I believe they can

Before I answer that let me preface my thoughts with this. There are three things that get used as if they mean the same thing.

Many people use these interchangeably yet they are three different things. The fact that many people do not realize or recognize this leads to confusion and frustration when they hear someone being critical of the government, and its policies.

Over the years as I've become more disenfranchised with the US government and the state as in idea I have had an internal struggle with patriotism¹. I love this country and its people but I hate many things the government has done and is still doing. I no longer vote. I do not believe the political forces represent me or any of us. I believe the Constitution is a beautify document but it has been powerless to stop the march to where we are today. I am ashamed of what the US and many state and local governments do. And yet, I still love America. Some people have tried to make me feel as if I do not love America. This isn't true.

I'm proud to call myself an American. I love our country and what the people (on the whole over time) stand for. The ideals of liberty and justice. The ideals of the only limitation being your own willingness to work. The idea of being unashamed of what you believe. The idea of fresh starts. The ideas that drove people to the new world. These values are good. They have not always been upheld or modeled but the ideas are core to being an American. When you talk to an immigrant that has came to this country you can see how special America is.

I believe the state is evil and responsible for more death and destruction than any entity that has ever existed. But, I do not want to live in chaos, I support governance. Governance exists in each of our lives. It is mostly voluntary and rarely includes violence or the threat of violence. The state uses violence to force the people into submission. The state is an entity that has a monopoly on the use of violence.

The US government is not what makes me proud. It makes me ashamed. The actions of those in power are deplorable. Many of them are anti-American. When the founders penned the documents that created the federal government there was much concern about the federal government trampling over the rights of the people. And the evil isn't new. Look at what the US government did to the native people in this country. The state is ruthless. Our culture is far to comfortable with the violence the state perpetrates. Maybe you don't think we can abolish the state as I do. That's OK. But can we agree that its grown too big and too powerful?

I challenge you to think about this over the next few days. Who has your back? Is it your friends and family or is it some politician or bureaucrat? You might be thinking well, there are men who laid down their lives for our freedoms. Ok, but they are people. Most of us that oppose war oppose the abuse of those soldiers. Many times they are being used as tools for the elite. Most of us respect those that are willing to sacrifice themselves for their family and their nation. If you talk to vets(I know many) they believe in the values I have described. Those people have my respect. Most do not love the government. They love the people. They love the country. They love their families and our cultural values. They do not want to live under tyranny. Yet as the state grows in power we are increasingly living under a technocratic system that rivals the USSR. In the name of preserving freedom the state has created a tyrannical system that robs us of our freedoms. It is fueled by a political system that divides us and pits neighbor against neighbor.

I invite you to reject these ideas. This political poison. We don't need to agree with each other on everything. We are being forced into this stupid arguments constantly. Live and let live. Stop trying to use force to make everyone live like you. That's un-American. Its not what this nation is about. Yet that is where we are.

Bitcoiners should understand this. Many Americans think bitcoin is bad because the identify the dollar as American. Again, this is ignorance. The US government predates the dollar. The dollar is fiat. I believe it is anti-American. Bitcoin is American. It is censorship resistant. It is created by proof of work. It has no rulers. What is more American than that? But you see this is the same issue as thinking being American has something to do with the government. The government is something we can change, or replace. If we did would we cease to be who we are? I don't think so.

Happy Independence day stackers. Lets work on thinking more independently and living with each other in peace. Reject the political framing. We don't have to love and agree with everything everyone does. We can respect each others rights to do things we wouldn't do. We can do better at that. We could all probably focus on improving our own backyard a little more and forcing people that live across the country to do or not do things a little less. Celebrate your freedom and the freedom of others on this Independence day.

What do you love about America? The people and the land.