.
It is in such hours that faith in the Goodness, and mercy of God could be the only thing that can keep a Vet from insanity or suicide.
That God is Forgiving…. and that ultimately *He* will balance the scales… and one day… there will be no more war.

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I pray for Both Israel, and the people of Gaza.

WAR SUX!
Yet Evil prevails when good men do nothing.

I morn my own thoughts that Hamas is Evil, and that there can be no peace until they, and the other Fanatical Islamic terrorist groups are destroyed.
I morn that a lot of innocent people, and honourable soldiers will continue to die… until the Day of the Lord.

christ-armaguedon

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IDF Code of Ethics Below from >>>Here<<< It has some very important points regarding respect of Human life, not to cause physical harm to Non-combatants and property, and most importantly mentions that soldiers *ought not* obey 'Illegal' orders. These ethics have been put to the test with regards to Hamas using civilians as esp children as human shields, and reportedly forcibly stopped Palestinians from evacuating areas which the IDF has warned civilians that military actions will be carried out. The internet is filled with dis-information... a propaganda war, and so sitting so far away from events, it is very difficult to know the truth, yet it is certain that it is Hamas which is the aggressor and has Insane and evil ambitions to annihilate The Israeli people. This is a Satanic obsession straight out of the Bible. Tim Wikiriwhi. ham scumm

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Peaceee

Israeli Defence Force Code of Ethics.

IDF Mission

To defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Israel. To protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life.

Ethics

The IDF Spirit

The Israel Defense Forces are the state of Israel’s military force. The IDF is subordinate to the directions of the democratic civilian authorities and the laws of the state. The goal of the IDF is to protect the existence of the State of Israel and her independence, and to thwart all enemy efforts to disrupt the normal way of life in Israel. IDF soldiers are obligated to fight, to dedicate all their strength and even sacrifice their lives in order to protect the State of Israel, her citizens and residents. IDF soldiers will operate according to the IDF values and orders, while adhering to the laws of the state and norms of human dignity, and honoring the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.

Spirit of the IDF – Definition and Origins

The Spirit of the IDF is the identity card of the IDF values, which should stand as the foundation of all of the activities of every IDF soldier, on regular or reserve duty. The Spirit of the IDF and the guidelines of operation resulting from it are the ethical code of the IDF. The Spirit of the IDF will be applied by the IDF, its soldiers, its officers, its units and corps to shape their mode of action. They will behave, educate and evaluate themselves and others according to the Spirit of the IDF.

The Spirit of the IDF draws on four sources:

The tradition of the IDF and its military heritage as the Israel Defense Forces.

The tradition of the State of Israel, its democratic principles, laws and institutions.

The tradition of the Jewish People throughout their history.

Universal moral values based on the value and dignity of human life.

Basic Values:

Defense of the State, its Citizens and its Residents – The IDF’s goal is to defend the existence of the State of Israel, its independence and the security of the citizens and residents of the state.

Love of the Homeland and Loyalty to the Country – At the core of service in the IDF stand the love of the homeland and the commitment and devotion to the State of Israel-a democratic state that serves as a national home for the Jewish People-its citizens and residents.

Human Dignity – The IDF and its soldiers are obligated to protect human dignity. Every human being is of value regardless of his or her origin, religion, nationality, gender, status or position.

The Values:

Tenacity of Purpose in Performing Missions and Drive to Victory – The IDF servicemen and women will fight and conduct themselves with courage in the face of all dangers and obstacles; They will persevere in their missions resolutely and thoughtfully even to the point of endangering their lives.

Responsibility – The IDF serviceman or woman will see themselves as active participants in the defense of the state, its citizens and residents. They will carry out their duties at all times with initiative, involvement and diligence with common sense and within the framework of their authority, while prepared to bear responsibility for their conduct.

Credibility – The IDF servicemen and women shall present things objectively, completely and precisely, in planning, performing and reporting. They will act in such a manner that their peers and commanders can rely upon them in performing their tasks.

Personal Example – The IDF servicemen and women will comport themselves as required of them, and will demand of themselves as they demand of others, out of recognition of their ability and responsibility within the military and without to serve as a deserving role model.

Human Life – The IDF servicemen and women will act in a judicious and safe manner in all they do, out of recognition of the supreme value of human life. During combat they will endanger themselves and their comrades only to the extent required to carry out their mission.

Purity of Arms – The IDF servicemen and women will use their weapons and force only for the purpose of their mission, only to the necessary extent and will maintain their humanity even during combat. IDF soldiers will not use their weapons and force to harm human beings who are not combatants or prisoners of war, and will do all in their power to avoid causing harm to their lives, bodies, dignity and property.

Professionalism – The IDF servicemen and women will acquire the professional knowledge and skills required to perform their tasks, and will implement them while striving continuously to perfect their personal and collective achievements.

Discipline – The IDF servicemen and women will strive to the best of their ability to fully and successfully complete all that is required of them according to orders and their spirit. IDF soldiers will be meticulous in giving only lawful orders, and shall refrain from obeying blatantly illegal orders.

Comradeship – The IDF servicemen and women will act out of fraternity and devotion to their comrades, and will always go to their assistance when they need their help or depend on them, despite any danger or difficulty, even to the point of risking their lives.

Sense of Mission – The IDF soldiers view their service in the IDF as a mission; They will be ready to give their all in order to defend the state, its citizens and residents. This is due to the fact that they are representatives of the IDF who act on the basis and in the framework of the authority given to them in accordance with IDF orders.

Main Doctrine

Basic Points
– Israel cannot afford to lose a single war
– Defensive on the strategic level, no territorial ambitions
– Desire to avoid war by political means and a credible deterrent posture
– Preventing escalation
– Determine the outcome of war quickly and decisively
– Combating terrorism
– Very low casualty ratio

Prepare for Defense

– A small standing army with an early warning capability, regular air force and navy
– An efficient reserve mobilization and transportation system

Move to Counter-Attack

– Multi-arm coordination
– Transferring the battle to enemy’s territory quickly
– Quick attainment of war objectives

Read more….

Insidious Evil . When ethics are used as a weapon against you.

RIP Matt Judd. Tributes to a Veteran of the War to Liberate Iraq.

2 Corinthians, C S Lewis, Epistemology, Metaphysics

In the jar

9 Comments

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Once upon a time I was a real philosopher. I wasn’t a very good philosopher then, and I’m certainly not now, but here’s an argument for the truth of Christianity. If you fancy yourself as a philosopher, feel free to shoot my argument down in flames. But if you fancy yourself as a real philosopher, do what a real philosopher would do. Improve my argument, so that it’s as good an argument as it can possibly be. And then shoot it down in flames!

Okay, so here goes. Lately, something called the multiverse theory has become popular in atheist circles. It purports to explain why the universe we live in appears to be fine-tuned for the existence of life, without the universe we live in actually being fine-tuned for the existence of life. Because what best explains the fact that the universe we live in is fine-tuned for the existence of life, if it’s the only universe, is the existence of a creator God. If, however, our universe is only one of trillions upon trillions of other actual parallel universes, each with different physical laws and constants, then we can find the explanation for the apparent fine-tuning of the universe we happen to inhabit in the so-called anthropic principle. Basically, we’re here because of sheer, dumb luck and the probabilistic resources of a multiverse.

Atheist Logo

As far as I’m aware, there’s no empirical evidence for the multiverse theory, but it does at least explain why most atheists believe in pink unicorns. So there is that. Now, my argument appeals to the idea of multiple possible universes. The possible worlds heuristic has been a mainstay of academic philosophy for a very long time. Since I’ve been around, anyway. I think my argument only depends on the existence of a finite number of possible universes, and not on the existence of an infinite number of actual universes, but I’m not sure. But the question is, if there are multiple possible universes, but only one actual universe, which of the multiple possible universes is the actual universe we live in?

Well, it could be that the universe we live in is, in actual fact, contained in a tiny glass jar placed neatly on the shelf of an alien child’s room. It’s a logical possibility. The thing to note about this possibility is that it’s a possibility that our universe is contained within another universe. Thus, this possibility is a variant of what I have elsewhere called supernaturalism. Naturalism, as I define it, is the view that the world we know is a stand-alone affair. It’s not contained within anything else, or a product of anything else. It’s self-sufficient from go to whoa. It just is. Whereas, supernaturalism is the view that the world we live in—and all it contains, including us—is an artefact.

Now consider all the logically possible universes. Logically speaking, what is the likelihood that the one-and-only actual universe is a self-contained universe, as opposed to a universe contained within a greater reality? Bear in mind that the the universe inhabited by the alien child, in whose room our universe is contained in a jar on a shelf, could itself be contained in another jar on a shelf in some uber-alien child’s room. That’s right, for every possible self-contained universe, there are an infinite number of possible nested universes containing that universe. So it’s highly likely that we live in a nested universe.

God is eternal. The claim that God is eternal is often taken to mean (as I take it to mean) that God is “outside” time and space. God is outside the time and space fabric of our universe, which means that our universe is “inside” the outside reality in which God dwells. If Christianity is true, we live in a nested universe.

There are two types of possible nested universes. Those in which the creator in the containing universe has communicated with the inhabitants of the contained universe, and those in which the creator hasn’t. What would our world look like if we lived in a universe within a universe? Moreover, one in which the creator outside had communicated with us in the jar? It would look exactly like this one looks if Christianity were true. Therefore, Christianity is true.

Perhaps my argument, such as it is, is a variant of an argument that C. S. Lewis presents in Mere Christianity. According to Lewis, we should expect the unexpected.

Reality, in fact, is usually something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It is a religion you could not have guessed. If it offered us just the kind of universe we had always expected, I should feel we were making it up. But, in fact, it is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up. It has just that queer twist about it that real things have.

So, there it is. It’s not an argument I’m about to write up and submit to a peer-reviewed academic journal any time soon, but hey. I’m only a jar of clay.

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Life and Death. Hope and Happiness. A Tribute to Rev John Steele Clark. (Re-post)

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In 16 minutes it will be the 8th anniversary of my Grand Father, John Steele Clark’s death.
He was a wonderful and inspirational person.
The Greatest human being I have ever known.
I was blessed beyond measure to have him as my Granddad.
I have not seen my own father since I was 5 years old and yet this loss was greatly mitigated by my Grandfathers Love and guidance.

I miss him, and still reverence his memory.
When I knew his time was short I did something a tad different.
I wrote a Tribute to his Life and death and sent it to him before he died so he could read with his own eyes what his Grandson thought! 🙂
My tribute was very controversial as it was *My take* *My perspective* rather than simply a concise record of his exact doings and faith.
That was another reason I sent it to him… to see if he would discuss what I had written.
We never did discuss it, and so I took that as a Tacit endorsement! 🙂 And this was important to me because I expected some of my family members to not be that impressed with my Rendition of things.

Thus with my Granddad’s anniversary in mind I have typed out my Tribute to him and posted it below.
I hope to post more about this wonderful man in the future.
I also hope my tribute is of benefit to people struggling with the Pains, trials, and tribulations of Life as this is not just the story of an individual’s life but about Hope and happiness in the face of death and loss.

Love You Heaps Granddad! XOX
Tim Wikiriwhi.

I have started a Facebook page in memory of Him >>>Here<<< I hope everyone who knew him visits, enjoys, and contributes to this memorial. granddad 001

My Granddad. (Left) Married Me to my Wife Joy at Mclarens Falls Tauranga. March 2002.

Tribute to Reverend John Steel Clark. (Re-post)

Anglican Minister.
Thames/ Coromandal Peninsular.
New Zealand
1923-2006

Man of Faith and Reason.

A Christian view of Life and Death.
By his eldest Grandson.
Tim Wikiriwhi.

“For the Invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse;”
St Paul. Romans 1vs 20

“I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…”
Jesus Christ: John 11vs 25

“for by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast”
St Paul: Ephesians 2vs8,

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After an exemplary life, and a heroic fight against cancer, by beloved Grandfather has passed on.
There is not enough time today to fully express what he means to me, I therefore shall leave much out of this tribute for others to share.
I have chosen to focus on the most precious values that I personally treasure… that I see as the Greater part of his legacy.

My Grandfather was the Abraham of our family!
When I was growing up his word was Law.
He set the standards for manhood and he always stuck to his word.
His glory as a faithful husband to my Nana and as a father to his children (and Grandchildren) gave me such assurance that life makes perfect sense, and that all is well in the world.

Rev Clark was a man of Reason and a man of Faith.
He was a Christian minister, which is a huge testimony to the value of that religion.
Those who knew him and loved him, yet are not Christians ought to pause and contemplate the huge implications that such a man of great wisdom and integrity was not ashamed to wear the garb of a Man of God!
It is this truth that I hold dearest about my Grandfather, and it is in honour of his principled faith in God that I wish to write to you about life, religion, and death.

This is a fitting time to talk about religion and death.
If it’s not cool to talk about religion and death at the funeral of a preacher, then I ask when?
For many Death is the hardest most frightening reality we face.
How are we to deal with it?
We all must face our own mortality sooner or later and worse still we must face the mortality of those we hold dear.

Some like my Grandfather, live full term and death becomes a sort of mercy, yet many tragically die before their time and it seems a truism to say “Life’s not fair!”
Should we die from our own immorality or foolishness we may find small solace in seeing such deaths as justly ‘reaping what we have sown’, yet often death comes to the virtuous and innocent…at the hands of some evil, and so this rule appears violated.
The Soul that looses a loved one in such a way, or they find themselves facing an early death by some evil is in danger of becoming bitter and twisted, and a hater of God, even if they don’t believe in him!
Indeed they choose not to believe in him simply because they see life as unjust!
It is for this reason that a positive philosophy about death is essential for every one of us if we are to truly enjoy life.
Without a sure reasoned faith powerful enough to overcome these sorts of pain… bitterness and hatred of God are almost as sure to consume your soul as the sun will rise tomorrow!

Perhaps some may delude themselves into being happy by such base notions that ultimately ‘Nothing really matters’, but this can never suffice the deep hearted.
This can only leave you cold.
I therefore say True Religion is essential for the survival and happiness of everyone of us, and not to have such a faith is a disaster!
Pain bitterness, hopelessness, and hatred are the lot for the lost soul without true religion.
Rev Clark Knew this, and this was one reason he was a minister of God.
Peace, hope, and a clear sense of justice are only possible for the man of reason that has reason enough to have faith that ultimately all is well and that life has real meaning and value.

It is my testimony, and that of my Grandfather that reason enough does indeed exist for hope and belief in Divine Justice.

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Tears. Knowing time was short. Me and Granddad shortly before his death.

Let me now share with you a tiny fraction of the logic for faith in God, faith in his goodness, and faith in Christ by a few self-evident truths.

What lies in that box is not my Grandfather!
That dead body is but the house he lived in.
Science tells us that we replace every cell in our body every seven years.
This being so, most of us have had many bodies in our lifetime already!
They are miraculous things that were designed by incredible genius, but they are not the essence of who we are.
What is missing from that corpse is the *Real Granddad* whom we all love!
*His Soul*.

A great portion of Mankind are suffering from the delusion that we are but soul-less matter.
This is a great inhuman and evil superstition that has the most evil consequences for those under it’s spell.
The fruit of it is nihilism and this lowers man down to the level of a germ.
Granddad knew this truth and was a minister of men’s *souls*.

Now think about love… what is the chemical formula for that?
Can chemicals love?
Can rocks feel?
Can robots be conscious of their own existence and care about the existence of other robots?

The man of reason and science, who holds that good and evil have objective reality must say no!
There is no Atheistic science that can accommodate the facts of reality or human experience!

All human invention is childlike when compared to such marvels as the human mind, brain, and hands.
The scripture that declares we are made in God’s image is the most rational statement pertaining to our existence!

I say that if the Earth was like the moon, and there was no such thing as mankind… then it might be rational to think ‘there is no God’ or that whatever is responsible for existence is dead not living.
But we live!… and science has proven that Life only comes from life.
It therefore follows that whatever is primary in reality must not only be alive, but also of supreme intelligence.
We call this Supreme being God…. who is before all temporal Laws and things.

The scripture wisely declares “The fool hath said in his heart there is no God”, and that mankind must beware ‘science falsely so-called’.

Don’t be deceived by *Fake Science* like Darwinism.
Understand the difference between science proper, and poor speculations that are contrary to it.
Darwinism is fatally flawed and already fading away, yet Christianity stands fast and ready for you to embrace.
It alone accounts for cause and effect, both Physical and Moral.
The foolish man builds his house upon the sands of man’s ever changing myths.
The wise man builds his house upon the rock of God’s sure word of truth, The King James Bible.

granddad
This article appeared in the Waikato Times.

Why must we embrace Christ?
It is because this is how God has declared as his only acceptable way of salvation, and it is God who sets the terms for such a thing… not us.
To be so vain as to believe God must accept us on *our terms* is to hang reality on our whim, and to Deify our pea-sized intellect!

Socrates, who believed in life after death, said it ought to be a man’s chief concern to ‘Know thyself’, and that the unexamined life is not worth living.
I say that if we dare to examine ourselves our need for Christ and God’s forgiveness becomes as clear as day!
What is wondrous about God’s salvation through Christ is that he has managed to satisfy both Justice and Mercy, and to reveal his loving grace towards us.
He has achieved this by giving us freewill, and the liberty to choose to or reject him.
For us to choose Christ we must recognize we are sinful and lost.
Do not hide behind such foolish cliché, as ‘Religion is the cause of all mankind’s woes… such as war.”
Sin and Evil are the cause of these and knowing this ought to convince us all of the need for salvation and God’s government!
The good news is “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Salvation is a free Gift!
The Bible says Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.
Rev Clark believed in God and was a minister of this truth.

Was he an irrational superstitious Fool?
No!
He was a man of Reason and a true Humanitarian.
This is what Christianity is all about!
I don’t ask you to become a pew warmer.
I implore you all to ask Christ to be your savior!

Let us maintain our faith in justice in the face of every hardship.
Let us play the hand we have been dealt with dignity to the very end.
Let us love one another and cherish every moment we have!

I thank God for my Grandfather and trust his soul is now in a much better place.
And I expect to see him again!

Thank you Granddad for everything.
You are an inspiration to us all.
Amen.

I cannot finish without giving recognition to my Nana who is the best wife any man could have.
Thank you Nana for loving and caring for my Granddad.
We all love you so much!

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness: but unto us which are saved: it is the power of God”
St Paul. 1 Corinthians 1vs18.

Contact Tim: 078498323ah, twikiriwhi@yahoo.co.nz

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I picked this song because it is one Me and my Family used to enjoy at Christmas time and on visits to Granddad and Nana…. Priceless memories.

ALCP

A single-policy, multi-issue party. Ten principles.

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The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party is a single-policy, multi-issue party.

We have a single policy, which is to legalise cannabis.

Cannabis legalisation affects multiple other political issues, mainly by providing additional revenue from tax revenues and the cost savings from not enforcing cannabis prohibition.

But still we get asked questions like, e.g., “What is the ALCP’s policy on the use of 1080?” One ought to be able to answer such questions by recourse to first principles.

Here are the ALCP’s principles. (This is a draft list. Some of the principles below have yet to be ratified by the ALCP Board.)

1. Truth
We support honest, transparent government, making rational decisions based on the best scientific and empirical evidence available.

2. Freedom
We support personal responsibility and freedom of choice.

3. Justice
We support the rule of law, upheld by common law courts and an impartial justice system.

4. Peace
We support non-violent conflict resolution and the non-aggression principle.

5. Ecology
We support protections for the natural environment and conservation of native plant and animal species.

6. Commerce
We support economic growth, fiscal responsibility and job creation based on a sound supply of money.

7. Treaty of Waitangi
We support the principles embodied in te Tiriti o Waitangi.

8. Limited Authority
We support constitutional limits to the powers of the State, particularly where they undermine human rights or national sovereignty.

9. Personal Beliefs
We support the free exercise of religion or spiritual beliefs without involvement from the State.

10. Democracy
We support participatory democracy, representative government and parliamentary procedure.

Comments are welcome.

ACT, Slashing Bureaucracy, Vote 2014, Vote Wikiriwhi!

The Act Party Waikato,BOP Regional Conference July 2014.

3 Comments

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Is it possible to trust a man who turns down a free beer… a Waikato Draught… and exclaims “I don’t drink beer… I drink wine…” !!!????

Hmmmm.

A Libertarian friend, and I attended the Act party BOP/ Wakato Regional conference yesterday, held in an Hamilton Airport Hotel conference room.
I was interested to meet Act’s new Leader, Jamie Whyte, and to hear him speak.
I took advantage of the fine weather to take my Triumph for a scoot.

I did not hang around for Dinner, or the evening discussions.
I’m not a member of Act, yet I would like to just tough on a few highlights of the day from my Libertarian perspective.

The meeting was also a party fundraiser, organized by Vince Ashworth and his wife, and Hamilton City Councilor and one time party president Garry Mallett was MC.

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The Meeting kicked off a little after 3pm with Act’s Hamilton East Candidate, Ron Smith.
I was very pleasantly surprised with the content of his speech!
It was in my view the best speech of the day.
Mixed with humour, it was very Libertarian… not what I was expecting from an ex Waikato Uni Professor.
He said he was stepping up to the plate because he thought New Zealand was at a crisis point, and needed people in parliament to protect what he saw as positive gains… esp ‘Fiscal responsibility’.

Ron discussed how over a period of may decades his political outlook had shifted
considerably from the commonly held view that politics was simply a matter of various opinions on how best to organize community projects, and interests etc, to a far more sophisticated and enlightened view…. having figured out via decades of trial and error that the ‘Big Government’ model simply *doesn’t work.*
(Applause from me! :-))
None the less Ron warns …“There is a ‘Gaggle’ of politicians and their supporters, and esp the media which continues to live in denial”
Ron was very critical of the Waikato Times saying that in the past they had interviewed six candidates of various other (socialist) parties, and given them each a substantial space in the paper, yet had not bothered to interview anyone from Act.
(I myself have experienced this sort of prejudice from the Waikato Times myself, and it is appalling that such an important paper fails so miserably… and so often, in it’s journalistic integrity!)
Ron also decried the calibre of the journalism… their silly and irrelevant questions about ‘Cats’, etc.

He expressed his high regard for Jamie Whyte’s prowess as a political analyst.

Some of the last things Ron said which had me nodding was that many of the problems being faced by New Zealanders are rightly ‘Individual problems’… thus best lest to the individuals themselves to solve, and rightly singled out Security… internal Law and order as being a legitimate concern of government, and External security.
I asked him later of by this did he mean that the government should stop wasting money on things like America’s cup, and spend more on our Military… speaking personally he said “Yes… but a have not discussed any of this yet with Jamie Whyte”.

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Next up was Dianne Mulhern “Why I support Act”… she decried those New Zealanders whom harbour ‘a sense of entitlement’ considering welfare to be ‘A right rather than a privilege’.

She said she likes Act because they had a tuff stance on crime.

On Taxes she said… “I would like to hold on to more of my own money…
My Husband and I run a business, and we pay taxes and taxes on taxes, and we have had enough!”
She explained that they tried protesting paying GST on top of a particular government Levy yet were forced to submit and pay up when they were threatened with court action.

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Before a coffee break Jamie Whyte stood up to speak.

His speech was primarily a summary of what he has been releasing as his ‘Sunday Series’, which are available to view on the net.

He started with saying that he is proud of the High calibre of personnel within Act’s ranks and is grateful there as plenty of wisdom there to tap into, and gain good advice.

He used David Cunnliffe’s “ I am Sorry I am a man” , to contrast his vision of Act as a Party championing Individualism, and self responsibility in comparison to Labour’s collectivist mindset with it’s ‘Guilt by association’ type mentality … their fixation with having a ‘gender equal’ spread in their party list as being more desirable than making *impartial selections* based upon personal virtues and merits rather than sex.

He said Equality before the Law was the most important principle of justice, and that Lady Justice is symbolically blindfolded so that she does not see the identity of the persons with whom she is judging.

Without mentioning the National parties culpability, he talked about the institutionalized Racism which New Zealand suffers which grants privileges to Maori.

Clearly New Zealand does not have a just system… we have race based seats in parliament, Raced based state ‘advisory boards’, etc .
The RMA says Maori are more important, and have more say in matters of Development, and land management.
He said that because Maori have poor statistics in areas of Health, wealth, and crime that it appeared to many that Maori are disadvantaged, and that these things meant that it was difficult for some people to appreciate the fact that legally speaking Maori are privileged, and non-Maori are discriminated against.

To further make his point he said he knew of a woman with two sons, one born to a Maori Father, the other had a non-Maori father.
He said currently the way the Law is written that the Non-Maori son would have to score an ‘A’ to be accepted into Law School, whereas the Maori son would be accepted even if he only scored a ‘C’.
This not only unfairly discriminates against Non-Maori, but that ironically it means that because Maori don’t need to exert themselves to the same degree to get by… many don’t… and thus this ‘easy road’ does not tend towards an ethic of striving for success.

This is the sort of reason why Legal privilege is not working out to be in the best interest of the Maori people… socialism is failing them!

He said that even their racial legal privilege if it was working for them he would still oppose it on principle.

He said that in post election negotiations with National, Act would push for some sort of inquiry/ board it investigate ending the current race based laws and institutions of government.

When the opportunity came for questions from the floor, I said I agreed with what he had said, yet asked if it was prudent to wait until post election negotiations to formulate Acts policy for ending racial privilege.
I said that he ought to draw a line in the sand before the election and lay out not negotiable conditions for entering a coalition, because this would strengthen his position post election, yet he was not prepared to do that.
I asked if at a very minimum he would be prepared to say that Act will not enter into a Coalition with National, if it also included coalition with the Maori party?

Again he refused.
He then attempted to suggest that the Maori Party were reasonable people!

For me this was very disappointing!
Had he not just spoken about Law and order, and that equality before the Law was the most important principle of Justice?… and yet he was not prepared to make a minimum condition of coalition with National … in any way shape or form, to end the travesty of Waitangi separatism and our apartheid laws and institutions!
What more I gather Jamie does not have a very good grasp as to just how great a swindle is being perpetrated upon the people of New Zealand.
I think to the degree that he has investigated these matters, that he has by and large swallowed the modern ‘Revisionist history’ which portrays the Maori as victims of Land alienation via Greedy and underhanded means.
One thing is clear to me, Jamie has obviously been deceived by the Maori party- Mana split, and considers The Maori party to be reasonable… in comparison to Hone Harawera!
He does not realize that they are both *exactly the same*, only the Maori party are more cunning… more politically savy… more sly… whereas Hone Harawera is far more open and honest!

It is truly a wonder to me that Act would even consider entering a coalition with the Maori party…the party which represents the vested interests which are capitalizing from the injustices of our current apartheid system?
But then again how could anyone even contemplate getting into bed with the National party anyway?

Sigh.

I asked him what’s the point of getting into parliament without your principles?
He insisted he was taking them with him.

For me it is difficult to witness.
I believe he is sincere in his convictions.
He certainly is honest enough to say that he wont be drawn to make pre-election non-negotiable coalition conditions.
I have no doubt that he believes this course of action is the best policy to get Act back into parliament as part of the ruling coalition… that is his focus.
Yet I cant help but think that he is making a massive mistake.
Not only is he failing on the moral level, but is making a grievous miscalculation, and not learning from the Ghosts of Acts past.

I will have to talk about these spooks in another post… I will simply say that by taking this course of action Jamie is not giving the enlightened voter any solid reason to believe a vote for Act is anything more than a vote for National… and a perpetuation of the Status quo.

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Several other people spoke, including Richard Prebble, whom is a bit of a character and in the words of Gary Mallett… is the Act party’s hardest working, and most dedicated battler.
His speech was a reinforcement of Jamie as the best possible candidate to lead the party, and went on to discuss Acts chances at election time.
He sighted many ‘advantages’ Act had which are reason for optimism.
“…A vote for Act is not a wasted vote..”
He is full of assurance that their Epsom candidate David Seymour will be victorious, and with the party vote hoping for as many as 9 Mp’s.

During a short open forum, questions on Immigration were raised… most flavoured with the usual petty xenophobia and mean-spiritedness … “Foreigners steeling Kiwi jobs”, to which I was very pleased to hear Jamie’s (and others) enlightened and benevolent responses.
He clearly has sensible, and humane ideas about immigration, and tabled several arguments which thwart many of the phobias that fuel anti-immigration.
He mention that migrants were a much needed source of labour to do jobs that Kiwis didn’t want to do.
Beth Houlbrooke also pointed out that migrants contribute greatly to our economy, with many of the higher skilled individuals actually creating *More jobs* for Kiwis…not less.

The one negative comment I have to say about Ron Smith is that he seemed to harbour fears about Indonesian Boat people reaching our shores, and that in his opinion New Zealand should adopt/ partner up with Australia’s ‘Final solution’ (my words).

My heart breaks when I think about the horrific treatment of desperate refugees by the Australian government.

I just cant fathom how people can be so heartless against such people whom are simply looking to escape a hell hole, and find a safe place to raise their kids.

I am sickened by the inhumanity of those Americans whom equate innocent Mexican children crossing the US Border to escape the hell of the Drug war… as being Mexican Gangster killers!

I think about the Jews whom were trying to escape the Nazis being turned away and sent back to the German ovens.
I think about the Children drowning at sea.

Can we not have a more humane border policy which allows some sort of Private voluntary association to take in these people and work to assimilate them into our society?
This is a subject for another blogpost… back to the Act Conference.

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The Act party as Jamie presents it is the most conservative flavour… the least radical.
Though apparently Act is the party of Law and order, personal freedom and self responsibility, we don’t hear anything as Brash as decriminalization of cannabis… at least not at this conference.
One of the biggest problems I see for Jamie is that if he thinks that he can start off this ‘luke warm’ way, thinking that as the party grows stronger that at a later date he will be able to steer the party in more Libertarian direction, that he will then realize that he has not created a ‘Liberal’ party at all!
He will have filled his ranks with conservative center right socialists (Quazi-Fascists) whom will resist any move towards *Real Reforms*… and if he thinks it is necessary to appease conservative center right socialists *to get into* parliament, I say he will have to continue to do so *to remain* in parliament
This has always been the curse of Act… The conservatives have always thwarted the Idealist ambitions… and this is why Act has achieved virtually nothing in all its time in parliament.

So I worry that because Jamie is taking the road of least resistance, that not only will this make it difficult to differentiate Act from National in the eyes of the most enlightened voting New Zealanders whom are looking for a *Real alternative* …costing him votes, instead of filling Act with principled Idealists, whom love justice, he runs the risk of simply swallowing up disgruntled National party voters and pragmatists whom would sell their own grannys to remain in parliament… ahead of struggling for progress.
His way may be quicker… but it will end miserably.
My way may be a bit slower… yet I believe the end results would be far more spectacular!

Anyway….

There were several other speakers and many other interesting questions debated yet sadly I have run out of time and space to report them.
It’s 1am and I start work at 6!
I will have to edit’ spell check this tomorrow nite.

They had a very good turn out…a full house… I estimate 50+.

To return to my original question, I think Jamie Whyte is an honest politician, whom is in stark contrast to the General Demagogue herd, in that he is careful not to make promises that he is not sure he can keep.

Despite my criticism…. Despite my disappointment… I like Jamie, and many of his Supporters.
I certainly believe he would be a good man for New Zealand to have in parliament.
I think Ron Smith is an excellent candidate for Hamilton east and I would encourage Easters to give him their vote but alas I don’t think he wants them… He’s fishing for party votes.

Though I am not a member of the Act party, I am certainly willing to help them expound the principles of Equality before the Law, of reducing the size and expense of government, of increasing Liberty, self reliance and self responsibility, etc and hope that I have opportunity to talk with Jamie again soon.

He’s a smart guy, and I look forward to watching him in action, and the rest of Act’s new line up which includes at least one Ex Libertarianz Party member, and another Libz Supporter.

No doubt in Jamie’s mind *any* movement he manages to pull our government in the right direction… no matter how small… is a real moral victory.
It’s hard to argue against that.

I would certainly love it if Act was to grow into a Powerhouse of Libertarian Idealism!

Dreams are Free!

Talk is cheep.

My criticisms have little weight.
Personally, as a Politician I am a complete failure…. I may make NZ history as being the most unsuccessful person who stood for election.. yet to me Politics is not about the art of compromise, but about Resolute and unwavering integrity to principle.
To me it’s *not a wasted vote* to vote for a candidate whom best represents your personal values and Ideals…. Even if … According to the mainstream media…they have no hope of governing.

I’m rambling again…

Now I’d better get my arse down to the Electoral office and get my paperwork to stand again as a Libertarian Independent candidate for Ham West.

Tim Wikiriwhi.
Libertarian Independent.

Update:29-7-14 Winston Peters is a politician for whom I harbour much contempt, yet having just received word that John Key is now willing to conciser a post election deal with him, having ruled out the Conservative party, none the less Peters has boldly announced that he will not join any coalition with The Separatists of the Maori or Mana Parties…. which is exactly the sort of courageous and principled stand I was hoping that Jamie Whyte would make a minimum condition in any deal with National.

Read about This line in the sand >>>Here<<<

Update 3-8-14.

Give me Liberty, or give me Death!