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Old Dominion Liberty Letter Issue #22
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This issue distributed on Tuesday, August 24, 2009.
CONTENTS
1. State News: FREE BUMPER STICKER: "He's Not My Doctor!"
2. State News: September Reloading Clinics for Beginners
3. LPVA News: Volunteers Needed!
4. State News: Banned Books Week: September 26-October 3
5. Harrisonburg: Book-Burning Irony
6. OT: New Fad in Europe: "Smart Chucking"
7. EXPLORING LIBERTY: The LP's "Environment" Plank
8. LP NATIONAL: LP Issue Bumper Stickers
9. LPVA: Next SCC Meeting: Sunday, October 25th, 2009
10. State News: The "Government Behaving Badly" Files: This week's Criminal
Bureaucrats
11. THE LIGHTER SIDE: Political Quips
12. QUOTABLE QUOTES
13. State News: Attorneys Free to Scr... uh... "Relate" to Clients
14. Calendar
15. Deep Thoughts
THIS PUBLICATION NEEDS A PERMANENT EDITOR! Volunteer by leaving a message @
703-715-6230, or writing to:
[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]?subject=odllvolunteer>
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1. State News: FREE BUMPER STICKER: "He's Not My Doctor!"
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>From the Independence Institute: If youd like to show the world that Obama
>is not your doctor, email Mary MacFarlane at [email protected] and send her your
>name, address, and primary email account, and well send you a brand spanking
>new bumper sticker - free of charge!
To see what the sticker looks like, go to Jon Caldera's blog:
http://www.joncaldara.com/2009/08/hes-not-my-doctor/
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2. State News: September Reloading Clinics for Beginners
================================================
Are you looking for a way to beat the high prices of ammo or are you having
trouble finding your favorite ammo in stock at your local gun shop? The
Virginia Shooting Sports Association (VSSA), the Official State Affiliate
Association of NRA, has the answer. VSSA will be hosting reloading clinics
around the Commonwealth starting in September. There will be clinics for both
metallic shell reloading and shotgun shell reloading. The courses are designed
to enable shooters with little or no prior experience in reloading to acquire
the necessary knowledge, skills, and ability to produce safe, consistent, and
accurate reloaded ammunition. The clinics will be held at the Gander Mountain
stores in Fredericksburg, Richmond, Roanoke, and Winchester. For more
information on cost and dates, go to http://www.myvssa.org/reloading.htm, or
e-mail Dave Myers at [email protected]. Class sizes are limited so
register today!
Reloading skills might be handy to have once the government succeeds in banning
guns and ammunition!
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3. LPVA News: Volunteers Needed!
================================================
Ready to put some time into the Libertarian Party?
Check out our volunteer opportunities and give me a call!
http://lpva.com/HTML/volunteer.php
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4. State News: Banned Books Week: September 26-October 3
================================================
September 26-October 3, 2009 is Banned Books Week (BBW). This annual ALA event
reminds Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. BBW
celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express ones opinion even
if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the
importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular
viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can
exist only where the freedom to express oneself and the freedom to choose what
opinions and viewpoints to consume are both met.
Read the rest here:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm
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5. Harrisonburg: Book-Burning Irony
================================================
Incidentally, speaking of book burning & banning... Harrisonburg High School a
few years ago (2005, I think) had a display of banned or "challenged" books to
provoke thought about the American Library Association's annual Banned Books
Week. "Had" is the key word here: Harrisonburg Schools Superintendent Donald
Ford ordered the display removed, since he thought "it might encourage students
to read them". In the words of Dave Barry, "I swear, I'm not making this up!"
Books in the display included Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451", "The Diary of Ann
Frank" -- and the Bible. An article about this appeared in the Harrisonburg
Daily News-Record at the time.
Don't worry. History doesn't repeat itself -- politicians merely repeat each
other. Those or similar words will probably greet the next display of 'banned'
books in a community near you in the near future.
================================================
6. OT: New Fad in Europe: "Smart Chucking"
================================================
"Dutch pranksters in Amsterdam have dumped dozens of the tiny two-seater cars
into the city's waterways.... And now police fear the bizarre trend will
spread to the UK and the rest of Europe.... Eco-friendly Smart cars are small
enough to be picked up by just a few people and dumped into the Dutch capital's
canals, reports De Telegraaf newspaper."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2556548/Dutch-vandals-chuck-tiny-Smart-cars-in-Amsterdam-canals.html
Yeah, I know it's a property crime, but I still think it's funny. I'll keep my
two-ton 1969 Ambassador, thanks. No one's going to throw THAT in the drink.
================================================
7. EXPLORING LIBERTY: The LP's "Environment" Plank
================================================
This issue, we bring you an exploration of the Libertarian Party's platform
position # 2.2 Environment, which reads:
--------
We support a clean and healthy environment and sensible use of our natural
resources. Private landowners and conservation groups have a vested interest in
maintaining natural resources. Pollution and misuse of resources cause damage
to our ecosystem. Governments, unlike private businesses, are unaccountable for
such damage done to our environment and have a terrible track record when it
comes to environmental protection. Protecting the environment requires a clear
definition and enforcement of individual rights in resources like land, water,
air, and wildlife. Free markets and property rights stimulate the technological
innovations and behavioral changes required to protect our environment and
ecosystems. We realize that our planet's climate is constantly changing, but
environmental advocates and social pressure are the most effective means of
changing public behavior.
--------
In short, Libertarians would protect the environment by protecting property
rights.
We believe pollution of other people's property is a violation of individual
rights. Present legal principles, particularly the unjust and false concept of
"public property," block privatization of the use of the environment and hence
block resolution of controversies over resource use. We support the
development of an objective legal system defining property rights to air and
water. We call for a modification of the laws governing such torts as trespass
and nuisance to cover damages done by air, water, radiation, and noise
pollution. We oppose legislative proposals to exempt persons who claim damage
from radiation from having to prove such damage was in fact caused by
radiation. Strict liability, not government agencies and arbitrary government
standards, should regulate pollution. We therefore demand the abolition of the
Environmental Protection Agency. We also oppose government-mandated smoking
and non-smoking areas in privately owned businesses.
Toxic waste disposal problems have been created by government policies that
separate liability from property. Rather than making taxpayers pay for toxic
waste clean-ups, individual property owners, or in the case of corporations,
the responsible managers and employees, should be held strictly liable for
material damage done by their property. Claiming that one has abandoned a
piece of property does not absolve one of the responsibility for actions one
has set in motion. We condemn the EPA's Superfund whose taxing powers are used
to penalize all chemical firms, regardless of their conduct. Such clean-ups
are a subsidy of irresponsible companies at the expense of responsible ones.
If you wish to obtain a better picture of the Libertarian Party's take on
environmental policy, one of the best single sources of information is here:
http://www.heartland.org/suites/environment/index.html
================================================
8. LP NATIONAL: LP Issue Bumper Stickers
================================================
Wear the LP colors! Check out these bumper stickers:
http://www.zazzle.com/immigration_is_also_called_moving_bumper_sticker-128096227542326068
http://www.zazzle.com/abolish_the_irs_vote_libertarian_bumper_sticker-128151456887305334
http://www.zazzle.com/repeal_prohibition_libertarian_party_sticker_bumper_sticker-128231895702692440
=======================================
9. LPVA: Next SCC Meeting: Sunday, October 25th, 2009
================================================
The next meeting of the state committee will occur on Sunday, October 25, 2009
at 12:00 pm, with an 11:00 am lunch preceding.
October 4th is backup date, depending on the availability of a couple of SCC
members who may have scheduling conflicts with the later date. As soon as
those scheduling uncertainties are resolved, the date will be finalized.
The meeting will be at:
Pronto Italian Bistro & Pizzeria
5625 W Broad St
Richmond, VA 23230-2614
(804) 288-8300?
Directions:
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=prontos+pizza+west+broad+st+richmond+va&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&view=text&latlng=11217045210820111340
The manager is from Palermo Italy, so those who like Italian food should be
pleased -- this is the real thing. Of course they have other American fare
available as well. PLEASE Remember -- if we don't purchase meals, we won't be
able to continue meeting in the private sector. Please buy a meal from the
restaurant SO THAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO KEEP GIVING US A FREE MEETING ROOM.
Minutes of previous meetings are posted at:
http://www.LPVA.com/Archives/SCCMinutes/Minutes.php
Bring your appetite, your ideas, be ready to roll up your sleeves, and help us
win a free country!
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE SCC TO ATTEND!! In fact, we encourage
all Libertarian Party members to attend, as we are always interested in ideas
and **especially** new volunteers to help with ongoing projects. If you're not
e current member, you are free to join or rejoin at the meeting.
ALSO NOTE: We are currently seeking one or more volunteers for the newsletter,
including selecting a new editor. If you are interested in the job, please
attend! Bring your resume and a sample or two of your desktop-publishing work.
================================================
10. State News: The "Government Behaving Badly" Files: This week's Criminal
Bureaucrats
================================================
"Exposing misbehaving government employees (but I repeat myself...) to the
harsh glare of ridicule since June 2009!" These rare the True Stories from the
The "Government Behaving Badly" Files:
----------------------------------
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE EXAMPLE #1: On Tuesday, 28 Jul 2009, Prince William County
Police responded to a noise complaint at a child's baptism party. By the time
they left, a grandfather and a pregnant woman had been Tasered. Justice? You
decide:
http://is.gd/1SRP3
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GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE EXAMPLE #2: On August 18, 2009, Prince William County
police arrested a Woodbridge teacher accused of having inappropriate contact
with two 15-year-old male students. Shannon Arnold Patterson, 32, a teacher at
Beville Middle School (see http://bevillems.schools.pwcs.edu/ ) turned himself
in to authorities on Monday after police issued warrants charging him with one
count of taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in custodial or
supervisor relationship and other counts.
Sources:
http://www.wtop.com/?sid=1742864&nid=25
http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=89929
http://kysdc.com/virginia-teacher-accused-of-having-inappropriate-contact-with-teens/
Patterson's school profile:
http://pwcs.beville.schoolfusion.us/modules/tt/noProfile.phtml?uid=1857558&sessionid=0780b33af5e1e148087cbdc1ece6e1b0
http://cdn.kysdc.com/wp-content/uploads//2009/08/shannon-arnold-patterson.jpg
----------------------------------
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE EXAMPLE #3: On August 17, 2009, Mark Jackson, an ROTC
instructor at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, MD stands
arrested for having sex with a 16-year-old female student at his Alexandria
home. According to papers filed in federal court in Alexandria, Jackson
befriended the girl in September 2008, when she was in one of his classes.
Authorities allege they began having sex in December. The papers indicate that
the girl's mother suspected something was going on and placed a recorded
telephone call to Jackson from a police station. Jackson allegedly admitted
having sex with the girl one time.
Sources:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Prince-George_s-high-school-teacher-accused-of-having-sex-with-student-8107454-53245552.html
Jackson's school profile:
http://www.pgcps.pg.k12.md.us/~flowers/_faculty/index.html#j
----------------------------------
Ex-Alexandria chief pleads guilty to DUI
ALEXANDRIA -- August 17, 2009: . David Baker, 58, the former police chief in
Alexandria VA, pled guilty to a driving under the influence charge, and was
sentenced in Arlington District Court to five days in jail and a $300 fine.
Officials say Baker will be kept separate from others in jail because he is
considered a high-profile inmate. Hmmmm.... So government employees who go to
the hoosegow must be protected from being beaten and raped by other inmates.
Yeah, I get it. "Low profile" inmates are subhuman; their betters, who
work(ed) in government, are just more important. Baker was charged with
drunken driving last month after he was involved in a car accident in
Arlington. He had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.19 percent, more than
twice the legal limit. Baker resigned from the police department three days
after the incident. He had been with the department for 19 years. The former
chief will not be allowed to drive in Virginia for one year.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/COPP17_20090816-220208/286516/
----------------------------------
Seen any government employees facing justice for crimes committed while
collecting a government paycheck? Let us know about it! Send announcements
and news to <[email protected]> or
<mailto:[email protected]?subject=criminal_bureaucrats> !
By the way, you won't be able to get any reports (other than judical records,
when the crime is prosecuted) from government about any of its employees who
have been fired or disciplined for breaking the law. Government considers
criminal 'crats to be protected by the rubric "confidential personnel matter".
They claim it isn't subject to FOIA.
================================================
11. THE LIGHTER SIDE: Political Quips
================================================
America wasn't founded so that we could all be better. America was founded so
we could all be anything we damned well pleased.
-- P. J. O'Rourke
================================================
12. QUOTABLE QUOTES
================================================
- America needs fewer laws, not more prisons. James Bovard
- War is just one more big government program. Joseph Sobran
- One of the greatest delusions in the world is the hope that the evils in this
world are to be cured by legislation. Thomas B. Reed (1886)
================================================
13. State News: Attorneys Free to Scr... uh... "Relate" to Clients
================================================
A Virginia State Bar committee has decided against adopting a rule to ban
attorneys from having sexual relationships with clients they represent,
concluding that existing rules are sufficient to effectively prosecute such
misconduct. "Good enough for thee, but not for me," I guess. Despite the fact
that the trial lawyers lobby has forced many other professions to adopt such
bans in an effort to protect themselves against rapacious plaintiffs and their
representation.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/state_regional/article/BARR11_20090810-215006/285231/
================================================
14. Calendar
================================================
------------------------------------
September 24 - October 4, 2009
LPVA Outreach Booth at Virginia State Fair
The Meadow, Caroline Co.
------------------------------------
November 3, 2009
General Elections
Remember to Vote,
and Vote Libertarian!
------------------------------------
December 2009 - February 2010 -
congressional district committee conventions
- consider formal endorsements of candidates
for 2010 election
- elect LP congressional district officers (chair, etc).
------------------------------------
Jan 29-31, 2010
Annual meeting of LP activists from every state
See: http://StateChairsConference.org/about
Also sit in on the Libertarian National Committee,
the Bylaws and Platform committees.
Location will be Austin, registration information
to follow in future newsletters
------------------------------------
March or April, 2010
LPVA State Convention
Exact location & Date TBA.
------------------------------------
May 4, 2010
Municipal Elections
Remember to Vote,
and Vote Libertarian!
------------------------------------
May 28 - May 31, 2010
LP National Convention
Renaissance St. Louis Grand and Suites Hotel, in Missouri.
------------------------------------
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15. Deep Thoughts
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Why is the alphabet in that order?
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Old Dominion Liberty Letter Issue #22
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Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share
Alike 3.0 United States License by Marc Montoni.
================================================
Publishing Schedule: Weekly - But it depends on YOU!
Publisher: LPVA Communications Committee
Editor: Marc Montoni
Distribution: 500 + readers, via LPVA-Announce
================================================
Sign up for the latest news from The Libertarian
Party of Virginia:
http://www.LPVA.com/html/EmailLists.asp
================================================
Got a news tip? Click: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=vlw>
Allow me to emphasize this: We prefer Virginia news
to news you can get elsewhere. If you have a good
liberty-oriented story centered in Virginia, please
alert us to it.
================================================
WHAT'S GOING ON where you live? Make sure all
Virginia Libertarians are informed of your
activities. Send announcements and news to
<[email protected]> or <mailto:[email protected]?subject=vlw>
================================================
JOIN THE PARTY - Never been a member of the
Libertarian Party of Virginia? There's no time
like NOW to become a member of Virginia's third
largest political party.
http://Membership.LPVA.com
================================================
RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP - Have you been a member in
the past, but for one reason or another chosen not
to renew? Renew today and resume the fight for
Liberty!
http://Membership.LPVA.com
================================================
BEGIN YOUR PLEDGE - Are you ready to make the
ultimate commitment? Join the LPVirginia Pledge
Program and help us promote our Libertarian
ideas to all your friends and neighbors!
http://Contribute.LPVA.com
================================================
NOTES: This newsletter will be migrated to a CMS with an RSS feed (which our
webmaster has been very generous in setting up!) sometime soon. This version
is primarily to guage interest. If you want it to continue, then participate!
#############################################################
Have an announcement you'd like to post? SCC members & many
committee heads are all authorized to post; or you may send
your announcements to the List Master:
<mailto:[email protected]?subject=announcement>.
##################################################
Unsubscribe: Send an email to [email protected] with
no subject and "Unsubscribe Announce" as the text.
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Libertarian Party of Virginia
http://www.LPVA.com
Phone: 703-715-6230
