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Libertarian Saturday
Author: TriSec    Date: 11/24/2007 13:21:26

Good Morning!

Did you brave the crowds yesterday to spend, spend, spend??

Or did you support Buy Nothing Day?


I was skimming the internets this morning, but most of my usual Libertarian haunts are looking pretty thin, or are chock full of the usual Ron Paul stuff, so I decided to skip all that today.

Instead, we'll go with an interesting piece of fiction, titled "An ancient mandate for national security", presented in its entirety.



RAMAH – Serious political change is brewing in the Israelite town of Ramah.

Ever since Moses and Joshua led them into Palestine, the tribes have conspicuously lacked any semblance of an executive branch. The official line is that Yahweh is king.

The closest approximation to a central executive figure in Israel is the high-priest Samuel, whose decisions, while not legally binding, are almost universally respected among the descendants of Abraham.

Most assumed that, upon the aging seer’s death, the mantle would pass to one of his sons. But, after their involvement in a series of scandals, the twelve tribes have been rocked with a succession crisis.

The solution, a growing number of influential clan heads are saying, is for Samuel to anoint a king before he dies. This would not only resolve the crisis of succession but also relieve the tribes of the political peculiarity that has characterized them ever since their conquest of Canaan.

Some foreigners have been heard to doubt whether the Israelites have any government at all. To many of the land's inhabitants, it’s a sensitive point.

"Look at garden-girdled Babylon," said Bar-Enlil from his seat among the elders at the gate of Ramah. "Do its inhabitants have to fear for anything? No. And we all know it’s not their gods that protect them. It’s their king. If we could get a king like that, not only would we sleep safer in our homes at night – my wife has a panic attack whenever I mention the Moabites – but he could beautify our cities and create jobs. They have a world-wonder over there, and what do we have? Freedom? That’s just a word."

Shamash of Jerusalem, still brushing the dust of travel from his robe, pronounced a decided opinion on the matter.

"We’ve got to start thinking seriously about tribal security. Sure, we might have to give up some privileges; sure, taxes might increase; sure, we might lose some of our liberties. I admit that. We all know that going in. But those extra shekels and privileges aren’t going to mean anything when the king of the Philistines puts his yoke on us."

Enki-baal, another prominent man of Ramah, came over to us to express a legal concern. "The kings of the gentiles – they’re not just military commanders. They also provide an absolutely necessary judicial function: when a case has been appealed several times, either because the lower judges feel the matter too difficult for them or because the community has found the judgment unsatisfactory, the king serves as the final judge. If you don’t have that – and we don’t – then the law is really of no effect; there’s no legal certainty."

We asked Enki-baal to provide us a few examples of the deleterious effects of this legal uncertainty. Unfortunately, however, he said that the pressure of the request had driven all of them (and he assured us that there were many) from his mind.

Before we could secure any more interviews, we saw the prophet Samuel himself walk down from his hillside home and take a position before the city gates. Everyone was silent in preparation for his speech; and, when he began, he simply repeated his established platform.

"These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.

"He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

"He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day."

As one might expect, the climate of political opinion was unfavorable to Samuel’s oration. The speech was uncomfortably extreme; his equation of taxation and slavery was considered particularly shocking. Bar-Enlil, who had been hopeful of a change in Samuel's views, confided to us his deep disappointment.

"It's disheartening to see a person cling to such obviously outmoded views. Times have changed, after all. The new enemies of this nation are more irrational in their hatred than was any previous foe. We must always have our ideals, of course; but a king is simply a necessity now."

The elders let Samuel depart to his home with a pitying respect; and, when he was out of sight, Shamash of Jerusalem rose up before the gate to speak what was evidently the general sentiment.

"No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

November 24, 2007

Daniel J. Davis writes fiction in Ithaca, New York.




 

34 comments (Latest Comment: 11/28/2007 17:30:38 by Raine)
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Comment by livingonli on 11/24/2007 15:23:07
Fristy pants.



Good morning everyone.

Comment by TriSec on 11/24/2007 17:52:12
Hey liv. Passing through...the 'Canes just shanked a 27-yard FG, it's still 0-0 at The Heights...



We're going outside to enjoy the lovely fall day, we've got brilliant sunshine, light winds, and an invigorating 30º outside for a brisk walk.



Then Popcorn and The Wizard this afternoon.





Comment by livingonli on 11/24/2007 17:52:35
The bananas will only dance for so long.



Greetings from the salt mine. Busy day with a Knicks game at 1 and a Devils game at 7:30.

Comment by livingonli on 11/24/2007 17:53:37
It was 30 here this morning. It was a cold drive home last night when temps were only in the 20's.



We need a freezing emoticon.

Comment by BobR on 11/24/2007 18:30:31
It's cold here too (for GA). On the downside, I seem to have a cold or sinus infection. Bleagh...

Comment by livingonli on 11/24/2007 18:31:32
Break out the chicken soup and tea for BobR.

Comment by TriSec on 11/24/2007 18:48:27
Dr. TriSec recommends Nyquil with a brandy chaser.



:thud:



Comment by livingonli on 11/24/2007 19:26:07
And I guess Nurse Raine is on the job to make sure BobR takes his medicine. :P

Comment by BobR on 11/24/2007 20:33:45
Eating chicken noodle soup, and getting ready to watch the GaTech/UGA game (notice which team I put first )

Comment by livingonli on 11/24/2007 20:37:33
Knicks beat the Bulls 83-75 (but the Bulls suck too). The game was available nationally on WGN.

Comment by BobR on 11/24/2007 21:04:44
The Ga Tech defense is kicking ass!

Comment by BobR on 11/25/2007 00:07:09
Quote by BobR: The Ga Tech defense is kicking ass!


Sadly, though, the Ga Tech offensive is choking like a novice porn starlet. :grumble:

Comment by TriSec on 11/25/2007 00:13:56
Well, BC won today over the Hurricanes for the first time since the "Miracle in Miami".



Yeah, it's been that long.





Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 01:09:26
Tri, are you watching Da Celtics or Da Brooins tonight?

Comment by TriSec on 11/25/2007 02:03:55
Nope, TV off.



{Fred_Gump}

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/25/2007 05:25:22
Quote by BobR:
Quote by BobR: The Ga Tech defense is kicking ass!


Sadly, though, the Ga Tech offensive is choking like a novice porn starlet. :grumble:




Neeener! Neeeeeener! :barks:





Bobber, Bob the Beer Judge (Bob the Builder's shiftless kin I think) gave both the Pale Ale and the Special Cream high marks. Most impressed he was!

Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 15:36:49
Tap, tap. Anyone up yet?

Comment by Raine on 11/25/2007 17:45:18
Good afternoon! :grumble: Bulldogs... grrr.... :P But congrats to Georgia.... I am a good sport after all.

Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 18:15:58
Do you have football on, Raine?

Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 18:16:37
Giant game tied at 7.

Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 18:32:22
Minnesota scored another touchdown.

Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 19:54:17
24-10 Vikings. This game is too depressing.

Comment by TriSec on 11/25/2007 20:41:33
Afternoon, folks. Gearing up for the next Pat's sacrificial victim this evening.



We were out at Yet Another Local National Treasure™, the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Free to all residents of this commonwealth every Sunday am. You might also know it as home of the glass flowers...



http://www.gobostoncard.com/attractions/images/harvard_museum_natural_hist.jpg




No, we did NOT park the car in Harvard Yard. You can't park in Harvard Yard. You can't even drive in Harvard Yard. Now stop asking me! And quit pretending that Hollywood has any idea what a *real* Boston accent sounds like, either.



:modbat:



Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 21:23:01
I've been there so I know you can't park in Harvard. I parked in the one public lot down the street from CVS and Pizzeria Uno.

Comment by livingonli on 11/25/2007 21:32:13
BTW, Giants got stomped 41-17.

Comment by TriSec on 11/25/2007 21:48:16
A little bit of fortune-cookie wisdom this afternoon...

For hate is never conquereed by hate. Hate is conquered by love.






Comment by livingonli on 11/26/2007 02:39:03
I'm in the salt mine, but someone must be watching Sunday Night Football.

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/26/2007 03:08:59
No love for the high praise for Bob's Beer?? :clickity clack, fainting couch, etc:

Comment by livingonli on 11/26/2007 03:10:05
Poor Mondo.



:applies smelling salts:



I heard the Jags were blacked out again this week. How many is that so far?

Comment by Mondobubba on 11/26/2007 03:15:41
Quote by livingonli: Poor Mondo.



:applies smelling salts:



I heard the Jags were blacked out again this week. How many is that so far?






Some stupid number. :shrug:

Comment by BobR on 11/26/2007 03:39:54
Quote by Mondobubba: No love for the high praise for Bob's Beer?? :clickity clack, fainting couch, etc:


Sorry for the lack of response. I've been comatose on the couch all day.



I'm glad the beer guy approved. He obviously has good taste. :P

Comment by livingonli on 11/26/2007 04:48:03
Pats are now 11-0. Will Miami go for 0-11 tomorrow night?

Comment by Raine on 11/28/2007 17:30:38
Marriott hotels are blocking Americablog at thier hotels...Why? BEcuase they use the word lesbian and talk about gay rights on thier website.





How disgusting.