Comment: I agree, Lysiandad. Some --

I agree, Lysiandad. Some -- but probably most, say, 90 percent of -- government employees are simple, honest people. My post is pointed to government employees who use weapons, though, especially those who usher violence routinely, the military people and to a lesser but still significant degree, police men and women.

Yes, education is key. Today I had a good experience with a government person, one who works in license and registration of automobiles. To shorten a long story, I argued, not quarreled, why the fines her agency applied to my nonpayment were wrong. After I stated my point, I explained it.

It took a while for her to grasp what I said, but she did grasp it. After I repeated my explanation in other ways, I discussed my argument philosophically. I even said the word philosophy. Soon after saying that word and explaining the right-wrong/moral aspect of the argument, she paused, then said she needed a minute. She held the phone away from her face, murmured some, mulling over figures and information I told her, then she returned.

She, a head person in the department, said she knew my case because she was the one who cleared the first fines dismissal. When she returned to the phone, she said she removed $36, whose addition pushed up the waived fines to more than half of all my fines. As if to signal that removal was enough, she asked me a question she'd asked a few times, What can I do for you?

I referenced a couple facts again before she asked me to hold on. I could hear her saying something in the background. About a minute later she came back to the phone and stated conclusively: I waived all your fines, but you'll have to pay the dues tomorrow. I said "thank you" and "if I was there, (her name), I'd hug you and kiss your cheek -- thank you." A minute later, we hung up and I was relieved and felt freedom just won a battle.

Experiences such as this one, albeit rare for me, encourage me to carry on. Lysiandad, we can reach the people. We can. We just gotta continue honing ourselves intellectually. If a freedom person's intellect is dull, he must sharpen it. If it's sharp, he must retain its sharpness. Persuasion is his goal, argument his tool. He's got to know when to talk firmly and nimbly. We can win, Lysiandad. We can. Freedom can win.