Yay! The Carnival of Liberty is HERE, NOW. This is my most favorite carnival. It highlights and points out freedom and liberty around the world -- usually highlighting where it's been lost more often than not. There's lots of good articles and reading here, so please do sit down and follow these links.

All that's needed for evil (lack of freedom) to succeed is for good men to do nothing.

The London Fog presents Bigotry and Hatred in Action. Ogre's category: Police State.
Highlighted is another news story that really makes me wonder how in the world such things can happen in America -- followed quickly by the reminder that America is clearly NOT a free country any more:

the chief of police in North Platte, Nebraska has decided that he wants to instruct his officers to arrest parents who smoke in cars when children are present under Nebraska’s child abuse statute.

How do you explain that one? Does the police chief honestly think that children with parents in jail for one year are better off than children who get exposed to second hand smoke? He does, and that's scary -- because he is using the monopoly on force that government has to advance his own personal agenda. I wonder why we retain the right to keep and bear arms if we won't use them in instances like this?

Shuggy at The Sharpener presents Privacy? What privacy?. Ogre's category: Do As I Say, Not As I Do.
This long and thoughtful post includes such rantings as

I don’t give a rat’s-*** whether David Cameron had a few lines of cocaine when he was at university.

As Shuggy addresses the position that politicians seem to take -- that since they feel the need to expose themselves and have no privacy, they seem to have the right to ensure that no one else has any privacy, either. He goes on the explain how all politicians seem to have lost any concept of privacy for anyone, at any place. Well gee, Shuggy, if you're not doing anything wrong... right? ;)

Peter Porcupine at Peter Porcupine presents High Noon for Gay Marriage. Ogre's category: People vs. Government
As an advocate for freedom in occupied Massachusetts, Peter Porcupine gets attacked by big-government types all the time. This post is no exception. The post is about the history and decisions of the legislature and the manuverings of the courts and the legislature in trying to supress the people and the people's opinions:

If a Legislator votes to refuse to allow a vote by the electorate, what is he saying about the judgment of the electorate that saw fit to place him in office?

Of course, once the issue is raised (gay marriage), most of the commenters could see fit to only personally attack and insult, never once responding to the actual issue about the people and the state consitution vs. judges and the legislature. Why not head on over and add a little to the conversation that's NOT name calling? Peter has a nice chronology of what's been going on in the state and where it might be headed.

Leslie Carbone at LeslieCarbone presents One Red Paper Clip and the Power of the Market. Ogre's category: Capitalism rules.
This is the story of capitalism. It describes and analyzes the story of trading a red paper clip for a house and why it's possible. It also relates this story and action to the Bible, showing how the Bible actually supports such capitalism -- and points out how government can only reduce and crush capitalism and freedom. And Leslie points out a key issue that's quickly disappearing in America today:

But for trade to take place, two key conditions must be present.

First, there must be private property.

I'm not so sure there IS private property in America today, in any form. And that's a lose-lose situation for everyone, even government.

Tom Wright at The Wrightwing presents What Planet Do My Senators Represent?. Ogre's category: Lords vs. Peasants.
In this one, Tom takes issue with his moronic Senators in Washington. Both of his have the very dubious honor of being on the list of Senators who oppose the second amendment -- oh, but only in time of extreme emergency, as determined by the royally appointed elected representatives of the peasants people. As he points out:

After all, aristocrats and royalists throughout the ages have objected to the arming of the peasantry, and always oppress the right to arms of those they deem potential threats to their power.

However, as I previously mentioned, do We, as armed people, actually have the will to use such arms? Sure, those of us who are armed are often willing to use them when threatened with physical bodily harm. Some of us would be willing to use them when others are threatened with felonious attacks. But how many are willing to use them when threatened by the ultimate in force, the government? Then again, since government is always right, whyever would we?

Mike at The London Fog presents Stand around, try to look tough, don't make waves, collect overtime. Ogre's category: Crime? What Crime?
In this post, Mike points out what happens when there's too many laws: lawlessness. Actually, he's pointing out where policemen are intentionally ignoring crimes because of who is committing them, while watching people who are NOT committing any crimes. Interestingly enough, this is happening in Canada, where I'm not sure there's actually a provision in their laws that claims that all people are equal under the law. Of course, here in America, just because the law says that, doesn't mean it means that.

Brad Warbiany at The Liberty Papers presents Patrick Henry on the Constitution. Ogre's category: Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.
In this one, Brad provides a good portion of a speech made by Patrick Henry. It is, as with many things still quoted of Mr. Henry's, a quite good speech. It starts out with a key point:

You are not to inquire how your trade may be increased, nor how you are to become a great and powerful people, but how your liberties can be secured; for liberty ought to be the direct end of your Government.

Indeed. That IS the point of government. Government doesn't exist to generate income, to help people, or to protect people from themselves. It is supposed to be there to protect liberty, and nothing else. But as Mr. Henry has predicted, and Brad points out, that's not what it's doing. Indeed, Patrick Henry appears to have been quite the prophet on this issue.

Peter Kua presents Stop living in denial for the sake of Malaysia posted at RadicalHop.com. I'm not sure what this one is about -- a complaint that the government of Malaysia won't crack down on people being rude in the country because it's "bad" for the country? To me, that sounds like government expansion and intrusion rather than freedom.

A few last entries (sorry I don't have time to properly comment on them -- please, readers, feel free to read them and then provide good summaries and details in my comments -- I'm sure they're excellent reads, we're just having a gas leak emergency and I'm supposed to evacuate or something):

Doug Mataconis presents The Ninny State posted at Below The Beltway.
Doug Mataconis presents The Nanny State vs. The Family posted at The Liberty Papers.
Doug Mataconis presents Zoning Laws And Property Rights posted at The Liberty Papers.

Next week this wonderful carnival will be hosted at Indian Cowboy.