Okay, so I had told myself that I would not be one of those bloggers who took the lazy way out by reposting content from other sources. I mean, what kind of crappy jerk does that and still feels good about themselves? However, when I heard this read last Friday, on the Dave Ramsey radio show, I knew I was going to break my own rule.

The words ring as true today, if not more so, as when they were first published. They do not speak of Republican or Democrat, nor do they serve as an endorsement for John McCain or Barak Obama. If anything, they serve as an indictment against both men and their respective parties. Instead, the words of this creed declare the wishes of those who wish for the unhindered pursuit of life, liberty, property and happiness. We who are not willing to trade individual liberty in exchange for security or a life without hardships. We who realize, that a life without the ability to fail, is a life without the chance for success.

An American Creed

I do not choose to be a common man.
It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.

I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say, “This I have done.”

By Dean Alfange

*Originally published in This Week Magazine.
Later printed in The Reader’s Digest, October 1952 and January 1954.
Copied for this blog from DaveRamsey.com.

The Honorable Dean Alfange was an American statesman born December 2, 1899, in Constantinople (now Istanbul). He was raised in upstate New York. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and attended Hamilton College, graduating in the class of 1922.

My good friend has an excellent blog called SelfishReasons.com. Last week he reported on a story involving one of my favorite locally owned Itallian eateries, Falcone’s. In short, the owner, Danny Falcone, placed a sign inside his newest location in Edmond, banning two city officials and one quasi-official from his restaurant. The reason behind the sign? He wished to paint his awning with the colors of the Italian flag, as is the trademark of his other locations. Being the owner of his business, one would think this would not be an issue. Instead, Falcone was denied “permission” from doing so by the city of Edmond. You can read the original story here: SelfishReasons.com.

“We respectfully reserve the right to refuse service to the following people: Suzy Thrash and Ingrid Young of the Edmond City Planning Commission, Lydia Lee of the Edmond Neighborhood Alliance. You are not welcomed here, please take your business elsewhere and do not come back on our property. Thank you”

The loss of individual liberty seems to be of little concern to most people I encounter. Especially when that liberty belongs to a business owner. The successful demonization of capitalism by collectivists over the last century is largely to blame. It has created a strong, irrational perception that all business is forever trying to pull one over on the “common man”. Ignoring the fact that the majority of businesses in this nation are small businesses created by the same, “common man”. These business owners are your neighbors next door, your friends or perhaps your family. Each trying to act in his own rational self interests by creating a source of income, by which he can survive. Not only is he in pursuit of a means to sustain his life, he is also in the pursuit of happiness. The very happiness referred to by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence. Yet, because he is a business owner, in the eyes of far too many today his pursuit is not protected.

More times than not, the denial of the inalienable pursuits of business owners, is done through laws created, “in the name of public health”, or the ever popular “for the children”. The motivation behind these laws is often full of good intentions. Other times, there are more sinister motivators at hand. In both situations the results are the same: the loss of freedom and property rights. Be it the ever so trendy effort among nanny-state legislators to ban smoking in, “public places” (even though they are privately owned establishments), the recent trans-fat and foie gras bans, or situations like Danny Falcone’s, all are instances where government has taken away individual liberty it had no moral right to take. By removing these freedoms, government is actively interfering and destroying the ability of business owners to make decisions which affect their livelihood. What is more obscene is that the proponents of such measures claim their actions will bring no harm to the people directly affected.

Those who would abuse entrusted power to impose their arbitrary whim, in turn forfeit their right to individual liberty. In the city of Edmond, Oklahoma, Suzy Thrash, Ingrid Young and Lydia Lee are guilty of just that and are ultimately working towards the loss of freedom for all through such actions. Their inability to grasp even the most basic precepts of what made our nation great is not only shameful, it is un-American.

Kudos to Danny Falcone for taking a stand and publicly banning these dim witted termagants from his establishment. His already amazing food will be that much more enjoyable for me, knowing every bite I take is helping to counter their efforts.

Any tax on income is immoral.

When you work you are making a trade: your time for US dollars. Nothing is gained as it is a direct trade. For anyone, state or federal government, to take a share of that without your consent is robbery. The Constitution tried to prevent this because the framers saw a tax on income to be exactly what it is, theft of personal property. They not only knew that it was theft but also realized that it discourages people from being productive.

The only moral and constitutional tax is a voluntary one, like a sales tax. You have the choice not to buy a good or service. If you object to what the taxes collected from a given item will go to, like welfare or farm subsidies, then you have the choice of opting out by not consuming. You do not have to buy gas, but for most the value out weighs the negative so we buy even at current prices. That does not negate the fact that you still have a choice as to whether or not you purchase it.

If a man breaks into your house, holds you at gun point and demands a portion of your weekly wage, what is he? If he demands a share of your wage, but tells you that he is doing so for your own good and for the good of someone you have never met, is he not still a thief? Why then do we allow our government to act as a thief, holding us at gun point, for a share of our wages? No matter how good the intent behind the robbery, it is still robbery.

Stop feeding the looters.