Dale Everett wrote an important post today in the form of an open letter to our fellow libertarian bloggers who have been espousing violence in the war on statism.

Among the many truths in this post, Dale states:

Inflicting suffering on another does nothing to heal our own harm.

and

On some level, we know we’re becoming much like whomever we’re angry at, but we all have our justification systems, sometimes rather elaborate.

Dale acknowledges the anger among some of our friends and encourages them to evolve past it by fighting a different kind of war from the type fought by those in governments.

There is another benefit in this evolution for those of us who refuse to grant special privilege to those wearing costumes–It helps us differentiate our friends and allies from those who use violence to achieve their goals.

May 25, 2009, Memorial Day

Dear Friend,

I would like to start this letter by thanking you for opening my eyes and my heart to the horrors experienced by people in this world less fortunate than we are. You loved me enough to share the truth with me and trust that I would understand. Your compassion inspired me to rekindle the kindness that I’d buried deep inside me long ago.

You helped me transform myself from a Republican to a Libertarian. Later, after I saw the inherent contradictions in the Libertarian party candidates, I became a “little-l” libertarian and now an anarchist. I am an anarchist because you helped me understand there is no justification for initiating force, but it is the nature of government to initiate force.

You and I have fallen out of touch, but I carry you with me everywhere I am. You are in my heart – inspiring me to be myself, to have the courage to face the day and do what I know is right.

But on this Memorial Day, I’m confused.  You were a vocal advocate for peace during the GWB administration, and now you seem very silent. Please help me understand why you are not fighting as vocally for peace as you were in 2003. Please help me understand your current thoughts about the choices the US continues to make with respect to violence in our world:

1)       What do you think of the Obama administration’s actions with respect to Guantanamo Bay prisoners? I refuse to believe you would support their continued failure to charge prisoners with crimes; I refuse to believe you would support their failure to treat these people as human beings.

2)       What do you think of the Obama administration’s policies with respect to Iraq? I refuse to believe you would continue to associate yourself with a government whose stated timetable for stopping the occupation and violence in that country occurs in 2012, nearly four years after last year’s election.

3)       What do you think of the Obama administration’s decisions to give immunity to the people who tortured prisoners and to protect those who authorized the torture? I refuse to believe you would support anyone who would torture or support torture.

4)       What do you think of the Obama administration’s choice to spend billions of dollars bailing out crony capitalist bankers and continue ignoring the violence against people in Darfur? I refuse to believe you would support favoring the crony capitalists with more riches while ignoring the victims of violence who are poor.

5)       Do you still call yourself a Democrat?  If so, please help me understand why you would associate yourself with this administration.

Please join me in my advocacy for peace. You kindled the light in me, yet ever since Obama was elected, it seems like I’m a lone voice barking in the wind. The good people of our world need us now more than ever. Will you join me?

In Peace and Love,

Teresa