new hampshire: 2 steps forward, 1 step back

I leave New Hampshire for two years and finally exciting things happen. The state becomes democratic, we get civil unions, and now we have two nuts in Plainfield, Ed and Elaine Brown, who are refusing to pay federal taxes in excess of $750,000. They have recently been sentenced by the federal courts to five years in prison and fined for the full amount of back taxes. But instead of facing the music and doing the right thing, they are fortifying their home in preparation of a siege.

Their logic is wrapped up in typical small town militia mindset: the federal system is corrupt, we don't have to answer to anyone but God, there is a "new world order" conspiracy... But the thing that gets me is the glaring contradiction. What would happen if a Muslim couple did this? What if a Muslim group refused to recognize a court by even showing up, refused to face their punishment, fortified their home with weapons and then posted everything on the web, including solicitation of violence against law enforcement and federal employees? I'm sure that the Department of Homeland would be there in a heartbeat. Instead authorities seem happy to wait for them to accumulate more weapons and more supporters (they are still allowed to have guests) and in the meantime ignore the rule of law.

I don't like paying taxes. I hate seeing how much money I am losing every payday. But I understand, as most rational people do that our taxes are being used to do things that we as individuals could not accomplish. Being here in Bulgaria makes me appreciate those things more and more. I have come to appreciate the things our federal government does to protect its citizens. In most places in America you can drink water right out of the tap, thanks to federal laws like the Clean Water Act. You can feel safe that the toothpaste, medicine or soap you are buying really contains the ingredients it says it does and will accomplish the things it says it will. You can buy food that is safe, untampered and unspoiled. Most places in America are subject to the rule of law. You don't have to fear saying something that might upset the local Don or gang boss. You have reliable electricity, water, postal and phone service. You have an effective road and highway system. You are protected at work from accidents and greedy bosses. And while these things might not always work 100% effectively, if something goes wrong you have a recourse for your grievances, a recourse that does not require having the largest guns, or the biggest army or the most money.

I think that if this couple really wants to live without paying their taxes, let them. But don't let them ride free on the services and infrastructure that the rest of us are paying for. If they feel that the federal system is wrong, fine. Then they won't mind losing their electricity. Federal regulations ensure that we don't have a monopoly and subsidies help private companies provide better service. I guess they also don't mind losing their phones and Internet. Again, our communications system is built upon years and years of federal funding and laws. No more water for the Browns, at least no more clean water. I sure hope they have a well that hasn't met certified levels of lead and other contaminants or else, sorry, they can't use that either. Mail, nope, that too is organized by the federal government. Roads? I hope they aren't expecting any out of state guests because it might take them a while to arrive if they don't use any interstate highways. I hope they don't need to make a 911 call because guess where New Hampshire got major funding for its state-wide 911 system? That's right, the Feds. And while they may say how corrupt law enforcement is and that they are a bunch of thugs doing the dirty work of the federal government, I'm sure they would prefer these thugs over any other group of nuts with more and bigger guns. Because once you start complaining about the federal government and calling for its downfall, you are attacking the very system that lets you say that. I would love to see how long Mr. and Mrs. Brown like living their anarchist dream without electricity, water, communication, safety and security.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown and all who inhabit the same imaginary planet, stop with the fantasy. We all know how this is going to end, you will lose, and you will end up hurting a lot of innocent people.

the continuous adventures of rascist advertising

I have a strong personal distaste of the branding of cultures and races. The "Indian" mascot, and people arguing that Indian mascots are ok, boils my blood. While I was at Dartmouth, every year the argument would come up again and even this year there was another attempt by ignorant people at defending the former unofficial mascot. In an act of brazen racism, this time the conservative newpaper published a front page featuring a drawing of a native American holding a scalp with the headline "The Natives Are Getting Restless."

I found this multimedia article today in Slate Magazine and was stunned at how other rascist branding is still around, this time in the advertising of Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima. I hope you take a second and check it out, you'll never look at them the same.

http://www.slate.com/id/2164062/nav/tap1/

update

I'm trying to get back to communicating with the outside world. I have added some captions to the Yordanov Den album. I also look forward to posting pictures about upcoming adventures, including my school's prom, our trip to Greece, Children's Day, Spazov Den and the end of my service in Bobov dol. Stay tuned!

sacrifices

I've been reading our weekly free Newsweek and I have been absolutely sucked into the April 2nd Special Issue "Voices of the Fallen." Most of the issue is letters from American soldiers who have died in Iraq. And there are dozens of these letters. You read over and over again these soldiers making plans for when they return home only to read at the end of the letter how they were killed by a roadside bomb, or "small arms fire" or some accident. It is so sad that I have had to stop many times.

Reading these letters, you get an idea of how separated we non-soldier Americans are from the fighting. We are so numb that these dead men and women are usually nothing more than an increasing number on the evening news. For the lucky ones of us, we don't know anyone who has been wounded, let alone killed in Iraq. We have not been asked to sacrifice ANYTHING, while our fellow citizens are giving the ultimate sacrifice in the belief that they are protecting us. I like to think that I am serving my country- and the greater world- here but these men and women, were asked by a country they loved and trusted to fight for it and put themselves in the line of fire. They did so willingly and bravely. Many have died in order to fulfill that request.

Yet here we are, whether in America or abroad, without having to sacrifice a thing. Sure, prices have raised but what else have we given up? I remember when I was a kid, seeing the ration coupons my grandparents kept from WWII and hearing the stories of living under rations. I was amazed at the idea of "Victory Gardens," scrap metal drives, and the idea that it could actually be hard to buy flour. To say it was hard is an understatement, but everyone was in it together. Our country was at war for something we believed in, and everyone pitched in and sacrificed. Where are our Victory Gardens today? Where are our ration coupons?

Our country is trying to wage a war on the cheap. We cheer on our troops, we stick magnets on our cars, we wave our flags, but what are we sacrificing? Politicians are anxious to send more young men and women to fight a war without fronts, yet how many of them have children or grandchildren who are there? How many of them have seen war? How many know what a roadside bomb does to a vehicle or what a bullet does to a face? It may seem that many Republicans sacrificed their offices for their support of the war, but I tend to see that as justice.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to say here. Maybe I am just trying to wrestle with emotions that can't be written down. I feel ashamed. I feel sad. I feel afraid. I feel very unAmerican. Here I am living a challenging, yet safe life while people my age and younger are dying because they think they are protecting us. And I am doing nothing to help them. Heck, this year I didn't even have any taxes. I am not joining the military to cover their back, I am not rationing my food, I am not saying prayers every night for them and I am not working to make better armor or vehicles.

All this makes me angry because NO ONE IS ASKING ME to do anything. The government was so anxious to go to war, but so unwilling to do the brave thing and make this war real. No one wanted to risk their jobs and say, "hey we are doing this because we think it is right. It is so important that we win and because of that, things are going to hurt. We need everyone to sacrifice." I can think of two reasons why no one said this. Maybe our leaders didn't have an ounce of the courage our soldiers do and were too afraid of losing their jobs. They thought that this war was important but didn't want to stick their necks out. If this is true, then I am disgusted. The other reason, if it is true, makes me furious: the politicians sent our brothers and sisters to fight and die for a reason that wasn't worth the sacrifice. Maybe no one asked us to sacrifice because the war isn't worth it. We know now that the claims of WMD were false, that Saddam didn't have links to terrorists and that he didn't pose a threat to us or anyone else, but if the president ordered this war without ordering us to sacrifice, maybe he knew this truth then...

In any case, I know this isn't much of a sacrifice, indeed it isn't a sacrifice at all, but I just wanted to say to all of the troops in harm's way and all their families and friends back in states: "Thank you." Thank you for answering the call when our country called. We will find some way to match your unmatchable sacrifice.