An explanation of "Why me?"

“A leader leads by example, not by force.” ― Sun Tzu

Old Greybeard commented on the post below:

There will be plenty of New Yorkers to break the laws, so what is the point of your going there to do that? I'm sure you don't want to spend a lot of time in a New York state prison. Again, what would be the point? You can do much more for the cause of Liberty at your keyboard than pulling useless stunts like that, Mike.

Old Greybeard is not the only fellow I've heard this from. Let me explain my answer(s) to the question "Why you?"

I never thought I was much of a leader. The problem is others apparently think I am. Thus, if I am to be a leader, then I should be the best one I can be. One thing I know about leaders -- they should never ask their troops to do anything they are not willing to do themselves. They should, as Sun Tzu said, lead by example. Thus, if I am to ask anyone to "defy, resist, evade and smuggle," I must do it first. Remember too that I have to answer the same questions I posed: "If not us, who? And if not now, when?" Someone must do this. Someone must bell the tyrannical cat.

Another perspective on leadership is provided by Lao-Tzu:

“To lead people, walk beside them. As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate. When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”

A Connecticut Threeper patch I had never seen before.

I walked beside many Three Percenters at the Hartford rally, before and after my speech. You know the gratifying thing? Few of those who carried Threeper flags or who sported Three Percenter patches and tabs on their uniforms knew who I was. THAT is the success of an open source insurgency idea. It is a testament to the greatness of an idea that it is larger and more powerful than the originator. In the end, they will be able to say, "We did it ourselves."

I also dispute that breaking these unconstitutional laws in public is a "useless stunt." It is, in fact, necessary. First, to demonstrate to these tyrants that they can pass any law, but that they can be made to look impotent and foolish as a result -- something their regime cannot long stand without reacting with violence. Second, my trip through Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York convinced me that our side needs the example of defiance to strengthen their own resolve. There are some good people in the resistance movement in those states and just as I draw stength from their example, they do likewise from mine.

The fact is that we cannot take the first shots in this coming struggle so as to maintain the moral high ground -- no Fort Sumters and no Oklahoma City bombings, as I've always written. It follows that we must arrange, like Captain Parker on Lexington Green, for our enemies to have every opportunity to screw up and take the first shots. This involves, as a I wrote above, making them look impotent and foolish. Their egos, indeed their entire system, rest upon the lie that they are omnipotent and represent legitimate power. "Resistance is futile," they thunder. Until somebody pulls back the curtain and points to the little man and his ludicrous masquerade.

So, you wanted to know, "Why me?" That's why. Somebody's stuck with the duty. It might as well be me.

"OH!! Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!"