Freedom Of Self-Defense, Part IV
March 28, 2017 at 5:50 p.m.
By -
Editor, Times-Union:
The following is part IV of my letter on the right of self-defense and its various aspects. Part 3 was printed in the Nov. 11 edition of the Times-Union. The first section of the right to self-defense, along with one of the lesser-discussed aspects of self-defense — the right to alter, limit, abolish, petition, veto or leave the authority of one's government — was printed in that edition. This letter will focus on the first half of that lesser-discussed aspect.
As stated in my October and November letters, one of the core functions of self-defense, besides protecting oneself from common criminals, mentally deranged people or foreign invaders, is the right to take necessary and proper precautions and measures of resistance in order to protect one's life, liberty, property, well-being, family, community and country from harmful, unlawful and unjust actions perpetrated by one's government. Those necessary and proper precautions and measures of resistance by citizens both here and abroad take the form of altering, limiting, abolishing, petitioning, vetoing or leaving the authority of their government through various methods. The first half of those methods are:
... to alter, limit, abolish, petition, veto or leave the authority of their government through the means of free, fair and verifiable elections, referendums, a none-of-the- above option on ballots, independent and politically neutral courts and policing agencies that enforce the rule of law for all, independent legislatures, lobbying, peaceful protest, term limits, electoral colleges, written constitutions, constitutional amendments or conventions, constitutional prohibitions and separations of powers, permanent protection of constitutional guarantees for natural rights through an entrenchment clause, emigration, group veto by a majority of states, constitutionally defined nullification, secession by peaceful, orderly and mutually agreed upon means ...
As one can see from reading this, there are at least 16 different methods just from the first half that can be used in protecting ourselves from harmful, unlawful and unjust actions at the local, state, federal and international levels in regard to political authority. Any country, including ours, should take steps to ensure that the following measures are allowed if not already in place; and if in place, that they be retained and further strengthened. The first five were printed in the Nov. l0 letter.
6. Lobbying: While the excesses of lobbying should be curbed, there still will be dedicated representatives who petition on behalf of others for a redress of grievances in our county seats, state capitals and our nation's capital
7. Peaceful protest: Ordinary citizens do have the right to gather with other like-minded people in our public spaces to peacefully express their support or opposition to a cause and its adherents, along with petitioning the government for action.
The remaining methods from the first half of right to alter, limit, abolish, petition, veto or leave-the-authority-of- their-government aspect of self-defense will follow shortly in the letters to the editor column.
Alexander Houze
Leesburg
Latest News
E-Editions
Editor, Times-Union:
The following is part IV of my letter on the right of self-defense and its various aspects. Part 3 was printed in the Nov. 11 edition of the Times-Union. The first section of the right to self-defense, along with one of the lesser-discussed aspects of self-defense — the right to alter, limit, abolish, petition, veto or leave the authority of one's government — was printed in that edition. This letter will focus on the first half of that lesser-discussed aspect.
As stated in my October and November letters, one of the core functions of self-defense, besides protecting oneself from common criminals, mentally deranged people or foreign invaders, is the right to take necessary and proper precautions and measures of resistance in order to protect one's life, liberty, property, well-being, family, community and country from harmful, unlawful and unjust actions perpetrated by one's government. Those necessary and proper precautions and measures of resistance by citizens both here and abroad take the form of altering, limiting, abolishing, petitioning, vetoing or leaving the authority of their government through various methods. The first half of those methods are:
... to alter, limit, abolish, petition, veto or leave the authority of their government through the means of free, fair and verifiable elections, referendums, a none-of-the- above option on ballots, independent and politically neutral courts and policing agencies that enforce the rule of law for all, independent legislatures, lobbying, peaceful protest, term limits, electoral colleges, written constitutions, constitutional amendments or conventions, constitutional prohibitions and separations of powers, permanent protection of constitutional guarantees for natural rights through an entrenchment clause, emigration, group veto by a majority of states, constitutionally defined nullification, secession by peaceful, orderly and mutually agreed upon means ...
As one can see from reading this, there are at least 16 different methods just from the first half that can be used in protecting ourselves from harmful, unlawful and unjust actions at the local, state, federal and international levels in regard to political authority. Any country, including ours, should take steps to ensure that the following measures are allowed if not already in place; and if in place, that they be retained and further strengthened. The first five were printed in the Nov. l0 letter.
6. Lobbying: While the excesses of lobbying should be curbed, there still will be dedicated representatives who petition on behalf of others for a redress of grievances in our county seats, state capitals and our nation's capital
7. Peaceful protest: Ordinary citizens do have the right to gather with other like-minded people in our public spaces to peacefully express their support or opposition to a cause and its adherents, along with petitioning the government for action.
The remaining methods from the first half of right to alter, limit, abolish, petition, veto or leave-the-authority-of- their-government aspect of self-defense will follow shortly in the letters to the editor column.
Alexander Houze
Leesburg
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092