Neal's Workshop

Perhaps you've seen it: a new bumper sticker making it's way onto the cars of America. It has a bomber flying over a U.S. flag with the enscription, "Peace the Old Fashioned Way." As you can see in the picture, it looks like a peace sign. And just so we're all on the same page, the peace symbol was not derived from a bomber patch.

You have the right to believe whatever you want, but unless you understand the beliefs you purport as your own, you will be granted little to no respect from me (I reserve the right to grant respect on a pro rata basis, which will be in direct correlation to the integrity amongst your beliefs, your actions and your understanding of both).

Not that you give a damn.

Here is my message to those who display one of these bumper stickers:

I can only conclude that you beleive that human beings are rightfully dominated by others through force. You do it through the auspices of the "common good", as you and your ilk define it, and you relish in the enforcement of your beliefs via the government you control. As such a lover of power, I liken you to all the facists, communists and other tyrants who have come before you.

You do not know or understand peace. Peace does not require force. Force is only necessary to protect that which is yours from would-be gangs and thugs. Peace is not the product of war: peace is the result of voluntary beneficial interaction between two or more parties. Such interaction can never be the result of domination. Peace can only be the product of freedom.

Freedom. Do you even understand what that means?