How to Hurt the Poor Every Day of the Year

I can't beat Jeff's Thanksgiving post from last year. Unfortunately, Heraclitus was right, and this year's Turkey Day is marred by hundreds-years'-old strife raised to a boil by events in Missouri. As such. the idea of a single day of commercial boycotting fades gently under the penumbra of rioting induced by the wretched systematic injustices of power-mad goons.

The goons I refer to are, of course, the ones elected or appointed to positions of nominal authority. They bear the seals of office, wear the badges of service, and enjoy all the prestige and protection that the "justice" system affords them. Which is quite a bit.

So what am I thankful for this year? I'm thankful first and foremost for my family and friends, their warm companionship and love, and the comfort they bring. But I'm also thankful that our society has [mostly] conquered hunger (unless you're homeless in Florida), violent crime (unless you live in a community hobbled by mandatory unemployment legislation aka minimum wage statutes), and the violent oppression of minorities (unless you have the keys to surplus war materiel courtesy of the DoD as well as carte blanche justification for the use of civil asset forfeiture). In other words, I'm privately, narrowly thankful for my privilege.

In a more just, more euvoluntary America, more residents, including those who move here freely from abroad would enjoy all the same privileges I do: the privilege to walk around without being molested or harassed by anyone, including cops and private citizens, the privilege to accept employment with whom I choose under mutually agreeable terms, the privilege to truck, barter, and exchange goods and services I find pleasing and to recompense my trading partner so as to encrease the opulence and joy of the both of us.

It is customary when splitting the collarbone of the turkey to make a wish. If I get the better part of the wishbone this year, I wish for an end to the systematic injustice that still plagues the beautiful country I love so dearly.

A happy Thanksgiving to you all, or at least as happy as you can manage in these bleak times.