For sale: used books and things from my personal collection...

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DEATH IS EASY by Russell Madden   Softcover, $14.95 Hardcover, $24.95    (Preview. Also available in a digital edition, $4.81.)	FREEDOM, As If It Mattered by Russell Madden   Softcover, $24.95 Hardcover, $34.95   (Preview. Also available in a digital edition, $5.63.)	The Guardian Project by Russell Madden Softcover, $14.95 Digital Edition, $4.95 Preview available.

NOTE: All published pieces are presented in their uncut versions. These articles and stories are copyrighted and available here for personal use only. To publish or post previously unpublished items or to reprint or repost published work, contact the author. (Please respect my property rights.)

I am seeking free-lance or full-time work in organizations or with individuals advancing freedom. I am available for writing, editing, speech writing, presentations/speeches, or public relations work. Check out my resume.

I am also available for paid communication or philosophical consultation via e-mail or phone. For the former, personal/business communication problems are analyzed with an aim towards improving communication and resolving conflicts. Mediation/arbitration services also available. For the latter, I will assist with clarifying philosophical/ethical principles and/or their application to daily life. Initial consultation free. Fees are negotiable. For more information, contact the author.

How much do you understand and practice freedom? Take "The Freedom Quiz." and find out... See if you qualify for the list of Gold Standard Defenders of Freedom.

For a graphic depicting the main issues involved in determining the proper relationship between persuasion and force, go here. For a list of key concepts and definitions of freedom, go here.

(These pages updated 5-02-08.)

Published works:   Atlas Magazine The Laissez Faire Electronic Times Freeman: Ideas on Liberty Laissez Faire City Times Miscellaneous Publications Reviews/Interviews/Speeches Fiction

Unpublished works:   Academic Works/General Essays Letters Fiction Book Samples     Links of Interest

1. The Guardian Project. Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4. An historian inadvertently discovers the secret plan of his state's governor to "protect the people." His life -- and that of his wife -- is forfeit unless he and an unlikely ally can expose the threat before it is too late.

2. The New New Orleans Tingler Murders: NNOTM Chapter 1; NNOTM Chapter 2; NNOTM Chapter 3; NNOTM Chapter 4. A detective journeys to New New Orleans to investigate what may be a routine murder case...or something much, much more.

3. Random: RND Chapter 1;RND Chapter 2;RND Chapter 3;RND Chapter 4. A detective must track down a renegade scientist who travels back in time to the early Twenty-first Century and stop his random killings...and his threat to destroy his future society.

4. The Silence Wars: SW Chapter 1; SW Chapter 2; SW Chapter 3; SW Chapter 4. The Silence Teams made war possible by telekinetically penetrating force shields and destroying the balance of power. Now one Silent Warrior is determined to end his enslavement once and for all.

5. Blood Runners: BR Chapter 1; BR Chapter 2; BR Chapter 3; BR Chapter 4. The human-alien gangs horrified the city by selecting human victims for their sacrificial rituals. One courageous woman is determined to prevent a rival leader from exploiting the terror as a means to destroy freedom and consolidate his power.

6. The Warrior: TW Chapter 1; TW Chapter 2; TW Chapter 3; TW Chapter 4. A peaceful planet dedicated to freedom faces alien invaders. A genetically-enhanced Warrior must fight not only alien soldiers but an even greater threat from his own people.

PUBLISHED WRITINGS

Nonfiction:

Atlas Magazine

 

Commentary Archives

 

 

1. A preview of The Guardian Project. Also, short commentary on the War on Drugs and The Lord of the Rings. 12-23-03.

2. "The New Boogeymen." 1-29-04. The State exaggerates the extent of "terrorist threats" as an excuse for stealing our freedom. They refuse to consider the one solution that would actually increase our security.

3. "My Precious." 2-11-04. Despite the reality of its corrosive results, power is the prize sought after by nearly everyone today. Perhaps such people should pay more attention to the words and deeds of a handful of Hobbits...

4. "Identify Yourself." 3-15-04. If the State demands you provide it with evidence of who you are, should you be required to comply?

5. "Good Cop, Bad Cop." 3-24-04. The relationship between police and citizens seems to have changed from "service and protection" to "intimidation, domination, and control." What does this say about freedom in America?

6. "Taking Rights." 4-13-04. Is it possible for peaceful individuals ever to have their fundamental rights "taken away" from them?

7. "Crossing Jack." 4-16-04. In the new Repairman Jack novel, Crisscross, by F. Paul Wilson, Jack's "fix-its" entwine in ways that test the core of his being.

8. "Teaching Resentment." 5-04-04. The State's interference in the dissemination of ideas in our schools not only violates rights but exacerbates the very problems it is supposed to resolve.

9. "I Am Not Responsible." 6-15-04. Politicians proclaim that none of us is responsible when we should be, yet we are supposed to be fully responsible in areas where control belongs to others.

10. "Let Me Be Free." 7-01-04. What so frightens most people about this simple request?

11. "Taking Freedom Personally." 8-03-04. Few people get upset as their freedom is robbed from them day-by-by. Passion is conspicuously absent in a realm that should be intensely personal.

12. "Not So Bad." 8-10-04. People who excuse rights-violations by the State by saying, "It's not so bad. It could be worse," are selling out their lives -- and their liberty -- far too cheaply.

13. "The Freedom Quiz." 9-21-04. How much do you understand and practice freedom? Take this quiz and find out...

14. "The Miracle of Voting." 10-26-04. Say the magic words, "We voted for this," and the impossible becomes reality...at least in the minds of too many Americans.

15. "Thank You, America." 11-19-04. The citizens and politicians of America should be properly recognized for the full extent to which they support and defend freedom.

16. "Rain on Rocks." 1-18-05. (Fiction) A mother/wife explores the nature of bravery in the face of oppression...and demonstrates how our actions often have positive consequences of which we may never become aware.

17. "Money Is Time." 2-15-05. People often tell us that "time is money." But what is even more important to realize is that when the State steals your money, it is actually "stealing" your life.

18. "Conscripts." 2-18-05. (Fiction) (Sequel to "Rain on Rocks.") When you are denied the ability to act upon all your choices, you treasure even more highly those values and actions that are within your control.

19. "Government and Anarchy, Part II." 2-18-05. A further discussion of points raised in "Government and Anarchy" regarding the problems inherent in the foundations of libertarian anarchy.

20. "Getting to the Bottom." 3-10-05. A hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon reveals important lessons we, as a society, would do well to learn if we value freedom.

21. "Purification." 4-21-05. (Fiction, 19,000 words.) (Sequel to "Rain on Rocks" and "Conscripts.") The Ratters wanted only to do business. Becoming ensnared in a civil war hardly suited their plans...

22. "The History of Rock and Roll." 5-12-05. (Fiction) When a corporation clones famous rock musicians and replaces their brains with computers, do the Re-creations have rights? (And which band would you re-create first?)

23. "Infernal Wisdom." 6-14-05. A review of F. Paul Wilson's, Infernal, a Repairman Jack novel. Jack and his brother, Tom, meet, at last...much to Jack's dismay. (Reprinted in Prometheus, Summer, 2005.)

24. "My Life: A Comic Adventure." 8-09-05. The two most powerful -- and misunderstood -- words in human thought are "my life," as in, "My life belongs to me," and all that such a claim implies.

25. "Freedom Friendly Fiction." 10-27-05. Rarely are liberty-oriented stories set in a contemporary society in which freedom is the default position and largely in the background. My detective novel, Death Is Easy, may be one of the first.

26. "Fuel For the Soul." 11-29-05. An analysis of Rand's main goal in writing her classic novel, Atlas Shrugged. [NB: This is the shorter, 4100 word version of the essay that is to appear in Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged: A Philosophical and Literary Companion edited by Edward Younkins (Ashgate Publishers, 2006). For the uncut, 5700 word version, go here.]

27. "I Belong to Me." 2-08-06. At its most basic, freedom and morality are about who "owns" you: you or other people. There is only -- and can be only -- one right answer.

28. "Repairman Job." 3-23-06. In Harbingers, Repariman Jack echoes the suffering of the Biblical Job as he struggles to survive the relentless attention of the Adversary and the Ally.

29. "Stay Out!" 7-07-06. Immigration becomes a major issue only when people forget the proper role of the State in their lives.

30. "Ends and Means." 7-18-06. Not only do the "ends never justify the means," the use of irrational, immoral "means" destroys the value of any "ends" one might obtain.

31. "The Ideal and the Real." 7-25-06. Those who try to build a wall between what is real and what is ideal understand neither and undermine both.

32. "Principles For Living." 7-31-06. The application of principles, i.e., guidelines for living, must occur in a particular context. Pretending that the introduction of coercion must not alter the choices one makes is rationalistic, not rational.

33. "Statist Libertarians." 1-04-07. Is anyone who supports the existence of a government at any level the moral equivalent of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao?

34. "In Defense of Slavery." 2-27-07. Abolitionists call for "freedom" and "equality," but perhaps the slaves and their masters have different goals in mind?

35. "Respecting Ideas." 3-22-07. Modern notions of what constitutes "self-esteem" have delivered a corrupted offspring that declares that even the most heinous ideas must be "respected."

36. "Blood in the Water." 4-05-07. A review of Bloodline by F. Paul Wilson. Repairman Jack is back on the job, and there's blood in the streets.

37. "Freedom of Association and Immigration." 7-25-07. A basic principle of freedom is that any peaceful individual can associate with any other willing person.

38. "Deniers." 8-17-07. When the issue is the existence or the extent of global warming and/or the role of human impact on this phenomenon, heretics should be aware that the "consensus" believes that burning at the stake is too good for them.

39. "The Most Obscene Thing on TV." 9-04-07. Imagine for a moment what the most obscene is you have ever witnessed on television. Then double it in obscenity.

40. "It's Just Freedom." 9-13-07. It's bad enough when statists and collectivists treat freedom as something that should be abandoned to assuage their hurt feelings. It's even worse -- and far scarier -- when supposed defenders of liberty engage in the same behavior.

41. "Holding an Adult's Hand." 12-06-07. Even private institutions are emulating the dependent relationship between the State and its citizens. But no real adult wants to be treated like a toddler.

42. "Agreeing to Disagree." 1-10-08. Ayn Rand had it right: the lowest in society seek to enchain the best of us. To pretend that the destruction of freedom is nothing more serious than a difference of opinion is to hand the murderers the gun that will destroy you.

43. "Bastard Children." 1-11-08. Having children out-of-wedlock is not a badge-of-honor and does not grant the mother of a bastard child a lien on the lives, property, and freedom of other people.

44. "Patron of the Arts." 2-04-08. (Fiction) Alicia Rickhoff's husband, Sal, knew that he was a good man. Whatever had happened during the war was done and gone. Retired from the military and dedicated to the finer things in life, he was now a cultural benefactor who deserved all the praise he received. If only he could convince his wife...

45. "Anarchic Contradictions." 2-28-08. Libertarian anarchists seek a free society. Unfortunately, the contradictions in their positions make their quest Quixotic.

46. "Songs of Freedom." 3-19-08. Music appeals directly to our emotions. Here are some songs that will appeal to those who seek emotional fuel in their difficult quest for freedom.

47. “Cutting Both Ways,” 5-02-08. (A review) In By the Sword, Repairman Jack confronts a sword sharper — and more deadly — than any forged in this world.

The Laissez Faire Electronic Times

 

1. "Disabled Thinking." 2-18-02. Rights are of no concern to those who believe that disabled people have special rights. (Published as "ADA's Disabled Thinking.")

2. "Show Me the Evidence." 3-04-02. Opponents of freedom care little for facts in their quest to push statism.

3. "Freedom, By George." 3-11-02. To pretend they are "free," most people today must warp their minds in a truly Orwellian fashion.

4. "Nigger-Nigger-Nigger." 3-18-02. Blurring the distinction between words and deeds has reached levels that endanger basic freedoms. (Published as "Nigger Nigger.")

5. "Bank on It." 3-25-02. Attempts to outlaw privacy in banking and money "laundering" are primarily concerned with making you less free. (Published as "The Looming Menace of Offshore Accounts.")

6. "Inmates Running the Asylum." 4-01-02. A mother must choose between smoking and visitations from her son. A case of children dictating to their parents.

7. "Brothers in Blood." 4-15-02. Much of what we "learned" about history in government schools simply wasn't so. The reputation of one of the "greatest" presidents is a case in point.

8. "Paint It Black." 4-22-02. Understanding principles is the key to recognizing how the State systematically violates our rights. Paintball, pilots, and play guns share a common denominator.

9. "I Are a Student." 4-29-02. Educational "reform" in Philadelphia schools may help in the short run. Long term, however, a fundamentally corrupt system cannot be "reformed." It can only be abandoned.

10. "'Rights' In the Heartland." 5-06-02. The Heartland is hardly a model of freedom to be emulated. Attitudes there towards self-defense starkly reveal how poorly rights are understood. (Published as "Self-Defense in the Heartland.")

11. "Cash Out." 5-20-02. L.A. County is upset with the underground, cash-only economy: they aren't getting their cut of the goods and are losing power. (Published as "The War on Cash.")

12. "Libertarian Arrogance." 6-10-02. One man's freedom is another man's arrogance. Guess who's right.

13. "The Crack in Liberty." 6-24-02. A visit to Philadelphia and the Liberty Bell reveals how much liberty we have already lost.

14. "Rockefeller vs the United States." 7-01-02. Far better to trust our nation's cultural icons to private hands than those of the government. A comparison between my experience visiting the Liberty Bell and Colonial Williamsburg, VA.

15. "Constitutional Suicide." 7-08-02. Those statists who spout the slogan, "The Constitution is not a suicide pact," are out to destroy what stands in their way. (Reprinted in The Valley News [Santa Fe, NM], August, 2002.)

16. "Doctors Shrugged." 7-22-02. Doctors are retiring from practice or starting other careers in ever greater numbers. Are they "shrugging" or is something else going on...?

17. "Police State, American Style." 7-29-02. Is the United States a police state? Does it matter? Or...how "much" cancer must you have before you have cancer?

18. "One For the Books." 8-05-02. The State should never be involved in the dissemination of ideas, whether in schools or bestsellers. (Published as "Stupid White Men and Textbook Censorship.")

19. "Your Friendly, Neighborhood Bankerman." 8-12-02. Bankers are ready agents of a State determined to eliminate all forms of privacy and anonymity.

20. "The New Slavery." 8-26-02. Once in this country, people fought and died to escape slavery. Now, citizens clamor and plead to have the chains slapped on.

21. "Help Me! Or Else..." 9-02-02. Our society generally avoids laws that mandate citizens be Good Samaritans, but we're awash in laws that accomplish the same goals more covertly.

22. "Unleashing the Dogs." 9-02-02. The warped idea that we should attack someone because he "might" pose a threat sets the United States on a collision course with half the world. (Published as "Iraq: Unleashing the Dogs.")

23. "The One True Religion." 9-16-02. On the anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, it's clear that the real culprit was not Islam or any particular religion. The true source of our problems goes much deeper and is far more widespread that any such narrow concerns.

24. "Sacred Ground." 9-23-02. Some people claim that the WTC site should remain a memorial, with no construction or commerce allowed there, because it is "sacred ground." Unfortunately, such people do not understand what truly makes a plot of land sacred.

25. "The Politics of Hate." 9-30-02. There are many ways in which politics intrude into every aspect of life...but there is an alternative...

26. "Calling the NRA." 10-07-02. Asking for what you think you can get rather than for what you think is right betrays both your self and your values.

27. "Tribalism Triumphant." 10-14-02. Some American Indians want to extort special favors from government in the name of their religion...and the State is happy to comply.

28. "Lower Education." 10-21-02. The trends in education over the past century have created a society of people who are both ignorant and unable to think critically.

29. "Who Are You?" 10-28-02. Not only are private businesses inordinately nosy when it comes to asking for irrelevant information, now the Supreme Court continues its quest to erase your ability to exercise your right to anonymity.

30. "To Chip or Not to Chip." 11-04-02. Convenience is great, but how much are we willing to pay for it? The implantable VeriChip tests the boundaries between freedom and convenience as the State looks on with barely veiled interest.

31. "Living in the Real World." 11-11-02. What constitutes the "real world" in politics and precisely who believes in a fantasy and who does not? (Originally: "The Horse's Mouth.")

32. "Mr. Russell's Neighborhood." 11-18-02. Perhaps if we were nicer to the statists and collectivists seeking control, they would give up their plans to take away our freedom. Sure, they would.

33. "Dollars and Non-Sense." 11-25-02. Apparently the editors of The TV Guide accept the lie that it only makes "sense" that rich people can only justify their wealth by giving it away to those who did not earn it.

34. "On the Borderline." 12-02-02. Many people who oppose freedom focus solely on borderline cases rather than acknowledge the reality of the freedom that should exist under normal situations.

35. "When a Gun Is Not a Gun." 12-09-02. When airport security screeners treat candy and toys as weapons, their conceptual confusion poses a threat to both our freedom and our lives.

36. "Radical Reason." 12-16-02. When the use of reason is viewed as "radical," what does that say about the state of our culture?

37. "Let It Burn." 12-23-02. Cross-burning may be stupid and usually racist, but freedom demands that a person has the right to be stupid and racist on his own property or that of his friends. (Published as "Let the Crosses Burn.")

38. "Invisible Rights."12-30-02 Those who claim that we only have the rights explicitly mentioned in the Constitution are as bad as those who say we do not have the rights that are directly mentioned there. (Published as "Assault Weapons and Invisible Rights.")

39. "It's Unbelievable." 1-13-03. Those who defend freedom face many hazards. Not the least among them are those who refuse to believe what the State is capable of doing. (Published as "Hazard Pay for Freedom Fighters.")

40. "Bad Economy." 1-27-03. In the inverted world of statism, the major evidence of a bad economy is when government programs are cut. (Published as "Bad Economy Good.")

41. "In the Arms of the State." 2-03-03. Should people be forced to die in prison for keeping what is morally -- if not legally -- theirs, i.e., their own money? What should we do when the rule of law conflicts with what is right?

42. "Eager For War." 2-10-03. Those pushing for war with Iraq have lots of reasons...too bad none of them are good.

43. "You Asked For It." 2-24-03. The feds want to force businesses to pay for the privilege of being regulated by the regulators. What if that same idea worked for individuals?

44. "Learning From the Past." 3-03-03. Maybe we should treat our enemies as did Lincoln and FDR and the rest. Or maybe not. (Published as"Learning From Past Wars.")

45. "Polite Slavery." 3-10-03. When an advocate of involuntary servitude argues for its virtues, should the one he seeks to enslave remain calm and polite? (Published as "The Polite Slave.")

46. "Good Wars: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecies of Statists." 3-10-03. Every war is seen as "good" by some people. How many actually were justified is another question altogether.

47. "The Statist Dictionary: Word Control." 3-17-03. Statists and collectivists attempt to control us by controlling the language we use. (Published as "The Statists' Dictionary: Word Control for Mind Control.")

48. "Rand on War." 3-24-03. What Ayn Rand said about war, in general, and Vietnam, in particular, echoes eerily with present-day concerns.

49. "Government and Anarchy." 3-31-03. Is relying upon a properly limited government or upon private, competing defense agencies the better way to achieve and preserve liberty?

50. "Avenging Angels." 4-07-03. Many supporters of war view themselves as righteous warriors out to combat the evils of the world...and eager to force the rest of us along regardless of our own desires. (Published as "Avenging Angels of Western Civilization: Paroxysms and Orgasms of War.")

51. "Humor Against the State." 4-14-03. Making fun of things can be a serious business. When it comes to fighting statism and collectivism, it's either laugh or start crying.

52. "Wanting Freedom." 4-21-03. Many people claim that they want to be free, but is liberty what they really desire?

53. "I Don't Get It." 4-28-03. The White House Gang told us they knew where the Iraqis were hiding their WMD's. Too bad we can't find them now... (Published as "What Happened to the Weapons of Mass Destruction? I Don't Get It.")

54. "Self-Defense: Preemptive, Immediate, and Retaliatory." 5-05-03. Those who blur the fundamental difference between self-defense and aggression are guided by a goal other than freedom.

55. "Legal Counterfeiting." 5-19-03. While the State has long been known as a legal counterfeiter of money, dollars are not the only thing in our society it fakes.

56. "The Corruption of Self-Interest." 6-02-03. Those who justify actions of the State in war and domestically by an appeal to "self-interest" carefully avoid the proper qualifier: rational self-interest.

57. "The Best and the Worst." 6-09-03. In making excuses for a corrupt State, many who profess to believe in freedom help to enslave us all. (Published as "Suck-Ups to the State.")

58. "Strike!" 6-16-03. Many people strike to gain wealth at others' expense. Imagine if people came to realize that freedom is worth striking for, too... (Published as "Strikes and Guns for the State.")

59. "America, East." 6-23-03. U.S. efforts to disarm Iraqi citizens eerily echo the actions of the State here in America, West. (Published as "Gun Control in America East.")

60. "Anti-Privacy Privacy." 6-30-03. The State pretends to protect our medical privacy while granting itself full access to the most intimate details of our lives.

61. "Extinguishing the Flame." 7-07-03. The fire of freedom that once burned in America is flickering. How much longer before the last haven for liberty grows dark?

62. "Values and Virtues: Von Mises and Rand." 7-14-23. Ayn Rand sought to rescue the concepts of "selfishness" and "sacrifice" and "rights" from the statists and the collectivists, from the mystics and the altruists. The concept "values" has also been debased by the inclusion of goals, objects, and actions that are inimical to life. Any such desires that undermine life should be understood and labeled for what they are: destruction.

63. "Wealth and Responsibility." 7-21-03. Those who feel guilty about their own wealth and advocate force to impose their views on others understand neither wealth nor responsibility.

64. "The Evil Freedom Culture." 8-04-03. Attacking the "gun culture" is, at heart, a repudiation of the freedom upon which our right to self-defense depends.

65. "Taxypayers' Rights." 8-11-03. While the sentiments of tax reformers may be good, these activists do not really understand the principles involved nor the contradictions of that which they seek.

66. "Voting Fraud." 8-18-03. A gubernatorial recall and the introduction of electronic voting have some people concerned. Too bad they totally ignore the real fraud that plagues voting.

67. "Blackout...Or Blank-Out?" 8-25-03. Even though 50 million people lost electric power, politicians are still incapable of seeing that freedom -- not control -- is better at providing human needs.

68. "Pandering: The Redistribution of Virtue." 9-01-03. Too many people today believe we should cater to the weaknesses of others; that we should tear down the good and praise the worthless.

69. "'We' Speaks." 9-15-03. The Prez gives a speech on the war in Iraq. But no matter how many times he says "we," he does not speak for me. (Published as "Onward Presidential Minions: 'We' Speaks.")

70. "For the Little Guy." Those who cry the loudest that they care the most about "the little guy" are the ones who are his greatest enemies.

71. "'Dangerous' Knives." 10-06-03. Hysteria over unconfiscated knives on planes hides the reality that stealing citizens' means of self-defense does not make them safer.

72. "Perfect Security." 10-13-03. The French are planning a "perfectly secure" national identification card. How long before they -- and our own government -- institute chip implants when the "perfect security" of their cards fails?

73. "A Judgment to Rush." 10-20-03. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh admits he is addicted to painkillers after the police begin an investigation. Honesty would demand Limbaugh denounce the Drug War as an affront to freedom and rights as he struggles to overcome his bad choices. But don't hold your breath.

74. "You Might Be a Fascist..." 10-27-03. Many of the beliefs common to citizens today are actually examples of a fascist politico-economic system.

 

The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty

 

1. "Little Lessons in Larceny." December, 1993. How "sharing" undermines freedom.

2. "Eco-Fascism." April, 1995. Another land grab by the environmentalists.

3. "The Ups and Downs of Unemployment." August, 1995. How to deal with joblessness.

4. "No-Brainer." October, 1995. The ends never justify the means...not even with PBS.

5. Book Review, "Dean Koontz, Dark Rivers of the Heart." January, 1996.

6. "Rejecting Responsibility." July, 1996. When -- and when not to -- accept responsibility. Reprinted in Enter Stage Right, August, 1997.

7. Book Review, "Nathaniel Branden, Taking Responsibility: Self-Reliance and the Accountable Life." October, 1996.

8. "Or Else..." Dec., 1997. Extortion, government-style. (Reprinted in Lima (OH) News, 1-08-98; Daily Reporter [Martinsville, IN], 3-27-98; Commerce Magazine, [Paramus, NJ], 3-98.)

9. "One Freedom." Jan., 1998. The indivisibility of freedom. One cannot be partially free. (Reprinted in The National Educator, 1998; El Diario [Bolivia], 4-98; El Mundo, [Bolivia], 4-98; La Hora [Guatemala], 5-07-98; The Social Critic: Quarterly Journal Of Conservative Opinion, Vol. 3, #2, Spring, 1998).

10. "Government vs the Environment." Feb., 1998. The true enemy of the ecology.

11. "For the Children." July, 1998. How the government destroys freedom by appealing to the needs of children. [Lead essay.] (Reprinted in Topicos De Actualidad, #846 [Guatemala], Oct., 1998.)

12. "Subsidized Education." Sept., 1999. Examining the problems in higher education caused by government subsidies. (A somewhat abridged version of this article appeared in The Restoration, April, 1999.) (Reprinted in Spintech, 6-20-01.)

13. "Punishing the Many." June, 2000. When those who have done no wrong have their freedom curtailed because of the misdeeds of others. (Reprinted in Spintech, 7-12-00.)

14. "Watering the Tree." March, 2004. Despite the natural tendency to protect the weak and helpless, sometimes the best we can do for them is to leave them alone.

15. "A Consensus Society." Jan.-Feb., 2005. If a majority of people in a society agree to do something, does that make the action a just one?

16. "Running the Country." April 21, 2005. Politicians operate from the conceit that it is they who run the country rather than individuals who run their own lives. Sadly, most people agree. (Published on the FEE website.)

 

Laissez Faire City Times

 

1. "The Myth of Market Failure." 1-24-00. The enemies of freedom seek to blame the market for their own failings.

2. "Ayn Rand: Philosopher for a New Millennium?", 2-07-00. Rand's place in history and the future. Reprinted in Spintech, 2-12-00 and Summa Philosophiae, January, 2001 (printed June, 2001).

3. "The Myth of Gun Violence." 2-28-00. The mantra against "gun violence" blurs important differences in morality. (Reprinted in Spintech on 5-12-00.)

4. "The Resurrection of Lysenko." 3-20-00. Lysenkoism in modern science; when politics trumps the truth.

5. "Counting on Greed." 4-03-00. The Census Bureau knows its customers well.

6. "The Success of Failure." 4-17-00. How Edgar Rice Burroughs persevered to create Tarzan. (Published as "Tarzan: The Success of Failure.") (An excerpt was published in The Daily Objectivist, 5-02-00.) Reprinted in Spintech, 10-12-00. An abridged version was published in the Burroughs Bulletin, #44, Fall, 2000.

7. "Principles: Public and Private." 5-08-00. The giant disconnect between thinking on issues public vs private.

8. "Bio-Luddites." 5-15-00. The latest anti-progress group targets biotech products. (Published as "Bio-Luddites Chow Down at McDonald's.")

9. "The Fat of the Land." 5-22-00. Anti-discrimination laws move to protect fat people...and limit freedom.

10. "Poverty and Violence." 5-29-00. Equating one's poverty with an act of violence reflects a bumper sticker mentality.

11. "Cops and Robbers." 6-12-00. The federalization of our police signals a dangerous trend against freedom.

12. "Give Us Some Credit." 6-26-00. The Feds go after Visa and Mastercard; better they let us make our own decisions.

13. "Courage and Convictions." 7-10-00. Integrity means defending your values even in the face of opposition.

14. "The Perfect Solution." 7-17-00. Ignoring reality and focusing on a false "perfection" as an excuse for state intervention. (Published as "The Perfect Solution to Drunk Driving.")

15. "True Terrorists." 7-24-00. Who better exhibits the characteristics of terrorists: common criminals or the State? (Published as "The Real Terrorists.")

16. "Costing the Government." 7-31-00. Tax cuts "cost" the government nothing and can never be "too expensive." (Published as "Eat the Government.")

17. "Prospects for Freedom." 8-07-00. In the tension between freedom and slavery, which will win out? (Published as "Computers and the Prospects for Freedom.")

18. "Defending Welfare." 8-14-00. Pragmatic, utilitarian arguments eventually lose out to ones based on morality.

19. "You Are a Criminal." 8-21-00. The myriad web of laws entangling us ensures that you are a crook.

20. "'It's Only Money...'" 9-04-00. The money you earn represents part of your life. Respecting one requires respecting the other.

21. "Tell Me a Story." 9-18-00. The Prometheus Awards reminds us that a good story can be the best way to promote freedom. (Published as "Freedom Stories.")

22. "Beware of Governments Bearing Gifts." 10-02-00. If the State can do things for you, it can do things against you.

23. "'I Don't Know How...'" 10-16-00. Ignorance is not an excuse to turn to the State for help. (Published as "Must Big Mama Do Your Homework?")

24. "Mother, May I?" 10-30-00. Our rights have been reduced to privileges as the rule of law has been replaced by the rule of men. (Published as "How Big Mama Turned Rights into 'Privileges'.")

25. "The Naked Truth." 11-06-00. Soon, the State will know everything about you...whether you like it or not. (Published as "Naked Surveillance.")

26. "The Marching Morons." 11-13-00. When stupidity is celebrated and used as a weapon against the rest of us. (Published as "Florida and the Marching Morons.")

27. "Risky Business." 11-20-00. Appeals to omniscience and the "precautionary principle" lead to more risks.

28. "Heroes and Cowards." 12-04-00. Ayn Rand exemplied heroism. Hers is an example to be emulated.

29. "The War on Self-Defense." 12-18-00. A Michigan case reveals the absurd logic of those opposed to self-defense.

30. "Self-Defense and Property Rights." 2-05-01. Three men fired by AOL take aim at the anti-gun company. (Published as "The Gun Pointed at AOL.")

31. "Castles No More." 2-26-01. The Supreme Court undermines objective law while violating our privacy.

32. "Taking the Fifth." 3-05-01. Eminent domain and "takings" take more than your property...they take your freedom, too.

33. "Body Snatchers." 3-12-01. Mandating organ donation is a logical extension of State power.

34. "Shakedown." 3-26-01. Reparations for slavery violates the principle of individual moral responsibility.

35. "Smoking (Out) Fascists." 4-02-01. Laws to ban smoking in so-called public businesses is fascism in disguise.

36. "Zoned Out." 4-09-01. Local tyranny is often most easily seen in the subjective enforcement of zoning laws.

37. "The Little Things That Count." 5-20-01. The Supreme Court has opened the door to police abuse by sanctioning arrest and jail for even small transgressions. A prime example of the principle that "bad laws lead to bad law enforcement." (Published as "Little Things: Harassment by Laws and Law Enforcement.")

38. "You Should Be Thankful." 6-11-01. Using the worst rather than the best for your standard does not help freedom. (Published as "Don't Thank the NRA.")

39. "The Right to Discriminate." 6-18-01. People have the right peacefully to discriminate against -- or for -- anyone for anyone reason.

40. "End the U.N." 7-09-01. The United Nations wants to burn your guns...and your rights, as well. (Published as "Abolish the United Nations.")

41. "Mothers Against Common Sense." 7-16-01. MADD's jihad against drinking has degenerated into pure emotionalism.

42. "Oaths of Office." 7-23-01. Who would be surprised when a politician does not honor his oath of office?

43. "Hoisting the Flag." 7-30-01. Calls for a Constitutional amendment against "flag desecration" reveal too much about the ability of proponents to think critically and the level of their commitment to freedom.

44. "Second to None." 8-06-01. Anti-self-defense groups are aghast at the notion that someone might want to respect the Second Amendment as much as the First.

45. "Gun Control Cyclops." 8-20-01. Anti-self-defense advocates "see" only with the eye of emotion. They are blind to facts and reality.

46. "Media, Effects, and Politics." 8-27-01. An analysis of the strong and weak media effects models and how politicians stick with the one that, though discredited, supports their abuses of freedom.

47. "Safety Uber Alles." 9-03-01. Seat belts for everyone at the point of a gun do not make us safer.

48. "Attacking Freedom." 9-17-01. September 11, 2001, will not soon be forgotten: the day terrorism gripped America and destroyed the World Trade Center.

49. "Your Papers, Please."10-29-01. Renewed calls for mandatory national ID cards in the name of safety will only achieve the opposite.

50. "American Fascism Revisited." 11-05-01. A reexamination of Ayn Rand's 1962 speech, "The Fascist New Frontier," and its application to present-day society.

51. "The Forgotten Thirteenth: Slavery and Conscription." 11-12-01. What part of "no involuntary servitude" don't the politicians understand? (Published as "Conscription and Slavery: The Forgotten Thirteenth.")

52. "Taliban 'R' Us." 11-26-01. The Taliban provide an eerie reflection of ideas and principles commonly held by American citizens.

53. "Calling Out the Posse." 12-10-01. Demands for changing or eliminating the Posse Comitatus Act -- preventing military law enforcement -- are dangerous.

54. "Because It's Important." 12-17-01. If the "importance" of an activity to someone, somewhere, somehow justifies State involvement, then no limit to State power exists.

55. "A Merry Un-PC Christmas." 12-24-01. Those overly-sensitive to offending folks over the holidays need to lighten up.

56. "Interesting Times." 1-14-02. The State inverts what should be constant and unchanging and what should be open to personal choice. (Published as "Cursed by Interesting Times.")

57. "The Limits of Tragedy." 1-21-02. Some of the relatives of the 9-11-01 attacks have crossed the line from accepting charity to violating rights.

58. "The Roots of the Problem." 1-28-02. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the television miniseries, "Roots," many Blacks still do understand what freedom means. (Published as "The Lessons of Roots.")

59. "Kettles and Pots." 2-11-02. Politicians have the amazing ability to issue moral indictments while they engage in far worse acts of immorality. (Published as "Politician Pot Calling the Enron Kettle Black.")

60. "Money for Nothing, Death for Free." 2-18-02. In the midst of tragedy, hands are out for money while murder-by-State continues unnoted.

 

Miscellaneous Publications

 

1. "The Skeptic." The incoherence of skepticism. Objectively Speaking, Dec., 1988.

2. "The Best of Intentions." Multiculturalism. The Mercury, Sept. 25, 1991.

3. "Defending Joe." Who is responsible for smoking? The Mercury, April, 1992. Reprinted in Spintech, 9-12-00.

4. "Freedom and Causality." How ideas of causality relate to liberty. Summa Philosophiae, May, 1997. [Reprinted in The West Coast Libertarian (British Columbia, Canada). Jan./Feb., 1998.]

5. "'Imposing' Freedom." Can you "force" someone to be free? Summa Philosophiae, August, 1997. Conditions of morality. [Reprinted in The West Coast Libertarian (British Columbia, Canada). Dec., 1997.]

6. "Crime: Public and Private." Comparing private criminals with the crimes of government. Full Context, Sept., 1997.

7. "Re: 'The Generation of Life." A critique of Laura Rift's discussion of reproduction vs production. Full Context, Oct., 1997.

8. "The Self: From Stimulus to Cognition." An academic analysis of theories of self in communication. (68K). Summa Philosophiae, Jan., Feb., March, 1998 (Part I, II, III). (Printed 9-98, 11-98.)

9. "Re: 'Rationality as a Source of Conflicts of Interest.'" A critique of Murray Franck's evaluation of Rand's essay, "The 'Conflicts' of Men's Interests." Full Context, March, 1998.

10. "The 'Self' Revisited." A reply to Michael Huemer's critique of "The Self: From Stimulus to Cognition." Summa Philosophiae, Jan., Feb., March, 1999 (Part I, II, III). (Printed 9-99.)

11. "Abortion: A Philosophical and Scientific Approach." An objective approach to a contentious issue. Summa Philosophiae, April, May, 1999 (Part I, II). (Printed 10-99.)

12. "Equality Before the Law." When nonobjective law becomes the norm; penalizing disfavored groups. Real Mensch, 3-10-99.

13. "Are Objectivists Afraid of Guns?" Why do Objectivists so rarely address Second Amendment issues? The Daily Objectivist, 8-12-99.

14. "Zero Tolerance." Acting according to rules rather than principles. Zero tolerance run amuck. Spintech, 8-12-99.

15. "If Guns Could Kill." Are guns -- or their owners -- the source of violence? The Daily Objectivist, 8-30-99. Reprinted in Summa Philosophiae, July, 2000.

16. "When Do-Gooders Do Bad." The evils of those who would save us from ourselves. Spintech, 9-12-99.

17. "Defending Freedom." Advice for newcomers to the struggle for liberty. The Daily Objectivist, 10-01-99.

18. "Medical Wrongs...and Rights." Is health care a right? Spintech, 10-12-99.

19. "Compassion." Our government is literally killing us with "kindness." The Free Radical, Oct./Nov., 1999. (New Zealand). (Published as "The Compassion Con.") Reprinted in Libertarians in Action, Sept., 2000.

20. "Changing the Rules." When people appeal to the government to obtain outcomes they desire. Spintech, 11-12-99.

21. "Hatred Is Not a Crime." Hate crimes destroy a crucial pillar of justice and individualism. Spintech, 12-12-99.

22. "Shattering the Glass Ceiling." Women's choices and career advancement. Spintech, 3-12-00.

23. "Getting the Bill of Rights Right." An Objectivist interpretation. Summa Philosophiae, March, April, 2000 (Part I, II). Printed 5-00.)

24. "Friendship and Loyalty." Egoism properly understood does not mean abandoning your friends. Summa Philosophiae, June, 2000. Published in The Daily Objectivist, 8-03-99.

25. "The Certainty of Uncertainty." An Objectivist look at quantum theory. The Implosion, June, 2000.

26. A Letter to E. G. Ross on the compatibility of self-defense and a government monopoly on force. The Objective American Daily, 7-08-00.

27. "The Myth of Animal Rights." Animals have no free will, no use for morality, and, hence, no rights. Liberzine, 7-19-00. (Published as "Rats and Rights.") Selected as "Column du Jour," WorldNetDaily, 7-20-00. Reprinted in Laissez Faire (Czech Republic), Summer, 2000.

28. "In Praise of Violence." Violence can be either good or bad. Forget the difference at your peril. Spintech, 8-12-00.

29. "Learning Helplessness." The State tries to keep us helpless...and we are its willing accomplices. Liberzine, 10-17-00.

30. "The Evil I." A look at the nature of evil and whether it even exists. Spintech, 2-12-01.

31. "Individualism, Interdependence, and Interpersonal Conflict." An academic look at an important question: Does being an individualist lead to more conflict? (42K) Spintech, 3-12-01.

32. "The Arrogance of Ignorance." Those who know the least about us and the world are the most eager to rule. Liberzine, 3-12-01. (Reprinted in Spintech, 5-20-01.)

33. "Because I Need It." Wants are transformed into "needs" and then supposedly trump all objections. Spintech, 12-17-01.

 

Reviews:

 

1. "Colossus": a new look at an old movie. When a computer dictator becomes loveable. Spintech, 7-12-99.

2. Review of Classical Individualism: The Supreme Importance of Each Human Being, by Tibor Machan. The significance of being an individual. Laissez Faire City Times, 10-04-99.

3. Review of Implant by F. Paul Wilson. (Short Version). Medicine versus freedom. Long version (w/ commentary on health care) published in Laissez Faire City Times, 12-20-99.

4. "Bashing Business." A review of The Business of Commerce by James Chesher and Tibor Machan. A moral defense of business. Laissez Faire City Times, 5-01-00.

5. "The Truth About Writing." A review of Ayn Rand's The Art of Fiction: A Guide to Writers and Readers. Laissez Faire City Times, 6-19-00. (Published as, "The Art of Fiction.")

6. "Books and a Movie." Capsule reviews of five novels and the movie "Bronco Billy." Spintech, 12-12-00.

7. "Jack of All Trades." A review of All the Rage by F. Paul Wilson. Repairman Jack faces more than one kind of demon... Laissez Faire City Times, 1-22-01.

8. "The Persuasive Art." A review of Ayn Rand's The Art of Nonfiction. Laissez Faire City Times, 4-16-01.

9. "Of Parasites and Hosts." A review of Hosts by F. Paul Wilson. Repairman Jack meets his sister. Laissez Faire City Times, 6-25-01.

10. "Objectivism and Business." A review of Ayn Rand and Business by Donna Greiner and Theodore Kinni. Objectivist guidelines for conducting one's business. (Published as "Ayn Rand and Business.") Laissez Faire City Times, 12-03-01.

11. "Remembering Rand." A review of Facets of Ayn Rand: Memoirs by Mary Ann and Charles Sures. When certain facets are ignored... (Published as "Facets of Ayn Rand: Whitewashing by the Ayn Rand Institute.") Laissez Faire City Times, 12-24-01.

12. "The Haunted Air." A review of The Haunted Air by F. Paul Wilson. Repairman Jack tackles the irrational and risks all he holds dear. The Laissez Faire Electronic Times, 6-02-02.

13. "Gateways to Hidden Worlds" A review of Gateways by F. Paul Wilson. Repairman Jack journeys to the Everglades and becomes acquainted with a stranger: his dad. (Original title: "Gateways: A Review.") The Laissez Faire Electronic Times, 5-12-03.

14. "The Measure of a Man." A review of Sims by F. Paul Wilson. Genetically-modified worker apes make life easier for those who lease them. But are these creatures "property"...or persons? The Laissez Faire Electronic Times, 9-08-03.

15. "Crossing Jack." In the new Repairman Jack novel, Crisscross, by F. Paul Wilson, Jack's "fix-its" entwine in ways that test the core of his being. Atlas Magazine, 4-16-04.

16. "Infernal Wisdom." A review of F. Paul Wilson's, Infernal, a Repairman Jack novel. Jack and his brother, Tom, meet, at last...much to Jack's dismay. Atlas Magazine, 6-14-05. (Reprinted in Prometheus, Summer, 2005.)

17. "Repairman Job." In Harbingers, Repariman Jack echoes the suffering of the Biblical Job as he struggles to survive the relentless attention of the Adversary and the Ally.

18. "Blood in the Water." A review of Bloodline by F. Paul Wilson. Repairman Jack is back on the job, and there's blood in the streets.

19. “Cutting Both Ways.” (A review) In By the Sword, Repairman Jack confronts a sword sharper — and more deadly — than any forged in this world.

 

Interviews:

 

1. Interview with libertarian author F. Paul Wilson, 1-27-00. Laissez Faire City Times, 3-13-00.

 

Speeches:

 

1. Speech for Larry Hines, Libertarian Candidate for President, 2000. Delivered at various places.

2. Speech for Larry Hines, delivered at 1999 Hempfest rally in California.

3. Joe Haldeman Roast, Icon, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 10-09-04.

 

Fiction:

 

1. "The Intruder." Dragon, February, 1986. A human crashes in an alien land.

2. "A Second Chance." Vision, Fall, 1992. Is love worth resurrection? Reprinted in Spintech Literary Supplement, 2-01-00.

3. "Man of Destiny." Final Cause, Aug., 1997. When the free will of a pilot clashes with the fate of a prophet.

4. "The Greatest Good." Final Cause, March, 1998. When organ donation is no longer voluntary. (54K) Reprinted in The Daily Objectivist, 7-06-99. Reprinted in Spintech Literary Supplement, 12-01-99.

5. "Balloons." Spintech Literary Supplement, 11-01-99. A child learns about friendship.

6. "Rain on Rocks. Atlas, 1-18-05. A mother/wife explores the nature of bravery in the face of oppression...and demonstrates how our actions often have positive consequences of which we may never become aware.

7. "Conscripts." Atlas, 2-18-05. (Sequel to "Rain on Rocks.") When you are denied the ability to act upon all your choices, you treasure even more highly those values and actions that are within your control.

8. "Purification." Atlas, 4-21-05. (19,000 words.) (Sequel to "Rain on Rocks" and "Conscripts.") The Ratters wanted only to do business. Becoming ensnared in a civil war hardly suited their plans...

9. "The History of Rock and Roll." Atlas, 5-12-05. When a corporation clones famous rock musicians and replaces their brains with computers, do the Re-creations have rights? (And which band would you re-create first?)

10. "Patron of the Arts." Atlas, 2-04-08. (Fiction) Alicia Rickhoff's husband, Sal, knew that he was a good man. Whatever had happened during the war was done and gone. Retired from the military and dedicated to the finer things in life, he was now a cultural benefactor who deserved all the praise he received. If only he could convince his wife...

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**DON'T GET ME STARTED! ** (Short Commentary.)

 

Archive #1: May 24 to June 30, 2001.

Archive #2: July 1 to July 31, 2001.

Archive #3: August 1 to August 31, 2001.

Archive #4: September 1 to September 30, 2001.

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My 2000 Congressional campaign: 1. Press release announcing candidacy. 2. My positions. 3. Questionnaire from the Cedar Rapids Gazette. 4. Questions from the Iowa City Press-Citizen. 5. Questionnaire from PFLAG Cedar Rapids (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays).

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OTHER WRITINGS:

 

Nonfiction:

 

Academic Works

 

1. "Expectations, Values, and Groups." An academic analysis of expectancy-value theories. (36K)

2. Sample Chapters: The Integrative Perspective: IP Introduction; IP Chapter 1; IP Chapter 2 An objective approach to communication. The foundations for "To Understand and Be Understood."

3. "To Understand and Be Understood." The proper principles of interpersonal communication.

4. "Romantic Love: Youthful Fantasy or Mature Reality? The Maintenance of Passion." A look at the nature of romantic love along with a proposed research study to measure it. (44K)

5. "Free Will vs Determinism." A brief consideration of contradictions inherent in accepting determinism and rejecting free will.

6. "Communication and Causality: Cognition or Interaction? The Why of It All." Are humans except from causality? What is causality and how does that concept influence our theories of communication? [N.B.: the discussion of causality in this earlier piece is essentially identical to what I adapted for my essay, "Freedom and Causality."]

 

General Essays

 

1. "Is Honesty Always the Best Policy?" (Submission to Think-Off '98 contest.) Not always...

2. "The Perfection of the Market." If "perfection" means anything, the free market IS perfect.

3. "Pride in Property." The idea and reality of "property" should be celebrated, not ridiculed.

4. "The Right vs the Left: A = A." The equality of Statists.

5. "'Something Should Be Done.'" Doing "something" -- anything -- in a crisis usually makes matters worse.

6. "Speak for Yourself." Censorship can only be done by the State, not by those exercising their property rights.

7. "Voting for Freedom." The speech a politician should give.

8. "With Friends Like These." Government-private business partnerships create economic problems and violate the principles of freedom.

9. "Double-0 Nonsense: A License to Play." Licenses for toy guns and ID's for videogames? What's next?

10. "Courting Disaster." Too many courts and justices have become unprincipled tools of our political system.

11. "Getting Gassed." When the State seeks to "help" with high gas and electrical prices, watch your wallet.

12. "Terminal Limits." Review of Term Limits by Vince Flynn. Perhaps this author is on to something...

13. "Patriots Day vs Earth Day." The attention paid to Earth Day and the avoidance of Patriots Day tells us too much about the state of our culture.

14. "Rampant Discrimination Exposed!" A tongue-in-cheek analysis of the group most discriminated against in our society...and the ludicrous nature of most claims of discrimination made by women and minorities.

15. "Presumed Guilty." Prior restraint, burden of proof, and logic are all issues in calls to ban cell phones in cars.

16. "Hoping for 'What If...'" A review of Hope by Aaron Zelman and L. Neil Smith.

17. "Race For Freedom." In the wake of the World Trade Center attack, we face a race between freedom and growing dictatorship.

18. "The Greatest Generation." The World War II generation did many good things. They also did much that was wrong.

19. "The Remnant." Statist and collectivists love concentrating people in small areas while simultaneously destroying the conditions necessary for such communities to work.

20. "Pushing the Peanut." An effort to establish legal rights for a chimp is yet another example of statist incrementalism and a direct assault on the very meaning of rights.

21. "Wally's World." Attacks on Walmart hide assaults on self-determination, capitalism, and success itself...

22. "Saving Lives." When cops on PSA's tell us they're giving us seat belt violation tickets in order to "save lives" maybe we should be grateful...or not.

23. "Getting Rights Right." By examining the origins and foundations necessary for the existence and exercise of full adult rights, we can better understand how the concept of "rights" applies to children.

24. "Have More Sex. Now!" A call for Brits to have more children is yet one more attempt by the State to intrude into the bedrooms of its citizens for the "good of society."

25. "Return to Sender."<